Lost Knife Playground Options

[Elisabeth Hollow]

Kayla drew Dawnbreaker, grateful that the glow was dull instead of bright. She hadn't quite figured out the exact mechanics behind the brightness, but at the moment, she was glad. The skittering beast was dealt with quickly, and the warming potion she had drank earlier was wearing off. She knelt, keeping her eyes trained on where the charrus has disappeared, and reached inside her bag, fumbling for potions.

When her hand closed around the correct one, she popped the cork and quickly drank it, coughing. she needed to work on the taste. Warmth and energy flooded her limbs seconds later, just in time for the chittering sound that signaled an attack to be heard.

"Get read-ACK!"

A drop of venom hit her cheek as the charrus spat at her. She hissed in pain and wiped it off. She tossed a light spell at it, hitting it square in the face. It reared up, clearly visible to anyone who wasn't aware of it before.

"Kill it!" She tossed a fireball at its underbelly, making it screech in pain.

[Grits]

Darnand scrambled to his feet, tugging at the remains of the chaurus snare. While he had been focusing on a spell that might dissolve the material at the expense of his robes and possibly some skin, Salyan had simply cut him free.

“Thank you.” He sent a soul trap at the fleeing creature. “I am uninjured.”

Vera had been flung to the stone floor, but she was moving in a way that suggested she was ignoring her pains. Kayla greeted the returning chaurus with fire. It reared up with a tooth-shattering screech and turned on its rear legs. Arcane fire lit up its shape as it skittered away into the ruin.

“That should alert the others,” Darnand said.

Kayla had been recovered alive, and their return route through the caverns was probably still clear. This wrecked tavern area made a good fallback position if they should discover more Falmer than they could take on at once. It would be difficult to tell Falmer from allies if he relied on life detection magic for his sight, and having one’s soul snared was an unnerving experience even if it was not wrenched away by the spell. He did not wish to accidentally trap his friends’ souls.

A moment’s hasty reflection confirmed that he really did not have a black soul gem in his possession. Still, it was best to be certain and avoid hitting them with his traps.

Darnand cast a night-eye spell and followed the chaurus.

The ruin included a tower that had likely sunk into the cavern system as the ground beneath it subsided. A gem in his bag hummed as he dashed up the circular stairway. The chaurus had succumbed to its wounds.

At the top the stone wall had been opened again. Darnand stepped past the smoking chaurus hulk and into another natural cave. He knelt in an alcove-like area, looking out into a vast cavern. He could see benches and tables, an area set up for weapon and armor repair, and a large, fenced in pit with a stream running through it.

Adjacent to the pit there were a number of flat-topped cages. They looked big enough to contain frost trolls.

“Interesting,” Darnand said softly to himself. “A fighting pit. I have seen such a place before.”

[King Coin]

A quick fireball from Kayla saved Aravi her arrow. The creature screeched and retreated. The now familiar soul trap spell showed that Darnand was back on his feet, uninjured.

“That should alert the others.”

Aravi nodded in agreement, but said nothing. As their small group crept farther along, a gem in Darnand’s bag indicated that the chaurus died. One less to worry about, she thought thankfully.

They entered another cave, and Aravi’s heart sank. They were up on a stone shelf, and below them was a ringed pit with a fence around it. In the middle of the pit was an enormous chaurus. Eggs were attached to the walls around it. Smaller chaurus were in attendance around it. These at least were smaller than the ones she normally encountered, with smaller mandibles. A heavily armored falmer stood close by. Aravi knew from experience that it would be a tough opponent. One of their mages was nearby too, ice covered the end of its staff indicating a frost enchantment.

Several other falmer were in the cave too, but these wore the more typical loincloth. They would be a challenge only if they manage to surround their party. There is enough of them that they could if we are not careful.

She looked around at the rest of the cave. The first thing she noticed were large iron cages. They were situated outside of the pit where most of the falmer were. They looked strong enough to hold a bear or a sabre cat. A key was stuck in one of the locks.

The second thing she noticed was three falmer tunnels in the pit area. That must have been how they got in. The tunnels were too small for any of them to fit. It wasn’t like she wanted to explore them either.

The third thing she noticed was the scent of fresh air. There was an exit nearby. After this, they could leave and make their way back to Cyrodiil.

“None of them know we are here yet. We should come up with a plan and take them by surprise,” She whispered to the others.

[Colonel Mustard]

Salyan blanched in shock as she saw the immense Chaurus and the gathering of Falmer that surrounded it. Her gaze darted over the scene for a few moments, taking it all in before she retreated back into concealment with the rest of the group.

“None of them know we are here yet. We should come up with a plan and take them by surprise," Aravi said.

"I can hit the big one with a frenzy spell," Salyan said. "Something that size would be sure to give the others a lot of trouble while it lasts. The only issue is that mage should be able to dispel it before it can do any damage; if we want that plan to work, we'd need to take them out of the fight first."

[Elisabeth Hollow]

"Hit them at the same time," Kayla suggested in a whisper. "Someone count a signal, and Vera or Aravi hit the mage, and Darnand or Salyan hit them with the spell."

Kayla herself wasn't above jumping into the fray, but that was reckless, and there were others with her.

[Grits]

Darnand nodded. “Salyan, if you would cast the frenzy spell? I am certain that yours surpasses mine in strength. I shall concentrate on trapping as much energy as I am able. It is an excellent idea for you archers to target the spell-casters. Let us take a moment to find cover.”

Darnand positioned himself so that he could flatten to the ground quickly enough to evade the slower-moving Destruction spells he had seen Falmer use. He would not be able to duck ice spikes or their shock spells, and his Birthsign weakened him to magical attacks despite the protective charms he wore. The hair on his arms stood up in dreadful anticipation.

“If we are ready?” He glanced around to be sure that they were before drawing the soul trap to his hand. “On my count, let us proceed on one. Three, two, one!”

[Colonel Mustard]

On Darnand's count, Salyan leaned out, channelled her magicka, plucked the tone she needed and cast her frenzy spell. It buzzed forwards, rage made sonic, and hit the Chaurus in the abdomen.

It shrieked, thrashing at its attendant insects, pulping several of the smaller ones with sweeps of its legs. Rising up an immensity of chitin and fury, it grabbed at another Chaurus with the razor curves of its mandibles and sheared it in two, yellow ichor dripping from the severed halves. It charged at a group of the Falmer who were attending it, huge pincers snapping as its bulk hit the loincloth-clad degenerate elves, biting and gnashing with berserk abandon.

[King Coin]

“Three, two, one!”

The arrow she had been holding at the ready was released. A breath later, the falmer mage was knocked to the ground by the force of Aravi’s arrow.

As Aravi drew back another arrow to be sure the mage was finished, the enormous chaurus Salyan frenzied saved her the effort by putting one of its legs through the mage’s abdomen. She eased the pressure on her bowstring and watched a moment. It was too soon to tell where she should send her arrows.

[Elisabeth Hollow]

Kayla watched in silent glee as her suggestion was turned into a reality. She clapped Salyan on the back, grinning.

"You're a genius with that instrument! Aravi! You're a godsdamned dead-eye!" She surveyed the rest of the cave, the fresh air rushing in giving her brain more oxygen and lifting her spirits. She surveyed the cave while the giant Charrus thrashed about, looking for more victims. She nudged Darnand and pointed to a precariously-perched boulder above the Charrus.

"How much force would that take? I can climb up there and push it onto the Charrus if the group can keep it occupied. Unless someone else has a suggestion?"

[Grits]

Salyan’s spell hit the chaurus with magnificent results. Darnand’s world narrowed to the frenzied queen and her panicked subjects. Each soul trap must hit its mark at the correct time. Too soon and his will would stay bound up in the spell while the untargeted casualties mounted. Too late and the soul’s energy was already released and wasted. He slipped into his battle state, all concerns set aside as he focused on the task at hand.

Someone gave him a nudge.

“How much force would that take? I can climb up there and push it onto the Charrus if the group can keep it occupied. Unless someone else has a suggestion?”

It was Kayla. Darnand blinked at her for a moment while he gathered his wits. She was speaking of a boulder balanced above the thrashing queen.

A gem hummed inside his bag. He quickly assessed the situation.

“I am no terramancer, but it does not appear from here that the structural integrity of the ceiling depends upon that rock.”

He blinked at Kayla again.

“That is to say, go ahead if you wish. Oh, and I should like to collect a few of those eggs when we are finished. As many as we can carry comfortably. We should burn the rest.”

A silent check of his magicka reserve informed Darnand that he was low, and the floating sensation in his head was a sign he should not consume any more potions. The big chaurus looked like she had some fight left. Darnand shuddered to think of finding himself in close quarters with such a beast. He prepared to trap her fading energy before she died. She would provide a great deal of power. He must not miss.

[Darkness Eternal]

Vera held her hand above her helmet, her head one big annoying daze. The creature scurried off into the tunnels and Darnand was right behind it after the overgrown insect. The group went after it and she trailed behind them like a wounded pup.

Whatever those giant bats bones were made off, it wasn't a natural element. She wasn't healing naturally like she should have. Steel, iron and mundane metals could cut her but they would close. Silver, daedric or otherwise . . . that's something different.

Vera looked down on her fingers. When these turn into claws, they are just as strong as any enchanted weapon. Perhaps the bat's winged talons are too?

She reached the end of the tunnel to see the enormous beast and her nest, with Falmer in their company. Aravi whispered of a plan. Salyan voted to put the creature's mind into a frenzied state. Darnand suggested they take cover and concentrate their arrows on the mage, who's arcane abilities could dispel the Imperial's.

What captured her interest was that the area had cages made for large beasts . . . sort of how she remembered Lycus telling her when he was once detained in his wolf form. It was meant to contain large predators. Opposite of it was an area made to hold weapons. Nothing these gangrel pests could come up with. It was made by intelligent people . . .

Like humans.

Aravi took out the mage, Darnand cast his spells and Salyan did her work. After the damage was done, Kayla proposed to push a boulder located high above the charrus, inquiring about how much would it take.

Vera didn't wait. "I'll do it."

If anyone had the strength, she had. Sure, her counterpart could battle a sabrecat barehanded and hold off a tree trunk from crushing him in a rainstorm. But she had the strength of three men combined. She could do it.

It was the least she could do.

Vera jumped into a full run as the charrus continued to screech about. She jumped and climbed to where the boulder was. It didn't seem too heavy. But she didn't waste anytime pondering on the exact weight. With the group busy and the charrus still at large, there was no time for subtlety.

Vera stretched her arms and clawed at the stone with both her hand and began to push. She took one step forward, and then another, and another. Straining with all of her strength and the enormous boulder began to move and roll.

As ever, she was in a world of pain. The pressure seemed to rise to her head and she felt her eye hurt even more.

I need to heal. I need to fix this right away.

With one heavy shove, she pushed the large rock onto the gargantuan creature. The stone crashed, crushing the charrus to the floor. Vera heard the wonderful music of rock crushing insect, almost like how she use to run around stomping grasshoppers as a child. The charrus didn't make so much as another sound.

"Okay!" Vera shouted, trying to blink away the pain behind her helmet. "The six-legged son of a bitch is dead."

[King Coin]

The boulder Kayla spotted came crashing down on the giant chaurus. The creature’s tough chitin would have turned aside their weapons, but it was no match for the crushing weight of the rock. With a final screech, its movements ceased.

That went a lot better than I expected. Considering how events went before this.

She held her bow for a moment longer, waiting for any sign of movement. When there was none, the arrow returned to its quiver, and the bow was replaced by a dagger.

“Darnand, how many did you get filled?”

[Colonel Mustard]

The one frenzy spell was surprisingly effective, sending the huge chaurus rampaging through its lesser brethren, and the sniping of Aravi and Darnand's spellcasting was enough to thin their ranks before Vera somehow gathered together the strength to shove an entire rock on top of the giant insect. After that, the chamber fell silent, charnal stillness filling the room.

"Well," Salyan said after a few moments. "That went better than expected."

"Darnand, how many did you get filled?" Aravi asked.

"It have better have been enough," Salyan added. "Otherwise I will not be happy."

[Darkness Eternal]

The huntress' arms trembled, her eye bulged, her stomach felt weak and still her body endured. Her mind, however, was flirting with thoughts of the hunt. As Aravi exchanged words with Darnand, and Salyan expressing her impatience, Vera turned her attention to one corner of the chamber.

Her ears naturally perked up, picking up faint sounds in the close distance along the caverns. She didn't think the group heard it, but she did loud and clear. Without saying a word to the others, she took the liberty to investigate further. She did so by pacing around, looking at the ground and "investigating" the dead inhabitants. But as she got closer to one of the tunnels she was able to discern voices. Voices that belonged to men and women, not creatures.

"I'm telling you. I heard it. It sounded like a woman to me and a man screaming."

" . . . That means those pale goblins are dead?"

"Don't know. But whoever is in there we'll take em' out. We got more folks this time."

"As long as I get a good percentage off of our next target."

"Shut up. We want to be the ones who surprise them this time. Whatever or whoever they are. What's in there won't come out."

Vera removed her helmet from her head and gently held it by her hip. The tangles of her hair almost forcing her to shake her head but the pain in her socket wouldn't allow it.

At least she had her ears.

Vera searched around the area, eyeing each cage, each table, cup and chair and an instant realization hit her like a warhammer. This is was an outlaw's hideout before they were expelled, she thought. Now they're here to take it back . . . full force.

Vera hurried to the mouth of the tunnel and went further in. Her eye couldn't see them from too far but she could hear the sound of their boots and their armor. It sounded almost like an army. There might have been a dozen of them or more.

The sounds were the same as when she was being hunted by the Legion and a very persistent man who invaded her sister's shop many, many years ago.

We can't fight all of these people, Vera told herself. By the Huntsman, I can't even do it . . . not in this state.

Kayla had a good beating. Aravi, as lithe as she was, would not be able to hold off all these men at once. Salyan could try and melt their ears off, but that probably wouldn't do much good anyway. Darnand . . . he can only cast his spells for so long.

Me and my partial blindness? I'd be on a leash at Hircine's already. I should've saved that boulder for later.

She would have the fight of her life unless her injuries were treated promptly; the pain was sapping her strength at a steady rate. Throbbing pangs spread from her socket to the side of her face, pulsing with every beat of her heart.

I haven't shifted. The full moon isn't for another two weeks.

Logic said: There is only one way to fix this eye of yours.

The Beast whispered: There is prey about. Did you taste of their flesh? Drink of their blood? Why wait?

Vera murmured: "Damn it."

The Imperial hurried back to the group that were just a few feet away from the back entrance of the tunnel.

Now, with the thought of hunt and the prospect of flesh, her skin felt hot and feverish, despite the chills that set her body quaking. She looked at the cages, and then she looked at Aravi. She's the only one in this chamber capable of doing what I do. She's the only one who has the gift.

But could she turn? Right here and now and kill her friends under the command of her hunger? She doubted it. Aravi couldn't do it. She wouldn't kill a friend to survive. I don't blame her. I wouldn't want to turn here either and kill them . . . I'd doubt she'd paid me after their remains are all over the place.

She had to admit they were formidable in their own right and they did more to help and much less to hinder. That, by right, meant they at least deserved another chance at life.

Then she saw the cages, and the sounds of the boots hitting the cavern floor and their distant whispers seemed ever so close. Time was running out.

Vera marched over to Aravi, grabbed her by the shoulder and pointed at the tunnels. "We're in a bit of a problem here," she whispered. "There are people. Armed people. They're heading our way and they won't feel a second's hesitation to kill us where we stand. They're trying to take this place back."

Vera's head fed her images of Salyan, Kayla, and Darnand lying in a pool of blood, with meat and innards . . . and then she imagined the bodies of the faceless bandits.

She took in a deep breath. She looked at two humans and the High Elf. "If you value your lives I want you three to get in those cages and lock yourselves in them. I want you to do it now."

Salyan's words echoed in her head: You look out for those close to you even if it’s sometimes against your better judgment; just what people do.

Then Kayla's words mimicked in the caverns of her brain: Call me crazy, or stupid, but had he told me he was infected, or he was already turned, I would've still been his friend.

Aravi and Kayla were close, and Salyan and Darnand were too. Ever since that friendly snowball fiasco, she knew they held each other close. They wouldn't reveal Aravi's secret, and if they truly valued their own lives, they wouldn't rat her secret either.

The blond lycanthrope turned to the feline, and with a much more gentle voice that befit one of kin, she said "I hate to admit it but we don't stand a chance unless we turn. Trust me on this."

She swallowed gathering puddle of saliva. "Channel your hatred, your fury and all your hunger toward whatever comes through that tunnel."

Vera slid off a gauntlet from her hand and tossed it aside by a rock. She closed her eye. She didn't think Aravi would refuse, but time was running out. She would rather kill them all than be a prisoner or worse. "Hircine, guide and father of us all, grant us strength, speed and guile. Smile upon our desire for blood, and sate it. Set me loose on my enemies."

[King Coin]

A hand grabbed her shoulder and yanked, spinning her around.

“Hey-“

Vera ignored her protest and delivered the worst news imaginable. She looked around, and saw exactly what Vera meant. This used to be a very large hideout. Its location was perfect and the space in here made it valuable. You could fit a lot of people and material in here.

What in Oblivion are we going to do?? We can’t fight them. We can’t outrun them.

Vera had the answer for that too. It took Aravi a moment to realize what the woman was suggesting. She’s a werewolf? How did she know I was…?

There wasn’t enough time to sit and talk about it.

She turned to the other three. “Do what she says. Those cages over there, lock yourselves in them. We…” She looked over her shoulder at Vera, who was in the process of removing her armor. “We are werewolves. There is an army of bandits and outlaws coming. Too many to fight. We will transform and deal with them, but as beasts, we won’t be able to distinguish between you and them.”

That was a lie really. The beast could tell, it just didn’t care…

“Please hurry, we don’t have much time.”

This post has been edited by King Coin: Dec 13 2013, 11:43 PM

[Grits]

Darnand watched astonished as Vera single-handedly pushed the boulder over the edge. By the Nine, she possesses the strength of a dremora! He wondered what enchantments she might be wearing.

“We have filled all of the largest gems,” he answered Aravi’s question. “If we come upon a nest of skeevers their energy will not be wasted, but we have filled enough even of the smaller gems.” He grinned at Salyan, relieved that the fight had concluded without the need for grave-digging. Or cairn building in this sort of place. “I hope you will not be displeased. Our expedition has been a success.”

Darnand immediately thought of Vera’s ruined eye. Perhaps he had sounded a little too jovial to one who had suffered such a loss. He turned to apologize but found her no longer with the group.

Fresh air drifted in from the back of the pit, but Darnand doubted that an exit would have been left unsecured lest whatever had been contained in the cages simply trot out the back door once released. Though it would be worth checking.

However he had a few more tasks in mind before they sought egress.

“Kayla, your ideas have produced favorable results. Have you a suggestion as to harvesting chaurus eggs without becoming thoroughly enslimed?”

Then Vera returned with death in her eye, and the world seemed to slide sideways.

Werewolves? Vera and Aravi?

Aravi looked shocked for an instant. Then she turned to them and spoke. Her voice had never sounded so sweet to Darnand nor had her features ever looked so refined. Werewolf.

“Please hurry, we don’t have much time.”

“One of the cages has a key,” Darnand said to Salyan and Kayla. “I suggest we run.”

.

This post has been edited by Grits: Dec 13 2013, 01:20 AM

[Elisabeth Hollow]

Kayla's breath caught in her throat. Her mind flashed back to the memory of Domas running after her, and the sword in her own hand piercing his chest. She knew her face looked horrified. Darnand said something, and it sounded foggy. She blinked, then looked back at Aravi.

"Give me your bow and arrows." She said numbly. "I'll cover you from the cages, if any leak in. I don't know the plan. I just don't know the plan."

She was panicking, but she couldn't let Aravi know that. She suddenly gave Aravi's hand a firm squeeze.

"Be safe. Please." She said before roughly grabbing Salyan's arm and Darnand's arm in each hand and running towards the cages. The key was found on a nearby untouched stool, and they were locked in.

[Darkness Eternal]

"We are werewolves."

Three words. That's all it took. Three words to reveal her most sacred, deepest, darkest secret she's maintained for many years now. First it was Abiene, now it was four others who learned of her true nature.

“One of the cages has a key. I suggest we run.” Darnand warned Salyan and Kayla. Vera didn't stop to see them run. She wanted her focus to be entirely on the prey that mattered; the bandits.

"I suggest you pray." Vera murmured. Yeah, like praying to the gods ever done any good before. "For those bandits, I mean."

She laughed, almost at her own strange jest. Her professional attitude almost evaporated completely, replaced by her typical day-off nature. She didn't think she was too fearful of a group of bandits. She's handled worse before.

Are you scared, Vera? You shouldn't be. Its wolves and sheep. Wolves and sheep. Wolves and sheep!

Vera loosened the belt around her waist and dropped it near the helmet. She slipped out of her heavy cuirass and set it aside, breathing deeply now that the weight had been lifted from her. She then bent over and unstrapped her obsidian grieves and boots and padded leggings, sliding them from her legs.

Around her naked body where bruises and small cuts and wounds that began to slowly heal with the passing minute. Her obvious injures seem painted over a well-muscled body of a warrior; her abdominals were decently but not overly sculpted. Her shoulders weren't broad to exaggerated proportion but visibly strong. Her legs, red from the pressure of her boots and grieves, were too strong for any Cyrodiilic woman of noble birth. But many years of running- both after prey and from hunters-conditioned them to perfection.

She didn't ponder too much on Darnand possibly eyeing her physical private areas. It wasn't her first time being seen by men naked. Anything wouldn't compare to waking up a morning in Skyrim's wilderness nude and huddled next to a long-haired male stranger with no clothes and an inspired manhood.

He fell in love with my backside from that day forward. Can't blame him.

She casually loosened her hair and caressed the yellow strands down to the back of her head and just as casually unclasped her huntsman's vest covering her breast. They, along with the other clothes, dropped to the ground.

Kayla's heart was beating at a rapid pace as she fearfully grasped Kayla's hand. She then ran off with Darnand and Salyan. Vera's lips drew into a grin.

Prey always run and hide in their little dens.

"Don't look so downcast," there was an optimistic tone in her voice as she directed her words to Aravi. She smiled, with a good-spirited heart, for what may even have been the first time to a temporary employer. She didn't want to think too much on her secret being unveiled. There was a time to complain and murmur about it later. As for now, she would engage in her ultimate hobby and way of life. Who says one can't survive and have a thrill out of it at the same time? She deserved a bit of self-humor once and awhile to help ease her daily pains. "This is going to be sporting. You like to hunt, don't you?"

Vera cast her head back, massaging her scalp and craning her neck to the side. "This will be fun like . . . " her words trailed off. "Playing in the snow with your friends and throwing snowballs."

Her tone was thick with excitement and an odd, peculiar playfulness. She added a slight whisper. "They'll be safe in the cages."

She walked off slowly, step by step, toward one of the corners, a bit further from the cages. "A shame they won't share our, well, at least my sense of fun but . . . this is something reserved for a select few."

Her own heart was beating hard, and then it began to swell. Her mind pumped in new, bestial thoughts that would overpower the conscious mind of a woman. Soon, her mind would not belong to her. It was a frightening thought. One she tried to cast aside by singing. Time with the Companions had that effect on one.

Salyan should play her lyre for me.

"Oh, there once was a few bandits named Outlaws the Dead Who came riding to Whiterun from ole Rorikstead! And the braggarts did swagger and brandish their blades as they told of bold battles and gold they had made. But then they went quiet, did Outlaws the Dead when they met the brave huntress Vera, who said; 'Oh, you think you're so tough and you're full that speed, now I think it's high time that you roll over and bleed!' And so then came slashing of claw and steel as the brave lass Vera charged in, full of zeal. And the braggarts named Outlaws was boastful no more! When their entrails and heads flopped around on the floor!"

This post has been edited by Darkness Eternal: Dec 13 2013, 02:53 AM

[Colonel Mustard]

It took three words, two minutes and one swift action on Kayla's part to completely rock the foundations of their small group's dynamic.

Aravi and Vera were lycanthropes, and they smelt trouble coming; suddenly the group was in danger, more from two of their own than the approaching bandits. The revelation from Aravi and Vera was enough to send Kayla into a full-on panic, and Salyan and Darnand were grabbed and practically dragged into the protection of the cages. Kayla locked it behind them, Aravi's bow in hand. She looked tense, immensely wary, probably residual shock from being forced to remember what she had done to the last werewolf she had met.

Ignoring the jokes that Vera was making, Salyan turned her attention to Kayla, taking her hand.

"Kayla," she said, making sure she kept steady eye contact with the Altmer. "I know you're afraid, but you need to stay calm. We're going to get through this alright, I promise you that. We will all survive this, and when we're done all will be well, but we need you to be calm and for you to be in control. Aravi and Vera will need that bow and they'll need a steady hand and mind behind it. Alright?"

She gave Kayla an encouraging smile.

"Come on, I know you can do this."

[Elisabeth Hollow]

Kaylas eyes were wide as Salyan's voice, thick and sluggish, wormed its way into her ears. Why was she talking so slow? Or was her hearing distorted? Everything seemed hypersensitive, her senses overloading as she went into nearly full-blown panic.

"Calm. Right." She said, her eyes still wide and owlish with fear and nerves. Werewolves! And they're going to eat those men!

She numbly dug through her bag as she kept one eye on the two lycanthrope women. On her knees, she dumped a few potions out, the thick bottles clattering onto the bars.

Two wolves yanking on the bars might not hold...stop it!

Again she saw her sword, but this time through Aravi's chest. She began to tremble hard, her hands barely able to uncork the calming potion bottle. Some spilled on the front of her armor (A vision of Vera slashing through her armor and delivering a killing blow) before she chugged the whole bottle.

"Calm. I'll be calm. For my friend." she said to herself, though her voice wasn't quiet. What little resolve she had was slipping. Whatever panicking instinct had told her to flee to the cages was telling her to run the hells out of there, the opposite way.

For the first time since she was sixteen, Kayla was truly afraid of, and for someone she loved.