The Castle (IC) [M] {04}

[Cogidubnus]

 "We need to get somewhere where we're not this vulnerable." Cog said, climbing the stairs slowly. He couldn't see Ketefe, the inky blackness obscuring even that much sight. "Maybe we can go back up and get Mel. She might be able to fly around and find Ryn-"

Cog slipped, only barely catching himself before again falling off the stone stairs. He steadied himself, and moved his foot over the step that had thrown him, the stone surface slick. With his nose almost touching the stairway, the overpowering coppery scent was inescapable.
Blood. Cog scowled, his face darkening yet again, and he very carefully stood upright. Apparently the party was hurt more than he'd thought. Someone was, at least.

He couldn't see -who-, though, no matter how hard he tried to peer through the darkness. Cog made a face. He really was beginning to despise not being able to see. Still, there was one source of light here...
He held his sword over his head and thrusted it forward slowly, the shining blade illuminating what was below it. It passed over Ian, wrapped in his coat, who seemed to be alright, and then passed over the Cubi. As the white light passed over Keaton, the wolf gave a sharp curse.

Keaton was bleeding profusely, the sanguineous fluid flowing out to the point that it was beginning to pool on the steps below her. Anemia seemed to be a common aliment recently, and one the wolf had no desire for any of them to revisit. He paused a moment, finding the correct charm on his wrist, and then held out a glowing, silver cross to the Cubi.
"Keats. You're bleeding all over the floor. This'll help staunch that, and help with other scrapes." he said, waiting for Keats to grab it.

[lucas marcone]

Ian said nothing but Cog could tell he didn't much like the offer of aid to the jackel.

[Sunblink]

Keaton was only aware of the great deal of blood she was oozing until Cogidubnus had nearly slipped and fallen all over again, something which she lethargically attempted to lurch into action to prevent. Due to the burden on her body all she could manage was a small edge before she was stunned by the weight of her wounds, and, quite fortunately, Cog didn't need anyone's assistance to begin with since he quickly righted his body and regained is balance.

Shortly afterward, he combed the members of the party for the source of the blood which had tripped him, then, much to Keaton's dismay, he found her responsible. Keaton's expression faltered into one of absolute sadness as she realized this, in the middle of her blood-loss-induced delirium. Agonizing. Fortunately, Cog didn't seem angry despite her involuntary misdeed, and proffered one of his many charms. According to him, it would aid her and accelerate her healing process.

Initially, Keaton was reluctant about accepting the trinket, but she was desperate for some form of healing. She couldn't last like this. Outside of absolute delusional spells, she didn't want to die. Shakily, she extended a hand--

--then quickly withdrew it when she noticed Ian's expression out of the corner of her peripheral vision.

Ian didn't say anything. He didn't need to say anything. It was just that stare, that single, disapproving glance, which had provoked her next reaction like nothing else. The bastard hadn't said anything to her all day; not since her possession, but he clearly hated her. She managed to curb what she wanted to be an explosive reaction enough, for her to snap, with as much venomous anger as possible, "Is there a problem, asshole?"

~Keaton the Black Jackal

[Angel]

Ketefe had only slightly better night vision than the others, so she was grateful for the light from Cog's sword. She grimaced once at Keaton's wounds, which were bleeding much worse than even Ian's. Cog offered to help, which Keaton accepted, but no-one missed the glare Ian shot to the jackal.

Ketefe bit her lip nervously. Keaton had noticed the rat's disdain, and was restraining herself from attacking him. But now was not the time to risk a disagreement, no matter how minor. In a momentary flash of home, she thought, What would Jarevei do?

"Hey. It's been a really awful day, for all of us. We're all tired and hurt, and I know a lot of us feel angry and cheated. But the last thing we need is to have a fight when we're all injured, only one of us has healing magic, and the gates of Hell are open somewhere in this castle." She looked at Ian and Keaton carefully, hoping they could see how serious she was. "Whatever problems you have with anyone else, ignore them until we know everyone's alive and safe. Okay?"

[lucas marcone]

"It's nothing that can't wait." Ian said standing up. "I've some first aid things on me if it'll help anyone." Ian said to the room. He took out a few patches and stuck them to the more serious areas of his person.

[Cogidubnus]

 Dangling the chain in front of him, Cog glared at the rat standing in front of him for the sudden interruption. From the glow of his sword, he could see the rat taking out first-aid supplies in the middle of the stairs. The wolf narrowed his eyes, and hissed in the ear of the rat in front of him.
"Dammit! We don't have time for this!" he said, his voice rife with frustration. "Patch yourself up when we get to the platform! This isn't the place to wrap bandages!" Cog sighed, continuing to hold out the little charm. "When Keaton isn't about to die from blood loss, have her pass the thing to you, if it's that bad. But we need to keep moving."

[Stygian]

Ketefe's intents did her credit, but thinking that they were still actually inside the castle was overly positive to say the least. Still, there was little else for the adventurers to do, but to press on until they could reach the platform they had left. It wouldn't be long before even that turned out to be more hopeful than was reasonable though.
   The first sign that something was amiss was that as they retraced their steps, the stairs seemed longer than they had before. And they turned lightly to the left, something they couldn't remember they had done before. And when they ended, they ran into the cave wall instead, leading up to a sort of balcony or outcropping before a column-supported and decorated, if grotesque, opening into the rock. It seemed like some sort of passageway or cavern.

- -

'Why?' the demon returned Rynkura's question, slowly turning a bit to the side and pacing equally slowly around her, toward the end of the platform they seemed to be standing on. 'Why did you even come here in the first place? I have no personal quarrel with you, or any of the others, true. But neither do I have any doubt that you will try and stop me, kill me even, for the sake of mere... shall we call it principle?' he growled, turning his head and glaring at the Angel over his shoulder. 'Don't try and make it seem as if I were the one acting illogically here. I brought Asal, yes, but only out of his insistence. And I did not aid him in harming your precious protegé. In fact, with him dead, that is one less problem for me. I shall only have to arrange with the ceremonies.'
   Without waiting for Rynkura's reaction, the Demon grinned darkly, and stepped forward to the very end of the platform, looking down at the lake of fire, seemingly lost in contemplation. 'I have only come to put an end to things,' he said, after a few seconds. His voice seemed not so overwhelming right then, for some reason. 'If your little friends are caught in the storm, I would blame them. There was still the option to leave. Now...'

[Sunblink]

Smoldering rage was still evident in the backdrop of Keaton's delirium-hazed organic eye, her bloodsoaked features still attempting to form some semblance of indignation as she started to slip further and further away from coherency, but soon losing all concentration and backfiring when Cogidubnus snarled his frustration. Driven by desperation and a faraway sense of dizzy weariness, she lunged her hand forward and snatched up the proffered charm.

Clutching it tightly in the palm of her pallid-knuckled hand, Keaton weakly threw her venomously-narrowed glare back and forth without comment, then lowered her head and grit her teeth sharply as she waited for the charm's effects to take place. Stepping over the splatters of blood caking the floor, she followed behind the group, still keeping Catastrophe defensively leveled beside her body as they descended into the bowels of Hell.

~Keaton the Black Jackal

[Gareeku]

Watching Aisha tend to Mel as the dragoness came to, Gareeku turned towards the entrance to the catacombs, his eyes narrowing as he looked at it.
If she breaks the deal and hurts anybody, I will make her suffer. the wolf thought to himself.

Turning away, Gareeku then watched the pantheress sit back down on the bench that they had been resting upon earlier. Hearing her mutter, the wolf then turned towards her fully.
"All we can do is wait. Nothing more." he replied, his voice calm and his arms crossed as he spoke.

[Aisha deCabre]

As she rubbed her forehead, making sure that there was no sign of a headache, Aisha glanced up and listened to Gareeku as he spoke.  There was a pause, before she nodded her agreement and let the hand rest in her lap.  It seemed as if the look of disturbance and worry in her eyes wouldn't cease.  "Yes...that's true.  We were charged with staying, I guess...all we can do is hope that they are resourceful and strong, while we wait and just try to relax."  Her head hung.  "Forgive me, I'm just a little impatient as well."  She stole a glance at her stump of a right arm.  "Just...it's not everyday you wake up and feel so useless."

While the panther regarded her bandages, she took a second to see if they were still bound tightly so that there would be no infection.  The bracer and whatever healing magic had been put on her would see to that, but no harm in checking.  And especially, she made sure that the wrappings binding her chest hadn't come apart in any way either (and they hadn't, to near infinite relief).

And then she noticed next to her the cloak that she was wrapped in when she was sleeping and being carried, which belonged to Gareeku.  It was hard to see in the darkness, but a soft line of dark red crossed her cheeks.  Facing the wolf again, she stood up before him, the fabric in her grasp.  "By the way...I never did get to properly thank you...for keeping me safe," she said quietly, a warm smile having come to her features as she offered it back to him.

*     *     *

As the bat spoke, Rynkura regarded him with an incredulous look hidden behind her narrowed eyes.  Her arm still glowed with potential strains of magic, sometimes changing the color of the light in her indecision on what to start with...just in case.  But as he spoke, she allowed just three hairs to settle back on her bruised haunches.

It was hard to tell the demon's intentions.  One could certainly guess from listening that he and Sebastian were related; but of course, not all families were on the best of terms...the tigress knew that quite well of herself.  So he sounded real enough in his opinions, despite the dark voice creeping upon itself.  She kept a careful watch as he walked around and had his back to her, staring out into the lava, as if just daring the angel to attack while he talked about coming to kill him.  And she had to admit, it was tempting...though perhaps foolhardy, right about then.

When he finished, she had to suppress a scoff.  "Principle...I don't know.  To some others, the proper word would be 'justice'.  I don't know what word your grandson would use.  But you can hardly expect adventurers to run from danger when it is presented."  She hummed, her voice rather calm.  "In fact, I doubt you really expect anyone to take the chance to turn back.  I was carried away in front of the party, so perhaps you actually expect them to come looking for me...just to walk into something, like being a ransom, as you so elegantly put it."

[Mel Dragonkitty]

Feeling a little more steady on her feet Mel crossed the room to where the gate was located. They had been charged with making sure the gate stayed open so their friends could return. From a respectful distance the dragon checked the spell for tampering. Just because some sort of deal had been made for the spider not to harm the others didn't mean she wouldn't impede their return by booby-trapping the gate. Mel couldn't see anything but she hadn't had a chance to examine the gate closely before being knocked out. She grumbled a bit under her breath but there was nothing to do for it now.

[Angel]

Ketefe let out a little rush of air when Keaton and Ian begrudgingly agreed not to duke it out on the stairs (the jackal a bit more begrudgingly than the rat). She gave Ian a bit of a look for not offering first aid to anyone else before patching himself up, but it was somewhat understandable. Then she turned to follow the others.

The staircase didn't feel familiar to Ketefe at all. When had they turned left? Had they even gone this far before Cogi fell? Her questions were answered when they came to a deep cavern of some kind. We're not even in the same place anymore, are we?

She wanted to figure out how this had happened, but she didn't have the time. She reached up to her face, suddenly remembering that she'd given Ian her mask for a tourniquet. "Hey, Ian..." she asked the rat, quietly. "If you have first aid supplies anyway, can I have my mask back? I'd kinda like to have it on if we're gonna..." She left her sentence hanging, her prediction all too clear.

[lucas marcone]

"Ok people, this is no place to loose our heads. So let's all keep our feelings pent up till we kill this old bastard ok?" Ian sounded accuseing but at the same time there was an unmistakeable pleading in his voice. He was probably on the verge of a mental breakdown what with: going into hell, fighting along side who he thought was a back stabber, dealing with the fact a friend might be another rotting carcass in hell, all the shouting and to top it all off keeping it all pent up for the good of the group. of everything he could experence in hell the worst was the yelling. the endless yelling. it wasn't the yelling as much as it was the stark contrast from the people who welcomed him in with outstreached arms......if only he could go back, but still he continued on.

[Gareeku]

Listening to Aisha speak, Gareeku felt bad for her. She seemed quite torn up about losing her arm. Not surprising, really.
"Don't worry about it. It's understandable." the wolf replied in a reassuring voice.

It was then that the pantheress stood up again, before approaching Gareeku with his cloak in her hand. Listening to what she said next as she handed his cloak back to him, he smiled softly.
"There is no need to thank me at all." the wolf replied softly. "I swore that I would look after you, and I'm not about to take it back. Not now, not ever."

[Stygian]

The bat kept looking for a while, just staring narrowly out at the fiery landscape as if searching or waiting for something, yet something made it seem as if Rynkura's words had brought some... tension to him. Whatever that tension was, it was very hard to say.
   Just as Rynkura had almost begun feeling like saying something more to end the stranded conversation, a cruel chuckle from the old man broke her off. He turned slowly against her, still with that air of power and superiority, knowing full well how little of a threat she was to him right then.
   'That word... "Justice". To me, that smacks of... convenience,' he grated. 'Convenience and self-delusion, as it serves other adventurers. And yet...' He grinned, glowing embers for eyes fixed upon the tigress' face. 'You have half a point, at least, girl. I had not expected them to turn back. And I will enjoy putting them in place, like my failure of a grandson, because ultimately they have practically asked for it, and deserve nothing better.' He took a pair of steps closer, one hand behind his back and the other on that black staff of his. 'Your little adventuress child I will enjoy seeing dead more than the others, indeed. But not of her own fault. Merely, for being the child of a child...'
   Up so close to the Demon, it was as if Rynkura's senses were pushed down by that darkness again, suppressed and overwhelmed. She felt as if her skin were being heated and prickled with chill at the same time, as he leaned down, eyes narrowed, and glared at her.
   'Tell me, young one... Did you ever meet... that little creature's mother's mother?' he asked, voice less mirthful and more unpleasant than ever.

[Cogidubnus]

 Keaton took the glowing charm from his hand, and as she started up the stairs the rest of the party followed her up. As they rose, something was amiss - instead of coming to the platform, the stairs simply kept going, and going, much father than they had traveled down. Eventually, they came to a slight bend to the left, and after that, found themselves walking to a ledge sticking out of the cliffside. Beyond them lay a opening the the rock, with a hellishly carved entrance.

Cog gave the rat a look, his face blank, and saying nothing simply waited until they were all on the platform before going forward. Nothing to be done at this point - it appeared hell was guiding them to where it wanted them to go.

Cog kept his sword ready, his face unreadable, and continued into the cave.

[Aisha deCabre]

As Aisha gave the cape back to Gareeku, she rested her hand into the fabric as she listened to what he said.  The wolf's quiet declaration made the panthress's face flush with warmth, and blood rush quickly through her veins.  The feeling of comfort, of being protected and cared for, overwhelmed her again.  It defeated the abandoned and dark feeling that the chapel held.

She let out a soft chuckle in reply.  "Well, all the same, to do that...to leave the fighting there and stay, and for me...well...I just..."

It was hard for her to find words, but there was one thing that came to mind...her hand had come up to touch the side of the wolf's face, and his other cheek was met with a kiss.  She pulled away after a moment, her gaze meeting his with a light, rather sheepish smile, hand sliding from his face to rest on his shoulder.  "I don't know what I'd do without you."

*     *     *

Rynkura indeed felt those pinpricks of cold, chills racing up her spine and attempting to turn her blood into ice.  The tigress wondered just how long she could keep standing against the monstrosity of a demon before she'd let into her impulse to lance a string of lightning toward his face.

But she didn't...instead just watched him with an unending stare, unintimidated and strong, despite the way he looked down on her.  The fact that he had an air of such certainty that he had accumulated a few thousand years of power, and she only hundreds, only made her somewhat angry.  When he came close, she hadn't stepped back.  The tigress wasn't going to let the illusion of power overtake her senses.  The Healer never did.

Her arms crossed, her blood hot from anger and tension, the cold feeling receding.  "If you mean Aisha's grandmother, I've only heard of her from Mara, along with stories passed.  A Demon who forsook a life of killing.  Of chaos and misery, of preying on sentience.  Whose overly-zealous and vengeful family believed she forsook them.  Who bore children to a Being, apparently, some with a Being's lifespan and alignment but an affinity for magic that they believed wasn't deserving."

Rynkura's emerald eyes seemed to have a determined glow to them as she stepped back and turned her gaze to the darkness of the "ceiling" in thought.  "That is all I know, and all I see fit to care about...Mara was as much a friend as I was to the Cabres.  I see not how you, Don'Chel, would want to fit into the general opinion.  Aisha is her own person, who should not be killed for something she had no control over.  Because of Asal's interference, she has already lost an arm and perhaps some of her spirit."

Her head turned back.  "It is the same with the adventurers.  They knew nothing about what would happen, and for the good, they are trying to reverse it.  It will not be easy to kill them, if you even succeed.  You are against the talents of not just adventurers, but some trained and powerful Creatures, and Sebastian.  And, I."

Rynkura's normally neutral, respectable eyes suddenly had a look of venom.  It wasn't the just the look of a mentor, a guardian, defending their charge...it was as if she had taken on the look of a fierce, protective mother as well.  "And the child is safe, not among the ones coming.  She will not die."

[lucas marcone]

"This doesn't feel right... we're playing into the old freaks hands." Ian whispered to Cog.

[Cogidubnus]

 The wolf looked at the rat again, raising an eyebrow.

"You're free to go back." the wolf said, turning his attention back to the dark cave. "Unless you see another path, concentrate on seeing things before they cut you." Cog continued to walk into the cave, his sword providing only a vague illumination.

[Stygian]

The cave revealed itself to be a closed passage, turning to the left and heading downward immediately as they entered. The rough walls seemed partially carved out, and partially eroded forth. The moment Cog stepped into the cave, he noticed one particular quality that it had, which contrasted the place they had just come from; it was silent, and completely dark, lacking that fiendish atmosphere of the 'outside'. Not that it did not radiate evil; the place had such an empty, chilling darkness to it that it was as if they were walking down a black well, straight into unending, captivating night. But, at least there were walls to the sides, and that meant they were safe from sudden attacks, or so it seemed.

- -

The sight of his glare making Rynkura feel almost as if holes were about start burning in her head from the intensity of his fiery stare, the bat stood for a second, almost as if analyzing her words, checking them for discrepancies. Then, he snorted, face turning more bitter than angered.
   'Forsook! Such a way to twist a tale,' Asmodai growled. 'But I guess it is true, from one narrow point of view. But blood is blood,' he continued. 'To some it is more personal. To others, it is merely a question of principle. Or perhaps, of justice, you would say. To let demon blood be soiled, or to pass on the powers of a legacy to those unworthy of it - those who would only use it for their own pitiful pleasures, or even use that power to destroy its very creators! That may not be injustice to you, but it is wrong nevertheless! To squander glory and power and prosperity, and for what?!' He scowled and snarled, standing tall, fiery points in his looming face glaring down at her. 'You should be thankful you never met the woman. She was a failure and a whore.'

[lucas marcone]

"It was just a heads up." Ian said nothing more.

[Angel]

Ketefe continued down the passage, remaining silent for a little while as Ian and Cog conversed. This place didn't seem quite as...alive as the darkness from before, but it still gave her the chills. She rubbed her eyes once and moved closer to Ian.

"Ian, I'd really like my mask back. Please?" she asked the rat in a whisper. "If you're not gonna bleed everywhere, that is..."

[Cogidubnus]

 The darkness of the cave seemed somehow less intimidating than the inky black of the stairway, but infinitely more despairing. Staring down into the cave, the wolf got the feeling that such a passageway might never end - just continue down into shadow for all eternity. Even so - they had nowhere else to go. Keeping a steady pace, the wolf moved forward, the glow of his sword a beacon in the darkness.

Even through his glasses, the wolf saw nothing. He hoped that the dragon's gift to him might be able to see these demons before they attacked - but so far, Hell had hardly played fair. Cog kept a careful eye out, and his ears perked.

[lucas marcone]

Almost as if on cue Ian's hand whipped out and held the mask infront of Ketefe as they walked.

[Aisha deCabre]

As Rynkura listened to the old bat's words, she more or less worked to keep her composure, despite the Demon's flaming gaze.  Finally she simply--more out of caution and plus a little bit out of spite--conjured the barrier of light around herself; barely visible, just a shimmer in the air around her form and nothing else.  While hearing the Creature speak and observing his tone, the tigress had made no change in facial expression.

That is, until he was finished.  Rynkura stared for a moment, somewhat troubled from what he had said regarding Aisha's grandmother.  And then, a slow smirk spread on the Angel's countenance, which slowly erupted into a harsh laugh.  "A whore, huh," she snorted, quirking an eyebrow and crossing her arms.  "Squandering power and glory."

Rynkura's head shook as she turned away from Asmodai and looked over the scope of the surroundings.  "For what, you ask?  Did you ever stop to think that maybe for all the power and glory in the world, that doesn't equal prosperity and happiness to some others?  That perhaps it is your mentality that is in the wrong, Demon?  What is the race that is hunted most, because they misuse power and strength so they can horde it over others...kill, gorge, plunder, destroy?  Whose 'pitiful pleasures' have more sin associated with it?  Yours.  Angels share the same crimes, sure, but their history isn't written in nearly as much blood."

She laughed quietly.  "It's no wonder she fell in love with a Being.  And it's no surprise...the same story over and over with a gap such as this.  Love.  It brings races together and at the same time tears them apart.  Not to mention that your particular families, it seems, never did have much in the line of respect among their own; let alone true caring.  Another good reason."

The tigress turned back to the bat, a grimace on her face that was also an ironic smirk.  "A failure and a whore, you say of my student's namesake.  What a way to put it.  Do I sense something behind those words?  Another story I'm about to hear?  Or should I just be angry and off my guard?"  She snorted, glancing at her claws, where small lances of electricity danced between the points.  "Really, I'm quite curious.  What does she have to do with all of this?"

[Angel]

"Thanks." Ketefe glanced once at Ian and nodded before taking the mask out of his hand. She untied it quickly and retied it around her eyes, feeling just a little braver as they continued on.

[lucas marcone]

"You're welcome." He seemed distant and focused on the darkness as he pulled out the gun he had holstered to hand her the mask.

[Stygian]

Fortunately, the cave seemed to hold no surprises for the injured. But making their way down was almost as hard as going up, what with all the punishment they had taken. The artifacts they relied on slowly strengthened them, but their effects seemed so slight and slow under the pressure of the Hell around them that it was easy to begin doubting whether if they would ever reach their goal. Ketefe had begun hearing that voice inside her head somewhat clearly again, speaking to her sometimes pleadingly, sometimes hatefully, sometimes as if it were her best friend and sometimes as if it wanted nothing but to die, again, and take her with it. It sometimes shifted between this even mid-sentence. And sometimes it seemed to be talking either to itself or to someone or something else she could not see.
   Where are you going, dearest? Where are you taking us? Putting our feet over the chasm. Two steps forward, five steps back, no no no... it echoed, almost taking on the same tonality as a dear old uncle correcting his youthfully inexperienced niece. She does not know where she goes, we know, she knows we know she knows. Yes! And the other idiots as well. Looking with their eyes... it continued, more aggressively, before its tone became almost panicked and weeping. Our eyes! Why can't we look around?!

- -

'A very great deal!' the bat snarled back at Rynkura, almost pressing his face against hers, huge fangs exposed. 'She is the blood taint. She is the one holding power she should not have. Now,' he said, before adjusting his tone to a much more low and less furious but somehow more hateful one, 'had she chosen to simply grow her power and keep to herself, this would not have been so overt a problem. At least I could have overlooked. But her father and mother brought the curse down upon themselves. And her grandmother as well, when she collaborated with them against the Be'Lann. Asal was young and hot-blooded. The moment they offended his family, their fate was sealed.' His rumbling voice had sunk almost to a hiss, a whisper, toward the end.
   Stepping back and making some growling sound that might have been a sigh, Asmodai settled and returned to the calm, superior manner of before.
   'You did not know her, or her failings. I did. That is the real truth to that,' he said, with an air of finality. 'You do not know the family or the blood. And mostly, you do not know the sort of prosperity or glory we possessed. That was squandered when creatures and people like you, and her, broke it apart.' His voice dripped with acid spite and resentment. 'The last of the great, dark families. We did not destroy. We did not plunder. Not before the self-righteous likes of you came along.' His eyes narrowed, and the grip around his staff clenched. 'We had no need to, no reason. Have you ever considered that? That it might have been the offenses made by people like you that created the sort of fury that grips the hearts of Demons today?'

[Angel]

Ketefe was marginally surprised when her demon revealed itself to still be alive. But after a night in Hell, it was hard to surprise her. "Damn thing is still alive..." she muttered aloud for anyone who'd listen and know what she meant. Then she sent a message to it.

Okay, bastard, listen up. First off, there is no 'we'. You're a parasite, a minor annoyance that will be dealt with as such. I'm not your friend, and in case you forgot, you almost got my friends KILLED a little while ago. Second, quit talking to anyone or anything outside my head or I smash my skull open with a rock and kill us both.

With that, she forbade herself to talk to it again until she knew it was safe. As much as she hated to think about it, there was the chance it might possess her again. She steeled herself and spoke up.

"Guys. Do me a favor. I was possessed a couple hours ago and the demon isn't quite dead yet, so if it looks like I'm about to hurt or kill anyone we know... either knock me out or kill me."

[Sunblink]

In her indignation and quietly smoldering fury, Keaton's pace had accelerated to the point she had trudged from her stable position at the rear of the group to the center, where she was flanked by her companions. Cogidubnus's charm was clutched in one, blood-drenched hand, Rynkura's orb-ornamented staff draped in Catastrophe's holster. The crystalline sapphire-sphere cradled in the crown of the staff was gently emitting a soft, rhythmic palpitation, its center softly suffused in oceanic light. At first Keaton didn't think the charm was having any affect on her anemia-stricken body, as, no matter how ardently she wrung the amethyst-laden charm for support or clenched it into her palm, it wouldn't provide the energy she was craving. As Keaton glanced wearily down at the charm nestled in her hand, she realized all she had accomplished was getting Cogidubnus's charm coated with blood. Heartbrokenly, she released a shuddering sigh, sniffling.

She could hear the erratic pace of her heart pounding in her ears, swarming through the shallow and half-emptied streams of her blood-veins. It was irregular, to the point Keaton could almost feel her heart straining and rampaging against her ribcage, battering away at the bone-chamber. Oddly, Keaton didn't feel unnerved by her heart's pace--it distracted her from the wicked and increasingly corrupted surroundings, and reminded her that she didn't seem to be on the verge of her pulse petering out and plunging her into darkness. In comparison to her heart being utterly and unnervingly silent, this was preferable.

As she continued to walk, their group descending further and further into the cavernous precipice, Keaton didn't realize the escalating strength behind her steps. Against the subaudible thrumming of Rynkura's staff, Keaton's aberrant heartbeat was winding down, slowly yet surely settling into synchronization with the palpitations produced by the staff's orb. Keaton's breathing was regulated somewhat, her body heaving as she stared warily about the dark-imbued chamber, but it nearly hitched when Ketefe spoke up. Both organic and synthetic eye wild, Keaton pivoted her head around to stare at the masked feline.

The feline mentioned something about possession, which was rather bizarre to the jackal. After all, she wasn't present when the symptoms of Ketefe's possession were taking place. However, at the idea of incapacitating or killing the feline if this demonic inhabitance became dangerous... it must have been a serious matter. Keaton glanced uncertainly to Cog.

~Keaton the Black Jackal