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Aranel had not expected this attack in the least. Once it began, all semblence of calmness and serenity faded and she adopted a more panicked demeanor. However, it was brief! She had been through situations like these - hell, worse than these - so she knew that not focusing could be dangerous for her and those around her.

That wasn't to say she wasn't afraid. Because dear god she was.

The girl followed the rest as they moved to leave, leaning more toward the back since she felt stupidly protective and overly-heroic. The thought occured to her that she could be asking to die, and it terrified her something fierce. She knew, though, that by helping, even if she was unable to get out of this chaos alive, she'd have not died in vain.

The death of Gaston caused her heart to break - mainly for his daughter. She'd approach the girl and bend over, touching her back gently. Her expression was sad but worried. "Please... Please go with them to safety. You can come back later for him - I'll even help you, if you'd like - but for now you just really need to go!"

She couldn't force the girl to go with them, so she hoped that her words were enough. Her attention was snagged by the murderer as he left the burning, collapsed home, headed straight for them. Aranel's heart began to race and she bit her lip, letting out a whine as she realized that she had to help even more than just rounding people up or attempting to motivate them to keep moving.

She squeezed her eyes shut. When she opened them again, she was running for the rat. Both tonfa were in her hands, knuckles white from how tight she was squeezing them.

Aranel did a dumb thing.

A really dumb thing.

She stumbled over some debris (Or was it a body? She didn't want to look.) and scrambled forward, her balance lost. Thankfully, she didn't outright fall, but it made her attack lose its edge before it even began.

Oh Aranel.

Delilah stumbled out of the back door behind everyone else, the alcohol still running through her veins. Delilah was barely able to stand straight and see clearly, the smoke wasn't doing her eyes any good, she squinted and flailed her arms around in an attempt to find something to lean on.

Her blurred gaze was able to spot the closest, quick enough to see Aranel fall but too slow to react. Delilah was kinda chuckling to herself as Aranel tripped "S-sorry" she slurred. The dog was soon to catch her attention but mostly, what it was barking at was what she tried to make out.

"It seems you're magic relies on sheer focus, lose that and you're a sitting duck" she said squinting at Pearl. Her own state was bad for her, she wouldn't be able to help with the alcohol running through her blood.

She was determined to help though. Highlights of orange appeared in her hair
"Flames of darkness, devour the flaming rat in it's sins,
Burn the filthy vermin's soul and take it back to the mother of purgatory"

Her eyes became blank and red glowing patterns appeared on her forearms and hands, a red fire shot from both her palms but instead if sopping the monster, the flames only added to the intensity of the rat's flames and the filthy beast still made it's way towards them. "I knew it... gave it a shot" she shrugged, The rat's flames now stronger than they were before.

Crow’s coarse shoes come to a slowing stop, her pale gaze drifting over her shoulder. Crow’s yellow gaze lingers upon the rising flames, before drifting upwards, sharpening briefly upon the form of the rat folk. Crow’s stool shudders violently, as it spins upon its peg-like legs, its teeth releasing the loaves of fiery bread. Crow’s pale lips pulled into a frown, as her pale gaze snaps to the rats in front of her, the dip of her dirtied, tri-corned hat obscuring one of her pale eyes. Crow’s left hand drifts towards the burning stool, its motions slowing, before stopping completely, the flame continuing to burn. Crow’s left, tattered, cloth-covered hand catches a flame, and her form buckling forward, as her pale gaze closes tight. Crow’s cheeks are covered by silent tears, before her pale gaze opens, her scorched left hand rising upward. The flame that lingered upon the tattered cloth becomes a dark, smoldering smoke.

The smoke was outlined by a darkly colored flame, and it spread itself towards the six ratlings, quickly pushing itself into their nostrils or open mouths, and pouring itself down their throats and into their lungs. Crow’s left hand closes, and the smoke shifts into the dark flame, burning the ratling’s lungs from the inside. Crow’s right hand snaps upward and grasps her dirtied, three-cornered hat, as her form turns about. Crow’s coarse shoes carry her towards the tavern, and to the right, in a half-sprint, her chest lifting and falling rapidly, as her pale gaze remains steadily upon the street ahead, casting itself to the left and to the right, for a sturdy house’s door.

Attempt after attempt, Samantha failed to achieve her required metaphysical result. The ratkin would not be stopped.
She tried a different approach: redirecting its attention, rather than stopping it in its tracks.



She immediately regretted this decision.

That could have gone better. None of the attempts helped. This specific Rat was insane enough to ignore both a throwing axe in his side as well as the increased pain of burning alive. His resolve was strong like iron. If he was going to die, he'd take someone with him! However, the extra pain did make him realize he'd never reach the group before dropping dead. So instead, the very unlucky Aranel was chosen as his target. With his final breath the insane Ratkin body slammed right on top of her while she was down, ignoring Samantha's attempts at distracting him.

Sylass however was quick when it came to reflexes. When he saw the Ratkin jump for the unfortunate woman he sprung into action. Unfearing of the flames, Sylass grabbed the beastman around the waist and threw the burning beast away from her and the rest of the group. The Lizardman screamed in agony as his claws had been terribly burned because of this. Maybe not as badly as Aranel, though she had not been in contact with the flames for long. The Lizardman did not help removing the flames from her, though. That was not his job. Elsa, however, did come and help Aranel out. She had been nice to her, and her father was beyond saving. She could mourn later. Right now these able patrons were her best chance for survival.

The raging Ratkin in the meantime finally stopped screaming and was slowly burning to a heap of ash.

Sylass snarled. Who was he supposed to be angry at for the searing pain on his claws? Aranel for being clumsy and stumbling over a corpse or Delilah for making the fires worse? Or perhaps he should be angry at himself for not hitting his mark? A good hurl from his throwing axe could've cut the Ratkin's leg clean off, but he had failed.

Nope, he decided to be mad at Aranel."Don't think Sylass saving clumsy woman will become habit." He snarled at her as he drew his axe and mace from his belt, but clearly gripping around his weapon's handles hurt him. It fueled his rage even more.

Now that the savage burning rat was dealt with, the group still had to reach the safe zone! The guards were effectively holding off waves of Ratkin. When they had the element of surprise, these undisciplined creatures had the upper hand, but when collected it took a lot more than wavering numbers to take out these guards. It was still the group's best hope, and Sylass realized this rather quickly. He could hear more of these gutter beasts emerging from streets and corridors further from their possition."Any who want to live follow Sylass." The Lizardman spoke as he started running for the street ahead. More Ratkin armed with made-shift weaponry were pouring out of the streets. Now the group had to act fast. Their window of opportunity was growing slim. Sylass did his best on taking out his share of rats, smashing skulls and cutting off limbs left and right, but that was difficult when simply holding weaponry hurt like hell.

Meanwhile,

Crow's magic proved deadly indeed. The rats burned on the spot, wheezing for air and dropping like flies. They couldn't even scream from the smoke in their throats and the fire in their lungs. Their deaths were most painful, but Crow was not out of danger yet. More rats would surely hunt her down, including one vicious one. A tall Ratkin in hide armor strapped to her body with chains. In her hands she held leeshes on which hung blood crazed feral dogs, four of them. The mangy mongrels barked, though it sounded more like a demonic roar. The Ratkin would let go of them once she came across her lung burned brethren.

The door she was knocking on was barricaded. She could not get in, but she wouldn't need worry about security for much longer. From behind a nearby stone house came three gentlemen in a copper colored heavy armor and a white tabard picturing a crimson colored panther, two of them were clearly half-elves, one with short blonde spikey hair and the other with a light stubble and long blonde hair; twins. The third one was more exotic looking. He was a slender individual with chainmail and the same tabard. On his hip was an onyx trident. His bright green hair was neatly tied into a long ponytail. The young man's face was shaven clean, revealing his bright yellow skin tone and fish-like scales. A Merman, of the same race of Mer that Crow might recognize from a previous adventure.

"Look brother, a survivor!" The short haired Elf called out. His brother rolled his eyes."I'm not risking my life for your chivalry, brother! The long haired one scoffed. Sadly for him, the short haired Half-Elf ignored him and ran for her, making a deep bow.

"My lady, I see you are in need of sanctuary. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Fin'arius. This here is my grumpy twin brother Fen'arius and our outlandish friend uhm... I forgot. He's a new member to the glorious Crimson Panthers." The Merman glared at Fin, but otherwise his lips remained shut. Another howl was heard."I won't take up much of our time, as danger is clearly headed our way. For a small fee we are willing to to guide you to a safe place where more of our guildmembers and the local guards are holding a perimiter. Why, for one so beautiful as yourself we are willing to give you a discount.

"No discounts! All of her coin or you can bring her safety yourself, brother!" Fen yelled at him. Fin sighed."You know nothing of chivalry. Very well. All of the coin on you, and we will guide you to safety. Surely that's not a high price to pay for your life, is it?" He smiled.

((Changes: For as long as Sylass is burned he will have a -3 modifier on each attack roll. Aranel will suffer a similar fate, though I'll let her decide how bad it is))

Aranel had been squished. Sigh. Not for long, though, thankfully! Even still, the flames were quick to light her clothes, but thanks to Sylass' even faster acting, she was able to roll around and snuff them before she, too, would burn alive.

That didn't spare her the pain of the burns that ate through her clothes, nor the embarrassment of having some skin show. (Egads, not that!) She wheezed a bit as she pushed herself back up, only to be snapped at by the Lizardman himself. "...Sorry." She was going to thank him, but his piss-poor attitude was more than enough to deter her from doing that. She gathered her tonfa once again, brushing them off followed by herself (seeing as though being jumped on midway through getting up caused her to practically faceplant). Her glasses were adjusted, and soon Aranel was ready to get out of dodge.

Needless to say, she was right behind Sylass. Aranel's hands were fine, but her backside was not. Moving her arms agitated the burns, so fighting the ratmen they approached was mighty difficult.

((I'll go with a 3 or 4 as well. Not her hands, but ouch, still. Also sorry for taking so long! I forgot Pearl pulled out oops ;v;. Or that it was my turn. I FORGOT SOMETHING I don't know.

Should I roll?))

Crow's hands placed themselves upon the door, her shoulder pushing itself against the door. Her form slowly slides downward, before her coarse shoes catch themselves upon the steps outside. Crow's form rights itself, as her right hand lifts upward, shifting the dirtied, three-cornered hat upon her heat. Crow's pale gaze drifts towards the three males, her darkly burnt left hand still smoldering, and her voice's volume lifting, as her form remains beside the door, "I am, yet I care not for who you are."

Crow's pale gaze sharpens towards the short-haired Elf, before her pale gaze drifts towards the road that she came from, the dip of her dirtied, three-cornered hat obscuring her pale, facial features, until her pale gaze drifts towards the three males, stopping upon the merman, her pale gaze sharpening, "How is it, having your name so easily forgotten?" Crow's pale gaze snaps towards the short-haired elf, her lips forming a frown, before her right hand draws a minuscule pouch and tosses it upon the ground. The faintest of sounds could be heard from the coins within, "It is not. I agree to these terms." Within the pouch held three silver coins, with their face-sides marked in a burnt black.

((not a problem. We have got the RP rolling again! Pearl, Delilah and Samantha are no longer in it, but I have found two people willing to join instead! Oh, and no need to roll. A -3 is enough. It only lasts so long until Aranel can get hearself treated))
((EDIT: one of the two new people will start posting on sunday, but we can keep going like we are now. No need to wait for anyone at this point. Who it is that joins us then is a secret, sshhhh))

Crow was lucky to have come across the three mercs. There was safety in numbers, and despite her cold demeanor, the short haired Half-Elf had no intention of letting Crow fend by herself. However, the Merman couldn't help but answer the Witch."Do you care if the worms in the muck don't remember who stepped on them?" He retorted. Fen looked back at the Merman."Hell, I've never heard him even speak. He's kind of a prick, ain't he?" The Merman remained silent once more. Apparently that joke did not amuse him as much as it did Fin.

The long haired Half-Elf spat to the ground as Fin'arius retrieved but a pitiful amount of coin."You sure know how to pick 'em, brother." Fin didn't seem to mind. He just smiled."We're doing a good thing here, Fen. Let's go, m'lady. The safe zone is not far off." With that, the short haired Half-Elf drew his weapons, a shortsword and a small buckler. Fen did the same thing, he drew his poleaxe and the unnamed Merman his trident. Together they ran off.

Back at the tavern,

Sylass gritted his teeth as he ran. His claws screamed bloody murder! But he had to fight through the pain. His weaponry swung from left ro right, piercing through the bulk of Ratkin who were getting more and more concerned about this raging lizard and its group of very capable fighters! They got intimidated and less Ratkin were so keen on meeting face to face with this group.

That was, until the worst possible thing happened. From behind the tavern appeared a Ratkin in a dark cloak. Its entire visage was hidden and the only signs on this being another Ratkin were the pink tail that appeared from underneath its robes and the boney ratpaws that were its hands. From it emerged a dark energy as it chanted in a dry and low voice. The Shadowmancer's entourage scurried over onto the non burning hovels to gain a vantage point and snipe down to the group.

The first to fall was the Pyromancer Delilah. A well aimed arrow struck her right through her right foot. The poor drunk woman faceplanted into the dirt and it didn't took long for a bunch of eager Ratkin to drag the fainted woman to a nearby alleyway. Afterwards from the roof of a different hovel a rather plump and heavy Ratkin had fallen atop Samantha, with a little help from the Shadowmancer, using the Ratkin's own shadow to make it tumble down. A disgusting crunch could be heard as the Lizard fell into the dirt. It was unsure from whom's body the stomach churning sound belonged as both bodies didn't move an inch. Ratkin scurried over to take this prize away as well.

The last one to fall was Pearl and her faithful hound. The Shadowmancer's spell was complete at this point and Pearl's very own shadow snared around her body as if ropes had magically tied themselves around her body. The same fate awaited her hound who also got snared in its own shadows. Those two were the only concious heroes to be carried off and Pearl's screams rang in the remaining heroes' ears. Sylass heard, but did absolutely nothing to save them. It was his own hide that needed saving, not theirs. The Shadowmancers laughed as it too returned to the shadows. This was simply a show of force to demoralize any stupid enough to resist the Ratkin.

Elsa had been running closely besides Aranel and was content to let both her and Sylass take out the Ratkin. She was unarmed either way and being close to the white haired girl strengthened her resolve to see this through. And see it through they did. Elsa, Aranel and Sylass had made it. Baker's street, the safe zone, was one corner away.

Guards had been busy barricading this one way street and behind it the heroes could hear the cries of children and the yelling of orders from the guard captains alive. Aldegar's guards were the ones in steel armor with golden tabbards and capes. But there were other soldiers as well in bronze armors and white tabbards showing a crimson panther. Mercenaries helped to hold this perimiter, both Humans and Dwarves could be seen working together to secure this place. As soon as the three arrived, guards jumped over the barricade."Open it up! We've got suvivors here!" One of the female guards yelled and as quickly as ever the guards would help both Aranel and Elsa inside while the others took care of any Ratkin dumb enough to chase the group all the way to the barricade. However, Sylass was refused access. The female guard who happened to be a captain narrowed her eyes in disgust."You monsters have done enough here. Go away and take your filthy sewer buddies with you!"

Sylass couldn't believe it. All of that fighting, all of this pain and only to be turned down by a racist Human captain."Blonde woman mad! Sylass has nothing to do with Rats! How dares blonde woman accuse Sylass?!" He was getting furious. His tail swiped left to right in a restless manner, but the captain wouldn't budge. That was until a familliar group finally reached the perrimiter.

"Are you really that stocked up on soldiers you can refuse passage to a capable warrior, my dear Hilda?" Fin'arius spoke as he arrived with Fen, the Merman and Crow, all unharmed."Come on, this guy has clearly nothing to do with the Ratkin. Let him in. I've seen him fight from a distance, you'll regret not having him around." Sylass just remained quiet, but after a gentle smile and a wink towards the guard captain by Fin, she eventually gave in."Oh, fine, what the hell. Let the Lizard in. But if he starts killing our civilians, it's you who pays the price, Fin!" The Half-Elf laughed."Of course, of course. Look, we brought back another survivor. Her hand is burned, though. Is that fluffy priest still around?" Hilda nodded."He's taking care of some children who claim to have lost their eyesight, so get in line if you need aid."

Sylass, a bit surprised to see Crow again, angrily hopped over the barrier. He was grateful for Fin vouching for a complete stranger, but these Humans' prejudice made him too angry to actually thank the Half-Elf. The street had about twelve houses on each side, all of which were bakeries and butcher shops and all of which held dozens of refugees. At the other side of the street stood a similar barricade with more guards on watch. Through the chaos of wounded people a few stood out. Bakers were handing out bread and tarts to frightened people and their children to give them a bit of hope. Guards ran across one side of the street to the next and a long haired priest was tending to some children. He was indeed hairy with his bushy beard and his incredibly thick armhair. There was quite a line in front of him but the man seemed to posess a certain skill in healing magic. Between patients he sipped from a mana potion.

So here the group was. They had a moment to collect their breath, and more importantly: plan their course of action.

Aranel had Elsa closeby, and to move to try to save the three doomed individuals would open the other female up for attack, too. She felt atrocious and awful, as each time she managed to catch what was happening, it was already a bit too late. All she could do was assume a protective pose in front of Elsa until they were on their way again.

It was blatantly obvious that this was a traumatizing event, but Aranel tried her hardest not to let it get to her yet. She wanted to be sure everything was alright before she would have her inevitable breakdown.

She and Elsa had been brought indoors by the time Sylass was being mistreated. Sure, she heard, and yes she wished to say something, but Aranel didn't want to interrupt. Or, well... it was really more like her voice was so small that it couldn't possibly reach the loud and enraged humans. Eventually, something happened (she couldn't hear much other than them) and Sylass was welcomed indoors. For now, Aranel was leaning forward to give her burned back some air, arms dangling at her sides limply. Her face was buried in her knees. She'd ask Elsa, voice muffled, "Are you alright?"

Also tending to the wounded was a young woman. Though she was outfitted like a warrior - wearing scale armor, with a shield on her back and a rather nasty-looking flanged mace strapped to her belt - she was frantically running to and fro, providing first aid to those in need. In the corner of her mouth she carried a bloodstained sewing needle, in her right hand some cloth and a disgusting bloodied rag and in her right hand nothing, for it was used to gently (or not-so-gently) push people out of the way so she could more easily reach the wounded.

The woman was focused on her work, occasionally shouting orders to whoever was listening, at other times whispering reassuring words to the wounded who feared for their lives. Every now and then she'd stop and look around for anyone not being tended to, as well as take a swig from one of the flasks she carried on her belt.

Crow's pale gaze lingered upon the Merman, her coarse shoes carrying her form towards the other, but stopping within a few feet. Her dirtied, three-cornered hat's dip hid one of her eyes, as her head shakes, from side-to-side, subtly, "I do not." Crow's eyebrows furrow, slightly, her head tilting backwards, allowing her gaze to fall upon the Merman, "You have changed." Her expression remains neutral, as her pale gaze snaps towards Fen, the long-haired half-elf, her gaze lingering there, before returning to Fin, her uninjured hand drift upwards to grasp the dirtied, three-cornered hat, placing it
against it her chest, as her coarse shoes carried her form after the Crimson Panthers.

Crow's coarse shoes slow to a stop, as her chest lifts and falls heavily, her hand grasping the dirtied, three-cornered hat tightly. Her pale gaze closes, before her chest slowly relaxes, as her hand places the dirtied, three-cornered hat upon her white locks. Crow's lips purse into a light frown, "I do not need his assistance." Her coarse shoe lifted upwards, placing it upon the other side of the barricade, her uninjured hand placing themselves upon the barricade's surface, as her other coarse shoe lifts upward, her form standing upon the inner side of the barricade. Crow's pale gaze drifts between those gathered, her coarse shoes carrying her form towards the least populated corner of the street, her form lowering, as her uninjured hand pressed itself against the street's surface.

Crow's form seated itself upon the street, her uninjured hand reaching into her dirtied robes, until an unlit candle was grasped, and settled upon the street's surface. Crow's yellow gaze sharpens, centered upon the wick of the candle, as it catches flame.

Elsa looked up at Aranel as she kneeled down."Oh, y-yeah, I'm fine." She answered as she sat beside her rescuer."Thank you for taking me with you. I'd have died as well if it weren't for your kind words that pulled me from my grief. I'm not sure if... if anyone would have taken me along the way you did." Tears were running down her cheeks as she leaned her head against Aranel."I just can't believe he's gone... I should have saved him but I couldn't!"

While that sad scene was going on, the still furious Sylass walked over to Aranel and Elsa. Surprisingly, not to yell at her."Sylass just want to apologize to white haired girl." He stated in a soft tone."White haired girl not as helpless as Sylass thought. Handled herself well in chaos. Sorry Sylass couldn't save her friends. Will need help to deal with Rats, though. Seek Sylass out when rested." With that the Blackscale left. He had heard Fin spoke of a priest. Unlike Crow, he could actually use his help.

Fin raised a brow at Crow and her refusal to get that hand checked out."Are you sure? It looks pretty bad." While the unnamed Merman walked to the far side of the street to aid the guards in protection over there, Fen stayed back, trying to scratch the burned side off of the silver coins. Much to his dismay, without success.

Sylass in the meantime made his way to the priest. He eyed Aleria for a moment. A fully armored woman doing the work of a common medic? That wasn't something you saw every day. Everyone was doing their part in this crisis, he supposed, but a person in armor belonged on the battlefield, not in the streets taking care of the commoners!

The priest saw the Lizardman coming and wiped his forehead with a cloth as he took another gulp from his mana potion."Yes, yes, what do you need, warrior? I'm a bit busy right now." He said in an as friendly tone as his stressed out voice would allow."Sylass' claws, burned from fire. Need healing." The priest sighed."Burn victim? Get in line, I have people with more serious ailments to treat right now! Grab a bucket of cold water and wait 'till I'm done." Sylass would refute the priest, but he pretty much had enough of this city and its inhabitants. The Lizard angrily sat down a few houses further. His claws still burned like crazy but he was too proud to actually grab himself a bucket and fill it with water.

As Crow got a candle lit, Fin'arius was not far away. His eyes widened."Wow, how did you... Oh. I see." He spoke to her, taking a few steps back."I won't tell anyone, I promise!" With that he ran away and headed for his brother.

Crow's pale gaze drifted upwards, her face remaining neutral, as her pale gaze lingered upon Fin. Crow's pale gaze returns to the candle, her facial features illuminated by the odd crystal upon her belt and the candle-light, her uninjured hand grasping the hilt of a dirtied dagger. Turning her injured hand's palm upwards, her right hand pressed the dagger's tip against the burnt and blackened flesh. Spots of darkness and burnt flesh still lingered upon the hand, solidifying against her pale flesh.

As her right hand scraped the dagger's point against the burnt flesh, her pale gaze would sharpen, periodically, the burnt flesh revealing muscle and blood. Soft, man-like groans of agony escaped the blade, occasionally.

Having achieved one of the rare times in her current activity in which she could stop and rest - having more or less run out of thread and bandages, and with nobody in sight requiring her help (which was admittedly just enough to stitch wounds, stop bleeding and overall keep the wounded alive until the way more skilled priest could get to them), the knight deigned to grant herself a small break. Seeing the quite frightening lizard-like creature being more or less told off by the priest, she decided to approach it. Violent or peaceful, all lizardmen had one thing in common - they were never boring.

"Looks damn nasty. Vermin's handiwork?", she asked, gesturing at the lizardman's hand. The bloodied sewing needle poked still from the corner of her mouth - in fact, now it was moving around quite erratically as she played with it distractedly with her tongue, like one would do with a reed or a toothpick.

Aranel couldn't help but to flush at the compliment and flattery, but she couldn't feel too good about it. This was far too tragic to smile about. She reached around to give the girl a little hug while her head rested against her. "We can't save everyone, Miss Elsa... I really hate saying that, I do, but I'm certain he wouldn't have it any other way. If you were to attempt to save him, it would have likely ended your life, and I'm very certain he's happy knowing you got away safely. I'm so sorry, though. For all of this." What? It wasn't your fault, Aranel, what the Hell?

Aranel's eyes drifted up to Sylass as he walked over to her. At first she gave him a smile at the apology, then a frown when the others were mentioned, and a final nod when he requested her assistance. "It's alright, Mister. It was a difficult and stressful situation - I can't fault you for being upset by my muck-ups. Thank you for the apology, though, hah."

She decided to rest a little while longer, at least until she was no longer battling tears over the burns on her back. Her clothes were open back there, but her sleeves kept the rest of it up, and thankfully nothing inappropriate was showing.

Just some burned up back with a few moth tattoos.

Elsa seemed to need that embrace as she put her arms around Aranel and gave her a full hug. “I know but... I miss him so much.... Oh father...” All energy seemed to have faded from the girl, as her hands trembled and kept moving gingerly across Aranel’s back. It took her a moment, but the embrace helped and slowly Elsa got to her feet again, the tears had stopped, although she still looked pale and forlorn. “T-thank you. Y-you need not be sorry, those monsters did this.”

Sylass looked up as the armored woman approached her. He didn't feel like standing up and meeting her at her own height. At first he didn't even care what she had to say. But then he heard it was about his wounds. Could she help him? The Lizard quickly got up to answer her, seemingly forgetting Aranel was around as well."Ratkin, yes. Was on fire, yet charged at us like bull. Had to pull flaming body off of white haired woman." He explained though without any pride. In the end he had to flee."Ratkin too many. Had to flee. Many not make it out." The Lizard looked down at his claws and then towards the priest, gritting his teeth as he was taking care of a young man with a gash in his gut."City is doomed. We doomed with it if we stay." This was said to Aranel, though the Lizard's gaze looked over the armored woman as well. She seemed capable, very capable."Armored red woman alone. How she survive?" The Lizard asked curiously.

Meanwhile the man getting treated was looking around, rather bored. He was a young man with a thick mop of blonde hair and a few long whispey hairs on his chin that would insult any decent beard. His eyes got locked on a girl that walked the street while the priest was chanting an incantation. His flushed face suddenly turned pale as he took a few steps backwards, pointing his finger towards this girl. Towards Elsa.

"Hey, sit down, son!" The priest complained."G-G-Ghost! Ghost! We're doomed! The dead walk among us!" He cried out pathetically as a wet stain formed on his pants and dripped down to his ankle."Doomed! Doomed! Ghooost!" He yelled as he yelled, utterly frightened and running away from the place, running inside of one of the bakeries. The priest seemed confused."By the gods everyone is going mad... next!"

In the meantime, people left Crow alone, though in the background Fin was talking to his brother. Frantically he was pointing towards Crow and Fen would look at her, his eyes narrowed. They left her be for now, but it was clear she was being watched by the twins. Perhaps waiting for her to summon some demon that would surely kill them all.

The woman smiled slightly - a smile that was quick to fade away, as if the misery all around them did not allow it to linger any further. "Barely." was her answer, said as she greeted Aranel with a glance to acknowledge her presence, and little more. Yet when she spoke again, she did so to both of them.

"It's a real mess out there. Fighting was out of the question. Had to r-" Her sentence was left half-finished, since someone she did not know suddenly started a commotions. "Great, another one broken.", she muttered under her breath, needle still poking out of the corner of her mouth. She excused herself from the company of the two for a moment and, with the expression of someone who is just about to run out of patience, followed the frightened man into the bakery.

Crow's left hand was turned to the left, then to the right, her pale gaze lingering upon it. Crow's right hand placed its thumb alongside the dagger's blade, a sharp sound escaping her throat, as blood slowly trails itself down the dagger's point. The cut of Crow's thumb slowly closes, as the dagger emits a low, groaning sound.

Crow's hand moved the dagger's point to reside over the blood and muscle of her left hand. A few drops of blood land upon the palm of her left hand, slowly thickening and paling into skin that covered her hand's palm and outward. Crow's left hand bends its fingers inward, once, then twice, before her left hand returns to her own side. Crow's pale gaze drifts towards the twin brothers, her eyebrows lifting upwards, but her facial features remained neutral. Crow's gaze drifts towards the loud, young man, then towards the sign near the building that he had entered. Crow's coarse shoes carry her form towards the door of the bakery, her right hand pausing upon the door's side, before her coarse shoes carry her inside.

Elsa’s attention was caught by the man shouting ghost in her direction, for a moment her face was puzzled and she looked behind to see if this ‘ghost’ was there, it was only then that she realized the man meant her. “W-what does he mean...?”

The girl stammered, eyes tearing up again, then realization dawned on her as she saw him run into the bakery. “Oh no... It is him...” She put her hands together on her chest as she stepped back, blank fear in her eyes. “That man... T-tried to murder me a f-few nights back. I... I got away but... Oh no..”

Sylass snarled and sat back down as Aleria left. They were only in the safezone for a mere 15 minutes but Sylass was already feeling like he'd lose his mind as much as the blonde lad."Sylass must get out... Sylass cannot die here..." His tail swiped from left to right as his claws were pressed against his skull. Clearly he was not a fan of the current situation. And the urgency of it would soon be drastically increased.

In the distance, the king's castle could be seen, or at least its towers would. It was a massive building surrounded by many watchtowers. A loud blast would soon ring in everyone's ears. One of the watchtowers was put ablaze! The castle was under siege! This clearly got the citizens and the guards shocked as they all watched the tower burn with their mouthes wide open."The...The king..." One of the citizens uttered."They want to kill the king!" The reaction to this was mixed, but the guards were a lot more anxious as captain Hilda started to walk about, ordering them to take possitions.

"These filthy animals are after our king, men! It's our duty to protect our liege at all costs!" The blonde short haired woman cried out like a drill sergeant."The Crimson Panthers will remain here to secure the perrimiter while we strike as a unit to take back the castle. Our king needs our help, and like hell we're going to be the ones not to answer his call! We will fight through this entire army if we must, but we shall not be known as the regiment that did not heed our liege's call!" The guards saluted, but some of them didn't look like they liked the idea of piercing through an army of Ratkin.

"Good, now go prepare. We leave as soon as possible." With that, the guards scattered to grab their belongings and say goodbye to their loved ones.

Looks like things were going to move on. And soon. These royalists were loyal to say the least. Though not eager to face their death, it would seem they'd give up their lives in honor of their liege. Sylass smelled an opportunity, though. With a regiment of guardsmen it would be easier to survive an unslaught of Ratkin, but the problem was that they're headed the wrong way! Sylass wanted to get out of the city. The king could rot for all he cared! But then again, saving the king might be his only ticket out of here. The Lizard remained silent. His tiny brain had a plan to formulate.

Meanwhile inside the bakery, the blonde youth had tucked himself away in a dark corner. He had crawled himself up in a fetal possition, shivering wildly and clearly frightened after seeing young Elsa. His mumbling was barely comprehensible.

Crow's coarse shoes carried her form past the paladin and the young youth, her pale gaze drifting between the empty shelves and the few loaves of bread under glass. Crow's coarse shoes carried her form around the display, as her form leans forward, her hands grasping a loaf of bread. As her form straightens, Crow's pale gaze drifts towards the young lad, her eyes sharpening, and her right hand lifting the loaf of bread to her lips, her teeth biting into it and ripping a piece off, "Who do you talk of?" Crow's right hand lifts the bread upwards, as her teeth rip another bite off, her mouth chewing, before she swallows, "You are a murderer. Why and how matter little. Should the spirit you mention be troublesome, it is your responsibility." Crow's right hand lifts upward, as her teeth rip into the bread loaf, her mouth chewing, before she swallows, "Show this spirit to me. You are no doubt incompetent." Crow's right hand placed the bread loaf within the insides of her dirtied robes, the dip of her dirtied, three-cornered hat hiding her left eye.