Succession: Rebellion

Syrien

"A sacrifice of morals, but it will prove necessary." Syrien agreed. "Shall we go speak with him now, then?"

Rein

"Sounds good to me." Rein said brightly.

Nell looked at Senka a little surprised. She wasn't mocking him or being mean. It gave him a sense of worthy because he was actually able to do something like tracking naturally and others couldn't.

"Yes there is a faint scent. I can probably track it, but it would have to be now or I might lose the scent," Nell said, unsure if he was doing the right thing.
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Mab stared at Carlisle as he dazed out, biting her lower lip. She nodded at Carlislie though before she started walking she sent up a silent prayer to Apollo.
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Sunny nodded, feeling nervous still. She wondered why she wanted to go in the first place. Getting away from the castle was not a good idea after all. She felt more secure there.

"Sure Sir Maul," not sure how to address him. "What is it that you want to talk about."

Maul

Once they were far away from the other soldiers, Maul spoke.

"I know you are a woman, Soldier Sunny."

Sunny wasn't sure how to respond to that. She could deny it, but if Maul had proof that could make things worse. If she admitted to it her fears of being sent home or being punished came to mind.

"What," was all she managed to get out.

Senka

Senka studied the Inu, though her gaze quickly went to the ring itself. She could practically smell the Heir's scent as well. There was no doubt about it, she would fine Annakpok with the Inu's help. And she would kill him as payback for when he had beaten her at the Castle. His head would make a find gift for the Empress, after all.

"Wonderful.... we'll be leaving the group in eight minutes. I want you to be ready." Senka ordered suddenly.
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Kegan

"Great." Kegan replied. He flashed Rein a smile before kissing her. She tasted like cherries and tears, Kegan couldn't help but remember. He was familiar with it by now. After he pulled back, he tried to look through his long hair so he could see Rein's eyes. "Lets not buy any fruit, alright?"
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Brighe

Brighe looked at Syrien for a few more seconds before nodding her head in agreement.

Now was not the time to be an Idealist, she herself had said it just that morning. But still....they were practically abusing the Qunari if they tried to use his honor against him, she knew. But there was no other option. "Qunari, we'd like to speak with you." Brighe ordered quietly after she had braced herself.

Sten looked up, regarding Brighe with a neutral expression on his face. Remembering one of the lessons he was given for dealing with the few traders that came to Qunari lands, he tried to smile, though the expression was more frightening than comforting.

"Yes?" he asked.

Brighe

Brighe's eyebrows raised as she saw the Qunari try and smile. She was amused by the odd gesture, though she could tell that the Qunari was trying to adjust to Gaboria's customs. That certainly said something. The Elf stood up from the table and looked at the Qunari, studying him for a few seconds before opening her mouth. ".....Tell me Qunari, what is your name?" Brighe asked, suddenly starting their conversation on a much different subject then even she had thought it would.

Rein

"Right," Rein repled, blushing at Kegan's kiss. She kissed him back, making sure to hold the kiss for a few seconds, before pulling back. She grabbed Kegan's right hand and lead him to a food stand up ahead. She bought them a quick snack to eat, which took up the remainder of their money.

"So, ah, how are we going to get up to the church belltower?" Rein asked, taking a small bite out of her food.

Maul

"Your disguise is good, but I've seen better, frankly. You may talk like a man, but carry yourself as a woman. There is also a slight bulge in your uniform as well. Had you been more musular, I would have suspected something else, though. There are many other subtle signs that I've noticed, if you want me to explain more. I am a trained assassin and tracker, Miss. I have been taught to spot things that are out of the ordinary." Maul calmly explained.

"You...you can't tell the others I...." Sunny had no way of explaining her situation. She always felt that everyone would think it was a lie or just plain stupid. "Am I in trouble," she asked, wanting to get that out of the way though she feared the answer.
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Nell nodded at Senka and started to get his stuff together. He thought about Katie and was tempted to go say goodbye to her first. He wondered if he had time.

Maul

"No. Your service record is good, so I see no reason why you should be discharged from service. I am curious, though. Women are allowed to serve in the army. Why have you pretended to be a man?" Maul asked.

C.C.

"We're going with you, Senka." C.C. said, giving a brief glance at Katie. "I'll give someone else command over finding Carlisle so I can help you track down that other rogue Heir."

Kegan

Kegan smiled as he studied the belltower for a few seconds. It was so tall....easily the largest and highest building in the city. And in Lyanor, that was saying something. The sun shone around the spire at the top, creating a mystifying shadow effect around it. "Well I was thinking we could attack a few of the Priests and just fight our way to the..." He joked before firmly shutting up as he noticed the look on Rein's face, though a smirk still rested on his.

Kegan wrapped his hand around Rein's before suggesting his actual plan. "It wont be too hard actually. I know a stealth spell that will help us get up there."
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Senka/Katie

Senka's expression dropped as she heard C.C.'s order. "Excuse me? This group will have no chance of catching Heir Driscoll if both of us are gone." Senka protested as her blood began to boil. It wasn't that she actually thought that the group would find Carlisle any time soon. It was that if C.C. came with her, she wouldn't have a chance at getting revenge on Annakpok and regaining the respect of everyone around her. C.C. would make the fight far too easy....

"It's my home," Sunny said slowly. "Men are valued more than woman and in order for my mother to protect me and herself she disguised me as a boy. I have lived this way for a long time. I guess I was afraid to reveal my true gender because of what might happen."

Sunny bit her lip again. "I lived in fear that if my father found out he would hurt me and my mother. And that fear carried over to the castle."

Maul

"I see. A rather...outdated and foolish custom and belief, in my opinion. Do not worry, Miss Sunny. Your secret is safe with me." Maul promised, giving a low bow to her.

C.C.

"I'm coming, and that's final, Senka. Major Veers is a capable soldier, and has been trained by a member of the Order. He's more than able to track Carlisle without either of our services." C.C. reasoned, gesturing to the man in question. Veers gave a slight nod to them both.

"She's right, my lady. If need be, I can lead a segment of the team to track Heir Carlisle." Veers said.

Rein

"Well, that explains how we'll get up there unnoitced. But how will we get up there in the first place? It's not like you have wings, or anything." Rein joked, looking uncertainly at the belltower. It seemed too high to climb safely, in her opinion. And she didn't know any good levitation spells, either.

Kegan

Kegan looked down at Rein, a smirk on his face. "We walk through the front door and climb the stairs to the top of course." Kegan replied. He made it sound like it was the easiest thing in the world.
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Senka

Senka ignored Veers as she glared at C.C. The Assassin's jaw was clenched shut as she contained herself. And luckily, it worked, as Senka simply nodded in reply. "Lead the way then.

"Thank you," Sunny said. She was so grateful that she almost hugged Maul, but then stopped herself just in time, laughing to herself sheepishly. "I am really grateful for that."

(Shouldn't Nell lead the way since he's the one tracking the scent?)

(Yes. But senka's just being bitter right now.)

(Ah)

Nell looked at Katie and smiled quickly at her, then he focused on the task at hand. Without thinking, he began to run in a direction. He wasn't particularly fast but it was better to track on the ground for him. He just hoped the others would follow.

Rein

"W-Walk up the stairs? That's your brilliant plan?" Rein asked incredulously. "I think the priests in there would notice the door opening by themselves, and the sound of footsteps leading up to the belltower."

Maul

"You are most welcome, Soldier Sunny. You may go back to camp now."

C.C.

C.C. gathered a few of the horses and pulled some men away to follow the Inu as he began to track the other Heir. She motioned for Katie to follow them.

Kegan

"Well yeah. They're old, and probably crazy if they decided to become Priests. I doubt anything bad will happen."
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Katie/Senka

Senka quickly rushed after the Inu, finding it easy to keep up with him.

For Katie however, it was a tad more difficult, her legs already sore from the hours of horse-riding.

C.C.

"I can carry you, if you want." C.C. offered as she walked beside Katie. "It wouldn't be much trouble for me to do so."

Rein

"Fine, but please don't get us into any trouble." Rein said with a stern expression. It faltered into a smile a few seconds later, though.

"Lead the way, my brave knight." she added, giving a mock bow.

(He took me forever...)

Name: Valen

Age: 42

Gender: Male

Race: Human, with some demonic traits

Appearance:  
http://bottledtalent.com/
Valen’s skin is pale from him spending so much time indoors, as well as him avoiding direct sunlight as much as possible. However, his ears are a tawny color, and are like a cougar’s. They stay hidden underneath his dark hair, which flows freely clear down to just past his knees. His eyes, once hazel, are red, and beneath them is a black tattoo, another mark of the demon. His canine teeth are pointed and his nails can grow into claws. The last mark of the demon is the two horns on his head, but those only appear when he uses his more “extreme” demonic powers (as in, they wouldn’t appear if he was running fast, but they would if he was using demonic magic in a fight). He is also slender, though he isn’t a light eater. His clothing consists of a black robe with a brown pattern of fire at the edges and on the shoulders. Dark brown boots cover his feet when with people, but he prefers to be barefoot.

Magic?: Yes

Royal Bloodline?: No

Personality: Valen puts on a façade much of the time. He pretends to listen to and to care about those that turn to him for help, but what he really cares about is gaining more power. He doesn’t care about the lives of others, nor much about the war with Tsuba. He’s cold, manipulative, and will sacrifice everything to get what he wants. He hates being around other people, especially children, but can adapt to any environment with ease. He is most active around dawn and dusk.

History: Valen came about from a one night stand between a gypsy and a soldier. Not wanted by either, he was left on the doorstep of Asclepius’s (a God of healing) temple. The High Priest took him in, when his family couldn’t be found.

Valen was always an odd boy. He was taught in the ways of a priest, but the questions he asked were… well, they made those that heard them uncomfortable, such as ‘if I pulled off that bird’s wings, how long would it take to die?’, or ‘how do you know if you’re stronger than a demon?’. As he grew older, he stopped asking the questions and stopped his strange behaviors. Those at the temple finally thought that their troubles with him were finally over, but the real troubles were just beginning.

Instead of stopping, he started to look for the answers himself. He was old enough to be aware of the dangers his questions could bring to him, and had to change his approach because of it.

When he was in his twenties, he was asked to check into an old man whose house was supposedly haunted (happened on a regular basis). It was there he discovered a book on the darker arts of magic and summoning. He took it, claiming that this was the source of the haunting, but didn’t destroy it. No, he kept if for himself, to learn its secrets.

At thirty-two he made the mistake of trying to summon a demon much too strong for him. The ritual was much grander than any of his other, and cost a young child’s life, but the cougar demon Viracocha had no trouble staying in control. He came at Valen, to devour the priest, but Valen was covered in head-to-toe with protection runes, and the demon could not touch him. When they realized that they were at a draw of sorts, they talked and made a deal, though both had plans to betray that deal and gain control of the other.

In the process of setting up the binding ritual, to place Viracocha inside of him, Valen hid some binding spells into the mix. Thus, Viracocha was sealed inside of him. As powerful a demon as he was, Viracocha could not break the sealing spells once already bound.

Having a demon sealed inside him altered his appearance slightly, and gave him powers, such as acute hearing and greater stamina, as well as an affinity in magic towards storms, as the cougar demon held power over the sky and thunder.

It took Valen a little over three years to adjust to his changed self, and to learn how to control the demon. The seals held Viracocha, but the demon’s influence was strong, and he could gain control of Valen’s body from time-to-time.

When Tsuba took the throne, Valen quickly grew angry at her ways and was one of the first to join the rebellion when it formed in Felin. His main motivation for bringing Tsuba down, however, is different from most. Valen wants to rule the world.

Other: Holds a high position in the rebellion, as an advisor and a healer.

"My name would be too long for you to pronounce. Simply call me Sten," the Qunari replied to the elf matter-of-factly. He eyed her expression, trying to read her emotions. It was too bad the woman's facial expression was different from that of a Qunari's. He spoke, "What do you want?"

(Accepted, Casey.)

Ana leaned low as she urged the horse into a gallop. She rode bareback, with her bow and arrows slung over her shoulder and her staff hanging from her side, held there by a piece of rope. This horse was poorly trained, compared to the steeds she was used to, but it moved much faster than she ever could, and she was in a hurry. She had a lead to a heir, and she wasn't going to let it go to waste.

Her ears were open to the sounds of the land as she rode past, searching for any sounds out of the ordinary. Her eyes scanned the landscape before her, and every now and then she would glance back, as well as at the sky.

There had been no more sign of the bird, but she had a pretty good guess as to where the boy was headed. If he was indeed a heir, the rebellion would be a good way to go.

---

Valen was alone, or as alone as the priest could get. The demon was always there, in his mind, lurking under the surface and biding his time. Viracocha, he called himself.

The priest gave a small shake of his head and dipped his quill into the ink before starting back on his letter again. He didn't have time to be thinking about the past, or the demon. He needed to get this letter done and sent.

"I don't understand why you don't just take out Tsuba yourself. It's not like she would be a match for the both of us."

Valen didn't bother to answer the demon, but scrawled his signature at the bottom of the letter and then set the quill down. He pushed the chair back and climbed to his feet, sighing softly as he did so. He rolled up his letter and tied it shut, then pressed his seal into the hot wax.

"You know it's true, Val."

The demon had access to all of his memories, and knew how much the priest hated being called that. Still, Valen rarely rose to the bait. Once again he ignored the demon and, letter in hand, left his room.

As he walked through the rebel base, he smiled, nodded, and talked to those he met in the halls, as if he actually cared about their pitiful lives. They all believed his lies. After all, what reason had he given them not to?


(Bold talk=demon cougar Viracocha)

(I know it's a little late to ask this, but how are they tracking a human by scent when said human is in the sky? He would need to land, and they would need to refind his trail wouldn't they? And couldn't they just look up and see him? I'm all for having Annak be found, and I'm planning on making it easier for you, but I find their tracking methods... odd.)

(The answer is simple. I am an idiot. I didn't read all of what happened and so I tried my best to be with everyone. I am sorry.)

Sunny moved back to the fire. She wondered if there was anyway to make herself seem more man-like so that her secret wouldn't be found out. Though a small voice in the back of her mind told it that maybe she should just give up the charades.