Brutal Consequence

Arriving at the town square Lexia wipes a frozen tear from her face, lingering from the battle. She was silent, a somber air about her though she still masked it well. Helping Gideon along she walks towards their usual area by the fountains, setting him down by the bench and staying at his side. She was unsure of what to do at this moment, flashes of the fight, the many forms of magic passing through her mind as it raced.

She did not feel well, doing her best to hide it, she felt weak though she needed to be strong in her teachers time of loss. Once again her inability to act cost her a life dear to her, Abbigail was not nice at all, but she taught the fledgling ice mage quite a bit in their time together.

She waited for Gideon to come to his senses, attempting to comfort him and heal his wounds with her water magic.

(Gideon Nihilexia)

He'd slowly begin to wake from his sudden faint...his mind still buzzing not quite aware of who or where he was...yet the voices would not let him forget. They persisted...drilling holes into his mind as they explained what had happened...

The worst feeling set in upon him. He remembered everything now....Everything. Gideon sat on the bench before him broken...Taking the scythe blade out from his back. Holding the blade up to his neck as he saw neither BeiBei or Frank would aim to kill him as he pleaded....

There wasn't anyone else in this world....nobody else that understood him like Abbigail did....no reason to continue....why would he? The blade pierced his skin causing a veil of illuminated blood to spill from his throat....He regretted his student seeing him like this causing him to pause his actions what else could he do to atone…..Death was the only freedom ….he could be with Abbigail....and not cause such horrors again.
(Gideon Ruger)

Arthur takes a glance at what could be described as 'what did I just walk into?'.

There's a pause to him while he inspects the apparent injuries. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that there's been a fight, and quite the brutal one- while he may think that Abbigail is simply elsewhere, the fact that she's not back with them is... odd, at best.

And suspicious.

"What is this? What happened?"
(Arthur Rowan)

Attempted to place her hand upon his in order to pull the blade back, she struggled, tendrils of cold wrapping around her teachers fingers as she attempted to do so. A stern look in her eyes, something that never happened as she gave into emotion.

"No.. No teacher of mine gives up so easily, you learn from your mistakes." She spoke, cold, harsh truth, enough to cut. She did her best to pull the blade, to keep it from doing further damage as water trickled down upon her teachers neck to do the same.

"Don't be a fool."
(Gideon Nihilexia)


Gideon Nihilexia says, "I've already lost one of my mentors.. I'm not losing you."

 Cuts and bruises loiter her frame- the once heaving breathes that spilled past her lips are nothing more than shallow intakes, steady to calm her speeding heart. "We've lost support from an ally." she says softly. "Gideon and his sister-...Abbigail, had attempted to kill her in combat despite my own efforts and warnings." There is a moment of silence...A brief realization following through. "...It was a petty affair, I didn't think that it would escalate, but it did." she pauses briefly, trembling hands falling at her sides...Visions of the recently deceased flooding her mind.

 "Rage potions-...More. In any case, anything with Shiva may be shelved. And I suspect that we'll now be attacked by her. And Conall. And Vampires...Should she side with them." There is a moment of silence, her lips pressing together as she continues on. "Other than that, shortly after, several children...Including a fae and a sirenianshowed up upon our outskirts." she says softly, nodding.

 "I thought that Abbigail's actions in the past were petty and noteworthy. I thought that she didn't...That they wouldn't have attempted to?...They're just all kids." There is a moment of silence, her mind flashing back the moment when the redhead's fists slammed into Abbi's skull over and over again. "They are just kids and-..." The rage, the anger...It all had become too much. This all was caused..

 Because of reckless ambitions and impatience and hubris. "...I tried to protect her but I couldn't. There was too many- too much. I've failed and now, we've more enemies and potential war on two fronts." A silent pause. "It was my fault."
(Bei Bei)

A tap of his chin.

The kitsune seemed lazy, bored, or tired. One of the three, and he sat calmly. A fuss spurred around him, he twitched for a moment then let out a long sigh.

Hints were taken; an obvious conclusion made. So he looked towards Bei Bei, then towards the male Gideon, then shrugged. "Ah well- what's this about Shiva and possibly attacking. Was that their target?"
(Yue Lai)


Bei Bei says, "-Yes, sorry."
The news are met with the frown.

And not that of disappointment, but of a silent fury, an expression that Bei is so familiar with; an expression that caused some people to become crippled, an expression in which Arthur showed nothing short of a murderous intent. The boiling anger was much, yes--

-- but at least it was suppressed by the fact that they're still Valmasians.

Her words, however, are discarded. All he does is draw the information, the report on its own, but her claim of the fault? Ignored. He knew very well how much Abbigail hangs by Gideon, the Oscuri, and he knew just how much they've done things together almost all the time.

The blood on him? A signature, a proof of the battle. They've been in it together, as always.

"Save your breath, Bei."

"I've already asked you to be entirely honest with me once. Try and alter the story again, and we're going separate ways in our life. I'm growing tired of this."

Oh, he says the meanest things sometimes. And yet, there's more than Abbigail's death that weighs on Gideon - he compromised Valmasia, and he gave Vampires a powerful ally, just on the brink of war too. Promptly, he turns his gaze to the Oscuri.

And approaches too.

"You nothing."
"You pathetic idiot."
"You moron."
"You brainless imbecile."

"How did you let any of this happen? Give me a single reason why should I not strip away any rights from you and discard any belonging to Valmasia's military right now."

"Give me at least one reason."
(Arthur Rowan)

The girl remained completely silent, stepping back as her teacher was being chastised. She hid her bruised arms behind the shawl, wrapping it around herself and glancing between each person that stood. She did not take part in the initial attack on Shiva, merely willing to defend her teacher, she did on the other hand attempt to protect Abbigail, an assault on her allies was not to be condoned.

She waited, She had heard of Arthur though this was her first time seeing him. In the end of all this, she was merely a Sarradian dancer girl with no known ties to Valmasia save for the Oscuri next to her whom she attempted to keep stable until this point. Her heartbeat increased, making her feel sick, dizzy, almost losing balance and dropping to one knee.

"Ugh.. My head.." She muttered, a brush of cold air surrounding her.
(Gideon Nihilexia)

Susano whispers something.

Bei Bei whispers something.

Bei Bei whispers something.

Susano whispers something.

Gideon had already attempted to kill himself in front of them....the voices told him so...the voices he clung onto without any hesitation. As Arthur and the others discussed what had happened he mostly hear the voices that crept into his mind by the shard.' You fool you idiot you are worthless! Die Die..' The screams in his head only grew louder as time went on.

As scythe was stopped by Lexia he could only relinquish it to her, Not really able to fend her off in his broken down state....As Arthur and BeiBei finished their discussion the man would charge towards him, Angry enraged almost...feelings he felt as well yet on a minute scale now.

His emerald eyes rolled over towards Arthur, Fighting back the voices to hear what it was he would say to him....Arthur's Insults....the stuck to him...Could he hear the voices in his head as well? Perhaps....this was a sign....perhaps....this was what they meant. His eyes are dead paned as they motion to the ground forcing down the whispers of death in his mind as he frazzled to put together a coherent response.

"I-.....I have no more reason to live I failed everyone in Valmasia...I failed Azrael.....I failed....I failed....I failed..Abby…You want me to beg for you to forgive me after all that I have done? I am....not worthy of anything anymore..." His eyes shifted back to Lexia who held his scythe, He doubted he had the strength to rush her to grab it and finish the job he started....but there was another option...

" Decide what you think is best Arthur...I don't deserve a single reason to remain here....I betrayed everything and lost everything....Losing more would only be what is deserved....I've failed...everyone."

(Gideon Ruger)

Yue raises and stretchs. He steps before Bei Bei, appraising briefly then speaks low.
(Yue Lai)

Yue Lai whispers something.

Bei Bei whispers something.

Yue Lai whispers something.

Bei Bei whispers something.

Bei Bei whispers something.

Bei Bei whispers something.

Yue Lai whispers something.

Bei Bei whispers something.

Bei Bei whispers something.

Oh, no. That's not what Arthur had on his mind, not at all.

Perhaps Gideon thought his end meets him right here and now, but that would be too easy, that would release him now and prevent any payback that he's due. No... that's too merciful to do, to simply let him go like this. There's another idea in Arthur's mind that sparked as he spoke those words.

He hits him.
And again.
And again.
And again.
And again.

Everytime his hand, or a balled fist makes contact with Oscuri, it weighs the cold fury that stood before him- it weighs the seething, boiling anger that flowed in him, and it hurts so much. Yet, there's no release. There's no hope for him to die here and peacefully go.

"No reason to live? You're not going so easily."

"You will pay back for this. You will amend for your stupidity of breaking our cooperation with Shiva. You will make up for Abbigail's death, and you will do everything you can to repair the damage you caused."

"There will be no peaceful death for you. Not today."

He pauses. The scarlet hues drill his soul, threateningly staring down at Gideon. Soon, he speaks.

"Try to kill yourself, or make just one, just slightest mistake, and you will come back as my undead. I will make you pay back, one way or another."

"From now on, you have no rights. You have no authority. You cannot do anything without my say so."

"You've already cost us a powerful enemy on the brink of war, and another Oscuri died because of you."
(Arthur Rowan)

Holding her teachers Scythe tightly she watches as he is hit again and again, unflinching with each brutal strike. Silence consumed her, her silver gaze watching as Arthur divulged in her teachers punishment. At this point she reserved herself, no more tears, merely the sickness she hid and the cold sorrow that hung around her beautiful frame.

She watched, because if she made the same mistake, or any mistake for that matter she would likely receive a similar punishment or even worse. She did her best to reflect on her teachers actions and learn from them, hiding her emotions, hiding behind the mask of an innocent.

Lexia had failed her master and she would not seek an easy way out. She had to overcome this, and so did Gideon, her teacher, need to do the same.
(Gideon Nihilexia)

Gideon simply takes the punches, Each one intensifying more and more as he gets hit over and over again. Blood beginning to spurt and a knot begging to well up on the side of his face as bloodied lumps began to form on the sides of his face.

He had been trained all his life to take severe beatings this would be no different the pain remained the same on the exterior yet what did cause a stir in him was the reasons behind his actions. Arthur wasn't intending to kill him which made the man even more angry at the very least what anger he could summon. Especially about the comment about Shiva

"You're mistaken I could care less for repenting about that Archon. I won't ever feel sorry for that creature. Not now or ever, Beat me all you want. That won't change. However I'll take responsibility for whatever comes of it, But don't expect remorse from me regarding that demon." his eyes rolled over blood shot and his face beaten and bulging with knots, Black blue and green swelled up on his face.

" But as for what happened to Abbigail....I don't know who most of those children were, I don't know why they hated Abbigail. In that instance I was simply defending her. Nothing else they weren't my enemies until the Green one and the red one tried to attack us with the others hording around. In the end I was her older brother...I couldn't protect her...I can't protect anyone. If you want me to die on the battle field then Fine I can wait that long. I have nothing else to lose." As far s he was concerned he didn't know why the hunted and killed Abbi but he still felt responsible for it. Yet whatever Arthur had planned for him it didn't matter, Living , dead, undead, the results would be the same no matter what came up next.

The whispers continued, Only to continue making him want to kill himself more and more and more they continued to indulge him. Influence him. If only he had the strength to carry out their commands. After the beating he took from so many people he could barely speak any more.


(Gideon Ruger)


William G. Barton says, "..."
It was almost disappointing.

Had the Oscuri truly no understanding of how this world functions, how warfare functions, how communities are managed? Probably not. They've only known one thing - their servitude to Azrael, but beyond that? It's as good as trying to steer the hollow shell, one that would barely follow your orders.

Perhaps that's why Azrael came up with Necromancy. Perfect obedience.

"You fool. You idiot."

"I'm not asking you to repent for Shiva. I hold no apologetic behaviour for the Demons. Do you truly not realize what you've done? Do I really need to break it down to you, and explain it thoroughly?"

One could figure that Arthur is done, but he delivers another hit, this time a heavy slap across Oscuri's face. It's not as much as to hurt him, but bring him back to his senses instead.

"We're on the brink of war, you moron."

"You earned us an enemy that none of us can beat reliably in a single combat. What, do you really think I'm concerned about feelings of a Demon?"

"This is all about her being against us in the upcoming war, you empty-headed tool. She's going to fight against us, Valmasians, and we could use her on our side instead. This is a mere strategy, and I'm baffled you have no concept of what it is."

"And what if she kills one of Valmasians, because you made her defect there? Are you going to be responsible for yet another death of Valmasian, Gideon?"

"What is it going to be? Who are you going to blame if she kills one of us, because you made her oppose us?"
(Arthur Rowan)

Taking a moment to breathe, she lifts herself back up from her knee, no longer feeling dizzy for the moment and listening to her master speak. She had not been his student for long though his words cut her, even when trying to help him.

He was giving up, in a state of weakness that he did not wish to crawl from, she took that pain, swallowed it, another thing to fuel the cold. War would likely come from this, it would have come either way, this would likely shake any opportunity she might have had of gaining the valmasians trust.

She stood in silence, watching, thinking, doing her best not to appear sick or unfocused. She simply waited to see if she was even worthy of being addressed at this point, her thoughts turned to her own failure, to protect and preserve her mentors. What would this mean for this new chapter in her life?


(Gideon Nihilexia)

The brutal slap smashed his face in sending a spurt of blood to his left side, Onto the bench and onto the grass beneath them. " If she kills one of ours in battle? Then I regret not killing her when I had the chance. I won't feel bad because I caused her to oppose us I'll feel bad because she's not yet dead. and....I don't remember blaming anyone for the fight with the Demon it was me alone who started it and ended it with Abbigail's aid. The situations were separate." He could barely speak so this was as much as he could squeeze out for the moment. His eyes still beamed towards Arthur, Complacent in his actions against Shiva.

He thought about giving Arthur a few choice words in that moment but he knew in the pitiful state he was in they wouldn't mean anything coming from him. Instead he simply folded himself ad took the next set of beatings that would come to him. Hell he was half expecting all of Valmasia to jump into the fray and get in their licks. coughing up a bit of blood he'd aim to speak again , In a raspy hoarse tone the sound of blood curdling could be heard at the back of his throat and seen visibly on his teeth

" For each person she kills, Stab me. Cut me, Torture me. I'll make amends for each one she harms that carries Valmasian blood. With my own suffering. If you don't want me to die for it I know not what else to offer. "
(Gideon Ruger)

Billy pats the back of his neck twice before pivoting around and reaching into his backpack. He did not truly need to interject as this situation is far beyond anything he can deal with. He has some idea of what they speak of, but politics is definitely not his strong suit. The young man whistles while making his way over to Nihilexia, arching a brow.

"Looks like you've seen better days, ma'am." He voices before turning his head towards the main Gideon and Arthur. "Ain't really my place but beatin' the living tar out of that kid ain't going to do much." A lengthy pause.

"Yeah, this kid is gosh darn delusional. Most folk got one track minds, heck even I fall victim to it." He voices while pulling out a revolver from his holster, cleaning it with a handkerchief.

"I've got this mercenary company called 'The Golden Hands'. If y'need some extra muscle or if you are really headin' to war? Just lemme' know."
(William G. Barton)

Perhaps asking for understanding people was too much.

But then again, there's a reason why he's the one leading Valmasia, why he's the Adjudicator of the colony, and why that role didn't go to anyone else - it's not just the talent, but sober decision making that wasn't affected by one's emotions or prejudice.

--At least, in most scenarios.

"You're actually hopeless."

"You have no concept of how to provide for your people. You have no idea how to support your nation. You're letting your feelings about particular Demon get in the way, and you disregard every Valmasian she may potentially kill just because of what you've done."

"There's the time for everything, Gideon, and that includes her demise. But that? That wasn't the time. Not at all."

To his surprise, or surprise of the crowd, there are no more hits. The anger is replaced by disappointment, like a father that stares down at the son who's done something really, really bad.

"Heed my words."

"You're in no place to be making any decisions that may affect colony like this, not anymore. You hold no rank. Should you do so - I'm going to turn you into one of my undead, ensure your full obedience."

He pauses.

"And also--"

"For the sake of Valmasia and its future, don't make me fucking regret my decision by not turning you into undead now."
(Arthur Rowan)