Completed [Various] Treachery (Annalisa)

[Fubuki Kouri]

Gug Adjak, 21st of Bell, 36th of Winter 513 A.V

In the darkest night on the coldest winter striking upon the magical fortress known as Sahova, home of the most powerful arcane secrets and horrors, a place where walking corpses worked tirelessly towards a far-fetched goal, the place where politics were more vicious than a pack of hungry wolves, for even a child was bitten by its tainted fangs.

The aforementioned child was not truly a child in nature, no, she was an ethereal phantom with powers betraying her waifish features, though the swirling wisps surrounding her form might signal something was not quite right with the girl, combined with her translucent form, corpse-pale skin, and crimson red eyes. The phantom girl named 'Kouri' was flying through the citadel, phasing through walls as she flew to a certain location, utter rage clearly shown on her face. Where are you... where are you?! The wisps around her swirled angrily, ready to launch serrated serpentine tendrils to a certain someone, someone who spoke false words of affection and love, only to crush those through the disgusting act of betrayal.

For the past weeks, Kouri noticed something strange about the reactions some people in Sahova towards her, particularly Mistress Wanda and Amaryllis, one day, she saw Wanda was talking to strange wizards and then... it all went downhill, she was accused of something she didn't do, they wouldn't listen to her pleas, that she knew absolutely nothing about what they prosecuted her for, it all fell on deaf ears... but she did find out that those accusations came from... her. The tall woman who promised to be her caretaker, the woman who treated her as her own adopted daughter, lies! All of it, how could she be so foolish? Kouri should know that no one was going to keep their word, Master Cyrus, Azcadelia, Sir Coud, everyone! They all left here for unknown reasons but at least... they didn't use her as a black sheep.

At last, her little hunt found its prey, Annalisa Marin, the betrayer, the evil she needed to kill for all that was right, this monster represented all that was ugly and wrong, Kouri phased through the walls of the Gug Adjak, approaching the tall sorceress from behind, not bothering to hide her rage, "Madame Anna!!" Her high-pitched voice quaked in anger, serrated tendrils with serpentine heads began spawning from the remote wisps surrounding her form, they all hissed angrily at their mistress' enemies, "Why... WHY?!" was the only question she could ask, before she killed her, she wanted to know the reason, there must be a reason.

[Annalisa Marin]

Anna had been working on a scroll mere chimes before Kouri had arrived, her grey eyes seemingly shutting out all around her as her brush worked. However her work was interrupted by a familiar voice that shouted so close to her, a childlike voice that sounded some what angered. A false grin plastered itself on Anna's face as she placed her brush down, turning in her chair and looking upon the child she both hated and desired to corrupt. Kouri, a possible tool for Rhysol's cause and a very powerful ghost, as well as the one who had on multiple occasions proven too volatile to control.

The smile faded from her face as she noted the child's agitated appearance and the seemingly simple question leaving her ethereal lips. Her expression became neutral, carefully neutral as a slight stab of fear played at her heart. Cautiously the sorceress drew res out of sight in a liquid form, preparing her own defenses as one thing became abundantly clear. Kouri knew, she had learned of Anna's betrayal to her and now likely wanted answers. It was to be expected, but it still carried a bit of worry as the ghost was rather powerful and was currently at close range.

Her grey eyes calculated as she stared up at the child, like she was considering her options. She briefly toyed with the idea of lying to the child, trying to convince her that everything she had heard was a lie propagated by her enemies. It was soon discarded, the sorceress knowing that the girl was hardly stupid and could probably see through such a thin deception.

"So. I see you have enjoyed your punishment Kouri." The Sorceress started.

"Why? You are seriously asking me why I did this to you? Some times bad children need to be punished, and you Kouri have been a very bad girl. I could have let your siding with Mia in the Dungeons go, could have written you off as being merely confused about your loyalties. However, after our latest possession... I don't take kindly to my life being threatened. I offered you love, and kindness, and you repay me by threatening my life? By wanting me dead?" The tall woman sneered, her calm mask shattering as she recalled how very close to death that she had been.

The sorceress would stand to her full height, her fine black silk robes trimmed with purple shifting about her. The human woman appeared immaculate, her long dark hair done up into a ponytail and her body well fed and healthy. The silver ring that twisted around her right ring finger, its sigil that of a burning scroll, marked her as a full Wizard of the Citadel. She looked rather patronizingly down to Kouri, knowing full well the rules of the Citadel protected her from the ghost.

"Now Kouri, are you certain this is the best place to have this... conversation? Look around you, quite a few witnesses no? I wonder what Mistress Wanda would think of you murdering a Wizard of the Citadel?" The woman reminded, sweeping and arm to the others in the Common Labs.

Despite these words... Anna couldn't help but be at least slightly afraid of the child before her. Kouri was very, very powerful and she had no doubt that those tendrils could snap her neck with one powerful blow. She would need to proceed very carefully in how she handled this situation. The Citadel was certainly not the place for the child and her to have it out, there were both witnesses and too much possibility for collateral damage.

[Fubuki Kouri]

The betrayer was surprisingly calm for someone who just stabbed someone in the back, she didn't care, she would kill this monster then leave her bones for the prairie monster dogs. The phantom snarled at the sorceress, even a child like her could see the obvious sarcastic venom dripping from the sorceress' voice, then she explained the reason for her actions, so it was to get back at her for Kouri's actions in the past, for her little slip-up. The phantom girl flinched, finding some truth to Anna's words, so she was indeed angered at her, explaining Anna's sudden chance in behavior at their Glyphing practice. "You..." But surely, her actions weren't that bad, it was just a simple wrong statement and Kouri didn't actually kill her, what Anna did far outweighed it, the sorceress had destroyed everything, now, Anna's blames were placed on her instead, she didn't deserve this.

The woman stood up, her height far outmatching the child ghost, with her black silk robes adorned with purple, Kouri couldn't help but feel a sense of intimidation pressing upon her, her serpentine tendrils still hissing at the human, ready to strike out at a moment's notice, then the woman just had to remind her, she was absolutely right, if Kouri attacked one of the Wizards, Wanda would hunt her down and trap her forever among the ghosts of the Courtyard, also scattering Rena to the wind, she would live her immortal life in torment, possibly going insane. "Kuh..." The ghost girl took a step back as she looked at the staring eyes of Nuits and pulsers alike, by doing this, she only confirmed their suspicions of her, Kouri hands clenched into a fist while her tendrils disappeared into thin air, the wispy puffs settling down.

"You will pay for this..." She whispered to Anna, her voice filled with hatred, with so many witnesses, she couldn't even lay a finger to Anna, Kouri groaned in frustration as she began to turn away, but... she stopped herself, even if she left now, this would not be over, she must settle this once and for all, "Madame Anna," Kouri turned back, desperately trying to keep her voice from exploding, "So... what do you want? Why, what is your purpose? You... you, you blame me for things I didn't do! What do you want from me?!" Perhaps by gaining the Sorceress' explanation, she could work something out with Wanda.

[Annalisa Marin]

Anna was pleased, and more than a little relieved, when Kouri retracted her tendrils as she realized how poor her situation was in this event. As long as she was within the Citadel she possessed some degree of safety from the powerful ghost, though Kouri could possibly find another way to get at her. She needed to manage the fallout of this little event, needed to pull on all of her persuasive abilities to try and get the girl back onside. She would rather not have Kouri as an enemy, but she needed the girl to be easily controlled and brought to heel. That was a very tricky proposition, one with no easy answer or solution.

The ghost asked for an explanation, though Anna was very careful about thinking over her answer. Obviously Amaryllis had done as promised, so it would not do to indicate or admit to her story being untrue. So she would need to push this as her being angered with Kouri, to make the blame be moved away from her and onto the girl. She needed to be very careful how she spun this little manipulation.

"My purpose, is to teach you that actions have consequences. You sided against me, wished me to die though it was against my own desires. I've done this exactly to punish you for this misbehavior, child." Anna said, her eyes narrowing slightly and her tone taking on a cold edge.

"It gives me no pleasure to do this, Kouri, but you need to know what is right and what is wrong. What is wrong is siding against your friends when they stood by you and trusted you. What is wrong is wishing for someone who cares for you, who wants nothing but the best for you to die. To abuse their body and the trust they placed in you." Anna pressed, folding her arms over her chest.

The tall Sorceress pushed these angles, knowing that they alone would not be enough to twist Kouri, but they were more intended to give her some perspective. She was immortal while Anna had a fragile existence that she rather enjoyed continuing. The Sorceress liked living and continuing to exist as she had, she did not want to end up like Kouri as that would destroy who she was.

The dark haired woman switch her expression to a more thoughtful one, turning her gaze from the child and seeming to ponder something. After a moment she would sigh, a weighty and heavy sounding thing that spoke of being tired in more than one way. She gave a slight shrug of her shoulders and gave Kouri a helpless look.

"Perhaps though... perhaps I was not entirely innocent in this. I took a very harsh action against you, and for that I apologize, but I do not take it back." She said.

She needed to show some remorse here, needed to show some sliver of that woman Kouri had thought she had known. Really though, she had witnessed her true face here in this action as a devotee of Rhysol. It was the monster in human skin Anna knew she was, the side she relished in and loathed in equal measure. It was the side that was responsible for her nightmares and where she showed her faith.

[Fubuki Kouri]

The ghost girl's large crimson eyes narrowed in unadulterated contempt, her soulmist aura oozing from her form, chilling the air around her like the freezing blizzard of Taldera. Her mind was already concocting murderous plans to take care of Anna once and for all, without anyone suspecting her, but of course, subtlety was not one of her virtues, Kouri found herself hard pressed to even cut a strand of Anna's hair without repercussions. For now, she would humor the human, Anna should be the glad that the walls of this undead citadel kept her safe.

"Teach me..." The ghost girl found herself pausing, she couldn't exactly deny Anna's argument, she did wish for Anna to die, to be her eternal playmate, apparently, she didn't appreciate it. The ghost girl 'hmph' as she crossed her arms over her chest and broke eye contact from the grey-eyed human. The human returned her gesture, folding her own arms as Anna explained that she was just teaching Kouri a lesson for her naughty behavior. By Morwen, she hated it when someone was right about her misdoings, especially from someone she wished to kill just chimes ago. The ghost girl kept her silence, the only movement she made was the constant slow sway of her long alabaster hair.

Kouri looked back at Anna as the woman turned her gaze away, for some reason, Anna looked disappointed even though she appeared to be enjoying her little betrayal earlier, did the woman change her attitude just because she was afraid? Good, that meant Kouri had some control about the human and she realized killing Anna now would just prove her guilt. When the woman admitted her mistakes, the ghost girl's frown lightened, slowly being replaced by a childishly arrogant smirk, "Ahaha, I knew it, glad you realize it, Madame Annana," the fact she used her nickname for the sorceress already showed her declining hostility, "So I want you to explain to everyone, everyone!" She gestured by spreading her arms wide at her sides, "That I didn't do anything wrong and you accused me! That you used me as a black sheep!" She crossed her arms, the smirk was still there, "Do that and I'll forgive you".

[Annalisa Marin]

Anna frowned slightly, as ever she needed to remind herself that Kouri was a child in most everyway. Anna had spoken what sounded like an admission of guilt and so Kouri had latched onto it. Really it had just been an expression of remorse that she had hurt the child so brutally, not exactly saying that she would take it back. Unfortunately, Kouri seemed determined to make it out to seem that way and to try to get her to let go of her as a convenient scapegoat. So it appeared Anna would need to correct her once more.

"I said I regretted that I hurt you, child, not that I am willing to take back what was done. Lest you forget, you hurt me just as much if not more than I hurt you. You were punished, you need to accept that punishment for what it is." Anna said, quirking an eyebrow at the girl.

Now they were back to square one, so Anna wracked her brain for a way to manage this situation in a way that did not set Kouri against her as an enemy. Anna already had enough of them lying in wait around every corner of the Citadel, Kouri was much more useful as an ally. She just needed to think of a method to get Kouri back onside, to gain her assistance and continued service. It was certainly not an easy task, but Anna felt that she was up to the job as she was a Chaon. Underhanded was what she did very well.

An idea occurred to her, it was certainly very dirty, very deceptive, and hugely amoral, but if it succeeded then Anna would very well have a method of making certain Kouri stayed in line. Of course, such a thing would need to be pitched just right, just in the correct way to gain Kouri' interest in it. If she could sell this right... she might emerge from this little fallout in a much stronger position than ever before. However she would need to move very, very carefully. She could not suggest such a thing in the Citadel... if the wrong ears caught wind of it, it might spell disaster.

Going outside of the Citadel with Kouri at the moment carried with it certain risks, however Anna felt the trade off could be worth it. She just had to be a very fast talker and not let Kouri horribly murder her before she could get a word in. There were many ways the child could end her fragile existence, a whim from her could have her limbs shattered. So a bit of expediency would be required, lest Kouri decide to just off her right quick and easy.

"Okay Kouri, look. I'm thinking there is a solution to our little conflict we can come to terms with. However, it might not be best to continue this conversation in the Citadel. What say we continue out discussion in the Prairie, away from prying ears?" Anna said, leaning in closer and lowering her voice.

The sorceress' grey eyes held no traces of deception, no indication that she was planning on attacking Kouri outside of the Citadel. Then again, she had backstabbed the girl rather harshly after treating her like a mother would her daughter. No doubt the girl might have her reservations regarding going anywhere with her, or rather she would want to only to kill her. Perhaps it was best to get that possibility nipped in the bud right here and now.

"All I want is a chance to explain my solution. Feel free to place one of your tendrils around my neck if that makes you feel safer. If you don't like it, you will be free to- to dispatch me in a manner you deem satisfactory Kouri." Anna urged, nodding to the stairs leading out of the Gug Andjak and lifting her head slightly in invitation.

That was a pretty dangerous offer to make, though it was also something that could very well pay off very well if this was done right. If the girl was not completely sold on it, it would just be a brief whim from Kouri and her neck would be snapped like a twig. Anna felt a thrill of fear course through her mind at the prospect, the idea that this would only end two ways now. Her death, or her gaining the advantage. She prayed to the Defiler that it was the latter.

OOCRight, if she agrees to go, go ahead and have Kouri lead the way into the Prairie.

[Fubuki Kouri]

"What?" As quickly as they went, the chilling stare of crimsons and chilling haunting presence came back when Anna refused her demands to admit her crimes of blackmailing her, Kouri's hands clenched into fists as hissing sounds emitted from the wispy orbs surrounding her form as if they barely held back the serrated serpents from butchering the woman right then and there. This woman actually thought betrayal was a proper punishment for her, but then again, Kouri could see that Anna wanted an 'eye for an eye', the ghost girl betrayed Anna's trust when she sided with Mia, also when she thought of killing her during their last possession attempt. So this was how it felt like to be betrayed, Kouri abhorred it, but she deserved it, she still think what Anna did was too harsh compared to her actions.

"Why don't you just admit it already?" The ghost girl was getting impatient, as of the moment, she hated to see Anna pondering about the subject where the solution was pretty simple, just tell Mistress Wanda and Amaryllis about it and all would be fine. The ghost girl's gaze didn't relent in the slightest until Anna finally spoke, "Oh, a solution? What other solution?" Kouri was intrigued, Anna had another solution that could satisfy both parties, it must be another devious plan of hers, the ghost girl didn't buy it, but when the sorceress offered for them to speak in the Prairie, she became interested, going out there meant Kouri could easily attack the human and feed her corpse off to the monsters there, no body would find any trace of Anna's body, even she could see Anna was staking it all in that one little sentence, "Okay, what do you want?" She slightly tilted her head to allow easy access to her ear.

How brave, not only Anna wanted to talk in the Prairie, she allowed the ghost girl to place one of her tendrils around her neck, handling her life on a thin thread, or a thick serrated thread in this case. The offer was good, if she didn't like something, she could just snap the human's fragile neck in an instant, nodding sinisterly, the ghost girl whispered back, "Okay~" with her sing-song girlish voice. Then she closely followed Anna as they headed out of the Gug.

After a few moments, both of them were standing on the tainted eerie grounds of the Prairie, Kouri was floating before Anna, staring at her on eye-level, five tendrils then emerged from her back, tightly wrapping around Anna's neck, wrists, and ankles, Kouri gave a choking hold for barely a tick, just to brand in the situation into Anna's mind, "Tell me, what are you going to offer, Madame Annana?" She smiled, an innocently sweet smile of a child with the sinister cackle of an ethereal beast lurking just beneath the surface.

[Annalisa Marin]

Anna felt Kouri's presence behind her the whole way to the Prairie, the full impact of what she had just agreed to hitting her as she made her way out of the Citadel. Fear played in her mind, primal and mind numbing as she realized exactly what could happen if she didn't pitch this in just the right way. She would be dead, killed on the whims of Kouri and all her ambitions would be completely and totally undone. She would be dead, the cold finality of that possibility and of entering Dira's embrace causing her to swallow visibly. She would be dead, none mourning her passing on this island of undeath.

She walk along the known path the Prairie, much like a prisoner going towards their execution. Every step seemed to take longer and feel a little more defined, the images and scenery around her seeming more crisp and clear than ever before. She felt every chilling intake of breath, could feel it through her whole body as she shivered. The soft glow of Leth's light seemed a little brighter than she remembered it, the smell of the Sahovan air possessing that old and ancient quality about it like an aged book. The gentle caress of the breeze kissed her skin, teasing at her as they walked.

When they finally arrived Anna felt Kouri wrap her tendrils around her immediately, the appendages coiling around her neck, wrists, and ankles tightly. Then Kouri started to constrict her throat for barely a tick and Anna managed a single strangled gasp as she experienced something she had not felt in a while, a feeling of utter helplessness. Yet that feeling granted her some form of clarity, the knowledge that her very life was on the line certainly helping in this manipulation.

Kouri smiled so sweetly at her, like the façade of the innocent child that she projected to the world at large. Anna knew, however, that they were two of the same kind whether Kouri would ever admit to that or not. Truly like mother and daughter, both marred by circumstance, their innocence stained in the blood of others and in the cold betrayal of others. The sorceress had not truly appreciated that fact until this moment, how very much alike they were.

"Ahem, I trust you remember what I spoke of when last we walked the Prairie correct? I mentioned something to you, a very important bit of information. I called it a Grand Oath." Anna started.

"Before, I did not explain its purpose to you as it did not seem relevant at the time however it would do to explain it to you now, as it is wound up in the offer I would make. A Grand Oath is, basically, an unbreakable contract that calls upon the Ukalas and the Gods themselves as it witness. In simpler terms, it is an agreement that would be enforced by the Gods to ensure it is carried out." The sorceress would continue.

"I possess the ability to create a Grand Oath or two due to my familiarity with Glyphing, so my suggestion would be to draft up a pair of these contracts for the both of us. Ones that would essentially bind the two of us together, as well as whatever else you might want them to say. I would forgive you for hurting me, you would in turn do the same and then we would sign these contracts that we could never hurt each other again." The tall woman finished her explanation of her proposition.

Right, so that was it out in the open then, the offer to sign contracts that called upon the Gods as their witness. Anna had not attempted it before, but she had stumbled across it long before arriving in Sahova. She knew that she could very well create one given the resources, which she could acquire at the Synchrograph easily enough. They would need to be discreet about it of course, assuming Kouri went for the offer.

There were drawbacks and benefits to it that even Kouri would no doubt see, the ability to ensure that Anna never lied to or betrayed her again. All she would need to do would agree to bind herself similarly to an oath, to agree to whatever Anna might think up. She was free to name her own terms, Anna was the one in her power at the moment after all. The sorceress hoped that was enough to make Kouri a little over confident, if she did go for this her life was over.

As the drafter of the Oaths Anna only intended to make one, a single true oath to bind Kouri under heel. The one she would craft for herself she would just write gibberish in Nader-Canoch to fool Kouri into thinking it was a real Oath Anna bound herself by. It was a brilliant ploy, if it worked of course.

"I... I've felt a connection to you, Kouri ever since we met. I've wanted to care for you and guide you, and though I did punish you I did as I thought a parent would. I can never replace the mother you lost, though I would try if you let me, child." Anna said, trying not to struggle against the bonds binding her and to keep the tremor from her voice.

[Fubuki Kouri]

Contrasting with Anna's fear through their walk to the Prairie, the ghost girl felt powerful instead, like she was the one holding Anna's very lives on her hands, or in this case, soulmist tendrils. The sensation revived her childish arrogance, like a child who felt mighty by bullying another, unlike most children however, the bully could escalate to outright murder. A haunting giggle there, a giggle here, revealed on how the ghost girl enjoyed this moment, like an executioner leading a prisoner to her execution. If she ended up killing Anna, then she would be her judge, jury, and executioner.

Now, the court was set, with five of her tendrils each binding Anna's neck and limbs, ready to spring out anytime to slice her neck away like a circular sharp knife or utterly break her bones like a constrictor. The fearful gasp from Anna's lips caused Kouri's lips to grin, showing her ethereal white teeth, she let the sorceress gather her wits first, smiling gingerly all the while. "Grand Oath?" The ghost girl innocently put her right index finger to her pale lips, then she nodded her head, "Oh, I remember! Hehe, it's supposed to be very important, right? I mean, it's 'Grand', that means... it's big!" Truly the conclusion of innocence, but her state and the ghastly serpents spawning from her back gave the ghost girl an uncanny valley.

She was right, the Grand Oath was indeed something important, it was supposed to be an unbreakable contract, witnessed by the Divines themselves to boot, that meant Morwen would be watching as well along with the god that Anna worshiped, 'Rissole' was his name if she remembered correctly, idly, Kouri wondered if he truly appeared as a Rissole, it would be hilarious. "I get it! You want to promise in this Grand Oath to never betray me again, right? Say yes!" It wasn't a question, it was a demand.

"What?" The ghost girl's cheerful facade faltered, replaced by the menacing phantom as Anna mentioned she would be creating two, not one, Grand Oath for both of them, why should see sign it? It was unnecessary, as far as she was concerned, Anna was the one at fault here. Though, the ghost girl realized that perhaps Anna wanted for Kouri to promise to never threaten her life again, still, she held the power here, she should be making demands, "Alright then, I want the Oath to say that you will never betray me again and will always take care of me, Rena, Kriem, and Mia like Mama, can you do that? If not..." The ghost girl slightly tightened her neck-tendril again, the pupils in her crimson eyes narrowing far further than a normal human could, to the point they looked like reptilian slits.

"Hmph," Surprisingly, Kouri wasn't swayed by Anna's attempt at flattery and affection, especially when she talked about her mother, the ghost girl crossed her arms and floated to Anna on her eye-level, extending both of her hands, materializing it, then gently cupped them on Anna's cheeks, she giggled, though her pupils were still slits, "You're right, you can never replace Mama, but you can be my second mother, ahahaha~ So, 'Mommy', when will we be signing these Oath?" The tendrils unwrapped Anna's limbs then lashed the air around the ghost girl first as if they were spider legs spawning from a girl's back then they returned, "Don't betray me again, Madame Anna..."

[Annalisa Marin]

Anna would have found Kouri’s childish nature almost adorable if not for her knowledge of the girl’s psychopathic tendencies, and for the five tendrils poised to kill her in the most brutal of ways. Part of the Sorceress, that damnable human part that just refused to die, felt almost bad about this deception as she knew exactly what she was condemning Kouri to. She was condemning her to a life of servitude for as long as Anna drew breath, which was not log considering the child was immortal but still. It was an utterly black hearted and amoral thing to do to the young ghostly child, cruel beyond words really. No doubt the Defiler would look upon her actions now with pride, at least Anna hoped so.

Kouri tightened her tendrils when she made her demands, cutting off the flow of her air and causing a cold hacking spasm to wrack Anna’s body. It petching hurt, both mentally and physically that she was pushed around like this, treated like some slave the girl to could shove around. She intended to pay Kouri back for this many times over, when she held the upper hand. For now she played the submissive, if only to avoid having her neck snapped. It was not yet time for her to act, the payoff for this little bit of pain would be great and there could be no doubt about that.

“Yes! Yes, I’ll make the Oath to say that! You have my word!” Anna said through the choking hold.

Kouri’s materialized hands cupped her cheeks, ice filling her veins and her breath being released in choking puffs of white. Anna could feel her face becoming number with each passing second, the touch chilling her to the bone and sending waves of utter revulsion through her body. After speaking her next words, which further chilled the dark haired woman’s heart, Kouri released her which permitted Anna to promptly fall to her knees and start taking in large gulps of air. Her question and open ended threat barely reached her ears as they were filled with her attempting to grasp at the air to fill her starving lungs.

A pure black bolt of hatred shot through her mind in that moment, her rage boiling just beneath the surface and screaming for her to burn the petching ghost to ashes. She resisted the urge, knowing in her heart that the payoff of restraint would bring her vengeance beyond what mere violence could achieve. Then… after that she would no longer be alone again; she would finally have someone in this world other than the Defiler to call hers. Kouri would belong to her even in her undead state, bound to her to follow her whims and stay by her side through time. Whether Kouri wanted it or not.

“It will take me a bit of time to gather the necessary supplies, perhaps three days. Once I make them… we will meet out here again in the night, away from prying eyes and unfriendly ears.” Anna said at length through gasps of air, feeling slowly returning to her face as she rubbed her throat.

Grand Oaths were a rather tricky thing to create, this would be Anna’s first actual attempt and hopefully it would not blow up horribly in her face. She would need to put an order in the Syncrograph office for some rather expensive inks, only the best could be utilized for an Oath. Luckily she doubted they would raise too many questions, considering she was known through the Citadel as being a powerful Glypher it only made sense she would want the very best for her Glyphing supplies. The actual signing of the Oath needed to be out here, as the Citadel was not a friendly place for the actual act of signing an Oath. Besides, it would be best if Kouri stayed her secret weapon, her little ace in the hole just in case she would be needed.

“I promise you, I won’t betray you again child. The gods themselves will be witness to that… my daughter.” Anna said, slowly standing to her feet on wobbly legs.

Another lie, praise to the Defiler as she carried out this deception. Let Kouri think she had won a victory tonight; Anna would be the one with the upper hand when this was all said and done. Rhysol would have a new tool to spread the glory of his chaos, and Anna’s suffering at the ghostly child’s hands would be vindicated. She crushed and strangled her horrified humanity, knowing that this would not only make her safe but also bring Kouri to heel. It would fit an invisible leash around her neck that Anna would control. She needed to be controlled, to have guide.

“If our business here is concluded I will head straight off to get the supplies.” Anna stated, wanting to get as far away from Kouri at the moment as she could.

OOCRight, so this should about come close to wrapping this thread up. I guess you'll post up again and I'll wrap it up after that. I'll post in the Synchrograph in the meantime, then get the solo started and finished soon.