by CherryStatic » Tue Mar 03, 2015 5:33 pm
Michta dipped his head in appreciation of Gloria's words. The animosity she had displayed towards him had been difficult to overcome, but the fact that she was willing to put aside her distaste for him in order to help them in their endeavor meant that he could regard her as an ally, not an obstacle. "Thank you, Miss Gloria. I am quite happy to know that I can count on your assistance."
Glenn's frank opinion brought an indulgent smile to his lips; the man's words had apparently flattered the half-elf. "My dearest Sir Glenn, you are hardly the first the first person that I have offended by merely existing, and if I am to have my way, I can assure you that you will certainly not be the last. I am pleased to know that you have a healthy appreciation for the dangers that magic present; it marks you as a very intelligent man. And you as well, Miss Gloria. While I hope that you both will continue to rely on yourselves rather than depending on the mystical predictions of others," he raised an eyebrow, still smiling, "I would ask that you not entirely disregard my abilities. You are correct in that nothing about the future is set in stone, but the fact remains that there are very real dangers that mere foresight cannot prevent, and I would rather you not be caught unawares. Merely a word of caution; you are free to believe what you will."
"As it is, I am not able to scry the Bloodletters' location. As I have already explained to both Lady Egris and Miss Gloria, Crucia's powers are like a spider's web in that she would be immediately alerted to the presence of my magic. Were she to sense it within her mind or those of her comrades, she would be able to follow the thread of energy back to its source, and she would know my location as well, effectively doing away with any element of surprise we might have had."
And then Egris spoke. About Castor. Michta sighed, his shoulders sagging ever-so-slightly.
"While I would prefer that Captain Montelle remain in the dark about my intentions, nothing is ever easy, and if one of you did not inform him of the plan, I have no doubt that his frustrating habit of being very good at finding things out would not fail him now. I would be slightly perturbed by all of this were he not technically under my command, and required to comply with any and all executive orders I give. I would rather not flaunt the powers vested in me by his majesty, but I will if absolutely necessary."
Egris continued, determined, and he listened patiently. "Put simply, Crucia is excellent at what she does, but she can only directly control those with magical abilities, of which I sense none from you, and I would assume this "Bern" character does not possess. In order for her to manipulate the average person in this way, she is required to thread a portion of her own magic into her victim over a period of days, giving her something inside of them to snare with her powers. Otherwise, she must resort to the more 'traditional' means of torture, which is hardly reassuring in most instances, considering her talent in that area, but in this case it would mean that the bounty hunter is, at most, injured. Not controlled."
He cocked his head in interest as she went on, eventually offering herself up in his place. He regarded her quietly. When he spoke, it was quietly, softly.
"Lady Warden, your bravery in the face of such danger is commendable, and it is exactly why the people of Myrken need you more than ever. I am nobody to the citizens of your town; if I am to die performing my task, they would remain unaffected. Not so, were it you in my place. They would be without a leader to protect them from the wolves that threaten to consume them whole."
He raised his hand to ward off any argument she might have ready to throw at him. His expression was calm and collected, the same that he had worn in her office upon meeting her the day before, the matter-of-fact blankness of the king of Mixalydia's advisor.
"A leader's duty is to their people, first and foremost. Sacrificing yourself when you are needed most would spell the end of Myrken as you know it. I offer myself up not out of obligation, but because it would provide you with a tactical advantage that you would not otherwise possess. Even if Crucia's methods of torture did not have the desired effect upon you, she would kill you without a second thought if she had the chance, and that is to be avoided at all costs. I would advise you to send others to fight in your place, but because I know you would dismiss such a notion without even considering it, I will not waste anyone's time by proposing it. But I will insist on this, at least. You are responsible for the men, women, and children of Myrkentown, and you cannot afford unnecessary risks."
If his words had caused offense, it went ignored by the half-elf, who was typically more diplomatic in such situations. He briskly moved on to the next order of business. "You should have your men at the ready, but have them outwardly behave as they have been so far. Crucia is observant, and we don't want her to catch wind of our intentions. I will instruct the Hidden Hand to do the same."