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Tenken	Tenken had flown behind Ame, trailing the group after their capture for as far as he could without being noticed. This led him about 40 miles away from Great Forks, and he had flown for an hour and a half under the light of the moon before losing sight of them. Spotting a good place to set camp, he swooped towards the ground, his sorcerous wings silently carrying him like an arrow shot from a power bow. For the time being, all he could do was wait for a signal, and in the meantime he would also create a signal fire so that Frosty and Bright would be able to quickly find the rendevous. They would stage here and wait for Ame's signal, as this location was rather perfect to do so, covered by a thick canopy of trees, and protected on 3 sides by steep cliffs, which appeared to be somethingakin to granite.
Bright Journey	Traveling for days, there's no question that Bright did not expect the cult's destination to be quite so far away. But fortunately for her, Hoarfrost was kind enough to provide a means of transport. With Frost's help, both of them are able to make the journey quickly, and be ready to fight when the time comes. Unlike in earlier times, there's not much to say between them, at least on Bright's part. Odd for her to stay mostly silent, to say the least. But it's one thing to be ready when battle finds you, and another to know battle comes. Add in a friend in durance vile, and Bright's vigil is complete. She's not grim or completely mute, of course, but that determined, firm look is something most haven't seen yet on the young Eclipse.
Hoarfrost	Hoarfrost has been waiting in the forest for days in her unicorn form. The small clearing surrounding a dogwood has been converted into a place to do her daily summoning. With her a roughly fifteen greenmaws mill about in the forest the fruit of her labor. Every so often she reaches her essence out. Feeling through the roots of the world. This time her essence feels Amethyst moving. It is finally time. Standing she nods to Bright, pausing to let her on and trots out of her clearing. Small army of elementals in tow. Moving through the raw forest with fightening ease. She too is quiet. Focused on the task ahead. Knowing lives are on the line.
Tenken	Tenken feels a presence of someone powerful approaching before he hears or sees anything -- this powerful presence feels familiar though, and with bent legs his athletic form springs skyward. Hurtling through the air, the sorcerous tendrils of energy and light comprising his 'wings' burn with violent hues of blues, violet, and deep purple. It is then that he spots a small army of marching...trees? Grinning, he finds himself sighing in relief as he realizes that Hoarfrost and Bright have come well prepared, with the veritable army of elementals in lockstep behind them. Tenken flashes a burning torch taken from his camp's fire, moving it in a wide circle several times clockwise to get their attention, as he had no interest in surprising this group of spirits capable of swallowing grown humanoids whole. Tenken glides toward his allies and hails them, landing softly and asking if Hoarfrost can feel Ame's presence.
Bright Journey	As the lazy circles of fire wave overhead, Bright looks up curiously, squinting at the arcs of flame overhead. A quiet little grin steals onto her face, and she leans down to speak to Hoarfrost. "Frost, I think it's time. Look yonder." She points, and with a graceful motion dismounts as Tenken approaches. "Well met to you as well and long time no see, Tenken," Bright gently teases. Nevertheless...aye, I understand. Ame's not far from either of our thoughts right now." She pauses, glancing at Frost curiously. "How go your efforts? We have been at this a while, and we're all gathered. Well, except for Silk, but I have a feeling she can make her own way. Regardless, is it time?"
Hoarfrost	"I am good to fight. It has taken long enough for use to travel here by foot." The unicorn replies with motions not words. A toss of the mane, pawing impatiently at the ground. Still it is as easy to understand as anything to the other two. "She isn't far. I will have my Greenmaws attack in force and draw out their forces so we can better see what we have to contend with. Teken I trust you can manage the worst of their demons?" making another motion with her horn beckoning her battle group forward she makes to move as well. If there is reason for pause someone best tell her now before she sends her elementals charging in.
Tenken	Tenken nods, his hand moving to the hilt of his curved daiklaive, and using his thumb to raise the blade a finger's width out of the sheath he activates a hearthstone effect, which creates a mirrored weapon in his other hand, an ethereal copy made of moonlight. "I like our chances, but that is based on our previous interactions with the order acolytes.. I have a feeling that whatever we run into will be different considering this is actually one of their strongholds". "That said, I don't see any reason that charging in would be detrimental to our objectives... this group is not composed of the stealthy members after all, so why not?!"
Amethyst	It's eerie quiet outside. No guards or patrols, no one to stop them from simply walking up to the tower and entering. And that tower is an impossing black. It extends 10 stories and has bars covering all of the windows. It's clear the very purpose of this tower: It is a prison tower. There's other towers too, but this is the one Amethyst is within.
Bright Journey	As Bright Journey and Hoarfrost (and Silk?) ride in to join Tenken at the edge of the forest, just out of sight. The forest as close to the tower as cover allows, from the direction of the city: The agreement, and everyone's instructions, were clear. It's too close to the tower to speak in a normal volume, but perhaps a quiet voice will do. Regardless, Bright stays silent, a hand in the air in greeting for anyone at the rendezvous when she and Frost arrive.
Tenken	Tenken lets out a low bird-whistle to signal his friends, trying to avoid speaking at the moment to retain concealment and perhaps cover too, at least for the moment. His thin curved blade was already drawn, with its shadowy mirror making the pair of weapons complete. Tenken keeps an eye on the tower, wary of its apparent lack of defenses.. it didn't feel right.
Silk Moon Lotus	Stepping out of the shadow of a tree Silk nods to her companions. In a voice loud enough to be heard but not carry "I've scouted the tower and found the door unlocked. They don't have any guards out here either. This feels like a trap." Silk tightens the straps on her fighting gloves and extends the Oricalcum blades.
Hoarfrost	Hoarfrost arrives last managing so many spirits over the distance was more difficult than she thought. In unicorn form she doesn't at all seem bothered by the journey. "Of course it is a trap. Was their goal not to capture exalted? This seems an easy way to gather more."
Bright Journey	"I can't help but agree," Bright responds. Her powerbow appears in her hands, no questions asked. Diplomacy is not going to be called for today, obviously. "It may be a trap, but are there any other entrances? If we're stuck going in this way, overwhelming their defenses may be the only option. And do we know if she's above or below? Or, heck, if there even -is- much of a basement?"
Tenken	Tenken sighs in response, as he cant help but agree with the statement. "You're right, Bright.. which I suppose means that nothing will happen unless we walk in that door, for better or worse. In a situation where we know nothing of the defenses, at least have someone walk in and see what happens and react accordingly." Shrugging, he moves forward toward the door. and looks for a way in hoping for the best.
Silk Moon Lotus	"Frosty, you brought your little friends, can they do any scouting for me to determine which way we need to go? I'd hate to climb to the top of the tower to find out she is in the basement." Silk carefully starts walking towards the door following in Tenken's shadow.
Hoarfrost	"I know where she is." Hoarfrost says again in her not-speech glancing back at all her elementals. "I brought them for this reason. Let the flack spring the trap so that we might deal with it in safety." The small hoard of wood elementals pawing at the ground ready to go.
Tenken	Nodding in agreement, Tenken takes a step sideways to allow the elementals ahead, positioning himself between them and the rest of the group.
Tenken	As he gets closer to the tower, Tenken comments, "The tower itself doesn't seem to be too saturated with sorcery or the like, but this doorway itself is something.. at the height of sorcerous effects if I'm right... I think that this doorway is dimensional in nature, going beyond altering space here."
Amethyst	You guys open the door to reveal a hallway just wide enough to fit two of them at a time. The hallway is dark and lit by these heatless lights, some sort of alchemy. It will be quite a tight fit, these hallways were not meant to have armies travel inside of them, that's for sure.
Amethyst	As the first six greenmaws enter, the door slams shut behind them, and the door ripples slightly. Clearly whatever working is on the door has been activated. Tho there is no sound of conflict on the ohter side.
Tenken	"The greenmaws seem to have been 'transported/traveled', a certain distance from us and this door, though they likely got to their destination in good condition, I cant speak for afterwards though. It's likely we will be traveled as well.. this is different than a sanctum, but feels familiar in some way".
Hoarfrost	"That seems more complex than necessary for a pit trap." Hoarfrost emotes through her unicorn form. Glancing to her friends around her. "Be careful there is likely magic that is watching us. They already know we are here."
Silk Moon Lotus	"Do we need to go through the door or can we go through a window? Maybe the roof?" Silk starts pacing by the door. "I could easily climb up to the roof." She looks to the others "Suggestions?"
Bright Journey	Nodding in acknowledgment, Bright is furrowing her brow in thought. She frowns and shakes her head, though, as she lays an arrow across the bow, but does not yet draw it. "All I'm sure of is we tripped something, really, and that's kind of obvious. I'm fine with us going as a group, though. Not sure there's any other entrances at all, are there? I don't see any from here..."
Tenken	Tenken begins to concentrate, as his fixed gaze with his eye aglow and even outlining his eyepatch, he speaks as if addressing everyone, yet not. He is actively relaying information in a momentary trance-like state, showing a quirk that does draw many into believing Tenken to be a spirit of some type == You can see the traces of essence all around you. This entire place has this strange essence that seems to be following you. Everyone, actually. In fact, it's /everywhere/ up until the tree line. You can clearly tell that the essence is not from Creation, nor heaven, nor malfeas: This is wyld essence. And it isn't sorcery either, it's almost like a natural phenomona. Whatever it is, it seems to take note to the fact that you are analyzing it. Whatever this is, it's sentient.
Amethyst	As Silk attempts to climb the tower, all goes well at first. But then it reacts. Little spikes start to form here and there, but Silk is just too quick for them to touch her. The towers are more than just inanimate buildings: They clearly have some sort of protective enchantment on the outside.
Silk Moon Lotus	Silk growls under her breath about the wyld while climbing the tower and dodging the spikes. "There is a trap door up here. Let me toss down a rope to you all." Silk uncoils the rops from her kit and tosses it down to her allies below. She concentrates for a moment as she braces herself against the effects of the wyld.
Tenken	Tenken leaps upward towards the top, as his sorcerous wings activate giving the spiked tower a wide berth, but staying aware that attacks could come from elsewhere inside this perimeter, and glides standing to inspect the door.
Bright Journey	Bright looks up the rope, biting her lip and frowning. Shooting things, riding, talking, she's good at that. Not exactly an acrobat, clearly. That's obvious just from how she's built. But she grabs the rope, grits her teeth, and gives it the ol' Exalted try.
Hoarfrost	The unicorn takes in a deep breath upon hearing Tekken's words. What follows is a sound that does not belong to such a small creature. A blood curdling sound somewhere between nails on chalkboard and a deep bear's roar. Her essence sundering spiritual connections on the tower before her.
Amethyst	There is a sundering of the wyld essence, a calling, and a forcing. The wyld essence in the area starts to condense, and in a flash, a fae appears. Small and unhappy, translucent and glowing a faint blue color. It is vaguely masculine and has no clothing. Mind that the greater area's wyld essence hasn't vanished, but you have successfully forced something to condense from it. "What did you do?" he seems very confused to have been given shape.
Bright Journey	Bright sees what's going on down below and quickly climbs back down the rope whence she came. Clearly, her talents are better used elsewhere! "First and foremost," she says to him, "I can definitely say I wasn't expecting to see you here, my dear. But now that you're where we can actually speak face to face, and I think that will be helpful for both of us. Don't you?" "Now, you've a nice tower here. Is this yours?"
Amethyst	The fae pouts. "I wasn't expecting to have a shape, or," It presses against the ridge of the circle. It then seems to focus and again fails to do something. "To be trapped like this." It sinks to the ground as it realizes that it cannot leave. "Sure. You could say the tower is mine. What about it?"
Bright Journey	"Well, my dear, I don't know if you know this, but someone's been using your tower for unpleasant things you might not be aware of. Like kidnapping our friend and trapping her in there. I'm sure you understand that we'd go to any lengths to rescue her, and hopefully find out where the people who did this to her are so they could never do something like this again." She gives a bit of a grin, but there's an edge underneath it, a glimpse of the fist beneath the velvet glove. "We -could- just dive in to your building to find what we're looking for. Or things might actually go easier for both of us if you could help us find her, you know. And better yet, if you tell us all about the people who put her here, and where to find them, we wouldn't have a reason to ever come back here. Now doesn't that sound like a better idea than butting heads?"
Amethyst	The fae looks at Bright, and watches her anima surge to life. He gets up and takes a step back. And he is seriously considering what she said. Even in spite of other feelings he has. But then, he briefly shudders, takes a knee, and clutches himself and shakes his head. "I cannot. I am sorry, but I cannot." His eyes are almost pleading. "I must do what I can to stop you from freeing the prisoners." His face is not one of someone who wants to do this.
Bright Journey	"Oh, my dear," she says, sighing a bit, with a face full of compassion. You're trapped, now, between two forces, and you're not sure how well you would do against either one, are you?" She could be lying, of course, she's probably pretty good at that. But she genuinely looks like she's unhappy she has to take the next step. "You know, though, that we can't leave here without her. As much as you may wish it, we are not going to just walk away. Again, though, that does -not- mean we have to come to blows. Maybe if you tell us what hold over you they have--how they're compelling you to obey--we might be able to come to an agreement that causes the least pain."
Amethyst	"If." The fae starts, getting up, and going over to the side of the circle she's on. He looks into her eyes, hopeful. "If you find my heart, then I will be free. Until then, I must do as I am commanded, lest they take whatever will I have left. Please, I beg of you. Don't ask me to release the prisoners, and promise that you will do your best not to destroy things."
Bright Journey	"Find your heart, you say?" She glances at the rest of her party, then back to the fae. "Now that is an interesting proposition. I would need to know everything you know about this heart, what it looks like, where it is..." She looks thoughtful. "And I can say I won't intentionally destroy anything, but there's sure to be fighting, you know that right? We may not have the power to prevent damage. What say the rest of you?"
Tenken	"I have nothing to gain by destroying your tower, but I don't want to lie to you little fae, it could happen if there is fighting." Tenken nods in support of Bright's statements, still above on the ledge.
Amethyst	The fae looks thoughtful, and then begins the explanation. "It is a blue glass heart, delicate and fragile. It is what I am, it defines me, it is the closest thing that I have to a soul. And it has not been mine in a long, long time. It's at the very bottom of this tower. Underground several levels. And, mind, if you break their attunement, they will instantly know that I've been compromised. We will have to run or face their forces head on." And then the fae hmms. "If fighting will destroy my tower then I must prevent fights from happening." And somewhere, distantly in the tower, there's a shift in the atmosphere around the other team. The once oppressive atmosphere suddenly lightens. And all three of them can feel as tho they're being examined, but not in a bad way.
Rishi	&r Upon sensing the change in atmosphere, Rishi allows essence to flood her eyes and nose, drawing upon all animals that have greater awareness, as she focuses upon the unseen world around them, her Sorcerer?s Adamant Will demanding that these patterns react and come into focus, as she looks around, scenting the air, attempting to discover what there is to be found.