logs | d | a november catchall

[ ~~First the hat comes off and now this. The Twelve are testing him.~~

Cedrik can't be as stealthy as he would like. If the aether was finicky before, only responding to him some of the time and even then without the potency he was used to, this place has suppressed it completely. Even Esteem's presence has been brought down from faint but still noticeable to nothing...of course his Shadow is still there, unfortunately. All that to say he can't use his magic to hide from the guards. He has to do it the old fashioned way, watching their patrols and moving as quickly and as quietly as he can behind their backs.

Though considering the greatsword upon his back, it's clear he's not that worried about maintaining stealth. ]

...

[ Long strides carry him through the darkened corridors, Cedrik stealing glances between the bars--his stomach turns at the other Restless he sees, but he can't do anything for them until he finds-- ]

D.

[ The name is a whisper as Cedrik stops before the cell that holds his friend. He actually wasn't sure if he'd find D here, but with all the uproar that the sudden arrests have caused and the rumors he'd heard...

He couldn't find D anywhere else. He couldn't reach him through the netherwork. Sneaking into the Gallows was an act of desperation and part of him prayed D would be somewhere else.

But he's here. And Cedrik is furious. ]

The swiving whoresons--are you hurt?

[The low light of the area is easy to see in. He can make out a familiar silhouette, mostly because of the greatsword. The ears? The ears.

Quietly, he waits until Cedrik approaches closer. Like the rest, he's got a scrap of tattered rags on to barely keep him modest.

Losing the hat was one thing. Losing all of the rest really levels him down into the young man he is: nothing but pure muscle, more lean than the bulky armor makes him look. A wiry thing full of black hair and haunted eyes. His blanched, white skin stands through the shadows, translucent, for once not as immaculate as it would have been at full strength. Bruising and scratches seem at least a week old; the ones he received getting in here must be healing, but not as rapidly as they should.]

I'm fine.

[The brand on his arm stings, surprisingly to him, but it isn't something he can't manage. His eyes leave Cedrik to look around.]

Be careful. The guards make rounds.

[ Moving closer lets Cedrik see D better, including the extent of what's been done to him. Bruises and cuts, a brand that has left the skin around it angry and red. None of it belongs. It's difficult to see past them, to see the youth and the eerie beauty. All he can focus on are the hurts and how much they should not be there.

He cannot commune with Esteem at the moment, but he isn't gone. The darkness is a part of him. And right now, it's welling up to a choking point.

Cedrik looks D in the eye at his warning and reaches up for his weapon. ]

Good.

[ He draws the greatsword in one smooth motion, holding it before him in both hands and taking a half step away from the bars. ]

They would have a key.

[ And he swings, steel crashing against steel, the screaming sound echoing through the halls.

The patrol should come faster, now. ]

[The moment Cedrik reaches back, D's lips pull tight and thin. It's less he's concerned with violence and more he's worried about Cedrik doing it alone.]

Cedrik--

[The Viera preps, and D quickly takes some steps back, making sure his feet aren't caught up in the shackles and chain around his ankles. The noise of them are swallowed up by the sound of the sword striking the bars.

D immediately twists his attention away toward the sound of alarm. The old, crackled voice says,] What the hell are you doing?! He's bringing them all here! Stupid, we'll be swarmed! [D's eyes briefly lower to the ground by his feet, to the shackles.]

They're magically inclined, [he warns sternly, having little else he can do to stop Cedrik.] Watch out.

[ The rattling sound that follows D's movements isn't missed. He could try breaking one of the links using the sword and bars as leverage...but it would do D little good without a means to open the cell door. No, one way or another, he needs to confront a guard to take their key.

Left Hand's opinion on the matter is answered with an annoyed click of the tongue. All the guards he's seen have worked in pairs, complacent in their certainty that escape is impossible--they won't all come.

...

But if a pair come down the stairs and see him, sword at the ready with murderous intent in his eyes, one of them could decide to run and get help. That would be bad. D might see the blinding anger lift from Cedrik's expression ever so slightly. ]

Hold their attention best you can, I'll ambush them.

[ Already booted feet are hurrying to the source of the crash, leaving Cedrik no time to wait for an answer. There are pillars between each cell, extending out from the cell walls. Perhaps evidence that this place wasn't always a prison? It doesn't matter, what's important is that they provide perfect cover for Cedrik to duck behind, holding his sword upright and close, just out of sight as the guards come into the hall. ]

'Hell was that?!

[His eyes watch Cedrik zip behind one of the pillars. The only time a DPS pull is going to be appropriate. Again, he glances toward the guards spilling into the hall, and the shackles rattle like before as he returns to the bars.

Being here with the Shadow, he has extra caution in leaning into the Noble side of him. Anything could go awry. But as long as he's not yet drinking his own blood, he should be able to manage with more certainty... hopefully.

A deep red energy begins pouring off him, around him; the subtle glow it gives draws the guards' attention. A very good luck to their magical dampening barrier when his gifts come from the biology of his blood. Through the curtain of dark hair, both of his eyes shine like burning carnelian gems. The charm isn't at its peak, but it's powerful: he's more beautiful, stronger, fiercer. Irresistible. The guards are stunned momentarily, their attention drawn in. If Cedrik looks in his direction too long, he also will be stroked by the strange, dark, and old charisma.]

Come here.

[His voice is deep and firm, missing any of the usual softness. It's a different tone entirely, a monstrous one.

The guards come slowly toward him, enthralled.]

[ Cedrik doesn't need to look, he can hear perfectly well the guards' footsteps come to a sudden, shuffling halt. The crashing noise they came for is forgotten in that moment...he expected them to try questioning D, but they say nothing. All he hears is the deep, dark voice that makes the fur on the back of his ears stand on end. It sounds like D, but he struggles to believe that it's actually him.

There's a part of him that wants to obey the command, too, that's the most unsettling part. He shakes it off, coming out from hiding of his own volition and seeing the two guards starting up at the creature they see through the bars, ambling closer. D's visage is mostly obscured from Cedrik's point of view but he can see the red glow, recognizing the color. The same red he saw in D's eyes in the maze...and in the man's from D's memory.

The guards are oblivious to Cedrik entirely. He could cut them down and be done with it. His Shadow likes the idea. What's the point of subduing them? For all he knows, they'll be killed anyway once this escape is revealed to be their fault... ]

...

[ Cedrik's jaw tightens as he makes himself sheathe his sword. Two long strides bring him right up behind the pair. Making a point to not look up he quickly cups each guard's head and brings them together with a sudden, solid thunk. Their mistake for not wearing helmets. Wordlessly he kneels down and begins to rifle through their armor for a set of keys. ]

[The moment Cedrik steps out for them, D pulls the Noble side of him away with great effort. He lowers his eyes and tips his head down, jaw clenched. He gathers the willpower to push the energy below the surface like before and screw the cap on. The Shadow goads him, relishing in the way it feels to be alluring and powerful.

How easy it is to bend the weaker to a indomitable will. His birthright.

Both hands squeeze the bars, and he pauses long enough to level his breath as it returns, as the fangs ease back into being small. The rusty brown color returns, swallowing the burning red and snuffing it out.

He lowers himself down slowly into a squat, slipping his fingers beneath the shackles around one ankle. He pulls both hands apart without making a big jerk of it, popping the loop into two pieces like they're toothpicks. Sometimes you just let people shackle you without making a big scene even though you know you can get out. Carefully, he does the same to the second one.]

[ Cedrik maintains the silence, only glancing up as the red begins to fade. From the look of things, it would be wise to not interrupt D's focus at the moment...

Instead he slips the ring over his wrist once he finds it before grabbing both guards by the scruff and bodily dragging them out of the way. He'll need to get in there to help D with the shackles, he doesn't need to be tripping over those two lumps to--

Cedrik returns to watch, blinking, as D snaps one of the solid steel cuffs as if it were dried clay. That does it, he dips his head, shaking it with a laugh. ]

I'm glad to see I needn't have worried so. You scarcely needed help at all, did you?

[ But since he's already here, Cedrik sorts through the keys a finds the one that fits D's cell door, swinging it open for his friend. ]

[The laugh in a place like this gets him to glance up. This is just how he is, but he doesn't take any offense to how ridiculous Cedrik finds him. He pulls himself to a stand as the door swings open for him, and, hauntingly, he steps out.]

I don't know how difficult it would have been to get out, but I would have tried anyway.

[Not to downplay Cedrik's assistance. Even if he would never ask for it outright, he probably was going to need it.]

I need to find my clothes.

[HIS HAT!!!]

[ Even if he came all this way to find D on the other side of the main gates, clothes already found, and just about to let himself out...Cedrik wouldn't have regretted trying to help. He couldn't not. His Shadow's attempts to tempt him never cease, but he's still himself, for now. ]

Then I shall smooth out what few obstacles that remain for you.

[ Meaning...yes let's absolutely find D's clothes. Preferably his pants first, but the hat is also very important.

Though before they set off...Cedrik makes quick work of dragging each guard and tossing them in a pile in D's former cell. A weapon is taken from one and offered to D before Cedrik locks them away. Never let it be said he's completely incapable of forethought.

The guards' clothes and armor? ...D's a bit too tall for them. ]

As I was searching for you I noticed an armory on the main floor. My bet is everything's kept there.

[ Its not like they'd just throw all the prisoners' stuff away, right?

Right? ]

[Pants too, but the hat is almost a trademark. He doesn't even need the hat here technically... there's no sun. But the hat is important to him. Would he even be D without the bycocket-looking thing?]

Alright.

[He doesn't need Cedrik to tell him twice. Carefully, he... just... goes on ahead as if Cedrik isn't the one still fully clothed and also weaponized. This pasty-white thing has a mission, is all. He had always been relatively quiet even in the spurred boots when needed, but now, barefoot, he makes not a single sound.]

You weren't arrested. [It's not a question, but it's still curious.] Some of the others at Yoo Joonghyuk's residence were taken as well. They came for several of us together.

[The whole apartment building got arrested.]

[ Cedrik's met Godbert Manderville often enough to not be embarrassed by a man walking around in his small clothes. He simply puts himself first in their little marching order, ears sharp for more guards, ready to stand between them and D.

He knows D likely doesn't need the protection, but it makes no difference to him.

As they travel he gives the occasional glance back at D, just to be sure the man's still there. When even a viera cannot hear a man's footsteps... ]

'Joonghyuk'...I believe I met him at the festival. [ And he owes the man a 'favor'. Rescuing him from this gaol might pay the debt, but Cedrik's inclined to search for him either way. ] There were rumors all through the harbor, that this was all to find those responsible for the horseman's attack.

[ Which D was not. Nor was Joonghyuk. Cedrik doesn't need to think twice to be certain of their innocence. But it still raises the question of why them and not others? He saw the monster yet that wasn't even enough to be questioned. ]

Whatever their cause, they've made a terrible misstep.

[Wow, he's been assigned Manderville.....

Even without a lot of sound, D is still there, eyes honed and face stern, when Cedrik glances back.] It was executed poorly. [Which is all the sass he has to say about how this was done.]

It being so rash and disorderly doesn't match what we know of Amun.

[Which isn't much, but the man acts a very particular way when speaking to the rest of them. Firm, sure, yet there is a focus somehow on taking care of what he thinks is his people.]

--Wait.

[He slows to a stop, turning his head slightly. His eyes shift across the middle distance, calculating.]

Guards. Two of them. One is coming from the west and one from the north. Their pulse is normal, so they aren't on alert.

Was it his order?

[ 'Hierarchy' implies more than one person, even if Amun is the only face they've seen so far. He may be their leader but no one can truly rule alone.

There's no time to ponder it, however. He stops when D bids him to, trying to follow his gaze. He sees nothing, but shortly after D points them out... ]

...I hear their footsteps.

[ He can't make out the direction as D can, the sound echoes too much for the viera, but he has a good idea of distance.

Once more, the sword comes out. ]

Which will reach us first?

[ Cedrik can rush them, actually pulling off the ambush he'd planned before. They don't want to fall back on D's mind tricks again, not when it's such a strain on his self control... ]

[Gently, he nods in acknowledgement to Cedrik's awareness of their movement. He's still and quiet for half a moment's time. Waiting. Making sure one of them doesn't stop, or tarry, changing the outcome.]

West.

[Which might be better, a guard coming off a side hall and being surprised.] I'll get the one from the north. [He doesn't wait since they don't have a lot of time even with the guards walking as a leisurely pace.

He moves swiftly and gracefully around Cedrik and slinks northward. The only unfortunate thing is he's so pale, he stands out like an apparition in the shadows. But he's fast? It has to make up for something.]

[ As much as Cedrik knows D will be alright, it still feels instinctively wrong to watch the man pass him by. The discomfort is shaken off, Cedrik turning his focus to where the hall splits off. Sword held steady before him he gets into position, long ears fixing on the approaching footsteps. Steps now moving a bit quicker because of the pasty looking ghost that just darted past his line of sight. ]

H-hey!

[ That's as much as Cedrik is willing to let him get out. Turning the corner he uses the twisting momentum to bring his blade up from below in an arced swing, sparks flashing as the steel drags against stone before slicing high.

It's enough of a ruckus for the Northerly guard to pick up...and make the very poor decision of rushing ahead rather than retreating, straight towards D. ]

[Imagine seeing a mostly naked, pasty-white haunt of a man dart across the hall in front of you. The guard has quite the for not immediately fleeing in horror, but they are in the Gallows.

D keeps going, and the same pale, angular form full of muscle bleeds out of the darkness of the south in the way of the northern guard. The silent surprise is all he needs. He'd prefer to have his sword; he's gone so long without it. The next best thing: his arm is already pulled back over one shoulder. He cold-cocks the guard in the temple, swift and quick, making sure it isn't so powerful it's fatal. When the guard crumples, he catches them, hefting them over the shoulder.

Cedrik made so much noise with the sword!!

He goes back, hooking around the corner of the hall to make sure Cedrik is alright.]

[ Okay maybe it was noisy but at least it looked cool.

Cedrik is standing over the other guard's body, sword balanced on his shoulder--the guard is curled in on himself in pain though he isn't dead yet. The man's armor did its job, keeping Cedrik's blade from killing him outright, but he is bleeding...

The dark knight is being reckless. Part of him knows it, the frustration mixing into his eyes when he looks up at D's return. ]

...no one else from this direction.

[It's fine. They will simply Thancred-scout-party-through-Garlemald-territory out of here.

D's eyes drop from Cedrik to the poor guard.] We should be quick, [is all he says, not sounding admonishing. Sometimes, a dark knight does tank things and does not consider anything about stealth. It's fair.

Shifting into a squat near the guard, D reaches his left hand out to place the palm over the man's face. Don't mind the dubious hand behavior... The guard slumps almost before he can even begin resisting. D just... picks this guy up one-handed... to throw him over the other shoulder.]

Let's put them out of sight.

[ Thancred would probably be cringing if he were here. But they are making progress, no one could argue with that!

Cedrik steps back out of D's way as he does...something? With Left Hand to the guard--whatever it is, Cedrik decides it's useful enough not to question. Maybe later, once they've reached safety. ]

We've plenty of options...

[ Cedrik holds aloft the key ring once more with a wry grin. Tossing them into cells isn't completely out of sight, but he'd bet they're shadowed enough for two still, sleeping bodies to escape notice.

Picking the nearest cell door, Cedrik sorts through the keys and gets it open, gesturing for D to be as gentle (or not) as he likes. ]

[It's okay, sometimes... people simply... need to go night-night. The guard is at least still breathing, so D luckily didn't do anything too sinister. Not that... Cedrik would probably think D is the sinister type of guy.

D waits for Cedrik to open the cell, and then he slides inside to put the guards down on the ground with a strange show of merciful decency. They're just doing their job? It's a shit job, and they should feel bad... but he doesn't have to treat them wrongly when he's already knocked them out.]

It'll keep them occupied for a while.

[He quickly comes out again, returning to Cedrik's side.] Lock the door. I'm going to scout ahead for us. [D is one-hundred percent not in any clothes, but he is turning around to zip up the hallway a little, listening.]

[ D has done nothing wrong, ever, in his life. Cedrik knows this. And it's especially impressive with how long a life D's had.

Honestly, putting that guard to sleep was doing him a favor. Now he's no longer making those pained whimpers thanks to the gash Cedrik carved into his torso... ]

Take-- [ Aaaand D's already on his way. ] --care.

[ There's little need for Cedrik to worry. He just has to keep reminding himself of that as he hurries to lock the cell and keep up. The further they go the more occupied cells they'll find, cells with Restless that have been there far longer than D...

...

Cedrik starts opening more doors as he goes. ]

[He’s gone…

But that’s okay because it isn’t long before the shadows of the hall spit him out once again in Cedrik’s direction, white and ghostly. Except now he is halfway crouched and prowling rather than waltzing confidently through the space.

He waits until he can get close to Cedrik and stop, voice low and a whisper.]

There’s a tunnel. But there’s something else.

[…]

Abysmals.

[ Cedrik is speaking with another Restless when D finds him again--though it's less 'speaking' and more strained attempts to get her to keep her voice down. Her words are hushed and frantic, she keeps asking if Cedrik knows her brother--at D's return her eyes bulge wide. She sees the pale, silent figure crouching in the dark, like a marble gargoyle ready to strike, and panics.

With a shriek she runs away, finally scattering like the other Restless Cedrik had been freeing. The Viera is left blinking in confusion. What got into her? ]

--oh, D.

[ D's returned! That's a relief. ]

Abysmals? [ He's heard of the creatures but has yet to confront one directly... ] We should clear the way, then. So that others can make it through safely.

(no subject)

damnpire - 2022-12-07 22:27 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

heavenstorn - 2022-12-08 16:40 (UTC) - Expand