"These nights have brought me closer to the blood of our kingdom's future, and yet I still feel disdain." Tyranth stared at the face of the ocean, deceptively calm and quiet at night.

When the small passenger boat, accompanied with a handful of his soldiers shouldered up to the docks he stepped onto the boards and was immediately struck by how the world didn't spin or rock like a boat. It made him grit his teeth impatiently, his hand clutched on the hilt of his sword as if to strike down the frustration that he felt at it. The soldiers with him said nothing, they knew better. When Tyranth spoke it was like addressing an awed audience and not like he was asking for counsel. It was good that it was so late in the evening when they arrived. The quiet made their appearance less of a show and more of a clever little tip-toe. That hadn't been intentional. The storm had delayed him and now that he was here marched down the docks.

Niropi and Alek were there, he knew it from the last time he had seen the and whatever patience he had with their teenage petulance was over. The kingdom was on the edge of coming undone. There had to be a leader and he seemed to be the only one with the clarity of mind to see what the future needs of the kingdom were. Tyranth knew that the time was approaching and that time remaining was running out.

Aleksandr was looking at the sea after a long day of training, reflecting on many things, his own life, the future, the past. So many things could happen in one night, so many endings all branching from one fight. He sighed and closed his eyes for a moment, a small measure of meditation gave him peace like a cool breeze to quench the raging fire that burned inside his heart. It was the same hatred and rage that turned his father mad. The once wise Patriarch of the Clan, now turned a beast in search for power.

His thoughts stopped when he saw a boat and he could smell it, his father. He growled with impatience, anger. He may be a bit superior in using magic, but in strength he wasn't a match for him, nor was Niropi. Only together they could defeat him.

Alek approached to the dock with boldness and stupidity. The Nyte hatred talking for him when he spoke, the same hatred that turned him in the Iron Prince and almost transformed him into his Father's shadow long time ago. "You finally dare to show your face here," he simply said.

Alek's appearance was not a surprise, not entirely. He had expected to see him. Tyranth arched a brow when the distance between them closed so that they could exchange conversation. There was a slow, sharp narrowing of his eyes. Were they both disgusted with each other at this point' Since his decision about Niropi, Alek was becoming less and less important. The expectation that he might carry on the bloodline had dwindled. "Dare to show my face" You ran away from your home and responsibility like a whiny little child because you weren't entirely placated. There is a kingdom to run— even for someone who is royal, you were a bit entitled, don't you think?" Stepping so that they were shoulder to shoulder, he lifted his chin up. Behind him three or four soldiers acted like his shadow, "Be useful, for once. Where is your sister" I know she is near."

"That's none of your business," he said. Before, Alek simply remained silent, and did his job, but now knowledge made him far more powerful than everyone around him. He may not be in the spotlight, but he was the one who kept the spotlight turned on. "I ran away because YOU are taking our Clan to misery. Are you so blinded with hatred and lust for power" Our gene pool is already dropping, if we keep this nonsense our Clan will disappear before you even kill someone." He looked at the soldiers behind him "I'm so sorry for all of you, being under my father's command is a death sentence that I don't wish upon anybody." His eyes looked up at Tyranth again before he spoke, "Niropi will be here when she sees fit, and you will wait," he smiled, "And, I'd watch my words and actions if I were you, father, all these years away made both me and Niropi far more powerful." Aleksandr seemed indeed different, he had strange tattoos on his body and everything around them or Alek felt strange.

"Isn't it' Is an entire kingdom and its fate my business?" He leveled his eyes on his son, "I suppose we could just do nothing and let all the clans go to war for power. I suppose it's fine that I let so many people die, ripping each other apart because she had to come play house in Rhy'Din. The clan may not love all I do, but you must realize they will be torn apart when there are no viable heirs to take power. We will be seen as impotent." When Alek spoke so poorly to the soldiers, he put his hand on the hilt of his blade, "I didn't realize that your tongue needed to be cut out, boy. You wish death upon all of those you knew while growing up" If you and Niropi can defeat me, then the kingdom is already in a pitiful state and I would rather death than to view it."

He frowned and growled roaring at him, showing his wings and extending them right in front of Tyranth, a symbol of disrespect, "NO IT'S NOT! It's not your business to rule over Chuvashia and the Clans! You have turned our home into a wasteland! Niropi will lead us to a new future, she will rule a new Clan, a clan that you never could rule alone. Mother always kept you in check, without her, you were nothing and now that she's not here, the truth is showing. You're not fit to rule us." He kept growling at him as he spoke, "You're no Patriarch of mine, Niropi is our Matriarch now. Strike me now if you want, kill me if you wish, aren't I useless" Go ahead, strike your first born son, kill him....coward!" his voice full of hatred.

"My children and my kingdom are exactly my business. You can't get closer to the heart of what has happened without it." When he said ruling over the clans, he laughed, "Someone has to rule them, and since you are more in the business of appeasing yourself and," he looked around the docks and then back to his son, "staying out late," a nudge of his shoulder with his before he turned to face him. His hand was still on the hilt of his blade as he watched him, "I could strike you down, right now. Am I the coward" Did I run away from home because daddy was so mean and didn't let me do what I wanted?" The tone was entirely patronizing. Drawing in a breath, it inflated his chest, his posturing showing more warning, "Niropi is just as selfish and misguided. What have you seen her rule" One or two people" You think with no experience that she's going to take care of the kingdom' That she's ready for the politics, the lies, the deception' Maybe I am not what I was without your mother— she was a good woman. But Niropi is an inexperienced, and ultimately, selfish brat. She has flash and she may seem righteous but she is not a leader. The clan is still alive, still together, with me. My fault was that I asked you and her to do as tradition has dictated we do, for generations" The same tradition that your mother, who you speak of so well, upheld?"

"Don't you dare mention her," he growled. "You're a fool, this tradition is pointless. If you keep with his nonsense the Clan will not last another hundred years. Are you that stupid, father?" he had calmed down. Aleksandr grew silent for only a few minutes while he stared right into his eyes. "I will not let my Clan slowly die because you want to keep this stupid tradition," he walked towards him, always growling, "I honor my Clan, I want to see the Clans as strong as ever, but you have taken it too far, father. Why were you so weak" Why did you let your sanity crumble" I remember another Tyranth, who was wise and honorable. But looking at you now, I feel ashamed to be your son. When I was young I looked at you as my paragon, I wanted to be like you, but now....that image is just dust. Forgive me, father, I'm not following your traditions. I will stand with my sister. You were good once, Tyranth. Strike me down if you wish, kill me right here where I stand. If you can't take the shame, then kill me for you are not my father anymore"

"Oh, I suppose a brat like you just....knows everything. You know what traditions are good and bad and you're prepared to make all the changes in the world. Don't you think every leader feels that way when they're a squirmy little boy, like you." Tyranth drew his blade. It wasn't in a motion to strike or spring an attack, but Alek's growling and outright disrespect wasn't something he could tolerate. It took fighting and clawing to get to the top. Allowing someone to act or behave this way would lead to all the other pieces tumbling down. Would he have to strike him dead" "My sanity is as solid as ever, I have never seen anything so clearly as I do now. I thought you were a clever boy but my dreams revealed to me the truth of what you were. A spy, a traitor. A man who aligned himself with other clans, like his sister, because he was bought off with promises that he could sleep with whatever piece of ass he wanted. Is that all it took?" Another step and the side of his blade rested over Alek's chest, from shoulder to the bottom of his ribs, "You sister is a traitorous fool who couldn't win a game of chess. It would be merciful to kill you now, while you're at least standing and proud of something. I hate to think of what would become of you when you realized how weak and incapable she is. I have had to give her time to rebuild and restructure herself, just so that our meeting has the pretense of a fair fight."

"No" he simply said "I don't know everything." He was somehow controlling his burning hatred, "But I can see that you are as mad as a goat." He sighed, looking at the blade he said, "Good, you are finally enough brave for something," his body never flinching, "I'm not a traitor, father, you are. You are guiding the Clans into oblivion, you are not understanding that no king rules forever. Unlike me, father, you can die, I cannot. What convinced me to stand against you and your idiotic thinking, was the knowledge I gathered over the years. I can make my sister eternal as well. My sister is the new Matriarch, like it or not. And you will show respect and then be devoured by her. Isn't that our tradition' Devour the last ruler?" he asked, still defiant to his father.

"If I am mad....then aren't you? Madness is either from an outside source or it is within the family. So you must wonder if you, too, are mad. Or if Niropi is on the edge like me." When he said he was finally brave he pressed the blade, not cutting him but providing a strong, warning pressure, "You ever think that someone is mad because they've been poisoned and then do you think....well....why would someone do that' Why would Niropi do that?" When his son said he should respect her, he barked a laugh, "The new matriarch' Of what?" He stepped back, using his sword to gesture, "Where is her army' Where is she" Hiding under the table?"

He smiled, "Oh we do have an Army, I will enjoy the moment I see you dying, on your knees." The sword did bother him but he just winced a bit, annoyed. "Again, unlike you father I do things that keep me sane. Studying magic is one way, as ironic that may sound," he said, his wings disappearing and his hands on his back. He heard him laugh, but he kept his face serious "She's the Matriarch of our Clan, just wait and you'll see Tyranth". He noticed him and decided to tease him a little "But I wonder- Why do you have the need to take out your blade" Are you going to kill me as I said" You need to prove your dominance by killing me" That only shows me how much of a whelp you have become, father." He turned his back to Tyranth and sighed, "Oh well, I thought you would be more mighty, guess I was mistaken." Alekandr started walking away.

"When you are my age, you will look back on your tongue and wish you could swallow it. You will have regret, you do not know how these things slip. Now— enough of this." When he asked if he was going to kill him with it, he shook his head no, "I do not know the outcome of my battle with your sister. She may be infertile. It is important that I preserve your genes because....as weak as you may be....there may be a time that you are the last of the legacy." Was Tyranth really admitting that he might not win the battle" His ego, or at least the uneven, shaking vessel of it that had spun out of control, rarely conceived that any outcome other than a victory was possible. "You're going to run your mouth with petty insults no matter what I say. There are two options," he said, measuring his eyes to Alek, "If you tell me where Niropi is, I will walk down this dock as if we had never crossed paths. Otherwise? You are a hurdle, but one I must preserve for genetic purposes." He stepped so that his back was to the land, creating a divide that Alek would pass. It was around Tyranth, or back to the boat, "You should get on the boat, Alek."

He stood there, looking at the boat, then he looked at Tyranth. Using his magic, Aleksandr crushed the boat as if he was squashing a tomato. The boat cracked and all that was left were just pieces of wood floating in the water. "I don't think so, " then, hearing his threat he said, "She'll get here, don't be impatient, a Matriarch shows up when she pleases and like I said, you'll be a good Nyte and you'll wait for your Matriarch." He crossed his arms.

Akira had been seeing red from the time Alek had been ripped from her side and taken captive by Tyranth. There was no reasoning with her, she had turned into a mad woman. There was a fire in her that could not be snuffed out, not even as Niropi dragged her kicking and screaming all the way back to the camp set up on the island.

Once they were there, Akira lashed out at the dragoness. A stupid move, but the girl needed to let it out. "Why didn't you do anything"! Why did you just stand there while your father just took off with your brother" Now we have nothing and he has everything!" Words, they were just words but this was not how it was supposed to go down.

After releasing Akira the sharp, angered tongue of the girl started to lash her. Her brows knit together with a growling rumble at the mid of her throat. "Akira, he does not have everything....you're over exaggerating like a child..." bluntly stated, she stood her ground for a moment facing Akira. She turned and then walking toward the fire pit, disregarding how mad Akira actually was.

"He's your brother! How can you be okay with this" Why are we here instead of attacking and getting him back?" The girl was too young and inexperienced to understand the war and battle process. "Niropi, we need to go get him, what if your father kills him' What if he's torturing him right now"!" All she cared about was her job, to keep everyone alive and unharmed. Already she was failing. She was so obsessed with perfection that whenever anything went awry she didn't know how to refocus. She had much to learn. The ink on her back was glowing, burning, and didn't help her situation. Wisps of smoke clung to her exposed back rising off the tattooed wings. Ever since the first time this happened she made it a point to wear open back tops.

She kneeled over the fire place, moving some fresh dry logs into the pit, a small glow came to her lips releasing a breath of fiery air upon the wood sparking a fire quickly. A sigh left her with a roll of smoke once the flame extinguished from her lips, her own fiery glowing hues tick back up to Akira.

"Alek is strong even though he is weak....my father won't kill him immediately. You are worried over nothing at the moment. If Alek dies before we can get to him then he was weak to begin with."

She let out a scream in frustration, nearly pulling her hair out. She may not be in love with the dragon, but that didn't mean she didn't feel something for him. Panic, perhaps, would be what she felt on top of that anger. "Fine, if you're not going to do anything about it, I will." With a turn to her heel she was leaving the camp. The shadows swirled around her and switched her wardrobe from her outing ware to something more suitable for a fight. She could feel it, Alek was not okay, she could feel it.

"Akira, enough!" A bellow called from behind her. Stepping into view was the man in black, though his trench had a strange silver lining to the edges. White orbs darted to Niropi, then back to his enraged sister. "Turn around and come back here this instant. I have neither the patience nor the energy to deal with you being harmed in this irrational idea of martyrdom! You leave now and this entire operation goes to hell, along with everyone involved." More echoing booms from the man. He had an authoritative side, not often shown but from the looks alone the man were about to completely snap.

She stood up to go after the girl but she halted at the sound of Llyod's voice. Her arms immediately crossed under her chest. "Akira, my brother will be fine....he is merely a distraction from the inside at this time....it's unfortunate but it's helpful for us to tie up the last of our loose ends so we can end this before my father takes this a step to far. " She looked over to Llyod. "Perfect timing for you to show up by the way..." she said with a scoff.

His voice and the tone in which he spoke to her froze her in place. Her hands balled into tight fists, teeth grit with a slight crack in her jaw. She slowly turned to face them. If there was one person she never disobeyed it was her brother. (Or did she") She slowly began her walk of shame back to the fire where she slumped down onto a log utterly silent, like a scolded pup with its tail between her legs. He was right, the plan could not be jeopardized further with her irrationality. The shadows were quaking around her, their vibrations growing stronger by the minute. Then there was a moment when they stopped. She felt nothing and with that she let out a quick breath as though it had been knocked out of her. She was still quiet. She whispered something over her shoulder, and if they were watching, a shadow would dash away in the direction of the docks.

He sighed, walking back. Yes, the air around him was still cold. A hand moved to his lips, biting on a finger in thought. Leather boots clomped now, seeming frosted over again, much like the rest of his attire. "How did this happen?" His tone went back to normal suave. Popping a knuckle with the same raised fist, he slowly began pacing. He had his plan laid out, everything set for the upcoming tide. He just needed to be sure on his faith toward Aleksandr and his competence to complete the task given.

"I don't know, it was fast. I don't even know how I got there. I just remember stepping onto the dock, and seeing Alek and Niropi, and who I imagine was their father. I barely got to him when in the next second he was being dragged down the dock and hurled onto a boat." She dropped her head into her hands and shook her head. "It was too fast, I couldn't get him. He was gone." She was beating herself up for it, old wounds ripped open.

He stopped, turned and looked to her. "Wait, are you serious?" Niropi was peered at, white, curious orbs dancing, almost seeming to shine. "Is she serious?" He began to chuckle, a laugh breaking through him. This would carry for a few seconds, before wiping the forming ice balls from his eyes. "Akira, you idiot' Did you even read that folder I gave you, this is perfect! Now we have the upper hand. Oh, Aleksandr, you dog?"

She grumbled a little to Llyod's question and to Akira's reply. She turned her back to the two heading over to her little make shift tent where she kept mainly her things she was working on while out here by herself at many points and times. Llyod's laugh made her shake her head with a sigh as she pulled a long broad looking sword out from the tent. Runes ran down its flat sides, the metal itself clear like a glass mirror. "I don't know why my father even showed his face back up so soon, but it is quite convenient that he would take my brother....I'm just relieved he didn't attempt to take me....I was only going to your shop, Llyod, to discuss further with you on the matters of things but it seems this matter of war is no longer a creeping crawl but a rushing bolder."

"Folder" What folder" What folder dear brother of mine?" She snarled lifting her head up from her hands glaring at him. Garnet eyes were swirling with black. She was not okay with this. Having been a prisoner herself, she was not okay with just sitting back and waiting things out. She sat there with burning dark eyes, rubbing her wrists and gritting her teeth.

He went to speak, but remembered the happenings of that night," I....erm..," He sighed, looking to Niropi just briefly. "I talked with him. We worked out a plan. There's no way a frontal assault would work, pretty much ever. That's why we chose to strike where Tyrath wouldn't know." He started slowly walking around the fire, arms crossing behind his back as he spoke.

"See, when Aleksandr and I formulated the details, we didn't take much consideration that he'd be captured, when in truth, this works to our advantage. We have an inside man now, one that we are familiar with and will keep on our side, no matter the stress his is put under. He is now one of our greatest assets." Smirking, his mind wandered for a split second, thinking Lilith would be cackling right about now. Clearing his throat, he continued. "There's no doubt Tyrath will try and indoctrinate him, put him through enough stress to make him defect. Alek knew this. Honestly, he was going to shift sides, as a ploy of course. This just makes our job easier. Slowly, he can feed us information none of us would know about. Battle tactics, strategic points, weak spots. Everything we could want, just from Tyrath's pride clouting his perception." A chuckle left into the air, frost starting to fall from his jacket." Ah, you dog....Why didn't you let me know?"

Akira was a good listener. She gave Lloyd a nod in acknowledgment and acceptance of his orders. When he asked who it was she was thinking to assist with the body, she grit her teeth once more; she didn't want to speak his name. She gave Lloyd a firm look. ~Thex~ The name would resonate in his mind as she sent him the information telepathically, were he open to it. Then eyes drifted over to Niropi and the girl would cringe at Niropi's words.

"Alright,...We have to try Akira's plan first, however. If that's a fluke, we can go for your plan. However..." He turned back to Akira, crossing arms. "You don't talk to him alone, ever. I'll be there when you do. I'm not having a repeat of the last problem. Also, there's the price..." He rolled his shoulder, knowing exactly what Thex would want in return. "He would have to see her..." He went silent, dropping his head. "But," snapping back to look to the two. "We do have a general consensus, and that's a plus."

Niropi nodded. "I must also forewarn you that if he buys into it, he will be furious and possibly try to kill everything in sight. If he believes the race of the Chuvash is over with he will not have any morals to hold back from killing every last thing he can till he dies himself. He is a drama queen..."

She cringed at the thought that she would have to be in the same vicinity as the elven monster. "Fine." She replied through clenched jaw. Then to Niropi she would chuckle, the teen was fluent in 'drama queen.'

"There will be blood shed either way, there is no overlooking that at this point.?" But the thought of a dead Alek made her uneasy. Was it worth the risk" There would be some things she would have to think about.

"Alright, then I'll present the body on my own, and Akira, if anything goes awry, you can just pull me into your shadow realm, yes" You don't have to be there to do it, correct?" Arms crossed. They had their idea, now if only they could make it work, just maybe then they could go and strike deep. He thought of his men, if they were really necessary at this point. ~ Maybe you should have a few boys hiding nearby....Just to be safe..~ He set on his decision.

She listened to him and sighed, sitting down on a nearby log. Her blood was heated. She wanted to just disreguard all of this and go after Tyrath. She listened to them converse rubbing her own hands on her knee's with a low growl.

The thoughtful moment given another nod. "Yes, as long as I have an eye on you, and can pull you out. I may not even have to, your own shadow might serve you as a way out." Key word, might. She would still keep en eye on him, being the protective sister that she was. She'd already failed twice, least, that's how she felt. She couldn't let anything happen to Lloyd. The ink on her back was no longer burning, but it was still steaming against the cold air around them. She tapped a nail against the bottom row of her teeth, loosing herself in her thoughts.

His head rolled to the left, starting to step closer to her. He kneeled beside his sister, putting a hand to her shoulder. "Akira....Please be careful if things go down....I don't care what happens to me, or what you see of Alek. He will undoubtedly use him against us, you may think you can save him, but it'll end in early demise of the four of us." He searched for her eyes. Something more he wanted to say, to do. Maybe he doubted her abilities" His expression rang with unsure.

Hands come up and rub across her face. "He doesn't know who you are Llyod so it may be a bit confusing to him on why you've come with my dead body, and llyod is right akira. " She stated. " the way you acted when Alek was taken, was a huge sign that Alek is one of your weak points."

She brushed off her uncertainty, and gave him a smile. "Sure thing, I got this, right' I mean, I kill for **** survival, what?s another dragon on my plate yeah' I bet he tastes amazing.?" Eyes flickered to Niropi then dropped to the ground between her and her brother. She was right about that. He was a weakness for her. She lifted her gaze to Lloyd. "Maybe, I should take a nap.?" The girl said with a strange ring in her voice. The look in her eyes would be familiar to the man, especially if he felt that piercing cold gaze. Yes, it was Lilith hinting at something.

He gave a small, slow nod. Slowly looked to Niropi. "I think we should all get some rest, given the stressful day it's been. Niropi, are you going to be alright' I know you're a natural at being cold, but this must be hitting you just as hard as her." He wanted to avoid any of confrontation at the confusion, but it could work either way. He figured Tyrath would try and kill him in a fit of rage, so he just had to keep himself well prepared for the whole time.

"I'm fine...slightly concerned but I'm fine. Alek can hold his own some what against my father, so I'm not worried about him immediately dying, which gives us some time. But something is digging at me like something is going to go wrong..."

She looked away from both of them, a shadow catching her attention. She narrowed her eyes slightly to it, then the slightest of nods in its direction before she turned back to the group. "Shouldn't we stay together?" Akira asked eyes blinking a bit. Eyes shifting colors.

He shook his head. "No, I'll see to it this works out. If not....Well....Let me say sorry now?" A cocky tone with a shrug to match. "But, in all seriousness, we have everything working out. Just have to make sure all the moving parts work how we need." He flashed a smile. Slowly he would turn back to Akira. "You know....That isn't necesarilly a bad thing....Though at some point I'll have to go find you something to eat, both of you. Doubt I'm gonna be on the menu anytime soon anyways." He teased the predators.

Niropi grumbled. She would start to gather herself standing. "Well, we will have to see how this all works out. Other then that, I vote for rest. There is no need to stress on this so quickly."

A pint didn't sound too bad right about now. If a vampire's stomach could protest, no doubt her's would be doing so at the moment. Her hands folded together, resting againt her lips as she let her eyes trail off to the horizon. "Rest up, Niropi." She then let her arms coild around herself, her right hand now toying with something.

Walking over to a log, he claimed his seat before looking back to the two. "Well, you two go knock out, I'm going to stay up for a little while longer. Someone has to stay up and I have some details to finish working with." His smile returned, reassuring the two. He just needed some time alone, time to think things through.

She stepped over to Llyod and placed her hand to his shoulder before leaning down and kissing his temple softly. "Don't stay up to late youself, you need the energy to keep your mind thinking clearly," she spoke, looking over to Akira. "You can have the tent, I'll be sleeping in the trees."

Akira was thankful to be on the island, there was no threat of a sunrise, only the never ending twilight that wasn't too bad. She looked around for a spot to settle into, she'd slept in worse conditions before. She would rise and put some distance between herself and Lloyd since he needed some time to himself. It was then Niropi offered the tent to her. She blinked to her, "Are you sure? I'm fine out here. Besides, I can take the second watch while you rest. You are the star after all."

Softening his expression as she kissed him, he gave her a nod. "Akira has a point. We have this, just get sleep. I'll make sure everything taken care of." He rested a hand to her arm, giving a slight squeeze. "Go on, take the tent, I'll see to everyone getting accommodations as necessary. It gets cold out here anyways.".

"I will be fine, take the tent Akira. You need to rest well yourself. I am fine in the trees. Llyod does as he pleases." She stated heading over to a tall oak ready to climb it.

She sighed but wasn't about to argue. She could feel the sleep creeping in. She stood and as she passed her brother she let her hand cup his chin with a smile then off she went into the tent.

A nod, and pulled a pen and paper pad from his pocket. "Very well....I'll see you both later, rest up." A smile, both women going seperate ways. He had ideas to what that touch were about, but wouldn't bother with it. He had plans to formulate.

Her demanding caught him off guard, confusing him briefly before he smirked. He pointed behind her, a rather tall stack of papers. "That's the gist of everything, mostly our opponents" actions for the past week. Regardless, I have almost thirteen-hundred troops stationed here, and a few lurking close-by. They all work as I have, trained in assassination and trickery." He thought to himself, would she really want to read all that' Eye twitching, he cleared his throat. "We do not know the numbers our enemy holes, but we do have a man inside. We are facing a lava dragon, emperor of some bloodthirsty brutes who know nothing of strategy. He himself, however, has been putting me to shame. Already we've removed more than a thousand soldiers and spies from our area of operations, but still the men keep coming."

He looked up, walking back to the table and pointing to the red boat figurine. "This is our enemy's current coordinates. Right now they're coming to attempt to kidnap our dear Lilith. I won't allow that to happen, being the valuable asset she is. Now we just need to get out there, but my men have been plucked off like ticks at every attempt. They never come to shore, never restock supplies. No weak points have been detected." He grumbled, scratching his chin once again, "We have to lure him out, the bet with the body is our main choice, we just have to stick to the plan. This operation is soon at an end, and lucky for us we don't have to worry about more than keeping the V.I.P. hidden." A smirk.

She had yet to read up on the plan, but that was boring and too much effort. She continued shaping her nails to little sharp tallons as she listened. She was getting bored, and hungry. A nice, royal heart sounded delicious right now.

She took a glance at the pages behind her before her eyes narrowed slightly at Lloyd, "If anything happens to my queen, I will hold you responsible and tear out your ribcage and wear it for a hat, boy." she sounded with a snarl. Her eyes ticked back to the map, studying it. "And do you have a Plan B, in case this one fails?" Adria turned to cross her arms once more, resting her hip against the table as she faced Lloyd.

Scoffing, he leaned himself on the table, hands frosting the wood once more, the grain creaking from the change. "Oh, please, jump in line, sister." He blew her a small kiss, taunting now. "Plan B, I go take him out on my own, probably killing us both in the process. Or I can always pull Ser Alexandros back, if we really get that desperate." He glanced to Lilith on that one. She seemed uninterested. That wasn't good, usually spawning trouble for him.

She was in the background making faces, did they honestly think she was helpless and incapable of fending for herself" Oh she was listening, and growing restless. She needed to kill something. "Wait, you honestly think he's going to be happy to be brought into this" He will hang us both!" It was hard to tell which of the two was speaking at that moment. It didn't matter. "Plan B, I reach in to a shadow and pull the dragon out of there." She hadn't mentioned how easy it was to get him out of there before because there were strategies to follow through, right"

The kiss he blew in her direction seemed to ruffle the demon's fur a bit. She didn't know if she wanted to slam his smirky face into the war table or to shake his hand at his bravery....or perhaps stupidity. Lilith's voice shook her from her thoughts and she turned to her, "Well if you still have access to your shadow portals, why haven't you just gone with that?"

"Because one is our inside man, which really needs dealt with soon, Lilith. The other is our enemy. Though as tempting as it be, we don't want to rush anything. We don't have enough information to turn the tide of things. Also, we don't want you to turn out like Aleks." He said, practically glaring at the vampiress." Honestly, we both know what he has planned. If you're that eager why not just ask, hm?" The tease sounded sincere, however. White orbs danced over the maps, then to the two.

"Of course I have access to the shadows! What kind of a question is that!" She was almost offended. Then to Lloyd, she mocked his words moving her hand as though it were a speaking puppet then waved it away. "Bah, you wouldn't even let me go get him myself, all you want is for me to sit here and look pretty." She went back to her nails. "Typical male." She muttered.

As her arms remained crossed, one hand made a fist and the crackling of her knuckles was audible. Oh, he was a smug one for sure. That would be dealt with, eventually. She pinched the space between her brows, trying to think. Sighing, she finally looked to Lilith, "He is correct though, my queen. You are in a....well, fragile state. From the melded voices I can detect, you still haven't gained full control of this girl. You could be a liability to everyone around you."

He sighed. "Worth a try I guess." He thought his comment would be noted, but then again he couldn't help himself from doubting it to begin with. Pushing thoughts aside, white orbs went to Lilith, then Adria. Cracking knuckles only made him grin. Taking a step back he'd observe, waiting and watching the pair. He had other things to think about at the moment.

"Oh fine, just lock me up in a cage and throw away the key why don't you!" She threw her arms up, though, personally, she wasn't opposed to such things. The Dark Ages were some fun times. "Yes, I know what he has planned, but he won't get to. As much as I'd normaly enjoy such torture, the only organ from that one I'd want in my mouth is the one beating in his chest."

She looked away and to the floor when Lilith raged. "My apologies, Lilith. Just....have caution. I know you are more than capable to handle this, but it isn't just you involved. There are others..." her eyes slid to Lloyd momentarily before settling back onto the war table. A demon, though she was, Adria still had compassion. A weakness her queen had told her so long ago, though it turned out to be one of her biggest strengths through the centuries.

Scoffing now." Tem ne meneye, vy prodolzhayete tratit' sebya s etoy drakona...Takoy pechal'nyy mysli.." Words softly rolling off his tongue. Was there a look of jealousy, or were it anger" Then again, there never seemed to be much of a difference with him. He remained quiet once again, crossing arms and closing white hues.

Those freshly sharpened clars lashed out to grip his throat. Her face in his, nose to nose as best she could with the girls short stature compared to the man. "Yego otets idiot..." She growled to him, eyes falling to his lips then back up to meet those white eyes. She shoved him back with a growl and went back to her corner where she had been keeping herself busy. "I just want this to be over and done with." She was loosing her patience.

Silent eyes slowly drifted between the two, observing them closely as they seemed to trade barbs with each other. Shaking her head, she pushed herself off the edge of the table and crossed the room to stand in front of Lilith, "Calm yourself, woman before you do something unthinkably stupid." She stood at 5'9 and looked down at her. For an all-powerful demon queen, she seemed to lose that intimidation while being trapped in a such a tiny girl. Then again, the demon never faltered in the presence of Lilith's rage.

A snarl, being thrown back. Quickly he brought a hand to his neck. Upon inspecting his fingers, he quickly realised her claws were sharper than he'd of thought." Naimeneye ya odin, vizzhat' Sova. Mozhet byt', vy dolzhny vospol'zovat'sya tem, chto, chem pust' poteryat' eto prichina, a vasha vechnaya tron." Flicking off the specks, he returned to his normal poise, walking back to the table and further inspecting the maps. Heavy eyes seemed to set on him, mentally and physically exhausted from the much preperation. Nor that he really could sleep, given the information he knew. He had to protect the woman, even if it cost him his life.

"All in due time, sweet brother..." She spoke through gritted teeth. That was enough to shut her up. She looked up at Adria with narrowed eyes. She didn't apreciate that look cast down at her. "Don't tell me to calm down." With that she walked past them both, and out to the balcony for some air. They could talk tactics and what not all they wanted. She just wanted her throne, she didn't care what it took to get it back, only that she would have it in the end once more.

With a grumble in her throat, Adria finally slammed her fist on the table, causing the figurines to shake, "Enough of the squabbling!" Blowing out an exasperated breath, she tucked her black hair behind an ear as she calmed herself. "You both are on edge and are in need of rest. I will be sentinel tonight and watch over the both of you, if you'd like." She glanced up at the rafters above her, and made a few movements as she made her way up to the roof, perching on the ledge, shrouded in her leather and pulling out her bow and arrows.

He sighed. "Not soon enough..." Mumbling as he made his way down the stairs and to his room. He never closed the door, not with his sister around. He had to be quick and respond if something happened. Cracking the door just ajar, he went for his bed. Adria was right. Hell, she already took point. Maybe after a nights rest he could get the plan together.

(Meanwhile, Tyranth on the boat with his son, Alek.)

That night Alek had been drawn into the ship like a string was tied to his waist and a reel was being wound up. It was the draw back into his father's ship. The times he had grown up and visited it would have made the boards of the boat familiar and now, seeming old. Once they were aboard, Tyranth felt at ease again. The world went back to rocking as it should have instead of having that dizzy affect that the docks had brought upon him. He was told everyone experienced it.

Two soldiers, obscured by their helmets, felt uncomfortable as they led Alek down. At one time, he had been a potential leader that they guarded. Now he was something to throw into the cell. After they did it, they left him, not wanting to see him. The wound to his foot went untreated and a younger guard, unfamiliar with the prince, was left to watch him. It wasn't until the early hours of the morning that Tyranth came down the stairs, to the belly of the ship where Alek and the guard were waiting.

Aleksandr looked at the young guard, sufferig from Cabin fever already since he was attuned to fire, the sea and the cold made him weak and sick. "Leave when you have the chance soldier....your matriarch is in Rhy'Din..." When his father entered, Aleksandr looked at him, "Are you here to interrogate me, Tyranth' You'll get nothing from me" he growled.

The young soldier shifted uncomfortable as if Alek's words had put hooks into his flesh. Then he turned to see Tyranth enter and stood at attention. Tyranth was in his full military garb but it was different. It was his dress garb. Infinitely more formal, with glittering aways on his chest and polished armor that was more for show than use. He stopped in front of the cell and looked at Alek with a slow smile, "Everyone gives in a little, after a while. I thought I taught you that?"

"You did, yes" he said frowning at him "But I won't give in, I won't betray my Matriarch". Aleksandr couldn't move, too weak due to being near the see to do something. Besides the foot was killing him, and he could heal his own wounds now. "Well, I guess it's a good chance to spend some Father-Son time before we kill you? he chuckled.

"You say you won't but....you didn't experience the pain that the captives did when I tortured them. Don't you remember them talking" They would have told me every sin up to their infancy." He whistled— but it wasn't a whistle. Something to the sound had his dragon tongue at work, making it deep and rattling. Three of his more experienced soldiers entered and then opened his cell as they were instructed. "You can take off your clothes until you are bare chested or they will do it for you. Your choice." Sort of.

Aleksandr removed his shirt and dropped it. He looked at the young soldier, his eyes telling him, "You are making a mistake, leave his ship, fool!" Then his eyes shifted at the two other men. "I remember you, I guess torturing innocents made you build up some muscle, good for you. You'll need it" Aleksandr was always defiant, as a child he was too but now, it was serious, not a simple fight with Niorpi many centuries ago.

"Get a chair and tie him to it," Tyranth spoke in the detached voice he used when he tortured someone. Moving along the length of the ship he picked up a bag, a thick leather bag, then went to the cell. In the meantime, the soldiers brought the chair into Alek's cell and waited for him to sit in it. Or, they could wrestle him into it. They smelled like nervous sweat.

He simply stood there smiling at them "Oh, a chair, it's very kind of you, I was getting tired of standing all the time." He stared at them and said "What' Aren't you going to force me into the chair" Like the time you forced a pregnant woman back at Chuvashia" That so-called traitor" Aren't you eager to punch me in the stomach like you did to her" No' Very well then," he sighed and took a seat "Don't worry father, I know. Finding good and brave soldiers is hard these centuries". He made them nervous. So very damn nervous. One of the soldiers swallowed as he began tying Alek's ankle to the leg of the chair. He thought, certainly, that the man could hear him swallow. Once his feet were fixed into place and his hands secured behind his back at the chair, Tyranth appeared. It had seemed he came from nowhere, but it had just been from the deep crouch he had over the bag of 'goodies.' Once he stood up his height, the sheet command of his body, was formidable. His father would always seem like that towering figure. With a paring knife in hand, wiped off on his pant's leg, he approached, "You're right handed, aren't you? Maybe we should start with the left. Or....not at all, if you can get Niropi on the ship."

"Left handed, father," he said casually. Then, looking at him he smiled, "Not a chance, Tyranth, I'm not going to help you. I only help my Matriarch." He was still bold enough to call Niropi his Matriarch, right in front of Tyranth. He looked the soldiers right in their eyes, "And she's your matriarch, too. You are all traitors in my book," he growled at them

"Oh, that's right the left. Wait, what?" He stopped and looked at an empty space in the air and gritted his teeth, "I am doing that, can't you see" Yessss.s....I have him here, everything is under control." Tyranth has started to talk to himself, more than some of the men wanted to openly acknowledge. It got worse when he was emotional, or irritated. Kneeling behind Alek he took the pinky finger of his right hand, "Every ten minutes I'll take a quarter of an inch off your fingers. You think you can read with one hand. Probably. Not a big deal, right?" His laugh barked and the blade met, dug and snipped off the end of his right hand pinky finger.

The weakened state he was under, made Aleksandr feel more pain, when the blade cut his the end of his Pinky finger, he let out a scream, a scream of pain that could freeze anyone's blood. His human scream was mixed with his real Dragon voice, his hands were actually his talons. And somehow it was more painful in that state. After that he was panting and groaning "It won't help Father...I won't say a thing" he growled and roared at him in anger, again, always defiant.

"You sure" Cause she's going to seek me out, anyway, which will have meaned that your suffering would all have been for nothing." It wasn't a heavy sound, the tip of his flesh hitting the floorboards of the deck. It was more like a soft, slouching. It seemed like it should have sounded more significant. That it should have made the floorboards shake when it landed instead of having the weight and sound of a heavy eraser hitting the ground. "I mean....I know she is in Rhy'Din so it's not like I'm searching the entire galaxy for her. Your energy is better saved in battle as a soldier and not an invalid." The blade circled around his finger and clipped it, clearing that pinky finger from his hand at the first knuckle.

Another painful scream, mixed with the agony of his nerves collapsing at the cut. "I won't be part of your madness!" he roared again, spitting right into his face, his back arching as he kept screaming, now he didn't have a pinky nor he could feel it. Yet Aleksandr still laughed "You now...this is just a flesh wound, I know my ways of healing myself" he laughed still in pain.

"People say that, they always say that. It's at the third finger that they start to renegotiate the value of what they are fighting for," he laughed, rubbing the blood off on his pant legs. The short, shpar knife met the bony bulge of his next knuckle before he spoke, "We could make this a game, son. I could ask you little questions and you could answer them. You could tell me that I was warm or cold instead of just telling me where she is. Does that work?" The blade slid into the flesh, caught the bone and clipped into it when he leaned forwar,d justing his weight to crack into the solid calcium, "Every way you know how to heal is a way I knew for you not to. How many years do you think I have done this" Hundreds of years, Alek. I will leave you as a scholar who must use his tongue to turn the pages."

The screams went louder and louder. The pain now unbearable, yet he would still would not yield "You'll die!" he shouted. His human voice again mixing with his screams "When you step into the Dead God Lair, He'll devour your soul" he looked at him "When niropi devours your body...I'll feast on your soul" Tyranth could then see one of the many strange tatoo's he had on his body, it was the symbol of the Dead God "I'm a servant of him father...play all the games you want, but I will laugh at the- Aleksandr: end" the pain returned, making him scream again, he looked at the soldiers "Release me you mongrels! release me or I'll have you executed!!" [

"You know," he said, circling around ot the front of Alek, pointing the bloody blade to him and then tilting his head to the side, "I find that when— SHUT UP!" He yelled at the void of space to his right, where no one stood, then looked back at Alek. Deep breath in. Then out. Okay, let's try this again, "I find that when you threaten and hurt someone repeatedly and they refuse to yeild that there is a secondary option. Do you know what that is?"

"I ignore that...f-father" he said growling. Closing his eyes and chuckling when Tyranth screamed shut up. His madeness amused Aleksandr, glad that he was closer to escape that same fate.

"The best way to hurt someone who doesn't care if they are hurt..." he moved back behind Alek and made two incisions along the side of his pinky finger, "Is to hurt someone that they don't want to see hurt. I'm sure you have someone in your life you don't want to see hurt. I've sure you're dating some dirty blooded woman I could spill my seed in infront of you. Would that help you? Would that help you tell me before I have to do that?" His fingers pinched the flesh, peeling the skin and meat of his pinky finger away from the bone like a glove, drawing it back towards the heart of his hand.

In Lloyd's shop/ home Niropi sat on the couch curled up onto the corner with a glass of wine resting on her knee, fingers lazily holding the thin srtand of the glass steady from falling over. She was dressed in nothing more but one of Lloyds buttoned tops and underwear. Her hair was let down from its tight brade. She was sitting quietly in thought. Something felt off to her, she couldn't quiet put her finger on it. Her flaming eyes were a low dim light allowing a faint hue of their natural blues to shine through. What ever it was, it was making her an unsettling calm that could scare the silence and shadows itself.

Adria had been nestled up in one of the masts of the ships docked in the port. Back rested against the wooden post and legs stretched out and crossed at the ankles. In her lap rested a piece of parchment she ripped from one of the storefront doors. A death notice. Usually those things never caught her attention, but this one did just because of the name: Aleksandr Nyte. With closed eyes, a smile slowly drifted across her lips. Akira's (or Lilith's, depending on which one was controlling the body at present) mate. It brought a slight joy to the demoness to know that the Queen who had stolen her happiness had now been dealt the same circumstance.

She had never met the man so there was little love lost on his demise, but whoever was the one to exact this act...she felt the growing need to shake his hand personally.

They were stacking wood carefully on the ship, on top of fire retardant material. It wasn't unusual to have to bury someone at sea, especially during times of war. They knew how to prepare the wood and materials for the display from the hundreds of years of ceremony. His body was wrapped in something like cheesecloth, with rosemary and thyme to hide the smell of his decomposing body. Once the wood was stacked Tyranth was given a torch. He swallowed, looking over the face of the ocean to the docks. Would Niropi show to see her brother off, or would she lurk somewhere in the dark" He exhaled and began the steady walk towards his wrapped and still— too still— body of his only son.

Ah, yes, the word had definitely gotten around. Lloyd did control most of the information flow among this part of the city, so naturally he'd of found out about the Chuvashian's demise. It caused him to grin, though torn on the idea. His plans were beginning to falter, unravel in the wrong direction. A burning wasn't the idea of Aleksandr's burial. A grumble from the "war room" and made his way down the stairs. Thankfully, wipping his grin away, he looked about, seeing Niropi claim the couch as her own. Funny, he figured she'd of been calmer. He watched for a brief moment, letting his gaze linger before moving to the kitchen and snagging his own glass. Now to decide what to drink.

She did not look away up to Lloyd as he came down the steps, she was blankly staring at the wall, she had no clue of the news, the flame in her eyes was nearly dead, letting those bright blues take full hold. Her free hand rose up to her forehead, running her fingers along her head from hairline back, pulling loose silver strands back. She knew Lloyd had passed and gone into the kitchen. She lifted the wine glass and took a small sip, the silence still blanketing her while she thought, trying to place her thumb onto what was wrong, why she felt an empty void in her that she had never felt before.

Tyranth's torch touched the stacks of wood, which leaped into flames because of the accelerant. He stepped back when the orange and red flames smacked into life and watched them climb, devouring the cheese cloth and dried herbs wrapped around the body.

"Sir?"

He turned to the voice, arching a brow in question.

The soldier continued, "No suspicious activity so far. Everything is in order....no one has seen Niropi or sign of a woman named Akira."

Giving a bored sigh, she stood on the ship's mast and took a step off, quickly sliding into a shadow portal. Perhaps it was time she'd actually check in with the others. She was long overdue since she had ran out into the night a few weeks back and never came back to report.

Wisps of shadows gathered into one of the corner's of the war room before she walked through to stand before a table covered with maps and tactical papers. She spoked in a hushed whisper, "Anyone home?" Glancing about, Adria shifted through the stacks of papers Lloyd had lain about the table seeing if any of the information caught her eye.

The man's white hues glossed over, sparkling almost as soon as Adria had entered his dwelling. This caused him to scowl, quickly pouring a glass of his favored Deanston and moving for his chair. He wouldn't speak yet, not to Niropi, but did decide to have some fun with their visitor. For now, he would sit by, awaiting the Chuvash's time to speak.

In the war room, on the other hand, Adria would find many little notes and scibbles of battle plans, maps, even second hand copies of paterns from Tyrath. Most of the papers were intelligence inclined, being the war room and all, but at the bottom of the stack sat a little black book, one glinting with silver linned edges and spine.

While she sifted the through papers, she looked to the black book and her eyes narrowed slightly. Picking it up, she examined and tilted it in her hands, taking notice of the silver decorating the spine as well as the edges of the pages. Should she open it' Not now. She didn't know when the horrid frostbite of a man would enter the room so she simply tucked it away in her cloak. She moved to the other side of the table, leaning against it and looking over the battle maps.

She had been filled with a sadness all day she could not place. She was no stranger to it, having felt it before. Akira just assumed it was an old wound that occasionally broke open from time to time. She had taken a stroll through the glen in hopes to find a certain someone. No, he hadn't returned yet. Instead she found the company of a little girl she had met some day past. Their encounter that night would be cut short however due to a particular scent in the air. Was that, fire"

She got up to her feet, taking in another breath of air, more fire. She turned this way and that to pinpoint its origin. Her heart sank when she was facing the direction in which the docks were. "No..." The simple word escaping her lips as though the wind had been knocked out of her. "Mirima....I have to go....I..." Without another word she took off. She needed to find her brother.

As she ran through the brush, she felt that pain in her chest again and it made her groan. Akira pushed through and kept on running then stepped into a portal. When she came out on the other end near his shop, she looked as though she had been pulled out of a fire. Wisps of smoke clung to her form, the ink on her back smoldering and glowing as though they would burst into flame at any second. The back of her jacket had been burned off by, something. Other various places of her clothes too were singed and missing.

Out of the portal posted on one of the shops was the announcement. She approached it, her body shaking. When she read the name she fell to her knees. Her fear had been confirmed. It built up inside her, the anger, the anguish, the betrayal. She let out a scream in pain. The next scream was different, pissed off and wanting blood. She rose to her feet and clawed at the paper making her way to Lloyd's shop.

She didn't bother knocking, in she stormed through the door, "LLOYD!" a thundering growl unlike ever had been produced by the little vampiress. "Lloyd!" She screeched, fighting Lilith.

She jumped at her shoulders with surprise clinging her fingers to her glass so she didnt drop it, the girl rushing in caught her attention. Her brows knitted together with wonder of the anger behind Akira's voice, but what made her more concerned was the familiar scent of a ceremony being taken place at sea the burning scent of herbs made her heart sink instantly. " Akira....what is with the yelling" Child, calm down." She ordered.

From a distance the fire was now a roar. In the night it was a blaze. Someone who wasn't aware might have thought that the oil reserve in a ship had been lit and that the vessel would shortly crack and drown in the water. It didn't. The fire grew and grew, at its height ten feet tall before it began to die back down.

Her scream twirling with the bashed open door startled him enough that he dropped his drink, the man shooting to a slightly crouched position. It took a moment to realise the girl was actually who she was and not another trigger-happy lawman. His eyes wide, he rushed over, snagging the little girl's shoulders to have her face him. "Hey, Akira! Calm down! It's alright" He already knew irrational behavior this were to get very bad, very fast.

As Adria continued scouring among the pages and documents, the pocket in which the book were stuffed into may have begun to accumulate static. Slowly it crept in density, but nothing too threatening or more than a balloon. More pages looked through, she would see the idea weren't that of defensive posture with the available hands, not in the slightest. The formations and residence of men show something more like an invasion force, but the scripts of handwriting beside them all focused also on something just as peculiar. They weren't armed with poisons or weapons, but tools for capture..

Dark, abyssal eyes shot over to Niropi, giving her a once over seeing she was in Lloyd's shirt and nothing more. It only added fuel to her fire. When Lloyd tried to take her and calm her down she smacked his hands away and slapped him across his face if he didn't stop her. She stormed over to the dragoness and flung the clawed and singed paper at her, gritting her teeth. "You two have been fucking around all this time, and you let THIS happen!?"

She was fighting Lilith and other things, her shoulders and other muscles tensing, hands balled up into fists, jaw clenched. "I'm sick of this stupid strategy game, I'm finishing this tonight." Without another word she was out the doors and racing down the dock if they didn't stop her.

Once outside, she could smell the flames and the herbs clearly. Crimson stained her face, but she didn't care, she was out for blood.

There were two men on the dock, dressed like civilians. Like Tyranth had ordered, there were others at inns and bars, waiting for the heartbroken to drink and cry over the loss of Alek. Those would-be the tell-tale signs of it all. One of them turned, thinking that he heard someone approaching the docks.

Tyranth watched the flames consume his son crumple in on themselves. Bright, red and yellow licks against the air. Then they dulled, like a gentle glow over the innards and bones of his child.

Her brows furrowed as she felt the pocket in her cloak move. "What in Hades' name..." she muttered under her breath as she looked down and withdrew the book again to look at it. Still holding the wretched book, her head shot up at Akira's screaming in the other room. Hearing Niropi and Lloyd's voices in response, she took that moment to bow out.

Running for the balcony, she jumped in the air and dissolved into black smoke that disappated in the air. She reappeared a little ways away, Lloyd's book still clutched in her hands. This could only end horribly, but Adria had that bad Pandora-complex and that curiousity got her in trouble at time. Looking down at it, she winced as she slowly cracked it open.

Niropi raised a little more in her seated position before the parchment was thrown at her. She finally stood, reaching down to the paper on the ground picking it up and looking it over as she listened to Akira ramble on with anger. Those blue hues that were calm quickly turned to a infernal flame once she read the ripped parchment, seeing the words Aleksandr's death. She let out a soft gasp before crumpling the parchment up in her hands, the paper turning instantly into flame then ash. Her anger was rising quickly. Without a word made a mad dash for the door to see if the scent she smelled was true. She didn't want to believe it, she nearly tripped over her own hair and feet just to make the rush for the door uncaring of her attire.

Eyes rolled back into his head, recovering himself in time to dash out the door. Even as it seemed, he still had to keep people under control. As Niropi could hold her own, but Akira, on the other hand....he had to get her back before she did something terribly moronic. As soon as his eyes set outside, his arm began to glow, frosting over as thick, heavy steam rolled away from him. A wave of that hand, and created an almost slip in slide before his sister, adding a wall at the end to hopefully assist in stopping the woman. As soon as his little speed trap were created the man dashed out after them, his arms sparkling bright blue from the rising ice.

The static on the book began greatly increasing now, but as soon as it'd been broken ajar, the sensation collapsed in on itself. Adria's mind quickly began filling with thoughts not of her own. Words in a female's voice, sly and sultry, one she knew too well as someone of importance. The words spoke heavily with phrases as," Stop her. Don't let her proceed. Danger, halt advance." IF she maintained a hand on the book, visions of Akira running off would surround her thoughts, as if beckoning her to come foreword to them.

It was the two soldiers at the dock that rose and absorbed Akira. No one cried, or looked that distraught, without being involved. Not without knowing the dead and what it meant. As ordered, they descended on her quickly and with little fan fare. Almost instantly transforming, their wings breached the back of their uniforms, stretching to the sky. One man at either arm, their wings beat as they ran, giving her almost no opportunity to battle. She could fight them, or hold onto them as they lifted off the ground. They circled the air and flew towards the fires.

She didn't go too far from the shop to over look the waters off from the dock. She halted and with wide at the fire, the chill of the misty air made steam visible from her flesh as her tempeture grew with more anger and remorse.

"No....no...." she whispered stepping back and looked to lloyd going after Akira before she turned back and looked at the fires out on the waters. A rumble in Niropi's throat preceeded a thunderous cracking that broke the sound barrier when she screamed with fury. The area around her was bursting with a heat wave like a volcano before erruption.The roar turned into a ear-piericing screech before it fell silent to the echoing winds. Her arms came in around her waist when she held herself, trying to calm herself before she lost control. She loved and cared for her brother. She couldn't believe it was true though everything told her that it was.

Akira's hands were free to brace herself for the fall when she slipped on that ice. Steam rolled off her as she slid across and rolled to her back. It all happened so fast, before she knew it, she was taken into the air. "Let go of me!" She wailed at her captors wiggling and trying to break free. She knew they would not let go of her until she was on the ship. Was she giving in? The only thing she gave into was what she had been fighting and she too was then consumed by flame.

Adria shrieked as she felt her mind get invaded by the book, the visions causing her vision to blur and frost over. And then there was a voice, which grated against her nerves. She saw Akira running and the soldiers at the dock waiting for her. By the time she was able to shake the voice and the visions from her mind, Akira had already been grabbed by them. Growling, she slammed the book shut and shoved it back in her cloak and took off for the docks. She would have to beat the shit out of Lloyd and question him about the book later, for now....she had to see what she could do to retrieve the young vampire.

After some time in the Glenn at the Nyte family castle she had taken her time to gather some things she needed. She knew Lloyd had other plans in mind and in motion since little Akira was ripped away to the skies by the soldiers working for her father. The last buckle to her armor piece was made, smoothing out the scales of her titanium and steel infused metal plating. A sigh left her with frustration walking her way out of her room and down the steps to the hall, she was making her way to the landing platform outside so that she could leave. Her hands reaching uo to her long silverish hair starting from the blackend roots and to the fading to silver starting her braid. Once to the plat form she had quickly made a tight finish to her hair, it was easy for her to do so with ease since it was not the first time she had tamed her locks for a war in a rush. Once out to the platform she looked to the storm darkening skies thinking of what was waiting for her at that boat, she was done waiting it was time for her to face her father. Out from her bare shown shoulder blades her thick leathery wings of black ripped from her flesh, and she took flight in a rush, heading back for the oceans and approaching her father's ship quickly. The fire raged in her eyes in a infernal glow, she was ready for this.

The man had remained leaning against the wall in the war room, temperature still far below freezing with his climate control on whim. All the while his eyes were unfocused, sometimes flickering back into his head. Thankfully he'd of known to lock the place up, keeping the outside world away for as long as he needed. Slowly the man began to sink to the ground, still communicating to the demoness on the ship from the book.

Adria's mind flooded with his will, words biting like a chilled wind." You think I would let something so important and dire to me leave just like that' Come now, I didn't think you'd be as dumb as you looked." The tome hummed softly as if conveying a laugh." So do tell, how is it you've come as her servant?" He chimed into her head. Already he'd started tweaking his way toward her memories, though he didn't necessarily mean to. Just his curiosity getting the better of him.

Her dark eyes seemed to glaze over with frost as Lloyd probed her mind and memories. A low growl came from her as her nails clawed into the book's cover, irritated that he had the gall to infiltrate her mind so easily. As hard as she tried to resist his will intertwining with her own, she couldn't stop herself. "As far back as I can remember, I've always been in service to Lilith. I've never known anything else." Her teeth gritted as the response seemed to be ripped from her. She shook her head wildly from side to side, trying to shake his voice from her mind. The instant she'd get control of herself again, she'd go visit the white-haired thorn in her ass and smack him with this damned book that she was starting to regret pilfering from the War Room.

Coming upon the ship quickly in her flight, her flaming hues came to lay on the sinking rubble of what was once the burning corpse of her sibling, but now an ashy, charred mass sinking to the depths. It made her heart ache, but she couldn't allow it to be the focus of her mind. She circled the skies at a distance around the ship. Once she had reached its creaking form, she studied how many men filled the deck and kept their guard. She saw an opportunity near the bow of the ship that had only two guards standing in conversation. She felt no remorse or concern for them as she folded her wings and came to a drop between them, taking the guard to the left of her by snapping his neck in a quick hard twist, then releasing him to send her right hand into the chest of the next guard. He nearly got a hit on her but his fist only stopped inches to her temple. He fiery hues flared up to him as he silently gasped for a moment before dropping dead because she had ripped his heart from his chest. She casually stood straight and began to slowly devour the heart like it where a piece of lava encrusted fruit. The organ glowed for a moment with fire before its light died.

A grumble of discontent. "Honestly, is that all you know" Serve serve serve....Really, you must have something dug up in here." The man's presence started creeping into her consciousness, digging into her mind and moving deeper through thoughts. He really wanted to know now, what did the woman know" Funny, since she held all of his memories in her hand Digging through, the book would humm louder for just a moment, before ceasing along with the constant pressing of her mind. Niropi were noted, from the books perspective, as the intense heat of just her form caused a hazed link with the book, even from this distance.

Meanwhile below deck hidden away in a cage somewhere in the belly of the ship was Akira. She sat in the center of her cell on the dirty ground, legs crossed with her hands at her chest in meditation. Her palms were not pressed together, but rather one with fingers pointing up while the other hand pointed down. They only touched at the wrists if at all. Her aura was dim, a thin dark red outline around her for those who were visually sensitive to it. She was still like a statue, not a single sound came from this one.

One final growl. "Okay, that's it." She squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head again. She stood up on the mast of the ship and stepped off, quickly dissolving into black smoke. Back in the War Room of Lloyd's shop, there was shifting of shadows in one of the corners. Trying to see through the haze of frost that still settled over her eyes, she stumbled upon him sitting on the floor.

She kneeled before him, the book still in her frosted over fingers. From what she could make out, he was still very deep in the psychic connection with her and the book being the catalyst. Silently opening the book and balancing it across her knee, she squinted, trying to make out the words on the pages.

"Man in black. What are your true intentions with my queen?"

He tried fighting his way back into his own body, but as the book were opened, he knew there wasn't going to be fun times coming along. Quickly the humming increased, but the presence of the man faded from her mind. Instead, it reversed, and the pages read as the journal it really were, just a book of shattered memories.

The book read of a tale of corruption and treachery, it would seem. As the man would seem to leave into a deep slumber, the pages would begin to spin a tale of his plan. First it started with the words of his idea for the Queen. Lilith, one he'd known in just a short time, was more of a tool than a person in his eyes. One that needed to be constantly maintained, kept in mint condition. Strange, being how he acted toward her, yet the worst part being he didn't really care for the vampiress, just the body. He did not to have too much more on his mind other than keeping the vessel intact for as long as possible. A few more words were thrown in at the end, something that appeared not of a language understandable, nor human.

She had finished the heart in hand, licking her hand dry of blood and being sure no blood stained around her mouth. She kept herself decently clean for now. Stepping with light steps forward towards the mid of the ship away from the bow. She radiated with heat and her eyes still pierced the blackened night, but she kept herself to the shadows for now till she could speak to her father. She smelt Akira below, she could only hope the child was still alive.

It was hard to define 'alive' when it came to the vampires, but for the sake of it, she was very much alive. Tyranth had not chained her or touched her other than the small little spat they had on her arrival. It wasn't like when Thex had taken her captive. He might as well have given her the key to the cell though being surrounded by shadows, she had no use for a key. There were no signs of magic wards either, only two guards who looked very tired. Akira could feel them dozing off and so she thought she would give them a little nudge. The girl began to sing a soft little lullaby until they fall over, out cold. A grin pulled at the corner of her lips.

As he faded from her mind, the frost covering her eyes dissolved. Lloyd and the book came back into sharp focus. Black eyes quickly dropped to the pages and began reading of his plans. Every now and then her head would jerk up to look at him with a new shade of disdain before dropping back down to read further. While she held no love in her dark heart for what would happen to her queen, she did feel some level of concern for the small vampire, Akira. As far as Adria saw it, Akira was an innocent that didn't ask to be the chosen vessel for Lilith's ressurection. And seeing as she was Lloyd's little sister, she was surprised that he didn't see her that way. Just an instrument for his solitary mission.

Adria muttered the written words aloud before reaching the end. It looked to be a dead dialect of some sort. If she had more time, she could maybe be able to decipher it. But for now, she kept scanning each page, wanting to learn more of his machinations.

The more she read into the pages, the more she'd realized he wasn't just a normal human as he'd advertised. Hell, the man's sense of humor and plans for the near future alone show that much, just by the malice the words held. He aimed for destruction through deceit, misery and pain for everyone, even the death of many close individuals. Honestly, the way everything was written in the pages, nobody actually could be considered close to him. He kept a log as if all personnel around him were really just tools of their own.

Down through the next page, the man would stir. Obviously he seemed to be coming back to, but still very groggy and heavily sedated through something.

Again, the pages went on about Lilith now, saying that she weren't strong enough. Now it spoke of something more relatable. Words showed he cared more for her now, not like that of a tool. As a later entry, Adria would notice there were no longer a bar on his words, speaking from what could be considered his frozen heart. The words were beginning to melt in texture, shifting and running down the page. At the last part, she would easily notice a scribbled out paragraph.

Lilith needs power, not having to be strong enough for the throne. A shame, from all the time we've spent preparing her. She needs more souls, not like this common rabble she feast upon. Funny, I may have to give myself up if necessary. Hopefully this will not come to pass. For now, we will give the three beings of the most power. Tyranth and Aleksandr shall be first, that way, there won't be any more trouble. Then comes the fun part, watching the heart and soul of the one, the only shred before my eyes. Pray I get to see her fall apart.

The words stop there, having gotten far too gone to make any sense. The man continued to move around, slowly letting eyes flicker, an attempt to wake himself.

Now, she was free to do as she pleased without those guarding eyes on her. Akira stood opening those dark eyes before she stepped into one of the shadows and faded from sight; not that anyone was around to see.

When she stepped out into view, she didn't make any attempt to hide. Not really, just a simple glamor spell that would let her move about the ship as though she were one of the many soldiers. It was a somewhat complex spell for the girl, but for the dark one residing in her, it was child's play. Lilith, now moved about observing and listened in on any conversation she could to gain whatever information would come to her.

As Niropi waited in the shadows another solider passed her by her little hiding spot while waiting for her father. She quickly reached out, like a snake grabbing hold of its pray, snapping his head to the side. She broke his neck, paralyzing him but keeping him alive. She hadn't fed from Lloyd recently and she knew she needed her strength for what may come. She was an instant latch to the man's throat drinking his blood, draining his veins dry.

Her hands shook as she held the book, sitting on the floor near the slumbering man. "I can't believe it..." her voice trembled as she read his words, dark eyes flicking to him, shaking her head, "...I knew you were more than you were letting on."

She moved to kneel on one knee, still holding the book while her free hand went to a dagger she had strapped to her thigh. With Niropi gone and Akira locked in the bowels of the ship, she had her perfect opportunity to strike. She didn't want Lilith to rise to power. She wanted the woman to suffer for what she had done to her centuries ago. She would have justice. She would have vengeance. This ice cube of a nuisance wanted Lilith to increase her power" Oh, hell no.

As she leaned closer to Lloyd, careful not to make a sound, she held the dagger up. Light caught the blade ever so slightly as she was about to plunge it into his chest. But the flickering of his eyes caught her off guard and startled her and she dropped the blade, the metal clanging across the floor. Shit. She never messed up like this. But she knew his secrets now. She at least had that settling in her favor.

His eyes shot awake, instantly the clattering brought him from any trance he could have been in. His hand balled up, a reaction maybe? Two small blades protruded from his wrists, filling the insides with a murky red liquid tinged with silver. Quickly he threw himself to the side, holding hands defensively upwards and pointing the spikes at the woman before him. The temperature quickly plummeted down to a far negative, a perfect cold point for the man in black.

Once he'd had a chance to take the surroundings in, white hues landed on the blade to the ground. A snarl crossed his lips, sending the heat of the room lower and lower.

It was a good thing she wasn't sensitive to temperatures, or her situation would not be very pretty. As soon as she saw him jump to his feet, she did the same. Taking a couple steps back, she held her hands up, one still holding the silver gilded journal in her right hand.

"Easy there, Frosty." Black eyes leveled as they glared into white hues. An amused smirk tugged at a corner of her mouth. Waving the journal at him, the smirk turned into a dark grin. "Boy, are you full of deep dark secrets..." Pacing back and forth like the cat that caught the canary, she reopened the book and flipped through the pages, not looking at anything in particular.

No one was talking. She found her way to the lord's quarters but it would seem that area was restricted with magical wards. She hissed and retreated back to the cell. She laid in a corner and decided to let the body rest.

Back at the shop a shadowy figure began to take form in the lower corner of the room Lloyd and Adria were in. The form watched for a moment.

Still in his shop, Lloyd watched the pacing demoness before him. "Adria, what are you doing with that, anyways" Didn't your parents ever tell you not to take things that don't belong to you?" A half smile crossed him, letting the man in black slowly regain posture and make his way across to the other side of the table, keeping it between them.

"And also," with more of an incriminating tone, "why do you constantly think it's a good idea to come into my house" Seriously, woman, do you not know the word privacy?" A scoff now, though didn't let his guard down for a moment. He debated using the book against her, forcing his way into her mind just like the previous time, but decided that wasn't a very wise idea. For now he'd just watch, and wait for a moment to pull his own trick.

Frost began to cling to her exposed hair as the temperature of the room had dropped. As she exhaled, Adria saw the visible cloud of her warm breath in the frigid air. While temperatures usually didn't affect her, the current sub zero state of the room was beginning to make her joints ache. Flashing Lloyd a coy grin, she stopped her pacing to stand directly across from him on the other side of the table, resting her hands on it and leaning forward.

"I never knew my parents, actually..."

Finally she took the book and tossed it on the table, the leather tome making a dull thud as it dropped and caused papers to scatter off of it. "...and while your little diary was a good read, I'm afraid it just isn't Best Seller material."

She leveled her obsidian gaze at Lloyd, "Aw, that hurts my feelings. You mean we're not friends and I have no invitation to be here?" she feigned hurt and disappointment for a moment. "Too bad. I'm a thief. It's what I do."

He smirked, turning to a fought back, single chuckle. "Because you're a thief, and you want things. I totally forgot." Scooping up the book, he returned to the nightstand to replace it exactly where it originally lay, fixing the corner with a small nudge.

"And another thing, it isn't a diary. It's a blank book. And I thought I was crazy." A huff, looking back now with hands on his hips. The temperature of the room stayed that constant cold. He liked it this way, as did nobody else. Back to the table his steps led him, boots crunching on a frozen paper, stiff as a board.

The little spikes on his hands finally melted away, letting the collection of murky red inside fall harmlessly to the ground. Instead of the blood splattering however, it shattered, and the pieces fell like glass from his hands.

Adria watched as he retrieved his book and returned it to its resting place. Moving to lean her hip against the table, the demoness folded her arms across her chest as she studied Lloyd as he moved about the room, then to the spikes as they dissolved.

"So, now what?" she shook her hair, causing pieces of frost to crackle and fall to the ground. "Are you going to attempt to freeze me to death?"

Adria's new knowledge that she read from his book was a powerful thing. If she really wanted to make a mess of things and screw up his plans, she could easily teleport out of the war room and reveal his plans to his friends. But for now, she'll see if he had a better bargain to offer her.

Narrow eyes now watched the woman." No, I figured I'd just let you go run off and act like nothing happened. There's no point in killing you yet, you still amuse me." Lloyd leaned away from the table with a toothy grin." If anything, I'd just get Sir Alassien to come play with you, seeing as how you adore him so much." He let out a chuckle, looking to the small suit of armor in the corner briefly before snapping back to the other.

"But, none the less, I will forgive your petty thieving. Just leave my affects alone from now on." It seemed from his tone alone, he was playing stupid on the whole "plans" part, not knowing of anything that was written in the book. An interesting thing however, he didn't give away any sense of fear or nervousness.

At the mention of Thex, Adria gave an involuntary full-body shiver but quickly composed herself to stand strong. Her brow furrowed as she watched him dismiss her actions so quickly. How....odd.

Slowly she came around the table to stand next to him, but still a safe distance away. Her eyes flicked to his armor then back to him, "That's...it' You're just going to sweep that under the carpet' What if I run off and tell Akira and Niropi of your plans?" Adria's response was puzzling even to herself. He was letting the whole situation go, and she was throwing a tantrum because he wasn't responding the way she wanted" Oh god, this demon definitely needed to take a vacation from her job soon...

Now he slowly rose a chilled hand, though compared to the current climate setting he probably felt like thermos. Lloyd placed his hand to her forehead and rose a brow. "Are you daft, or ill" I said I have no plan, and know nothing of what you're talking about. You feel a bit warm, though, sure you don't need to go lie down?"

He stepped away once more, off to the bed to scoop up a paper that fell underneath it, snapping it as he placed a bit too much pressure on the middle. A frown, and tossed it into the trashcan, letting out a metallic ring and another shatter.

"And by plans, are you talking about my marriage proposal?" His eyes went wide. "Oh dear, please don't make me kill you over something like that. We need a flower girl." He glared now, dropping the temperature more still just at the thought.

Her jaw dropped open as she was baffled by what just happened. Adria knew what she had read in that book of his and all of the nefarious plans he intended. Now Lloyd was treating her like she had completely lost her mind. And she would have broken that hand of his for touching her if he didn't quickly move away to grab the paper under the bed.

All she could do was stare at him. The fact that she had the look of daggers in her eyes directed at him was of little import. "Marriage proposal, my demonic ass. I'm not that touched in the head, you bastard."

Lloyd quickly shushed her, loudly and held up his hands. "Dammit, woman! Put a lid on it! If she finds out, they'll both ream my ass. I don't need my dick getting peeled like a banana because someone found out before Akira." Whatever facade he held up, he played rather well. Almost like he himself believed she were talking about this very topic.

"Please.." He begged, clasping his hands together. "Please don't tell them, I really want to have kids at some point, and I have to have my parts to do it." He frowned.

"I....you? what...?" she had raised her hands up as if she was going to choke him but immediately let her arms fall to her sides.

She heaved an exasperated sigh. What kind of trip was he on at the moment' Adria still knew what she read and she was going to keep that information to herself until the right moment came along to use it to her benefit. If he wanted to believe in his ice cube for a brain that she meant anything about a marriage proposal, then so be it.

"You have lost your goddamned mind, Lloyd." she shook her head and pinched at the spot between her brows, feeling a headache coming on.

"Thank you Adria." He sighed, utterly relieved. "I promise, you don't have to be the flower girl." In a quick and sudden rush, the heat began rising in the room, back to a normal persons hospitable temperature. Funny, how such a thing as emotion could put a place in such a bad condition for habitation.

Regaining full posture, Lloyd smiled a little, turning back and moving to the table to dust off the papers. A low chuckle rumbled from the man as his back was turned, seemingly finding something funny or ironic. Back to the journal he went, scooping it up to inspect it.

"So how did you enjoy the empty pages, Adria?" Glancing back as he popped open the cover.

She did not enjoy being toyed with, not in the least. "They. Weren't. Blank." she responded through gritted teeth. Her hands at her sides balled up into fists.

She moved around him and snatched the book from his hands, shaking it at him without opening it, "When I opened it I saw writing in here!" She was beginning to sound like a madwoman, but she was trying to stay true to what she saw. But with his mind games beginning to weigh on her, she was slightly beginning to doubt herself now. Adria opened the book, flipping the pages to show him.

When she did, she would see more writing, different now. The pages seemed stained in blood, pouring from the top to reveal words running with the same crimson. Now they spoke of an interesting time.

"Perfect, people have been calling me stranger names now. They see me all as a leader. Jokes on them, they want to see this revolution through, for the change of a new Russia. I say whatever, my time here is at a stagnation anyways. What's not great than to take a few unsuspecting a*holes from their mortal bodies, to devour the heart and soul of the masterminds of the end" No matter, this day will get a little better, but how to do it' Should I wipe the memories" Or maybe just poison their drinks?" No, I should try that new trick Viktor taught me, and choke them with their own shadow! Ah, the looks on their faces, and not a moment soon. Who'd of known a Lasombra bloodline could be so fantastic! Maybe, just maybe, I could even get Lenin....No, no. The man is too valuable, and he does tell a good joke from time to time."

The man peered over her shoulder, looking at the page and pointing a flat hand at the words. "See" There isn't a thing there!" Lloyd huffed, turning about and heading to the balcony. Outside he went, standing against the railing and gritting his teeth. She didn't believe him, that he saw nothing there. "No clue why I keep it though, other than the basic idea of being able to see through it, and mess with people."

Her eyes widened as she held the open book in her hands, the words seeming to come to life and appear on the pages in blood. Black eyes quickly scanned the paragraph and she flinched when Lloyd pointed to the book saying there wasn't anything there.

She stayed silent as he moved out to the balcony, closing the book but still holding onto it with a tighter grip this time, holding it against her chest. Adria glanced over to where he stood and her voice dropped lower than a whisper, "I saw words" I-I saw them. I read them just now..." She went silent for a moment, her mind trying to process what she just read.

"I" I-I'll take it." Her voice was still soft and she sounded a little dazed as her eyes fixed on the floor. She was Pandora with the box. But this time that box was a book, and every time she opened that book and read it, there was more evil that she learned.

From the corner of the room where she had been hidden in the shadows, Lilith stepped forward when Lloyd stepped out of the room. He had seen her in this form before, but not Adria. Lilith was a shadowy thing with specks in the darkness that made her look like she was made of white noise, or perhaps the dark heavens themselves. She was just a silhouette of a woman as she approached Adria. "He doesn't remember." She whispered to the demoness coming to stand next to her. "I saw the words too. There's a spell, that's why he can't see what is written in the book. At least, not until he is fully awakened."

A growl. "No, Adria, you cannot keep it. It's mine, I have to have it around." He hadn't heard or seen Lilith, not yet at least. Hands went to rest on the balcony causing the metal to freeze on contact. The man hadn't done much more than sit and think. Lloyd knew of one other person to touch the book, it was in fact the demon queen, yet....She hadn't said such words. Adria must be going insane....Wait....Insanity could work to his advantage. He began moving up with more ideas, plotting and scheming.

Adria slowly nodded to Lloyd, "I understand." Before going to take a step forward, she froze upon hearing the familiar female voice. Lilith. Slowly pivoting on her heel, she turned to see the static figure at her side. As Lilith explained, Adria shook her head to shake off the haze that clouded her mind.

The demoness tucked her chin to her chest as she closed her eyes, "My queen." As her chin lifted and eyes reopened, Adria gave Lilith a puzzled look, "...fully awakened?"

Lilith lifted a finger to her own lips. "Shhh. It's all in the book. All in, the blood." The woman's figure appeared to turn to look out in Lloyd's direction before turning back to Adria. "Be careful with that book and keep a close eye on him." Then she looked back out the window in the direction of the docks. Lilith was still and quiet for a long moment. "I must get back, something's wrong..." with that the figure flickered away and she was gone.

The man remained silent, though her voice caused him to pique from his thoughts. Slowly he turned about, glancing back and raising a brow. "Did you say something?" A faint tap of fingers against that icy rail. By the time the man did look back, Lilith had already left, leaving the two alone yet again.

She watched Lilith's figure flicker away and she thought on what Lilith had said. The spell was in the blood. Adria looked down at the book once again, a hand hovering over the cover again. Her head shot back up when Lloyd finally spoke, remembering Lilith's warnings, she shook her head at him. "Uh, no."

Still holding the book, Adria finally joined him out on the balcony. She tucked a lock of hair behind her ear and turned to look at him, "Shouldn't you be joining Niropi and Akira out there?"

That brought a sudden shake of his head. "No, I shouldn't. If I go there, we may have a drowned vampiress. I would honestly just sink the boat, but she had to go get captured." A sigh. "Always ruining my plans. Damn that girl." What plans indeed did he talk of, though' The words in the book contradicted everything he'd been saying. A strange coincidence, or was this spell really affecting him. Lloyd stared off for a moment in thought.

Though as he realized she was actually next to him, he rose a brow and held out a hand. "Please, if you don't mind. I'd like the book back. It's sentimental." A nervous smile.

"Why would you want to keep around an old blank book for?" She knew it wasn't blank, but for all he knew, it was void of any writing.

Lloyd grumbled, back to both hands on the railing again. "I don't know why, but I feel it's my vice. That it's something I need to have, just to have, yano' Like a lucky charm I guess....Why do you ask?" He turned now, leaning back against the banister and crossing arms, giving her an incriminating look.

She looked down at the book then slowly over to Lloyd. A coy smile pulled at her lips, "What'll you give me for it." her nails tapped along the cover as she held the book. She moved to stand a bit farther down the railing from him.

Once more he scowled. "How about I won't poison your next drink" Ask Akira or Lilith what I did to the little woman named Celia. She screamed for a long while, and the fire was amazing." Again he offered out his hand. "Please, Adria. You're really starting to give me a headache."

A roll of her eyes was her response. She turned to face back into the war room where she threw the book across the room, causing it to hit and tumble across the large table. When it finally landed, it fell open to some random page, before a breeze came through the room to rustle the pages around.

"Fetch." She growled at him. Adria knew she was dancing with fire (well...ice, in this case), but his flippant attitude and mind games were exhausting her. One of these days, if she let him live that long, she was going to go completely mental and kill him. Oh how delighted she'd be when that day finally came.

He didn't know the power he contained and perhaps Lilith was right. Be careful with the book and make sure to keep an eye on him.

Once the book hit the ground, he snarled, clenching a fist tightly. Nothing more went through his head than to take a swing, just one, good one....but he knew better than that. Slowly he made his way into the room, footsteps leaving perfect molds of ice where his boots touched the floor. Standing over the book, he slowly dusted it off, picking it up and inspecting for damage.

Another idea came to mind, one that could potentially get the woman back. She had talked about his plans, he knew of the marriage he'd planned, so why wouldn't he want to get something in return. Slowly he returned, taking his time. Oh the sweetest smile before offering the book back.

He only said one thing with the smile, something absolutely sarcastic.

"Woof?

She immediately picked up on the sarcasm and the oddly forced smile on his face which caused her to immediately cross her arms in front of her. Raising an arched eyebrow she looked at him, unamusement darkening her features. "Now, why would you give it back to me when you were grouching like a toddler to get it back?"

Adria wasn't that stupid. Giving a small hop, she moved to perch on the railing of the balcony.

"Well, Demon, obviously you want it, so here. I figure I'd hand it over peacefully. A change of heart if you will." He smirked still holding the book out.

"Come now, you don't honestly think I don't keep my word about things now, do you? If I didn't know any better, I'd say you're acting a bit odd." He gave a glare

Her eyes flicked from the book to him and back to the book again. Finally, she squinted at him, "I'M acting odd" You seriously want to give me your sentimental possession because you had "a change of heart?" Puh-lease." she scoffed.

As much as she was trying to deny it, Adria wanted the damned thing. If only to figure out that spell. A spell written in blood couldn't be that horrible and cataclysmic, could it"

Lloyd smirked and took a step back inside. "No, I want you right there, actually. I just needed a distraction." With that, he reached out, closing both the doors and pulling the curtains across the window. Kind of a d*ckish thing to pull, but she had begun to annoy him, and he needed sleep. He were feeling a bit off anyways, under the weather. A triumphant little smile, and he went to the bed, flopping down and scouring through the blank pages. He really didn't know why, but it felt relaxing.

Though, his mind wandered to the thought of everyone else moving about with glee. He gave a laugh to the thought. They were going to get themselves killed, without him needing to do anything. The only thing he'd do different would be to go himself, just to watch the fireworks...Maybe catch the thing on fire if he could"

Her face scrunched up in anger when he slammed the double doors in her face, locking her out on the balcony. "Why you son of a...." She jumped off the railing and kicked at the door, but it didn't budge. Growling, she gave it a final kick before she twirled around and jumped to stand on the railing.

"Just you wait, ice boy...I'll unlock that damn spell and watch you destroy everything you hold dear. Including yourself." She smiled as she had a good photographic memory and remembered the words sprawled across the pages in blood. With one last glance over her shoulder at the closed doors, she jumped, turning into black wisps of smoke.

Niropi's landing, her sudden entrance, was one he met with a quick and immediate violence. It had to be careful, it had to be calculated. With Alek's death and Akira's imprisonment, Tyranth had been anticipating Niropi's arrival. Upon her landing, a shrill of a horn blown, something that rolled through the ship and over the water, sent word that there were intruders. No surprise there. Half the soldiers had slept in their garb and came to their feet, slightly disoriented at first, but then sprung to action. The chaos was controlled and meaningful, like ants scattering. Each soldier knew what to do.

In the end, it was the mage who had struck her from afar. Niropi's body went stiff and then folded to the floor of the ship at the bottom of the stairs.

All the while, Akira watched from her cell. The taste of ash and blood still potent in her mouth. Something was happening. She should have cared, felt something, but instead she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand with a cold and blank expression. The darkness of her eyes began to seep over her lids like ink and stained her flesh where it was not already soiled. Lilith had returned to her.

Above deck, the man watched as the guards swarmed the woman, the battle was actually pretty interesting to see. But in the end, the Chuvashian couldn't hold her own against the magic users. Were that not the same way he'd managed to defeat her himself" Smiling now, Lloyd took a deep breath. Those claws of frigid ice helped him move down the mast, stopping to watch various patterns of each guard. The men here were smart, traveling in pairs at the least, constantly watching the others back. Grinning madly, he knew this would be a fun challenge, maybe even better than getting into the castle.

Once a few more soldiers passed by, he finally made it to the ground, feet hitting with no more than a soft thud. Being sure to keep his form low he swiftly moved for a stack of crates to the side. White hues scoured around more taking in every piece of the surrounding.

Somehow, the man began to wonder where the storages were. More importantly, where did the men take the Chuvash' Lloyd had plans for her, plans beyond what he'd let on. A grin, knowing just how amusing the whole situation really was. In his hands, he focused the air about, drawing the humidity into two strangely curved daggers, both steaming like his flesh. Now was the time to move and let the real fun begin.

"My chambers, put her in my chambers," Tyranth directed the soldiers when it came to Niropi. They looked uneasy, largely because many of them had known her as she'd grown up. They had known her as an alley and future leader, not a fugitive. When Tyranth picked up on their hesitation, there was grit and fire in his teeth. The fate of his empire was teetering and the room to play games and go about things with formality was over. There had to be an heir, the kingdom had to be saved.

"I said my chambers!" It made the boards vibrate with the bass of his voice when he bellowed. The soldiers who had given pause as to whether or not they should handle her body were strengthened by the conviction in his voice. Four of them gathered her up, lifting her off the ground with one of them at each corner of her. It was like a funeral procession, carrying her up the stairs and to the captains' room, which belonged to Tyranth while he was on board. One man tied her hands behind her back against a support beam in the back of the room. This must have happened before, there were iron fixtures in place that showed wear from its previous victims.

Niropi had not expected the mage to use a spell, it was a somewhat new tactic her father sprung on her. Down to the floor she went, soon enough being carried away by their driven fear of Tyranth. Now bound to a post, her form slumped with her head hung low still in her state of forced slumber.

Downstairs, Tyranth exhaled and then looked to Akira, "You did well as bait." His attention moved to the mage, "On the morrow, kill her. She's done being useful to me."

Back above deck, the demoness had perched herself up in the crow's nest of one of the nearby ships, casually observing at the commotion below on Tyranth's ship. Armed with her bow and arrow, dark eyes narrowed to the deck where she saw some movement happening. Niropi was being carried by a group of guard towards the main cabin of the vessel, followed by a few other guards for extra security.

Giving a bored sigh, she nocked the arrow in the bow and pulled the bowstring taut. Her eyes focused on one of the guards that was lingering behind the group that carried Niropi. Before Adria released the arrow to find its mark, something caught her eye on the mast. Lloyd. She gave a disgusted groan and an eye roll as she watched him.

Turning her attentions to the guard, she let that arrow fly, hitting its target square in the forehead. Cheering silently to herself, she slung the bow back over her shoulder before she began to contemplate whether or not she wanted to get on that ship...

Akira gave Tyranth a half hearted curtsey then a chuckle. "Don't waste your seed on that one. She'll never provide you with the heir you seek." She said flatly, not a care or worry about the planned demise in the horizon set for her. "You really don't know who I am do you?" Another chuckle crossing her arms and shaking her head at the man. Poor soul, it wasn't his fault he was clueless of Lilith's presence.

"How do you mean?" It was enough of a line that Tyranth was giving her pause. His eyebrows came together in a tight expression, studying her face as if he could detect the lie. "You are the wayward blood my son was stupidly smitten with. What else?" She had about three minutes to convince him of her value. His thumbs hooked in the front of the belt of his pants while he looked at Akira. It wasn't unlike the way a man eyed a promising piece of livestock, which wasn't far from the truth.

She came to the bars casually taking hold of one. "What if I told you, that I could help you bring an heir of great power. Power that only belongs to the gods. Imagine what sort of legacy will come to the kingdom of Nyte." She fixed her eyes on his, if he met her gaze and let her into his mind, she would show him what that might look like, that power, a thriving kingdom with a god for a king.

"How could that be," he snorted, "You are not of my bloodline, our child will be a weak mongrel..." His eyes looked watery and red rimmed, as if he had not been sleeping much, or well. It was all the talking that had begun to be a problem for him. There were many voices, letting him know what should be done and how. Tyranth's jaw tightened and then relaxed, "Leave her," he told her guards, "If Niropi is as infertile as she is weak, she may be of use to me, yet."

In the mean time, Lloyd continued on his mission. Two more men rounded the corner, this made the man lunge foreword. Both blades pierced deep through the men's armor. Instantly the bodies solidified, completely freezing over, before even a scream could be uttered, leaving the once living soldiers as crisp statues of ice. Releasing the blades, he softly pushed them over the edge. Back into his corner to make sure he weren't compromised, Lloyd froze in place at the hiss of an arrow soaring through the air. Seeing a guard drop, he followed the trajectory back up the mast. Raising a brow to see the demoness, he scoffed, before moving back toward the ships lower quarters.

He had to get to Akira, and fast. A vessel such as herself were only easily protected if he could be there to do it. Part of him wanted Floyd to come back, have the little critter go awry, but that price wasn't one he'd be willing to pay, not again. Down below the deck he went, creating two more blades as he swiftly melded back to the shadows.

With the promise of another day to live, Akira settled back into the cell as Tyranth and his men retreated for the night. She still had a job to do, keep Niropi alive; and safe. She would not have her tainted by the man. The girl would begin to formulate ways to go about this. Then, she smelled it, the fresh scent of the ocean with a touch of spice. A grin pulled at the corner of her lips. Akira stepped back into the dark corner of the cage; there she would wait.

Tyranth didn't like the idea that Niropi might not bear the young necessary to secure the throne. He was already struggling with what he had to do to make sure that there would never be a chance for Alek to return. Since his son's powers had grown, the probable things he had done and could do to secure his existence were numerous. Tyranth had to take every precaution into consideration.

In his chambers he sat at his table, temporarily unaware of Niropi's presence. The past two days had been taxing. There was a buzzing in his ear, a voice that coerced him, "Yes....yes....I know." He snapped, looking in a direction where there was no one.

Slowly Niropi started to stir. Her legs began to curl in to her form. She instinctively stretched her fingers out, fingers that had gone numb from the tight ropes that bound her wrists. She let out a groan of a dry throat, and lifted her head slowly. Fiery hues almost near dimmed to show the blues behind the flames. Niropi started to gain her vision from the shadows, she could start making things out a little clearer now. "Nmmm...."

It was the sound from her that reminded him that she was there. Tyranth's eyes ticked away from the table and then to her, smiling, "Princess, you've finally come home. You must be so relieved. You can live out your destiny now....there doesn't need to be anymore fighting, anymore arguing." He cleared his throat and then moved over to Niropi and crouched in front of her, "I took care of the problem with Alek, everything is happening exactly the way it needs to, princess. It's been a long journey for you but....I'm so glad you've come around." He reached for his belt to undo it, but it wasn't for that singular, revolting purpose, to begin to fashion a gag for her.

Her ears rang for a moment in her groggy state before she heard the tantalizing voice of her father. Her eyes brightened once more with their fire, an orange glow illuminated her pale flesh of her cheeks. Her teeth gritted firmly baring them for him to see those gripping fangs. His close proximity to her and the words he spoke to her made her sick to her stomach. "Go die in a frozen tundra..." She hissed.

When she told him to go die in a tundra he reached out, stroking the side of her face, "I know you have been ill, lately. It will be good to help purge you of that. Tomorrow night will be our first union, the beginning of our steps to make an heir. I'm going to make sure it will be an evening you won't forget."

She kicked her foot up at his chest hard and heavy to shove him away as he touched her cheek, she did miss her fathers touch, but not in the way he implied it with the talk of a night she wouldn't forget in the objective to make an heir. "I, would much rather die and take the future of our kingdom down with me then to submit to your sick tradition." she hissed. "You had grandchildren, and you killed them both just because they where human blood!" She knew her children where safe out there in the world but she would never let him know that. If it came down to it, she would sacrifice her own life to ensure their safety, along with that of Lloyd and Akira.

"You've gotten....corrupted by the outside world and their influence. This is the way it has always been, nothing needs to change. We just need to stick with our traditions and they will see us through the hard times." It was in this moment that Tyranth wrapped his belt around her head twice, the tail tucking in on itself behind her head. The leather was stiff and thick, forcing her mouth open and her teeth to sink into it. There wasn't enough space for her jaw to get the momentum to bite through it. Maybe given a few days and a lot of time she could have.

"Human blood isn't what this throne needs child. For a leader to be successful....they can't have a crew of half siblings trying to kill them for power." He stroked the side her face, his other hand moving to her foot that had remained planted on his chest from when she had kicked him. "You're going to need to save your strength." It's all better now, love. I'm here. You're not ready to lead" you just need to let someone with more experience handle this. You fell for this very....obvious trap, right?" he looked around himself and then back to her, "You knew you shouldn't have come here and sometimes you have to learn things, the hard way."

Niropi didn't bother to kick and thrash any more when he was putting the belt around her head and into her mouth, all she did was glare and growl like a beast, ready to kill. However, she knew it wasn't time just yet, she'd wait for the right moment, and this was not it. The slit pupils of her eyes grew small and focused on him, her chest began to glow a bright red and orange, a flame was building up in her lungs and it slowly crept up her throat.

There wasn't much Akira could do from where she was being held below deck. She knew the mage had been ordered to put up wards to keep her from getting out, but surrounded by all the shadows, Akira would not have to go anywhere. The girl settled herself in the center, kneeling and facing south. A soft whisper followed by a weaving off her hands to bring forth a shadow to her.

The shadow began to take form after a series of swirls. It flattened itself like a thin sheet of tinted glass. With this shadow glass Akira created a window in the shadows for her to keep an eye on Niropi.

Akira repeated this process until she had a visual on Adria and Lloyd as well. There in her cell, she watched them all.

The man drew in a long, rugged breath. There was a strange tinge to the air, something that reminded him of home. Were it of royalty, or the sheer intent of blasphemy' Onward he worked, taking careful mental note of each turn under the deck. A few guards having been dispatched in his short time, but even as Lloyd removed one, two more would sure enough be rounding the corner. Again he repeated the process; a stab, freezing them from their core and moving them deeper into the shadows. A few doors were passed, thinking not to open them in fear of blowing his cover.

Rounding a corner, he noted two men standing just at the middle of a long hallway. Eyes went large, quickly folding back to the corner and peering around. Lloyd studied the men, debating how to approach this situation indeed. Perhaps he should return in a moment, to ensure his main objective weren't compromised and executed on the spot. Frowning, he slunk backwards, taking himself deeper into the ship. He needed to find Akira, and fast.

Akira was in the heart of it. If Lloyd had any means of sensing or detecting magic, that might have been a clue, nearly a vibration that would rumble and warn him as he got closer and closer to where she was held. One level below the deck, three cells present and only one holding her. There were two soldiers at the entrance of her cell and another two at the stairs that lead down.

The bodies from before, the ones that had been drained, lurked like stage props in the background of it. Soon the smell of their decay would force Tyranth to do something about it.

In the mean time, he was in his quarters, sequestered away from the smell of death and the stink that was there. Niropi was beginning to perk up, which was a promising sign for him.

It was not the smell of the decomposing bodies that bothered her, it was more the smell of the dried up blood that made her stomach turn. Partial armor was conjured, her face guard to mask most of the smell so she could focus. She grit her teeth while focusing on the screen that showed her the happenings between Tyranth and Niropi. The other two that hovered on either side were momentarily neglected.

"Damn.", Lloyd thought silently to himself, feeling that hum in the air, the static about them. Somehow it brought him a sense of familiarity, something that Dante would always carry about him, even the food at the table. Strangely enough, he stopped once reaching a few crates near the entrance to the stairs. Here he had to debate, go in like an asshole, kill what he could and get knocked around, or, try and sneak through.

No, he couldn't sneak, they were too well prepared for something like that. "Though, maybe, I could..." Ideas began forming once more in the masterminds head. Two more daggers formed, yet these filled with a small amount of murky red liquid. Ruggedly he exhaled, before rushing about the corner, sprinting quickly for the two nearest guards before him.

The first of the blades were sailed forewords, shattering against the man's armor. Quickly his body would ice over, almost as if a flash freeze to his flesh and organs turning to that temperature of even the coldest reaches of the tundra. The other guard, however, he merely rushed upon him, that clawed hand aiming to block the expected weapon swing, his knife aimed for the jugular. Catching the blade with a grin, he snapped it in two, letting the metallic ring course throughout the area. That dagger digging deep into his flesh, it quickly absorbed into his form, causing a similar, horrifyingly excruciating effect as the one before.

The man in black simply strutted past, claws reforming to their full size, encasing his pale hands and moving through the stairs out for the last two by the cage.

The two men were warned by the scuffle. The one on the left whimpered and then charged the man who had dispatched the other two as viciously as he had. Then the other reached for his belt, putting the horn to his lips and blowing as hard as he could into the shrill trumpet.

She was like a caged lion, just doing her own thing and not caring about the guards that stood watch over her. Dirty fingers touched the dark screens, moving this way and that as thought she were rearranging things. She would swipe her hand to the left, then to the right. Bring both hands to the center then out to the corners leaning in closer, zooming in to various points into the scene. She wanted to see their faces.

Movement to Lloyd's screen pulled her attention noting his location and his progress. A quick glance to Adria's screen, seeing through her eyes what she saw. "Good" Akira thought, then turned her focus back to the Tyranth and Niropi show.

There was movement from the guards closest to her, then that blaring horn. It pulled her attention away form the screens, causing them to flicker for a few seconds. Her hands snapped to her ears to shield them from the sudden sound.

A man charging" Not wise. Lloyd simply walked foreword, waiting for the man to come closer. With nothing more than a fluid sidestep, he snagged the guard's face, channeling the cold through and giving a small squeeze, shattering the skull and leaving behind a mess of skull shards and brain matter. A chuckle, hearing the horn. "You think your comrades can save you? Help you through this mess?" Lloyd chuckled. "Call your men to arms, allow me to slaughter more!" He dared the man cheerfully with open arms. With nothing more to say, he briskly walked for the man.

However, Lloyd knew better than to not watch his back. Right hand slithered into his coat, grasping the book and chucking it behind him. The pages flipped about, somewhere in the middle stopping and floating at about waist level. That's when it struck, the pulsating, vibrant purple aura fanning out, boxing the last remaining guard in, and keeping reinforcements away. The aura emanating from the book was powerful. Strange to think that a man as barbaric as him could hold something as malevolent as this.

Seeing his chance for some fun, and that he were protected, Lloyd would take his time with this guard. He wanted to throw on a show for anyone coming in and watching, to prove what he could do. A dark chuckle escaped him and soon followed by the screams of the final guard...

"Do you hear that?" Tyranth said with a kiss to Niropi's forehead. He looked her over, in that lewd way that most women knew was the unwanted assessment a man gave their body. Her face, shoulders, breasts, hips and legs. An inventory of her before he stood, drawing his blade, "It seems that everyone will be coming to me."

The mage was one of two, though the secondary one was nothing more than an apprentice sleeping in the bowels of the ship. He had left Alek's ashes in his quarters, emerging at the sound of the horn. Most of the forces gathered outside of Tyranth's room. He pointed down the first flight of cells towards the prisoners, "There, go there."

Tyranth would not leave his post outside of his room. Akira was important....somewhat, but Niropi was the game winning chess piece. While Akira gave promises that she may be able to birth a worthwhile heir, it was in Niropi that he would truly stake the future of his empire. He cared enough about Akira that soldiers were sent into the dark to secure her, but not enough that he would abandon the entrance of his cabin to secure her himself.

Hearing the horn she would frown and think for a moment, an unmistakable worry struck her face and her heart sank in though. "Lloyd...no..." She whispered to herself, not realizing she had done so. She truly didn't want Lloyd here; she didn't want him hurt, especially by her father. She was only hoping for the best, that he could truly hold his own.

With a wave of her hands the shadow screens flickered away hearing the door open. Akira stepped back into the shadows, not that it would do anything for her except keep her hidden until who ever it was got closer to her cell. Eyes were locked on that entrance.

He stepped in, quickly closing the door and sealing the entryway with another wall of ice. A long sigh escaped him, gently touching the blade that remained in his skin.

Ice, ocean, spice. Blood. Ink stained eyes closed as she tried to ignore Lloyd's scent. She had already fed, but the smell of fresh blood was hard to deny at times; even with the half mask on her face.

She could feel the change about the ship, the energy shifting, and the movement above. She had a feeling he was going to be upset with her. Akira braced herself, stepping back as far as she could against the back wall.

A small shuffle was picked up on. After effectively sealing the doorway, he turned about, white hues scouring the area before them. He braced himself for a rabid beast, yet he saw not one.

Strange...

His hand supported the blade as not to jar it, he moved quickly to the cell he suspected her of being contained in. Finding nothing in that one, he proceeded to the next. Blood trickled down his shoulder, smearing over his coat and dripping to the floor. A snarl, and tapped the bars. "Akira" Come on out. I'm not going to yell at you." A flat tone.

Lloyd changed his tone to the normal caring one he usually held for her. Yet, despite his best intentions, and strength of will, he was wounded, and it show. Quaver was added there and a mix of sheer spite.

Having felt no longer a need to scold her for her irrational actions, the man slowly leaned forwards, letting his head rest on the bars.

"Promise?" She whispered, but it was loud enough for him to hear her. She wasn't sure she believed him, was he pretending to be nice so she would fix the shoulder for him' If so, it was working. She didn't like seeing him hurt. Anyone close to her for that matter.

It was his blood that pulled her out of the shadows and closer to him. He rested his head on the bars and so she would do the same letting her forehead touch his, or perhaps it was more like his chin; even on her tip toes. "I'm sorry..."

He grumbled, reaching down and repeating the process on the door just as he had with the last. A simple kick, and the door swung wide open. "Come on now, don't worry about it. You'll just have to be watched twenty-four seven now." A bit of chide in his words.

Turning around and leaning his back against the bars. He hadn't lost much on the scale of blood, judging by his ability to see, talk and walk normally. But there was uncertainty in those thoughts. The adrenaline of getting back into the fight of things....it came with hesitation. He wasn't certain of much right now, except the dying sound of clambering and shouting from behind the thick layers of ice.

Ice, not that she was afraid of it, but he could have warned her. She took a step back just in time to allow him to open the cell door. She scoffed, "what am I, a toddler" I don't need to be watched like a hawk. Guh, I can't wait to be done with all this, I need a bath..." Stepping out of the cell she worked her mess of hair up into a messy bun to keep it out of her face. The darkness covering the upper half of her face began to fade. "Is he dead?" She gave him an up nod to his shoulder. She knew the attacker was dead, but it was her way of asking if he needed help with that wound.

Lloyd's hand quickly went to the blade, readying himself to pull the object from him. A casual look over as she spoke, turning into a glare. "No, I'm going to watch you because of incidents like this. Seriously, what were you thinking making assumptions like that' If I wanted to blow off steam, I'd just of killed a few dozen people in the marketplace." He was hinting at her comment before she stormed out of his shop.

The ice still crept along the ship, completely covering the whole right side of the hull, but stopped as it began moving upward. The collision with heat were affecting it, and Lloyd felt everything in it's path. Area's affected by it no longer were controlled, letting it crack and heave under the stresses, along with the ships integrity.

Back by the cell, he simply watched the vampiress. Peering briefly to the blade then back. "You have enough energy to fix this, right?" For some reason, he doubted her.

A glare was sent back at him with dark eyes then looking over her shoulder to the two dead soldiers in her cell she'd fed on earlier. She looked back to him. "Pfft. Yeah, Piece of cake. I think I'm good." She sent him 'gimmie' hand so he'd come closer. Her hands began to glow at the ready for when he puled the knife out. Her hands would replace the knife when he pulled it out, working her magic as the glow of her hands transitioned from red to gold. Hands pulled away. "Alright, good as new. Now what?"

As soon as the blade was taken from him, he groaned. A spurt of blood slathered across the ground along with the blade tossed away. He let the girl work, gritting his teeth throughout the procedure. Once finished, he took a step back, rolling his shoulder and wiping the blood from his hands.

" What do you mean now what? Now we get you off of this ship before I sink it." A grin, holding out his arm to offer her toward the door of ice, which were now starting to crack and crumble like a warming glacier in the spring.

"Wait what? Why are you sinking it' What about Niropi and Tyranth?" She eyed him and that arm, was he mad" "You're strangely very calm about all of this." She wasn't looking forward to sinking, being that vampires weren't the best swimmers. Her affinity to water was something she still needed work on.

She hesitated, but in the end took that arm.

"Because, sister. This place needs to go. A rouge ship in the waters will disrupt trade routes. Besides, Tyranth kidnapped you, and then took Niropi. I'm getting my retribution." Back to the doorway he went, leading her along.

Stepping outside the jail room, he noted the heavy amount of damage the wall had sustained, and a few guards hanging back trying to get in. He laughed, scooping up his bag from against the wall. He didn't seem to pay mind to the brutally eviscerated bodies scattering about the small area, simply dusting a kidney off the bag and moving to step for the barrier. The book, his precious tome, wasn't noted either, evidently. It just sat behind him, having moved forewords. Right between the vampiress and the man in black.

A slight jump to the moving tome, "He, didn't kidnap me..." she wanted to say but instead kept her mouth shut. She might have projected that thought to him unknowingly and he might have heard it if he was open. She had noticed the quieting of the ship and when she saw the bodies, she simply put those two together. "We have to get Niropi."

"On the contrary, she's sitting rather well for herself. We don't need to concern ourselves with her well being." A gentle tap on the wall. The instant the second tap hit, the last few guards became impaled by more spikes, organs suspended on the end through their backs. "How much I've missed this?" Muttering softly. Once the last dying breath of the guards were taken, he simple tapped knuckles across the ice. It too fell apart shattering.

"Come along, Akira. Bring the book along with you, and maybe we'll get you something to eat." Onward he walked, stepping on a punctured lung in the process, deflating it the rest of the way with a hiss. A soft hum arose within his throat, flicking his hands clear of any remaining chill. His skin, however, did still emanate that thick steam, billowing about and giving that spectral appearance.

There was so much fresh blood. The mask faded away and she took in a deep breath letting the scent fill her. "Mn, yes....I'm all of a sudden....thirsty." The book was tucked under her arm like she used to carry her own. Akira felt the magical hum of the book. It wrapped around her like a warm blanket. Then a strange ting in her voice. "You mean, we're leaving Niropi" You promised." She protested, not quite a tantrum, but it could easily be taken for one. The way he manipulated the ice was no longer a shock to her. And there was something strange about the way he carried himself.

That hum continued, though once her words hit him he stopped abruptly. His head half cocked back, grinning widely. "Did I" Apologies, I don't recall saying I would. Come along now, we must quickly leave." He went onward, but didn't immediately turn for the rest of the way up the stairs. Instead he went for the storage room, the powder in fact. This was his real reason for coming.

Well, Akira didn't like the sound of that, or rather Lilith. She shoved him into a wall pressing his book to his chest. "Is that right' Do I need to jog your memory, brother?" The way she said that, brother, it was clearly not his sister. "I'm not leaving until I get. What. Is. Mine." She wasn't up for negotiations, not any more. She had already lost one, she was not about to loose another.

Blinking, he quickly realized what was happening. "Dearest Lilith please calm down. Everything will work out, but if you wish for us to go hunting down the chuvashians by all means I won't keep you from it....for a price." The longer that book pressed to him, the more magic that seemed to humm off of it. Definitely a link between the two, and it was getting stronger.

"A price" And what price would that be?" She hissed at him, the hum vibrating up her arm the more she pressed the book against him. The book was the least of her worries. He was lucky IT was the one thing between his heart and her hand. "If you don't hold up your end, I will see to it that you meet your end. Is that clear" It's you, or them. Your choice."

"You'll know the price later, for now just go ahead and play with the dragons." A small nod lifted at the upper decks." And if you wish for my life as much as theirs, what has kept you from taking it already?" A tease for the queen. He were literally staring death in the face and taunting it. A wild shame it had to be here of all places. Slowly he placed his hands to hers, just gently to ease her off of him. "You should know by now, I hold to my end of the deals."

She eased off taking the book with her. "I have yet to see that, brother." She tucked the book under her left arm and made her way up to the upper deck. Off she went to go find Niropi and Tyranth, only to be disappointed to find an empty captain's quarters and boats leading to the other ships. Wisps of back smoke curled and lifted from her back as she watched them flee. "Perfect." She stood there looking over the dark waters with a raised brow and pursed lips.

The last boat Akira had seen was indeed the one that Niropi was on but it vanished like it never existed.

He would do his little toying around with the powder, eventually coming up to the deck with a barrel in hand. A fine line of dark grey powder followed behind him. He came up in time to her talk and then he set the barrel down. "What' They already leaving" But I was enjoying the senseless killing?" a faint pout and looked yet again back to the vampiress. "So, what plans have you now" We still have Niropi to play with."

"Do you think she's fire proof?" She looked over her shoulder and up to him then back at the other ships. "She's probably not water proof though....I'd say blow them all up. See if they can swim."

He smirked, sitting on the barrel. "If I could do that, you think I'd be working this hard to amuse myself" You're the one with fancy fire." One of the ships lagging behind was glared at, seeming that one were the one of his fury. Quickly, a line of shards skated across the surface of the water for it. Once it got hold, it splintered out, destroying and wrecking the hull from the inside out. A relieved sigh." Shame we weren't closer....and it had to be so fast."

"Fire is not going to get me across the water. Ice on the other hand." She didn't have to move a muscle, just a slight squint and a spark to ignite the powder. She laughed. "What do you like the most, hearing their screams, or seeing the light die out in their eyes?" She continued to watch the boats. Was that Niropi on the last one"

"Hmph. You don't get the luxury' Sh*t!" Springing up at her as the powder were lit. Quickly he grabbed her, tackling her with much force. As the two of them fell, he opened a portal leading back to his dwelling, just close enough that they'd end up on his balcony with a hard thud. Though, he was smart enough not to let her land on the bottom, taking that fall for himself.

A yelp. "Lloyd!" It all happened so fast, before she knew it they were going through a portal and they were now back on land. "Umpf!!" Even though she landed on top, she pushed away. "Get off me! Ugh." She rolled away and quickly got up. "Why did you do that?"

He shakily stood up, and looked to the ship. Pointing out he practically screamed. "There will be two explosions, the first one to cripple it in abou?" He were silenced by the deafening explosion bounding around the docks. Holding his head and stumbling, there was more yelling. "And then we have less than two minutes before the next one! The hell, do you ever bother to think" This whole mess could have been avoided, you'd of had two perfectly bright souls but no! You had to rush ahead and put my life in danger! For f*cks sake!" Turning about the man stormed off inside. He knew it were wrong to lash out at her, but he were rather furious at the moment.

As one ship exploded the mage fought to keep the boat steady while the other guard kept the dragoness from waking and thrashing around. Tyranth quietly observed with the largest of grins while his fleet fled and his ships destroyed with a bright bellow of flames and explosions.

Akira followed Lloyd inside, though not so much appreciating being yelled at. "You're the one talking about fire! What, was I supposed to wait for some magic word or something" Or is it that maybe non of this has been going according to your precious little plan!" She hollered out at him, taking the book from under her arm and flinging it over to him. "You want something done a certain way, how about communicating." She crossed her arms and grumbled, boy did he make her mad sometimes.

The book landed against his head, causing him to reel back with a clenched fist. Flexing his hand open a few times, he simply turned about back forewords, hitting the wall. "Communicating leads to loose ends, which involve nothing going with the plan." Through gritted teeth he spoke. He had to contain himself. More importantly he had to keep himself from doing something he'd surely regret. "When I don't tell things, it keeps the world turning, waiting for its chance to burn."

A hand lashed out in the direction of the ships. "Yeah well it's burning. Now that that is out of the way, what now" You got me off the ship, what, now I'm supposed to sit here and act like a pretty little doll" I'm tired of sitting. I'm tired of waiting. Waiting got Aleksandr killed, I'm not going to risk loosing Niropi too." She walked passed him and moved to the bathroom and locked herself in there. A shower was in order.

He'd sighed, holding back everything else he wished to say. For now, the man wouldn't do more than return to the master bedroom on the first floor. He needed to think about some things.

All of them caused him too much grief, getting not his desired outcomes. Niropi wanted him to lead, yet he couldn't control a few women nor keep a dragon alive in a covert operation. Akira was hosting the real weapon, yet she grew more and more restless as the days passed. The stress was getting to him yet again, and his constantly flaring temper reflected heavily on that.

After a moment to calm down, he wondered why he hadn't done it before. She didn't have a towel, nor anything to wear in that room. A grimace, and waltzed to the closet. Retrieving an old T-shirt and two long towels, Lloyd swiftly went back upstairs. Part of him wanted to knock on the door to check up on her" but alas, he couldn't bring himself to it. Looping the towels around the hangar, he simply let them hang on the door handle, and returned to the bed downstairs. A few pillows and blankets readied on the couch, he couldn't help but grumble replacing every piece of equipment from himself, and his bag, back in its proper place.

After all were said and done, he simply stared back at the trench coat for a long moment, wondering what he did this for, to what enjoyment did he really find in his actions. Why did he put up with them, just to be berated and reamed" Alas he sighed, switching the light off and returning to his bed. The door remained cracked as always, but the man had to try to remain calm as he settled in and got comfortable.

She took longer than was needed but once she had all that gunk off an was clean she would shut the water off. "Fuhh..." taking notice that there was no towel and she was not about to put on those shreds of clothes she had been wearing. A groan not wanting to call out to Lloyd. She laughed at herself for having fallen into this situation yet again.

Akira shook her head and opened the door peaking her head out of the door. She then saw the towel and shirt hanging on the handle and reached for it. The door was shut to allow herself to dry off properly and dress.

The door was opened once more and she stepped out cautiously. She looked around for him, following his scent to his room. She tapped a finger on the partially opened door. "Le-lloyd?" A sigh, he was probably sleeping, or not in the mood to talk to her. She turned and set up at the couch and made her self comfortable.

She tossed and turned for a bit, unable to rest her mind enough for sleep. Akira got up and walked back upstairs and made her way out to the balcony. The sun was about to rise, but she didn't care. She looked off at the ships, arms wrapped around her as she stood there taking it all in. "What do you want from me, what will you have me do?" She whispered.

The clatter of metal was what woke the slumbering vampiress. She had finally fallen to sleep just a few moments prior to the sudden commotion in her brother's room. Akira shot up into a seated position on the couch, hearing more shuffling in the room just a few steps away, she then quickly went to the door and forced her way in. "Lloyd"!" When she saw him stumbling and falling to kneel she rushed to him. "What is it' What's wrong?"

He couldn't help anything, the world around him seeming to blur out more and more. He felt....dizzy. Peering up to the ceiling his face seemed abnormally pale, like that of a normal person having a severe fever. Eyes began searching frantically, his vision to the now approaching girl. A moment to stare, and the world seemed to turn sideways, abruptly stopping as everything just faded away into darkness.

As the book burned, the man collapsed to the ground, unconscious before even he managed to stop falling. The book seemed to pulsate less and less now, the magic fading from it's charring pages. One final word displayed on the cover, as the fire leapt into the air, glowing that strange hue brighter. The shadows around seemed to caress the flames, distorting their glow even more. As the tome continued to smolder, the word became more clearly readable, drenched in that same blood text. The horrifying reality of it all, that destroying such a thing may have become the worst idea than had been originally thought. The truth behind it all, the danger beneath them now festering far off had been released. This one word proved as a warning, whether or not to be taken for granted depended on it's observer. This word:

"Run."

Her smile quickly vanished when she saw the book change within the flames.

"Ooooh, sh*t." Adria quickly phased out of the war room, leaving only wisps of black smoke behind. Hopefully there was nothing she left behind that would incriminate her to bringing upon the next series of events.

Adria would then reappear at a healthy distance away from the shop. She was up on the mast of another ship. All there was left to do was sit. And wait. Hopefully she would not regret her decision to destroy Lloyd's book.

Back at the shop, Akira shook the man in black. "Lloyd! Wake up!" When he wouldn't stir, the girl smacked him across the face in hopes that it would snap him out of it. Panic began to sink in. She looked around but there were no signs of anyone having been in there prior to her arrival that could have been responsible for this.

She took him by the collar of his shirt and brought him close to her. "Wake up." She spoke once more. "Please don't make me do this..." She thought to herself. It was always best to have consent for what she had in mind.

The energy around them felt strange, clearly something was wrong.

The room upstairs seemed to suck the light out of the area, the balcony included in it's wrathful ensnaring pools of black quickly licking at the air, tasting the treachery among the area. Something else seemed to be affecting the building, not that of something from this world. Still there was that growing black, twirling with purple as it encased itself indoors, behind closed windows and keeping itself at bay. That book held something far worse than just a simple man, the sheer energy billowing from the remains proved that tenfold.

Down in his room, the man lay unresponsive, likely from some sort of mind affliction. Physically he seemed fine, but his mental status was for the moment incapacitated. The shadows, much like that of the vampiress's domain, seemed to coil and writhe about them. It snaked as if some largely hungry predator, revealing what could potentially be considered a serpent in the way about them. The sense appeared as if constantly surrounding them, the shimmering, slithering shapes. All of it almost completely intertwined with the next. Eyes now started appearing about them, small at first, though grew greatly in density. That purple speckled all about, staring, piercing the young girls body with starved glares. Something was out there, and it wanted in, into the light produced by the small desk light flickering atop the side table.

It was the whispers that pulled her attention to the darkness that surrounded them. It was rare for her to hear them whispering, when she did, it was usually them trying to get her attention. These whispers however sounded different.

Their energy was fierce, unlike those she was used to. The shadows looked menacing with those eyes and how they seemed to stab at the light that blocked them.

"What do you want?" She asked one of them, the most persistent of them all. There were so many, they made the darkness of his room even darker. Akira looked around but it was impossible to put a number on how many there were. She pulled Lloyd in closer, protective of him. She looked at the shadows again. "Who sent you, why are you here" What do you want?" She insisted.

A sinister impression was left with the coiling masses. They hissed, edging closer, encroaching into the Light. The largest of the shades, the one addressed in fact, seemed to laugh on it's own, it's malevolent aura seething closer to the unconscious man. It's sly tone, malice heavy on it's words.

"We are memories of a damned soul, one who's lost it's way through the countless ages. We seek, only one thing. To return to our rightful place, and restore what has been forgotten."

The light continued to flicker, causing more disruption in the already fritzy electrical lines. "We only wish to help our host, to return to him what he's left behind.." The mass retreated now, further into the darkness away from her.

"You too can manipulate the darkness to your will....Maybe, you will be a fair enough for him..." The mass then left, having retreated too far away. The many eyes and hisses continued on, growing louder and louder with each retreating glow of light.

Somewhere in her memory, something clicked, or rather, in Lilith's memory. "Memories you say?" Her eyes narrowed with a tilt of her head as she listened to the shadow, then looking to Lloyd when the word 'host' was hissed. Her chin came up slightly looking back to the shadowy serpent that spoke to her. "Show me. Which memory are you?" She should have been afraid, and perhaps she might have been, but her curiosity was greater than her fear.

A nod to the shadow then when it acknowledged her dark abilities.

A sound of anger webbed through the masses. "You are not the proper recipient. You are not the true owner. You shall see nothing." One of the snakes began coiling along the wire of the lamp, inspecting the cord and starting to rear up, as if about to strike. The voice faded for good this time, not returning no matter the plea. All eyes zeroed in on the man, all of them hungrily watching, waiting. Preparing to return to the man's mind.

It was clear the conversation was over. Akira looked back down to her brother, the one person who'd always encouraged her to be and accept herself. These memories belonged to him, no matter how dark they were, they were a part of him just as much as Lilith was a part of her. She was hesitant, but ultimately, it wasn't up to her.

"If you want him," She looked to the shadow hunting the lamp then to the others. "I won't stop you." She looked to Lloyd who was out cold in her lap. "It's time you came home. It's time to wake up, brother." She whispered, bracing for what was about to happen next.

The snake attacked, instantly a flash as the light shorted out. At that moment, the darkness began swarming the man, pouring into his body as if drawn by some strange timbre. The snakes moved quick, slithering past and into the man, dissipating on first contact. Behind closed lids, eyes flickered forewords and back, obviously either a dream or nightmare dawning on him. A few moments of this, the unnatural darkness seething away, but suddenly would stop. The air went silent, no longer holding the same intensity of malice as before.

One final, small viper coiled around his neck, peeking up at the woman just briefly. A flick of it's tongue, as it seemed to wink, then it too went away, just as quick.

The seconds ticked by, the man eerily silent and still. Yet, to the best of hope, he stirred, running a hand groggily to his face. A murmur as the man mumbled something incoherently. It would seem he didn't feel all too well, much like when he gave himself to the gluttonous indulgences of the ones surrounding him.

The girl was like a statue when the lights went out and the shadows took over. Not a muscle moved. Despite the lack of light, she could still see what was happening thanks to the radiating purple energy of the shadows. It was quite a sight as they dove into him. That last little viper that looked at her and flicked his tongue at her gave her a slight chill.

When the room settled she noticed a change in the man. That subtle hint of spice was more prominent, cinnamon perhaps. She wondered if the taste would be different as well. Akira watched him in silence as she thought to herself with curiosity.

It was the sort of scent that was supposed to keep her away, a warning. Her curiosity took over and pulled her in; along with something else. She leaned in, and fangs pierced flesh. Then came the burn in her mouth and the visions.

As fangs invaded skin, along came the intoxicating, soothing chill he held. His body instantaneously went rigid from the bite, his gaping mouth almost paralyzed open with shock. If there were a doubt of his memories not fully being realized, he were about to relive all that she searched through.

As she sat there feeding from the man, her mind began to fill with images of past wars, men being slaughtered, even double crossings as he were so keen too. First the war of many long ages, organs and blood splattering across the ground. Dragon kin being torn to shreds and used as furniture and trophies of battle. This man had lived much longer than he'd let on, the times shifting far back to knighthood, and frozen tundra. As memories continued to fill her thoughts, the man appeared to grow weaker in his frozen state.

More visions flashed about, information being torn from the man. A final battle with an old friend, a father figure being burned at a stake. His own mother's drink poisoned and body left to rot in a sewer system. Treachery dated farther back than the man could even have thought, further back than even her birth.

Two major names came to mind. Lasombra being of the first, a name or classification of personnel. The other was that of Bolshevik, and memories quickly followed of the assassination against the political figure. Everywhere this man went, he seemed to carry that of sinister intent, and untimely demise for those of higher stature. All of his life were literally a moment away, just as easily attainable as if it were an open book...

Adria was perched on the mast's crossbeam, keeping an eye on Lloyd's shop. She could see flickering of lights inside and could feel the electric charge in the air.

"I've released something sinister..." she muttered giving a visual shudder of her shoulders as if she were chilled to the bone. It didn't even dawn on her until a few moments later after she left that Akira had been inside with Lloyd. Adria winced. Hopefully the vampiress could handle herself.

For now, all Adria could think of was that the book told her to run. Yet there she was. All that came between her and imminent disaster and ruin was the boardwalk.

It wasn't much of his blood she had been able to drink. One taste and it was clear that like his scent, the taste of his blood too had changed. Despite the cooling effect, it burned her mouth as though she'd bit into a hot pepper. Or perhaps it was that cold that made it feel like it was on fire. Perhaps her mouth was freezing, rather than burning.

Even after withdrawing, his memories flooded Akira's mind, just like they had when she'd tasted Saine's blood, and Draco's. The difference was Lloyd's memories were not as clear to her, they were faint and flickered quickly from one to the next. Each one made her draw back and away from him, the back of her hand pressed to her mouth that felt cold but burned.

She shook her head, so much chaos, betrayal, death. It was clear this man who lay before her, was not the man she thought he was. "Who, are you? What....are you?" She whispered behind that hand. His blood spilled over her lips and down his neck.

He fell back to the ground, slowly rolling over and clamoring to his knees. A cough, and wiped away the blood trickling from his throat. "What....What happened?" He fought to see straight, finally getting a clear view to assemble. A glance left, then right, and noticed the vampiress. He blinked casually, rising to a knee and staring for a long moment.

"Akira....Sweetie, what?s wrong" You look like you've seen a ghost' Are you alright?" The quick attempt to rise from a kneel were quickly thwarted by his head swirling around. Stabilizing himself back on a knee he just watched. Her words had not been noted, nor even heard for that matter. Though, the probability of her knowing that were slim to none.

White hues scanned about hers, searching the blackened red eyes for some sort of recognition. Though, they too seemed to change with his scent. His eyes show pupils now, both that same vibrant color. The man had returned to his full self, showing physically and mentally. He just needed that extra little push.

When Lloyd had begun to stir she inched back more, a whimper when he spoke. A gasp when he turned and she got a look at those eyes of his. The purple glow of his pupils was something she'd never seen before. "What have they done to you?" She said with a drawn out breath.

Akira didn't know how to handle this change. The changes were minor, but it would appear he was still the same man she called brother. "The, the shadows..." She didn't know how to explain what she had just experienced.

Hands came to the sides of her head, a few memories flickering in her mind every now and then causing her to flinch from their gruesome nature. "Memories....so many..."

Watching her move away from him stung deep. He had merchandising to protect, and if he couldn't cooperate with it how could he work the job he wanted" Slowly he started to approach her, having gained enough of his composure back to deal with her. Kneeling beside her, Lloyd gently put his hand onto her shoulder.

"Akira, what?s wrong" Talk to me, tell me what?s wrong?" A part of him wanted to force Lilith out of hiding, to bring her out. SHE seemed more talkative, and controllable. He never had to keep such a facade up whilst her being around, least not when planned.

Those purple eyes stared at her, checking her out to see what were wrong, and completely taking no regard for his still dribbling neck. Either pain didn't bother him, or he actually did find some satisfaction in personal destruction.

She wanted to run, run away from the wickedness she'd witnessed. From the moment she had met him, he had been rather intimidating. Those visions only reinforced that sense.

When he touched her she screamed and lashed out at him, palm to nose, then worked her way to scurry further from him and stumbled up to her feed. She was terrified of him, of the things she'd seen him do. Only one thought as she ran, "Please don't kill me."

As that palm struck his face, he were thrown onto his back. Landing flat to the ground the man didn't move, having been hit cleanly by the strike. At the same moment, all doors and windows in the house started shimmering, fading away, leaving open ways to the other rooms, but cutting the place from the outside world. He swore he heard something as she ran off, as the man fell to the ground, blood now pouring from his nostrils too. Had she really said something as vile, as repulsive as that' Within the second his consciousness faded, leaving the limp body back on the floor just as it'd been a few minutes ago.

Just as she had made it to the door, the door knob shimmered and faded away. She clawed at the wall where the door had been then slammed the side of her fist to it. "Damn it!" Back turned and pressed against the wall only to see that he was not following. Was he playing with her, or had she really managed to knock him out'

Akira tried to escape using a portal, but that didn't work out to well for her. Instead of transporting her out of the shop, in only relocated her back to his room; every, single, time. "Lilith...help me." She whispered standing inches from her brother. For the first time, she was reaching out to the mother demoness.

Then the shadows began to come to life once more. Lips pressed together in a hard line while dark eyes shut tight. "Wake up, wake up it's just another dream. Wake up!" one swooped past her feet causing her to fall to the ground. "Ugmf." If this was a dream, she wouldn't be waking anytime soon. Akira looked over to Lloyd as he lay there unconscious, should she run again, or try to wake him up was now the debate in her mind. The man terrified her, but he was her brother.

There weren't many the girl trusted, if there were any at all. The question now was, with all she now knew, was if she could still trust in him.

Rising to peer at the demoness, he slowly approached Adria with that strange murderous intent he had earlier. Though this time he stopped just a few paces off, enough to be within arms reach. With a palm to the sky he held out his hand, studying the demoness.

Her brow furrowed as she watched him and his movements. Her eyes dropped to his hand then back up at his face.

"Are you expecting something from me" Because if so, you're gonna be highly disappointed."

A scoff, withdrawing his hand back to his side. "And this is why they say chivalry is dead." clicking his tongue he too moved past her and to the main of the building, yet he still spoke. "I wanted to formally say thank you for restoring my thoughts back to their original state. Was a pain in the neck to weave that curse in the first place. How did you manage to do it?"

"Thank me for...." She trailed off. The book in the fire. The curse. She broke the spell. Oh sh*t, Lilith was definitely gonna kick her in the rear for not heeding the warnings.

She glanced over her shoulder as she watched him move once more. "How'd I do it' A simple toss in the fireplace." She replied with a sarcastic smile.

He moved up the stairs, claiming his spot on the war room table with a flop and snagged some extra papers. Had she followed or not he still spoke as if talking face to face. "Just the fire" Must have been really pissed at me in order to do that. A shame nobody else had tried. Oh well, guess it's time to start setting plans into action then." A smile of his own, glancing down to the map. "If I were an escape craft where would I go..." thinking aloud now.

Returning the arrow to the quiver and slinging the bow over her shoulder, she followed. Adria knew she shouldn't, but she cautiously followed him up the stairs and back into the war room. Where this whole drama started.

The demoness stood in the doorway, leaning against its frame with her arms crossed as she watched him. "Pissed" No, not so much. More like if I destroyed it, I'd take away the urge to constantly pilfer it from you." His change didn't scare her like it seemed to do to Akira. Probably because she didn't have any closeness with Lloyd.

His words caught her attention for the moment, ?"what plans" And is Akira going to be alright' She looked a little, shook up."

"She will be fine. She's accepting change, is merely all. For now, I'd recommend give her some space for the time being. She doesn't even know you, yano' That's all Lilith you've even run into." Tossing the stack behind him like it were a piece of rotten fruit, he snagged another and went sifting through pages once more. "I'd say give her about half an hour, and she'll be fine."

Though, he did stop when a thought came to mind. "Wait....why were you trying to steal my memory book" Do you have a crush on me?" He chided, fighting back a grin. "Come now Adria, you must know it's not a good idea to touch things that don't belong to you. Especially things found here."

She gave an eyeroll as she kicked off the doorframe and made her way towards the table, standing across from him. "Does it really matter why I took it now that you're...." she held up her hands to do air-quotes, "...'free'?"

Dropping her hands to her hips, her eyes dropped down to the table trying to see what he was searching for. "And how the hell was I to know that a book could do that' Not like I care what it did. I'm just a demonic thief. Shaking up the world and creating discord was what I was bred to do."

That last comment made him grin, lifting his legs and quickly spinning to see her face to face, keeping a mere inch from her face. "Oh but we both know. We both definitely know you weren't bred a demon." Dark eyes seemed to gleam briefly, pupils dilating all the way as he searched her, like a cat seeing a fly on the wall. Just as fast as he'd of swung around, he returned to his original seating on the table. "Come now, do not worry about being a thief. I've been there myself many of times. You're a thief, and you steal because you want things." He laughed, feeling just now the weight that statement fully carried.

Her eyes narrowed at Lloyd and his accusation. How dare he say she wasn't who she said she was! He didn't even know her!

"And what the hell do you know about me" Not a damned thing. So I think you should pick a new topic besides my lineage of birth." She crossed her arms once more, walking around the table to stand by his side, "Besides...I am a thief because I get paid to do it."

"And how were you paid this time" A multitude more of harassment by yours truly. Wise investment no?" A small pencil produced from the corner of the flattened map with a flick of his wrist. That little shadow snake started slithering off, stopping just at the top of the page and observing the mess. It too were interested in his plans, having not been shared information as to what he were planning this time.

Lloyd coughed, reaching into his pocket to pull that pipe and match box from within. The head ablaze, and quickly the scent of cherry smoke wafted from his lips. "So, I have a little task for you, Adria. You may get compensation if you do good with this." An elbow reached out, nudging her softly. Sometimes, he forgot everyone didn't work for him.

Her gaze drifted to the snake made of shadows and she smiled. Shadows were where she thrived so to see this little shadow snake amused her greatly.

She was shaken out of her daze with the nudge of his elbow. "What's the task" And more importantly. What's the compensation?" The demoness leaned forward on the table, bracing herself on her forearms as she held her hand out to the snake curiously.

He thought for a moment, looking to the snake and nodding in Adria's direction. The mamba slowly inched forwards, looking as if about to strike, but instead settle back down and moved to her wrist as a stylish, pulsating bracelet of malevolence. "Honestly, that depends on what you desire. You've said you don't want anything, but I see that as a lie. Someone always wants something..." Another glance. "What is it you desire?"

Her eyes softened a bit at his question and she tilted her face away so she didn't have to look at him. "What I ultimately want, you cannot give. So try again." Adria looked back at her wrist where the shadow snake was wrapped around. Gently, she pat the snake on the head before she glanced up at Lloyd.

Finally, with a sigh, "...what is the task?" She did not want to share her memories with him, albeit she had seen a good chunk of his due to the passages of the book.

He smirked." The task is simple. Find me the ship containing lord Tyranth. I require this information soon, else we may lose Niropi for good." His mind ticked, gears obviously turning. What was it she wanted? Her final request' He wanted to know that also, but wouldn't ask. Not yet anyways.

She nodded, standing up straight once more. "Of course." Adria was about to move away from the table, but remembered to rest her hand back to the table so that the shadow snake could release her wrist.

"I will pursue the tracks at twilight. I'm sure his forces have been ran down due to the earlier scuffle on the first ship." She looked to Lloyd and inwardly winced. Did she...just become his agent' Hells bells, good job Adria Ryodan, you now work for a man that you have dripping disdain for.

Reaching a hand to the snake he let it could around his hand, inspecting it closely. "Very well. Be sure not to be caught. You're a valuable asset Adria. I prefer you remain untarnished." Smiling with a glance back, he quickly dug into the next pile.

Shortly after Lloyd had dismissed her, Adria moved to step out onto the balcony. Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, the shadows were her eyes throughout the docks. Focusing in on the female Chuvashian's trail, the demoness slowly smiled. "Bingo."

She jumped over the railing, turning into her trademark wisps of black smoke before she hit the ground. Covered in the shadows of the early morning, Adria began her pursuit. The soldiers that were with Tyranth were exhausted from fleeing and fighting so obviously she expected a few of them to goof up on maintaining their hiding places. She drew closer to a few ships that were docked quite a ways away from the harbor of Dockside. Stupid royalty always stood out like a sore thumb when it came to decorum of their transportation. Obsidian eyes ticked to the royal banners of House Nyte that decorated the deck of the ship and she shook her head. Nothing said "Find me!" more than having your banners out.

The demoness would sit and wait in the shadows to make sure that was where Niropi was being taken before she reported back to Lloyd.

Meanwhile, aboard the ships in the fleet which had reconvened at twilight Island.

Tyranth and his men had spent the evening situating themselves. The organization of the grouping of men had to be situated now that some were lost to the sea. By 3 am, the new lead ship was organized, Tyranth claiming the captain's quarters. A few men fewer, but the causalities were expected. Tyranth had thought a few more would have died just on the journey there. The headcount wasn't outside of the realm for what he needed. The issue, at this point, was investing and depending so much upon the ship, which had become an obvious target.

"Keep her sedated," he told his commander, his eyes firm upon the island, "and put our supplies and a stock of men in hiding on that island. We've had our first confrontation, it's important not to keep everything we need in one basket."I KNOW THAT!" He snapped at the empty spot next to him, cleared his throat and then continued with the commanding officer, "Make sure that a message is sent out to Akira. She was taken from us but..." there was a pause in his voice, his eyebrows knitting together, "she had a point about her usefulness. Niropi may be too damaged for the needs of the kingdom. I must think of a handmaiden for her, to either help her with her child or to bear mine."

The promises made to Niropi about the next night being that of them conceiving of their kingdoms duties might have to wait. While he hated to postpone duty, there was much to do and she should not be unconscious when bringing their first child into this world.

When the mage appeared with the box he gave it a sullen look, gingerly taking it from him and holding it closer to his chest. Alek. His only son, now a box of ash. The sentiment lingered before it turned to something acidic. His only son, the magician that might vengefully rise, distorted by his return from the dead. Tyranth shoved the box back towards the mage, "Imbue his remains with three items and scatter them. They should be a secret, even from me. I want none of him in what is mine. He was a traitor and a weakling. No one will look to return him here."

Her rage in her unconscious state had calmed, the beast within her and been put to rest once more for now. She lay still bound if she where to stir awake and try something. Niropi did however stir slightly from a dream she was having, what it could be no one would know. Those who'd claim to know her best would guess she was dreaming of war, death, and decay; ruling her kingdom with an iron fist. In reality, she was dreaming of a field of flowers, peace and quiet, and a place she could rest and be alone.

She did how ever start to slowly come to. Flicking eyes of blue with flames of red giving her hues a blackened purple for a moment. As she opened her eyes, they almost appeared of a rising sun from the aftermath of a volcano. While blurriness settled and she started to gain her vision once more, Niropi lifted her head and allowed the anger to settle back inside her, igniting those fires bright within her gaze. A groan given along with a groggy moan, she hated magic and how it gave her such a headache when it was used against her, damaging her stamina.

"Is she stirring?" One of the guards said, thinking that he heard her move. Niropi's body was on the floor of Tyranth's quarters, not fettered to a supporting column of the ship, she was simply bound at the wrists behind her back. That made the men nervous, mostly because they had seen what she was capable of. One of them frowned and shifted uneasily, "I wish we could just, go back home."

The other guard looked at him, "Why aren't we going back home" Why are we still here?"

He shrugged, "I think that the others have got their eyes on the harbor. They're gonna be looking for us and this ship."

She stirred a bit more coming to a waking faze of her slumber. Her head rolled back and her eyes squinted open, slowly looking to the blurred vision of the area around her. Her lips parted and she let out a heavy smoke laced breath. Her legs curled in closer to her form and her back straightened the best she could she knew she was being guarded, so a slip away escape was not that simple, For now she waited quietly.