• Closed • Wings of Starlight (Kura)

[Sephira]

81st of Ashan, Arc 718 - Dusk

It had been an unexpected request, but given it was Kura Wolfsdotter, Sephira had given it serious thought. The mortalborn had asked to be initiated into Rupturing. Had it been anyone else, anyone less stalwart and levelheaded the mage would have given a resounding “no”. However, that had not been the case. Kura had proven herself in battle as a powerful ally and as a prudent councilwoman. All these characteristics rendered her suitable as a potential Rupturer. This particular discipline of magic required an individual with intense focus and a talent for judging distance. Kura had these characteristics in spades.

The two women had agreed to meet near the edge of Sweetwine Woods near to Kura’s home. Sephira had insisted that if they go through with an initiation that they do it somewhere remote. She could not be interrupted once she began, or she could risk killing the mortalborn. From what she recalled during her own initiation, Elias had infused her with etheric energy before setting it alight, similar to how they ignited ether during the creation of a portal. The rest that had followed had been astonishing, as the young teenage Sephira had been swept into a vast realm beyond the physical trappings of Idalos. Filled with starlight and gleaming astral bodies, it had been a sight to behold.

Sephira moved along the edge of the woods, the trees to her left had put on bright green spring leaves that glistened in the honey hued light of dusk. Elms, ash and oak trees grew in a loose scattering within the edge of the Woods. The ground beneath them was covered in a thin but springy layer of similarly colored grass. It was good to see life returning to the world after lying dormant for so long. Cylus had been bitterly cold, and a season to remember. So much had happened in such a short length of time, but here the mage was, walking ever forward. To think, that soon she would be taking on an apprentice. Kura was not what Sephira had imagined as her first apprentice. She had expected a young upstart like she had been, eager and foolishly daring. It was far better this way; Kura could be trusted to avoid slicing herself in half with a poorly rendered portal. The woman had a good head on her shoulders, and likely a plethora of experience behind her. Sephira's only concern was that Kura understood the choice she was making in becoming a mage. Perhaps being the daughter of an Immortal would have prepared her for that challenge, but regardless she needed to be aware of the burden magic brought. Not only would she face a new breed of prejudice, but Kura would be forced to contend with awakenings of her magic in the future. Sephira’s own spark had bonded with her emotions and her mind during previous awakenings. This development had led to catastrophic results in the past. The memory of the collapse at the docks sent her lips into a slight frown. She would ensure that Kura had the opportunity to make this choice with all the knowledge presented to her that Sephira had been forced to discovered on her own; Then and only then would the Element proceed with the initiation.

Finally Sephira found herself arriving at the edge of Kura’s home. Her crimson coat billowed back in the light wind while she waited patiently for the councilwoman to arrive.

Dialogue|Thoughts

[Kura Wolfsdotter]

Kura had actually been a little surprised when Sephira had agreed to initiate her into Rupturing. Mages were usually tetchy about who the initiated and Kura didn't know Sephira that well, all things considered. But she respected the soldier a great deal, though she was less than sanguine about the military unit she belonged too, and was perfectly ready and willing to learn from her, so long as Sephira was willing to teach her. So, when the time grew close to their meeting point, Kura left her house and headed towards where she was supposed to meet the Element.

Fortunately, it wasn't far, and she wasn't actually wearing a coat for once in a long while, just her shirt, trousers and boots. This did mean her Fracture Scar was visible, but Kura was pretty sure that Sephira knew she was Mortalborn anyway. When she approached the other woman, she raised one hand in greeting. "Hello, Sephira. How's your investigations going?" she asked, her tone mildly curious. She trusted the soldier to to investigate, but there had been a lot going on lately, so Kura hadn't been keeping track as well as she otherwise would have.

Once they got up to speed on that, Kura smiled. "So then. I know there's risks I don't know about regarding magic, particularly with Initiation. So, I figure that's probably the best place to start, isn't it?" she said, smilingly slightly. Truth was, she actually knew a decent bit about Domain Magic, but she was going to treat all that information as "wrong until proven right", so that she didn't risk getting caught up on what she thought she knew.

[Sephira]

Sephira frowned faintly at the mention of the cult investigation. At least that was what she took as Kura’s meaning. The Element placed her hands in her pockets, staring somberly at the ground.

“Not as well as we had hoped. Other cases keep getting in the way, but we have one suspect in custody from the night of the attack on Element’s Hall.” She sighed, her gaze rising to look the mortalborn directly in the eye.

“But that isn’t why we are here to-trial.” She said, her tone carrying a note of finality to it. This trial was an important one; it was something Sephira wanted to devote all of her attention and energy toward. Becoming a mage was no small matter after all.

The Element looked at Kura with a concerned expression. “You need to be certain that you want this. Being a mage will bring prejudice and danger to your life, more so than you already experience.” She was certain that if the councilwoman became a mage, it would make her life far more difficult, even if she already dealt with the complications of being a mortalborn. Possibly the most worrisome change would be the effect of the Spark on her life. Sparks were living things, creatures that lived within a mage and gave them the ability to work magic. But it was a double edged sword. Sparks could turn you into a monster if you gave too much of yourself to it and the magic.

“You need to understand that I will be placing part of my Spark within you. It is a living thing, in a way. But it will affect you in more ways than you can imagine.” There was a pained expression on the mage’s face.

“The Spark manifests differently in each mage, but regardless of the differences, the more you use your magic, the more of a hold it has on you. Mine has become tangled with my mind and my emotions. It takes immense focus on my part in order to live something resembling a normal life.” There was real anguish in the mage’s eyes. She knew the price for possessing Rupturing, and the cost she had paid thus far.

“A Spark will awaken from time to time as you move forward in your practice of the craft. These awakenings signify its increasing influence over you. A mage must be vigilant of these changes; otherwise it can turn you into a monster.” Sephira frowned deeply. “There is a good reason mages are feared by the public. There danger is always there for you to lose yourself to your Spark.” The cautionary tale done, Sephira nodded respectfully at the council woman.

“However, I wouldn’t have agreed to do this if I was concerned that you lacked the focus necessary to control your Spark. ” The Element knew the council woman had the resolve to handle this, but it was best that she was informed of the dangers.

“The danger of Sparks aside, Rupturing can also be a deadly magic if not used carefully. One poorly constructed portal...one distracting thought and you can slice yourself in half or kill others in the process without meaning to do so. It takes discipline and practice to use safely, and even then there is always that risk.” She uttered firmly, then going silent as she waited for the councilwoman to respond.

Dialogue|Thoughts

[Kura Wolfsdotter]

Kura nodded her acceptance of Sephira's wishes not to discuss her investigation at the moment, then listened as the mage explained the dangers of being initiated, what it could mean for her life afterwards. "I hadn't known about the Spark transfer. That's...interestin' in terms of the potential ramifications." she said, her tone musing, though she shook it off to focus on what Sephira was saying. When she finished, Kura thought for a moment, then looked down at the Fracture Scar on her arm. "The potential for power to consume or destroy me is somethin' I grew up with. I've even seen the results of someone losin' themselves to their power firsthand. A mortalborn, like me, lost herself to her Domains and slaughtered her own soldiers, even murdered her father." she said, her tone calm, but there was a hint of sadness to it. Valtharn had been a friend, once, before she lost control.

"People have said that I'm cold, distanced, calculatin', that I try to control things too much." she said, then held up her scarred arm. "This is the reason why. The danger of my power runnin' wild, however minor or major that danger is, is somethin' I've lived with since I was a child. Don't misunderstand me, I know that becomin' a mage will add more danger, but it's a danger I'm familiar with. I've no intention of losin' control, whether to magic or to my own Domains." she said, smiling slightly as she lowered her arm. "As to the dangers of rupturing itself, that's good to know. I'd really rather not slice myself in half because I goofed up a portal. That would be...rather embarrassing." she said, grimacing slightly. "Then, of course, there's the matter of people being afraid of mages. I want to change that, and by being a good leader who is also a mage, I'd have a better chance of that than I otherwise would." she said, her tone showing her determination.

Then she tilted her head in thought. "Of course, it's not just normal people who are afraid of magic. I've known mages who are afraid of their own magic. I want to change that too. To be afraid of somethin' that you use, that's a part of you, it weakens your control over it, makes you vulnerable to losing yourself to it because you don't know it, don't understand it. The more mages are afraid of their own magic, the more stories we'll her of people losin' control." she said, before shaking her head and laughing a bit. "Sorry, I've gotten used to havin' to make small speeches, comes with my job, you know?" she said, looking at Sephira. "For what it's worth, I wouldn't have asked you to teach me if I thought you were likely to lose control." she said, smiling slightly.

[Sephira]

The mage crossed her arms while she continued explaining the results that would follow initiation.

“Yes, and in putting a part of my Spark within you, there will be a link between us forever. This bond is very strong between Rupturers, perhaps because our magic deals with travel and distance. "

Sephira could remember the bond she had shared with Elias, how she had always know where he was and if he was alive and well. The woman had also felt that bond break on the night of his death. It had been wiped away like an inconsequential cobweb, as if it had been nothing at all. There was always a place within her mind that felt empty and absent now that the bond was gone, it was a constant reminder of what she had lost.

Sephira's expression grew serious when Kura glanced down at the scar on her arm. It was a strange thing, unlike anything Sephira had ever seen before. There was an unexpected comfort in knowing that Mortalborn also paid a price because of their abilities; much like mages. They might not carry parasitic entities within their souls, but they faced the loss of themselves if they used their powers too liberally. It was a fear that the Rupturer knew very well. She had spent long nights dreading what she could become if she was not careful. It took, discipline, focus and meditation to keep her Rupturing Spark under some semblance of control.

The soldier grew quiet when Kura spoke about why she was so cold and detached. Sephira bowed her head gently, glancing blankly at the ground. There was one secret that she had only shared with the Militant, perhaps Kura knew of her sins since she had been there fighting against the cult with her, but Sephira was not sure if she knew the gravity of the actions that night they had been kidnapped.

“I lost control the night we were kidnapped by the cult.” She said quietly, her voice barely audible above the sound of the wind. “I was inexperienced and forced to my limit. I overstepped because I pushed myself too hard and too far. My Spark ripped open a portal in that chamber, it started the collapse.” The mage took a deep breath before silencing the rasping muted sob that had escaped her lips.

“They said there was a bomb, but that doesn’t change anything…I played a part in the deaths of hundreds.” The woman whispered tightly before she surgically slid her mask of discipline back in place.

“Just be sure that you want this Kura.”

The mood lightened noticeably when the council woman mentioned making changes to better protect the mages of Scalvoris. Sephira turned her attention away from the sins of her past and toward the hopes she had for the future.

“People are afraid of us.” She replied in agreement. “And I can’t completely blame them. Mages can be a danger to themselves and others if they aren’t provided with the support that they need.” Sephira nodded at Kura’s thoughts about mages not being given enough of an education about their abilities.

“I was trained by an old man on Faldrass, and his education was barely passable.” She said with a sardonic laugh. “And he died before I could finish my training, that’s why I joined the Elements, I had no one else to turn to.” There was the strangest twist of a smile on the Rupturer’s face, as if she was both partially amused by her past and bitter about it.

“I think that’s the case for many mages,many are lacking in training and so few have proper mentors. If you are willing to work toward making Scalvoris a safer place for mages then know that I will support you.” She added firmly. “If we were to start anywhere first, it should be with the Elements. The cult radicalized Element Defiers to their cause; we shouldn’t allow something like that to happen again.” There was a surety in her voice, a confidence that Sephira had not felt in a long time. Maybe they could make a difference if they worked together.

"Perhaps if all Element mages were in one branch or organization, they could be better managed in trained." Her words were stated like an afterthought but they carried with them an idea that the mage had been considering for some time.

The woman laughed softly at Kura’s comment about being prone to making speeches. Sephira supposed that such tendencies came with being a councilwoman.

“Thank you Kura, and I wouldn’t have agreed to do this if I doubted your ability to handle the Spark. So if you are ready, and if you want to continue, we can begin. ”

Dialogue|Thoughts

[Kura Wolfsdotter]

Kura nodded as Sephira explained the link that would form between them if Sephira initiated her. She had known of a link, thought not it's strength. It didn't particularly bother her though, and it was something she could accept. When Sephira spoke of what happened at the docks though, Kura shook her head. "And my own powers aided that weakenin', I played my own part in those deaths. But there was nothin', nothin' else we could have done. If we had failed, if they had been able to continue their work, more would have died. It is, admittedly, a cold comfort, but sometimes that's all we have." she said, her tone gentle. She felt the weight of those deaths every day, those deaths and hundreds more. Odds were, there would be thousands more in the centuries to come, but she would have to bear those too. "I am sure this is somethin' I want, Sephira. I would not have asked if I wasn't." she said, her tone still gentle.

When Sephira spoke about the fear of mages, Kura nodded. "Part of it is lack of understandin', another is lack of familiarity. Most people only hear about mages when the bad ones are actin' out." she said, shaking her head. "Lack of trainin' is another part of it as well, but also lack of understandin'. Many mages don't truly understand their powers, and they themselves are afraid of them." she said, before stopping and laughing. "I'm repeatin' myself. I have to learn to stop that." she said, her tone showing she was actually embarrassed about that.

When Sephira suggested her idea for the mages in the Elements, Kura nodded. "Aye, it's a plan, especially as many mages don't trust normal people. That fear goes both ways in a lot of cases." she said, grimacing slightly. When Sephira asked if she was ready to continue, Kura nodded. "Aye, I am. Though I don't know how to start. I'll follow as you say, though." she said, smiling as she spoke.

[Sephira]

The Rupturer remained silent when Kura mentioned that her own actions had led to the docks collapse as well. At least the mage didn’t carry the full weight of the blame, but she still despised her inability to control her Spark on that night.

“I know.” Sephira finally said. “I know there was nothing else we could have done. But it doesn’t erase the price that was paid for our...my actions.”

The woman went quiet for a trill before turning her attention toward the matter at hand. There was little else to be gained by ruminating about the past. Kura had made it clear that she wanted to move forward with the initiation and that she was ready to deal with the consequences.

Sephira gestured for Kura to take a seat on the ground, or to kneel if she preferred, and the Rupturer did the same. It would be best if they were both off their feet during the next part. Initiation into Rupturing was a disorienting experience to say the least. Kura would be set alight with ether and be pushed into a place beyond space and time where her consciousness and Kura’s would be linked together. For Sephira, her initiation had been like a tour of the cosmos, great stars, nebulas and celestial bodies had surrounded her. She hoped she would be able to see this place again through her initiation of Kura.

“Sit, and get comfortable, it’s best to be off your feet for this.” The soldier said firmly, kneeling down in front of the councilwoman in the grass.

“No matter what happens, no matter where this takes you, try to stay linked with me. Otherwise you will become lost forever.” There was finality to Sephira’s words and a final warning. Initiation could easily mean death if she fumbled the process or if Kura became lost wandering the strange reality she would momentarily be transported to.

“I will be igniting Ether within you, and our energies will become linked. The transfer of the Spark will only be completed if you return from where the initiation takes you.”

The Element waited for Kura to confirm one final time that she was ready and prepared for this.

Once that permission was given Sephira closed her eyes for a moment to focus her mind. This process would need to be surgical and precise to ensure Kura had the best chance of success. For a trill the woman breathed in and out slowly to calm her nerves. She focused on the beating of her heart and slowly relaxing her muscles one by one.

Finally Sephira opened her eyes and began drawing ether into her Rupturing spark which allowed her to begin gathering pockets of the silken energy around Kura. Her witchmark was set alight allowing crimson radiance to spill from her eyes, the luminescence growing brighter as the mage continued to draw pockets of ether to Kura.

Sephira was terrified of endangering the other woman, but fear would do her little good here. She had to remain focused if they were to succeeded.
Etheric energies ran through her grasp like thread on a spinning wheel as they collected inside and around the councilwoman opposite of her. The air around Kura began to warp faintly and make a soft rumbling sound as if a portal was about to open.

The Rupturer continued to sit completely still in front of the woman as her glowing eyes stared unblinkingly into the distance.

Creating a portal was a bit like building a fire. This was something Sephira had learned from her mentor Elias. You located a suitable pocket of ether where you wanted to create the rupture in space and you ignited that pocket with a flash of energy from your Spark. She was doing much the same thing with Kura, but somewhat inverted and there was a great deal more ether in play.

Finally when she was satisfied with her work Sephira glanced up at Kura once more before reaching out with her Spark and igniting the pockets of energy she had placed within Kura.

A massive ear shattering boom echoed in her ears just as her vision faded to a blinding white backdrop. The forest and Kura’s home were gone but in their stead was nothing but pure energy, and she somehow knew that Kura was there. Her energy, her soul hung there waiting to be grasped. The mage wasted no time, somehow understanding innately how to combine their energies. Maybe her Spark was assisting her in its own way, since it obviously wanted to send part of its essence into Kura. Sephira couldn’t be sure but before she had a moment to think on it the connection clicked into place and the blinding whiteness dissipated.

She couldn’t tell if this was real or not. But no longer were she and Kura standing within the borders of Sweetwine Woods but instead they seemingly had been transported to the slopes of the Faldrass volcano. The scent of ash and salty sea winds assailed their senses. The black obsidian dust of the mountainside crunched lightly beneath the Rupturer’s feet.
The experience had been quite different with her teacher Elias but Rupturing was the magic of traveling vast distances, perhaps it was no wonder that it had taken them to Sephira’s home of Faldrass. Maybe they were just dreaming or perhaps this was real, but Sephira somehow knew that they would not be here for very long.

The fabric of reality warped around them, crimson lances of lightning crackled and the pair were ripped away from the volcanic seaside and sent somewhere that was far more familiar to Kura.

Off Topic

Alright this initiation will now take them to a place of importance to Kura. Take the wheel!

Dialogue|Thoughts

[Kura Wolfsdotter]

When told to sit, Kura nodded and sat down, her legs crossed. She had meditated before, albeit rarely, and she knew the proper way to sit in cases where your brain might get distracted enough that it stopped telling your body to keep sitting. "Right. I'll keep as linked to you as I can." she said, her tone serious at Sephira's warning. She just nodded at the explanation of the ether ignition, wasn't the strangest thing she'd heard by a long shot, and she was prepared for it. She watched as Sephira began the process, noting the warping of the air around her and rumble at them, sounding somewhat like a playful dog to her ears.

Then the air practically exploded as she briefly found herself in a white void, before being grabbed by something, which she instinctively grabbed a hold of, and found herself and Sephira on the shores of the Faldrass Volcano. "The volcano? This place important to you, Sephira?" she asked, curiously, before the world began to distort around them and they found themselves sent to a new location, one that Kura had called home for most of her long life. It was somewhat later in the day where they were, and the place they were transported to was much more active.

Buildings made from a deep black stone rose around them, black cobblestones beneath their feet, and above them, the spires of a black fortress rose. Despite the bleak coloration of the city itself though, the people around them looked cheerful and well taken care of. Most of them wore simple peasants clothing, but there was no sign of the oppression or downtroddenness one might expect from the city's grim design. The were soldiers about, a rather high percentage of them in fact, and their armor matched the city, deep black and bulky. However, soon after the pair arrived, a group of children ran up to the soldiers and started pestering and questioning them, without a moment's hesitation.

"Korlasir!" Kura said, a clear note of joy in her voice. "This is my home city, Sephira! It's where I was born, raised, taught, everything!" she said, laughing as she spoke. "I served as a politician here, actually. The capital of The Eternal Empire, the Black City, the most secure place in Idalos!" she said, clearly exultant to be back, however briefly. Then, she let out a sigh and smiled warmly as she calmed down. "Home." she said, her tone simple.

Then a group of soldiers approached the pair and the leader started to speak, before doing a sudden double take when he saw Kura. "Wolfsdotter? How did you get here, and who's this?" he asked, a bit of confusion in his voice, though he remained polite as he gestured to Sephira.

Kura looked at the soldier for a moment, then placed the man. "Ah, Selvard. I see you've made Quinctus since I was home last. Finally grew in that beard too. This is Special Assistant Sephira Blackwood of the Scalvoris Elements, my Rupturing teacher. We're doing my initiation now, I expect we'll be going before too long." she said, her tone turning formal. The soldier nodded at that, then bade them a good day and a good initiation before taking his soldiers along their route.

Kura turned to Sephira and shrugged. "Magic isn't banned here, but when people portal in out of nowhere, it tends to result in a soldier or six coming to see what's going on. Selvard used to a member of the palace guard though, wonder when he got put on the city patrols. Still, Rupturing initiations dropping people in the city is decently common, a lot of people of Imperial blood have a fondness for the Black City." she said, before looking around as a thought occurred to her. "How long will we be at each location, do you know?" she asked, her voice intent.

[Sephira]

“I grew up here...and learned magic.” Sephira murmured softly as the slopes of the Faldrass volcano came into view around them. The scent of ash and sulfur mingled with the salty sea air. Wind swirled in great spirals around the two women as the Rupturer’s eyes rose toward a familiar ledge above them. Countless trials had been spent up there, training with her mentor Elias. The volcano had always been the perfect place for a Rupturer to practice. The remote location paired with the occasional booming of the mountain had hidden their use of magic quite well.

The space around them began to distort and within trills they were standing somewhere wholly new and startling to Sephira. A black city rose all around her like jagged shadows, however regardless of the sinister appearance there were people living here that seemed perfectly at ease. Normal townspeople garbed in simple clothes went about their daily lives and children skittered around the cobbled streets before stopping to speak with a cluster of city guards.

Sephira turned to Kura with an inquisitive look on her face. “Where is this place?” she asked with a faintly arched brow. She was genuinely curious, and it was strangely wonderful to travel so freely. Her Spark seemed to rejoice in leaving Scalvoris behind, even if it was only for a short time. When Kura answered Sephira’s eyes widened in surprise. Everyone knew of the Empire, but she had never dreamt of one day seeing it with her own eyes. Kura seemed wholly different, her face lighting up with joy in seeing her home again. The mage had never seen the councilwoman so delighted. However she could understand the difficulty in being so far from home. Perhaps with Rupturing at her disposal Kura could visit Korlasir far more often.

Sephira couldn’t be sure if others could see them until the guards looked up and their gazes fell on Kura with a gleam of recognition. It was so alien to be standing in a foreign city and speaking to a fellow soldier after being in Sweetwine Woods only moments before. This was the power of Rupturing, in its purest form. The ability to travel in the blink of an eye.

The Element inclined her head automatically in a subtle bow when Kura introduced the guardsmen to her. This was a man she understood, another soldier just like her. Sephira’s attention was torn away from her surroundings when the mortalborn mentioned the stance the Empire took on magic. It was amazing to think that there was a place where mages were not hated outright, where they could be trained openly and their gifts used to help people, rather than hurt. It was only when Kura asked how much longer they would be there that Sephira snapped out of her inner thoughts.

“You can never tell, it all depends on the Spark itself. They are capricious things.” No sooner had the words left her mouth that the world around them blurred and a thunderous booming filled the women’s ears. The bright light and dark stone of the Eternal Empire vanished to be replaced with nearly complete darkness. Tiny pinpricks of light slanted downwards from above making it clear that they were now underground. Motes of dust danced through the light before vanishing into the muted gray shadows. Once their eyes adjusted it was clear that they were standing on what had once been a balcony at the edge of an underground amphitheater or collosesum. The majority of the chamber was buried in layers upon layers of rubble, forming an impassable wall out of wooden beams and chunks of rock. Sephira wasn’t sure at first where exactly they were until she caught sight of the cracked columns behind them along with sets of rusted and broken chains bolted to the stone floor. This was where everything had changed.

This had been the place where so many had died on that terrible night. There was naught left but this small protected pocket at the edge of the amphitheater. She and Kura had both been there that night, chained to the ground before Vega had freed them.

Sephira felt her face fall upon realizing where they were standing.

This wasn’t just the ruins of the dock’s collapse, this was now a tomb.

Four hundred and eleven people had died because of the collapse and she had played a part in their deaths.

“No...not here.” she whispered through clenched teeth. The scent of old ash and mold clung to the air. There were marks on the walls that were remnants of the battle here.

The Element took a shaky step back, her hand trembled before coming to rest of a cracked and charred column. She had been so reckless and inexperienced back then, and that had come with a heavy cost.

Her Spark reflected her own emotions and flared with strength at her fear. It had known that this place was important to her, and so they had been brought here. To face her fears perhaps? Or maybe even her guilt.

“What a horrible night that was.” the soldier said with an half hearted laugh. There was a heaviness to her words, a weight that at least Kura would understand. The councilwoman had been there, she had witnessed the death and destruction of that night first hand. It was obvious enough that Sephira was doing her best to hold herself together in order to complete the initiation. This was not about her, it was about Kura first and foremost.

Dialogue|Thoughts

[Kura Wolfsdotter]

Kura looked a little disappointed when the Initiation whisked them from Korlasir so soon, but she knew it was inevitable. Still, she couldn't deny that she missed her home, and being back had been a joyous thing. When they arrived at their next destination, however, she looked around in confusion. "Does one of us perhaps have an affinity for closets?" she asked, before she noticed the chains on the floor. Sephira noticed them at about the same time and was clearly having trouble holding it together. Kura stepped over to Sephira and put her hands on the soldiers shoulders. "Close your eyes, Sephira. Thinking about it now, won't help either of us." she said, her tone urgent before the air around them began to shift again, this trip being mercifully short.

When they emerged in the new location, there was a creaking of wood underneath their feet. Kura looked down, then swore and suddenly jerked Sephira towards her, just as the burnt out floor collapsed underneath where the soldier had been standing. They were in a burnt out mansion in the middle of a field, standing on a barely stable part of the third floor. The fire damage had been severe, most of the roof and large sections of the walls were entirely gone, and there were large gaps in the floor. However, they were essentially standing on the edge of the stone fire place, which was part of a pillar that was still stable, if a little precarious. "Okay, so let's not make any sudden moves and figure out where the hell we...oh." she said, trailing off and looking at a part of the opposite wall.

The spot Kura was staring at looked to have been a hidden room of sorts, with two door frames between the main part of the room and the hidden room. "I ordered this mansion burned some thirty years ago. We had been investigating the owner for smuggling slaves and other illegal cargo. When we searched the building, we found this hidden room, and in it was a young girl. She had been kept there all her life, nothing but a tool to be used. I saved her, helped her learn to speak, to write, to think for herself." she said, before sighing. "Cally has been with me ever since, both in life and death." she said, before frowning. "He wasn't the only one of his kind, though. I've hunted his kind, parasites who feed off the misery of others, for my entire life. I learned to play law and politics because it made hunting them easier. A lone person can't take on a rabid army that butchers innocents, can't topple wicked kings. But as a politician, as a leader, I can hunt them not with a bow and arrow, but with thousands of people. As a ruler, I can make their lives outside the law a living hell, and when I catch them, I can ensure they never hurt anyone again." she said, a low growl in her voice as her convictions rang through.