Graceling

[Cara]

Kasta stood there as they dragged Mila up. She didn't struggle, but walked in that smug way of hers, managing even with the shackles around her ankles and wrists.
"I heard the bells..." she said, still smiling. "Figured someone would come for me soon enough..." she said, as if in a regular conversation, ignoring everyone else around her. Her Graceling eyes looked right at Kasta. She took in her horrible appearance: the torn clothing, dried blood and grime, the cold look in her eyes.
"We didn't bring you up here for a chat," Aris said, as Mila was forced to her knees.
Mila spit blood on the floor, before looking up at Aris with that smirk. "Ah, my Lady..." she said. "The Master comes for me," she said. "He comes for all of you. You, my Lady, and all of Druet will be under his command by tomorrow..."
Aris, not one to lose her temper in public, slapped Mila across her face, leaving a jagged red line. "You say so..."
Kasta moved forward. "Do we really have to go through with this?" she asked. "The Master is here, we all know that. I wanted it to happen, so I can kill him myself."
"Oh, Kasta! You can't kill him. You can't stop him," Mila said, looking up at her. "You can only beg for mercy."

Seaten stood besides the Master, though his gaze was far off seeing how the battle was progressing. In a flash he was back in his body, or at least his vision was. That familiar blindness came over him, until he sent his sight into the eyes of the wolf that lay at his feet.
"What did you see?"
Seaten frowned. "Master, their defenses are strong, but we have the upper hand, for now."
"And Mila?"
"She is nowhere to be seen..." Seaten said. "But one of the groups just raided the dungeons, and she was not there."
"She isn't dead. You said that yourself the other day!" the Master growled.
Seaten nodded vigerously. "Oh yes, Master! They must have taken her elsewhere, as that was last night."
"You better hope my daughter is alive, or I will have your head for it, my boy," the Master said.
"And I would be obliged to give it to you."

[Galadas]

Elliot ran through the castle, searching for Kasta's scent, but the scent of blood and panic was overruling. He growled when he saw a group of people ran towards him, he recognized the outfits of the guards and changed quickly. "Where is everyone?" he asked, hoping they would know who he was.
The guards didn't answer him, he looked at them closely, their eyes were hidden under the shadow of their helmets. He feared that might have been the plan and that they were Gracelings.
"Hello!" he yelled, angrily.
One of the guards pushed him out of his way, and that was when Elliot noticed the eyes.
He jumped up, changed within seconds and launched himself at the guards. He growled heavily and punched them down, growled more and more, hoping people that were on his side would hear his voice. If not, he might not win it from three Gracelings.

[Cara]

Levia released her arrow. It flew straight and true...into the hearts of three soldiers. It was her Grace. She smiled, as she stood up from her crouch.
They had so many Gracelings, all with so many unique Graces. But Druet was a kingdom known for it's huge Graceling population. It was one reason the Master wanted to come. Also because of Mila. He knew that Druet would be well defended by Gracelings. Levia imagined what it had been like, hundreds of thousands of years ago. They used to say that way back, before the main kingdoms were established, overlords ruled, and the majority of the population was Graced. There was so much destruction, with giant Graceling wars...

"Levia over here!" Dedelean shouted, as she pulled down her helmet that she'd taken from a dead soldier. Levia pulled down her helmet, and looked over her stolen armor. Perfect. She, Dedelean and Marx raced through the crowd. None of the Druet soldiers looked twice. Their job was to try and get Mila.
"Hello!" Elliot yelled. Levia saw Dedelean pause for a moment, but Levia shoved her forward. "Keep moving," she hissed, as she shoved Elliot violently out of the way.


(ok, Shona, trying to get you back in... feel free to take over whenever )


Shona scrambled through the battle, masking herself in her illusions. There was too much chaos to get a good bearing. She had to get to higher ground. Suddenly she stopped, as she saw a little girl run screaming as two Druet guards chased her.
The little girl couldn't have been older than six years, with light blond hair with red and grey eyes. Graceling eyes. Shona sent her Grace at the soldiers. They stopped, and then ran the other way. The girl had stopped running when Shona looked to see if she was alright. She didn't even seem the least bit scared.
"Are you alright?" Shona asked. Despite the disconcerting red Graceling eye, the girl was cute, her white-blonde curls hanging like silk around her shoulders.
She nodded.
"Come on, I'll get you to safety."

[Galadas]

Elliot jumped on Levia, trying to bash her head in. Then he recognized her, and so one of the other Gracelings dressed up as a guard. Dedelean! He drove back, his heart breaking. He stared at them as they ignored him further and walked away. He growled softly, he had to follow, he needed to know what they were looking for. It seemed to go to easy, why didn't they attack him? What were they looking for?

[Cara]

As Elliot had tried to crush Levia, her helmet had come off, broken under the blow. Levia looked down at her fallen helmet, as it rolled to a halt at Elliot's feet, exposing her face. Elliot looked at Dedelean, who was still hidden behind her helmet. He picked the helmet up. The three stood for a split second before Levia and Dedelean took Marx's hand. Levia shot him a cold smirk before they suddenly before Elliot's eyes changed into three large crows and jumped into the air.
Elliot was shocked! So that guy or whoever he was had the Grace to change others into birds! Even Elliot couldn't do that... He could only change himself. For a second Elliot thought of calling an archer to shoot those birds down, but what if it hit Dedelean? He wouldn't know who was who! Did it matter? And he should follow them, though since they took to the air, it was harder.

Kasta twirled her sword, blood whipping from the blade as it spun. "Mila, let me rephrase my question..." she snarled. "You are... especially close to the Master. How can we stop him?" Kasta circled Mila like a wolf circling its prey. She didn't care that most of the Druet court looked on with a mix of horror and satisfaction. She was beyond caring what they thought of her. She'd given into the fact that whever she went, people would hate her.
She knew now that Mila's connection to the Master was far greater than she'd let on. And after their late night conversation, Kasta had a clue. Mila might know how to stop the Master, or what his weakness was. They really didn't even know what his Grace was.
Mila spat blood on the white marble floor. "You....can't..." she huffed. Kasta dove her blade without hesitation into Mila, who screamed, fighting the chains. Kasta saw many of the onlookers look away. Her ears even caught the sound of someone in the back throwing up. Well she had never said that they needed to watch. It had been almost two hours, and as Kasta tried to pry every ounce of information from Mila, men were dying on the outer walls and ramparts fighting the Master's Gracelings.
"Tell me what I want to know..." Kasta hissed, twisting the blade. Withdrawing, Kasta looked at the healer who stood, face white with horror, or fatigue, probably both. She bent down and with a Graceful touch healed Mila. Mila gasped and looked up at her. She was shaking, her Graced eyes flickering in the light.
Mila took a shaggy breath. There was only so much the human body could handle before it started to break. Kasta knew well the art of torturing. No one had yet to withstand her Grace. "Fine..." Mila said softly. She took ragged gulps of air, her body curled in on itself, blood covering her clothes. "He's... my father."

Shona walked with the little girl quickly through the halls. Most of the civillians had long since evacuated to the deep recesses of the city. The palace itself was like city at least. Shona hadn't seen anyone she knew either. "Let's go... We're almost there." She didn't respond, but followed Shona silently on.

Kasta stared at Mila. "What?" she said, unsure that she'd heard right. Everyone was silent, watching. Kasta imagined everyone could probably hear her beating heart.
"The Master is... my father..." Mila said.
"Then you can tell us about him."
"Not so much..." she said, "as you would like to know..." she said, her eyes to the floor. She looked so young, with the ceiling light falling down her her matted hair. "I know no way to stop him."

[Galadas]

Elliot followed, breathing loudly, he shifted into the form of a wolf, he was much faster in that form. Then a person tackled him, pushed him against the wall and pressed a bold weapon in his side, it wasn't long but stabbed in the right way, making him shift directly back. His Achilles heel had been hit, he was bound to change back.
He smashed in on his attacker and jumped forward, then noticing it was Peter. He pushed Peter out of his way. "What are you doing here!?" he yelled, not sure if Peter was still with the master or if he was not.
Peter shook his head. "Elliot, listen to me! You have to get out of here!" he said, he looked the same as always, but he looked exhausted.
"What are you talking about!?" Elliot took out the bold knife that was sticking out of his side and held it forward, he didn't trust his old friend, and he couldn't make out if Peter was still under the master's control.
"Elliot, I snapped out of it, but I can't hold on to it much longer, so you'll have to listen to me!" he grabbed Elliot's shoulders, even if that meant walking right into the knife. He pressed his head against Elliot's. "They are after Mila, and they'll kill everyone who is in their way. I'm trying to find out how the Master works from the inside, but I'll need someone to go to when I have, so don't you dare to get killed!" he snapped, desperate.
"I don't understand!" Elliot said, confused to see his friend... normal.
"Don't try to!" Peter growled, pushing Elliot back against the wall. He was gone when Elliot opened his eyes again as a reaction to the pain in his back.

[Cara]

The hall was dead quite, all except for Mila's ragged breathing. Kasta grabbed Mila and yanked her up to her feet. Mila flinched back, expecting more pain to come. Kasta only tightened her grip.
"No man is immortal..." Kasta growled. She looked at Aris.
Aris nodded. "I want double guard! Tell the Black Sithes to prepare. I want a mission to kill. If we can drop the Master, we can end this! Send word!"

As everything in the hall erupted into a frenzy at the new found information, Kasta looked at Mila. Mila just shook her head and smiled. It was almost close to her old smile: arrogant, cruel, and mocking. "You think my father would risk everything for me? He has an empire to conquer..." she said.
Kasta smiled back, matching Mila. "That may be true, but you're still his daughter. And as long as we have you, he won't give up. He's human, isn't he?"

[Galadas]

Elliot heard voices coming from the halls far away from him as he ran down the path holding his hand to his wound in his side. He ran faster, knowing it might be friendly people that he heard, he hoped it was Kasta. He was wondering what to do with Peter's advice, should he run? No, he wasn't going to. He couldn't leave Kasta, Lorn, Shona... He had just made friends, now he had lost Peter, Isaac and Dedelean, he could use some company, even if it meant fighting along side.

[Cara]

As Elliot ran up, he was thrown against the wall by guards, dressed in uniform of the Druet color. He was quickly grabbed and held to the wall. Struggling, he looked up to see six crossbows trained on him.
"It's Elliot!" he gasped.
The main man, gruff looking and dark, stared coldly at Elliot. "We have orders not to let anyone inside..." He looked at the man next to him. "Kill him."
Before he could fire, he lurched back, a knife sticking out of his throat. Everyone turned to see Kasta, striding down the steps, Mila in her grasp. The man paled. "Lady Sarce!" he said, bowing swiftly.
Kasta shot her gaze at the two man holding Elliot. They quickly released him. Elliot scrambled over to Kasta, looking at the dead man on the floor. She'd killed one of the Duet guards! He was in shock, but still he was happy not to be the one bleeding out on the ground.
Elliot looked at Aris following. She was trembling, as she clutched her sword in hand. "Kasta..." she murmured, then fell silent. She may have been queen of Druet, but she lacked the cruel ruthlessness that Kasta had.
Kasta made her way to the large overlook. From there, one could gaze out of the entire capital. She saw the battle way below. Stepping with ease, she dragged Mila up with her.
Elliot looked around at tall the guards who were gathering behind Kasta. What was going on?

Five large black birds wheeled in the sky. They shreeked, as they saw Kasta holding Mila. "Shoot them," Kasta snapped. Arrows were fired. All but one managed to escape the deadily rain. The bird that was struck, suddenly changed into a human, only to fall from the sky screaming.
The remaining four circled back. With ease, they changed together into their human forms and dropped softly down on the ground before Kasta.
Elliot sucked a breath as he saw Dedelean standing there.
"Give us Mila and no one gets hurt," Levia said, evenly.
"I doubt that you're in a position to argue..." Kasta said, nodding back to the row of soldiers standing stiffly behind her. "And besides, I seem to be the one with a hostage..."

[Galadas]

Elliot moved out of eyesight, afraid to have Dedelean staring at him. He waited, feeling like he was less important to the conversation but hoping he could be more important if it would lead to a fight. He looked at Kasta through the many heads of the guards, seeing her scary ruthless gaze made him aware that a fight would most certainly be what it would lead to.

[Cara]

Kasta grinned, her teeth flashing in the early light. The sky was only just pin above the jagged mountains that surrounded Druet.
Dedelean glared at her gaze wavering to meet Elliot's eyes. Her glance flickered back to look at Levia. Kasta narrowed her eyes, realizing a split second too late what was about to happen. Suddenly lightening shot foward, just as Kasta shouted Elliot's name.
Elliot was struck straight in the chest, and flew backwards. Kasta spun around, to see three arrows shooting with deadly accuracy. As if time slowed, Kasta leapt back, twisting impossibly in the air. She felt the first arrow brush by her head. The cock feather, just brushing her nose. She fell back, landing, with one hand down, balanced across a splayed hand. The second landed right between her spread legs. The third was headed straight towards Kasta's heart, and straddled in that awkward position, she'd be too late to move. In an amazing show of her Grace, Kasta brought her other hand around, snatching the shaft of the arrow. The momentum carried the arrow forward, as it slid through her grasp. She felt the heat from the friction.
Springing to her feet, she flung the arrow aside, ignoring the burning in her hand. She looked up to see one of the Gracelings picking up Mila. Levia glared at her through her amazement, seeing that Kasta had survived her attack of arrows. That was her Grace of course. "This chat was nice," she sneered, as she grabbed the other boy's hand and they jumped into the air, transforming as crows. Dedelean was the last to take flight, looking back at where Elliot had been thrown by her blast. Levia gave a caw, and Dedelean quickly joined her.
A volley of arrows was immeditally shot. As crows powered off, Kasta grabbed her throwing knife, hefted it and launched it. It was a long shot, but her Grace was working for her. She hit one of the crows directly in the wing. It tumbled out of the air with a scream, to land hard on the marble.
Guards immeditally ran in and grabbed her, as the crow faded back into its human form. Kasta crossed her fingers, as she sprinted over. To her dismay it was Dedelean.
Kasta had managed to get her in the shoulder. Dedelean didn't look at Kasta, as the guards hauled her roughly to her feet. Instead she was looking past Kasta towards where Elliot lay. "Elliot," she said, her face a confused mask.


Levia landed before the Master with her team. "Master," she said with a bow. "We were successful." Mila was helped forward, still weak from Kasta's torturing. The Master came forward, taking Mila into his arms.
"Worry not..." he said. His cold gaze swept over the assembled Gracelings. This battle had been costly. More than half of his Gracelings had been caught, wounded or died. He didn't care much, except that Druet had weakened his fighting force.
What troubled him most was that the longer they were away from him, the hard it was to hear them. Did that mean they were dead? Was his Power fading? Well, he'd worry about that later. He had what he really wanted. And he had gained much. For some of the Gracelings had been replaced. Some who had been attackers had fell under his hand, and now stood before him as servants.
Turning to one of his favored Children, he gave the nod. Silently everyone grabbed someone else's hand, and they disappeared as if they'd never been there.

[Galadas]

Elliot lay motionless, he tried to open his eyes, but they didn't serve his commands. He tried to move his muscles, nothing. All his remaining strength went to breathing, through his nose, because his mouth was filled with liquid that wouldn't let air in. He heard voices through the buzzing in his ears and wondered if they were talking to him. Get a healer, please, get a healer. He thought, though he wanted to say those words. It felt like the ground was slipping away under him, like he was falling, but he hadn't moved yet, nor had he been moved. Sleep seemed a wonderful idea at that moment, his head agreed.

[Cara]

There was chaos. People screaming in agony, others crying out. Kasta gave a quick order to hold Dedelean, as she pushed her way through the running bodies towards Elliot. Her eyes searched frantically.
She saw Elliot lying there, unconscious. "Elliot..." she said, as she pulled him up.
She looked for help, but many people were running all over, unconcerned with her plight. The healers were centered in the middle of the city, but there had to be a few Graceling healers. She needed to find Mech. Mech had been with Lorn as if earlier that night, but Mech was on the other side of the palace!
She grabbed a random person.
"Hey!" the man cried, but froze recognizing Kasta. "Oh, my Lady..." he said, his face worried.
"Go get me the Graced healer, Mech. Right now. Do not waver from this order," she snapped. "Understood?"
"Yes...yess..." he said, dashing off. Kasta hoped that he feared her enough to follow through.
Pulling Elliot out of the trampling feet, she knelt down, at a loss. Her Grace was not in healing, but in killing and pain. She was useless in this field. But she knew enough. If the heart stopped, that was the end all. And an electric blast from Dedelean would be enough to stop anyone else's heart in a second... and Elliot's heart was erratic and slowing.

Dedelean saw Kasta and Elliot through the crowd. As the guards brought her by, she struggled against their grasp. "No! Let me see him!" she cried.
Kasta turned to her. "What so you can do more damage?" she asked, glaringly.
Dedelean still had a confused face, but she shook her head. "No... no. I... I can help," she said, unsure of herself.
Kasta sighed, nodding for them to release her. Perhaps she could help. Kasta drew her rapier just in case. She could easily end her right there if Dedelean gave any trouble. And Mech was still a few minutes away. For Elliot, he could ge dead in those few minutes. She watched as Dedlean knelt down, taking Elliot's head into her lap. She placed her hands on his chest then, using her Grace to use to deliver small shocks of electricity. Every other second, she placed her head to his heart, listening for a beat.
"Come on..." Dedelean whispered, seemingly unaware of Kasta standing at her backside, blade poised above her neck.
After what seemed like forever, Elliot took a deep breath, chest expanding, as he opened his eyes. "Dedelean..." he said.

[Galadas]

Elliot wanted to jump up, scared to know that Dedelean was the first thing he saw. It made him think it was all a dream, that he was already dead. But from the side he saw Kasta staring at the two of him. "What is happening?" he asked, a bit confused. He felt alive, or he thought he was alive because he felt pain, in his chest, in his heart. What was Dedelean doing?

Peter felt the Master's powers hold him captive for seconds before he took control himself, but then he lost it again. And that's how it went for hours, once he had control he couldn't hold it, once he lost it he tried his best to regain it. The Master didn't notice him and his struggle against the captivity, because he had so many of his children to worry about.
He was left standing amongst all the others, while Levia went round and asked a small share of the Master's children to join her and the Master.
Peter felt he wouldn't be ask and went looking for Isaac, even when the Masters recaptured his mind he went on searching for his beloved husband. Isaac was sitting somewhere against a tree, watching the Master, blind for what happened around him. The Master was talking to Seaten, the blind boy, they seemed satisfied, Mila standing right beside the Master.
"Isaac?" Peter asked, back in control.
Isaac looked up, for a second, before turning his gaze back on the Master. It was useless, Peter could not get through to his loved one, seemingly he had tried everything, but the boy was like a ghost.
"Peter," Levia said, touching Peter's shoulder. A simple sign that he had to come along, walk into the circle and join the Master, there where he could be found, that one awake soul among those who were dead.
He said nothing, as he followed, losing control of his body once more, but before noticing Dedelean was not there within that circle. Where could she be? He closed his eyes of sadness, then lost control.

[Cara]

Before Dedelean could say anything, she was yanked roughly to her feet by Kasta.
"Alright," she said. "You're coming with me..." Kasta shoved Dedelean at her guards again. She knelt down to help Elliot to his feet. "Don't say a word," she hissed quietly to him, so that no one else could hear. "Or I'll personally cut out your tongue." Elliot nodded, unsure of Kasta was joking, but it didn't look like it.
Elliot rose, looking at Dedelean who's gaze never once looked up to meet his searching eyes.
Kasta and the guards plowed through the running people, making their slow way to the relatively safety of the Court.
Down below, the powerful elite Druet guard was making quick work with the prisoners. All prisoners were knocked unconcious, heavily chained and dragged off. The wounded were shuttled to the infirmary, where Graced healers worked tirelessly. Druet was a well-fortified, organized kingdom, well stocked with powerful Gracelings. The battle had been short.

Levia stood at attention, as a young boy appeared before her. "And?" she asked.
"Here's the list, ma'm," he said, handing her a long list of names. These were the people who had not returned. Her eyes ran down the list. They'd lost many powerful Gracelings. The Master wouldn't be happy.
She turned, as she heard a fight break out. She sprinted over, calling Sybell to her. As the two young women sprinted through the crowd, she saw that it wasn't just a small fight, but a large one. There were at least five Gracelings in a heated fight. Someone screamed, as skin started to peal away and off their body.
"Sybell! Now!" she yelled. Sybell, made a quick gesture. The Graceling who was with his mind making the other man's skin peel away, was frozen, unable to move at all, but since it was with his mind, Nath's skin still continued to make it's gruesome way. Levia leapt forward, striking a bludgeoning blow with the butt of her bow across the attacker's head, knocking him unconscious.
Levia quickly assessed who was fighting whom, as Sybell held all of them frozen with her Grace, except for Nath, who lay moaning in agony on the ground. To avoid furtuer risk, all were quickly dispatched and lay unconscious on the ground. When Levia looked up, the Master stood there, with a cold eye.
"What happened?" he asked, his voice razor sharp. Everyone had gathered by this point.
"There was a fight, Sir," she said.
The Master surveyed the damage. A Graced healer was brought over to tend to Nath's critical wounds. He screamed in agony as pink new skin formed over muscles and tendons. The others had injuries too, inflicted on each other by their Graces. The five fighters were all very powerful. Ledest had the ability with a look to fillet a person's skin from their body, as seen with Nath, who had the strength of ten men. Marsie could create fire, but she could also direct it. There were many burns. Another could make a physical forcefield, while the other was Graced with the ability to touch any written material and know all its contents. Kirova, a friend of Levia's had a gift with poisons and other lethal toxins.
Levia looked at Kirova, who's face was being healed by the Graceling.
"Who started it?" the Master demanded of the onlookers.
Many responded at once, before the Master heard what they were telling him. Ledest and Marsie had tried to run away, but were stopped by Nath and his friends. A fight quickly broke out, being ended almost before it had started by Levia's quick plan of action.
Mila was standing besides her father, still weak, but her gaze was just as frightening. The two exchanged a look. "Get Ledest and Marsie tied up. Now. When they come around, we will get the bottom of this," she snarled.
As they were dealt with, Mila looked at the Master. "What is it?" she said softly.
He looked at her. "I felt them...depart," he said. "I no longer heard their thoughts or saw through them. They were no longer my children."
"Master, the battle has weakened you. We have caught them. They were stopped, and will face harsh punishment for their actions," Mila said confidently. "In the coming days, we can plan a counter attack on Druet. We dealt them a hard blow, and they still reel from it. Let them lick their wound and hide away. We will be ready next time..."
The Master looked at his daughter almost affectionately. "And how can you be so sure?"
"Because I know Kasta. I was tortured at her hands. If anything, she will want to find us. To attack first. It is her Grace."