[[Day 12 (Day) :: Zairyon ]]<br/><br/>“Well.. things certainly look dire.”  Rhett commented from his position by the window.  The script of seals glowed on the glass, crawling onto the walls and spreading throughout the perimeter of the house.  His wife only huffed from her position on the sofa, flipping through their letters with nervous energy.  They lived on the outskirts of Zairyon but even from here, they could hear the sounds of battle.  It was inevitable that the Light-led forces had come to the city given their proximity to Luciano.  (It was only a thirty minute carriage ride between their cities.)  However, it seemed the invaders hadn’t expected such fierce resistance given most of the troops were in the plains surrounding Luciano.  Orphelia closed her eyes as an explosion rocked their house.<br/><br/>“Don’t worry, we’ll be safe.”  In contrast to the Zairyonians, their guests seemed perfectly at ease.  Kanna was sprawled out on a sofa as she tossed a ball up and down idly.  Ethera was calmly reading a book and Mei was frowning at a piece of paper.  “Mei’s got the entire place covered in seals.  They can’t see us.  Even if they could, they can’t get in.  And if they get really persistent, I’ll just take them out from here.”<br/><br/>The blue-haired woman stared at the three women before her.  Thea had left them behind yesterday and then the Seraph and her squad had never returned.  While she knew of their reputations, the Zairyonian couldn’t help but wonder why they were still in her house.  “Aren’t you Pristine Knights?  Shouldn’t you be.. helping?”<br/><br/>“We’re not Knights anymore.”<br/><br/>Ethera rearranged her glasses as she looked up from her book.  “Lethe has commanded we stay here to protect you two.”  Her piece said, she went back to reading her book as if another explosion hadn’t shaken the house.  Orphelia huffed in disbelief and got up to walk to the window.  She watched men collide with one another, weapons glinting in the sun.  The house across the street, the McKinnon’s, was currently sporting a new façade of arrows.  Poor Mrs. McKinnon, they’d just had the paint on the walls retouched a few months ago.  Arms crept around her waist and she leaned into her husband’s embrace.<br/><br/>“It’ll be okay.”  He murmured, voice low so their guests wouldn’t hear him.  “She’s a strong lady; she’ll be safe.”  Orphelia said nothing in response, only cuddling her head closer to her husband.<span style="font-style: italic">‘Thea, you better not let Seena grow up without a godmother.’</span><br/><div style="text-align: center;">~~~~~~</div><br/>[[Day 12 (Day) :: Luciano ]]<br/><br/>After seeing how many troops were camped outside Luciano, Team Blonde had decided to stay in Luciano rather than return to Zairyon.  Though they had no idea when their compatriots were supposed to arrive, it would be better to be stuck inside Luciano where they had more movement.  No matter what plan Master Guilford had come up with, they all doubted it included enough troops to counter the masses outside Luciano’s walls, never mind the newest ‘special troops’ from Tethel.<br/><br/>“I wish they didn’t have so many walls.”  Cricket grumbled irritably, glancing out the window at the four massive walls that surrounded the city.  They had contemplated getting an inn near the gates but realized they couldn’t see anything from there.  Instead, their view included sight of Luciano’s Wyervia port.  With the use of a telescope, they could even watch the coming and goings of one of the Mayor Tower’s entrances and the building with the special troops.<br/><br/>“I wish we had instant communication.”  YunQiao added drily as he reviewed their map of Luciano.  He had purchased one while shopping yesterday and everyone had added their insights to it.  Certain areas of the city were marked as more or less vulnerable to attack, as were the army troops and storage houses they could find.  It would have been best if they could watch the four entrances and the Mayor’s Tower, but each group would have been isolated with no easy form of communication.  Captain had decided staying together would be better than spreading themselves too thin.<br/><br/>“And I wish I had a pony.”  The deadpan drew everyone’s attention to the now entering females.  “But instead, I got stuck with you loafers.”  Seraphim’s smirk indicated she was joking as she took a seat in the crowded room.  Lethe closed the door to the ‘bathroom’ behind her, activating their wards.  Her hair was lavender in color; apparently their attempts to wash the dye out had not been entirely successful.<span style="color: silver"> “Anything new?”</span>She directed her inquiry towards Deimos and Adair who had returned sometime during her absence.<br/><br/>“Messenger birds flying like crazy, increased patrols and guards at the gates.  I think Master Guilford’s troops have arrived.”<br/><br/>“They’ve encircled the city.  Fighting has broken out in Zairyon and the surrounding cities.”<br/><br/><span style="color: silver">“And the special troops?”</span><br/><br/>“No movement.”<br/><br/><span style="color: silver">“Continue to keep watch then.”</span><br/><div style="text-align: center;">~~~~~~</div><br/>[[Day 12 (Afternoon) :: Luciano ]]<br/><br/>Victorie scowled at the exhausted redhead beside her and then the mass of troops encircling her city.  So they thought the high grounds and passes were safe?  Fools.  This was her city.  Luciano, Zairyon, Trina: they were all hers, as was all of Palaugrim.  Zairyon had already started fighting back and the Knights would have a rude awakening if they thought Widener any easier to capture.  She stared into the distance as she gave orders.<br/><br/><span style="color: turquoise">“Troops 4 and 5 to Lindenberg Pass.”</span>Far in the distance, one of her other puppets repeated the words in synchronicity.<span style="color: turquoise">“Collapse on the Knights there.  Destroy the pass.”</span>Her gaze turned to the Eternal Forest where the ex-Councilor hid.  Did the woman think her blind?  She reviewed the memories of one of her puppets there and smiled.  So the Seraph thought to sneak in her city through the forest?<span style="color: turquoise"> “Tell the guards to double their watch on the Gates.  Anything suspicious, have them report to me immediately but let them in.”</span>If the Seraph was so eager to see Luciano’s splendors for himself, she’d make sure he had a warm welcome.  Her attention turned to one of her puppets in the sewers.<span style="font-style: italic"><span style="color: turquoise">Increase the Sin taint.</span></span>She commanded mentally, leaving her puppet to do as she bid.  As for those on the heights…<span style="color: turquoise">“Have the Pure Sinners weaken the ground further.  We’ll start off with a little avalanche hm?  See if they enjoy the high ground when it’s falling beneath their feet.”</span>The Reaper she’d left in charge of the Northern Pure Sinners nodded and stood up to inform the Pure Sinners under its command.<br/><br/>Satisfied with her preparations for now, she turned to head back in when the sight of the slumped demon at her feet arrested her.  She lifted her foot up and kicked the other demon.<span style="color: turquoise">“Get up, Lillith.  You’ve been quite useless enough already.”</span>Sin’s spymaster only bared her teeth in response, a hateful red eye peeking out.  Victorie flicked her hand and the red-haired demon went tumbling into a wall.<span style="color: turquoise">“Impudence is the purview of the strong, little sister.  Otherwise it’s just stupidity, which you have already proved you have in spades.”</span>Lilith growled in response, wordless sounds coming from her furious mouth.  Syndra had already removed the younger demon’s vocal cords as punishment for her stupidity.<span style="color: turquoise">“Now go find Raim for me.”</span>Furious turquoise eyes and a threatening flick of her hand had Lillith withdrawing hatefully.  Nonetheless, the red-haired demon did as bade, closing her eyes to search through her various symbols for the third of their group.<br/><br/>Satisfied that Lillith was doing as told, Victorie turned her attention back to the missive she’d received back from Piura.  Her contact had no idea who Thea was, or any of the members of Lady Orphelia’s party.  What mischief was that woman playing at?  In a fit of pique, she crushed the missive in her hand and let the crumpled mess fall to the ground.  She’d deal with her pet later.  First, she had pompous officials to placate.<br/><br/><div style="text-align: center;">~~~</div><br/>[[Day 12 (Afternoon) :: Luciano ]]<br/><br/>“Hey.. is the taint becoming more pronounced, or is it just me?”  Leon spoke up, his eyes glancing out the window curiously.  Valiar frowned from his place by the telescope and leaned back, eyes closing as he tried to sense anything.  “I’m not noticing anything.”<br/><br/>“Oh.”  The youngest Knight frowned in consternation and turned his attention back to the sword in front of him.  YunQiao also frowned, but he was glancing between the street below them and the golden blonde man.  He nudged the body by his feet and Cricket’s eyes snapped open, body already lifting out of his previous spot on the ground.  They were all on edge.  “Go to the washroom, wait thirty seconds, and come back.”  The caster ordered to everyone’s confusion.<br/><br/>“Wha..? Okay…”  Cricket shot the brunette a weird look but did as bade.  There was no reason any of them would be giving pointless orders at this juncture in time.  When he entered the washroom, he felt an unconscious tension relax in his shoulders.  The constant aura of Sin that hung in the air was trying on his nerves in a way he hadn’t realized until it was absent.  They had warded the washroom to be free of taint and to hide the holy magic being used inside.  The Captain was perched on a stool in the corner, her hand glowing with white light.  A row of Faiths laid beside her, their previously dull yellow gleam, worn down by the constant Sin in the air, a now vibrant gold.  Blue eyes looked at him curiously and she stretched her legs out to stand up but the crossdresser shook his head.  “Nah, Stuffy just wants me to wait here for thirty seconds for some reason.”<br/><br/>The nickname prompted a small smile from the woman but she still teetered to her feet.  She stomped her feet once, twice to get feeling back in her legs.  Cricket shrugged and opened the door to walk back out.  He was greeted with a blast of Sin the moment he cross the threshold.  “Good Light!  Has it gotten stronger or something?”  He exclaimed, unknowingly echoing Leon’s original words.  The other three Knights all shared looks.<br/><br/><span style="color: silver"> “Yes, I think it has.”</span>Lethe spoke up from beside him, her blue eyes gazing over the room as if she could see the Sin in the air.<br/><br/>“They must be increasing it slowly.  Only Leon sensed something.”  YunQiao explained as he looked out the window once more.  “The people don’t seem to notice anything.  They’ve seemed short tempered, but I thought it was just because of the war at their doorsteps.”<br/><br/><span style="color: silver">“Wake the others up.  We’ll shift rotations after everyone has been absolved.  Cricket, come.”</span>Lethe walked back into the washroom and turned to her first Knight.  Gathering her holy magic once more, she let it flow over the purple-haired man and cleanse out any impurities that had snuck in during the last twenty four hours.  They had all absolved one another before first heading into Luciano as well.  One by one, everyone filed in and was absolved.  Then, everyone sat back down to wait.<br/><br/>Dusk had fallen and all was black when Adair straightened up.  "There's movement from the Tower."  Everyone sat up at once, pulling armor into place and rearranging weapons. Lethe came to the window to glance through the telescope as well.  Sure enough, the tower was now bustling with activity.  Not enough to suggest an attack had occurred, but enough to suggest something was beginning.<span style="color: silver">“Alright then.”</span>The Seraph stepped away from the telescope and flipped her hood up,<span style="color: silver"> “Let’s move out.”</span><br/><div style="text-align: center;">~~~</div><br/>[[Day 12 (Night) :: Luciano ]]<br/><br/>Victorie stirred from her blank-eyed stare at the ceiling, gaining Lillith’s attention.  The blonde did nothing more though, eyes still tracking invisible movement.  With a sigh, the redhead slumped back against the wall.  Syndra had provided enough Sin crystal for her to be functioning again, but nowhere near her full power.  It looked like the other demon planned to keep her chained to this tower.  She growled in anger but knew it was helpless.  Syndra had been a demon long before she’d been even a thought.<br/><br/>Syndra peered down at the East Gate, eyes scanning over the wagons in front of her.  Why did she sense holy magic?  The traders appeared to know nothing and they had no holy magic to speak of.  The wagons?  Yes, they had something.<br/><br/>Victorie stirred once more, but this time she walked over to Lillith.<span style="color: turquoise">“Keep your eyes on the caravan from the Eastern Gate.  Something’s off about them.  They may contain the Seraph and his squad.”</span>She turned to walk away but paused to call back over her shoulder<span style="color: turquoise"> “I’ll be <span style="font-style: italic">very</span> displeased if we were to lose sight of them, especially if you should decide to stroll off, <span style="font-style: italic">little sister</span>.  I plan to personally greet them.”</span>She swept out of her room, slamming the doors behind her so none else could enter.  From the ceiling, a mousy looking brunette dropped to the floor.  A spindly hand reached out to encircle Lillith’s wrist with her fingers.  Chocolate red eyes glanced at the demon’s red eyes but the woman said nothing, just sitting there with Lillith’s wrist in her grasp.<br/><br/><span style="color: turquoise"><span style="font-style: italic">Throw the illusions over the camp.  We prepare for battle.  Their useless eyes can’t see in the dark of night like ours can.  We’ll release the avalanche on my command.  Was Lindenberg captured successfully?  Good.  And they have no idea?  Perfect.  Prepare the Sin Crystals.  Lead the caravan to Area Five. </span></span><br/><br/>She strode down the stairs to the barracks where the Reapers laid.  This time, without a companion, she didn’t bother knocking on the door.<span style="color: turquoise">“Reapers.”</span>Countless red eyes stared at her.<span style="color: turquoise">“Get ready.  A Seraph has decided to come and play.”</span>Countless raspy chuckles answered her words and her smile grew malicious,<span style="color: turquoise"> “Let’s make sure we give him a warm welcome.”</span>She slammed the door closed again.  Halfway on the path back to the Tower, she paused to look in the direction of where the Light-led forces had amassed.  Pests. She’d enjoy crushing them.<br/><div style="text-align: center;">~~~</div><br/>[[Day 12 (Night) :: Luciano ]]<br/><br/>Eight pairs of eyes watched the blonde Mayor stride out of the Tower towards the barrack where the newest Sin creatures were hosted.  Lethe lifted her hands to her eyes as if to gauge the distance between herself and the other woman.<br/><br/>“Captain..” Adair warned, having spotted the movement.<br/><br/><span style="color: silver">“I think.. I can absolve her from here.”</span>Lethe muttered back, still trying to determine if she could extend her holy magic that far.<br/><br/>“It’s a bad idea.”  The Vice Captain responded, glancing at her in alarm.  “She’s the leader of the Sin Controlled territories!  She didn’t just accidentally stumble into Sin.”<br/><br/><span style="color: silver">“And how would you know that?”</span>Blue eyes slid towards him in irritation.<span style="color: silver">“She could have easily fallen and is just being misled to think this is the best way for Palaugrim.”</span><br/><br/>“Captain, for her to even let Sin into her heart.. it already shows she can’t be trusted.”  YunQiao hissed back.  By now, everyone’s attention was half on the argument and half on the woman speaking into the door.  They were too far away to hear anything, though.  Only Deimos, ever trustful as Rear Guard, had his eyes on the area behind them rather than the internal confrontation.<br/><br/>Cricket frowned, having already heard the stubbornness in their Captain’s voice.  Her saving people complex was rearing its head at a most inopportune moment.  “Enough, YunQiao.  If Captain thinks it’s best to try this, let her do it.”  Brown eyes glared at the indignant blue ones.  “If anything happens, well, we wanted to get rid of those special troops early, right?  It’s clear that<span style="font-style: italic">something</span>is up.  They’re already making their first move.  If we absolve the Mayor, we can try to stop this war.  If it fails, well, time table gets moved up earlier than we wanted.”<br/><br/>Lethe had already stopped paying attention once Cricket had first spoken.  She gathered her holy magic in her hands, keeping it hidden under her skin.  She needed enough magic to cover the distance and fully absolve Victorie, without having any of it leak out until she was ready.  The moment she released her magic, the seal Mei had given her would fail.  Victorie paused obligingly, apparently staring off at something only she could see.<br/><br/><span style="color: silver">“Absolve!”</span>She whispered, releasing the bolt of holy magic to leap the distance between her and Victorie.  The Mayor seemed to notice the blast immediately and dodged to the side.  There was a stir from the special troops barracks.  Lethe held her hand out to tell her squad to stay and she jumped to the ground from their hiding spot.  With the seal broken, her holy magic was like a beacon in the mists of Sin.<br/><br/><span style="color: Silver">“Victorie..”</span>Turquoise eyes scanned over her form, before finally stopping at her eyes.<span style="color: Silver"> “Victorie..”</span>Lethe repeated cautiously as she took a step forward, one hand up as if approaching a scared animal.  Reapers poured out of the barracks, seemingly gliding across the grass.<span style="color: silver"> “It’s okay.  Don’t worry.”</span>She lifted her glowing hand.<span style="color: silver"> “I just—”</span><br/><br/><div style="text-align: center;">~~~</div><br/>Victorie dodged out of the way of a blast of holy magic, eyes honing in on the sudden aura of holy magic.  A cloaked figure fell to the ground and she assessed the newcomer.  Standard travelling cloak, the cross necklace of a Faith, short lavender hair and.  Her eyes widened when familiar blue eyes stared back at her.<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">‘I have never heard about a woman named Thea in Piura, never mind one who matches your description.  I also cannot find any matching descriptions for the other four people you named.  I can assure you that no one has left Piura recently.’</span><br/><br/>They had<span style="text-decoration: underline"><span style="font-style: italic">tricked</span></span>her?!  She opened her mouth and roared to the Reapers behind her, one hand already gathering Sin to form a blade.<span style="color: turquoise"><span style="font-style: italic">“KILL HER!”</span></span><br/><br/><div style="text-align: center;">~~~</div><br/>Far in the distance, atop the mountains the Light-led forces had camped on to gain high ground, earth started sliding downwards.