The Struggle

As the group would depart towards the separate island, ehren had remembered the time he strolled round the city witnessing the rather gorgeous place it was. It had elegance to it, one that he felt was better off away from the mainland and untouched by the destruction it caused. Ehren was never good with overseas travels though, so most of the time he spent them beneath the deck and lying on a bed. Till they finally made it to land he'd follow in silence as he pondered of the situation the blind man placed himself in.

There was dedication in all shapes and sizes and to hear this man was willing to become a weapon for his queen. One where his body will mutate into something else, it sent shivers down his spine in both awe and shock.

Eventually they'd reach the lab and in silence the ookami found the nearest wall to lean against. There wasn't much he assumed he could provide, if anything his presence wasn't exactly needed. He simply joined because he desired to witness the events and watch over clio should anything occur.
(Ehren Kien)

  She moves through the city with many following behind her. The eyes of those that she trusts, distrusts, and simply, do not know follow the Queen and her entourage. Steadily though, does she find hersef beginning to think about the dealings with the young Terna infront of her. Of how he could possibly falter at any moment. How this was not only risking himself - but pieces of his sanity and mind. No longer would he be just a 'regular' being. No. . .But within the years of them creating this monster, he would soon ascend from sheer humanity.

     One hand moves carefully - her hues beginning to flicker as she speaks. "Now Cutler." she says softly. There are some things that I must ask of you before we begin once more." She slowly turns towards the blind man - her lips beginning to press together in nothing more than mere thought. "Are you. . .Are you certain that you wish to do such a thing? Once we begin - we cannot stop the mutation and changes made to your body. Your decision. . .I-It must be final."

       She says. "Think about it while we make it there." And eventually. . .They would move towards the lab - several vials and what not are apparent, used for collecting blood and mixing many, many substances. "I hear that it takes a long time for this to work. So what we'll do his draw his blood. . .Mix it and then introduce the mana and his blood back into his body at slow periods of time. This is so it won't shock his system." she adds.

      "But first. . .Do you have your final answer, Cutler?"
(Clio Hirano)
Sophia followed the Queen and others out of the Throne room, following them silently through paved stone roads of Nostvale towards the harbor, rising her eyebrow as they reached the ship. She boarded it with the others and spent the journey with book in her hands, reading it until they docked once more, waiting before following Clio to the lab where the project was going to take place.

It was where the witch moved towards listening to Clio and her explanation, rubbing her chin, curious of the whole idea with a growing smirk, nodding to herself in silence as she imagined the process, trying to remember as much as she possibly could to attempt and possibly replicate in future and perhaps combine it with her own mutagen. She looked towards Clio and then Cutler, waiting for his response to see what the queen would need of her next.
(Sophia Rockbell)
He had made up his mind some time ago. Talking about it more did not do much good. It was never really about what he wanted anyway. Not as far as he was concerned, not anymore. He would fallow the group having little issue keeping up all things considered. Though he could have done with out the mass of people that decided to tag along with something he considered rather important. Perhaps if he had knew them it would have been different, but for once, it was rather uncomfortable.

"I already made up my mind Clio." It was all he would say on the matter. Despite what effort he may or may not have put in, it was rather difficult to make light of the thing he had been trying to avoid for a great many years now.

When they arrived he would find his a seat with only a bit of difficulty, when one did not know the area it only was a bit more difficult to find your way around with no eyes. Still he would manage like he always did. "I'm ready." he would say bluntly, with more of a desire to just be done with it at this point.

Though it was an interesting thing to know of Sophia being the required one to take part in all this. It had been a great many years sense he had seen the girl or her brothers. Much to his regret he had never really taken much time on his visits back to Brighthold to meet the newer group, not that it really mattered anymore but still. There was something rather ironic about it all.
(Cutler Terna)

   If there was one thing that she was certain of. . .It would be the dampening of one's humanity. "Very well then." she says while beginning to withdraw a single dagger from her thigh. "I warned you about what might happen. I've no idea of what you are to become. . .But this is chimera and I am certain that the potential can possibly be horrid." she says softly. There was little affliction to her voice. . .Very little in comparison to what she was actually feeling within her heart. Nevertheless, the young Queen would begin - her movement drifting forward, the dagger pressing slightly against the male's arm.

    "I find that it's rather selfish of you to risk it all. . .To throw everything away based on your lack of eyesight." she murmurs underneath her breath. "However. . .Since this is nothing more than a mere test, I suppose that all could possibly be well. Depending on how good you react to the virus, it may be very well." With that being said - the crystalline orb would have seemingly sprouted out of thin air.

     Her first movement is swift - - a thin line of the male's blood trailing within the wake of her dagger after slicing his arm once. Blood spills freely as the young Queen moves to create runes upon the ground. "Instead of merely. . .Combining it with you, I'll use my magic and Sophia's own to give you portions at a time." she says, nodding once, twice.With that being said, the young Queen would only kneel slightly. She utilizes Perth, Laguz, and Mannaz. . ."Let us begin. Sophia. . .Please collect a lot of his blood within the center of the circle. Then mix it with the mana from the orb. We'll put them both in at the same time." she says as she adds the final rune, Raidho.

        With that being said - the mana from the gem itself is stirred into the circle, flowing carefully, guided by the path of runes and waiting to corrupt the blood itself.
(Clio Hirano)
Ehren didn't know much of the man, terna, but it seemed his loyalty to the queen was without measure. Or did he consider himself incapable of expanding much further with his own progress? Did he do this in hopes of gaining the strength to protect the queen? Bragi seemed to be undergoing a similar situation, one that threatened his place beside the queen. He sympathized with the two, feeling the great burden that came with, needing. In this world if one was weak they died and clio only sought to have the strongest beside her in hopes of overcoming all that threatened her ruling.

Of course it was aimed towards, Dumuzid and Nerebia then those that whispered in the backgrounds of it all. They were the most dangerous, the ones that smiled and had drinks with you. Stabbed you in the back later. In the case of this ookami, he seemed intent on his duties maybe a bit too much as a sacrificed other parts of his life if only to ensure his ability to protect the queen was at his best.

Needless to say, he held a great amount of respect for Terna, to go through with this so willingly. A part of him wondered what would become of him, would he become pure beast or keep himself as a man? The works of magic were. . . Endless.
(Ehren Kien)
She listened to everything in silence with her arms crossed and eyes locked on Clio as she decided to explain the situation to Cutler, addressing the matter of his choice and no possibility to return with his choice done. She waited for Clio finish explaining the procedure before exhaling loudly and rolling her shoulders as she clapped her hands together as soon as Cutlers arm was cut open.

With a deep breath the witch focused her energy around the males blood, swiftly collecting it in a sphere over designated spot in the circle, allowing it to float in the air just as she prepared more of her mana to assist with the blood corruption, using her own experience from previous experiments she performed to help with keeping everything as stable as she possibly could, constantly keeping her focus on Cuttlers blood itself, while waiting for Clio to give her a sign that they were ready to move towards next point in the procedure.
(Sophia Rockbell)
He would shrug at Clios words, it was her own way of worrying about him. But even so, he could not back down, not after everything. "I'm aware of what might happen. Who knows, at a some point my luck has to make an temperance." Up to this point it certainly had turned its back on him.

"Is that so?" Ironic, how she kept telling him that, yet still his answer was always the same. "It's like you said though, I don't get to be selfish." Did she still really believe this was because of his sight alone? Perhaps it would have been better if that remained the known reason. Still he would flinch to the blade cutting against his arm. There was something to be said about only hearing what was happening to him, and feeling it. No real warning to any of it, but still he was use to that.

It was an unnatural feeling to have his own blood being sucked out from his arm, Uncomfortable if nothings else. Still he had been through far worse than what was essentially a needle in his arm in the shape of blood magic. Though that thought did not leave much in the way of comfort, really he was just growing nervous about it all, even if it did not show.

He couldn't even watch it though, all he could do was wait for the outcome.
(Cutler Terna)

  Ba-thump, ba-thump, ba-thump.

  Shink, shink, shink.

    The knife embeds itself within his gut once, twice, thrice, creating a clear opening for Inki's influence to enter. The mere 'scent' of blood forces his insidious influence to enter the room the moment that the mixture would begin to concot. Power expands - the realm around them trembles from Inki's blessing as the Queen slowly rises her hands. Enchantments are spoken, words uttered backwards from her lips - almost making the entire 'ritual' itself seem 'demonic' of the sort. What she had wanted out of Cutler, however, was something differet. He might've seen it as an ironic statement - but. . .In all truths, the things that the two of them have went through were strained from the beginning.

  It was never meant to happen.

    Her occultism is swathed within the energy - pushing that and the blood directly towards the opening wound of his body. Steadily though, does Inki's influence seep in - feeling more like knives crawling over the skin of the male.  Vicious, pain. Screaming could help, but once rooted with Inki's blessing - it would only continue.

     ". . .Now. . .You'll be what I've always wanted you to be." It was a confession of some sort. The Queen did not desire for Cutler to become her weapon but. . .The darker side of her persona did. She wanted him to understand what it was like to be a monstrosity. She wanted him to regret his decisions. And soon - he would. Steadily, does the young Queen move towards his form while the influence of Inki sinks in.  . .Damaging his leylines and internal being. Forcing him nearly suffocate as if he were drowning in the depths of th ocean.

    "You were warned."

     Blood spills freely. . .And to most, it would almost seem as if the Queen would have killed him right then and there. But. . .Now, the job was for Sophia to continue being the 'gateway' for the movement. Once all of Inki's influence was in.. .He would be healed. However, the pain, the feeling of suffocation and an extreme 'attraction' to water would begin to occur.
(Clio Hirano)
Attempting to not interfere with the process entirely, the ookami simply remained on the side, moving closer when he could to inspect in great details as to what was going on. With Sophia and her use of blood magic I can see why she'd be needed for such a process. Then again, the idea was to take it slow was it not? He could only wonder what would occur if it were just simply jammed all at once into him. Would it defect and he'd become a beast? That would likely be an issue. . .

Regardless, the process continued and he worried over the blind man and his feelings. Wondering what was going on in that head of his as his life was literally going to change forever should they continue. A part of him wondered if he'd be willing to do the same for clio, become a creature of such magnitude if she wished it of him. Such ideas only sent shivers down his spine, shaking his head as he left majority his garments at home. Now his heritage could be seen openly as he shook in place.

Eyeing Clio, he retained his attention on her and the actions she took. With use of runic flows and a crystal, it would be this thing that transformed the man. Ears wiggling as he drew closer to inspect the scene, but held enough distance to not be a bother.

When she finally preformed the ritual, ehren could only leap back in shook as to what was occurring. "C-clio did you. . ." He mumbles, repressing his emotions he exhaled just deciding it was best to wait for everything to conclude.
(Ehren Kien)
Her hands remained in samep position as she maintained the flow blood, using her power to keep the cycle gowing in a steady and controlled manner, breathing slowly as she observed the blood flowing out into the cycle only to be tapped back into the body, ensuring that afflicted blood sipped back into the wounds without mixing with the untouched one.

She remained silent on her own, wasting no time to talk and simply observed everything to avoid wasting even a singlest bit of the precious lifegiving liquid, with her eyes slowly filling with energy as she observed everything from different perspective.

The flow appeared to be relatively stable with her own mana, maintaining it to keep any blood spilling out until it flew through the cycle only to return back to Cutlers body, more or less forcefully returning everything to slow circulation to avoid the man dying from blood loss until last droplet was returned back to the mans body.
(Sophia Rockbell)
Irony, that was what his life to this point had been. No one knew that better than he did, even if he never wanted to admit such a thing. He wanted to escape from fate, that ironic entity that continued  to nip at his heels and push him forward to this. Irony, that despite his desires to see home again, would he not return as he was to see his dad. Irony, that he went out into the world to find something good lost away in it all, and instead only find more of this. But even so...

He would let out a gasp as the blade would stab into his gut and would be quick to scatter to his feet kicking the chair back and to the ground in the process. Instinct demand he fight back, to swing against all the things that wanted to see him hurt, despite his effort to give those things a better life. He would resist it though instead his fist slamming into the table as the tightened only further. He could take take it though, what ever the world desired to throw at him, he could take it, even this.

His lungs would struggle to find air, his body began to shake at the loss of blood. If he where to ever know what it was like to die, this was perhaps the closest he had come. His legs would start to give out, falling to his knee as his arm's remained grasped to the table desperately trying to cling to what life he could. Perhaps it was his body panicking from it all, the undesired blood flowing into him. It burned though, unlike anything else, breaking his breath into sudden and random gasp in the only attempt to keep it together he had. As though trying to push it out his body would begin to flicker into a small flame that would cover much of his body, as though it was almost a natural thing.

He would collapse in the end, his hands the only thing pressed to the flow to keep his body from fully hitting the ground. It felt as though his blood was on fire, if he still had those nightmares, he imagined he might have fully panicked into trying to hurt the others. But that was no longer the case thanks the gods above.

He would sit there for a time simply trying to find some breath, there still being rather significant breaks as though his lungs where being blocked. "Water..." He would cough out as the flames on him would start to slowly simmer.
(Cutler Terna)
Harkon grows still.

This ritual... What was Clio doing? The false horns she wears, Demonic in nature. The occult taint flowing from her veins, the blood so readily injected into the test subject. Did humans understand such a thing, was there more to Clio than the Fairy could have understood? Suffering exists all around him, in the worst way. Ehren's fear and discontentment, Clio's savage desires, Sophia's analytic detachment, the man's own trauma unfolding.

Unspoken screams of the Damned, all in their own ways.

"... What are you trying to accomplish..." He whispers, a hand placed on his chest as he feels the tiny inkling of his beating heart. If Ailyth was here right now the woman might have a nervous breakdown. He watches intently as the wounds are healed, yet the effects still lingered. Harkon peers about the room as though all within are mad, he himself gained no immunity from this judgement.

Invisible ants were crawling about his skin.
(Harkon)

   As the session comes to a close, the rattling of the area would come to a slight pause. Although it is nothing more than a mere 'ritual' to get things started. . .It is very clear that Cutlers body might not be able to handle the entire process. Perhaps she was foolish to think that he possibly could. That he migt somehow, be able to do what others could not. But in the end, in the name of science, he must become stronger. Better. . .Right?

   With that being said though, the young girl would slowly begin to move - speaking to all those that are around. "People must not know that we've begun this project today." she says while eyeing Sophia and the fairy." This is a secret. . .Our jobs at this moment is to keep Cutler away from the likes of Charlie until we feel that he is prepared. If I find that she has touched him in any way, I will cancel this project immediately and start with the next patient." she murmurs, placing her dagger back into her pocket.

     "His life depends on all of your actions." A glance is given towards cutler within the moment - her hues beginning t narrow. " He. . .Will merely hav to learn. Sophia, if you wish to more run tests on him, then you are free to do so. . However, for now, this is over." With that being said, she merely pokes at the fairy beside her.

      "He's going to be the key to the Chimera that I've been trying to make. He'll be used against Lorathis and Nerebia. He'll fight the rest of the world and he will win. . .Or atleast, I believe so." It's hard to say where Clio stands at this moment. But if one thing is certain. . .

      It's that she's not too happy about sacrificing one of her friends. "I must go now though. I've got to talk to Hauk. Please keep what I've said in mind.  .We should wait and see if he's stable enough to go on."
(Clio Hirano)
After all was said and done, looking over at the downed figure, it was almost as though he died and this much was a great concern for the ookami. To watch lies being tossed aside without much care, he wondered what was going on in clios head. Understanding that the person was of importance in her life or she wouldn't place this amount of trust in him to become something greater than he was now.

"I will do my best to ensure his safety. . ." He mumbles, incapable of actually saying he could ensure the avaline made no attempts at him. She seemed more than capable of being to do such a thing, but the ookami was sure with everyone's combined efforts they could pull through and complete this task without this man being forced to die for such little reasons.

For now though as the process was over, the ookami shook his head and glanced around at the others. It was a positive thing that nobody here would speak an ounce of what occurred to others. So now he simply motioned beside the queen, planning to go with her as far as he could, doubting he'd actually reach the point where she conversed with hauk. At that point he might find something else to do.
(Ehren Kien)
Exhales loudly once Clio began to speak once more, with her hands lovering just as she retracted what remaining mana remained in use before rolling her arms and soon looking towards the queen. She listened to her with care and her head noddding repeatly to aknowledge her understanding of the situation, as the entire experiment.

 "I don't plan to spill anything that happened here, Clio I feel it would be like selling out the secrets of my own experiments and projects...especially towards Avalines." she nearly grunted out the famiyl's name, clearly not being too fond to them due to Dianthia and her actions.

The glow in her eyes began to fade as soon as she stopped feeding them with energy, forcing her to blink few times as she returned back to normal vision. Her sighte moved and locked on Clio just as she addressed Sophias possible interest in future tests on Cutler, to which she replied.

 "If I will go after any tests then they will be noting stability of the process, to determine if any serious complicati-..." halted mid sentence before dropping on her knees, just as her eyes shrinked and body convulsed for a good moment with her throwing up with blood, staining the floor with crimson as she tried to keep herself calm.
(Sophia Rockbell)
A Chimera...

Though the word itself is lost on him, the pending results could be understood. When Sophia talked of Blood Mutations, resistance to harsh environments and genetic superiority, Harkon thought something completely different to what was done here today. It took seeing the beginning of this process to understand what these Humans were trying to accomplish. They aimed to create something that does not exist in nature, A darkened abomination.

This was done to them...

Inhale, then exhale. It takes some steady breathing to calm his nerves, to step away from the moment he was about relive for the first time since it happened. For Harkon, it was the most physically painful experience of his life. For Ailyth it was total-Annihilation. "... Right." He shivers slightly and dust falls. "I've kept worse secrets..." So many secrets. Why did he always try to horde the burden they bring...

"... I'll open a Rift back to the Keep. You can take yourself and the..." He motions towards Cutler. "... Man with you. No sense in suffering through another... Boat ride." A terrible way to travel, the curse of lacking wings. Extending his hand out towards the adjacent wall, purple lightning crackles through rippling holes as the Lifestream is suddenly torn open to form a Rift. A humid breeze flows from Nostvales Dungeons and into the Laboratory.
(Harkon)
Bragi had been watching the entire thing in silence. He wasn't too sure what was going on. In fact, the entire ritual seemed to be out of his range of expertise in the realms of magic. All he knew was how to hit things, explode things, and show off his skills with the tongue.

The seven-foot skald loomed over Cutler as the flames started to die out. With a snap of his fingers, a the aira about his hands started to vibrate. Sonic energy rolled off his hands, mimicing the powers of the wind. A buffer from his hands and the fire that was not under his control at all. His goal to help the man to his feet, to see if he could walk or if the Skald would be carrying him out of here and to some secluded location.

Either way, a waterskin was pulled from his waist. Always prepared for travel, the bard simply flicked off the top and handed the full thing to Cutler. The man needed a drink after such an event. Bragi just hoped he enjoyeed the taste of ale.
(Bragi the Waifu)

How twisted it all was. Still this was the solution he had come to in the end if nothing else a way to push himself from that tide of fate he seemed to have been caught up in, tough this to could likely be the same thing. Still simply hearing how cold she had become, it hurt him, more than he imagined it would. How he missed the days before, where nothing really mattered and he could just wander the world with a smile, how long ago those days seemed now.

With no small part thanks to Bragi, he would get back to his feet and take the water skin from him rather quickly once it was offered. Still the name mentioned was not one he was familiar with. "Who's that?" He would ask out in a soft voice barely audible, though he would direct it to Bragi more so than the others that seemed more interested in leaving. As he waited for the answer he would still take a quick swig of the water skin, only to be meet with a quick cough as the taste would catch him off guard. There was a moments pause before he just started downing the drink none the less. It was likely to be a long while before he was going to not be hurting all things considering. "Thanks Bragi."

He did not dwell on it to much though as he struggled just to stay on his feet. His mind was more worried about the almost dieing thing that just happened over the possibility of some weirdo doing something to taint him, or cure him? It was unclear.
(Cutler Terna)

   She pauses slightly at Sophia's actions. Unfortunately. . .Clio wasn't exactly the most 'medical' out of everyone in here. Some could say that she was the complete opposite, preferrng to cling to the method of destruction rather than the 'arts' of healing. Either way - - she does show concern. ". . .If need be. Please send her to the infirmary, Ehren." she mutters underneath her breath as she nods towards Harkon.

    "Prepare the rift please. . It'll be easier to deal with Cutler's situation that way." Now. . .All they needed to do was merely be careful." And I trust you enough, Sophia. I know that you don't like them at all. . ." Because she doesnt either. But in the end. . .It'll still be nice.

(Clio Hirano)
As the group would gather for the rift made by the fairy, it was strange to see such a small creature capable of such arts. Rarely had he seen such a thing in person, but in the teachings he read over throughout the years. Accompanied with them was the weakened Sophia, probably due to drinking the kaors blood they defeated in the Inferno temple.

In an instant the group were once more in the realm of nostvale. His gaze shifted among the group as he motioned beside Sophia and wrapped her arm over his shoulder. Unlike before, those who'd seen him with the curse that inflicted his face, it were gone…? Only temporarily as the mana that protruded from such things were still reeking off his body.

"I will do so, Clio." He claims as he looked over with a weak expression to the ryozo. A silent exhale, it must've been hard on her to perform these actions while under such stress. Yet regardless he'd do this to aid her, but found it strange that it were always him who seemed to be assisting other. For once he felt like being a bit selfish and saying no, but he didn't have it in him. Rather he performed his duties and followed his ideals.

"Let's get going, Sophia. I will see you all again." He mumbles before bowing as best he could and leaving the area with the ryozo.
(Ehren Kien)
Her state was a mixture of strain, combined with her progressing mutation and her drinking the kaors blood, resulting with unstable mixture that left her drained to point where she couldn't move and only groan or mumble out quietly in response with clearly strained tone. "Thanks...Ehren...I should be alright after an hour or so..." she smiled faintly before closing her eyes once she ended up on the bed.

With her hands tightly clinging to er stomach feeling the effect of the kaor blood and her own progressing mutation, adapting her body to poison and slowly build up the ability to digest it in the future. She curled up into a ball just as she began to sweat and slowly passed out, with her body attempting to recover and progress with the mutation.
(Sophia Rockbell)