As if on demand, the dormant power around the elf rushed out to meet the charging men, smashing into them with unearthly force. A shower of bloody pulp rained upon the ground, staining it as red as the pulsating aura around her. She stood still for a moment, teal eyes wavering and unfocused, taking in the chaotic scene before her for the first time. What must have been hundreds of people were scattered through the large camp, some running to and fro, some apparently fighting for their lives.<br/><br/>The vengeful aura around her shimmered once and then evaporated into thin air. In the absence of the mind-numbing haze of power, the reality of what had just happened finally began to set in. These people... these<i>blood mages</i>... had made her one of<i>them.</i>She was no longer just some apostate. She’d used<i>blood magic</i>, just like they had. She was no better than they were.<br/><br/>She stared down at blood-soaked form, eyes wide with a mix of disbelief and horror. She’d never killed before, but now... now she was covered in the blood of men she’d murdered without a second thought. She’d lost control. The blood magic’s dark<i>need</i>had clouded her mind, had driven her to vengeance... and she’d let it.<br/><br/><span style="color: green"><i>I shouldn’t have survived the Harrowing,</i></span>she thought bitterly, and her vision blurred.<span style="color: green"><i>I’ll never see the Circle Tower again. I’ll never see any of them again.</i></span><br/><br/>In a daze, she trudged back into the tent, only distantly noting that none of the men had followed her. She needed something, but her thoughts were muddled and she couldn’t quite place what it was. She glanced around the tent, as if seeing it for the first time. The blood-stained altar had been where she’d awoken – she remembered that much. Hadn’t there been something else?<br/><br/><span style="color: green"><i>The sacrifices.</i></span>She hadn’t really seen them before, occupied as she had been. A slender human woman and a Kossith – they had been there before. There was an elf woman with them now, sawing frantically at their bonds. From the looks of it, she had been meant as a sacrifice, as well. She couldn’t imagine that any of the three thought too highly of her. She was little better than their captors, really.<br/><br/><span style="color: green"><i>Calm down. Think this through.</i></span>Even if she was a maleficar now, these people were still innocent. They didn’t deserve to die here, not here, not as helpless sacrifices. The camp was distracted enough that they could make their escape. She could help with that much, at least; at worst, she could serve as a distraction.<br/><br/>She spotted her twin blades atop a pile of clothing in one of the corners of the tent. She was surprised they’d bothered to keep her things at all. She thought – rather disgustedly – that they must have taken great care in undressing her if her clothes were all still intact. She shuddered. At least she still<i>had</i>clothes. She didn’t much fancy the idea of fleeing naked through the woods; she’d had enough of that for one lifetime.<br/><br/><span style="color: green">“If you want to escape, now’s the time,”</span>she said quietly, padding over to her equipment.<span style="color: green">“It’s utter chaos outside. There won’t be a better chance to slip away unnoticed.”</span>She fixed her pendant around her neck first, clutching the large emerald in her palm for just a moment. She seemed to recover some small bit of courage from it.<span style="color: green">“I think your possessions are over here, too,”</span>she continued, still unable to bring herself to look at the other women after what she’d done.<br/><br/><span style="color: green"><i>I’m going to look like I walked straight out of the Deep Roads until I have a bath,</i></span>she thought wistfully. Hopefully all the blood wouldn’t be too hard to wash out of her clothes. Hopefully all the blood wouldn’t be too hard to wash out of her<i>skin</i>. She sighed, pressing her head into her palm. She wasn’t sure what to think anymore.<br/><br/><span style="color: green"><i>One thing at a time, Luna. One thing at a time.</i></span><div class="messageTextEndMarker"> </div>