Quaerens Deum RP

"Nah," She shrugged, rubbing the area where the bruise from her earlier fall was. "It's nothing."

It was only on seeing Will's attempt to reach for his dear friend, that Stella's countenance changed into that of compassionate empathy. "It's okay. He's fine. Calm down," She said in an attempt to coax him against struggling against his restraints of steel, which were starting to bite into his flesh.

There was starting to be less and less of a reason for her to believe that these were monsters as the rumors in the city described. While they did exhibit some signs of demonic berserk before, it clearly didn't fully constitute the label of inhumanity.

Just then, Will's friend, Kratos awakened, managing to ask her,"What is your name.."

"Stella. Stella Ophiuchus, I work with the City Guards."

 

Will tried to stand yet felt the steel restraints. He felt his temper flare at the sight of them. "I'll kill them! Kill them all! I'm not an animal!!!" He roared, eyes turning black for a second before the chains on his throat and wrists melted away with ease. He stood, cracked his neck, and strode towards the bars. "I say we leave this place Kratos..." He growled, his eyes slowly turning normal. He calmed his temper yet they would probably move him to solitary confinement because he had almost escaped. He then realized. "Kratos, they have our weapons. All of them. Even my chain..." He said, looking down at his left arm. As he slowly lifted the sleeve he noticed the scar up his arm, all the way up to his shoulder. "What in the gods?" He breathed, looking at it.

 

Will broke free from his restraints just as Stella was about to respond, causing the girl to stagger back briefly. Her hands went instinctively onto the hilt of her blade, but as soon as Will apparently calmed down, Stella went back closer to the bars, somewhat embarrassed about her behavior in light of the question posed to her.

"Y-you're wrong. I fear you and your friend. I did see what you people were capable of... The destruction... The killings... But I don't believe in goodness and iniquity. I believe in choices. And in your cases, I believe you simply had no choice."

Stella averted her gaze shyly from the two, peering down the prison corridor.

"But," suddenly, Stella's voice became dark, and serious. Glaring at Kratos, she continued, menacingly,"I want you to take back your words. It's not 'maybe they got what they deserved'. Don't justify your crimes with such irresponsible nonsense!"

She felt herself increasing in volume as she gripped the bars of the prison cell tightly.

"You had a choice, even if they were trying to kill you. That was their choice," Stella added, her voice low.

"And now, you have no choice. You are monsters. To the people of Meltokio at least. I don't know how else you people are going to clear your names, but I'd like to see that..."

She then strode down the prison corridor, and seeing her colleague looking away, knocked him out without hesitation. What she said was part-truth, part-lie. She didn't completely believe they weren't monsters, and while she did want to see them clear their names, she also wanted to stop them if they were to go berserk again.

Grabbing the keys tied to his belt, Stella continued up to the next level where the belongings of the prisoners are kept. There, she knocked out the two guards and entered into the room, taking the weapons of the two - based on her memory of how it looked like to her.

It was only then that she returned to the two in their jail cells, unlocking it, and tossing their weapons inside.

"You have a choice now. To kill, or not to kill. Please. Please. I'm begging you. Don't kill."

 

Will dashed forward, grabbing his chain and snapping it up his left arm. He then lifted his sword harness and started doing the buckles as it rested on his shoulders. "Aye, we will try but now if they attack me I will fight back. They tied me up like an animal waiting for slaughter and for that someone will pay." Will growled, spinning his cloak around to cover his harness but not the hilts of his swords. He then picked up Kratos' bundle and tossed it into his lap. "I say we leave now but the choice is yours brother." He said, looking back to the girl. "And I thank you for our freedom, but if we meet again, maybe it will be under better circumstances..." He said, holding out his hand.

 

Stella winced at his words. The notion of vengeance that he espoused, no doubt, suggested that there would be more killings on the way. It didn't help to hear it from him in such a malicious manner. Looking over to him with much uncertainty, she began to wonder if helping release them was the right thing to do.

"Look, I think you didn't understand my words earlier clearly enough. I'm following you guys. Did you think after helping bust you out of here, that I would stay here? I'd be executed sooner than you think!"

Shrugging casually, she looked from Will, to Kratos.

"And like I said... I'd like to see you guys clear your names with my own eyes."

Anticipating some possible refusal to accept her offer to follow them, she continued to add," And to be honest, duty calls. I have a responsibility to protect the people of Ecencis you know. If... And I mean 'if' you do go berserk like before... I'll be there to slay you myself."

It probably wasn't a convincingly firm statement, especially from a person who never actually killed something before. This was the main reason why the notion of killing was so distasteful to Stella.

 

Kratos' words resonated deeply in her mind. While she didn't fully agree with him, Stella realized she was, herself, interested in how they are to teach her that when she does follow them on their journey - which Kratos then took to explaining.

Hearing it in full, Stella was again awed somewhat. So they were not just part demons, or something close to it, they were also saviors of the world on their own journeys.

"Well, okay, sure. But let's not stay here too long? We're still in the prison, and we probably need to bust our way out of the city gates."

 

Will grinned and cracked his knuckles. "Aye, but leave any gate or iron wrought wall to me. I am sorry about the way I am... I just... nevermind..." He stuttered, stopping himself from explaining why he hated the world. He started towards the door. "If you have questions about my past ask Kratos... I'd rather not face my demons..." He said, voice almost sorrowful as he grabbed the doors to the jail's entrance and ripped them from their hinges. He then turned towards the other two. "I will distract them. Kratos get the brass star and meet me at the edge of the field outside of the city within a few hours." He said. And before they could ask him. "Don't try to clear my name. There is no point, I am branded an animal and a murderer here. I never plan on returning so I suggest you do your business now..." He said before starting quickly out the door.

 

Just as Kratos spoke, a guard rounded the corner, immediately knocked out by Stella with her scabbard. Waving Kratos on to follow her, she continued up the steps. "To be honest, it's the first time I ever heard of this Orcha.. Orcha-whatever, or even the Brass Star for that matter. But I suppose it'll be at the City Hall here," She said thoughtfully.

"I'm assuming this whatever you're looking for is quite important to the authorities, so I guess they'll give it a strong amount of protection, no? From what I know, the City Hall is the most well-defended place in this city."

[OOC: If you want, you could just control the two to get them over to the City Hall. ]

 

Bartholomew Grady stood from his bed, short trousers hanging from his muscular frame. The girl that was in the bed rolled over and reached, finding the space that had been occupied a few seconds ago to be empty. She looked over to notice Batholomew at a large desk, poring over many different scientific books and battle plans from the last few years. He used these to retain any tactical and psychological advantage in both war and single combat. The young woman wrapped the blanket around her bare body and strode over, wrapping her arms around Bartholomew's bare back. "Come back to bed sire, it is still early, and you do not have business for a few more hours." She said, kissing the back of his neck. "Aye, just a few more minutes..." He said, voice barely above a whisper yet chilling to the bone. The girl smiled slightly and turned, dropping the blanket before starting towards the bed. Bartholomew finished a few more paragraphs in one of the books about the fabled Tree of Mana before closing it heavily and starting towards the bed himself.
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Will sprinted through the streets, releasing his chain to drag behind him and clank and rattle loudly. He ran right through the battalion in front of city hall and away from it, all of them following the escaped convict. Yet as he ran he flicked the chain lightly, catching table legs and chair arms, flicking them into the battalion's path. As he continued he passed back in front of the city hall, more guards spilling out to follow him. After a few minutes he had almost all of the guards from city hall following him around the streets. "Hurry Kratos... for I cannot buy you all the time in the world..." He panted, sprinting faster down a side street.

 

Stella couldn't stifle a gasp as she came close to the heavily guarded Gate. It was a grotesque sight that started to make the girl feel terribly nauseous. There was no one person that wasn't injured in one way or another - save for a select few. Everyone sported some sort of bloody wound, ranging from deep to superficial.

"Oh my God," Stella mumbled, covering her mouth with her hands.

Kratos quickly went on ahead to investigate, while Stella remained, stunned by the horrifying scene. Even though her job required her to occasionally deal with grisly scenes of murder, she had never bore witnessed to a large-scale murder. This was genocide.

She bit back a desire to scream as she quickly went after Kratos, just in time to catch the last portion of the words of a dying Meltokio politician. "For the sake of us...please...the future...will...perish..."

"K-kr... Kratos. I--uh. We should get out of here quick."

Admittedly, it was half a desire to be away from this nauseating scene and half a logical decision. Already, she could hear some metallic clanking that could only mean more Knights that were probably dispatched here to reinforce the place. And she knew, if they were to stay, they would easily be branded the killers and executed without trial - considering the casualties.

 

Will finally slowed outside city hall because he was starting to get tired. Yet as he stopped the guards quickly surrounded him. "Kratos!!! Get out here now!!!" He roared, starting to flick the chain lightly. He didn't want to fight but if he had to he would. One of the guards decided to be brave and approach, stepping a few feet forward before the chain snapped through the air and connected with the side of his head, knocking him out cold. "Kratos, hurry up!!!" He barked, louder than before. The guards quickly moved the unconscious soldier and filled the gap, slowly circling and moving in. "Great... I'm alone and can't kill..." He breathed, flicking the chain lightly, as if to decide who to strike at next.

 

Will saw them sprint past and smiled. "Come and get me!" He barked, flicking his chain upwards. As it caught a flag pole he started climbing, swinging up onto the castle wall. As he started to run he noticed guards coming out of the castle behind him as he started to ready his chain to swing down to the lower outer wall. As his chain wrapped around the wall he jumped, swan diving towards the ground before flipping and landing on his feet. His chain wound down and hit the ground, Will flicking it back up his arm quickly before reaching the patch of trees where Kratos and Stella were. "We should leave soon... they might come looking." He panted, making sure his chain was tight before taking his bundle from Kratos.
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As Bartholomew finished with the girl he rolled off the bed, grabbing a fresh pair of trousers and pulling them on. As the girl continued to pant on the bed, Bartholomew walked over to his desk, grabbing a scroll that looked like it had not seen the light of day for a hundred years from a drawer. He sat, opening the scroll slowly, carefully. The girl slowly sat up then stood and walked towards him. wrapping her arms around her back, her naked chest pressing against his bare back. He shrugged her off right as the door opened and a soldier stepped in. The girl shrieked and dived for the blankets on the floor but Bartholomew ignored her. "What is it?" He barked. "News from Meltokio sire. Two figures of the description you wanted looking for the brass star." The soldier replied as the girl pushed passed him, the blankets wrapped tightly around her bare body. "I see... get the committee assembled, we have things to discuss..." Bartholomew said, setting the scroll on his desk and starting towards his armor that was sitting in a corner. As he started putting it on he recited the story the scroll. It was a prophesy about a boy who will try to restore the tree of mana and his travelling companion, a half demon with the spirit of Ratatosk in him. "The time has come..." He growled, locking the gaunlet into place with the rest of his armor.

 

Will nodded. "Aye... but I am afraid of what we may find there... When I was passed out after I... attacked, a spirit came to me, saying he inhabited me and that I was weilding his powers. He called himself Ratatosk." He said, lifting the chain from his arm. As the chain hit the ground he slowly started to roll his sleeve up. "He also gave me this as a reminder that I almost killed the closest thing I have to family and to mark that I am a demon..." He breathed, wondering what Kratos and Stella would think of this scar that wound all the way up his arm to his shoulder. "Kratos... what are we planning on doing after the temple? Where to next if these leaders are tearing each other apart like this..." He asked his brother.

 

[OOC: Are the other characters ever going to post?]

Stella didn't know what to say, so she kept pretty much quiet the whole time, only looking to the person speaking at the time. It was only after Will's last words that she found her voice. "Then we have to stop them," She averred, in a matter-of-fact manner.

"To be truthful, I still have no clear idea as to what you guys are questing for, but if the leaders are going to do something as silly as this, it's up to us to stop them."

She cheerfully wrapped her arms around the necks of both Kratos and Will. These two were a little too serious for her liking. She knew they weren't particularly optimistic at the moment, and this, she figured, was the best she could do for them, since she didn't have powers that could match up to any of them if they unleash their fullest potential.

Talk was cheap, she realized, but again, she realized, there was nothing else she could do.

"We're a team! So, lets move on."