Closed Order and Disarray

[Celeste Arumen]

85th Day of Fall, 513 AV

The sun had just barely cleared the horizon when her eyes flew open. Celeste grappled with terrible insomnia, unable to rest easy within the confines of the Citadel. And it wasn’t the accommodations either. She had plenty of experience sleeping on the ground. In fact, the mat was a luxury she hadn’t known in a while. No, it was the sense of being in a cell, a cage that kept her wide-awake. She often dreamed the hallways and corridors were just waiting to devour her, just outside the cedar of her fragile door.

The young girl rose, uncertain what to do with herself. She could go to the Testing Grounds, but it would be a waste and there’d be no one to help in the event something were to go wrong. She could work with Elsene perhaps, dreaming up new, experimental salves and tinctures. But why? She hadn’t found anything out of the ordinary she was dying to experiment with and the Nuit had other, better things to do than look after her all the time.

Celeste sighed and stretched, touching her toes. Time to rise. She quickly raked fingers through her hair and glanced down at her supple, adolescent form. She was nearly a woman, now. The change had been swift, but it was sure. She had defined breasts and hips and albeit small, they were definitely there. Celeste still felt too slender, too frail, especially in the shadow of Riyanna. But it was to be expected, considering. She had always been small for her age. She’d likely not get much bigger than this.

She yanked on her arcane robes and shuffled straight out the door. Perhaps she’d visit Riyanna’s lab and go back to writing that book of hers. There was progress to be made. She might write some details on the opposing nature of the Dalafurgu and the Venarium, or maybe a bit of context on Uldr himself, who she hadn’t quite mentioned yet.

But as she entered the hallway, she stopped, making way for someone who just happened to be passing by. Reflexively, she glanced up into the face of a woman. Not an undead woman, but a real human girl. She blinked, then froze. That was a new phenomenon.

Nervously, she fiddled with her apprentice’s ring, the signet a beast mid-transformation, just a pathetic shade of Riyanna’s wonderful piece of art. ”Excuse me.” She said politely, turning away.

[Annalisa Marin]

Anna for her part had opted to start the morning with meditation, seeking to calm her mind to some small degree. Three balls of res circled around her head, kept afloat by her will and serving as a binding to keep her mind focused on the Arcane problems swimming in her mind. It took no effort at all to manifest and maintain such simple and small things, still she was no Roknus Maelstrom yet. It would be a long time before she reached that level of ease, until then meditating upon her elements and what they could achieve was important. They needed to be a part of her very being, her spirit needed to resonate with each element equally.

It also helped that, thanks to Amaryllis, she was receiving two meals a day for the foreseeable future. Her figure was slowly but surely returning to its normal form, making her feel tolerably more human. Now if only she could get fresh clothes she would feel positively radiant, however that was a problem for another time.

She sent the balls spinning, willing the first to pass her face to ignite into a small purple flame. Her breathing was kept steady and controlled through the transmutation, however a thrill of pleasure did manage to shoot through her mind. It served to take the edge off of her nerves about the whole Daren situation. He was a problem she would resolve in due course, his ashes would be scattered to the wind soon enough.

The next ball she willed the outer layer to harden and solidify, which it did until a smooth round purple rock was generated. The inner layer stayed as liquid res to maximize her control over the stone, to keep it spinning around her head. The last ball she willed the air nearby to gather near it, shifting and blowing gentle about her. The breeze caressed her face and blew her loose black hair slightly as it passed by.

She continued to cycle her breathing, feeling the elements rather than simply controlling them. Anna felt the fury and strength of Ivak's Fire, the resolute and unyielding nature of Semele's Flesh, and the wild and free ways of Zulrav's Breath. These gods were those she honored by harnessing their powers, Rhysol was her master but they were also important for her to hope to master her craft.

After a few more ticks Anna willed the flames to extinguish, the remaining res within the stone to transmute, and the res controlling the air to return with in her body. She took in another deep breath, opening her grey eyes to the small cell around her. They gazed over her domain with a dispassionate light to them, controlling and sure of itself.

It was not good enough, she wanted more. Anna always wanted more, more power, more respect, and more fear from others. That would all come in due time, soon enough she would have the power she so sought. She would survive Daren, she would advance, and she would serve Rhysol with every action she took. The apprentice would make it so, or she would die a failure.

These thoughts in mind the tall woman stood to her full height and exited her room, her every stride exuding an easy confidence and surety. Anna walked the halls of the Quarters unafraid, though she was cautious enough to keep an eye out for a certain hypnotist. She was strong, better than all of the apprentices that made their home here. The apprentice would even go so far as to claim she was better than a fair deal of full Wizards here, though that was likely her pride speaking.

Her destination was uncertain, perhaps she'd simply roam the Quarters and look for a few interesting looking individuals. Anna did have a rather dangerous journey to plan for after all, a journey that should be undertaken with companions. Best to simply look around and see who could be roped, blackmailed, or persuaded into making the journey with her.

The apprentice was so wrapped up in these thoughts that she didn't notice someone was in her path until the individual made way for her. Anna raised an eyebrow at the sight of a short, young girl wandering the halls of the Quarters. Judging from her lack of dead looking features she was among the living, so the question was what was she doing here.

The tall woman reflexively turned her gaze down to the girl's hands, making not of a bronze apprentice ring wrapped around her finger. Anna unconsciously toyed with her own on her right ring finger, hers in the shape of two crossing needles which was the sigil of Amaryllis. The woman didn't recognize the younger girl's symbol but she was keen on finding out. So the girl was an apprentice? That was interesting.

Not wanting to appear rude the tall woman responded to the girl's words.

"No problem at all, miss. Though I must say you are a fair bit more polite and young that most other's I've met here thus far. Might I know your name and that of your master?" Anna said, her words articulated and her tone warm.

Seemed a polite enough response to indicate the desire for further conversation, which the Chaon most certainly wanted. A child being an apprentice was rather interesting, obviously she must be rather powerful herself or at least the Judges must have deemed her moderately useful.

[Celeste Arumen]

Celeste looked at the woman truly and took note of several things at once:

First, she was tall. The woman had to be very nearly six feet, as tall as a man, sometimes taller. This lent a powerful quality to her all on it’s own. Second, while Anna was perhaps not a splendid beauty, she had an intense pair of grey orbs that seemed remote, even calculating. Third, she was an apprentice as evidenced by the ring and at the sight of the her trademark insignia, recognition flashed in Celeste’s tawny eyes. So this was the apprentice of Amaryllis. She had a golden opportunity set right before her.

Fourth – she must be a talented mage, because she had all the subtlety of an olidsapux in a glass shop. It was obvious she was looking for a way to assess her. ”Thank you,” she replied softly, innocent face turned upward in mock supplication. ”It’s an honor to meet the apprentice of Amaryllis.” She smiled, flashing a set of remarkably even and relatively white teeth. ”My name is Celeste Arumen, Apprentice to Riyanna Sterder.” The word ‘initiate’ would not fall from her tongue. Not just yet, anyway.

It was more than likely that she’d be flattered at the recognition of her status. It was also likely she wouldn’t recognize the name Riyanna, therefore rendering her unable to assess Celeste once more. That should put her into a more navigable position in the conversation. Now the question was: What did she really want with this person? All apprentices were arguably competition for one another, especially as she was furtively bribing this woman’s mistress in order to earn some favor.

”Might I ask you name?” She inquired lightly. ”Forgive me; I’ve just recently begun my apprenticeship.” That should make her feel important, too. Let her assume the lead. With any luck, she’d reveal far too much information. All it took was letting her feel superior without laying it on too thick.

This was more fun than she’d expected.

Just to be prepared, the inverted triangle that lived just below her ear seethed amethyst. Perhaps she could use her connection with Ionu to the advantage. He’d be proud of her scheming, that was for sure. This was her own, personal form of piety.

Just for sport, she made the sound of illusory footsteps echo from the opposing side of the hall. ”Perhaps we might walk and talk?” She maintained the sunny, yet deferent smile.

[Annalisa Marin]

Riyanna Sterder... not a name she was familiar with, however Anna had no doubt that if she played her cards right she'd get plenty of information from this girl. It was best to play it safe though, Amaryllis had indeed showed her that nothing was as it first seemed and that it was wise to watch her words. This Celeste might indeed just be a child, but appearances were never something to judge a person based off of.

The first lie that Anna caught from the child was the fact that she knew the sigil of Amaryllis, meaning that she was most likely someone who was an apprentice before Anna herself. Anyone who was not an apprentice was barred from the Palsa Hydrasa without an escort, so the girl clearly had seniority over her. It was possible that the girl had been escorted there prior to the 80th, however it seemed very unlikely. Anna herself had only received assistance because she was both useful, and would be less so without her arm. It was also possible the child had learned of the sigil elsewhere, however it was best to always assume the worst of fellow apprentices.

It was a good lie though, not easy to ferret out if one didn't possess a fair bit of near irrational paranoia. Anna possessed more than a little bit of that, considering her erstwhile stalker. Based off of this Anna had to wonder what the little girl's angle was, obviously she was looking for information but what exactly was she looking for? In any event, it was best to play along but to be cautious enough to watch her words. Now was not the time to give into pride, not after the disaster with Daren.

Anna was one chosen by the Lord of Lies, she knew deception and how to deceive. So she would utilize the tools to her advantage here. She'd play the dumb and overly prideful apprentice, spin a web within this child's web and see what was caught in its strands. It wasn't a difficult act, she was prideful after all.

"Oh, is that so? Well not to worry, my dear. The Citadel is difficult to get used to at first but I'm certain you'll adjust. In any event I am Annalisa Marin, apprentice of Amaryllis. Its a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Celeste." She said with a wide and rather overly dramatic bow. It was meant to seem demeaning and mocking towards the girl, just another thing to fit in the child's assumptions.

The scar hidden just beneath her shirt, over her heart, flared up as images of unspeakable chaos floated over the surface of her mind. It had been a while since she had cursed someone, perhaps this girl would prove to be a release for that if need presented itself. She was certainly willing to use it if necessary, but the timing needed to be right as did the curse. Nothing too obvious, a little subtle like a mood change or alteration.

Anna's grey eyes subtly flicked to the opposing direction of the hall, her ears detecting faint footsteps. They likely weren't Daren's but walking and talking did sound rather nice regardless. Besides, it would afford her more time to toy with this child.

"Indeed, I would welcome conversation with a fellow apprentice. Especially one so obviously talented to become an apprentice at so young an age, quite an impressive feat. Especially for a Pulsar." The apprentice said, starting down in the opposing direction of the footsteps.

Pride tended to be a good place to aim when trying to ferret information out of another person, Anna could personally attest to having a large bit of it herself. She took a great deal of pride in her magic. However she was always on the look out for ways to improve, perhaps this child knew something that might make her little future trip to the Heartlands less life threatening.

"I'm afraid you have me at something of a disadvantage, Celeste, I have yet to hear tell of Riyanna Sterder. What Lab is she the Master of?" Anna asked innocently enough.

The purpose of the question was two fold, the obvious one was learning more about what discipline this Sterder possessed knowledge of. The other was more subtle, inquiring what kind of Master she was. It was possible that Celeste would correct her and inform her that Riyanna was no Master, in which case Anna received a bit more information on the woman and her political position. If she didn't then it could either be assumed that she was indeed a Master or that the verbal slip went unnoticed.

[Celeste Arumen]

Now that was sad. Celeste was finding it difficult to believe this woman had any subtlety at all. It might have actually impressed someone who hadn’t made their living on the streets, but up until two seasons ago, it had been her entire life's work to ferret out dishonesty and to in turn, be dishonest all the same. Perhaps she’d given something away. Then again, perhaps not. She was intuitive, but not a mind reader. They’d have to continue playing the game before anything would truly be revealed.

”Thank you again,” she said. It was all she had not to shake her head. She really didn’t have to lay it on that thick, did she? Or had she forgotten she was a pulser, too? But Annalisa asked her a direct question, so as they walked, she provided a direct answer.

”Lab 15-M,” she replied pleasantly. ”Though it I can’t say it can compare.” She gestured toward the ring with an earnest smile. ”I bet you even have a real bed to sleep in,” and her eyes darted from side to side conspiratorially. It would be a nice touch. After all, it wasn’t all for show. She didn’t know this person well enough to have an opinion, as of yet. Perhaps she was an even greater manipulator than she seemed. Amaryllis was notorious for her machinations. This girl had to have some measure of skill.

”What is your art form? If you don’t mind me asking. I have a few skills other than Morphing at my disposal,” she gave out the information as easily as discarding a scrap of paper. It’d make no difference whether or not she told her – Annalisa was bound to find out. And she couldn’t imagine there was a pulser in the world that came to Sahova for the sole purpose of embalming.

But there were other things. Perhaps they might make a trade. Celeste felt she was on solid ground with this woman and if things went awry, she could conjure some sort of illusion that’d get her out of it. It was almost like being back in Alvadas, she thought with a bittersweet smile.

Almost, but not quite.

[Annalisa Marin]

Hmm... Lab 15-M, Anna made a mental note to investigate into the place further, best to cover every single possible angle. Apparently she'd be operating under the assumption this girl's master was indeed a Master, at least until she gained a bit more information on her. It just made her job a little more difficult, nothing terrible or too much of a set back. The girl was proving to be amusing if nothing else would come of this.

At the girl's flattery of Anna's own position as Amaryllis apprentice Anna barely resisted rolling her eyes, the child wasn't stupid obviously but some of these verbal routes she was taking were rather tiring. It was almost too easy to craft a few lies here, or deliberately mislead the girl. Sad really but Anna wasn't above it.

"Oh the Palsa Hydrasa is quite splendid, I'd wager there are few places that could even begin to compare to its splendor. Amaryllis herself, well she knows how to treat her apprentices right." The tall woman said.

That was half true, the Palsa Hydrasa was indeed a wonderful place. However Amaryllis herself was more than willing to send her into the Elements Sanctum, the master of which nearly murdered her horribly, as well as send her into the Heartlands where she even said she didn't expect Anna to survive. The only reason she was getting fed twice a day was likely to increase her odds there by decimal points, or to make certain her body was nice and fresh. The Chief Embalmer was certainly willing to pave her way, however there was always a twist or hidden condition just waiting at the end.

The apprentice zeroed in on the girl's given information, her mind in overdrive as she worked at the implications. It was quite possible she was outright lying about being a Morpher, unlikely but possible. If so then this was a trick to get her to reveal her own magic, though which one she was fishing for was up in the air. If she was a Morpher it was clear that she definitely possessed access to other arts, though those were not disclosed. That was interesting, to say the least it also meant that Anna was increasing her caution around the girl. For all she knew one of those arts was hypnotism, which Anna despised with quite a burning passion. The apprentice calmed herself, deciding how best to respond to this.

If she simply tossed out that she dabbled here and there than that indicated that she wanted nothing to do with Celeste, which was not the case. The girl, while still a relatively unknown quantity, was certainly skilled enough in verbal word play that Anna was interested in her. However it would be foolish to give too much away, so Anna decided to indulge the child and throw her a line. Just to see where this led. Besides, it wouldn't take much investigating to learn she was a reimancer, her duel with Roknus Maelstrom had hardly been subtle.

"I myself am a Reimancer, though I dabble here and there as well occasionally depending on what piques my interest." Anna responded without missing a beat.

The subtext of her words was clear as day, indicating that she was interested in whatever this girl might be implying. She had made very certain not to be stupid enough to indicate a level of skill or familiarity, simply stating what she was and leaving at that. The dabbling was to indicate that she did indeed practice other arts, though it was meant to diminish their overall worth. To diminish the worth of Glyphing though was a mistake, especially with her level of comfort towards it.

It felt rather natural to fall into this little game, perhaps Celeste was indeed useful. That remained to be seen, if not then she was always possible curse fodder. All it would take was a word or two, or a touch, and then the deed would be done.

Not yet, she thought, lets see where this goes.

[Celeste Arumen]

So she was a Reimancer, then. Interesting. She had to be relatively well versed in the elements to have been chosen by so auspicious a Master. Her smiles no longer seemed false; in fact, Celeste had realized just what she needed to. Now she only needed to wheedle those other skills from the woman’s lips. ”Of course,” she said with a dismissive wave of her hand, as if to say she’d expect no less. They were all dabblers, to be sure. It was just a measure of how well they dabbled and how useful they were by doing it.

They seemed to be walking aimlessly, though it did them no harm. There had been a tension, an anxiety that started to subside in Anna the minute they left the Quarters. That was certainly something to take note of. She might have mentioned it, under less hostile circumstances. Instead however, she filed it away for later reference. Perhaps that too, would explain itself in time.

Their feet carried them toward the Courtyard and she was suddenly reminded of Kouri. That brought another smile unbidden. Celeste was filled with all sorts of smiles, today. But instead of continuing to steer their conversation, she allowed Annalisa to perhaps do some of the work. Maybe she’d reveal something, maybe not. She must have some sort of niggling curiosity about Celeste and her background. With a little space to grow, those seeds might just bloom to fruition.

Instead, she hummed softly to herself. ”Is this the way you’d like to go?” She asked offhand. It almost seemed like a question with dual meaning. Which way would the winds blow them in this unexpected meeting? Would it end in indifference, rivalry, or in a more mutually beneficial arrangement?

As they walked, she quietly looked inward and picked through her djed until she found the sweeping curve of her fingernails, a mass of tightly bundled carbon, reflecting the color of her flesh. Softly, she turned them to waves of cheerful yellow, an angular shock of red, and finally a complex weave of green, flecked with brilliant layers of gold, introducing a kink, then a curve and so forth until each of her nails shimmered in this new, complex pattern.

It was a fun, sort of meditative practice. Since she couldn’t alter her hair, much to her dismay. Perhaps Anna would notice. It would certainly be hard to miss.

[Annalisa Marin]

Anna was more than happy to fill the space between them with silence, noting with some mild relief as they neared the Courtyard. Daren was not exactly a fan of this place, or Mistress Wanda though Anna had yet to investigate why. That was a thought for another moment as her mind instead focused back upon the implications of Celeste revealing her chosen discipline, especially how it might reflect upon her Master. It was certainly too early to tell, however Anna suspected her Master might indeed by a well versed Morpher as well. Amaryllis would need to be consulted on this matter, she knew more of the Masters than Anna did.

The wizard heard the girl speak and regarded her with a relatively warm expression. The subtext was not lost upon her, where indeed did she want to take this? An arrangement could be rather useful, allies were becoming more and more crucial with each passing day. Especially with her little trip to the Heartlands looming sometime in the near future. Provided she survived that and killed Daren then she had her ten day early wizard evaluation to look forward to. From there she'd have a bit more flexibility to move around the Citadel, gaining the favor Lector Qiao would be a potent thing indeed.

However, Anna was a Chaon after all. Betrayal during such alliances was an easy thing, she of all people knew that. Celeste was no Chaon but that didn't mean she didn't have the capacity to do her harm later down the line, all people had darkness hidden in their hearts. So it was really a matter of gauging the girl's worth as a potential investment. Celeste likely saw her apprenticeship as being rather useful, a possible way to open doors in dealing with Amaryllis. The political implications were not lost upon Anna, they actually made her position a little stronger of she played that angle correctly.

So the apprentice simply smiled down at the girl, her reply ready for better or worse.

"Of course, Celeste. I rather like this route, it reminds me I still draw breath." The woman replied, her strides measured and confident as she strode through the Courtyard.

The apprentice noticed the transformation occurring on the girl's fingertips with interest, Morphing being unfamiliar to her. She'd heard of what it did, but never actually seen it in practice. It was certainly impressive, not as impressive as say blowing someone's head up with a lightning bolt or melting someone in lava but impressive nonetheless.

Idly Anna decided to switch up the language of the conversation, thinking over her words carefully as well as their inflection. Most people on Sahova spoke Nader-Canoch, it was the language of wizards if ever there was one. Anna herself had a halting command of the language, but she could hold her own in a conversation. Reading it took a great deal of time though, often requiring her to look up definitions of certain words. Velia hadn't possessed such a problem naturally, she had been rather quick to master the language.

"Morphing. Impressive, you spoke truthfully. What other skills are you capable of?" Anna said, her inflection far from perfect but was easy to understand for another who knew the language.

Her reason for changing the language was two fold, one to actually brush up on her rather rusty Nader-Canoch and two to see how good the girl's grasp of the language was. Most living that came here possessed her level of comfort with it, however some were much more fluent and able to command a verbal stage well enough. Knowing just how prepared Celeste was might give her a better feeling for her overall usefulness.

The apprentice subtly moved her path in the direction of the Dungeons, it was a place she was rather comfortable with all things considered. Her gait was still leisurely, indicating she was in no great hurry to get where she wanted to be. Idly Anna wondered if Celeste would try and change their path towards a different direction, it would likely reveal quite a bit about the character of her stomach if nothing else. This was a test of such a thing, getting ones hands dirty was inevitable when dealing with a Chaon. Was Celeste one to flinch away from such things? It would be interesting to note.

[Celeste Arumen]

So there was an interesting piece of rhetoric. She was proud to still be a pulser; perhaps it was a ploy, but it seemed to be that Annalisa wished to remain human much in the same way Celeste did. That would allow their relationship to perhaps work a bit smoother, provided it was truth and not a lie. For now, she’d operate on the premise that this other apprentice had some degree of neutrality toward her. It was safe to assume, at any rate.

For now.

With a stab of irritation, she realized the woman had her dead to rights when the ancient language came unbidden from her mouth. Celeste couldn’t speak it – it was one of her rather glaring weaknesses. Still, she caught the inflection. Annalisa was asking her a question. However, she could only even begin to guess what it was. Suppressing a sigh, she shook her head, eyes contrite. ”My apologies, Miss. I don’t speak the ancient tongue, though I’d like to. Perhaps you could say it one more time, in common?”

Of course, this too could come off as a ploy. She could be pretending not to understand, though it wouldn’t do her any good, really. In the end, unless they were to part ways, the question would come up in a language she actually spoke, of which there were three others Suddenly, a thought seized her. In Nari, she said: ”I’ve learned a lot of language in my short life, but I never had the opportunity to learn something so advanced as Nader-canoch.” She was decent enough, that she’d sound at least competent. It was something for her better to think about.

Her strategy become evident as they turned toward the Dungeons. Now that was very interesting, indeed. Celeste showed no signs of slowing, nor did she manifest any outward fear. Truthfully, she wasn’t even afraid. She’d been to Vick, the Master Maledictor’s lab once. She watched him cut into a slave. She’d seen countless dead bodies and been caught in horrifying illusions. Celeste had learned not be afraid, even in the Testing Grounds.

So she casually kept the pace, still smiling.

[Annalisa Marin]

Anna resisted the urge to have a large grin split her face when Celeste admitted possessing no knowledge of the Ancient Tongue, an advantage and perhaps a bargaining tool. Nader-Canoch was certainly not her best language, but being a former professor teaching was a rather easy thing. It was a possibility she intended to follow up on, a means of breaking the proverbial ice. It wouldn't be giving away too much but it would build a rapport, if she played this situation correctly.

"Please, call me Anna. Miss makes me sound so old. As for what I said, I asked what other art forms other than Morphing you possess knowledge of." The apprentice said.

The question was straightforward like all of her questions had been up to this point, however there was a bit of subtext added there. The request of addressing her in a less formal manner, it suggested a bit more willingness to work with the child. Not overly much, but enough to show she was very much considering a beneficial arrangement.

The tall woman noted Celeste's own language change, not with annoyance but with interest. The Nader-Canoch added to the end likely meant that it had been the subject of whatever the child had said, but the use of a different language struck her as something to note. At the very least she sounded at least somewhat comfortable with the foreign tongue, enough to indicate that linguistics were nothing new to her.

Anna had to wonder if she was displaying an ability to learn quickly, if so perhaps her thoughts had drifted to where the Chaon's had been. That was something to consider. Something to consider very carefully.

The apprentice noted as they came closer and closer to the Dungeons that Celeste had kept right on course, indicating that she had no visible reservations with going there. This pleased Anna, at the very least she knew how to mask any fear she might have been feeling. A useful trait for any prospective ally. The apprentice didn't break course however, figuring a stroll through the Dungeons and perhaps the Caverns after that would be rather relaxing.

Before actually reaching the threshold into the dour place Anna decided to throw her fellow apprentice another line.

"You know its a little disadvantageous to lack knowledge of the Ancient Tongue, especially here of all places. Perhaps I might be able to assist you in that regard, a favor from one pulser to another." She offered, not a single change in her tone or a crack in the façade to be heard.

She'd deliberately chosen the word pulser rather than apprentice, indicating a preference of the living over the undead. Apprentice indicated competition, while pulser indicated a sort of camaraderie of the living in a land ruled by undead. Of course, dropping her offer made her interest blatantly clear as Syna's light. Anna wanted some kind of arrangement, however she had made very certain not to speak in the form of a promise. Promising things on Sahova was dangerous, one's word was their oath so the saying went.

Soon enough the soft moans of the Dungeons filled her ears, washing her in the fear and desperation of others. It was a pleasant thing really, it was a shame she was limited in the suffering she could inflict upon the majority of the prisoners here. Bursting some poor creature's head like a grape would be just the thing to take the edge off.

So instead she simply kept her leisurely gait, paying as much mind to any of the prisoners passed as she would an insect on the side of the road. Celeste was still the one with her full attention.