"According to what I've seen, I don't think so. However, I think she's going to send something else. I am not sure what, but it looked as if it could control shadows."
Divitia folds her arms. "That doesn't give us much to go on. So...what do you propose we do?"
"Now that, Divitia, is the crux of the problem isn't it? I have not idea where to even start planning, but I figured if we worked together, we might come up with something."
"We as in the four of us? Or we as in you and your friends? Two of which are waiting for you, it seems."
Sādhanā stares into Clara’s green eyes for a moment, her own blue eyes alight with passion for her wife. “The only thing on my mind right now,” she says in a husky whisper ”Is that I’m married to the perfect woman.”
Wrapping an arm around Clara’s waist, draws her in, kissing her passionately, her other hand tangled in the long red hair she loves so much. Her heart racing with joy, and love, and lust and need.
Clara gives in to her wife's desire, kissing back with just as much passion.
As Clara and Sādhanā kiss, the sound of many heavily armored footsteps can be heard approaching.
At first her brain doesn't register the sound, filled with the presence of her beloved as it is. But slowly as the sounds come increasingly closer her instincts kick in.
Breaking away from her wife's lips with great difficulty, Sādhanā looks up in the directions of the sound still breathless.
Forty armored figures walk along the beach towards the couple. At the head of the group is a womanly-shaped shadow. The shadowy woman seems to appraise the magus and the paladin.
Instinctively Sādhanā moves in front of Clara, protective spells on the tip of her tongue as she shifts into a fighting stance.
"Whoever you are you picked a bad time to show up unannounced." she says tensely.
"I am not here for a fight," the shadow woman says. "I am merely here to collect the dhampir. We can settle this without resorting to violence."
Sādhanā’s mind races, running through the fight a dozen ways in her mind, taking in the odds, and realizing there was no possible way that an outright fight didn’t end up with them both dead. She could practically feel the divine power at Clara’s disposal ready to be released at a thought.
She looks at the woman draped in shadow and nods.
Without taking her eyes off the woman or her soldiers the Anizari addresses her wife over her shoulder. ”Love, would you let Drago know that he has a guest? Tell him the woman of his dreams has come to see him. Other than Arista and Alethiro I think everyone would like a chance to say goodbye.”
Reaching her hand back she finds as squeezes her wife’s hand, never taking her eyes off the invaders.
Clara nods and runs off toward the Common House.
"I am sorry for coming like this," the woman says. "But it cannot be helped."
"You almost sound sincere."Sādhanā says tensely. "More reasonable than I'd expect coming from someone sent by that lunatic b$+!* Chalandra."
"Chalandra and I are not on good terms," the woman says. "I don't....nnnngh..."
She falls to her knees, clutching her head. The soldiers behind her make no movement to aid her. "I don't want to be part of this anymore..."
"Drago! The woman from your vision is here with forty armed men," Clara calls out, rushing to Cyna and Sienna's side. "She's here for you and your siblings. Sādhanā's keeping her outside of the town right now."
"Well my opinion of you keeps going up. She's forcing you to do this isn't she. It seems like she just loves to turn people into her toy monsters." the Anizari's stance is wary, eyes shifting from the kneeling woman trailing shadows, to the soldiers behind her.
Though unarmed and dressed for a celebration, the combination of her posture and the markings along her body glittering in the moonlight make it clear that she is a warrior prepared to fight if necessary.
"Chalandra only sped up about what was bound to happen," a strange voice, which seems to reside in the roiling shadows around the woman, says. "Laenid may be an unwilling participant, but she is a summoner all the same."
Whispering the words of a cantrip to herself, Sādhanā's eyes glow a bluish white as her vision shift to the magical spectrum.
Sādhanā notices some of the soldiers' weapons are glowing, but, more interestingly, she sees a pair of strange crown-shaped runes, one on the surface of the shadowy woman on her forehead and one seemingly beneath on her neck.
"We as in the four of us."
-------------------------------------------------------
As Drago turned around to greet the Tieflings, Clara arrived and told him of their visitor. The Dhampir's face blanched. Curses, I wasn't thinking she'd get here so soon. "Someone go get Godrick." Looking at his siblings, "You three stay here, I'll see if I can help delay them to see if we get an advantage." Turning to the Tieflings, "Come on, let's go." He said as he started towards the beach.
Clara volunteers to go find Godrick and leaves.
Sādhanā studies the woman, watching the swirling shadows as her mind puts together what she sees. She had to keep her occupied, keep her off guard and give the others time to get back.
"It's too much for you isn't it? Whatever she gave you. She helped you somehow, helped you reach out and grab a hold of something dark and dangerous......and it grabbed back didn't it?"
She stakes a few wary steps closer, eyes flickering over to the soldiers standing ominously awaiting the command to attack.
"You aren't in control anymore are you? Laenid....It called you Laenid. Remember yourself before the monster. Before that b@%*# turned you into her weapon."
Getting to the beach, Drago sees the shadow draped woman. Striding up next to Sādhanā. "Laenid, I see you've come to gather mother's children. Is there any chance we could talk first?"
Cyna turns to Sienna as Clara runs off. "Tell as many people as you can find. I'm going to the fort."
"I think it worked out delightfully," the shadow eidolon says, picking Laenid up and forcing her to stand upright. "You're right, she isn't in control anymore. I am. But I indulge her in these hopeless ventures that she believes will rid her of me."
The voice ebbs and Laenid turns to face the approaching Drago. "I'm sorry, but there is no time for conversation. You and your siblings are to come with me. Bring them here now."
"That's going to be a little difficult. They don't trust me, and one of them could easily tear me apart if she half a mind to."
"Then I suppose we shall have to subdue them ourselves then," Laenid says, motioning for the soldiers to proceed.
"I really wouldn't do that if I were you."Sādhanā says shifting to stand between Drago and the enemy.
Laenid calls to the soldiers. "If anyone raises a weapon or spell to stop you, subdue but do not kill unless you must save your own life."
She turns to face Sādhanā. "As I said, there is no other option. Stand aside."
"You don't have to do this! What is she doing to force you? You don't have to let that thing control you Laenid."
"She has no say in the matter. I have broken down her will, she is my puppet," the eidolon answers. "This is merely for my own gain. Chalandra rewards diligence and I've grown far too bored staying in an empty spire."
"So you're basically another lapdog." the Anizari sneers. "One of your kind, powerful enough to dominate the one that binds you, and yet you kneel to her? Let her use you as no more than a hunting dog?"
"You misunderstand me, Anizari," the eidolon says haughtily. "If you believe you are going to sway me with empty words. Funny how many 'heroes' think that words are enough."
The eidolon pushes Sādhanā roughly to the side. "I will save you for last, Drago, if you are so cowed by your siblings."
It turns back to the troops. "Peidiwch byth â meddwl yr hyn a ddywedodd Laenid. Lladd unrhyw un sy'n ceisio rhoi'r gorau i chi."
The soldiers march past the Anizari and Drago into Valwick.
Sienna stands around for a couple of minutes. "Okay, we're not standing here. Come on."
She motions for the dhampir to follow and heads for the abandoned village.
"We're not running from a fight," Esmerelda says, clearly annoyed.
"It's not going to be a fight, it'll be a slaughter. There are twenty paladins in Valwick besides Godrick and Barclay. There are about fifteen members of the Green Circle. That still leaves us short and we have no idea how well-trained these people are."
"I agree with Esmerelda. We should fight."
"Were you people born stupid? Is that a requirement to be a dhampir? They're here for you and I'm sure they'll cut down anyone who isn't. Innocent people don't need to get hurt," Sienna says, getting angry.
Clara rushes back to the beach, Godrick and Barclay in tow.
She tosses Oblivion at her wife.
Catching her sword in an explosion of motion Sādhanā shouts at Drago, "Get to your siblings!" before unleashing a rapid chant that ends in her vanishing from sight.
Godrick, Barclay and the five paladins move to cut off the advancing group of soldiers. "Turn back, we want no trouble but we will defend ourselves as necessary."
Laenid turns to face Godrick. "Are you the leader of this town?"
"I am," the old paladin answers.
"Then surrender the dhampir to us and we shall leave in peace."
"I cannot do that."
"Then your town will burn!" the eidolon says.
Godrick's eyes narrow. "Possession?"
Cyna runs to the fort to grab her gear and to alert anyone near by of the danger before heading after Drago herself.