Patrick
*Crimson red eyes stared at the large and savage gnoll, it had a lot authority but she wasn't sure if this was the famed general or the true leader of this large gathering of tribes. Regardless, he seemed important and had authority so his death was required. With the sacrifice being near, they could kill two birds rather quickly. The plan was set and she seemed to agree with the tactic of distract and strike. The gnoll general paced around looking frustrated.*

```"Let's begin, draw attention in between the two tents there. Taking this head in the open is foolish. Two ghosts cause great fear than two enemies."```

*Once Noctis somehow distracted the gnoll in his own manner, Akira waited for that golden moment to strike. The gnoll depending on how Noctis distracted him, would be drawn to him. Once he stepped into the shadows and between the tents, the kitsune appeared silently behind him. Using her mimic blade to cut and strike his knee, at that moment, two shadow clones of appeared next to the gnoll as they used their own blades to cut the thick neck of the armored gholl. It happened so quickly that the gnoll only leg out a whimper and a breath out before it was dead. It's body still kneeling and warm, simply decapitated. Akira then grabbed the body and pulled it with her, into the shadows as her clones vanished. A clean and perfect ambush.*

*She dumped his body in another tent nearby, hiding it as best as she could. Before appearing again into the demigod's view.*
Gary
After Noctis had finished distracting the creature, he marveled at how quickly the Kitsune had taken it down. She really was strong and fast, likely right now she could cut him down in an instant. Knowing he was so helpless made his stomach knot, he'd been many things in his life but helpless wasn't one of them. The demigod had grown up wrestling the fathers of giants in Forstead, battled dragons and gone toe to toe with other demigods of legend. Yet now a simple Gnoll could end him with a swipe of its hand. 

*"Have you forsaken me father?"* He asked the heavens as he glanced up at the wide stars. Once he'd basked in the glory of the knowledge that he was his fathers favorite creation, that he alone was honored amongst all others in the halls of his father and yet now, now he was a beggar seeking scraps of power. It flooded him with rage and despair, but all of that was a secondary emotion that stayed perfectly trapped beneath the layer of focus he had on the mission. 

Once the Gnoll was dead, he waited for Akira to appear again and nodded, striding towards the tent that was pinging energy and pulling open the flap to peer inside, wishing and wishing he could simply enhance his eyes to see through the dark.
Patrick
Things went smoothly yet that always caused the wise to become even more cautious, there is always peace before a storm. A storm was approaching as tents began to fight the winds, the droplets falling from the darken sky. The two figures quietly made their way into the tent to discover a filled tent of pots, bones and a toddler...*

*A tiefling child was seated comfortably on top of pillows and blankets, no more than a summer or two old. The scent of milk and honey was potent in the air, looking closer at the plump child. It become rather obvious that the child had been fed up a lot, seeing how she was still munching on her tail. Her hands sticky and sweet, the child's hunger was quite a sight. Although in the eyes of a weakened demigod, recognition was felt. A young quarter god, of Vendetta was found. The God of Retribution had a certain aura that made past sins ignite and the hunger for vengeance to burn. To Akira, she simply saw a sacrifice to be either killed or saved. Being the sacrifice was a small child, both options become infinitely easier.*

```"Gnolls are birthed after a overfed hyena or hound is cursed by the God of Savagery. To think that a God is meant to burst out of this little one is a sweet tragedy and... A problem. This one does not know how the ritual works, perhaps the little one is already a door for Yeenoghu to enter. Safest to destroy the door, yet this one holds divine blood as Noctis said."```
.

*Akira had no true morale or empathy for this quartergod, children die more often than people would like. At least, this one would die for the greater good and with a filled belly to boot. The little tiefling finally noticed the duo, looking rather happy to see them although probably assuming that more honey was to be given. Her stomach growled loudly as her smile turned into a yawn. It was rather difficult to know what stage of the ritual this was, the fox nor the demigod understood this odd ritual. Was it already too late or was this a preparation phase. To kill the quartergod of a God of Retribution, was a scary thought of one could look past killing a toddler who seemed rather trusting of all creatures. Akira stood by the entrance, knowing full well that the gnolls would return soon to feed and take the child. Keeping guard and a watchful eye out.*
Gary
Noctis stared at the toddler sitting in the tent, his grey eyes wide as he realized exactly what he was looking at. Once Noctis had been a master of his face, of his expression and of his very aura. Yet it had been many years since he'd been a soldier, an assassin for a man who could bring about peace. The dagger held loosely in his fingers, dangling with the barest of grips. 

It was just a child, overfed like a lamb to be slaughtered for dinner. It was so small, plump and entirely unaware of the danger it was in. Not a full demigod, the spawn of one then- it's blood too weak but still more than enough to be a powerful sacrifice. It was a terrible sight to see, it made his stomach curdle. He needed to get the child out of there, to eliminate the danger again. Faced with the horror of the situation, his mind slipped into that of the assassins he'd once been. 

So there was a dark entity to be summoned, this child was the conduit. Likely it would need to be done via a ritual, he could grab it and teleport away, but his magic was weak and dangerous and he'd never tried to teleport with anyone besides himself. It could result in something bad- not worth the risk. So the most efficient option in a case like this would be to make the conduit ineffective. 

Make the conduit inefficient... That meant... 

- - - - - 

The night was silent as the coppery scent of blood flooded the air, it had already begun to dry upon his neck and cheeks. Most of the family had not been of the divine blood, only three demigods within the entire estate- all dead now. He stepped over the empty staring eyes of Lady Krane, her hand still stretched out towards her husband who's sword now lay uselessly beside his never to move hand. The Kranes had decided to pledge their allegiance in secret to King Yanis, so they'd needed to be eliminated. Their influence and trade connections would have been to beneficial. 

The silence only left the ringing of screams in his ears louder, but he let it wash over h

Im without feeling. He came deeper into the room and his hyper enhanced senses heard something, a *Heartbeat.* It was tiny but healthy, unheard through the noise of battle. He walked closer to the bed, surely a servant or something that he hadn't see- 

There in a cradle was a small baby, it's big eyes wide as it gurgled at him. With his sword held in his hand and his body covered in blood- *This child's family*, Noctis looked a beautiful and terrible specter of death. So this was the newborn child of the Kranes, he'd been informed the baby had been moved to the mothers grandparents. His silver eyes glowed in the dark night as he looked at it, numbly aware that his sword arm was raising slowly. It came to a stop overhead, the fresh blood on it dripping down into his raven hair as he continued to stare at it. 

*"Leave one alive and they'll always come back to kill you. You must be ruthless when you kill a man's family, you must kill the entire family- because hatred and vengeance are powers that come and hunt you down. Vendetta will guide their arrow, their blades and their footsteps to see you punished. You must leave even the Gods no room to meddle."* 

He'd been trained by the best assassins, taught to kill and how to be efficient, he was Noctis Camille, he was Deaths Lover- he courted death and brought her to shake, made her knees crash together and her hips buck, death was his mistress and his heart was black as his hair was dark. 

Yet the blade did not move, the sword stayed frozen in place, every muscle frozen into a rigid statue. 

"I can't do it.." He said, and it was only then that he realized he was sobbing. The sword stayed suspended even as he hung his head and covered his gory face with one gauntleted hand, weeping as every ounce of guilt, misery and self loathing flooded him a bursting dam. "I CAN'T DO IT!" He screamed, and the loud sound startled the baby, which began to wail. The only sound in that house of horrors were the twinned screams

And cries of the two souls who would never have a family, who's lives would be full of hate and death because they'd been born in the wrong place and at the wrong time. Noctis sobbed, and sobbed, and sobbed. 

- - - - 

A lone tear ran down his cheek just as it had before, and he blinked slowly. Noctis shook his head and strode forward, reaching out to pick up the baby. He was about to try to haul it to it's feet when his hand froze an inch from it and of all things, Eliza popped into his head. 

"Her name is Alvyra." The look on that woman's face had been gentle and compassionate, loving and infinitely nurturing. How would she have handled this child? Slowly he kneeled and poked it softly in the cheek. 

"I'm going to take you away from this now, nothings going to happen to you now that I'm here, okay?" He said reassuringly, tucking his dagger into his belt and scooping the plump child into his arms. He turned to look at Akira, knowing their time was short. 

"We have to rescue them, and the sacrifices. All of them, Akira. If I as a child of your master can ask anything, let it be that." He said, his voice firm and for just a moment, his eyes flickered a brilliant silver before becoming a dull but beautiful grey once more. 

"Let's move before we are found, or perhaps we ambush the Gnolls that return so they can't warn the rest the child's missing?"