#power of trust and honesty runs this man. and this man has been GOIN

[protagonistscum]

i can ONLY assume xunfeng has been left kneeling for the past four hours as he’s waiting for his execution while his elder brother is having a mental breakdown 

[ursapharoh05]

Redemption (Erik Killmonger)

This is the fourth and final part of my Dadmonger series. It took me a long time to figure out what I wanted to do with this and where I wanted it to go. I hope you like it, I could use some inspiration so hit me up with asks or anything, I’m even down with doing sleepover saturdays now that schools out. Tell me what you think. Thanks for sticking with me

A trial, years and years of therapy, ancestry, and teaching and it all came down to was a single day and a panel of elders judging her fathers deeds. She’d been summoned some week before as N’Jadaka’s last request. Her uncle, a title the hesitant and bashful king had used to introduce himself, had tracked and her down to present back to his cousin and now she was in Wakanda.

She’d been told the stories when she had arrived, servant girls were quick to exchange tales of America for stories of the Tyrant prince that ruled for two days and now was being integrated into their society. She’d engaged in teenage giggling and gossiping, ate the snacks that they had brought and waved from her door as they’d left. It had been a foreign but enjoyable interaction to learn more about what she had missed. She still wasn’t sure why she was there.

Upon her arrival she’d ran all over the palace,soaked in as much beauty and art, and architecture as possible. She walked until she was hopelessly lost and out of breath and her beat up sneakers made her feet throb. She knew her assigned Dora had kept up with her easily and eyed her oddly but she couldn’t bring herself to care. She found a garden, kicked off her shoes and socks and had slept on the grass long passed the sunset and nearly passed her first dinner with the royal family. She’d flinched when it was the King to wake her up and had to scrub tears from her eyes when she realized this was real.

But now, it had been a week and she had grown weary of the grandeur of this utopia. She was a marvel to this place as much as this place was a marvel to her. Being an oddity loses its charms rather quickly.

She was prepared for the cautionary tales of her father, it was expected, failure breeds learning experience. She was not prepared for the complete contempt for her father and of her, the way their whispers twisted to snap out at her, a failure,ruined American half breed, proof of the worlds failures, just another bastard heir that the King had collected, they didn’t call her by her name or even her birthright Wakandan title. They forgot to ask if she spoke their language, she kept it to herself, after all she’d been called worse than ‘the plague of the Jaguar’.

The morning the King came for her, she knew it was for something other than his usual invitation to join him for some aspect of his daily routine. Which is a shame because she does like being with him.

One of her favorite things since her arrival in Wakanda was the kings friendship, though she made him work for it. The King’s eyes were just that shade lighter than her fathers, more golden, less worldly, good for expressing emotions other than rage and hurt. She sees his lips move, knows this is important, that he’s trying to bond with her for whatever reason and stands to follow him out when he bids her to.

The King keeps his stride even and he summons an easy smile “If you would like, after your meeting you could accompany me to the Jabari tribe, or we could practice your Xhosa and go to the market” She shrugs. The King instead stops them walking and places a hand on her shoulder “You will not be there any longer than you wish, little cub. Your father asked for you during his healing process, and throughout much of his rehabilitation. I am sorry we could not come for you except as a last request before his trial”

The beast inside of her tears apart her stomach with nerves, growling out hurt and fear. Her hands shake as she shoves them into her pockets “You sure you got the right guy? Daddy isn’t one to ask, he just...”

“Takes” The King fills in with a sad smile as she tries to shrug “I have learned much from my cousin in his time here, it is why I work so hard to right the wrongs befallen the lost—“

She chuckles then, “Forgive me, your majesty. Our losses in America are different to the losses of Wakanda. I lost a past, I wander along the unknown of a heritage I wasn’t raised in, and I’m not invited back to. You” she glances at him before looking to the large vibranium door “ are suffering through knowing you let your brothers and sisters be dragged away to hell in the name of your own preservation, your future is at a loss because you are unsure where you belong in a world that does not treat you how you deserve, but as a tool.”

She’s overstepped, she can tell by the way the Kings inviting smile wanes slightly, she’s ruined another moment because she can’t tell a challenge from a simple reassurance. She wants to apologize, honesty without tact is just cruelty and she has no use for cruelty anymore.

She’s too late though as the hand on her shoulder squeezes softly and he motions to the guards on either side of the large Vibranium door.  She is pulled into a tight hug by the King as he murmurs “I will wait for you here, I will give you your heritage back, and you can guide us in this dangerous world, eh?” She can’t remember a time someones held her after she’s thrown something so blatantly into their face, she clutches onto him before entering the room.

It...is not a prison cell as she had imagined, no bars or dirt floors. It looks very much like a well lived in apartment, homey American style highlighted with Wakandan decor.  The mantle is covered in pictures, daddy and the King, daddy with the princess, daddy and...a woman. She feels like she’s entered into a strangers home, and her childhood apartment all at the same time.

Soaking in the photographs she turns at the sound of a deep clearing throat, takes in the man in deep blue royal attire grinning with the golden fangs. She doesn’t move “Should I call you Daddy, Erik, or Prince N’Jadaka?”

“Daddy, sounds good to me, c’mere lil girl, let me see you” he moves forward, takes her hand and spins her around before she can protest “Surprised you didn’t let them dress you up right, look attchu, slummin’ it”

She huffs a laugh looking at her worn jeans, and filthy high tops, her accompanying Dora isn’t so amused “I’m workin’ with what I got, not everybody workin’ as the newest royal advisor.” She hugs him tight “You look...” alive, unrepentant, happy without me “So good.”

Erik moves away from her after a firm slap on the back “Eh, you know how I do. Take a seat, tell me what you’ve done with your time” she does, although it’s less personal than her talks with the king and sounds rehearsed even to her own ears. She tells him about all he’s missed, about his other children, about her school, about how she’s applied her lessons.

She shows him the bracelet of scars on her wrist and watches his face turn from polite interest to stone as she explains “The big one was for you, this ones for mama, and cousin Emmit and Trevon. These are for some of the—the other kids you got. There’s four in all, three boys and another girl, I got letters back in my bag from them, pictures too if ya wanna—“

He reaches out and rubs a finger over each mark almost reverently “Oh, girly. Whatchu done.”

She shrinks for a moment before standing her ground “They aren’t dead if that’s whatchu think. These are people I care about, not people I hurt. It’s good”

Erik pulls away, ignoring her defensive tone “I want you to see sumthin’ “ he moves to lead then to a door off to the side. she  follows him around the lavish apartment as he walks them to a room, gives two loud knocks summoning the woman from the photos. The woman’s hair is wrapped, exhausted bags under her eyes. She’s beautiful, strong, and holding a sleeping infant.

Her smile is bright as the sun as she meets Erik’s eyes “Shhhhh, silly man, I just now get your child to sleep and here you are stomping about. Have you finished your meeting?”

He leans in and kisses her softly, like she’s his whole world before pulling her and the infant tight into his arms. He looks down at his first daughter, motioning her closer to look at the sleeping baby. He whispers in adoration “You wanna see the future Lil girl? A black baby raised right. Gonna know of the hardships of the American Nigga and the power and pride of Wakandan royalty. This lil shits gonna change the whole world.”

The woman frowns “N’Jadaka, you mustn’t speak like that, you’ll scare the poor girl away. My husband is a visionary, we are looking first for a nanny, not a revolutionary.  We can give you a place to live with us, and an allowance. You’ll be taking care of our child while I and Prince N’Jadaka are working with the King to help America. Will you accept?”

She recoils from the sight of such a perfect family “But, But what about the trial I thought—“ her voice breaks as her eyes stay on the sleeping bundle, the curly hair, and the little fists.

“Nah, more like a ‘welcome to society’ party, I jus’ needed a way to get you here.” All the air in the room seems to be avoiding her lungs, she wasn’t brought here as anything more than a glorified babysitter and it’s very clear that he meant it that way “I was tellin’ my better half, that our kid needs some perspective. Who’s better to have perspective than someone who’s lived it, besides, Ain’t nobody I trust more.” She wonders if the grin is meant to be reassuring and prideful. It’s not.

She finds her head shaking back and forth, and a laugh bubbling out of her mouth “I—I think I hate you” she gasps for breath around  giggles “I really hate you, I’m glad the others never met you. I’m glad I saw this, I’m done with this weak shit.” She turns to the woman with a predators grin“You better run and take the kid with you. If you need anything, ever, find me.”  She turns to leave, the beast still restrained.

Erik catches her arm and frowns “Where you goin’ lil girl? This is the place to be, Imma change the world from this spot right here. You mine,and I want you here.”

She growls, looking for a fight, praying for one. Shaking her head and ripping her arm free she starts to back him up “Nah, you different. You changed for them, you ain’t my daddy, not anymore.” She sniffs and lets her defenses go up, she strides back for the exit “Congrats on the kid, Prince N’Jadaka. Wakanda fits you.” She takes a deep breath  ”Let’s go, Dora, I’m ready.”

Her Dora is waiting at the door for her, spear in hand as N’Jadaka follows closely behind “Im doing this for you, this is gonna change things, it’s bigger than just a few centers and programs—“ he reaches for her again as she crosses the threshold.

She stops just outside as the two crossed spears stop him short from leaving the room, the beasts roar soaks her words as she bears her teeth in a wicked grin, fingernails digging into her palms like claws “what did you think was gonna happen to us? Huh?! You think if you can’t bring Wakanda to us, you gonna bring us to Wakanda, bitch, where?! I’m goin’ home, and I’m gonna work and claw and fight my way until I got the power to cause the change you couldn’t and then I’m going to shove it down your throat and up my enemies asses! Like you taught me! I’ll burn before I let you or anyone else dictate where I belong! I’d kill you for leaving us to die there, for leaving us to our chains. But it looks like you sitting pretty in chains gold right here.”

She doesn’t stay in Wakanda for the trial that night. She ignores the pleas of the King to stay, and the constant messengers from the Prince. Instead she goes home, gets some sleep, and gets to work on the plans for her new world.

[survivor-kuwait]

Episode 9 - “He just told me what side of the fence to fall on” - Corey

Well that went my way for sure!! While unanimous, literally five minutes into the warzone I told Ian we have to go after Madison and Jacob. He agreed and then we rallied the troops. Love when a plan works out. 

An alliance called M&M&M was made between Matt, Madison, and I. We were thinking of doing Ian but we didnt want to push too hard because we didnt want to reveal our cards that we had something. I just hope us sacrificing Jacob will be a positive thing for us and not a negative. Im glad theres allinces forming now. Hope i can stay away from warzone this next round but who knows. Im going to try my hardest tho.

help. who knew that my blood revenge for wanting Nehe out resulted in ALL of the other Kilimanjaro reps to be voted off one by one. parting that with chips, there was 5 people repping that season... and now I'm the lone Survivor from that season. pray for me yalls.

Ugh!!! I blame Johnny for this. Scavenger hunt is usually my favorite challenge except the both times im doing it with Johnny :p  these are soooo weird again. Dealing with this challenge and moving my stuff from my apartment on friday/saturday will probably not get me immunity. Im still trying so hopefully everyone else is busy as well. I Curse Johnny but like only a small one. Like him spilling his fries on the floor. 🍟

Hosts: Another Ian confessional, hopefully he shuts up about his idol and actually give some insight into his game. Me: MY IDOL!!!!11!!1 IT IS MINE, MY OWN, MY PRECIOUS. On a real note, I'm not sure if I confessed this round yet that one of the reasons behind the Jacob vote was to put Nar in a numbers advantage should that come into play at anytime.  The point of the premerge phase is to build as many pathways to alliances/mutually beneficial voting blocks as possible that also have a vested interest to vote with you.  I have Maynor asking to be a duo with me, sure yeah man I do like you and hope to work with you deep in this game as someone that can help me cut Corey or Trace if working with them in the game becomes problematic, but I also know Maynor has a vested interest in Kait, which I do like Kait well enough but she can't be allowed to go on a run if I want a chance to make a run myself.  Corey wants to keep our partnership as secret as possible, which yes I do think is smart, it also relies heavily on trust.  At this moment in time I have no reason but to trust Corey.  That may change in the future, he wants to keep it secret, that's chill, but I'm going to have my own backdoor deals should shit hit the fan. Devon/Matt one of them put me as the scapegoat to Jacob, I don't know which and honestly I do not care which one of them it was. They are both standing in my way at this moment for the win.  That could change in the future.  The game is long and full of terrors.

this is it this is the round im goin to the w a r z o n e 

Im safe!!! Im glad cuz tomorrow is graduation party from my parents and didnt wanna attend tribal. But i feel like Drunk Maynor is being cheated out for this season. I dont have my drinking buddies. Maybe this season wont see Drunk Maynor and I could actually be good in this game.

Me: goes to warzone a bunch People in warzone: don’t target me at all ———— Last round: People in warzone: mention my name Me: flips that ish on Jacob REAL quick also me: HA NOT GOING TO WARZONE AGAIN FOR A HOT SEC BEST BELIEVE IM FINALLY IMMUNE. imagine that! I kinda tried for once! and I placed exactly where I needed to hehe.

Thomas is a fucking idiot honestly. Like, he has been to the war zone enough times to know that the WORST possible thing you can do is throw a name out on the first night. Everything always comes together a couple hours before tribal, and by putting names out there this early, he is basically just MAKING SURE that the vote will come down between him and Adrian. For background, Thomas came to me, still butthurt about being called inactive, telling me that he wants to vote Adrian. I am very into that plan, don't get me wrong. Adrian is one person that I have literally nothing in common with. But to come in, guns blazing, this early in the war zone is a HUGE mistake, one that will probably end in a lot of extra stress for Thomas. But, it is good for me, because even though Thomas likes to spill all the tea to me, he is someone that I could very well afford losing. Kait is finally in the war zone. This could also be a pivotal moment because I would be shocked if people do not gun for her this round. I don't really want her out yet because I feel like she's a great shield for the merge, but we shall see what people want. basically, even though I don't really have any of my closest allies in the war zone (ian, Corey, Madison), I might be okay because of Thomas v Adrian, and MAJOR threats being here. The only thing that could fuck me up is if Owen tries to pull something. I do not trust that kid and want him out early merge. But for now I am just trying to lay low and vote with majority.

against all odds, I'm still safe! Warzone looks like a crackden tonight and I'm nowhere near it. I hope Owen makes it out okay. Kait, though chaotic, is someone I'm getting closer to. I would like to have her around until around f9??? we'll see. Same kind of story w Maynor. I need Thomas and Stephen OUT. Timmy as well. They are on my Arya-style kill list. I've been immune for ??? 4 tribals in a row now??? I still have my save vote to use as I have not been to tribal since obtaining it. I have also acquired a rock-save thing that Ian and I dug up together. Basically, if we go to rocks, I can use it to save myself (immune from my rock being picked). Nifty lil power... Hopefully I also get this save vote and don't become the owner of a dead power. After tomorrow's tribal, we'll be final 14. 10 gone. only 11 more to go before I'm in FTC. or 12. I don't care. As long as I'm there in the end. Ideally, with Ian and Owen and I come out victorious. I am playing nice girl, liar AND schemer. The game is outwit, outlast and you can't outwit Corey Rae Jepsen baby! and if you want the truth, this is Corey. I suspect Owen-Kait-Thomas to vote the same way. i expect Adrian-Matt to vote the same way. Chloe and Stephen are wild cards. Trace... I am praying for to be okay as well. If Chloe-Stephen-Trace-Matt-Adrian work together, they could get Thomas or Kait out. We'll see! I feel bad wanting Kait out as I do like her but if she goes w/o me having a hand in it... I'll be sad bc I like her but happy bc I think she's too smart to keep very long. She'll catch on to me. She'll plan my demise, which is exactly why I need her close to me as long as she's here. Also - Maynor coming in 2nd? I'm out here busting my butt and they're gonna rank me number three? after someone who can't even barely walk and barely do anything and all he does is sit around and fuss and curse everyone.. I was VERY insulted. (this a crystal cox quote sgflksgls) But fr he said he barely did any. mmhmmmm.. If i was on the fence about him before, he just told me what side of the fence to fall on. 

Im glad Im safe. Idk how this  vote will actually go. I wish luck to thomas matt kait. And ithers but cant remember who from other side is in it. Today imma just keep talking to ian and corey to make deeper bonds with then and enjoying my grad party. Drunk maynor may leave a confessional later.

This warzone is by far the most crucial one in my game. I’m absolutely PARANOID at this point because Kait gave me some info that Ian is mad at me for telling Jacob to vote him, wasn’t my idea but okay. I’m at a point where playing in the middle will leave me getting absolutely squashed in the middle. My allies Kait and Adrian are totally at odds with each other, and Thomas is targeting Adrian and Adrian is targeting Thomas and like, I just wanna vote Chloe. I have the feeling that Adrian needs to go this time around, it would free me of the threat of being sign partners in this game and I’d rather leave bitter betrayals for the pre jury portion of the game. As long as I’m not getting votes and I can keep holding on to this idol and some semblance of good graces with everyone in the game I’m satisfied.

Well I forgot to submit the video confessional I will later lol but I want Adrian out. He seemed very d*ckish about me being inactive and I am not taking kindly to it. It seems Trace is with me and so it Kait and Owen. I hope I can get on more person so we can get Adrian out.

I'm highkey getting 15th again... and I'm gonna cry. Like this fucking hurts so much. People aren't talking to me and the few people are just talking about life and pretty much anything but the vote. Getting a third 15th placement will literally crush my heart and soul so much, so I pray that something works out in my favor.

So happy to be safe, didn't think I would be. Ummmmm, looking at who is going to tribal, i'm not sure who is going to get voted out. I would be so sad if Kait goes, but it would be a smart move in all honesty because this is the first time she's gone to tribal. Getting her or Owen out would be a big move, but I need them in the game for the time being because they are some of the only people who are seen as bigger challenge threats than me. Although I am only safe because of the tribe I'm on, I've never scored the best overall and so really it's an interesting scenario, if I was on the other tribe I would be at the warzone, yet on mine I got 3rd. I just hope it's not a unanimous vote because I want people to come back to camp with drama.

I feel more sick than I ever have and now I’m back in the war zone. How fun. I just hope I can manage to stay safe yet again, I feel like that’s unlikely though 

Okay so I’ve been busy af with my friends all of a sudden it’s almkst tribal nnnnn and it’s between Chloe and Adrian rn. Adrian allegedly wanted me and Kait out earlier YIKE so I originally wanted him but now it’s like matt pushing for Chloe This is rlly good for my game tho because it gives me and Kait something to bond over that sets us apart from matt. I literally am never going to turn on Kait in this game.... fuck. I hope she do the same .

Its Alcohol Time!!!!!!!!

Show just got out and barely anyone messaged me the whole time whoops! I think I’m about to get blindsided tbh this is too quiet lmaooo but Kait and I pushed Adrian so hopefully that’s it. If not then it’s been fun. This seems too easy so I’m not expecting much nnnn but if I’m here.... I’m goin for it 

Im drinking more now. And im nervous who is leaving tonight. Hope the people im working with stay alive.

Good news! I won the past two challenges and have been safe!  That is awesome. Even better news is I just searched Q10 and got a hit which means I’m near an idol :)

Okay so I’ve been busy af with my friends all of a sudden it’s almkst tribal nnnnn and it’s between Chloe and Adrian rn. Adrian allegedly wanted me and Kait out earlier YIKE so I originally wanted him but now it’s like matt pushing for Chloe This is rlly good for my game tho because it gives me and Kait something to bond over that sets us apart from matt. I literally am never going to turn on Kait in this game.... fuck. I hope she do the same .

I am drunk. And i miss havjng my drinkjng buddies in dani alyssa n jess. And havung jones be on call. I need to find some drinking buddies here to have more fun. Plus monty alyssa n johnny r doing amazing as hosts this seasob.

[zacknano17]

Day 25: words 47,234 - 50,047

In which, Barry J. Bluejeans metaphorically flips Kravitz the bird like 17 times at once.

The minute Rebekah turns her attention toward blocking the incoming attacks, Alfonso makes his move.  He reaches toward her face, quick as a flash, and his hand closes on the Oculus.

Light explodes from his hand and she screams, but he doesn't let go.  A jolt of what looks like electricity courses up his arm, and he gasps in pain, but he doesn't let go.

Neither does the Oculus.  It clings to Rebekah even as she grabs at his hand, and it refuses to let go.

Magnus shoves Rail Splitter onto his back and changes direction slightly so he can grab onto Alfonso's arm and help.  But it's like trying to rip a piece of her body off.  It's held fast.  The electricity courses through Magnus' arm too, and it feels as though his blood is boiling. He won't let go either, though.

“NO!” Rebekah screams in that cacophonous rumble of ten voices.  “YOU BETRAYED ME!  HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME!?  I TRUSTED YOU!”

Alfonso's fingers are beginning to blacken where he has them on the Oculus.  He doesn't let go.

The black lengthens into tiny fissures, creeping up his fingers and over his hand, much like the ones on Rebekah's face.  He doesn't let go.

Magnus feels another hand come up and grasp Alfonso's arm, pulling backwards.  It's Merle.  He looks up at Magnus and nods once, his face wearing an expression of determination.  Even without Taako, this is it.  They have to make it here, without any of him except his body.

The electricity is slowly consuming Alfonso, and Magnus can tell he's in a great deal of pain.  His teeth are gritted and his eyebrows are drawn, and for a moment, all Magnus can think about is that Taako is in danger, and he has to stop this before the power consumes Taako's body.

But Alfonso doesn't let go, and neither does the Oculus.

“Rebekah. Stop this.”

Salvatore steps forward, the booming cadence of his voice drowning out Rebekah's screams.  He claps his hands together and lays them on Alfonso's shoulders, channeling his ki into healing his friend, but he isn't done with just that.

“Rebekah, look, you're hurting him.  You're killing him,” Salvatore says.  “Everything you've done so far has been for him and for him only.  Can't you see what you're doing?  Open your eyes!”

Rebekah's screams quiet slightly, but she doesn't relent.  Alfonso is slowly being consumed, and Magnus shouts as he redoubles his efforts.  The black cracks on Alfonso's arms have reached up to where Magnus is holding his wrist now, and Magnus feels as though his fingers are on fire as the blackness begins to consume them as well.  It takes everything in him not to jerk his hand away in horror.

And then Magnus feels a chill go down his spine.  Something is there, with them, but he can't see what.  He has the vague impression of an ice cold hand fastening around his wrist and pulling as well.  For just a moment, he can see a skeletal hand there, and a flash of red.

“Please, Rebekah,” Alfonso gasps.  “Please...I can't...”

“No!! No!!!” Rebekah screams, and suddenly, her own hands are going to her face too, pulling at the Oculus desperately.  “I can't lose him again!  Not like this!!!  Let me GO!”

And the Oculus...lets go.

Magnus draws back his hand quickly, stumbling back into Merle and tripping over him.  He goes down on his ass, nearly landing on the dwarf.  On Alfonso's other side, Salvatore staggers backwards.  Alfonso jerks back, his hand closed around the Oculus, and he is nearly blown backwards by the force of the magic releasing.  He skids across the ground, arm outstretched with the Oculus in it, and when he stops, the little circle of glass rolls free, making it a few inches before falling innocently on its side.

Rebekah falls as well, but Salvatore is there to catch her.  She is quieter now, but it isn't hard to hear her sobs.

Around them, the starry nighttime sky begins to fade.  It's rather like seeing a fog begin to dissipate or smoke beginning to clear.  Behind the cloud of illusion, the basement remains exactly like they left it, down to the too-small hole in the wall that Merle had made.

“Merle, go grab that thing before it possesses someone else,” Magnus instructs as he pulls himself to his feet.

“Ugh, not even an, 'Are you all right, Merle?  Sorry I nearly fell on top of you, Merle'?  Thanks, buddy, I'm doin' great,” Merle grumbles.

“Merle! Just do it!”  Magnus doesn't trust himself with it.

“Fine! I'm goin', I'm goin'!”  Merle goes.  He picks up the innocuous looking little piece of glass.  There is a worrying moment as he stares are it for a moment, but then he carefully places it in his pocket.  Safely away from his face.

Magnus kneels by Taako's side, even though it isn't actually Taako.

Alfonso is unconscious as Magnus rolls him onto his back.  His hand is still blackened as though it is charred, and there's blood on his face and down the front of the stupidly extravagant blouse Taako has chosen to wear today.

“Taako?” Magnus says quietly, his hands shaking a little bit.  He tries to check for a pulse, but he doesn't really know what he's doing and he can't find one.  Now that the world isn't about to end, and now that the Oculus is in their hands and away from those who it could possess, he is free to worry about Taako.

What he remembers is Julia's body after she's been pulled from the wreckage of the Hammer and Tongs.  By the time he had made it back to Raven's Roost, the survivors of the carnage had already been preparing a mass funeral for all the lost lives.  There had been no way to bury them all separately (and many of the bodies could not be removed from the rubble anyway), nor had there been time to have an individual funeral for each one.  Those who survived were injured and destitute, and the best they could do was to leave them all behind.

He hadn't been supposed to see Julia's body.  The corpses had been laid out for family to try and identify, but Julia had already been recognized by the time he got back.  He was attempting to help, to make up for the fact that he hadn't been there when this had all gone down (he should have been there, he should have died with them), and then, there she was, mud on her cheeks and on her dress, broken like a discarded doll.

This is different, but the feeling is the same.  The choked horror trapped in his throat, the icy ache of his lungs, the numbness creeping through him.  He is holding Taako's body on his lap, and he didn't even remember lifting him there.

He's so focused on Taako that when Merle leans in to properly take Taako's pulse, he startles a little.  Then he puts his soulwood hand onto Taako's chest and begins chanting quietly.  That same green-white magic that Magnus is so familiar with pulses out from his fingers, across Taako's chest.

“He'll be fine, Maggie,” Merle says, his voice oddly gentle.

Magnus doesn't reply.  Even though Taako's body is all right, it still isn't him inside of it.  They are, at least, one step closer to getting Taako back.  Magnus very carefully lays Taako back down on the floor. He seems to be waking up now, and it would be odd for Alfonso to wake up in Magnus' arms.

“Magnus...Merle...”

He looks up, still feeling a little numb.  Rebekah is standing a few feet away, leaning heavily against Salvatore.  Her face is still damaged, riddled with those same blackened cracks, and her eye on that side, although mostly closed, just inky black where it can be seen.

“I am...I am so sorry,” she says.

“Yeah...we know,” Magnus says.  “It wasn't you.  We know.”

“This ain't our first rodeo,” Merle puts in.  “It's like, uh, our fourth, I think.”

Even the thought that they had managed to save Rebekah isn't quite enough to bring Magnus out of his funk.  He pulls his gaze away from Rebekah and looks back at Alfonso, who is blinking and rubbing at his eyes with the hand that isn't blackened.

“Rebekah?” says Alfonso, sitting up on his elbows.

Rebekah chokes on a sob and scrubs the unmarred side of her face with the heel of her hand.  “I'm so sorry,” she managed.

“Sweetheart...” He sits up the rest of the way and reaches out a hand to her.  “I'm not upset.  That wasn't you who did that.  I know you'd never hurt someone else to bring me back.  But...you know I can't stay, right?”

“I know.”  She takes his hand, and he pulls her toward her.  She hugs him, burying her face in his shoulder, and he reaches up to stroke her hair with his good hand.

Magnus cannot stand to look at them right now.  He stands up again and looks away.

Kravitz' eldritch blast is predictably deflected, even as Magnus charges forward.  In all honesty, he isn't that surprised at Alfonso's defection, but the secret is that he can't risk reaping Alfonso's soul until he knows where exactly Taako's soul container is hidden.  As it stands, should something happen and his soul was too far away, it could mean very bad things for Taako, and, as crazy as it sounds, Kravitz is rather fond of the wizard.

So, as soon as the tug of war starts (and his victim is exonerated), he decides to leave Magnus and Merle to what they do best and do his best to rescue their partner.

The strange place they are in is probably some kind of illusion magic, he assumed, given the nature of the Relic they were after.  There is no safe way to test this theory, or to test its limits.  Since there is a Relic involved, he can assume that the normal laws of magic are null and void here.  But he'll search nonetheless.

He doesn't get very far before running into the strange elf that he had infiltrated the place wearing the disguise of.  The man is just a shell of a person, and Kravitz wonders if it isn't his duty to end his existence.  But technically, he isn't dead, and he isn't undead either.  This strange man without a proper soul is really just beyond his jurisdiction.

The man is crouched by the bookshelf, shielding himself from the ruckus being created by the others in the room.  It isn't a bad idea, honestly.

It sure would help if Kravitz had any idea what he was looking for.  He would ask this man if he knew anything.  He had been in the basement with Rebekah and the others when Kravitz had arrived.  It was entirely possible that he had seen Rebekah cast the spell that had torn Taako's spirit and body apart.

Before he gets a chance to ask, though, Rebekah's screaming becomes unbearably loud.  Kravitz jerks around to witness a strange scene. Four people, all clustered in front of her, trying to pull away the Oculus, and then --

A burst of black energy leaps from Kravitz' fingers, traveling the length of his scythe before dissipating in nothingness in the air. He sets his jaw, he clutches his scythe with both hands, and he glowers.

There is a fifth figure here.  The figure isn't visible, but Kravitz knows he is there.

Barry Bluejeans.

Kravitz isn't clear what Bluejeans is doing here, exactly, but he's somehow at least partially responsible for this.  Maybe it was he who had given Rebekah the necromancy book, or maybe he had been the one to split Taako into two.  What he is doing around the monocle, Kravitz does not know, but it certainly can't mean anything good.  The last thing anyone needs is for a lich to get their hands on a Grand Relic.

He doesn't really have time to react.  Whatever they are doing works, and the Relic is finally ripped off of Rebekah's face.  The illusion spell altering the reality of the room flickers and fades, finally, leaving them back in the basement room.  It almost feels a little claustrophobic, after it had been so open before.

The elf man looks around, bewildered.  “Is it over, then?  I think I'd like to leave,” he says.

“Er. Seems so.”  Merle is pocketing the Relic and Magnus is leaning over Taako's body.  Kravitz can't tell if he's dead or not, since the situation is a little odd, but if there's anything to be done, he assumes the cleric will do it.  He turns back to the elf.  “Have you seen any.  Um.  Containers around here?  Could be like a jar...or even like...a gemstone of some kind?”

“There are some books here,” the man says, and points at the bookshelf.

“I'm...aware,” Kravitz says.

“And there's an umbrella on that desk over there.”

There is, in fact, an umbrella.  Unless he's mistaken, that would be Taako's magical focus.  It might have some sort of clue there.  Leaving the elf to his own devices, he makes his way to the desk.

The staff is pointed, quite deliberately, toward the charred pedestal containing the remnants of the grimoire Kravitz has been searching for.  It would seem that Taako has accomplished what Kravitz had been sent here to do in the first place.

Not in time, though.  The ritual had been cast, and his body used as a container for someone else.

Now that the magical energies in the room were fading to normal, however, Kravitz has an idea.  He plucks another feather from his cloak and brings it to his lips.  He doesn't have the time to find Taako's name in his book.  The entries for these three are notoriously difficult to find for whatever reason, and so a weaker version of the spell will have to do.

“Taako the wizard,” he whispers to the feather and his breath turns the feather gold for a moment before the color fades.

The feather pauses for a moment, perhaps unable to find its target, but then it floats up an inch or so above his palm and slowly spins around.  The quill stops, pointing toward the center of the room, where the halfling is now embracing Taako's body.

The spell has only found Taako's body, not his soul.

Kravitz sighs heavily.  Well.  He might as well start with all the books on the bookshelf, he supposes.  He scans the book titles, runs a skeletal finger down the spines of each book, searching for something -- anything -- that feels different.

A chill goes down his spine, and that horrible, necromantic energy is present again.

“Reap him.”

Kravitz whirls around, toward the sound of the voice, one that sounds like a horrible, ghostly whisper.

Bluejeans isn't even trying to hide himself.  There he is, in all his red robed glory, the tattered fabric hovering a foot off the ground and swaying in some magical breeze.  His face is a pinpoint of light emanating from an otherwise empty hood, and his left hand is pointing in the same direction as Kravitz' feather has.

“Reap him.  It's the only way to save Taako.”

“What the actual fuck do you think you're doing?” Kravitz asks, his scythe singing in his hands as he raises it to strike.  Most weapons cannot hurt the incorporeal lich, but this scythe is not most weapons.  “Not that I'm complaining.  I've been chasing you for ten years now.”

The lich vanishes before the scythe can impact him, but Kravitz has a spell building up and ready to be cast.  Bluejeans isn't far; he can feel it.

Bluejeans reappears at the far wall, near the group clustered at the center. No one else seems to have noticed him.  Is he trying to draw Kravitz nearer?  It's working.  He strides after him.

“Reap him.” This time, he is clearly pointing at Taako -- or rather, the man within Taako's body.

“What the fuck?” Magnus asks, looking up.  “You again!?”  He leaps to his feet, readying his ax, although for what, Kravitz isn't sure. Such weapons will have no effect.

“You know him too, huh?  This here lich is the most persistent nuisance I've ever had to deal with -- including the three of you,” Kravitz scowls.  He is about to let the spell go when Bluejeans reveals his plan.

“Stop.  I have that which you desire.”

The lich raises his right hand, flat and palm up, in front of him.  An inch or so above his hand, hovering in much the same way as Kravitz' feather had only a moment ago, is a perfect, slowly rotating ruby.

Kravitz' spell fizzles out in his hand.