A Dawn of Darkness (PLOT)

[Northen Light36]

Acqua blinked in mild surprise to hear that, not having thought her information was particularly useful. But maybe she'd been wrong. She bit back the instant urge to ask if Talon was all right and waited to hear what Sain had to say.

[Darastrix]

Zira paused just inside the door and glanced between Sain and Acqua, as though unsure who to address first. Sain was up and talking, though, so that cleared that up rather quickly. "What do you have in mind?" he asked, stepping further into the room.

[Kender Bard]

"We take our knights, winds, and a handful of Storms," Sain began. "Sneak towards the back lines. The Storms will be in charge of taking out their scouts quickly. Once in the back, we attack their commander, kill him, and cause confusion. During the confusion, our men will press forward and drive the scum back. We'll push them right back over the border."

[Darastrix]

"You make it sound simple," Zira said with a half-smile. "But I hope you'll be careful. If they have a demon Lord with them, or something even more powerful than a Lord, if such things exist...." He shook his head. "There weren't any organized marches like this last time. There were roaming demons, there were Lords here and there, but no full-scale battles. Ronduin was taken for a time, and I don't think it took much more than the single Lord that was there. Granted, they haven't Anarlina's strength of military, but still. I don't like to think of what kind of power might be driving them forward."

[Kender Bard]

"We'll be cautious of course," Sain assured Zira. "If you could relay my plan to the General, I'd be much obliged. She'll respond back to my own courier Mind so I'll be out of your hair. Stay safe, Zira."

[Northen Light36]

Acqua hoped that Sain would be able to carry out his plan. Having seen the army, she hated to think what they could do to Zack and Zira's home.

~I'm more concerned with what they'll do to YOU, Kit,~ Pixie whispered to her bonded. ~You KNOW you can't possibly fight with that leg, and your littermate has also been hurt. Which won't stop either of you trying to protect each other and getting killed.~

But you have another plan, of course? Acqua sighed mentally. She hadn't been actively listening into Pixie and Dream's converstion, but she'd vaguely sensed the tone of her companion's thoughts.

~Zira thinks you and Talon would be best off away from here. I agree.~

And you'd like me not to make a fuss? Acqua guessed. She considered her leg in silence for a moment. I'm pretty useless here, aren't I?

~Not useless, but you've done what you can for now. And your job is to be the Lady's eyes and ears, not a warrior. Not yet, anyway. Would you want your eyes and ears to stay in a dangerous position, injuried and with an injuried guildmate, just so they could POSSIBLY get you a scrap of information before they died?~

No! The thought was almost painfully forceful, for both Acqua and Pixie. Acqua couldn't help but think of Ralph's death, of her inability to protect her guildmate, and felt ill. She wouldn't make the mistake of overestimating her abilities again.

Pixie knew her bonded wouldn't argue with Zira now. She just hoped that Acqua would start finding the balance between overconfidence and cripling self doubt before this was all over. The mind cat wasn't interested in training a new bonded.

[Darastrix]

Zira pressed his lips together against a sigh and nodded. He would have liked to been able to admonish Sain to stay safe as well, but what safety was there on a battlefield? His assurance of caution was the best Zira could get from any knight, considering the circumstances.

He touched his fingertips to his forehead--a gesture, Zira thought, he'd made far too often that day--and reached for Emerald.

~General,~ he sent. ~Sain and his men have arrived at my manor, and I have a pair of Etaf's chosen who were able to scout near the demon horde. Based on the information he's had from them, Sain is planning to take a group of knights, Winds, and Storms to the back lines. From there, he plans to attack and kill their commander, and take advantage of the confusion to push them back over the border.~

[Kender Bard]

Emerald wasn't very happy. ~That's a dangerous move but I'll yell at him through another Mind. I have enough of them that you don't need to play the middle man any longer. Thank you, Zira. But you should probably get out of there now. Either they'll fail and Widor will quickly be overrun, or they'll succeed and likely there'll be mayhem spilling out once the ranks no longer have order.~

[Darastrix]

~I'll be coming to the palace soon,~ Zira promised. ~Could you have another Mind call for a healer to be ready there when I arrive? I'll have Etaf's chosen with me, and they're both injured.~

[Kender Bard]

It will be done.

Sain gave Zira one more squeeze at the shoulder before turning. "Make sure they have wine and lovely ladies waiting for our triumphant return in Neo'anar!" He turned to Acqua and bowed polite, then made his way briskly out of the manor.

[Northen Light36]

Acqua looked at Zira and managed a weak smile. "How's Talon?" she asked, finally voicing her concern for her brother. "Amaro will never forgive me if Talon's been knocked even sillier." Despite the smile and the joke, only a blind man could miss the worry and guilt written all over her face.

Anyone who knew her at all would be able to see she was taking Talon's relatively minior injury far more seriously then she normally would.

[Darastrix]

"He should be fine," Zira told her. For his part, he didn't see anything unusual about how seriously Acqua was taking matters. The whole situation was serious, and he'd never seen her react to someone close to her getting hurt. "I salved and bandaged his head. He's worried about your leg injury, though, and I don't have a true healer's skill. I'd like to take you both to Neo'anar so you'll be out of immediate danger and where a real healer can see to you."

[Northen Light36]

Acqua nodded. "Pixie told me," she replied. "And I know better then to argue with her. The headaches aren't worth it." She stroked the cat despite her grumbling. "Besides, I'm not going to be much more use around here, am I?"

[Darastrix]

"None of us are," Zira said with a hint of a sigh as he looked back the way Sain had left. "Emerald wants me gone as well, and there's nothing more I can do by staying in an empty house anyway." He almost wished Sain had been chosen, so that if he got into trouble, Thuoth might call Zira to give aid.

~Talon,~ he sent, ~Acqua's willing to leave. Come to us, and I'll teleport us all.~

[Kender Bard]

Talon dragged himself out of his resting place and made his way to the others. He shot Acqua a faint smile, glad for her cooperation. "Thanks again for all of this, Zira."