Quissera Shentavo commanded a great deal of respect if not intimidation. It was not only for the gargantuan broadsword at his back, but rather the intense aura of rage and darkness that surrounded him; all willfully contained behind a set of composed cool eyes. He was a structure of contrasting forces. A seduction that lies half-way between restraint and abandon. Sophistication and nonchalance combined for a dark and deadly figurehead. His scent was one of cardamom, cedar, and coumarin mixed with a hint of iron from his last sanguine chalice. The room quieted when it was clear the meeting was about to commence with one solitary step from his casual stance.<br/><br/>Shard shifted her stance, noting Seni enter into the room as well while a few of the other willworkers remained in meditation. Shard crossed Seni's path brushing by him lightly as she headed for a seat. There was a pause in which the brief second and she was to her seat, one leg crossed over the other and her gray cloak pulled loosely around her. No one else set their eyes on anyone other than the Shentavo in the room. Seni gripped something in his hand and moved to the edge of the room; his cool, emerald eyes focused solely on their Lord. Quissera's recent assault upon the military forces had laid quite a dent in their opponents numbers, however it had been a close call. Now the fang he had lost in the battle was gripped within the willworkers hands.<br/><br/>Qui was the first to speak amongst the ranks. It began the way it always did; his mismatched eyes scanning over the crowd to look upon the new faces. The piercing orbs settled on no one in particular, and once he was satisfied; his voice cut through the silence. It was not the voice of an honor bound valiant warrior, but the low, forceful growl of a killer that chilled the very air around them. â€œThank you for joining us once more for our night vigil,â€ you could taste the heat in his words, the low simmering anger of the vampire with one fang. â€œOur last assault on the outskirts of the citadel was costly, but it also made the empress work twice as hard to keep what she claims. It has come to our attention through the information gathered and our willworkers careful study that the empress does indeed possess what we had feared; mitigation and nullification of magic within a centralized area. It also means that she believes enough in her abilities and the pawns at her disposal that she can win this war. However,â€ he raises his hand lightly. That simple motion drew onlookers in. â€œThe time of reckoning is at hand.â€<br/><br/>â€œWhat is our next course of action?â€ Seni raised his head a bit shifting his gaze upward from Quissera's chest to his eyes meeting them squarely. There was just the slightest tilt of Quissera's head. Seni didn't normally talk. â€œYou wish to take the citadel once and for all and the empress in the process. While some of the empress' forces are all behind eradicating our kind and you and yours, many of them are simply following orders for a paycheck at the end of the week to feed their families.â€<br/><br/>â€œThere will always be casualties in war,â€ he starts to move towards Seni. â€œCasualties that cannot be avoided. A direct assault upon the citadel with our full force is the only way to end this world. Without such a display there will be no hope of a future for this nation where we will not be hunted.â€<br/><br/>â€œIt is better to rule a people through fear than to gain their loyalty?â€ Seni questions, his gaze unchanging. His voice was flat with just the slightest upturn in inflection at the end of his sentences. â€œYou are beginning to consume yourself with your rage. It's surely an effective force but quite destructive. I just wish there to be a nation to live within after we have taken the citadel; a nation with the same principals that your mother had ruled under for nearly a century.â€<br/><br/>â€œShe is not here,â€ he growled, but cooled as he observed the willworker further. â€œWho is speaking through you?â€ he asked plainly.<br/><br/>â€œSomeone concerned with the fate of those who are here tonight; with those outside the walls and spreading outward to the expanse of the nation.â€ He upturned his hand and revealed the curved wicked fang in his palm. This served only to set those in the room on the edge of their seat. The Shentavo mad was never a good thing; and they could taste the anger in the air. Qui took it into his hand; his focus solely on Seni. â€œIt is time that the rest of the members here hear about just how big a threat they are facing. Before we charge off into battle; tell them, about the empress.â€<br/><br/>â€œThe only thing restraining my hand from consuming you,â€ he said quietly, barely audible. â€œIs that you are not of your own will.â€  Qui paused for a moment, considering Seni; eyes drifting back to the other there as he set the fang back in place with a wicked snap. He wasn't done, however, with Seni. â€œWhy don't you explain...since you are so knowledgeable in the matters of fate, what is it that we face when dealing with Ravelyn's student.â€ There was a stir amongst the large group, and the whispers began, most out of shock.<br/><br/>Seni just bowed lightly; glass like eyes returning to normal, and his voice settling back in to one of a scholar. The one who spoke through him, had left. â€œThe empress known as Genesis Versai that took up Ravelyn's throne after her disappearance had once been a close friend. She was a willworker like myself. Without going too much into detail about the Shentavo bloodline, as I know it is a carefully guarded secret,â€ he looked at their leader who gave a light nod to continue. â€œShe was given a vial of the blood, which enhanced her powers. Ravelyn was able to open her mind to look at magic in a way the apprentice had never thought possible. She had an avid knack for controlling energy; all energy. While this strengthened the willworker's powers, it also had an added benefit. She was able to anticipate what was to come giving her a unique advantage. Last time she and I had spoke, she was petitioning for the embrace. Needless to say, that never happened.â€ There was a pause.<br/><br/>Seni continued. â€œThe woman we need to take out of the picture, most likely has some inkling of what is coming, and on the battle field she will be at an advantage. With the ability to cloud mundane perceptions of her to appear mundane, she will be able to anticipate what attacks will come against her. This means that we must be coordinated. It also means, that there is a high probability of failure. With the combined might of our own willworkers, we cannot block what inherited abilities she has gained...from the Shentavo bloodline.â€<br/><br/>â€œI have no ability to prevent it,â€ Quissera says quietly. He raised his voice once more. â€œThe only way, to win...is a full out onslaught; to fight with every last dying breath in the hopes that one of us has enough unpredictability within their actions to take her out. The military pawns I do not concern myself with. The hunters, as far as I am concerned, can go fuck themselves. The empress is our target. I know everyone in this room would give their lives if it would mean that one killing blow to give our kind insurance for survival as a species. In three days time we will reconvene and set in motion our plan of attack. The only thing I can say to you all, is to prepare yourselves...this is the moment we have been waiting for; our final stand.â€ 	With that, he turns and heads down towards the west wing. Once he is a certain distance away, the whispers begin once more; the monstrosity that had become the current empress; was fighting on even ground, and if not that; had the upper hand.<br/><br/>Shard remained motionless in her seat; turning her head only briefly to watch him go.