Fantasy The Exalted

[ApfelSeine]

Vijay Kulkarni​

Vijay, who had been smiling encouragingly while guiding Kellan to sit down, frowned in concern at his sudden shift in demeanor. Given how on edge he had been earlier, perhaps this was just Kellan's nature. Still, his concern appeared genuine, and so it must be addressed even if Vijay did not know the cause. Vijay knelt down slightly beside him, in order to be on level with Kellan.

"I am not sure to whom you are referring to," Vijay admitted, resting his hand on the edge of the table. "Nevertheless, I assure you that no one will do anything of the sort. If anyone attempts to lay a hand on you, they will be answering to me."

He gripped the edge of the table tightly, inwardy appalled by the sort of treatment Kellan was expecting, while outwardly resolute. Vijay was not, in all honesty, the type to resort to violence. Despite that, he could not simply allow the young man to keep living in fear of retaliation. Whatever might happen, Vijay would see to it that no harm would befall Kellan if it was within his power to stop it. That was, after all, something he knew very well how to ensure.

"They shall get more than they bargained for if they choose to cross me," he continued, loosening his grip of the table and patting Kellan on the shoulder. "Wear those bracelets proudly. They are a symbol of your hard work."

 

[Saccharine Cyanide]

Aloysius von Bateaux
Noble/Voice Manipulation​

So much was happening at once. The others were showing off their powers. A boy ran off, upset by something. A girl popped straight out of the shadows and a boy was ruining the table. Two girls were actually floating. Ally couldn't keep up. Finally, at the comment from the last boy about pillories, he spoke up after nodding in agreement with Vijay.

"Who's going to put you in the pillories, anyway?" he couldn't help but laugh.

"Think about it," he elaborated. He wasn't speaking to anyone in particular now, but musing, rather. "The Awakening has bestowed upon us power unimaginable. And better yet, we're valuable to these people. Exceedingly valuable."

"Those guards act like they're in control, but look one closely in the eyes and you'll see it. They fear us." It was the same look that Ally had so often seen in servants and stablehands: the fear of power, fear that at any moment that power might be turned on them. And being powerless to stop it. Some nobles - pardon the expression - got off on that power.

"My guess is that they'll do nothing unless it's absolutely necessary. If we try to escape or attack one another, for example."

Ally's eyes wandered to Jericho, who he was sure had overheard all of this. They still had no idea what sort of power the man with the smoke-shrouded face wielded. Perhaps someone was brave or ill-advised enough to find out.

He looked Jericho in the eye. Or...well...where Jericho's eyes were located, probably.

"Am I wrong in my assessment...sir?"

 

[LumaThePhoenix]

Maya Misako​

Maya watches as those around her demonstrated their abilities. She made a mental note of each person's skills as her eyes constantly roamed the room. Between Thali's levitation act, Kyler's panic attack, and Vijay and Kellan's attempts to control the latter's magical skills, there was plenty of action happening. In fact, it was because of this that the redhead had to keep looking in different directions. She felt that if she stayed watching one person too long, she'd miss another one showing off their talents. Eventually, Maya had to look away for a moment to take it all in. A count of three goes off in her head before she returns to scanning the area. This time, instead of looking around at those using their powers, she observed the ones who haven't. She was still curious to see what they were capable of, especially Teresa after what had happened between them just moments earlier. The electric lady glanced at Jericho, still shrouded in mystery to her. Maya had plenty of questions for him. Then, her eyes motioned towards Kyler and Warsen. She wasn't sure what to make of either of them, but she did believe that whatever Warsen was capable of, it seemed to have a negative effect on Kyler. Finally, Maya's vision landed on the girl who started the round of demonstrations by asking everyone what they were capable of. Now was as good a time as any to ask her she could do. Reaching to the side, she poked Kana's side softly as curiosity filled her voice. "Ssssssoooooooo, what can you do?"

 

[tacere]

[div class="container"] [div class="characterImage"] [div class="characterName humanName"] Kana [/div] [div class="characterName godName" style="display: none; color: #FFFFFF;"] Kana [/div] [div class="characterTitle godTitle" style="display: none; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; color: #FFFFFF;"] HOLDER OF LIGHT [/div] [/div]

[div class="textContainer"] [div class="textChild"] [div class="text"]
Kana was very much absorbed in her thoughts, having plenty to take note of and ponder just witnessing all these demonstrations. Kellan seemed very uncomfortable, expecting abuse or something of the like from their new masters? Vijay and Ally were taking up the duty of comforting him while Thali and Lilly seemed to be becoming fast friends, that floating demonstration sure had been something, Teresa left her with more quandries than answers, and she was still unsure as to the stranger's panicked state nor anything of the masked man. The few other's seemed to be just as engrossed as her. It was ... a lot.

A tapping at her side caused Kana to emerge from her inward seclusion, blue eyes shifting to look at the woman on her right.

"Me? Oh, it's hardly as showy as everyone else's, but.." Kana informed Maya, focusing nonetheless.

Her brow dipped in concentration as the room suddenly dimmed, as if everyone had put on sunglasses, the darkness most concentrated around the objects that gave off light within the room. As if the shade was a murky fog sucking up all the light, the windows hard to make out through the opaque air and a few candles going out. The room seemed to get a few degrees cooler. Then as quick as it began, it ended, the rays of light filtering from the fires and windows allowed to resume their normal duties, though the candles that were put out stayed out.

"I can be rather sneaky as well, a few well placed shadows and you'd be surprised what people don't notice."
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[LumaThePhoenix]

Maya watches the room grow darker. It almost seemed like a cloud was passing over all of the light in the room. Some of the candles were snuffed out. The room itself began feeling chilly. Since her dress was short-sleeved, the lady with the crimson hair grabbed her arms for a second. Then, quicker than a summer storm, the lights returned to their normal brightness. The room was warm again. Maya let go of her arms and placed her hands on her thighs. She looked around for a second and noticed that the candles that went out did not regain their flames. It appeared that she was able to steal light itself, as well as the heat that it generated. It wasn't flashy, technically, but it was the opposite. That's what made it such a wonder to watch.

The comment about being sneaky caused a smirk to run across Maya's face. "Sneaky, sneaky eh? I guess I'll have to keep an eye on the shadows since you and Lillian can essentially hide in plain sight." She says playfully to the woman next to her. "Seriously, you guys have really cool abilities, and I can't wait until Teresa finds out what she can do. Soooooooo much potential here!" Her voice starts to fill with excitement as her hair slightly starts to flow again. Then, she glances towards Warsen and Kyler. "Now we just gotta figure out what those two that had that weird interaction can do, annnnnd..." Maya looks back at Kana and tilts her head towards Jericho. "what he can do. I know he said he's not here to fight, but I feel like he can do stuff too."

 

[A Not So Wonderful Story]

Jericho Linge
Location: Mess Hall
Interactions: everyone

Jericho was visibly getting more and more irritated as the events continued to progress. He had kids floating to the ceiling, messing with their abilities, and even trying to leave. He expected all of these things, just not all at once, and not so soon! He looked around to everyone, including the newcomer, Lilly, whom had been the individual he'd been waiting for. Her entrance did not entertain him as it did the others. In fact, the only one he was noticed wasn't messing around was Marigold, Vijay, and Teresa. This wasn't the problem. Jericho had no distaste with them using their abilities until he watched Kyler walk towards the door. As Ally asked Jericho a question, he responded with finally raising his fist, fire shot out from the top of it as the flame propelled it into the table with a loud smash that echoed int the empty room. The table practically bounced as his fist smoked.
"Enough!"
He growled in command. His head finally moved, staring straight at the person to his left, and scanning all the way around to the person on his right.
"You are acting as children! Infants! Mustn't you control yourselves?! I did not think I would have to speak so carefully with such a simple task. Keep your abilities to a minimum."
His chest slowly raised, held still for a second, then slowly fell. His posture returned to calm and stiff, looking straight ahead to Kyler.
"Sit. Down. You cannot walk away from everything you are afraid of. You are not going to die, so embrace the problem and learn from it."
Although he spoke that line with inspiration for Kyler, his voice would become bitter again for Warsen.
"Warsen Skiff. Stop it at once."
Jericho finally stood from his chair, revealing his tall and strong figure. He motioned his hand around the room.
"Explore. Roam. Mingle. But for heaven's sake if I catch you trying to escape there will be consequences. Please, the more you cooperate with me the more chance I have at getting more luxuries. whether that be more gold," He gave a 'look' at Gabe with a humored 'hmph'. "or time outside that door. Try not to get anyone harmed before the morning. as for weapons... all items will be returned to you during training tomorrow if you had any."
Jericho marched with heavy boots towards the spiral staircase. as soon as his hand met the rail he stopped.
"And one more thing..."
He turned his head once more.
"If one of you dies from the cause of another, we all die. So let's try to watch out for one another, eh?"
Ironically, the most serious line from the man happened to be the most nonchalant one he spoke. And with that, he headed upstairs.
"I'm in the last room if you need me. Knock."

Warsen Skiff
Location: Mess Hall
Interactions: Everyone

Warsen stared plain and eerie at Kyler through it all. His first twinge of connection, the question, the panic, all of it. His emotion never changed from calm as he watched it all unfold, which was probably why Kyler panicked the way he did. He knew exactly what he was doing, but he didn't mean to frighten the man. He was simply his curious self, and he wanted answers. As Kyler walked away, Warsen would retract that golden thread that he had exposed to Kyler. He even stood a little.
"Wait-"
Warsen would jump in fright as the slam of Jericho's fist sent Warsen's end of the table into the air a bit. Well, at least it answered one of his questions: he did still have emotions. He listened to Jericho's speech and scolding in both guilt and neglect. He was only trying to get answers...
"He's like me..."
He said softly. His voice hinted at a slight pirate accent that he got while meeting several ethnicity's ways of speaking. As Jericho spoke of the returning of their weapons, there was clear excitement on his face. The thought of him getting his sword back made him very happy and comfortable. He just needed to make sure it was okay.
​

 

[Baconhands]

Lilly had intended to speak to Kana - the potential that they had together was immense and was something Lillian wanted to exploit: it was essentially unlimited travel, unhindered by light of any sort, with the only limitation being line-of-sight. All she'd have to do is befriend Kana and convince her to do a bit of mischief every now and then and she was certain she'd be set for life! Her train of thought, however, was interrupted by Jericho. As if avenging the people she'd cause to jump, Jericho's fist had slammed into the table, the reverberations of which had echoed around the hall. The initial bang had made Lilly almost jump out of her skin. For her, Jericho's words had essentially fallen on death ears - why should they limit thenselves? Everyone seemed harmless and in control! In fact the only part that stuck with her was when he mentioned no escaping. This confirmed her suspicions: they were actually considered prisoners by their captives. So the royal family had kidnapped them, apparently, forced them to partake in some ritual, and then held them in rooms not suitable for animals.

When Jericho finally disappeared up the spiral staircase, Lilly let a couple of seconds pass before she decided to approach Kana. Naturally, she stepped into the shadow of a nearby comrade and re-emerged in Kana's. The young woman would have done this anyway, but she did to spite Jericho. Who was he to order them around anyway? Lilly
was standing behind Kana, and the mischevous smile was clear in her voice, though she wanted to sound somewhat sincere. "So, Kana was it? Pleasure to meet you. I'm Lilly, how are you? Look, if you can manipulate light I think we can work incredibly well together: me and you. See, I think we should try to build up some chemistry and trust that we can use to our advantage in the future. What do you say? We should get to know one another - our habbits, likes and dislikes etc. And I say we should do this over wine? What do you think?"

tacere

 

[LumaThePhoenix]

A mere second after finishing her last statement, Maya hears a thunderous sound coming from her right. She quickly turns her attention to Jericho, seeing the smoke coming from his hand. The sight made her believe that he was potentially pyrokinetic. Meanwhile, the sudden noise had caused the hair over her eye to shoot straight upward. The redhead quietly listened to the infuriated man's words. After he finished his rant, she watched him exit the area. Maya takes this opportunity to stand up and stretch as her hair falls back over her eye. She looks around at the rest of the people at the table.

"Well, that was eventful. I'm gonna head up top and get some fresh air if anyone needs me. Later, ladies and gents!" Maya says with a smile on her face. She turns around and skips her way to and up the stairs.

After making it to her destination, she stares at the sky. The sight eases her mind enough for her to close her eyes. However, when she does, her mind is flooded with memories of the experiments that she went through. She can almost feel the pain of being beaten every third time she failed a task all over again. The worst of it came from the small room she was given. Slowly, but progressively, it began to shrink, triggering her claustrophobia. Maya is panicking, screaming for help in her mind, but no one is there. No one responds. Then, just as the walls are about to crush her, she wakes up. Her breathing is heavy. Sparks of electricity run across her hands as she looks at them.

 

[SilverFlight]

Thali jumped too when Jericho shouted. She bit back an angry retort and glared defiantly at their keeper. For someone who was looking out for them, he certainly lost his patience fast.
When he'd skulked off Thali made a rude gesture at his back. She moved a few paces off and overheard two of her new friends, Lilly and Kana conversing quietly between them.
"Provided Sir Smokey Stack would even let us have wine." She said with a harsh laugh. "If you two are up to some mischief then you can count me in. I'm sick of being treated like a caged animal, and I can be very useful to you. Making people float is only one of my many talents." She gave the pair a roguish wink and settled in to listen.
Baconhands tacere

 

[Gabe]

Kellan flinched when Jericho slammed his fist on the table. He only opened them again to meet the gaze of his superior, as much as the smoke allowed him to. Putting his hands down, he tried to take the bracelets, but they were smaller than his hands. He kept watching as Jericho chasited the group, then leave without any input from the group. As soon as Jericho stepped outside, Kellan realized he was holding his breath. He exhaled, relieved. "I thought we were done for... He reminds me of my previous owner. Only looking out for himself." He shook his head, then turned to Vijay. "Thank you for your help. I think I need to rely on you some more, to control this." He showed the bracelets once again. In his desperation, he made the edges too sharp, the gold bit the base of his hand, drawing some blood. "For now, can I go?" He closed his eyes, shaking his head side by side. "No, I mean, I will go. I need to rest, and if they allow me, take a shower. My clothes are damp because of sweat." He rose from his seat. "They mentioned a training place, so... I'll go there when I'm done. See you there?" He waved at them, leaving the hall. A room of his own, and he didn't need to sleep on the floor. Kellan was beaming of the idea.

 

[Morskoy Strelok]

Exalted 1:16-20

Exalted: Teresa Hidalgo​

The room began to boil over with activity. Teresa watched as multiple people demonstrate their powers, one quickly after the other. Some floating, the lighting in the room changing, outbursts, what she assumed was teleportation, within the span of a few moments. It even became dizzying for her simple watching and taking note of everything that was happening. She had to remove herself from the situation and return to a more passive state of mind. Having done this, she was able to notice the irritable build up from their superior. From the beginning to the end, she observed Jericho as he smashed his fist into the table. The great intensity made Teresa take a cautionary step back, with one foot remaining where she stood. She awaited the table to come to a rest before returning to her original position. Located by her chair, hand placed upon it she endured the chastisement. She wouldn’t deny that the current circumstances did not bode well for them, considering they were the last line of defense of the kingdom. In fact, many of the others expressed apathy for their current situation. While excitement would not be a requirement, a solemn acceptance would probably have been a more sought for reaction. Not only that but after expressing said apathy they then go and use their powers with little regard to their situation. Teresa could sympathies with Jericho. She could understand that their performance and well being would directly reflect upon Jericho. He was probably concerned for them. She believed that he was looking out for them.


As a sign of respect, Teresa bowed her head as Jericho passed. ‘I will work harder, I will be better’ she thought to herself. As of the moment, she may not know of her own power, but she will continue to toil to ensure her and everyone else's defense of the kingdom is a successful endeavor. She will prove herself in the eyes of man, and the eyes of the Almighty. She looked towards the others and exclaimed to no one in particular “I know many of us to disapprove of our situation, that we are simply dogs caged to be ordered around. But even dogs eat from the crumbs which fall from the master's table, even we will soon be praised for our efforts which serve a purpose greater than our own.” To which she excused herself and left the room, heading for the spiral staircase.


Teresa had followed behind Maya, remaining silent, only being betrayed by the soft sound of her feet kissing the stone and wood. She reached what was a balcony, that protruded from the main building. It had a simple stone barrier between the platform and the ledge. When she looked up into the sky that she had long waited to see, tears welled up in her eyes. She did not notice Maya’s struggle at first, but as the sparks began to fly and her onerous breathing set in, Teresa had difficulty to find what words she should say. Amazement filled her expression, but then concern as Maya seemed pained. Should she say anything at all about what was happening, or should she detract from it?


Teresa acted, bounding around Maya with her hands behind her back, almost playful with her movements and leaned down to lower her face into Maya’s view. “Beautiful is it not?” She pivoted and leaned on the barrier, staring into the sky with a big smile. “I never thought I would miss something as simple as the sky. The big blue painted with those heavenly clouds. So tall and majestic, how I wished to walk among them. Did you miss it like me? The sun so bright, the smell of the grass in the air? I am excited to see all the stars again, and the moon too!” There was a steady breeze before a gust came a brushed against her face, lifting her hair. She giggled, excited and happy, like a child being tickled. Breathing in deep, she turned Maya with bright eyes and a genuine smile “It’s like I am living for the first time, seeing everything for the first time, it’s simply marvelous. Come, look!” she beckoned Maya, and pointed out the most impressive clouds she could see.
[IMG='width:419px;']https://i.pinimg.com/564x/2e/9a/7b/2e9a7b1e77953ab2d0ec51bc22e43a51.jpg[/IMG]

 

[tacere]

[div class="container"] [div class="characterImage"] [div class="characterName humanName"] Kana [/div] [div class="characterName godName" style="display: none; color: #FFFFFF;"] Kana [/div] [div class="characterTitle godTitle" style="display: none; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; color: #FFFFFF;"] HOLDER OF LIGHT [/div] [/div]

[div class="textContainer"] [div class="textChild"] [div class="text"]
Kana was startled by Jericho's sudden outburst, brows arching as she observed the flames. She quickly noted not to mistake the man's quiet stature for any sort of timidness or weakness. While he made a lot of nice sounding assurances, he had yet to gain any sort of respect or trust to warrant any faith in them. She didn't put much stake in anything he said yet, watching as he and others took their leave.

Her attention was stolen from the group when Lilly approached her, pale blue eyes shifting to watch her as she listened. She'd come to the same conclusions herself upon seeing Lilly demonstrate her power, but hadn't decided how to approach her yet. It seemed Lilly was much more forward than she was, which was probably a good thing. She was about to respond when Thali approached them as well, seemingly itching for some mischief. They seemed to be likeminded from what she'd observed so far, and Kana knew isolating herself right now in such uncertain times was a bad idea. The corner of her lip quirked as she studied the two before her waiting expectantly, her mind made up.

"..I don't disagree, we're a smart match.. And I do enjoy some adventure here and there." Kana stated the facts of it, "Let's try it, maybe we'll get on. It's worth a shot, especially if there'll be wine involved."

Kana stood up from her seat finally, stretching her arms above her head briefly as she stifled a yawn, shaking out her stagnant and stiff muscles. "We should find somewhere more fitting to talk, think we've been sitting here too long. Surely we can find some goodies somewhere."

Baconhands SilverFlight

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[LumaThePhoenix]

Maya Misako​

As if she had been snapped out of a trance, Maya stepped back and stood straight up when she saw Teresa. She had no clue how long the blonde had been standing there, but noticing her presence calmed the redhead a bit. The electricity subsided as she looked at the taller woman. She too had missed the beauty of the open skies. The freedom of fresh air with no guards around almost felt like a rebirth. Initially, Maya didn't respond to the other lady's words. Instead, she just listened. The excitement in her voice and the happiness she expressed surprisingly put the once-panicked girl at ease. Her hair started to move gracefully along with the breeze. Unbeknownst to her, it had even fanned out ever so slightly.

When she was called over, Maya walked up next to the faith-based woman and stood next to her. As she leaned forward on to the balcony, she took a deep breath and enjoyed the majestic view. Finally, she decided to speak. Her voice was actually relaxed. "I...I do miss it. I miss it a lot! I miss being able to spend nighttimes venturing through the village. I miss the way the sun glides across the sky. My favorite thing to do outside has always been laying in the grass while the sun sets. So beautiful. So peaceful." A smile dances across Maya's face as she looks at Teresa. "It's nice to see you so excited. Amps me up when I'm around positive energy." She adds before looking back at the sky. An idea comes to mind as she points at one of the clouds, shooting out tiny bolts of electricity while playfully giggling. "Zap zap!"

 

[Morskoy Strelok]

Exalted 1:21-22

Exalted: Teresa Hidalgo​

Teresa held her smile as Maya talked. “Well, we can't change what we are now, but we can make our situation better. We might as well accept that and move forward and make what we have the best that we can. That is why I choose to push forward. We have a chance to save this country, maybe even this world. Even if it’s just that tiny field of grass and flowers, I will die for it, just to get the chance to run through it and take a nap without fear of some mutant ending me.”


She watches Maya shoot off sparks into the sky. Laughing she says “Your ability really is amazing! I am envious of you.” Teresa reaches out, grasping for something that seems out of her reach. “When I figure out what I can do, I promise I will reclaim the lands beyond the walls. To watch children run out into the fields, to collect the wildflowers in hidden meadows, to see the many things I have never seen. We have that chance Maya! We are that chance, how can I not be excited?”

 

[LumaThePhoenix]

Maya's hair fans out a bit more as she lighty bounces up and down. Teresa was right. They could make their situations better. It clearly wasn't the least painful means of achieving her goal, but those words gave her hope for redemption. This was her chance to atone for her sins. She could help people the right way, despite the fact that it would still involve her doing things that would be frowned upon by society. After all, magic users weren't exactly favored by the civilians.

Maya looks playfully shocked when she hears that she's envied. With a kindhearted smile, she says "Thanks, but you shouldn't envy. Whatever your ability is will probably be just as breathtaking. Besides, I should be the jealous one. You're so noble and honorable and selfless. It's so admirable!" She places one arm around Teresa's side. The other she uses to point at the village. Then, she moves her arm clockwise, indicating that she's speaking of the world around them as she speaks once more. "Freedom. Endless space as far as the eye can see. There's just so much out there that I want to see. So much that I want to explore. Once we rid the world of those wretched creatures, we'll truly be free. No longer will we have to watch our backs while we travel in packs to the same locations. We'll be able to see nature at its finest during the day, night, and everything in between."

She looks at her hand, turning it over so that her palm is showing. A light stream of electricity roams in circles just above her palm, much like a dog chasing its tail. "You know, until this moment, I used to think that the royalty held the keys to our freedom. I thought that we were just mere puppets given longer strings. It's ironic, but it's actually their fate that we hold in our hands. We have the ability to protect those people. We have a chance to prove that magic can be used for good. We're pioneers!"

 

[Morskoy Strelok]

Exalted 1:23-24

Exalted: Teresa Hidalgo​

Teresa shrugged, “It is easy to say things that make someone noble, honorable, and selfless,” she turned to Maya and gave a weak smile. “We will really see who I am in the face of the future trials to come.” She chuckled a little and let Maya speak.


“I do not think the others understand that. Now, I may be overestimating our possible importance, but I feel it. I truly do believe that like you said, we are the pioneers of a new world.” Her gaze walked along the horizon, deep in thought. She looked towards Maya “Well, I think I will go to the training room, if there is one, and try to figure out my powers! Unless you want to stay here and continue to chat, I do want to get started. I am too excited to stand still!”

 

[Baconhands]

"My dear, if he let us have it there would be no fun in having it in the first place." Lilly said with a grin, looking to Thali as she mentioned she would like to join the duo's enterprise. Indeed, with Kana's confirmation that she was interested Lillian's grin widened; what she wanted to do could have been achieved by herself, but with Kana involved it would be remarkably easier. Unsure how she would be able to put Thali's talents to use, Lilly began to think that perhaps she was only interested in the prospect of free alcohol. This wasn't a bad motivation, it was simply plausible that Thali wasn't going to put any work into this heist.
"So... I have several suspicions as to where we will have to go in order to acquire our drinks for the evening. The first thing that comes to mind is the kitchen - I imagine they have to prepare food for the admin staff they have here, and I can't imagine any of them wouldn't like a drop of red, white or rose every now and again. Jericho might have some in his room, but since he's retired, there's little chance we'd be able to get anything out from there."
She paused, "In terms of what I can bring to the table, I can step through shadows, only ones that I can see though. I can bring someone with me but... that's not necessarily advisable to my physical health. However, Kana, I understand you can create shadows, so... I think you can guess what I'm going to ask you to do."
tacere SilverFlight

 

[tacere]

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"I figured it was something like that." Kana informed Lilly as she went on explaining, brow arching as the female let them in on her already seemingly well formed plan. "He did tell us to explore- and surely we can assume we have some sort of access to the kitchens. Our lovely benefactor wouldn't let us starve after all."

Really, who could blame them for seeking out refreshments? Really they could consider it a training exercise of sorts, and Jericho had told them to bond. A team-building training exercise then. Even better. Their excuse- ah, actions, now fully justified in Kana's head, she nodded, eager to get up and about as Lilly finished explaining.

"The shadows seem to come to me pretty easily so far- at least on a short term or small scale. I can do something small for a little while or big briefly. How big do you need them to step through?" She pursed as she glanced over at Thali next, considering her talents and how they might be applied. "It's a shame your abilities require touch- but maybe they could be helpful with a getaway or a diversion perhaps?"

Her gaze drifted towards the large wooden doors they had entered through, taking a half step toward them before glancing towards the staircases, debating. "Should we check that way? Or maybe upstairs?"

SilverFlight Baconhands
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[SilverFlight]

Thali tapped her forehead with the palm of her hand. "Oh! You're right. I'm a fool." Her smiled was one of genuine delight. Of course they were going to nick it.
"But you're not thinking big enough, why settle for just wine? We could be stealing a small feast. You're right in saying the kitchens, if anything is in this drafty pile of stones, it'll be in there."
She grinned at Kana as the woman spoke. "Oh I don't need to use my abilities for this. Shadow-sneaking is all very well, but only good if no one's looking where you need to appear." When Kana mentioned a distraction Thali tapped the side of her head as she winked. "Great minds love. A distraction is exactly what I can provide. Just leave it to me."
Next they needed to find the kitchens.
"Hmm, you know, if I was looking for a kitchen to rob in a big castle like this--which of course, I never have--I would check where the stone is warmest. The chimney is usually connected to fireplaces on every floor, including the ones in the kitchens so...I'd start down those steps."
Thali pointed to a small doorway leading back behind the grand staircases. She sauntered over tho the door and poked a face in. The air was warmer and brushed her wavy hair.
"There is of course, also the smell of food. That's a great clue as well."
She gave a dramatic mock-bow and waited for her new friends to walk past.
Baconhands tacere

 

[LumaThePhoenix]

Maya places her hands on her hips and smirks. "Looks like someone wants to get a head start on their training." She takes one more look around at the sky and then focuses her vision back on Teresa. "I'm going with you. I want to be there when you figure out your powers! Pluuuussss I kinda want to work on my own abilities as well." The redhead places one hand on her chin and stares off in a random direction. "Though I'm not sure if there's a designated training room. There probably is, but it may also just be a secluded area with no mutated around. Guess there's only one way to find out!"

Maya was eager to test out her skills. She wanted to take advantage of every opportunity to improve herself. Also, it would be nice to be able to work out without fear of being assaulted for failure. She could relax and be one with the lightning. Ultimately, she knew that it would only be a matter of time before the real pressure would be on and she would need to use her powers to help protect the village.

 

[ShiyaRose]

Kyler Ward
​

Kyler was about to change course to the spiral staircase one of the girls pointed out when suddenly, the man; Jericho, slammed his fist on the table, using some sort of power to amplify the effect. Kyler frowned at the man and listened to his angry outburst. At another, closer examination of the people gathered in the room (while squinting his eyes slightly as to not be blinded by those mysterious glowing orbs everyone had), Kyler could see that everyone here was very young. Perhaps not that much younger than himself. These young people had been given powers that a normal person couldn't even fathom. Of course they were going to react like this, what did this man expect?!

Kyler, however, had no excuse for the panicked reaction he had. Magic was something that was familiar yet unfamiliar to him. Meditating in his little village graveyard he had always felt something, but it had never been tangible. It was something that was behind a wall of fog; outside of his reach, but with a strong presence. Kyler used to be happy to simply enjoy its presence, but now that fog had lifted and Kyler was faced with something that was always there, but never available to him. And now it was, thanks to that ritual. The boy, the one who had awakened that power within him, there was something about him that caused his power to react like this. It felt natural and yet... Unnatural at the same time. That golden thread still danced before Kyler's eyes but it was not as overwhelming as it was before. Perhaps he had grown used to it, or perhaps the boy had some level of control over it.
There was movement around him as people chattered and left the room, he heard some even mention fresh air. That would be nice, but for some reason Kyler didn't want to leave. He was still stood by the door with a hand frozen on the door handles. That sense of needing to escape was still there, but after that outburst from Jericho his mind had cleared slightly. Kyler slowly removed his hand from the door and walked back to the table, his movement slow and wary. Kyler had never been good around people; he grew up as an outcast, a weirdo. He never really had friends, nor did he try to make any. His adopted parents were the only people he needed, them and those who lay to rest in the graveyard. Thanks to that, Kyler never developed any real social skills, but he had observed people long enough to get some kind of idea on what was expected.
Kyler sat himself two seats across from the boy, turning his gaze downwards, his dark hair falling over his onyx eyes slightly. The boy's presence was still strange to Kyler, but now that he was over that initial shock there was something about it that reminded him of home. It wasn't nearly as unpleasant as he first thought it would be. Kyler remembered the soft words the boy had whispered after that scolding from Jericho. He's just like me... What did that mean? Kyler also remembered the name Jericho had shouted when directing his anger at the boy. Warsen Skiff. Kyler didn't know enough about names to know if it was an odd one or not, but at least it was easy enough to remember.
"I apologise for my... Reaction," Kyler finally said to Warsen, glancing up at the pale boy. Kyler crossed his arms on the table, leaning forward a bit as he breathed in deeply, calming that raging storm within him. "I'm not usually like that, but whatever you did set something off. My name is Kyler." Kyler's gaze flickered down to the glowing orb in the centre of the boy's chest; What was that? It was something everyone apparently had, but was never visible to him before. Perhaps that ritual did more to him than he originally thought it did. "I heard you say that I was like you. Can you explain that to me?"

 

[ApfelSeine]

Vijay Kulkarni
​

"Ah! Make sure to wash those cuts thoroughly!" were Vijay's final words before Kellan headed upstairs. He paused and sighed gently, wondering if the young man knew proper medical procedures for such things. He shook his head and muttered softly to himself. "I suppose if he'll be taking a shower it should be fine..."

Turning back towards the table, Vijay sat down at the table and leaned back in the chair. He was, admittedly, somewhat annoyed by Jericho's outburst. Aggression had always seemed to Vijay to be a poor response to any situation. Still, it was easy to cast stones when it was not his responsibility, so Vijay decided it was best not to dwell upon it. As his attention then shifted to those remaining in the room, he realized that most of the others had headed out. Pausing a moment, he considered if he should stop to try to make friends. Things seemed to have calmed down a bit now that they'd dispersed somewhat, so there was no immediate crisis to try to direct. That was... a good thing. It was with some guilt that Vijay thought to himself that things would be easier for him if it were still chaotic and distracting. Looking down at the now marbled bracelet on his wrist, Vijay's fingers clenched into fists and he stood up from his seat slowly.

Vijay took a deep breath in, letting it out slowly as he turned and made his way out of the room. Would the others think to begin training right away, or would they prefer to explore and socialize? Or perhaps they intended to get some rest. It would be nice to have a proper bed, Vijay thought, but if he could use this opportunity while everyone was occupied to train privately, that would be far more beneficial. Or rather, knowing that he would likely be reluctant to train in front of others in his current state, it was necessary. If he had to wait until the next day, then his thoughts would eat away at him. Vijay would much rather avoid that.

It wasn't that Vijay had no access to his powers. On the contrary, his abilities had expanded beyond his expectations. Yet at the same time, they were not entirely within his control. Hundreds of crude and misshapen little figurines scattered around his cell could attest to that. As he thought bitterly upon his failings, Vijay made his way down the hall which led to the training field.

 

[Saccharine Cyanide]

Aloysius von Bateaux
Noble | Voice Manipulation​

Ally couldn't help it: He jumped in fright.

His mind flashed back to his childhood, his parents having one of their notorious rows. Him running off somewhere their screams wouldn't reach him.

When he remembered himself, he found that he was tense. And he realized he was out of his seat and on the cusp of running himself.

No, it wasn't his parents fighting, he assured himself. And there was no running or hiding this time, either. He unhappily settled back into his seat.

Now he knew for certain: Jericho frightened the living daylights out of him.

As their mentor left the room in a huff, the cacophany that had died down started up again, though not in as much earnest.

Over the faint din, Ally overheard something he could scarcely believe: some of the girls were plotting a heist! After what they had just seen? What on earth could they be thinking?

Sure, it was just wine and victuals, but that was beyond the point.

Why Ally thought he could talk some sense into them, he didn't know. But somebody had to try. He shadowed them as they went in search of the kitchen. When they stopped at a doorway, he quietly cleared his throat behind them, hoping he didn't scare the love of God into them.

"Er...Excuse me. I overheard you and I have to say, do you really think this is a good idea?" He wrung his hands.

"You saw how furious that Jericho was. We don't know what he'll do if..." Ally trailed off; he actually couldn't imagine what would happen if they were caught. He'd never been really punished, at least no more than a slap on the wrist. The other boy mentioned being tied to the pillories. Was that how commoners were usually punished?

If he didn't - no, if he couldn't stop them now, would it be considered in part his fault if they got caught? Oh God, what had he gotten himself into?

"I...I just think..."

"So let's try to watch out for one another, eh?" Surely Jericho hadn't meant it like this. It was almost funny.

Ally pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed.

"If you aren't going to call this off...I suppose I'll just have to help you." His stomach chose that moment to let out a fearsome growl. "...Perhaps I wouldn't mind something decent to eat, either," he muttered as his ears turned scarlet.

"Just let me know if you need a diversion. And when you find the cellar, allow me to go down there. I know a good vintage when I see one."

SilverFlight , Baconhands , tacere

 

[Baconhands]

The plan kept bringing in more people. Lilly loved Thali's suggestion; why should they limit themselves to just wine? A small feast did sound good. Better than good, in fact. Ideas popped to mind, roasted pork and chicken being the most prominent two. She doubted that they would find such items in the kitchens, but there would be fine cheeses, breads and fruit - that she was certain of. As Thali led the group of four, Ally now joined them, behind the staircase, Lillian thought about how the two additions could make a distraction while Kana and her stole... acquired legitimately as much as they could. She didn't care much for the vintage; indeed the initial idea had just been to acquire some alcohol for the purpose of finding out more about her future comrades. Any wine would do in her view.
With Thali's mock bow, Lilly proceeded on through the door, an amused expression on her face, wondering if Thali had ever infiltrated a place like this before. She certainly insinuated that she had. Beyond the door was a short corridor that led to a pair of wooden doors where the scent of delectable food wafted from. At the door, the corridor branched to the left and the right creating three options to travel down, the left, the doors and the right. Pausing to look back at the rest of the group, Lillian grinned, "So. My thinking is that they've just finished cooking something. I imagine there will be maybe ten people at most in there. Distraction is down to you and you," she said, pointing to Thali and Ally. Lilly then pushed the door open slightly, creating a one inch gap to look through, trying to spy for the cellar, "I think we'll have a couple of seconds to- aha! There it is." She interrupted herself triumphantly.
"So, what I'm thinking is that when somebody comes to investigate, Kana you make a shadow next to the cellar," she moved to let Kana have a look, "I'll shadow step in and find a way up to accommodation. After I've got the wine of course. How does that sound? Input, changes what do you all think?"
SilverFlight tacere Saccharine Cyanide

 

[Morskoy Strelok]

Exalted: Teresa Hidalgo​

She went and held Maya by the hand “Then let us go! We have nowhere we need be, and no priest to scold us. It is as if I am a child again let loose in the courtyard” Teresa said. Her smile was ever present on her face. Teresa moved away from the balcony, throwing her arms to a side and giving a small pirouette laughing. With hurried steps, she navigated her way through the halls. Turning about one way or another before committing down one path. She might have even have passed one or two of the other exalted on the way.


As she entered the training hall, she had to push out an unassuming door out into a sheltered space. It had no walls, and under the shade belonged a few chairs to sit, and some training equipment not made of metal to prevent rust. Possibly wooden staves, ropes, hay bales as targets, maybe even standing or hanging pells. She took a detour to collect a standing pell, it had a base consisting of a perpendicular base that made a cross and a large center pole wrapped in some cloth. While relatively heavily, Teresa picked it up with one arm, putting it against her side as she awkwardly made her way to the central courtyard. It was a grass square, surrounded by the walls of the Salvator. There were sheltered and shed like areas, where more equipment was stored, tended to by one of the servants that worked in Salvator (if any).


She set it up in the center, letting out a small sound of surprise as the cool grass touched her feet. Teresa turning to Maya said “I remember brother Jared would set up a standing pell and practice with a waster, striking it. A waster might be around here, but that is not my focus as of the moment. I want it here to focus my powers upon it… Want to try?”