Revelations of the Hunt

[Mediha]

Mediha opened her eyes. Minutes later, when she allowed her brain to acknowledge that the faint light of dawn was spilling in through the gap in the curtains, she closed them again and let out a sigh of deep dissatisfaction, rolling over and putting her back to the window. She had work to do shortly, but she didn't want to awaken; the claws of sleep still held to her, encouraging her to pretend not to be home if her acolytes came looking for her.

She had bathed and packed in preparation the night prior, but she hoped it would be a short hunt. If the traitor was agreeable to dying, they might even finish their work before dusk fell.

She could have handled this on her own, but the Clan Leader had strongly recommended she take her new bodyguard-trainees with her to make certain the job was completed in a timely fashion. Although she had responded to the request with a deferential agreement, Mediha was angry and suspicious: had the participation of the Nightbrothers in the death of Ras actually caused the eldest Nightsister to question her capabilities? Mediha could prove her worth if necessary, so it wasn't that she worried for others' opinions of her, but if the Nightsisters who held sway in the Clan doubted her, it might lead to complications she did not want to deal with; complications such as being shut out from additional knowledge. Of course, being too strong was also sometimes cause enough for fellow Nightsisters to block someone from learning new spells.

There was a strong suspicion in Mediha's mind that the Clan Leader was having a laugh at her expense. She had only had acolytes for three days and already they were being provided a task in an official capacity. What was she looking for? It could not be boredom. Like her original assignment, there was no written contract explaining the mission-- they were not mercenaries, did not need to be watched at every step.

It could be a test for Mediha as much as them.

Recognizing that her responsibilities were too great-- and that her mind was effectively engaged-- Mediha pushed herself up, staring at her hands with bleary eyes. Grumbling meaningless sounds under her breath periodically, Mediha rose and went to get changed before her acolytes arrived.

[member="Anderit Rinaren"] [member="Zared Rinaren"]

 

[Acheron354]

Zared bit into a piece of fruit heh ad found in the tree next to him. Normally he would begin his mornings with sharpening his weapons and collecting a bit of food. Especially days when he was expected to hunt like this. However since the attainment of his new weapon, his lightsaber, he saved a great deal of time no longer having to sharpen his tools before combat.

Though the lightsaber was not the only thing that he gained after he and Anderit defeated the Sith Master. During the altercation Zared began to see things with a third eye, allowing him to reach out to things he had never even imagined before. It was almost as if things were becoming more clear after a long time in the darkness. The young warrior knew one thing for sure, the next few months would prove to be interesting ones.

After another moment Zared leapt from his place in the tree and landed on the hard surface of the jungle floor. The tree he had been sitting in overlooked the village where his mistress awaited them. He looked around, wondering where his brother could be before walking towards the village. His hands clamped over his chest he paid no attention to the different hunting parties preparing to leave.

He found the hut of the nightsister he was tasked to obey , after getting there he simply sat outside of her door, his arms clasped over his chest while he looked over the camp, searching for his brother.
[member="Mediha"]

 

[Placeholder 0134]

Visions were a rare topic among the Sisters. The seers had stopped being born more than a hundred years ago -- Nightsisters called upon their intuition to get a glimpse into a future these days. Yet, for whatever reason, they plagued Anderit now. The episodes were always short and violent; showing him little more than a few blurry images before he would awaken in a coughing fit. At first he had thought something poisoned him. Perhaps [member="Mediha"] had grown tired of him after all. It was only after he still breathed a day later that he considered it to be something else.

Then the images began to grow clearer. It was a line of warriors; impressive in their splendor, and grand in their cause. Some were adorned in massive armor. Others bore the robes of some occult fashion and carried weapons not unlike his own. They stood above a massive city, and the people below cheered. This would last for a time, and then the city would become engulfed in a massive inferno. The warriors had no escape -- many perished.

Four survivors emerged from the rubble. Each shrouded in those occult robes that had stood out in the prior vision. Moments later they were standing above a gathering of thousands. Three watched from the anonymity of their cloaks. One stood above the others, and spoke.

Then the vision was over, and Anderit found himself clinging to life once again. The coughing fit did not last as long as it usually did today, thankfully. Once he fought through it, he hastily dressed in his hunting leathers, gathered up the lightsaber staff, and made his way to Mediha's hut. Zared was nowhere to be seen, so he assumed his younger brother had gone ahead. As per the usual, he was correct.

"She's not going to be happy this early in the morning, Zary," he grumbled as he rubbed the blurry spots out of his eyes. When they were alone, he always took to his old pet name for the man -- one he'd given to Zared when they were still very smell. It had stuck. "The visions are plaguing me again. It's the same one every time; the one with the burning city." He sighed and took up a position on the other side of the door, his arms folding over his chest in a mirror of his brother.

They would both await Mediha like the obedient servants that they were.

[member="Zared Rinaren"]

 

[Mediha]

With a faint sigh, Mediha switched from the white base coat of her makeup over to the black detailing. She could have saved time with an illusion, but she wanted all of her power at her disposal. If they were three, she most likely would not need it all, but she wasn't about to take that risk unnecessarily.

Outside, she heard someone arrive. Even as she sharpened her listening skills, her hands kept up the steady application of makeup that would obscure her from their sight. The person lingered at the doorway, silent; Zared, then. Anderit would have been whistling or knocking or keeping himself occupied in some way that was certain to grate on her nerves.

Mediha felt her eye start to twitch and had to put down the makeup for a moment. No. Truthfully, he did not spend all of his time bothering her, but Mediha had found their personalities thus far to be somewhat... incompatible. He accepted her teachings readily enough, but always with a grain of salt. Learning to fight together will be... something.

Glancing in the glass before her, she quickly finished her work and rose to gather her things. The sound of Anderit's voice drifted in, soft and low enough that she could not hear him clearly. It was time. Her pants, legs wide enough to mimic a skirt when she stood still, fluttered as she crossed the room and lifted her pack with alacrity. She tied it snuggly across her chest over her long tunic, letting it hang down her back, and reached for ties for her hair. There was not much they needed with her magick and their survival skills, so a small pack was all that was required.

Twisting her hair in preparation for a complex braid, Mediha pushed the door of her hut open with her hip and stepped out, glancing first to Anderit and then to Zared on the other side. Her voice sounded faintly irritated, but she was noticeably more casual than she had been with them before. The hunt song sang in her blood, calling her on.

"Our hunt today is for human prey. Ta'litha has betrayed the Nightsisters and therefore loses her place among them. For her failure and betrayal, the sentence is death for her and her accomplice. The Clan Mother has assigned us to this task." Whatever her purpose is. Mediha finished the first half of the first braid and started on the second. She glanced down the row at other groups preparing for their day's hunt, certain no others would do as well or have so interesting a prey. "I want her beating heart in my hand when we are through." She tipped her head up to look at [member="Zared Rinaren"] as she reached back to begin braiding the two together.

"We know she is hiding to the east, likely in one of the abandoned villages. You'll lead the tracking. You may use any skill at your disposal, but I recommend starting with your magick. It will save you time." She looked to [member="Anderit Rinaren"] as she tied off the braid, the tight weave keeping it back and out of her way for the fight to come. "I should mention that her accomplice is an off-worlder." Ta'litha had almost gotten away with it as well; it was always the details that did one in. "He may have things at his disposal we do not, so we should not take him lightly." She glanced at Anderit's lightsaber, well aware that Zared was carrying one as well. "When we find them, take care of the off-worlder first. I will handle Ta'litha." The woman was several years Mediha's senior, but her talents lay primarily in healing. It would take time, but Mediha would triumph, especially with her companion out of the way.

 

[Acheron354]

When his brother began talking Zared almost ignored his words, but he exhaled instead, responding to the man coldly. "Ignore your dreams, we have more important things to deal with." Zared's frustration did not come from his brother, it came from the fact that he had been having the exact same dreams as Anderit. They were more than dreams, they were too vivid, too real. When the sister finally exited her hut Zared stood, offering a soft bow in respect to the woman's station over him.

After stating they would lead the tracking Zared smirked softly, while his brother was easily one of the few warriors Zared counted as his equal there was one thing the man had on his side that no other Nightbrother could dream of. After nodding to the sister he turned from the two, looking into the forest.

The man's eyes searched but he reached out with more than his hands, digging deep into his own magicks he exhaled softly. Another moment later he let out a loud screech, long and high pitched it rang through the jungle for a moment. He looked back to the others before the sound of several rushing creatures could be heard. Seconds later three lizard-like hounds leapt out of the jungle and ran towards Zared. Growing up on the planet of Dathomir there were plenty of wildlife that could be tamed, the only animals that were never successfully domesticated were the Ssurrians. Though he would never admit it his new found connection to the magicks was the only thing that allowed him to connect to the beasts enough to bring them under his control.

The Ssurrians circled the three for a second before walking towards Zared and sniffing him cautiously. Through his magicks Zared convinced the creatures that he was the leader of their pack, as he pushed into their minds he leaned down, laying a hand on two of their heads. "Hunt." The animals each screeched softly before turning, as if waiting for the others.

Zared turned to Mediha and crossed his arms softly. "We should head towards the dark swamp, if we do not pick up a trail there than we can continue to the villages of old." Zared whistled sharply, all three of the Ssurrians began to rush out towards the forest. The nightbrother was no different, pulling his war spear from his back he ran after the animals, excited for the new hunt.

[member="Mediha"]
[member="Anderit Rinaren"]

 

[Placeholder 0134]

No one was ever as cheery in the morning as he was, though that was not saying much. He did not bow in the manner Zared had -- always testing the boundaries -- but he did tilt his head forward in deference. He listened without a word as [member="Mediha"] gave her briefing. He had not seen the little Nightsister in action as of yet, and he imagined that would be far too amusing to watch. Part of him hoped their quarry was as tall as he and Zared were, strictly for the giggles.

"A lovely way to spend the day," he mused, his voice dripping with good natured sarcasm, "Not to worry m'lady. This is what Zared and I do best."

He turned to speak to his brother, only to bring his hands to his ears as the man let out an uncomfortably loud screech. Not the best way to start the morning. Visibly cringing, Anderit watched as the overgrown lizards burst out of the brush, frightening more than a few of the Nightsisters preparing for their morning activities. Some raised energy bows. Anderit held up a hand for calm, but before he could explain, the beasts were tromping out of the village with Zared hot on their heels.

"I don't suppose you want me to carry you?" He snickered as he began to follow Zared, albeit at a slower pace. Tracking was his brother's strong suit; dealing with the target was his.

[member="Zared Rinaren"]

 

[Mediha]

Mediha's eyes widened faintly as the reptilian animals came ravening out of the forest, but she held her ground, aware that it had been Zared's actions which had called them forth. When he stood still for their inspection, Mediha relaxed faintly. He was controlling them. Fascinating. Beasts were the easiest to control, but that was still an accomplishment for someone just now learning to utilize his strengths.

That reminded her: she had met privately with Anderit, but had not yet made the time to meet with Zared in the same way. She knew the brothers must speak of their gifts and of what she had told Anderit in their meetings thus far, but she could not favor one acolyte over the other. She and Zared would have their time once they returned; it would be a chance to test that he had put his own limiters in place so that he could grasp his magick more readily-- and so that he wasn't letting it run freely over him.

Mediha glanced at her fellow Nightsisters as they relaxed their weapons and stared at the small group. She sighed faintly and then turned to follow Zared into the jungle.

Her pack shifted awkwardly against her back and she adjusted it. Her acolytes would not be ready for real magick for some time-- and she wasn't certain either was actually interested in the darker realms of Nightsister spells-- but Anderit was open about their training with their lightsabers. Their magick would be useful for that; Mediha was going to need to speak to a Sister about having them trained. Several Sisters used the traditional blades; their guidance would aid the brothers in understanding the unique styles of combat associated with a lightsaber. Mediha racked her brain for someone who used a double-bladed lightsaber, but Ras was the only Sister she could think of, and that was due to her off-world experiences. Mediha would not find any like that among their Clan. She would have to inquire among their melee fighters and then find the most suitable option for him.

To get real training, he would have to leave the Clan, which cannot be.

Mediha didn't look up at Anderit's teasing, focused instead on keeping pace with the two considerably taller men. She was short, not weak. Thankfully, she spoke before she had time to consider it an insult. "I think I will manage. Save your strength and wits for the enemy." The truth was, there was no guarantee she wouldn't need one of them to carry her back; it depended entirely on what they had to face when they discovered Ta'litha and her off-worlder.

[member="Anderit Rinaren"] [member="Zared Rinaren"]

 

[Acheron354]

Zared enjoyed the thrills of the hunt, as he moved through the jungle he watched the movements of his beasts. Almost mirroring them they continued their charge for almost fifteen minutes straight. Eventually they reached the swamp that surrounded a nearby village. Zared whistled sharply once more, his hounds began to scatter, searching for a trail to follow. When the others caught up Zared looked back at [member="Anderit Rinaren"] and spun his war spear around softly. "If they are hiding anywhere in this swamp my Ssurrians will find them. If not, we can search the nearby town."

He turned back towards the swamp, not caring to waste anymore time on words. The Ssurrian hounds were able to track other beings by the heat their bodies generate. Though such a warm place like a swamp could easily throw them off.

The nightbrother began to search around the swamp, after a few minutes one of his hounds let out another high pitched screech, piercing through the silence. While the nightbrothers and their mistress could not see anything the Ssurrians had picked up a trail, whether it was by scent or another means Zared could not tell, he turned to [member="Mediha"] and gestured towards the village.. "They have found something."

 

[Placeholder 0134]

No angry quips?

Anderit wasn't sure whether he should be pleased about that or not. He chose to be. He parted his lips to offer her some form of reply, but Zared was off, and he had no desire to get too far behind his brothers. Odds were the other Nightbrother would stumble upon something he could not handle on his own and get himself hurt. Better Anderit be there to pick up the slack than lag behind. He gave [member="Mediha"] a wan, albeit sincere smile, and strode off after his brother.

For the hundredth time in his life, Anderit was reminded why he hated the swamp. The squelching of the mud beneath his boots, the smell of detritus and rotting plants, the humid fog that hung over the land like a thick blanket -- he despised all of it. He was more at home back on the plains where the Nightbrothers made their camp. It was dry and warm there. You did not have to worry about monstrous creatures hiding in the muck there either.

"Well then, let's not keep them waiting, hmm?" Anderit lofted a brow and settled a hand on his lightsaber staff. If the Ssurians had found something, then it was quite likely the violence would begin very soon. Part of Anderit hoped the sister would surrender, but the other part of him knew that simply was not going to happen.

"Such a waste of talent."

[member="Zared Rinaren"]

 

[Mediha]

"So I see," she said in response to Zared. Her eyes cast off into the swamp; would she truly have gone so deep into the jungle? There was no way off the planet in this direction, but, then again, perhaps there was no way off the planet in any direction and this had seemed her best choice for the moment. She glanced up at Anderit's eager suggestion to get moving and then surveyed their surroundings. The jungle offered too many blind spots. She opened herself to sensing any nearby presence just to be certain they weren't being watched-- or that Ta'litha hadn't left a magickal signature behind. The pair had fled the Clan under power of magick, but the Nightsisters sent after her were only able to track it a short way into the jungle before it had split into two paths. In trying to follow one, a Nightsister had nearly lost a leg to an unexpected trap Ta'litha had left behind. It was determined better to let the night lapse and send an official party instead; Mediha had taken the task seriously and had already begun her work the night before. The fact that there was any noticeable magickal trail had seemed wrong to her, and so she had done her own investigation.The trails, she soon determined, were false. Magick had laid it the early portion, but where the path split there were only traps; Ta'litha had gone another way. Mediha had disabled the second trap to prevent accidental casualties, but was able to do little more.

With her acolytes assistance, she hoped to rectify that unfortunate hiccup in the prosecution of her fallen Nightsister.

Mediha eyed the Ssurrian hounds, then nodded to Zared. She turned her pack so that she could reach it, in preparation for any impending fight. "Have them follow it, but watch for traps. Can you tell what it is they have found, or do they not report in that manner?"

Something niggled on the edge of her awareness, but Mediha didn't dare devote more power to a simple sweep. If it were anything other than another hunting party who happened to be out this way, they would find out soon enough.

[member="Zared Rinaren"] [member="Anderit Rinaren"]

 

[Acheron354]

As the nightbrother had suspected the Ssurians led them to a nearby village. One that was not often traveled to because of it's inconvenient location next to the swamp. Upon reaching the villages Zared heard Mediha's question and paused before looking to the Ssurrians, as they sat in front of the nightbrother awaiting command he realized the only reason he knew they had found something was because of the connection he had forged with his magicks.


Delving deeper into their connection it was almost as if their thoughts and feelings had become like his. Able to read their emotions he was able to answer the sister. "Something has disturbed the natural scent in this area....it smells, moves, and acts human. If I am guessing right than it is our target." Once more Zared let out a sharp whistle, causing his hounds to stand ready and walk slowly through the village, searching.


The nightbrother activated his lightsaber, still mesmerized by the crimson blade that shined from the hilt. As he walked into the village he went to the nearest hut, looking inside while holding his weapon ready.

 

[Placeholder 0134]

So the woman thought she'd found some kind of refuge in the village? How amusing. Anderit simply nodded as [member="Zared Rinaren"] gave his thoughts on what had happened. They would find this woman, and with luck, would deal with her accordingly. Truth be told Anderit wanted to find his way home before lunch; the poor man was quite hungry.

His lightsaber hissed as it came to life. He was not particularly happy about the presence of the Ssurians; they were useful, but they were dangerous. He was all too aware that his brother's control might slip, and the beasts might descend upon him. No one wanted to die via death by lizard betrayal, least of all Anderit.

"Seems everyone left town," he murmured. His attentions shifted to Mediha. Perhaps her magicks would speed things along.

"Any chance you could draw her out with your power?"

[member="Zared Rinaren"], [member="Mediha"]

 

[Mediha]

Mediha considered Anderit's question while her eyes swept over the village. Nothing stirred. They appeared to be the only living creatures there. Something continued to niggle at her magical senses, but she didn't dare expend more power than necessary to investigate it, not when routine searching could do the job just as well. Ta'litha's talents might be widely purported to focus on the less lethal, but Mediha was well aware of how misleading rumors could be.

"I imagine she already knows we're here," Mediha responded, voice low. Her eyes were fixed toward the far end of the village. She spread the fingers of one hand wide but let it hang at her side; she lifted the other hand and spun one finger in a circle. Sickly green magic followed the motion, forming a small sphere of wraith-like tendrils. A flick of her fingers sent it soaring off through the village and the seeker disappeared around the corner of a hut. Moments later, a billowing cloud of noxious green magic rose and rushed down the street at them. The open fingers of Mediha's hand closed and the cloud suddenly seized in place and was choked into nonexistence in a matter of seconds. The seeker had found her. There was a moment's silent pause before a door opened on a hut on the opposing side of the lane and an armored man darted on to the scene, taking aim at the small group of hunters. Mediha dodged aside and ran for the nearest alley; all she needed was to make it to the next street over. Ta'litha would wait; she couldn't leave without her lover.

"Take care of the off-worlder," she ordered the brothers just before she vanished down the side street.

[member="Anderit Rinaren"] [member="Zared Rinaren"]

 

[Acheron354]

Zared nodded before watching the woman disappear down the street. Almost instatly after she left Zared heard blaster fire coming down the street. Instantly he ducked and scrambled for cover behind a nearby hut. One of Zared's Ssurrians had taken a blaster bolt to it's face and crumpled over before the other two rushed into the hut where Zared had taken cover.

The nightbrother looked over the corpse of his favored pet and glared back towards the blaster fire, clenching his fist. He looked to Anderit and exhaled before speaking over the continuous blaster fire coming down the street. "I am going to skin him after we kill him."


Zared looked around but could not see a way to charge the off-worlder without traversing several meters of blaster fire. Though he was considered head-strong he was not suicidal and did not care to start now. After a moment he looked to Anderit and flourished his lightsaber for a moment. "I'm going to give you a window, use it."

The beast's within the hut wanted to run, they were trying to resists Zared's mental suggestions and he knew soon his control would be broken. After deactivating his lightsaber he knelt down behind the hut, focusing on the Ssurrians. They were scared, scared and angry because of their alpha dying. Zared pushed into their suggestions more, fueling their anger at the off-worlder.

After what felt like minutes of focusing on the beasts he watched them burst out of the hut and charge the off-worlder, providing perfect cover for his brother. "Go!"

[member="Mediha"]
[member="Anderit Rinaren"]

 

[Placeholder 0134]

The Ssurians were charging, and Anderit had a very small window to deal with the offworlder. Zared provided the distraction. He would bring the sword. Giving his brother a nod, the warrior moved off toward the side of the village; going for a wide flank around their targets. His lightsaber was heavy in his hands. Adrenaline pumped through his veins. This kill would be his, and then they could leave this disgusting swamp.

He saw he perpetrator a few meters out from where Zared had taken cover. The Ssurians were charging him, but were quickly gunned down by the focused blaster fire. Unfortunately he was not prepared for the Nightbrother that came in from the other side.

The lightsaber hissed.

Smoke poured from the hole in the offworlder's abdomen.

He fell to the ground with a wet crunch.

"Got him."

[member="Mediha"], [member="Zared Rinaren"]

 

[Mediha]

Mediha blocked the witch-bolt as she came around the corner; she had expected Ta'litha to take the offensive once she knew she had been discovered. Small expenses of power-- shields just large enough to stop the attacks-- allowed her the chance to get to cover in a hut across the way, where she could be sure that the off-worlder would not come up behind her. She took the chance of peeking out, moved back to avoid the incoming attack, and then sent a series of bolts of her own in the direction they had come from. She built another small seeker orb and sent it out after Ta'litha, using the distraction to build herself a more substantial spell.

When the cloud of noxious gas expelled, Mediha used the few precious seconds to take the fight to her Sister. Ribbons of magick shot along the ground, speeding across the intervening distance, cutting under the cloud of gas that Ta'litha was busy dissipating. She heard the surprised scream and cautiously peered across the distance. Ta'litha stumbled out of the hut, hands wreathed in an aura of power as she forced back the shadowed hands reaching for her. Mediha, too, left the safety of her hut, watching for any signs of duplicity in her opponent as they wound up standing in the street. Ta'litha, in a sudden burst, burned the hands away and turned, panting, to face Mediha. The hunter's face might as well have been carved of stone.

"Let me leave." It was neither demand nor request. The words were almost dead as they issued from Ta'litha's mouth.

Without any visible display of power, Mediha began building her next attack, mind putting each component in place. "You know you don't have that option."

"You don't see how small it is here. How our magick has been corrupted," Ta'litha argued. "I don't care if you all stay, but you will let me leave." The command was there; she was remembering who Mediha was, was remembering that she had options and power that the recent Sister supposedly didn't.

"Sisters are not kept here unwillingly. If you had wanted to go, you should have simply requested it of the Mother and left."

"She wouldn't let me! She knew my reasons!" A spell wall was building before Ta'litha, a ward against whatever magick Mediha would throw at her. Something dark lurked on the edge of it, but Mediha had to wait to see what it was; her resources were devoted to her own spell.

"And whose lips did that come from? Hers? Or his?"

"You don't know her," Ta'litha hissed. "You'll never understand." The wall solidified and a volley of bolts issued from it, forcing Mediha to dart aside. To either side of Ta'litha, ghostly forms rose from the ground.

Witch warriors. That will be a problem. Mediha increased the furious building of her spell, her power beginning to glow in a faint aura around her.

The warriors moved forward before they were even fully done materializing, armed with jagged blades. Mediha's eyes darted between them as she raised her hands in an abrupt jerk. A tangle of vines, shadow mixed with magick, burst from the soil to tangle around them. They were caught by legs or arms, forced to turn and hack at the spell. Behind them, the vines battered at Ta'litha's shield.

A witch bolt caught Mediha across the shoulder, and she staggered aside, power forming her own curtain of protection to catch the other bolts. Anger pierced through her mask as she looked at Ta'litha through the wall.

I should have made this short.

Mediha dug a hand into her pack, teeth faintly bared as she held back the onslaught. Ta'litha was using her offense as a defense, giving herself time to fight off Mediha's vines; they were slowly breaking through her defense. Mediha withdrew the voodoo doll from the main pack; an advanced art, it was one she didn't use often, and never in front of those she expected to live. Secrets were best kept secret.

Part of her investigation had been to explore Ta'litha's former lodgings. The Sister had been foolish; you could never erase all of your presence unless you were willing to burn it to the ground. There had been traces of her left, traces that Mediha was able to use in conjunction with a doll bearing the woman's passing likeness. It had meant half a night's labor, but it was worth the trouble. Well worth it.

As the ghost warriors finally ripped free to throw themselves at Mediha again, she saw Ta'litha clutch at her chest and stagger forward to lean on her own fortifications. Mediha blasted the two warriors away from her with sheer power, eyes on her former Nightsister. It took a moment before she understood what the look on her face meant.

She tied herself to him, Mediha noted dispassionately. Magickal ties allowed one to draw on another's strength, but they had drawbacks. Feeling the death of the other person was one of them.

"Men think anything can be handled with a judicious application of physical force," Mediha commented, unmoved by Ta'litha's wide-eyed horror. Zared and Anderit had taken care of one part of their problem. "It's one of their flaws."

The taller sister's face morphed, rage and sorrow warring in her expression. She screamed at Mediha and the area around her began to glow with her magic. Bolts arced high in the air, attempting to overshoot Mediha's curtain rather than break through it. New ghost warriors began to form. Mediha calmly tied a string around the doll's neck and pulled. Ta'litha grabbed at her throat with one hand, but her spells continued; she knew the only way to survive now was to get the doll from Mediha's hands.

Mediha's power blossomed around her, expanding as she stared down her fallen Sister. Her curtain arced higher, her vines grew stronger, tying the ghost warriors before they could finish solidifying. Within the shifting mass of power, her face seemed to change, skin turning sallow, eyes staring harshly out of her face, aspect darkening. Her lips began moving in silent words as she released the string around the doll's neck to press her fingers into its chest.

Ta'litha looked on in horror. Her fortifications crumbled as she ran forward, trying to stop the inevitable. "No! No-" The word cut off in a scream of agony as she collapsed, clutching at her chest. Ghostly fingers passed through her physical form, following the instructions of their mistress. Ta'litha's magick rose weakly against it, but Mediha ignored her. It had gone too far now.

Mediha's power churned hungrily around her as she broke the wax exterior of the chest, dug deep, and slowly extracted the small sculpted heart from the doll.

Ta'litha's scream was strangled as her arms were knocked wide by her chest exploding open, blood pouring from the new crevasse. The ghost fingers held aloft the still beating heart of its victim; Mediha watched Ta'litha fall forward onto her face, a final choked sound emitting from her as the pool of blood widened beneath her.

As Mediha moved her hand, lips still forming silent words, the ghostly fingers followed, moving across the intervening distance toward her. She dispersed her curtain spell, and the writhing vines, deprived of their purpose, began to ease into nonexistence. Mediha studied the bloody corpse as the heart dropped, quivering, into her open palm. Her lips stopped moving, the heart hers and safeguarded against any diminishing of its power between now and the time she would need to use it.

Her power reduced in throbbing waves as she pulled it back in. The effects of the magick on her expression faded, leaving again a small, sweating, painted woman, blood dripping over her hand and forming rivulets down her forearm and into her sleeve. She shoved the doll clumsily back into the pack with one hand. At the moment, she had just enough energy left to stand; the weight of the magick she had performed had taken a great deal of her strength.

[member="Anderit Rinaren"] [member="Zared Rinaren"]