Vigil

[Morty]

[Face Time]

Wenomir's face betrays little of the inner conflict behind it. The King in Rags needs to be dealt with and this is an opportunity to do so. But it would also mean working with someone they need to bring to justice, even assuming she's being entirely truthful here.

"...give me and Cessie a moment to confer in private," he says. This isn't a decision he can make on his own.

[Reinholdt]

[Face Time]

"All battlefields possess an element of uncertainty Cessie. If I thought I knew everything the King could do, I don't think we'd be having this conversation. Or are you suggesting that Vigil's been compromised?" Cessie's at least a little fey herself. Perhaps she's heard the King's clarion call and answered, but cannot be particularly overt about it.

"Of course," the nymph says to Wenomir. After a moment, the screen Ilpholin is on goes dark.

[Shadowcaller]

[Face Time]

Cessie sensed a provocation but wasn't going to take the bait. "What I'm suggesting is that there might be obstacles that can't be fought through so perhaps you should be in direct touch with an expert on fey while you're doing this." Though what sort of expert could they provide? Wenomir? Ambrosia?

But she would have time to consider that as they conferred. So as Ilpholin's screen goes dark she waits for Wenomir to move the camera so she can see him better. It was always awkward to do these over screens but what could she do?

"So what are your thoughts? As always working with her is a dangerous proposition. Especially with these 'phyrexians' she has allied with. Even as irrelevant as they might be in this matter."

[Morty]

[Face Time]

"It is risky, but tempting." Wenomir's face twists in the familiar grimace he gets when he's not sure what to think. He's not a man who deals well with uncertainty. "Even more risky after Hell Bend. But we also have a chance to remove the King in Rags as a threat, or at least weaken him... while possibly strengthening another one."

[Shadowcaller]

[Face Time]

"Demon activity has been on an all-time low ever since the Riverside invasion. There were those attempts at the moonwells which apparently these phyrexians are also interested in now if Miss Sunfletcher report is accurate." Cessie remarks as she then shakes her head.

"I don't like it. Feels like the calm before the storm, especially with those new storms that have started to appear which might be yet another threat we have to face down." She pauses for a moment, going through what they did and didn't know. The calculation ending up with far more subtractions than additions.

"Perhaps we can help her with the condition that she gives us more information about phyrexia? We have to be able to trust her new allegiances after all. The information will no doubt be biased but it would be useful getting her perspective on things."

[Morty]

[Face Time]

Wenomir's eyes open in surprise when Cessie gives her proposal, but after a moment he realizes he likes it.

"That might be a good idea. Her reaction alone might tell us something."

[Shadowcaller]

[Face Time]

"So you're onboard with agreeing to help her out then? Since I could tell you were leaning towards saying yes which is why I offered you this compromise but you need to be sure."

[Morty]

[Face Time]

"Do you think we shouldn't?" Wenomir would rather have Cessie's direct opinion. "I'm aware of the risks, but when given a chance to act I'd rather do it."

[Shadowcaller]

[Face Time]

"If I thought that I would have told you by now, Wenomir. So let's give this a chance for now." Wenomir would know her that well, wouldn't he?

[Zefir]

[Training Ground]

Mia once again heads for the training ground. This time she got another set of equipment with her. She does wear her workout outfit that is simular to a normal training suit and her sword on the back.
On a cart behind her is the extra gear. A pair of shoes, a pair of gloves and what seems to be a small backpack.
Befor using that she starts a workout with her current sword. Her technique has reached a rather decent level. She is sure that some thugs in an alley won't be a problem anymore. Still she is no match for Wenomir, at last she assumes that. So she needs to continue training.
After all nothing 'evil' has appeared nor did the church need much attention other then her usual prayers.

[Morty]

[Face Time]

"Very well. Let's give her our decision." Wenomir turns the connection to Ilpholin back on and speaks. "We agree to help you, but on one condition. We need to know more about a group known as phyrexians, who have been making inroads into the Nexus."

[Reinholdt]

[Face Time]

Ilpholin almost looks ready to smile until Wenomir adds on a condition. A tax of information. Her face settles neutrally for a time as she processes a request she honestly didn't expect. She tilts her head to one side ever so slightly before replying. "... Why? I intended for this mission to be me and Vigil, not me, some phyrexians, and Vigil. I don't see the relevance to the King in Rags."

[Shadowcaller]

[Face Time]

Cessie frowns as she hears Ilpholin's reaction.

"Alright, let's be fair then. We'll drop this condition. However, the reason I suggested it was because I think it's in your own self-interest to share at least some information about your new allies. Since yes, it isn't directly related to what you're doing but we new got two members that are acting hostile towards the phyrexians and it's up to Wenomir and me to handle them now."

The sorceress gestures to Ilpholin. "So after this meeting both of them are likely going to ask how we are to deal with them and then we will have to try to find out everything we can about phyrexia. It's more than likely that we will only get an outsiders perspective on things which might be as skewed as you claim Anika and Blanche's are. So in the interest of stopping any conflicts between at least those factions of phyrexia that you align with I think it's fair if you tell us more about them. Since if you refuse to share anything the suspicion towards them will likely only grow."

Cessie gestures dismissively. "But as I said, we will aid you either way. I just figured you wanted to avoid a future conflict with some basic transparency."

[Morty]

[Face Time]

"We do have to consider multiple angles with most of our decisions," Wenomir adds. Cessie has otherwise laid out her case.

[Reinholdt]

[Face Time]

Ilpholin is taken aback by Cessie's sudden defensiveness at the most cursory question. The nymph's brow furrows and this dissipates the face of her confusion quickly. "If you're quite done with your third rate police interrogation techniques, you'll note that I've not once mentioned Anika or Blanche. Nor do I believe for even a second that you just have my interests at heart. You've never had my interests at heart and I've had to learn that the hard way. If you truly wanted to know anything about phyrexians, you'd come down from your castles and talk to them yourself. But so far Vigil's only ever brought up phyrexians accompanied with accusations, conditionals, or coercion. You've already made up your mind, but here's some information for you anyways:"

"Phyrexians have shown me more care, concern, and respect than either of you ever have."

Ilpholin pauses just long enough to let that sink in before she continues. "Now if you're ready discuss the mission, I believe you said you have a fey expert in mind you thought worth taking with."

[Zefir]

[Training Ground]

Mia once again heads for the training ground. This time she got another set of equipment with her. She does wear her workout outfit that is simular to a normal training suit and her sword on the back.
On a cart behind her is the extra gear. A pair of shoes, a pair of gloves and what seems to be a small backpack.
Befor using that she starts a workout with her current sword. Her technique has reached a rather decent level. She is sure that some thugs in an alley won't be a problem anymore. Still she is no match for Wenomir, at last she assumes that. So she needs to continue training.
After all nothing 'evil' has appeared nor did the church need much attention other then her usual prayers.

*OPEN SCENE*

[Training Ground]

After finishing her warmup, Mia turns to her new gear. She takes on the boots, grabs the backpack and takes on the gloves.
The weight of those things lay heavy on the young woman. Her steps are heavy and she seems to struggle holding her sword. She slowly makes a few steps away from the cart to an open space. With an exhausted sight she stops at the center of the training area. Her sword hold up. After she caught her breath she closes her eyes and mumbles a small prayer. The blade reacts to this and starts to gloom. Soon after sparks run down the blades edges, but instead of striking into the air they strike her gloves. The gloves switch on, some lights going on one after another. Her arms get ligther as if the gloves lift the weight for her. After the gloves lights all burn the sparks run through backpack carrier filling the backpack with energy. This time there is no sign that anything happened. Next the spark run down her legs, slightly burning her pants. When the boots got his they charge like the gloves and soon after Mia doesn't touch the ground.

"Well, that worked better then expected." she says and slowly tries to walk like she just steped on ice. She floats a bit in the direction she wanted, but it appears more like sliding then any controlled movement. She will need some hours to get to the point where she can walk in those.

[Shadowcaller]

[Face Time]

Ilpholin is taken aback by Cessie's sudden defensiveness at the most cursory question. The nymph's brow furrows and this dissipates the face of her confusion quickly. "If you're quite done with your third rate police interrogation techniques, you'll note that I've not once mentioned Anika or Blanche. Nor do I believe for even a second that you just have my interests at heart. You've never had my interests at heart and I've had to learn that the hard way. If you truly wanted to know anything about phyrexians, you'd come down from your castles and talk to them yourself. But so far Vigil's only ever brought up phyrexians accompanied with accusations, conditionals, or coercion. You've already made up your mind, but here's some information for you anyways:"

"Phyrexians have shown me more care, concern, and respect than either of you ever have."

Ilpholin pauses just long enough to let that sink in before she continues. "Now if you're ready discuss the mission, I believe you said you have a fey expert in mind you thought worth taking with."

[Shadowcaller]

[Face Time]

Ilpholin is taken aback by Cessie's sudden defensiveness at the most cursory question. The nymph's brow furrows and this dissipates the face of her confusion quickly. "If you're quite done with your third rate police interrogation techniques, you'll note that I've not once mentioned Anika or Blanche. Nor do I believe for even a second that you just have my interests at heart. You've never had my interests at heart and I've had to learn that the hard way. If you truly wanted to know anything about phyrexians, you'd come down from your castles and talk to them yourself. But so far Vigil's only ever brought up phyrexians accompanied with accusations, conditionals, or coercion. You've already made up your mind, but here's some information for you anyways:"

"Phyrexians have shown me more care, concern, and respect than either of you ever have."

Ilpholin pauses just long enough to let that sink in before she continues. "Now if you're ready discuss the mission, I believe you said you have a fey expert in mind you thought worth taking with."

[Face Time]

That Cessie looks displeased by this answer would be an understatement.

But ultimately there's nothing she can do about it. She had already offered help and she couldn't turn it down now.
So even if she can't see Wenomir through the camera she still turns in his direction.
"Wenomir?" Did he have any comments? Since it looked like Ilpholin had made her decision.

[TeChameleon]

[Training Ground]

A small figure concealed in a baggy red hoodie wandered onto the training grounds not far from Mia.

Eddie had decided that, if he was going to be living Skyside, it would probably be wise to figure out how to fight on the floating islands in case of an emergency. He drew a certain amount of power from the enormous magical field keeping the islands aloft, so he was neither at base power nor at his full, feet-on-the-ground strength, which kind of threw his reflexes and muscle-memory off. He'd heard about the VIGIL skybase, and the training grounds there, so he had done his usual 'just turn up, almost no-one bugs a kid who looks like they know where they're going'.

He nodded amiably to the floating woman... or at least that's what the hood movement suggested... then glanced around.

Spotting some wooden training dummies nearby, with a concrete wall behind them, he lined things up carefully, then nodded. Then there was a pause as he froze for a long moment, and his shoulders slumped a little in a silent sigh. After a hesitant glance at Mia, he shucked off his outer clothes, leaving him wearing what looked like a fairly standard child's gym kit- a dull grey singlet and shorts, although he was barefoot, and closer inspection of the outfit would reveal it to be finely-woven chainmail rather than cloth.

After still another uneasy look around- Eddie rarely exposed so much of his polished-granite skin, especially outside a dungeon- he lined himself up with a wooden training dummy and abruptly launched forwards.

A blurred instant and a crack like thunder, and the dummy was reduced to a cloud of flying splinters, peppering the wall like a shotgun blast and shredding the two closest dummies. The small golem withdrew his fist from where the dummy had been a second ago and surveyed the destruction with a critical eye, tilting his head to one side.

[Zefir]

[Training Ground]

Mia doesn't seem to be shocked when Eddie appears after all the training ground is a common place free for all members of Vigil to use. Befor he punches the doll Mia get's a message on her board. The island sunk a bit, which was likly the result of Eddy draining power from it. Mia doesn't know that, but then a screen appears in front of her as she cheks for the data and also check for any new members that may match the golem. Her attention turns back to Eddi when he destroys the dummies. She doesn't seem suprised or afraid of that showcase instead she appears more in a way of mad. For her it's a strange combination of the power drained and this golem appearing in front of her and just destroying things.

"Who are you and why are you here?" she doesn't sound to friendly, but shes not showing any hostile behaviour. She still floats and holds her sword thought.

[TeChameleon]

[Training Ground]

Unless the VIGIL database links up with MERC's, Eddie isn't likely to show up in it.

The little golem is studying his handiwork, clearly thinking intensely.

Then Mia spoke, and he actually jumped. He'd forgotten she was there, twisting his body and his head swivelling around to give her a startled, wide-eyed stare. His body language closed up, and he seemed almost like he shrunk a little, looking as harmless as possible.

"'m Eddie." he said, his voice quiet. "I came to train..?"

[Zefir]

[Training Ground]

There is no shared Database. If she asked at MERC she might get an answer, but she got no clue that he is from MERC.

The golems reaction made her look even more worried. After all only seconds ago he nodded to her and then crushed the dummies. The last makes his attemp to look harmless apear like he wants to decive her. Yet he hasn't done anything other then destroying the dummies.

"And who invited you to train here on the Island of Vigil?"

[Morty]

[Face Time]

Wenomir breathes out. That went even worse than he suspected it might. And there's always a tinge of guilt that suggest to him Ilpholin's accusations aren't unwarranted. But there's nothing to be done about it now, is there? She's crossed too many lines and in some ways, so did Vigil.

"I think that topic is concluded. Let's focus on our plan against the King in Rags and this Jaryło. Did you have someone specific in mind for that fey expert, Cessie?"

[TeChameleon]

[Training Ground]

Eddie's eyes got even bigger, starting to venture into 'kicked puppy' territory. He hadn't actually known you needed an invitation to come to the island, given that the elevator seemed public... or at least no-one had tried to stop him coming up.

"No one... sorry?" he managed to squeak out. He'd been lynched once too often to be completely at ease with confrontation, especially with a human.

"If it helps any, I planned to replace any dummies I wrecked..?" he added.

[Zefir]

[Training Ground]

It's not like you need an invite to get on the island. After all there are people reporting issues or asking Vigil for help, but using the training ground is a bit more private. Still Mia remain cautiouse.

"So you went up here, saw the training ground and just decided to destroy foreign property?" she asks. It's easy to read that she isn't buing it thought she yet hasn't connected the island problem with him.

[TeChameleon]

[Training Ground]

Eddie is becoming visibly upset- if he were actually able to cry, he probably would be doing so about now. He's not good at confrontation, and fifty years of practise have mostly taught him that if he pushes back too hard... 'too hard' being a nebulous and ever-changing metric... then once again, the mob will form, and he will be forced to flee for the safety of any friends he has made, uprooting his life.

"No, I came up here specifically to train!" he protested. "If I can't hit the dummies, then what are they doing there?"

[Zefir]

[Training Ground]

Mia is still not really sure what his problem is.

"They are here to train, but they aren't public property." she says, not sure if the golem even has the understanding of that.
"This area is mostly for members of Vigil, not for the public use. Even so hitting a dummy and totally destroying several is a big difference."

She is not sure what to make of him right now. Not sure it's visible that the golem tried to show emotions like nearly crying, but if it is she doesn't react to it.

[TeChameleon]

[Training Ground]

Eddie's emotions are very obvious- his facial features look and function (at least on the surface) exactly like a human child's, right down to the surface rippling as if muscles were moving underneath the skin. They're maybe too obvious; he's gotten used to his face being hidden by a hood almost all the time, and so just about everything he's thinking shows on his face.

After a moment, he said "Hitting the dummy and several being destroyed kind of is the same thing, at least for me..." in a small voice.

A little more firmly, he added "And I meant it when I said I would replace the dummies I destroyed. I helped make golems for a hundred years, turning wood into a roughly humanoid shape is about five minutes' work for me."

Then he tilted his head to one side, obviously thinking. "You said this is 'mostly' for members of Vigil. What are the exceptions? I need to learn how to move and fight on a floating island because of the way my abilities work, since I'm going to be living on one now. I don't want to accidentally smash part of a house I'm a guest at because my strength isn't working the way I expect it to."

[Zefir]

[Training Ground]

Mia is still annoyed and at that moment drops to the ground. She is proud to have keept her concentration up for so long.

"Well if I hit a dummy it normaly still exists and doesn't get shret to pieces." she replies. "And the exceptions include anonther Vigil member to invite you and maybe show you around.
I still don't get you. Why didn't you go to the island you wanna live? Or train on an island which isn't inhabitit? You did risk to accidentally smash something here just because you won't live here?"

Mia is not that combat reated. She is a priestress who just learned to fight with the sword while in the Nexus.

"On top you saw me, why didn't you ask first befor breaking anything? And sure it's just common to replace them if you destroy them this way."

[TeChameleon]

[Training Ground]

Eddie folded his arms defensively, still keeping himself small. He doesn't really expect Mia to be able to hurt him, but he doesn't want to provoke her, either.

"I didn't go to the island where I'm going to live because it's full of people and if there are any training areas there, nobody would tell me about them. And I didn't go to an uninhabited island because I can't get up to any. I can't fly! And I didn't come here because I didn't care, I came here because there were supposed to be good training facilities here that had safety measures in place so that I wouldn't smash anything I shouldn't!"

He tilted his head back the other way. "And why would I need to ask you before I tried to train? Are you in charge or something? I didn't really expect to meet the boss of Vigil randomly out in the training field..."