Riches to Rags, Rags to Vengeance IV

[Diachronos]

Celeste's eyes light up. "A tournament? You're competing in Hylia?!" She jumps up and hugs him. "Why didn't you tell me sooner?! I love watching you compete!"

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel chuckles. "It was the first thing I told you. You were so preoccupied with the wedding you simply asked if now was the right time to go," he reminds her gently.

He smiles. "How was your day?"

[Diachronos]

"Oh... right." She looks at the pile of papers on the table. "Most of the wedding plans are in order, so it's been fairly quiet. I've had a chance to relax for once. What about you, Gabriel?"

[NeoSeraphi]

He smiles. "I strengthened some political alliances, and I went shopping. A nice day, all around. Have you spoken to your mother?"

[Diachronos]

"She has a meeting with the Academy regarding the school you are wanting to open. It started an hour ago, so she likely won't be back until later in the afternoon." Celeste glances at him. "Shopping, you said? Is that where the fancy armor came from?"

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel nods. "Do you like it? It was... A real steal..."

She can sense his guilt.

[Diachronos]

Celeste reaches and places a hand on his cheek. "Gabriel... what's wrong? Did you do something you're regretting?"

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel sighs. "The Shard of Avarice convinced the armorer to give me this shirt for free."

[Diachronos]

"...So the Shard of Avarice is a thief. And you want to help these beings?"

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel shifts uncomfortably. "She just doesn't know any better, Celeste. I'll talk to her and make her understand stealing is wrong."

[Diachronos]

"Greed is in her nature, Gabriel. Are you so sure that she can change?"

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel shakes his head. "I don't...actually get that impression from her. I don't think she's greedy. I think she just wants me to have a lot of possessions. Like, she's...generous with other people's stuff."

[Diachronos]

Celeste crosses her arms. "And if she continues scheming to get free things out of merchants? Some of these people can't afford to lose merchandise like that."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel blinks. Oh, right. She's not used to the Prism District, where even a scrap of cloth can be sold for 60 gp.

"Like I said, I don't think she's greedy. Once I explain to her that taking things without paying for them is wrong, I'm sure she'll stop doing it."

[Diachronos]

She sighs and shakes her head. "I hope you know what you're doing with them..."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel smiles. "Trust me. ...You do trust me, don't you Celeste?" he asks, looking worried.

[Diachronos]

She sighs. "I do... it's them that I don't trust. You haven't been quite the same since you started collecting them... I'm worried that they're going to change you."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel smiles. "Well, would you like to meet her? She's a really friendly person so I'm sure she'd be happy to listen to whatever concerns you have."

[Diachronos]

Celeste shakes her head. "No... I'd rather not talk to her right after she's done something like that. Besides, I still have to finish some of the wedding arrangements."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel nods and leaves her to it. He decides to go see Amber. Hopefully she's feeling better today.

[Diachronos]

Amber seems a little more focused, though she's still not entirely with it.

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel sits next to her. "Amber? How are you doing today? I just wanted you to know...I've found a new goal that I want your help with."

[Diachronos]

Amber blinks and looks up. "...Getting the Order of the Dragon Knights back together, right?"

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel nods. "Yes, and leading them to a brighter future. I want to find a divine caster, someone capable of a miracle, so that I can heal Kelastra's mind. That is my ambition. To reform the Dragon Knights and save one of their members from despair. Will you help me?"

[Diachronos]

Amber sighs. "I'm not exactly thrilled about helping them after they kept us locked away for so long... but yes, I'll help you."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel smiles. "At the very least, you owe Kelastra that much. The only reason she's so...off...is because she suffered a lot of trauma keeping you safe all this time."

[Diachronos]

"I suppose you're right. She wouldn't have had to slaughter her comrades if my aura hadn't started to affect them... Finding a divine caster capable of miracles isn't going to be easy. That's extremely high-level magic that few people ever manage to achieve."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel chuckles. "Yes, but isn't that something you were looking forward to? You want some long off, impossible to achieve struggle that will have me relying on you for the next five years, right?"

He stands up. "I know you're upset, and you feel like things aren't working out the way you had planned. But Ava needs her sister right now, so I'm counting on you to be there for her, okay?" He walks out.

Gabriel waits until nightfall and dons his Lightning Blade costume. Time to get to the bottom of all this nonsense. He heads for the Brecombe estate and carefully approaches it, scanning the area for any guards.

[Diachronos]

The Lightning Blade spies a handful of guards patrolling in a typical pattern. They don't seem overly concerned or on alert, so getting past them shouldn't be too difficult.

[NeoSeraphi]

The Blade drops from the roof and silently takes out one of the guards as quickly as possible.

Spoiler

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Stabby stab stab (non-lethal)

(1d20+12)[24] (vs flat-footed)/(1d20+12)[13]
(1d6+19)[23]/(2d6+30)[34]