Just one more...! Freia thought to herself in relief and readied herself for another go. But instead she halted and turned around racing to the back of the room. Things weren't going so well back there, and although she didn't knew these prisoners, she could only assume they were precious to her comrades. Noro called for someone earlier? And she couldn't let them down!
With her sword over her head and a curse on her lips Freia slipped around the man harassing their backline and tried to flank him, but came up just short.
Zayid- The man you have finally passes out from severe blood loss. Two still stand before you. You feel a THUMP from some kind of explosion behind you, then a scream...
Halsanna-
The flasks were really designed to be thrown, not smashed, but the effect is much the same. They don't explode like you're accustomed to, but the fire is still there. Oh boy is it there! It instantly wakes the man just as his face starts to melt. He screams in terror and pain for a moment before passing back out, possibly for the last time.
Freia- You arrive just in time. You slide into position at the brute's side, or as close as you can get. Still, having two opponents is significantly more complicated than one, and you are able to slip your blade under a hasty parry attempt. The man falls in a heap.
Noro to act.
Noro lands a punch to the chest, which easily breaks the man's ribs, and one to the jaw. You can hear his teeth shatter. The old man appears beside you and does the thug in with a quick slice.
The floor is sick with blood, and you now have civilians, technically. These civilians have some spunk, but they aren't geared to for this and the oversized gear of the guards won't help much. You hear an explosion in the direction of the docks.
Halsanna - The other man chasing you flinches at your dedication. He moves in slowly as opposed to his buddy's headlong rush and gets a quick cut to your thigh. You take 6
Zayid- You and aboki are getting a good as you give. Your longer fur protects you better than Aboki's, zayid, but you two still nearly suffer broken bones from the weapon impacts. Before DR, Zayid takes 5, Aboki takes 6.
Party up.
It's done! For now at least! Freia sighed in relief. The temptation to simply drop her sword and rush over and hug her father were overpowering - she longed to be embraced in warmth and safety again. But it wouldn't be safe, no not yet. We have to get out first! The cure they were looking for were a distant second objective at the back of her mind, trusted entirely on Lazarus and forgotten.
Now that she had decided not to run or hide she took a moment to assess the reality of the situation. She had two unfamiliar faces infront of her. She guessed one was Noro's friend, the other maybe someone of Zayids? Or Halsanna, if they have picked up on her yet ... Freia rapidly unclipped her belt and handed it to the one still standing.
"Here. Some armaments." then knelled next to the fallen one and pulled out her wand. "This may sting a bit ..."
Hopefully they can walk ...
The girl awakes with a gasp and a scream. She pants and squirms as her new blood does it's work. In the background you can still hear the sounds of battle and the roar of a great cat.
"Can you walk?" Freia asked the girl quickly. She understood if that one would rather sit down and catch her breath for a while, Freia would love that too, but now wasn't the time. She turned the wand to herself and called out back to Noro.
"How okay are you? We have to find Zayid ..."
The girl nods, but her eyes seem to be glued on Noro. Her face is plastered with a doubtful yet hopeful expression, like she can't believe what's happening.
Eh? Maybe this was actually Noro's friend then...
Aboki hisses again and continues to shred his opponent, despite his own dire wounds. Zayid, seeing his companion in mortal danger, comes to his aid in a flurry of teeth and claws.
Halsanna - The shot strikes the tip of the blade your foe is wielding and he desperately tries to maitain grip. There's a suspended moment when the blade slips. He grasps for it, juggles it with one hand, and finally it falls clattering to the ground. He looks up at you and snarls. Then he roars and charges at you!
His sudden dash catches you off guard and he grabs onto your bow arm with a grip of steel!
Zayid. The right man is sliced, diced, and shredded. The reamaining man goes almost fully defensive and withdraws around you toward his buddy engaging Halsanna.
Just then you hear a Thunk and
a stream of curses. Apparently that ballista shot didn't go as planned.
In the meanwhile, Freia dashes over to the old man again hugging him hard. "Are you okay?" She lingers in the hug for a short while, but knows that she has to help her comrades - and their friends/family. "We have to help Zayid! Quick, anyone see any way up to the walkway? Those ballistas could be helpful ..."
Freia, you don't see any in this room, but you spot the top off a ladder leading up from the next room.
You father holds you tight, and for that one moment you are out of danger, but only for that moment. Reality soon reasserts itself.
Zayid and Aboki pursue the man as he tries to escape.
Halsanna's struggle isn't without result. Her wiggling somehow caused the man to loose his grip and she twists free... just as she gets a cut to the back from the new guy.
(Halsanna takes 10)
Zayid reaches over and focuses on some of his cat-companion's wounds, even as Aboki continues his attempt at destructive work.
"I'm going to see if I can't help out from up there!" Freia quickly points to the ballista closest to them, for the benefit of both Noro and her father. She had spotted a ladder leading up to the catwalk so she hurried towards it without looking back - it would be hard to resist another time-consuming hug.
I will have to be careful to not get seen. They could probably shoot me off the walkway before I get a chance to strike first ... She worried and uttered a quick prayer that she wouldn't have to meet Pharasma just yet. There was not much to hide behind but maybe - just maybe - if she was quiet enough they wouldn't notice?
The men are clearly put off by the explosion because they fail to connect with their next attacks!
Freia carefully heads up to the catwalk, looking around to see if any of the emplaced weaponry looks loaded.
Zayid steps to the side and faces his companion across their mutual foe. He grins for a moment, his feline fangs and murine incisors gleaming in contrast to one another, and then attacks!
Already suffering from multiple hits and burns, Halsanna's man falls. Then comes Zayid and Aboki. With practiced brutality the team takes the last man down.
Each of you, save Halsanna, finds someone close to you among those who stayed. Freia, her father; Zayid, a young friend; Noro, a comrade in suffering thought long dead. It is a suprise, but nothing compared to what you and the Tears find. The warehouse is full of all kinds of preventative potions, antitoxin, healing herbs, and notes on dozens of diseases. Who knows what they were being kept for.
Lazerus finds Zayid's cure behind a secured trapdoor in the floor and delivers a vial to him. It's up to him whether he drinks...
Most of the next day is spent double checking and re-inventorying the entire warehouse. The gangs had a system of sorts, but it was entirely unsatisfactory. Or so the Frazzled Elf from the Requisitions office kept muttering. He showed up with a team of his own shortly after Absentia declared the place secure and neither he nor his people have slowed to anything less than a frenzy ever since. You're not entirely sure how they're still on their feet.
In the end, it is concluded that you have recovered enough medicine and magical anti-whatevers to keep the Guard and the Tears safe, but there is nowhere near enough here to help the whole city. Mr. Frazzled is put in charge of setting up a Production Center for additional countermeasures in that warehouse and left to his own devices.
You all are summoned back by Caligrific to the grand room where this all began, to a mid-sized, circular room with a three throne-like chairs on the far side. The center of the room in decorated with a beautiful mosaic of a circle that encompases most of the room. Upon the circle's edge at the two, six, and ten positions inside circles of their own are images of a set of scales, a crying face, a hand with a judge's gavel, respectively. In the center, larger than the others and circled in an unbroken chain, is one of the more clear symbols for death: a skull.
Caligrific is there sitting in the center seat. Absentia, who came with you from the warehouse, crosses and stands at the chair to his right. Ministrant is there as well and stands at his left.
You have played a critical role in the salvation of this city, and have given the forces of order a fighting chance in the coming storm. In doing this you have saved many lives. Therefore, I am proud to say that your required service to us is ended.
You feel a tingle all over, like needles being drawn out of your skin. When you look down, the tattoos you bore of your crimes are gone.
Before you leave, we have an offer that you are free to reject. This organization could use people of your skills in the coming months and years. The reformation of the criminal mind is hard work, and the protection of the common man requires qualities you have displayed over the last few months. Loyalty, efficiency, effectiveness, fairness. We would be honored to accept any of you into our ranks as a Sorrow.
However, I am quick to point out the cost. Your legal death is required, as is a renunciation of your previous identity. You would leave your old life behind and start anew as one of us. You would dedicate your life to the protection of the common man and the reformation of the criminal.
You may take your time to decide, however, we ask that you do so before you leave this room. For our offer will leave your mind at the door if you choose not to join.
"I..." Freia mumbled and then quickly stopped again. This was what she had wanted, was it not? A chance to do good. A chance to belong. But... It didn't *feel* like what she wanted now. She carefully looked around at her companions as the thoughts churned around, almost painfully so, in her mind. With a deep breath she tried to speak again.
"I... *uh* I don't think I can." A bit deflated she sighed. But the admission had also emboldened her, so she spoke again. "No, I don't think I can. Would you write me a letter of recommendation to the City Watch?"
Noro thinks the offer over a bit, but it is almost clear she had already decided.
Thanksh for the offer, but no. I am thinking heading out to shea. I hear of shome adventure to be had in Port Peril.
looking to Lou, what you shay Lou, you like the water?
Zayid stares at the vial for a few seconds as he ponders the events that have led him here. Finally he gives a small shake of his head and pockets the cure; its side-effects are unknown, and now is not the time to experiment. There is yet work to be done.
Over the next twenty hours he remembers the vial periodically, but the same reasons for not taking it yet are still in play... so he waits.
Zayid's eyes widen as he recognizes the room. He stands quietly, listening, as the Sorrow speaks the words he thought he'd never hear. Aboki pads softly back and forth outside the room, his footfalls barely audible behind the Sorrow's voice.
At the invitation to join them, the young man's eyes widen... but only for a moment. Recovering control of his expression, Zayid considers the Sorrow's words. Join them? Not long ago they were talking about kicking me out or killing me, and now they want me to join them? Is it a trick? The others must not think so... oh, freedom! I could be free! I'd... I could... I... where would I go?
Back to the streets, to kill or be killed by the Jackals or one of Uncle's other associates? To some faraway land, to wander and die in a strange culture among people I don't understand? Back to Osirion, to become the person who looks like everyone else but has nothing in common with his "peers"?
Zayid frowns, studying his now-tattoo-free hands. The Guard would never have me... there's nothing they could do about that, short of magicking the whole lot of them. And... The young man shakes his head. I still don't even know which of these three I can trust; if any! Maybe I don't even know how to trust.
A soft whine is heard from outside the room, as if Aboki senses his master's troubled mind. Zayid fingers the vial in his pocket and smiles wanly. There's only one choice, isn't there?
Softly, slowly, the tanned Tear makes his reply. "If... if I say yes, no one can know? Not even... friends?"
Caligrific responds carefully. There have been instances where family was informed. Our role in society is dangerous. Your masks as Tears protected you from reprisal while you were under our care. Our masks do the same thing, though that is not the only thing they do. Many Sorrows have powerful enemies. Enemies that may just move heaven and earth, literally, to get at us.
Absentia clarifies, In the end, it is an individual Sorrow's decision if they want to inform people like family of their decision. E just require that that decision be an informed one.
Noro - Lou is sitting in the corner of the room with a slight grin on his face. He nods once to your question.
The young man nods, exhales a long breath, and nods again. "I'll stay."
A soft *bump* comes from the direction of the door, causing Zayid to smile. "We'll stay," he amends.
Freia - Caligrific shakes his head. I am sorry, Freia. We cannot write letters of recommendation. Such a letter would become public record and we try to avoid identifying individual Tears, whether that be by action or otherwise.
Having received your responses, the Sorrows all nod. Your wills have been recognized, and your identities restored. Now go, and sin against the City no more.
At his word, you are all suddenly teleported away, each to the area of your homes or places of work. Except Zayid.
Zayid - You remain, your friends vanish on the spot with a burst of magic. The sorrows face you and remove their masks. Absentia is the startling, fire haired beauty you remember. Caligrific is an elderly man with dark skin and deep, probing eyes. Ministrant is a thin, severe man with a shock of white running through his raven hair.
Welcome, brother. Caligrific says. Come with us.
You are lead behind the thrones into a brightly lit hall that you swear wasn't there a moment ago and into your future.