VIGIL 4: Swordfights!!! on Air

[Gullara]

[Vigil Skybase]

"I look forward to it. Until then." With that, Vax will take her leave.

[Shadowcaller]

[Commanders' Village]

"Yes, we're doing this for a reason after all. However, when you use words like "frame", you make it sound like we're going to be arrested by the nexus guard. I mean, as there are no real laws here, only our reputation would take a hit. No one would actually punish anything but our reputation." Cessie argues. "Take that as you will though, we will still do our best to prevent that from happening."

As Cessie pauses, the VIGIL phone suddenly rings, who could that be?

[Morty]

[Commanders' Village]

"Yes, either way we can't leave it-" Then, the phone rings and Wenomir picks it up. "Yes, what is it?"

[Shadowcaller]

[Commanders' Village]

"Hello. This is Erik Robertson speaking. Have I reached 'Commander Wenomir'?" The caller will wait a moment for confirmation. "I am a public defender that have been assigned to defend two of your members, Anika Sunfletcher and "Illera", surname unknown, in the New Inside court of law. The two are summoned to stand trial for the crimes they have been accused of. The time and place is still pending." He explains. "Do either of them happen to be there?" Well, Anika isn't around at the very least. She have been gone for days.

[Morty]

[Commanders' Village]

"They're not." Wenomir's voice is flat and devoid of emotion. "I've never heard about a 'New Inside'. Nor anyone named Illera. What crimes have they allegedly committed?"

[Shadowcaller]

[Commanders' Village]

There is pause at the other end. "I see. I'm not sure if that's good or bad news for them, but either way, they stand accused for terrorism. They set fire to a building with magic in the middle of New Inside during rush hour, injuring several people, some of them severely. Considering the crime, it is likely that you will be called as a witness. However, I am legally obligated to inform you that New Inside do not have jurisdiction outside its boundaries, so you are under no legal obligation to come. But I believe it is in the interest of VIGIL's public image to put this matter to rest considering the serious charges we are dealing with here." Erik argues.

[Morty]

[Commanders' Village]

Every time someone brings up Vigil's public image near Wenomir, the likelihood of him going on a decapitation spree increases.

"Anika is reckless, but she's not a terrorist. I might attend this trial, but I need to hear their side of the story first."

[Clinic]

Wenomir scowls and his firsts clench. On the long list of things he hates, people who'd kill children rank high.

"...why did they attack you in the first place? Those lowlifes seem to have a goal in mind."

[Shadowcaller]

[Clinic]

"I have no clue, we kept to ourselves. We know what happens when you stick your neck out in Skyside, we had defenses of course but I didn't expect a full-scale assault. No one did, and now all my people are dead, or worse. Those mercenaries are true monsters, I won't even be surprised if they murder the children after they taken their parents, or sell them. There are cults in skyside that..." She shakes her head. "I rather not think about it. The point is that they can't get away with this. If you hate KABAL as much as I do, you need to ensure that they won't."

[Commanders' Village]

"Of course, I am supposed to represent them after all so I'd like to hear their story too. The official story is that The background is that Illeria was put under arrest for assault on a farmer, and Anika came to demand her release. She was released with a small fine, paid by miss Sunfletcher herself. However, as they left the police station eyewitnesses saw the one called 'Illeria' wave her sword around, and the next moment a great pillar of fire appeared, setting the building alight. Then the two of them left the city in all haste." Erik explains.

[Morty]

[Clinic]

Wenomir shrugs.

"I'm not sure if hate is the right word. They shot at me, but that's pretty unremarkable. If they did harm children, they deserve a good look at their own entrails, though. We can't just go charging in and doing that, though. They seem well-entrenched in Skyside."

[Commanders' Village]

"I don't know this Illeria, so I'll withhold judgement. I'll contact you when I've spoken to them," Wenomir says curtly.

[Shadowcaller]

[Clinic]

"But they'll never expect it." Anika argues. "Maybe we could take out their leader or something. Cut off the head of the beast."

Shanti shakes her head at Anika. "After all these years..." She then looks at Wenomir again. "You are right, we would have to calculate our attack. But considering what I saw today, i don't believe you are lacking in power. You just need to figure out how to apply it correctly."

[Commanders' Village]

"Good, please contact me as soon as you get in touch with them. Until we speak again." And Erik closes the call.

Cessie is looking at him with an impassive expression. She seems to be waiting for him to speak first.

[Morty]

[Clinic]

"No, Anika, they will expect it," Wenomir says, then nods. "We do, and to do that, we need to know more. We went in blind this time, and I'd rather not do it again. What was that child doing there? She... come to think of it, she accused me of being fooled by a snake cult, or something."

[Commanders' Village]

"Accusations of terrorism are a new one," Wenomir says, in a casual voice, as if he was remarking on the weather. "But something doesn't sit well with me here. I've never heard of this 'New Inside'. And who is this Illeria?"

[Shadowcaller]

[Commanders' Village]

"Shouldn't be too hard to find information on if it has its own law enforcement and court system. Feels like something we should have know about already. But then again, I don't really know much about the nexus outside of the three cities." Cessie replies. "However, perhaps we should simply tell them that we will conduct a internal investigation and if we find out the worst, we simply turn them over to this New Inside." She suggests.

[Clinic]

"Yeah, since Shanti is totally in a cult. That's what she was in the last time I met her." Anika declares with a gesture at the other druid nonchalantly.

That sparks a light in Shanti's eyes and she shouts back at her. "It is not a cult, it is a religion! Besides, you were in that cult too! So don't come with any accusations!"

Anika just frowns back however, and turns to Wenomir. "That's what I meant with her being questionable. her 'religious views' are dangerous to say at least."

[Celticbear]

Clinic


Mama the pancakes are on fire! Wait no, they aren't. That was dream. Kitty just let go of control, didn't she? Ugh. Says Xavouir in sudden burst of... awakness for lack of a better word.

((I think that's a good IC way of explaining my obliviousness, don't you?))

[Morty]

[Clinic]

Wenomir opens his mouth, then glances back at Xavouir.

"So it seems. Just in time, too. There's an explanation incoming." He looks down at Shanti again. "Explain just what religion you belong to. For the benefit of the people who took bullets to get you out."

[Commanders' Village]

"I suppose so. I'm not sure if it's serious enough that they'll come barging in for them." Wenomir looks uncertain. "I could have judged his intentions if I'd seen his face, but it's difficult through a phone. I'll contact Anika and ask her what in the blazes happened."

[Shadowcaller]

[Commanders' Village]

"Easier said than done, she doesn't keep a phone, or any other communication device on her person." Cessie points out. "She might be dead for all we know as she haven't been in VIGIL for days. Though, admittedly that isn't too unusual for her. Apparently, she sleeps out there in the wilderness at times." The woman was insane, obviously.

[Clinic]

Shanti let's out a resigned sigh. "Fine. We are supporters of the great serpentine spirit, a concept more than a god. Surely, you have heard of the Ouroboros, the snake eating its own tail? A symbol of eternity and renewal. Natures endless cycle of creation and destruction. We follow these principles as we try to renew things out of nothing, create nature where there was none before. That's why we operated in Skyside, to bring nature even to a place that is even separated from the earth itself. To start up the cycle there would have been interesting to say at least."

Anika is glancing at Xavouir too, wait, he had been out for all that time? She turns back to Shanti as she finishes speaking however. "That does sound remarkably similar to what the last cult you were in tried to do, and that didn't work out so hot, did it?" The druid now looks at Wenomir. "They all fell under the sway of an evil force known as the nightmare and started to corrupt the wildlife they were supposed to protect." She clarifies.

[Morty]

[Commanders' Village]

Wenomir shrugs.

"I don't claim to understand druids. Or elves. Obviously, if she goes and gets in trouble with foreign governments, we're going to have to keep a closer eye on her. If she won't keep a phone, I can use magic messenger birds, if that's what it takes."

[Shadowcaller]

[Commanders' Village]

"Magic messenger birds? Where do you get those from?" Cessie inquires. "But yes, you are correct of course. Some of these members are troublesome to say at least." The same thing could be said about some of the older members though. "However, if you are going to look into that, I recently got some free time on my hands, so I was considering looking into the staff piece that we acquired from that horrid imp, Kelligan. Therefore, I would need to take it from the vault in outside, if that's alright with you?"

[Celticbear]

Clinic


Xavouir looks at Shanti, and while Kitty would have a few things to retort her belief in this "cycle", Xavouir doesn't. He stays silent.

[Morty]

[Commanders' Village]

Wenomir actually chuckles.

"You can be more literal-minded than I, Cessie. Anyway, studying the staff piece sounds like a good idea. I don't need to tell you to be careful."

[Clinic]

Wenomir looks thoroughly unimpressed.

"Yes, it would. Was it enough to attract KABAL's attention? Or did more accidents like the one Anika described occur?"

[Shadowcaller]

[Clinic]

Cessie frowns as Wenomir laughs. "So how are you planning to contact her, then?"

[Clinic]

Shanti suddenly gets up from her seat. "There were no accidents!" She insist, loudly. "I'm in charge now, there won't be any more mistakes, am I not Naralex did. You were there, you know that I will do better." She is staring right at Anika now who is just shaking her head.
"If you say so."

Shanti takes a deep breath and turns back to Wenomir and Xavouir. "So no, I don't know why KABAL decided to attack us. Perhaps they wanted the manor we had set up in, or they just wanted to look like people taking charge by killing a bunch of innocents. I don't know, there are rumors that they're working with demons so there is probably nothing they wouldn't do."

[Celticbear]

Clinic

Huh. Demons. Maybe Xavouir would meet a cousin. Still silent.

[Morty]

[Commanders' Village]

Wenomir's good humour vanishes as quickly as it appeared.

"That's a good question. We can't exactly afford to wait until she happens to stroll in, so magical help might be in order."

[Clinic]

Wenomir shakes his head. Religious people always complicate things.

"Demons? What kind of demons, exactly? The sort we've been fighting, or one of the countless others?"

[Shadowcaller]

[Commanders' Village]

"'Magical help', as in things without boundaries? Well, I cannot help with that I'm afraid. Some of our members might though. Like Arlem, they are capable of telepathic communication, aren't they? You could ask them for help." The sorceress suggests.

[Clinic]

Shanti waves her hand dismissively. "How should I know? I just know that one of their leader is a warlock, so they clearly have some connections to the infernal. It is said that some of their members are demons in disguise, and that they let demons possess their weapons, but that's really just rumors."

[Celticbear]

Clinic


If one could see past Xavouir's cowl, they could see each of his four eyes blink. None of the sentence that Shanti just said was good. Xavouir had seen firsthand what an extra-planar creature could do if they possessed a weapon.

[Morty]

[Commanders' Village]

"That could work. Or I could really find magical messenger birds. But I'll go talk to Arlem first," Wenomir says.

[Clinic]

Wenomir nods.

"That's not much to go on. Although fighting more typical demons than those... whatever the Cuthun bunch actually are, might be refreshing. If still bad news. As for why they attacked... they didn't strike me as people who murder for the thrill of it. You must have had something they wanted."

[Recaiden]

[Commanders' Village]

Is not where Arlem is. Probably if he's (and it is mostly 'he' these days) here at all, it's in the [Library]. Maybe the [Woods]. But I expect Wenomir can call and have his help pretty quickly.

[Shadowcaller]

[Commanders' Village]

"And then I shall focus on researching the staff piece, just tell me once you get in contact with her." Cessie replies. Then it can probably be assumed that they go about their business.

[Clinic]

"It can be any number of things, the only real way to find out is to ask their leaders, by the knife edge of course. The question is, what will it take for you to take them out? Since they are obviously a big threat right now if they are attacking parents and children." Shanti argues.

However, then someone knocks on the door. "I'm not interrupting something am I?" Oh hey, it is Amy and some of her camera crew. "Since we were gonna film now, if that's alright with you."

[Celticbear]

Clinic

At the door knocking, Xavouir jumps, hits his horns on the ceiling, and promptly falls over. He then stands up again, and says: I meant to do that!

[Morty]

[Commanders' Village]

Wenomir calls Arlem and asks him to get there.

[Clinic]

"I never said we're not going to take them out. They're clearly trying to get big-"

Wenomir closes his eyes and takes a deep breath when Amy shows up.

"Please, come in."

[Recaiden]

After several minutes Arlem is not yet there. But several minutes after that, after enlisting an acolyte to (thankfully) take care of things, he arrives in the village, shape of a miniature helicopter giving way to that of a giant spider as he comes to find the Commander. How does Cessie find the time to lead the organization? Amazing.

Hello, Wenomir.
Presuming that Wenomir's mind is as closed-up and shielded as usual, he'll then ask What do you need?

In the unlikely event that it's open enough to read some context, he'll disclaim I've not actually met Anika personally. Tell me a bit more, so I can reach her specifically?