It takes an hour until the light and heat abate.
You wake up on your desk with Katrina draped over you. The light and heat recede fast. Then Katrina slumps to the floor. She looks in bad shape with all of her veins turned black. Black and blue bruises cover her body as if she went through a draining process like Saren had for Elizabeth.
You hear movement outside of your room, a lot actually including chatter.
She woke to see Katrina slid off onto the floor. 'What... No! NO!' Cleonora screamed internally. Her mouth was dry and the cloth was sticking to her lips. Thus she began to chew away at the cloth before coughing it out.
"Help! HELP!" Cleonora called from the room as she was still pinned to her own desk.
Gao quickly silenced the group, to hear Cleonora shouting from the inside and the old man seemed to smile. "She's alive..." He breathed out. "Lad! Jorne she's alive." Gao called out before he opened the doors once more and realized why Cleonora was calling for aid.
"Gao! Gao help her! Please!" Cleonora begged even though she was exposed and her arms still pinned, it was Katrina she was worried about.
Gao followed her orders and got Katrina up. "My strength is not what it once was... Even a light such as she is difficult to lift, might I ask for aid?"
Likely the strongest of those present besides Krazok he sweeps into the room and collects Katrina in his arms. He quickly shouts, "Who can cast cure spells, Cleonora is going to need them as you take those blades out!" With that he dissipates into smoke.
He perks up instantly but with the lack of healing he still takes up the space that Sulvanii left behind. He got to one side of the desk and was ready to pull out that blade. Then realizing she was still exposed he pulled out his silk blanket from his bag and slipped it over Cleo's chest.
"Thank you..." Cleonora said when Jorne drapped the blanket over her form. "Just, pull the blades out, I'll be fine... I... heh, can't be worse then feeling your own heart ripped out." She said, trying to make a joke about what happened, but it fell flat and she knew it.
"Truly... I'm not a stranger to pain..."
Jorne took one of the blades in his hand. Then thought better on it, "Krazok if you will, I have a belt of healing." He would then put one hand on her arm to keep it down and another on his belt.
Then the next one...
He expended one charge, then the second, and finally the third.
That should negate the damage done with a bit more to spare.
With Cleo alive and free, Jorne didn't know what to do and just stood there.
He lightly laughed at Cleo's bad joke.
He walked in and took the blade in his hand in one great pull he tried to yank it free.
It was pulled out but it took a bit and hurt her.
Then the next one...
"Sorry it slipped..."
Now Cleo was free!
"Do you know who did this to you?" He asks as he picks up his large axe once more, he smiles at it as the blade's edge looks slick with blood.
Stunned at what was happening and laughing along with the dark humor. "Well we have your heart if you want it back?"
He smiles "Erastil has blessed our Katrina and returned you to us Cleo. It seems your being here has a high purpose." He offers healing if she needs it.
"You have been dead for most of the morning. When you are ready to speak about this red spider it will help us understand what our overwhelming response will be."
Cleonora winced when they pulled the blades from her arms. Fresh blood flowed at first however with the help of Jorne and Quince she healed rather quickly... still looked like hell with the dried blood all over her.
"Saiben Ciora... A man I killed" Cleonora answer as she slowly moved to sit up. Her body was stiff and a bit sore. Though it was better than being dead. "Last night." Cleonora corrected Quince. "He came to me last night, him and two others. One of which was a maid here... It was her spell that allowed him to get a jump on me." She explained as she held the blanket Jorne game her to her chest to keep herself covered.
"If you'll allow me... Let me bathe... then I come before the council and tell you everything I know..." Cleonora requested.
"Giving her time to... come to terms with everything might help." Gao suggested. "However, I cannot advise that you be left alone Head Mistress."
"They're not going to be so bold as to strike during the day, not to mention I'll be ready for them..." She stated.
"Your body is still recovering from death! Please, have some form of body guard at least till you can regain your strength." Gao pleaded.
"If there is no danger there is no rush. Though I sense an eagerness to see justice done for you among many. Jorne I will send additional guard I doubt word of a murder and a resurrection will not be all the talk. If they were able to plan this strike they will know their work was undone. They might not be so bold as to strike during the day but they can see that the guard has been raised."
Quince looks to Cleo directly. "Take what time you need. Keep someone with you that you trust."
Quince turns to Katrina, "Well that was something. Is there anything you need. That much power present and then gone. I imagine it would be taxing."
"Might I suggest that Jorne be her shadow?" Gao asked Quince. "He is after all the captain of our security, and had he been here and not on a much needed leave I'd say this would never of happened. Professor Aldori will also watch the groups, his classes will be a pause till this is dealt with." Gao stated.
Cleonora nodded to Quince. "We'll be careful... Even more so as I know who we are up against..." She told him. Slowly she stood from the desk, though she almost lost her balance doing so. "Jorne... can you help me to my chamber?" She requested.
Katrina and Sulvanii are no longer in the room.
He had flicked your blades and the wet blood was off them and back as one.
"I will gladly stand guard." He states more like a statement of fact than anything else. He was already there. His other arm around and supporting Cleo. Guiding her past the Wardens and Cleo's staff. He walked her slowly to her own room.
He looked at Selena and nodded.
Outside of the academy he pointed out to Quince, "If you didn't notice Selena is still back there. Cleo is safe for now. If you don't mind I am going to enlist Stalker's help and see if we can track them. They could not have gone far..."
She shadowed Quince, not letting him out of her sight.
She relaxed a bit as they collected the four guards assigned to her and Quince.
Gao saw them out of the academy. "Whatever you need just find a professor." He told them. "They'll be able to give you access to everything in the academy."
However it took her a moment longer after her words for her to pull from his embrace. "You can wait here... I won't be too long." She told him before she used the wall to get her to the door of her washroom.
She drew water out into the boiler of the room, and lit the fight under it to heat the water inside. As it heated up she began to drop her clothes and took a long look at herself in the mirror. Blood covered almost all of her arms below the elbow, and of course her whole chest and the words written upon her stomach. She picked up a brush on the table beside her and launched it at the mirror, shattering it with ease.
He looked at Selena and nodded.
Outside of the academy he pointed out to Quince, "If you didn't notice Selena is still back there. Cleo is safe for now. If you don't mind I am going to enlist Stalker's help and see if we can track them. They could not have gone far..."
He nods, "Tread carefully. This assassin likely has some magic ability."
As you likely will say it is nothing, he would then put voice to his question, "I was thinking it might be better to sacifice my rogue levels for an arcane class of some kind. Do you have any suggestions?"
"Once we know you are safe and in the castle, I will be joining them. Blue signal whistle please." She states to Quince and then asks Krazok and her guards which signal whistle to use.
"Well, what do you want from magic?" She asked from him. "I use mine to pass unseen and do damage against my enemies."
"I could try and teach you.... if you'd like..." She offered. "If, that is something you would like of course..."
After things at the academy settled he made fast steps to check on Elizabeth. He began to suspect that the death of Cleo had an effect on Elizabeth through their connection.
Once back in her quarters he knocks and makes his way in. "I hope you are alright. It has been a strange night."
The guards open the door for Quince letting you enter Elizabeth's quarters. She is laying on the bed. She turns to face Quince. She weakly says as you sit on the edge of her bed, "It would have been weirder should you of checked on me earlier."
"Cleo was murdered and apparently resurrected to us. If I had to guess your illness was linked with her. Are you alright." He moves to her side and puts an arm around her.
She shakes her head, you feel her shaking. She is also sweating. "Ah yes, that makes more sense. You should go I need to sleep."
You see the flock of maids in the back of the room preparing towels, water, and likely food.
"I will let you rest. I hope you are feeling better." Quince thanks the maids, "Serve her well as always. If she seems to feel ill or it turns worse send word to me at once."
The maids nod and one escorts you to the door as you leave Elizabeth's side. "Sire, we will do our best. There is nothing physically wrong with her. She has the symptoms of a flu or something. If it turns worse we will send for you."
"I mean... Your position here will always be open to you." She promised.
Cleonora and Jorne finally arrived before that council. Though she had cleaned herself up, her eyes still had rings under them from the effect suffered when being brought back to live. "I am willing to answer any question those here have." She said. "Nothing... from my past will be hidden any longer if you wish to ask about it. Though it must be ask, I don't freely give much." Cleonora explained.
"Saiben Ciora is the man who killed me. I killed him when I still walked the streets. In much the same way he killed me... I still can't believe Katrina brought me back... I didn't expect such..." She honestly said.
She looked to the council and asked, "What do you wish to know?"
Quince smiled weakly, "I am glad to see you. Our hope here was to find out what happened to you and how to answer it justly." He tried to hid a shiver at the idea that Cleo's own admission of the killing was similar.
He leans back, "Please sit. If you need something to eat or drink. It can be brought." He looks toward Cleo, "It sounds like there is a tale here. Perhaps we should start at the beginning."
"Before I came here I was in Rostov, I walked the streets at night cleaning them of their filth. It was there I came across Saiben Ciora. He was a crime lord that pedaled in everything that would make him coin. It took time to work my way up to him however... They called him Black hearted, and others claimed there was no heart in him at all." Cleonora said as she took a seat and leaned on the table, she didn't take any food or drink.
"I leanred that Saiben's favorite things to sell where magical items. It made sense, they most profit after all. So I spread word to the right people of a shipment of smuggled magical items. Saiben wouldn't be able to resist. I gave myself enough time to find guards whom didn't take a cut from him, and them said what I had heard to one of them.."
Crossing her arms she continued. "When the ambush happened I waited atop the buildings of the docks and watched. Saiben ran for an alley, and I followed. The guards had weakened him enough that when I fell upon him I won. After everything I knew he did... I wanted him to suffer." She hissed through her teeth. "For everyone he effected... so I told him, lets see if the rumors are true. I shall see if his heart really was black or if it wasn't there at all. So I ripped his heart out and said... 'Looks like you're just a man after all'... then fed it to the alley dogs. With that, his tyranny was at an end."
Quince listens he seems distant but there is not evidence of judgement in his demeanor. "You have given some facts. I have heard of this criminal. Though it was his death that made waves. Restov has no shortage of criminals its not lost on us that if he pedaled 'everything that could make him coin' then his crimes call for justice." He leans forward radiating strength but with a gentleness in his eyes, "This is not a court nor a hearing and we are certainly not here to judge you. You put your lot in with us. With Elkheart and the Greenwatch. When you were taken from us. Erastil himself sent you back. You have been wronged. We will see that wrong answered."
"Stalker if you haven't already its time to put in with any contact you have that you think might have an angle on this and get us everything you can find for intel. If hell sent this one back I doubt he has not returned to his other businesses. If there is a chance he is making in roads within our nation I want to know that too."
"Sulvanii, I trust you have some divinations or scrying that can be done. We have daggers, a box, a note, a name, and Cleo has a wealth of knowledge of this man. Between yourself and those from the Academy that should be able to get us something."
"Cleo, you have fought him and it sounds like his networks before. Where are we going to find his trail? His note warned not to bring you back. Many in the Academy and among the town have heard of your resurrection. It is doubtful that its a secret we are going to be able to keep."
Jorne did not take a seat even though there were extras to have. He stood 10 feet behind Cleo with his arms folded before him.
The story did not shock or really affect him, nor that he came back and repaid his ending to Cleo.
He was at the meeting though his father was absent. He sat there thinking and eating. As you told the tale he would slice a piece of turkey, a slice of cheese, and a slice of bread. With a dollop of a white creamy sauce he spread it over the bread and made a sandwich.
"So you killed this criminal...criminal... criminal." He said looking for a word but it failed to come to him. Then asked, "Did you dismantle his network? Obviously there was enough left behind to bring him back from the dead. We will need to rectify that fully." He makes a point to slam his fist on the table.
"Alas my network has not spread far enough to be outside of our country. Even Restov being the closest city I don't have the connections yet. Bearik had been lending me his knowledge and connections. It seems his diplomatic missions to Restov had a dual purpose in connecting with many individuals. Once he is back on his feet, we will see what we can do. Until then I will have word sent for the information brokers to see what they can dig up." He relents to the council.
"Oh and his path did lead him out of the city. It seems in their haste to leave, they did not try to cover up their trail. Though to one not as trained as I, it would have been hard to find the trail." He says confidently.
"Yes. But as a shrewd individual myself, I am sure he left plenty of alternative routes for us to follow. Many of those items he likely had prepared for him and thus never touched. Though with his name, I can still do a proper divination." He relays being very emotionless.
"I did expect him to remain dead." Cleonora said with a shrug. "The first of kills that has returned..." She muttered, almost like a thought that had long haunted her.
"Saiben will not work openly till he has enough power again. I took him down when he was in his prime... a cut that likely still stings. He said... that even with being raised from the dead my blade left a mark. He showed me that his chest wears a scar from where I cut him open. He isn't a man who forgets. When he hears I live once more he will be back." She explained.
"I took out those of his network that tried to take over, but most I left to the guards after that. There was worse to deal with once Saiben was gone." Cleonora explained to Saren. "I guess those who where low enough to remain loyal could have brought him back, but it does surprises me..."
"I do have a network still within Rostov. I can find him... Saiben will not escape me." Cleonora stated as her eyes narrowed. "But we have some time to work. Word will reach him within a few days, but as I said he will not attack hastily. He knew his only chance would be that night. He said so himself. If he believed he has time my body would have been more... butchered." She explained.
"We can try divination, but he might guard himself from it... Though like me... he might not of expected you to bring me back... Not expected Katrina." Cleonora said with a slight smile pulling at her lips. "I will go work with Sulvanii and Gao to get a proper divination off. I knew Saiben first hand, it will increase our chance."
"Very well. Cleonora is with me. Stalker reach out to what you can. Like Cleonora said, we have days. Though he might circle back so don't let your guard down." Then he nods to the Wardens knowing that the next step rests mostly on his shoulders.
---
Walking down the hallway with Cleo he points out, "You will have one of my invisible guards with you at all times now. I think the barbarian. She will respect your privacy but this will not happen again. We are going to the vault, I will need to see what prices we need to pay to use some items before raiding my scroll selection."
"No, he would know you are on high alert. Even more so if you brought me back." Cleonora pointed out. "He is smart, he won't attack again for at least a week. I'd actually put it further out but that is the most I'm almost completely sure of."
----
"Jorne is my shadow until this... situation is dealt with." Cleonora told him. "I cannot believe he returned... Or that he found me, I've always been so careful at hiding who I was. But then again I wasn't as careful with those who I killed." She said with a small sigh, 'What a failure...' Cleonora thought. "I shall ensure I make this up to you all, for the trouble I have caused. This should never have come to your door." She explained softly. "Sulvanii I..." Cleonora stopped herself from saying anything more. He was like stone, he must be furious. "Whatever you ask from me." She promised.