85th Spring 516
7th Bell, Abandoned Houses
Severus the Serpent moved through the empty streets with an observant look in his eyes, following the outline of houses marked out only by the softest glow from Syna. The roofs jutted out at strange angles, dips and holes marked in them where the light poured through. On most, doors and window shutters fluttered open and shut as an imaginary breeze pushed past them, but there were no inhabitants to rush to close them, no figures seen in the glimpses inside.
Shame. The speaker had rather been looking forward to a meeting with the Vantha to explain to them that the city were more than willing to have them back now. Even if they were ghosts - as long as they were willing to forgive the murders that had so unfortunately had to happen the previous season. But if there were none there to greet him - and Severus wasn't planning on sneaking around their houses to find them - the meeting would have to wait for another day. Eyes still flickering between derelict buildings, the man turned out of the square where they had gathered.
Then a man materialised before him, the exit of the courtyard flickering through him. Eyes narrowed, head down, face scowled, the ghost took the image of the living man in. Refined. Sporting a beard of light violet flowers that reached just past his collar bone. Alive.
In a move of fury, the ghost burst towards the speaker, eyes flaming brightly as he thundered closer. For a moment, he slowed, appeared to be preparing to stop just before Severus, and the bearded man brought a hand up, ready to attempt a greeting to the furious ghost. Then they collided, both feeling the sharp impact as their souls touched each other. Caught off Severus struggled with the ghost only for a moment, then the Vantha seized control of his body, wrestling with the controls. It jolted up and down, shaking arms and legs out as he grew familiar to the size and shape of this one. Nothing like his own body, the one he would never feel again. But it was a speaker's, one of those accursed speakers he couldn't stand after their betrayal. What could he do with this one?
~~
7 and a Half Bell, Craven Manor
The girl burst through the heavy doors of the manor, breath deep and unsteady as she collapsed on her knees to the ground. Her body wasn't small by any means, but suddenly, in the entrance hall of the Craven manor, she felt like she was just a speck of dust.
It took a moment for anyone to find her there, panting for breath like a dog on the ground, and when Minerva did stumble across her, her brow was tight with irritation at the thing on the floor. "Girl, get off the ground and out of our house, unless you have business, in which case you will state it immediately."
Between her gasping, the older Craven managed to make out a few words, which only knotted her brow tighter. "Severus the Serpent? And you're certain you saw him get possessed? How would you even know what that looks like?"
"There was a Vantha... a Vantha ghost. It had to be... you need to go help..." she sputtered, slowly rising from where she knelt as she finally realised that she really was in the presence of a Craven. "Please, ma'am, you need to go now!"
The Craven shook, taking another deep, warning look at the girl, then finally nodding. "There's water in the kitchen, that's just through there. I'll tell the others and we'll have the ghost out before you've got your breath back."
~~
8th Bell, Abandoned Houses
The crowd had gathered quickly, intensely, and was only growing with size. At the forefront stood Madara, pulled out of her manor with the severity of the possession, and her sister just behind, staring blindly at the possessed speaker whose face was a picture of anger and rage at being entrapped like this by the spiritists. Sprinkled throughout the rest of the crowd were the rumours of the possession, and the rest of the Cravens, who struggled to disperse the group.
There was a light murmuring at the front, the sisters struggling to decide how to cover this. Madara chewed heavily on soulmist while Leto whispered to her about soul beads. The ghost inside Severus scowled deeply, unsure what move to make. The crowd began another rumour about the ghost - this time claiming he was Klarress, despite the fact that the girl was alive and well. The other Cravens pushed back, forcing another layer of the crowd to peel away, so they could get on with their work.
The tension in the air was palpable, and each and every person hung on the edge, ready to meet some sort of conclusion.