Phantom Rain

[Lion]

The exchange between them was nauseating.  However Corvus kept himself level and watched the pair go back and forth until Evelyn turned away. The minute revelations were trifling, and yet somehow opened up Corvus' mind regarding Boreas. No wonder the man was so touchy.  Slavery....  Hrm, it certainly explained all the jumpiness, and the running, and the paranoia.  It wouldn't do for him to jump to too many conclusions however.

"Whatever you're implying, keep that to yourself. It seems someone had to help your sister after she just saved your life mind you. And you were busy helping that scag that died anyway. What you call murder, I call survival. People die, and there's nothing you can do to change that. Convincing her that what she did was wrong is wrong. You're not the reason you're alive, she is.  Apparently she can handle herself and you just fine," Corvus replied coolly.

He moved passed Boreas, carefully stepping around him, even if he wanted to toss the brute to the ground. Screaming at her like that?  Who did he think he was?!  The bastard should be grateful his sister had the patience to put up with his foolery. 

He looked up to Evelyn, although he tried not to step any closer than he had to. "You alright?"

[Incognus]

"Just watch your step," Boreas muttered as Corvus walked past him. He turned away, fuming, and walked back over towards the dead innkeeper. He needed to think too. Evelyn needed space and Boreas was not in the mood to deal with that damned Corvus character. He felt bad for what he had said to Evelyn. It wasn't often he got that angry, but when he did there was just no filter with him. In the back of his mind, Boreas knew Corvus was right. Evelyn was the reason he was alive. She had saved him on several occasions, and he could recall numerous times that his old companion Jasper had done so as well. He let out a sigh, I miss her. Boreas had been a burden to Jasper as well, he knew that, but even so he could not disregard the values he had set forth. Even though it was a harder lifestyle, it was a just one, and Boreas believed morality and righteousness was extremely important. He couldn't live with himself otherwise. Stopping at the man's body, he looked down. His shirt was useless to him now, but he didn't care about that, he could always get another. What bothered him was that this man likely had a family, and they would be distraught to learn that he died. He need to find them, to apologize and do anything he could to try to make it right. It was their fault he was shot after all.

***

Evelyn didn't stop walking when she heard Corvus's question. "I'm fine, it's just-" she paused mid sentence. Evelyn wanted to be out of earshot of her brother before continuing. She didn't turn around to look at Corvus, not wanting him to see her crying, although she was pretty certain that fact was obvious as she wiped her eyes every so often. She moved a little further into the woods, the sound of Corvus's footsteps behind her, before finally turning to face him. Her eyes were a little red from the few tears she'd shed, but she'd steeled herself and brushed it off. Her brother loved her, Evelyn knew, he was just angry and confused.

"I'm sorry you had to hear all that," she apologized, "Boreas can be, well.. you saw. He just doesn't understand. He's still young. He may look older but he's only 17. And he's generally level headed and all but when it come to killing it's something else. I mean I know it's wrong, I hate it too but-" Evelyn stopped, she was rambling.

Sighing, she ran her hand through her hair. Thoughts ran through her head and her eyes kept looking back and forth at their surroundings instead of staying locked on Corvus. "I'm terrible person Corvus. I've killed- I- ... But I do it because I want to stop. I want Boreas and I to, oh I don't know. I just want to stop running, I want us to have our normal life back, before it was taken-" Her words caught in her throat and a dampness returned to her eyes.

[Lion]

Oh, she was crying. That wasn't comforting to him, but she had a right to her emotions, one it seemed Boreas wasn't fond of.  Perhaps he didn't understand their bond, and it was likely he wouldn't. But from what he could gauge their closeness was rife with gullies and ramparts, trying though they may be.  As it was with all family bonds.

He found himself reaching out, just enough to put a gentle hand on her shoulder, but he didn't let it linger lest her brother come stomping in like the tough guy he was.  Corvus made his expression firm but gentle and looked directly at her.  "You have nothing to apologize for. What you're trying to do, is all anyone wants in this world. Don't punish yourself for wanting that.  And letting your brother convince you otherwise isn't doing either of you any good."

He sighed and stepped back a little, tilting his head. "Those soldiers didn't seem to care whether or not you lived or died. This is a war, do you not believe that the people that have suffered because of it wouldn't rather have someone else die in the place of their loved ones.  Boreas should be glad he has you still, and should appreciate you as such."

Corvus looked on to the fire of the tavern as the fire consumed it whole.  "You're not a terrible person. Do you really believe that when it comes between you and them, that you'd prefer they live and you don't?  It isn't about wanton killing, it's about making a decision and learning to live with it. I'm no saint myself...  I-I."

He stopped himself and pushed back those haunting years. Taking lives, inhabiting empty shells, every experience they lived, every memory they held passing through him until they were part of him. Corvus was alone. He didn't have anyone like Evelyn had Boreas. Even with their squabbling, they still were not alone. He was eternal, cursed to wander in damnation. 

"I'm sorry.  But I stand by my opinion. Although...this fire does seem rather large. I'd hate to see the whole village go up with it."

[Incognus]

Evelyn blinked away the tears before they could start to flow again. "Thank you Corvus..." she sighed and looked over his shoulder in the direction they had came. "Boreas, he's just naive, he's still young. Sort of. He just doesn't understand that sometimes you have to do something bad to do something good." She looked to the ground and shook her head. "He's all I have left Corvus. There isn't anything I wouldn't do if it helped him in the end."

When Corvus mentioned the fire Evelyn's eyes grew wide. Shit. How could I not have thought about that. It's my fault if the whole town burns down! she took off past Corvus back towards the small village.

[Lion]

Corvus turned back with her after a few seconds and went off in a casual jog. The fire was swallowing up the inn in an intense hunger. It wouldn't relent and threatened some of the smaller buildings around it. There wasn't much he could do magically speaking about the fire.  It likely could be seen for miles, and if the other villagers hadn't vacated the area, it was soon going to be too late.

He ventured forth to see people looking out of their windows, and some of them standing and watching the blaze consume the structure.

"Can you put this out?" Corvus asked Evelyn.

[Incognus]

Evelyn shook her head, "Maybe. I don't know. Fire's my best element but..." She trailed off staring at the massive flames. The heat was so intense it had charred the smaller surrounding plants, and the larger ones were begining to smolder.

The villagers were in a state of shock, and some were standing around and watching the blaze... but where was Boreas? She didn't see him among the few onlookers. Then she realized the Innkeeper's body was gone. Boreas had moved him, it was something he would do.

She didn't have time to worry about where her brother was though, there were more pressing issues. She stepped up to the fire, and Evelyn raised her hands as if warming them. She pushed the fire inward towards the building, keeping the flames from catching with the wind. The heat was intense, even to the mage who was used to it's lick, but she didn't step back.

"I can't douse it!" She called back to Corvus, "But I can contain it! I can let it burn down!" The cracking was fairly loud and she forced another outburst of flame back into the structure when it shifted again.

"You!" One of the men yelled when he saw her, "YOU did this didn't you! A filthy mage!" The older man snarled and turned to his companion. "Get the others. We have a WITCH!" And the second man turned and ran off.

[Lion]

Of course this couldn't work out quite as planned. Here they were trying to keep this village from burning into complete ash and of course the villagers are more hellbent on trying to savagely string up their potential heroine by the threads of her hamstrings.  Or just throw her into the burning inn, whichever would give them more satisfaction. Corvus, however, wasn't about to let that happen.

As the second man dashed off to form the beginnings of a mob, Corvus quickly turned to Evelyn.  "Let's get out of here now! This building can't be saved.  And neither can you if those folks get a hold of you."  He took her gently by the arm and led her off.  He looked around, head swiveling to see if he could find Boreas, but he couldn't spot the poor sod anywhere. 

"We've got to get your brother!  Either that or leave him to the mob. I'd rather not succumb to the latter myself, but I will help you if necessary.  Come on!"

[Incognus]

Evelyn physically shoved the air to push a gust of flames back into the burning skeleton. She barely heard the old man yelling at her and then Corvus pulled her away from the building. The mage let him lead her and watched the blazing inn return to anarchy. Flames licked the side of a nearby home and the first trails of smoke told of its impending doom.

Boreas! she remembered, Oh Gods he had better be alright. Her eyes swept the area before turning to Corvus. "We can't leave him!" And as she spoke she felt a different hand grip her other arm.

"Where ya think yer goin?" A gruffy voice spoke. The old man had come over and grabbed Evelyn's arm as they passed by. She quickly noted the knife that lay in his other hand. His teeth were sparse, many had fallen out over the years and frown lines stood etched into his sagging skin.

Evelyn leaned into Corvus and flailed in an attempt to escape. "Get off!" She yelled at the angry villager.

***

Boreas hefted the body next to a nearby tree and looked over the small flat area dotted with graves. This looks like the right place, he thought. Turning around, he grabbed a shovel that had been 'borrowed' from an open tool shed. His head angled up towards the bright blue sky, split in half by a tall pillar of dark smoke. He had told a few villagers in the street to grab water, that the inn was burning, and they had ran off to try and help. I hope they can douse it in time...

The grassy dirt crunched under the metal spade as Boreas drove the shovel into the earth. His bare muscles bulged slightly and he pulled up with enough strength to break the abundance of grassy roots before dumping the pile to the side. He stomped the shovel into the earth again and repeated the process as his mind wandered. Boreas didn't know where to find this man's family, if he had one, and he would likely have to ask around. Explaining what exactly happened at the inn would be difficult, and it wasn't something he looked forward to doing.

After a few more hauls Boreas glanced up at the town church and suddenly remembered why they were here in the first place. Corvus. That man had wanted something from the church, and Boreas's curiosity was immediately sparked. What exactly was it? He didn't know because Corvus hadn't said, but he would definitely be taking a peek inside after the body was safely in the ground. Boreas looked down and plunged the spade deep into the earth once again.

[Lion]

Corvus wasted no time in lunging at the old man, feeling the strength surging through his body and slamming hard into him. The knife in his hand was gripped firmly however and even as Corvus grabbed him with one hand by the scruff and the other against the wrist holding the blade, the old man gripped it. 

"Back off her!" Corvus hissed and he couldn't hide the rage any longer. His threw himself forward, fangs out and sinking into the flesh of his cheek. The old man stumbled backwards, dropping to the ground to stop the seeping wound from his face that gaped and poured out blood.

The man was made inert and he turned to Evelyn, taking her arm gently.  "Let's go find Boreas," he said firmly.  "I needed the Church, but that won't be much help to either of us if we're dead.  Except maybe to give last rites."  He smiled at her, but pressed himself off to where he last saw Boreas go.

"If we don't find him though, as soon as we see the mob, we run, got it?"  Corvus wiped at the blood on his face, although he just seemed to smear it.

[Incognus]

Evelyn looked back at the man's bloody face lying on the dirt as Corvus led her away. He had reacted so fast and violently, tearing into the man's cheek with his teeth. She didn't notice the fangs. Evelyn didn't know he was capable of doing that, and it was a little frightening, but at the same time she was glad he was there.

She nodded when Corvus said they would run at the sight of the mob, but she really hoped it didn't happen. She wasn't sure if she could just abandon her brother like that. Then we just have to find him.

"Boreas. He took the Innkeeper's body," she pointed out as they moved, "If I know him, he's probably trying to bury it."

***

Boreas dumped the final shovel full and set the tool on the ground. He heaved the man's body towards the hole. It was finally large enough to fit him, although he wondered if he had dug the grave too shallow. Setting the body on his back in the pit, he positioned the hands and legs so they were below the ground as well. He stood and looked down at the innkeeper.

Maybe he doesn't have a family... That would certainly make things easier. He partially blamed himself for the man's death, he was one of the people who brought the soldiers to his doorstep, and he was dreading more and more the thought for finding his family. Boreas stooped down and grabbed the shovel.

[Lion]

"You're the one that led them here!" said a voice behind Boreas.  "You brought that fucking witch and her dog!  Get out of our village!"

It was a man and a trio of others behind him.  They looked at the grave freshly dug and the man's breath hitched. His face was covered with the soot from the burning inn and he stepped forward to try and shove Boreas away from his dead friend.  "You killed him!  Men!  Get this fucking cunt to that inn! We burn the witch and her dog too!"

They all stepped forward to surround Boreas, with whatever farming tools they had in hand to serve as weapons.

As they ran toward the sound of growing voices, Corvus's stomach sank further into his gut and he only pressed them to move faster.

[Incognus]

Boreas spun around at the sudden outcries. It was the townsfolk, and it appeared that they had formed a mob. He looked over to his staff on the ground, a few meters away. He would need to get to that. "No, please." Boreas responded cautiously and held up a hand, "It wasn't our intention!"

But the mob only drew nearer and Boreas found himself taking a defensive stance with a tight grip on the shovel. It seemed like it wasn't possible to finish burying the man's body anymore. He needed to get his staff and run to the church, before the brewing fight got out of hand.

[Lion]

A shovel might take out two or tree of those men, but the more they shouted and advanced, a few more joined their number. They quickly drew in on Boreas and as they got closer so did Corvus and Evelyn. Corvus tried to shout over the din.  "Boreas!" he cried at the top of this lungs.

While the mob turned to look. Corvus paused for a brief second, thrusting out hands to the intensity of heat that was growing in them. Violet fire burst forth and a ball of flame raged for the man wielding a pitchfork in front.

Oh it wouldn't be a proper mob without one of those.

[Incognus]

Boreas scowled and shielded his face as the man was hit by the purple fire before him. He screamed as flames wrapped around him. Corvus, you bastard, Boreas raged in his mind, but he took the opportunity to lunge for his staff. As his hand wrapped around the smooth wood, a hoe came down on his back. Boreas hit the ground with a yell as the metal split his skin, and he rolled over to block a second swing with the shovel in hand. He got to his feet and swung on the attacker with the shovel, bashing his head and knocking the farmer unconscious.

"Boreas!" Evelyn yelled when she saw him go down. But she watched him swiftly get back up and return the favor. He dropped the shovel and turned to her voice. "Run!" She yelled. And he did, taking off towards the church. The mob was on her and Corvus now for the most part, after one of their men fell to cursed flames, and it was time for them to run too.

"We need to go!" Evelyn frantically told Corvus, not that he didn't already realize, but because she was panicked. This had all gone so bad so fast. She took the lead, running along the streets towards the church doors as Boreas took the graveyard route. She didn't know what would happen once they were inside. Barricade the door perhaps? She could always give her magic a go. But realistically, it would only be a temporary solution, a place for them to regroup. This town was no longer safe for them to stay.

[Lion]

[Oh, I am so sorry for the long delay! D:  Working all the time is not ideal for posting.]

Where Boreas saw unnecessary savagery, Corvus saw a means to an end. Whether that end was a permanent one, he didn't know and he didn't care. The man was a roadblock, a temporary impasse on their road to sanctuary - which so far had been wrought with troughs, dips, and debris. Corvus kept his eyes trained on the crowd as they went for the pair.

He saw Boreas bolt toward the church from the corner of his eye, and as the crowd suddenly gained speed, he was on Evelyn's heels with dutiful steadiness. Corvus panted lightly as the mob tried to gather what other brethren in the village would take up arms against them. "Your magic!" he hissed as they neared the side doors of the church.  "Could you uproot the trees!  Make them block the doors!"

A they came up to the wooden edifices, he threw the door open and slammed it hard behind once he and Evelyn were threw. He looked around, searching for anything that might help barricade the door.  He kicked over a lamp, the long golden stem breaking off from the four-pronged base and shoved it between the handles on the inside.

[Incognus]

"Okay!" Evelyn yelled back to Corvus. Boreas reached the church doors before they did and held them open for his two companions. Evelyn slowed slightly allowing Corvus to get in front of her. While running, she sifted her fingers through the air as one would do with wet sand. The tinglings of magic helped her feel the roots of the small trees that stood near the church entrance. Reaching the door, she turned and stopped, jerking her hands upwards. A shower of dirt followed as tree roots burst from the ground. She wove her hands back and forth and dumped energy into her movements. The roots grew. They fed off of the magical nutrients and twisted through the air, becoming thicker while interlocking with each other. The result was a growing woven wall of wood that blocked the doorway to the cathedral.  Like vines they climbed the walls and Evelyn extended her hands in a circle around her, so they began to cover the windows too. By the time she was finished, the mage was panting and the mob had started hacking at the barrier. All the magic she'd used recently was really starting to take it's toll.

Boreas closed the doors for good measure and leaned up against the wall. He slid to the ground in a sitting position, a look of pain on his face, and one of his hands held his back. The blow from the farmer was starting to make his spine feel stiff, now that adrenaline was starting to wane. "Are you ok?" Evelyn asked her brother, looking over at him with her hands on her knees.

"I'm alright," he replied wincing. "You should sit down. I can tell you're drained." Evelyn nodded slowly, taking a seat on a nearby bench. She looked over to Corvus, about to ask how he was doing.

"Y- You- ... You can't b- be here.." Evelyn's head whipped around to the front of the room, where a lone priest was cowering behind the pier. They must not have noticed him in all the commotion.

[Lion]

The barrier would hold for now. Even if they didn't have all the time they wished they had. Corvus cursed those bloody soldiers! Only because they couldn't just let a few mages slip their grasp, let them go and move on to bigger and better prey. Well, one mage. Boreas was just dead weight as far as Corvus was concerned. However as he turned away, he saw Evelyn panting and frowned. It seemed she was getting exhausted from the use of her gift; working such wonder tended to go that way.

The priest, was completely unexpected.

"Why?" Corvus asked, although he realized it was a moot question. Taking refuge in a house of a deity, even on such as Ansgar, was typical for the urchins and the wretched - which they seemed to be very much so now -  and now had an angry mob at their backs.  "Father, please. Will you grant us sanctuary here for a short time? I realize that's asking much, but we're in need."

"No-no!" he stammered, reaching up to hold his hands out in front of him.  As if that might ward away the evil of their presence.  "You bring danger and evil to these hallowed grounds!  That is sheer blasphemy! I can't allow it!  Please, this is a house of God!"

[Incognus]

"Gods-" Boreas started, he let his head fall back and knock against the wall. Of course someone is trying to kick us out. He was getting rather fed up with all the running. The hiding and the hatred directed at him and his sister. JUST because she was a mage. JUST because she happened to have been blessed with an extraordinary gift. It was awful, all of this hatred constantly directed at mages, most of whom would never hurt a fly unless forced to. Like Evelyn.

"No." He said, staring over at the priest sternly. "We aren't leaving, and you can't kick us out. I am so damn tired of you people putting us into a bad category! Like mages and their friends are inherently evil or something. No! They aren't. I'll tell you what's inherently evil, it's the sword and the gun the unmagical have forged. Their only purpose is to kill and maim others! Mages are more than that. They can do beautiful things and you idiots are blind to it!" Boreas paused after his rant, breathing slowly to calm himself down. "Screw Asangar. And screw you too." He crossed his arms and turned his head away from the priest, who stood in silent shock, obviously sweating with anxiety.

Evelyn just sort of looked at Boreas, surprised at his sudden outburst, not that it was uncalled for. She was fed up too. She smiled weakly towards him but her brother didn't see. As angry of a rant as it was, it was also sweet. She turned her head to the priest. "We're staying here." She stated, and leaned back to lie on the bench. Her head and vision was starting to swim and she was afraid she'd pass out.

He wouldn't try anything, Evelyn highly doubted, and if he did it was three against one anyway. She needed this break, however temporary it may be, and the lull in the chaos would give Corvus time to do whatever he needed to here. She didn't care what it was. As far a she was concerned he was one of them, here to help and protect, and if his task happened to hurt or go against the townfolk, well, these kind of people had caused her considerable pain over the last few years. She was willing to look the other way.

[Lion]

If the sudden quiet outside alerted Corvus any, he didn't show it. Oh he knew they didn't suddenly make peace with the fact that a mage just slaughtered a platoon of soldiers, and burned down their inn and killed one of their own in the process. No, he knew they must be preparing something, either to break down this chapel, or burn it up from the outside in.  Even the look on the priest's face was all he needed to see to confirm his suspicions.

Corvus looked at the stone of the church. It was old, probably much older than village itself. Even the inn that had crumbled must have been built shortly after this small chapel had been erected. The stone was darkened with age and thin slivers of algae growing between the stones. The pews were browned and worn over from excessive use. The people here were obviously very devout.  Maybe that would sway their need for destruction in just the time needed to get out of here.

"Father, where do you keep your texts and writings?" he asked, overlooking Boreas' rant. As much as he agreed with the overall aspect of it's intent, he didn't have enough experience in that department to be a judge in their current situation. The only thing he could comment on was the here and now. And they were still very much in danger.

The priest, seemingly caught off guard from Boreas, shakily turned to Corvus.  "The....writings!?  I-I...don't..  Um, I mean, they're in the cellar!  Down behind the pulpit.  B-but you can't go down there!  Only men of the cloth may venture there."

"I am in need of scanning your library, father. Now really isn't the time, considering the angry mob outside," he pressed.  He gave the priest a hard look.  The man gulped harshly and tripped over his robes as he fumbled down the steps and moved toward the door on the right of the pulpit.  He pulled a key from the chain around his neck and unlocked the door after some struggle.

"The rust makes it hard to get through.  Don't be long!  The books down there are very old, already wrought with mildew and moisture!  They were stored here after this chapel was constructed."

"Don't worry. No harm will come to them.  I know that you're more worried about the state of your books than the needful flock outside. So please, don't hesitate to be more hospitable," Corvus said bitingly.  He scowled at the priest before ventured down into the dark.

[Incognus]

Boreas eyed Corvus and the priest as they walked away and down to the cellar. He too noticed the commotion lessening outside, but the thick roots covering the windows meant that their actions would stay unknown. Boreas stiffly walked over to Evelyn. His legs felt sluggish, and he assumed it was just fatigue. "Are you ok?" he asked her.

"I'll be alright." Evelyn replied. She brought her arm up and put the crook of her elbow over her eyes, to block out the light. "I just need break..."

"Sure thing," Boreas stated. "I'll keep an eye on things, don't worry about it." Taking a seat on the bench behind Evelyn's, he looked around at the old church. He was curious why Corvus was interested in the writings, but he had no energy to investigate. It was his job to watch Evelyn right now anyway. So he leaned back and waited for something to happen. For Corvus to return, or for the mob to retaliate. And for the first time during the journey, Boreas realized he would rather have Corvus.