A Common Enemy

JP with Cindy and White_Caribou

There was a moment of pure hatred which raided from inside the redheaded witch. She squeezed her hand into a fist, then released it.

When Islana answered the question her voice was almost seething.

"Nahi," The word coming half under her breath. "Yes, I know him. That was Alcuin. The man that chased me through Fang. I guess he must have started going for you at some point."

Speaking was all Islana, as she was the one whose life that man uprooted and who poisoned Hunter.

Taking a sip of water helped calm the woman down.

In a much calmer voice, she continued to explain. "When I was on the Pilgrimage, there was one point I was granted visions of some of the people I know. You were one of those. You were still in the oasis with the diplomatic caravan. When my vision brought me past where you were, I saw Alcuin. He was with a group of bandits and watching you."

It might be difficult to believe that happened but Arcadia seemed to be a land of odd occurrences.

"And you say they had a magik user with them?"

Alcuin, a magik user, a man who took away magik, this was sounding less and less like the Inquisition.

The sudden small explosion of Islana's through the rather calm meeting had birthed another spark in Shalia's gaze. She did enjoy seeing people embrace their fury, but this feeling came also out of seeing the younger woman angry for what she could recall to be the first time. So many new facets to the redhead she met not long ago...so much more bite. She almost smirked at this, though knew it best not to. How inappropriate.

When the Seer spoke, Shalia was even more glad that she did not express anything. Her eyes did widen momentarily and her lips parted as if to say something, but never did.
That anger she witnessed was the young huntress. That ghost from her past, still hers forever. Until he died, that was. Shalia wondered if the new leader of the Ozainae remembered the promise she made; that the next time they saw Alcuin, he was a dead man. Now, she wanted him to suffer more intensely before she snuffed out the candle of his life. Surely somewhere inside Islana did, too.

And maybe now if they dragged him from hiding, they could both enjoy the spectacle--the same kind of spectacle Helians made of witches they strung up in town squares.

That was why he was out there then, tailing Islana all the way through Fang and into the desert. When his target had vanished after the sandstorm, Alcuin must have turned his attention to Shalia, hoping to get at least one dead witch out of this.
"Slippery, little freak..." she chided in her head as the Seer took a drink. It had not shocked her much that visions were brought up. Gods and spirits really toyed with their prizes. She had only ever received one or two from her own goddess and that was years in the past--nothing substantial or daunting either.

"Yes. I doubt any air-weaving priests were in that part of the city when it happened, nor would the casting have been to aid the foreigners if one of them had been. The whirlwind was concentrated and not a matter of nature, disappearing shortly after it formed."

Sister Locust felt like she would need to speak to the Ascendant, after this meeting was over. This new information needed time to be mulled on a little more. Her mind couldn't wrap around a magik user helping the Inquisition. It seemed as if the Inquisition, zealots that they are, would have just killed that gifted one rather than make use of them.

The thoughts were interrupted by the return of the servant carrying the items seized last night.

Shalia took one last cool drink before standing to meet the girl. The servant gave a small bow as she handed the packs to the witch and removed herself. Carrying them slowly, the Voice of Winter made her way toward the center of the table between the two chairs. If they were really in possession of something alive, she did not want to startle it.

She set the leathery bags carefully onto the table, eyeing the more delicate one so that the egg didn't peak out and threaten to roll away. When it was all settled, she brushed a curly strand of hair from her face with a sigh. It was important that the leader be provided with some context for the items as Shalia had briefly analyzed them. And now she felt deeply responsible for these belongings, too. The woman looked to the Prophetess with a gesture toward the table.

"May I?"

(*Nahi - Bastard)