Virtue, Forever Fickle [Lion]

[AevumEternity]

As they trotted on, pushing through the drizzle, bodies swaying slightly with the steps of their steeds, she turned her helm away to look ahead, watching a silver droplet fly free from the end of the 'beak' of her helm before answering," Whatever happened, I at least did what I could do to save a mother when I damned a child." She pauses," Some shadows have been cleared from my heart, which is more relieving then one could imagine."

Turning back toward him, she suddenly tilts her head," Mercuxio- are we wrong? What we have been doing to magic-wielders... Is it wrong?"

[Lion]

A curious question, and one that he hadn't thought about in some years. Not since the mage camps in the beginning. He thought of Olive and wondered what had become of her. And the other mages that had been kept there. He felt his stomach twist with guilt, but he kept himself stern. The past was the past, what was done was done.

He had been following orders. But what then?  And what now?

"No," he found himself saying. "It isn't. We've been fighting for what? To keep alive an old system that is destined to fall apart no matter how much we try to put it back together. It will fracture and break again. All we can do is survive until we again reach the other side."  He looked to Hakon, eyes solemn, perhaps even sorrowful.

"All my life I've been driven by duty...and it tore me from my family. I won't let that happen again. I'm a priest. but I'm also a Rastognlir. I've often lost myself in what others wanted me to do."

[AevumEternity]

She locks eyes with him, even if beneath the helm it was concealed she felt her heart ache. Finally. Finally it seemed another understood, that she was not alone in her thoughts. That this loyalty she would die for- this loyalty to the Grand Duke did not come out of love for him but rather an unyielding motice of duty.

" Thank God. Thank God we're not alone." Her voice whistled from the mask as a soft, odd yowling sounds in the difference, drawing her charger to a halt, she scans the foothills warily, shifting the shield on her back

[Lion]

Speaking of a devil, and it shall appear.

The thought was on the verge of his mind when the howling occured. They were certainly not alone all right. He watched Hakon at first, and even Titus began to feel unease, and turned when Purgatorio did. "To the trees," Mercuxio whispered.

He nudged his mount off into a canter and pressed between a set of rocks that obscured their presence. The noises ignited yet again, growing louder as if whatever was there was certainly closer.  "I know Purgatorio is fast. But can be be quiet?" he asked, nodding to the horse.

[AevumEternity]

" Stealth is nigh impossible for heavy cavalry, but if we can stay still long enough-" she shrugs, trailing after him as she presses herself low against Purgatorio's back, taking a steadying breath as the yowls and laughter grew nearer,"... They are not animals yet- but close," she pauses, glancing at Mercuxio.

The road suddenly came alive with a 'patrol' if one could call it that. Men and women, all but stark naked, either loping upon all fours or hunched like primitives- swaying to and fro, chattering nonsensically- two pounced on one another, screeching in rage- it was almost humorous were it not so eerie...

[Lion]

Mercuxio might have panicked at the sudden onslaught before them. The creatures were howling and chittering as if not of their own minds.  Merric held his breath and maneuvered out of their path. The pack of beasts flowed by as if they hadn't noticed them at all.

"I'd say we're on the right track then," he replied. And kicked Titus into motion, the horse whinnying but a moment before kicking up dirt and heading for the hills. He wasn't going to be caught with his proverbial pants off in the dark. The way was unclear, the mist obscuring most of their view.  But the horse pounded off anyway, seemingly fearless.

[AevumEternity]

The Theocog thunders after him, each massive hoof striking the earth like thunder. In battle it was easy to see why such a beats would cause the enemy to shrink away in fear, but for scouting it was enough to make one wince and feel their skin prickle.

Hakon looks around, hackles raised slightly before suddenly pointing out a small glow in the distance," The Mines."

[Lion]

The cavern before them was wide, a burrow for man and machine to crawl inside the earth as the carved away the gravel and dirt and very inside of the hillside.  He pulled Titus to a halt and looked to Hakon. "Do we leave our mounts out here?  Won't the be eaten?" he murmured, voice a whisper.

He dismounted quietly, armor greased and silent even in movement. He pulled his mace from his side and a shield from the back of Titus' saddle.  Although they were scouting, it was best to be prepared for anything.

[AevumEternity]

" Unless we wish to scout even closer I suggest we turn back," she answers quietly, not darkng to move from atop Purgatorio- he would not know how she carefully steadied her breathinf, how she shuddered once and fell still- her armor suddenly felt too hot, even in the freezing drizzle," We should return to the men, I am sure the sentries saw that pack that passed us."

She turned Purgatorio around with a small swivel of her hips and tap with her knee. Steady now... As all afflictions, it must be rested away, but it seemed this ailment enjoyed laying dorment.

[Lion]

She was right and while he looked into the glowing maw of the cavern, he felt an unearthly chill go through him.  Right they were scouting.  And the numbers seemed indeterminable. Hidden in the dark like the shadow beings that they were.

He turned Hakon and looked up at her, eyes silvery blue by the moonlight.  "You're very brave to come here. Or very foolish," he seemed as if he were possessed, but he shook himself from the desire.  A rage slowly burned inside him.  He could feel it now and his breathing increased.  Quickly mounting Titus, he put his weapons away and carefully navigated back down the path.

"Hakon...can that kind of anger....infect the land?" he found himself asking.  He growled softly to himself and looked off to shapes that moved in the darkness.  They were being followed.  "Nevermind. It doesn't matter."  He carefully veered off to the side, pulling the horse with him and riding louder, more astute and straightened, more of a target. 

"Hakon...return to your men...  Now," he breathed, pushing the anger from him.  The shapes were drawing closer, ready to strike from pitch black.

[AevumEternity]

She gazes at him for a moment, Purgaotrio seemed to sense the change and began to shift uneasily, with excited energy. Hakon felt nervousness roil in her chest, tilting her head toward him," Mercuxio- why are you saying such things?" She inquires softly," Mercuxio-"

She felt a familiar crushing sensation upon her throat, as if the very air was changing with him

[Lion]

He pushed Titus to move a little faster than Purgatorio. A stray hand pulled at the mace from his belt.  And he looked across to Hakon.  "Go!" he hissed and suddenly turned his horse to face the patrol that had seemed to just go passed them earlier in the dark.

His mace flew across the face of a woman that lunged for his horse's neck. The blood splattered up and colored the animal's mane and neck.  Titus knew the maneuvers well, swiftly moving around a pair that tried to jump on the horse's neck. Mercuxio brought the end of his face down hard, splitting a skull, and leaned off to the right, the weight of his weapon splintering the jaw of another.

[AevumEternity]

Normally, Hakon would have charged in, gladly sowing chaos beside him. But something felt wrong, pulled at her gut and her mind. A realization came over her... Everyone was simply an animal wearing the hide of civilization, of society. Purgatorio instinctively whipped out with his massive hooves as a creature decided to lunge to close. Instead, she hung back, deciding to stay away from him- but not abandon him- he hadn't abandoned her, she couldn't do it to him.

Staying near the edges of the pack, she slammed her shield into a nearby berserker- minor as they were.

[Lion]

Mercuxio did what he could to thin the herd. He was largely capable of move away from their attacks. He side-stepped and maneuvered until his mace was dripping red. Some of them seemed to stir from their stupor and he whipped his wrist to wring the mace from it's mess.  The movement had dropped the hood from his head.  And he was soaked to the core with it's onslaught.

He looked to Hakon, the red from his vision fading.  And he carefully put his mace away.  Eyes shut tightly, pushing that feeling from his mind lest it reemerge.  "Let's head back. The soil needs fodder anyway," he breathed, referencing to the bodies.

[AevumEternity]

As the last fell, Hakon immediately pulled the Theocog up along side him, reaching out to place an armored hand on his cheek," Mercuxio, I know you use holy magic- but is this... Is this corrupting you as a result?" Through her helm, she stared at him seriously, holding him firmly still before he could maneuver Titus away.

[Lion]

The contact was waking, interrupting the trails of rain that dribbled down his cheek. And the cold steel of her gauntlet was cool against the flushness of his face. He hadn't realized he'd been burning. Mercuxio breathed in deep.  Why the concern?  He had not been bitten as she had, although he didn't voice these superficial thoughts.

"No-no," he breathed, pressing a hand to the back of hers. "I'm fine. I swear."  Even he didn't sound so assured.  Another deep breath and he calmed considerably. He looked at her in the eyes and smiled. "I just feel...felt tense.  And we were going to be overrun. Something is not quite right here. I feel it in the air. Couldn't you?  It felt evil."

[AevumEternity]

" Yes- I believe this place needs to be blessed to cleanse it someday but-" she swivels her torso now cupping his face in both her hands," Mercuxio- will you be alright doing this? If you think you will be compromised by a pack when we have yet to reach the heart of the beast... I do not want to see you hurt."

[Lion]

"I was...admittedly unprepared for what we were facing. When you were attacked....back at the manor, I was terrified that you would die. I know you're strong, but you were bleeding so much. All I could think about was what I could do to staunch the flow. I didn't know what you were facing afterward though, the burning inside.  The rage.  Now I know...  And i won't let it affect me again.  I lost myself there and I apologize," he nodded, his head within her hands.

He own hand drifted down her wrist, gloved even in the rain and gently pressing against her still. He didn't know why, but he kissed the palm of that glove, firm, but it was there nevertheless. He watched her a moment before grinning.  "You think I could be overtaken so easily?  Ye, of little faith," he murmured, clicking his tongue.  "At least I can hold my liquor better than you can."

[AevumEternity]

She smiles beneath her helm, thumb briefly stroking his cheek though a nervous, regretful shudder ran through her as she jokes gently," Well You can hold your poison better then I can," she shoots back," Ooooh? So you pull out the priestly nonsense when i get worried, eh? Sly- so very sly," she chortles gently, shaking her head before reluctantly pulling away. Ever so conflicted but alas-

She pushed Purgatorio to turn and begin to lope steadily back to canp, glancing back once," You should put your hood on, before you catch your death," she murmurs weakly, as if finding little else to say- what could she say?

[Lion]

He was already soaked, what good would his hood do? He smirked and rode in afterward. The news was spread to the men, to keep an eye-out for patrols and to brace for any attack if possible. They didn't move any closer than they planned, but they were ready should anything happen.

Mercuxio returned to camp and found a tent for himself, caring for Titus before feeding the horse. He hadn't eaten in hours, and he could feel his stomach growl. The food was terrible, but it was food, and he ate without complaint. He was used long hours on the road, to sleeping on the cold hard ground. At least here they had a tent.  And wine.

Mercuxio sat upright before a bottle, and he stared deep within its dark confines.  He left his shirt to dry by the fire and he was nude as he listened to the rain patter the fabric of the slicked tent. He took a sip of the wine.

The fire was protected from the rain by a temporary awning. No one else seemed interested in the fire.  Which was fine by him.  It allowed him some peace and warmth for which he could enjoy his wine.