[Sanctuary] I've Got You Under My Skin(Mao, Kavala, Vanator)

[Kavala]

Kavala reeled in a sense of horror. She'd studied parasitology and knew about the worms and things that infected the digestive tract of horses and got under their skin to form boils and welts and even pockets of maggots. But this was something different. This was something alien and unusual and something that had wants and needs and had been manipulating Mao. Kavala could feel it in her bones.

And watching it force its way out of Mao's flesh was the single most horrifying thing Kavala had ever experienced. She rushed forward as the thing exited and disappeared from sight up the stairs. Kavala dropped to her knees besides Mao, worried sick about her, and laid her hands on the Kelvic's body. She tapped her gnosis instantly and poured healing into the other woman's form. No matter what danger Sanctuary was in, her friend came first and foremost. Besides, Kavala wasn't the figher Mao was. If they needed help that was motivated to find the thing, Mao's senses would be invaluable.

"Vanator, don't wait for me! I'll be right behind you but I can't leave her laying here.... she's my friend. Don't let it get out of your sight. I promise.. I'll follow. Go ... go!" Kavala screamed even as the power of Rak'keli's healing poured from her fingers. She could cure the bleeding wound behind Mao's hair and cure the damage the thing had done in Mao's tissue, but she couldn't exactly heal the trauma in her mind if there was indeed any.

Once the healing was complete which shouldn't have taken truthfully more than a breath or two, Kavala was on her feet and running up the steps on Vanator's heels. She was neither as fast as her brother or as fierce, but she indeed motivated to safe Mao's fate from anyone else in her facility - be they human, kelvic, or equine.

Upon reaching the top, she scanned the clinic, and burst out onto the Veranda looking for Vanator and hoping he'd kept the creature in his sights. If not, she'd open her senses to the horses of Sanctuary - the one-eyed owl and even the dog and cat - one of them had to have seen it or knew where it had went.

[Mao]

It was such an odd sensation… looking at oneself from a different viewpoint. Trapped in one’s own mind and what for? To be manipulated like a puppet for some morbid sense of entertainment, and by a worm, no less. It was insulting, and yet even Mao was oblivious to what truly was controlling her. All she knew was what she wanted, and how she was going to get it. It was the nature of a creature such as her, who had only lived off of instinct for so long, it was ingrained to her very being. How curious that now, at the peak of her unnatural transformation Mao could feel so alive. It was a wave of manipulated emotions and pent up sensations that flooded her mind. She wasn’t aware that she had fallen, wasn’t even aware that her neck was torn and a creature detached itself from her flesh. Everything was black, pitch black, and in that state of limbo, she could hear a faint voice in the distance. So near and yet so far. Could she reach it? The kelvic didn’t know. Everything seemed to drain in her subconscious. The rage and the fear and the fury melted from her body as the fur did, and Mao lay there now, completely at ease. The voice that she had previously assumed was so familiar returned. Kavala’s! It was Kavala! Mao could remember beyond the scope of what the demon thing did to her. But her lids refused to open, at least until the konti’s soothing touch flooded her with warmth and healing. It was a minor wound, and the kelvic had barely felt it, but that touch brought back the energy drained from her in the previous instant. Now she could move! Now she could wake! And what Mao noticed almost immediately as her eyes fluttered open was the sounds of the utterly distressed creatures up above. The konti had run upstairs swiftly, leaving Mao to lay there contemplating her current state. She could feel the gritty floor, the dirt, the scent of the human who was Kavala’s brother. But the agitation of the animals was far overcoming anything else. The kelvic pushed herself up on near-shaky hands and stood. What do they fear? Why are they distressed? Mao hadn’t gathered that the creature that escaped her had fled, but there was a lingering scent that was familiar, yet unnerving. The scent of her blood. So she ran. She followed the Konti and the human to the top level of Sanctuary, standing almost disturbingly calm near the clinic, “It is not here, further.” She said, knowing the Konti would be able to pick this up.

[Baku]

There was a stirring of panic and fear from the animals above. Such noises only got louder as Vanator rushed up the stairs, barely keeping the bug in sight. Try as he might though, the bug had disappeared once it had rounded a corner, leaving Vanator to gaze around, his ears filled with the racket of animal noises and the thumps of hooves beating along the ground. He would soon be joined by Kavala, the pair of them now searching, both of them making their way towards the stables, the source of the loudest panic for the moment. As they inched closer, it was Mao’s voice that suddenly stopped them, her nose leading the way as she followed the scent of her own blood to track the bug. Her walk would soon lead the group outside the front entrance, moving to the right immediately. Her own scent only grew more powerful as she began following the stable walls until the gardens came into view. It was there that the three of them would then pause. The almost silken smooth voice, higher in tone was the first to catch their ears. The smell of death mingled with Moa’s own blood, offending her nostrils with every breath. The first vision they would encounter would be the bug held in hand, its tentacles being dragged over an extended tongue. A lone male figure stood there, holding the bug in hand, almost affectionately as sharpened corners to his mouth formed a disturbing smile. His skin was pale, almost as white as the thick robes he wore over his frame. Strait, jet black hair reached almost halfway down his body, flowing in a hot gust of summer wind like a willow desperately trying to hang on to the branch of the tree it was birthed from. In his right hand, a single rose plucked from Kavala’s own gardens as it was twirled back and forth between his fingers. “I know, I know.” the figure said, his apparent speech directed to the bug he held in his hand, his voice soft and almost feminine in a way. “You did so well, provided so much entertainment using the Kelvic child. More you could have provided, had it not been for the Konti care taker.” As the figure finally began to turn his head, the party would notice dark circles lining the skin under his deep brown eyes pierced immediately into Mao’s own with their gaze, as if peering into her very soul. A sick fascination could be seen in his expression, as if her were greeted with a familiar sight that brought him the utmost joy in the world. Moa wouldn’t have recognized the face, but the robes were familiar to her. Familiar in a way that spoke of buried nightmares and things best left forgotten. Memories of the day her own family were killed. Those white, free flowing robes walking away in the distance, the fear of what she might lose became reality, and that fear suddenly turning to unspeakable rage. “And you were, little Mao. You were so very entertaining.” he then said, almost ignoring both Kavala and Vanator for the moment. “Such a young, innocent child you were back then. Untouched and unlearned. So rife with potential, of triggers not yet pulled.” “All that was needed,” the figure then said, holding up the bug as it hissed at the group, “was a little nudge.” The figure began casually walking around the garden, stepping out onto open ground as he brought the rose up to his face, smelling its perfumed aroma deeply. He walked with no fear, and whether this was due to the fact that he had absolute confidence, or absolute insanity was unsure to the group themselves. “And nudged I did, as I used the Iggatani to turn your emotions on end. Turn your grief and sorrow stronger, to fuel your rage against those silly humans I had acquired. Toss them a little coin and they would kill anything without asking why, or the consequences thereafter.” The figure continued, his gaze only now shifting to both Kavala and Vanator for a moment before fixing upon Mao once again. “Nycer is my name child, and I am the father of your pain all those years. With you, I was able to witness so much bloodshed, and your violence amused me greatly. Yes it did. Predatory Kelvics are so good for mauling, and so easy for the Iggitani to manipulate. Such an accord was simple to arrange between it an I. They feed on the chemicals of your brain, you see. Your adrenaline especially. And the Kelvic, with their animalistic nature, are so simple for the Iggatani to manipulate, their little fingers poking and prodding, like pulling strings on a puppet. It feasted well with you, on several different occasions. He was not much larger than my current thumbnail when it first started, and now look at how large it is.” Nycar then paused, looking at the group. Those observant enough would see the circles drawn into the ground with dug up earth at his feet. “I wonder, though, how much of its influence lingers within you.” Nycer then said as he brought his finger up to his mouth, biting down along the skin there as a fluid, a fluid that didn’t appear to be blood that any of the group would recognize, began to drip down his finger. “Would you give in to your rage and try to slay me? Or would your protect the new family that you have found? How much more fun can we have, Mao?”

[Kavala]

Kavala had seen some interesting things in her life from slavers to Zith to a glassbeak attack on her Pavilion once when she was little. The parasitic thing infesting Mao was well up there on her scale of 'horrifyingly terrible' as well. But hitting the corner at a dead run, coming around it, and finding Nycar standing there peaked her scale and topped everything she'd ever imagined.

And he was holding the parasite.

As he began to speak, revealing truths only Mao had held inside, Kavala realized immediately that this wasn't a benign creature. It held no love for the kelvic it tormented, and still continued too. She couldn't read people, but it didn't take a Konti diviner to know that some creatures meant no harm and some meant all the harm in the world. She had a belt pouch full of darts with her broken down blowgun, but she didn't have time to assemble it. There was also toxin like the kind she'd given Hatot for his Rite, but again she couldn't dip darts without being seen. Kavala wasn't good enough at dagger yet to even remotely hope to kill him with a thrown knife, but she could try and wound or distract him. Mediation, however, might be the best bet. Kavala would hold the knife ready, though not the Lakan she wore at her back. She had a belt dagger on her belt and a pair of throwing daggers on one side. It was not the type of day she'd wear her weapons harness so she didn't technically have anything else on her but those things.

Sanctuary itself, however, had plenty of weapons. There were rocks in the garden he trod so carelessly through and clods of dirt. There were kelvics and help that could be summoned at a mere call... there were prayers, of which she sent a quick one to Rak'keli. But not all the denizens of Sanctuary were home. Akela wasn't about. Neither was Hatot. Both were busy with their own projects. Kavala wished furiously that Hatot had been closer. He'd been often gone lately, working on his new facility and overseeing training there. If ever there was a time they needed the Akalak's watchful protection, it was that day and with this entity.

But it was Vanator, herself, and Mao. Kavala had no idea what to do. But she'd definitely try diplomacy, if one could call demanding a stranger to leave diplomatic.

"You are not welcome here. Please leave." She said simply. "If you do not, we will not guarantee your safety or our own hospitality. "

[Vanator]

The trio had lulled momentarily in their pursuit as Mao picked up some scent and took off towards the entrance, the Denusk siblings hard on her heels. Turning the corner, Their chase halted abruptly at the garden. The insidious parasite had been unnerving enough, but to suddenly find it in the hand of someone, as if it were a pet, was nothing less than hair-raising creepy. Vanator instantly sized up the stranger. The being seemed as out of place in Sanctuary's garden as a Charoda in the Burning Lands. Pale, clad in white robes, he strolled through the groomed flora as if he had been a guest, awaiting the host to arrive. Rose in hand, giant bug in the other, casual observation would lead one to believe he posed no immediate threat. But everything about his person oozed malice thinly veiled in arrogance and false etiquette. The incident that had begun with the horrifying discovery of Mao's infestation now became a surreal encounter with this malevolent intruder. Vanator's hand gripped tighter to the hand ax that he had instinctively pulled from his belt as they chased the parasite. Though this Nycar showed no weapons, his confidence that he was safe inferred he felt he could mitigate any threat the Kelvic and humans could pose. Vanator suspected magic. He hoped his suspicion was wrong. All he had was the fightng ax. No dagger and no battle ax. The horseman appeared stronger, and he surmise he could overtake him physically if necessary. Kavala was better armed with small blades, yet he did not know how adept she was a using them. Mao, well, Mao was a killing machine. As the man spoke, The Drykas made no move to attack, listening as he seemed to step into Mao's nightmare. Kavala, though clutching a knife, did the same. Van's eyes darted to his sister, seeing her calculating the situation even as her eyes stayed fixed on the pale being. Then he glanced at the Kelvic, looking for her reaction to Nycar's revelations. Vanator did not know Mao, except as a violent creature. But as he learned of this...man's...torment of her, his cruel and ruthless scheme, the horseman felt sympathy for the jaguar girl, and his rage seethed. Everything about Nycar made him want to kill him outright. There was no way to justify what he had done, nothing to redeem him. Vanator wanted to killl him. Even as he saw the strange fluid dripped from Nycar's finger, glanced down at the circles dug in the dirt, the Drykas had a very bad feeling. His arm muscles tightened, his knees bent slightly as he prepared to propel himself at the vile thing and hack it to death. Then Kavala's determined voice rose up. Her brother hesitated, returned to his cautious posture, and waited for Nycar's response to her request...and threat.

[Mao]

Mao didn’t know what she expected to find. The trail of her blood led toward the outside, and although she hoped to find the parasite alone so that she could rend it apart in disgust, there was an immeasurable sense of shock settling in as her eyes fell on the form of a man. And no ordinary man. An unnatural one, whose scent made the hairs on her neck stand on end. Death. No one could mask the scent of death, and this man carried it. The shock of his presence wasn’t enough, the man had to speak, projecting his words in a torrent of anguish and pain and hate that wrapped around her in a web. “You,” she whispered, her voice trembling, “You did this?” There was no doubt that the influence of the demon bug remained in her system. Her eyes widened, her fangs bared, and her body shook from the fury that arose as he spoke about his disposal of her parents. He’d planned it all along, he had tortured her for his own pleasure, and although the kelvic’s mind only knew instinct and death for so long, there was now renewed hatred, a hatred that ran so deep it shook her to the core. “You will die.” She hissed, “You will die, and it will be by MY claws.” Kavala had offered diplomacy, but such an act of weakness as Mao saw it only further angered the kelvic. She did not face her as she spoke, “NO, Kavala, he will not leave!” She shrieked, “He will die NOW. The telltale signs of shifting flashed before their eyes, and in seconds, the massive jaguar had pushed her legs into the ground and lunged herself into the air, a roar encompassing the tortured soul and the animosity that scarred her mind. Splayed claws came down, hoping to catch Nycer and finish him at last.

[Baku]

It almost seemed as though Kavala’s words had not registered with Nycer, as his obsessive gaze remained fixed on Mao for the moment. Her request for him to leave warranted no movement on his part. Soon, though, Mao took the direct approach, her words ringing like a harmonic cord in his ears, their meaning and intent seeming to be fully understood by Nycer as it caused an almost ecstatic smile to widen along his face, his mouth almost gaping open as he took a perverse gasp of excitement. The was a sudden surge of euphoric laughter as Mao suddenly vaulted forward, her form shifting in that brilliant golden shimmer of lights that danced through the air revealing the beautifully deadly Jaguar in it’s wake as claws reach out, hoping to find flesh. Nycer’s left hand suddenly shot forward in Mao’s direction, a seemingly defensive posture. A sudden shimmer in the visual spectrum of air, however, revealed more as Nycer’s form blurred before everyone’s eyes. Mao would be the first to discover it painfully as her body slammed hard into the seemingly solid wall of wind Nycer had formed from Rez, her body bouncing back just outside of the circle and coming to a halt after a couple of rolls. The impact would leave her dazed, and with an ache in her head, but nothing she wouldn’t recover from in less than a chime. Nycer himself seemed to hop with excitement over the violent display before all forms of joy suddenly vanished and a eerily, dead calm expression appeared over his face. “Don’t rush it, my little Mao.” Nycer then said, an almost venomous tone escaping his lips. “There may come a time, where you and I will perform a final dance, leaving one of us to travel to the Wheel of Reincarnation, but it is not this day.” Nycer’s gaze then rose to Kavala, his head tilting slightly as if to study her for a moment. “I have a sense, that someone else wishes you to themselves, so I will forego any machinations I may have had for you. Depending on whether you survive this day, you may wish I had, however.” Nycer then said, his words vague but carrying a hint of warning before his hand suddenly thrust and pointed at Vanator. “You, however, well we’ll just have to wait and see after today.” Nycer then slowly held his other hand outwardly over the circle, a small smile spreading over his lips once again. “I will leave, young Konti, but only because direct conflict does not suit me.” Nycer said as the drop of fluid that bled from his finger began to hang from the tip. “Still, as I can’t have you follow me, I shall leave you a parting gift.” Nycer then lowered himself into a crouch, pressing his finger to the dirt below. Suddenly, there was a small flash of light as the fluid began to glow, suddenly spreading out rapidly over every inch of carved dirt that was along the ground, revealing a series of complex circles and ruins in a glow. With a light boom of sound, felt in the guts of all of them there and causing the animals within Sanctuary to cry out in surprise, a pool like surface appeared, engulfing the entire surface of the circle itself. It swirled rapidly, almost like a whirlpool in the middle of a lake or ocean currents, and before long, four bulges in its surface began to rise as Nycer stood back up. Flashes of lights varying in color snapped before everyone’s eyes and streams of what seemed like electricity danced between the four rising figures as they continued to rise from under surface, as if they were rising up from under water, the liquid cascading down their frames. Echoed sounds drops of water in a cave to screams of anguish and battle filled the air accompanied with a scent of oil and blood as the figures finally ceased their rising, the surface of the pool becoming calm and shifting back to the appearance of earth once again. Now, with only colorful aura’s surrounding their frames, Mao, Kavala and Vanator finally saw the mutated forms of what they could only imagine were human men once in a distant past. Muscles bulged in some areas, but seemed skinny to the point of non-existence in others. Large tumor like lumps of skin deformed their face and hands, their skin almost reaching a tint of greenish color. One of them had a club foot, while another had what seemed like two left feet. Hair was balding on one while growing wildly all over on another. Teeth were jagged and crooked on all of them, one in particular having two lower canines that shot upward like a boar. All four of them seemed to shoot glances of violence at the three that stood in front of them now as a subtle silence passed over the area, the aura’s around their bodies beginning to fade. The silence was broken as a bag hit the ground in front of the figures, the familiar sound of coins rattling against each other echoing out from within. “Delay those three for me, but do not kill either the woman or the large cat.” Nycer then said as he began walking away, a calm tone in his voice as though he was just departing a dinner party. “After, there is a large city not far from here. You are free to kill and pillage to your heart’s content.” A hint of Nycer’s own forward thinking could be taken in his words at that moment. For everyone there knew that these four creatures wouldn’t come anywhere near what would be needed to overtake Riverfall, but the incentive of violence and pillaging shined in the form of excitement on the creature’s faces all the same. In a few spoken words, Nycer had managed to give the creatures what they wanted, got what he wanted, and left it with Riverfall disposing of them when they were no longer useful. “Let us go, my Iggatani, there are things to plan and conceive.” Nycer then said, the little parasite crawling along the top of his shoulder, giving one last look back to the others and giving a quick hiss before another shimmer of the air blurred their forms to the group’s vision. By then, the aura’s along the figures had completely disappeared as one of them lowered to the ground, picking up the bag. Each one of them held a heavy club in hand as they stared down at Vanator, Mao and Kavala before. Then, all of them yelled out in a rage fill war scream, raising their clubs and preparing. The Diverse, were ready to battle.

[Kavala]

Kavala knew posturing when she saw it. Her stallions did it sometimes when they were trying to impress a mare coming into her cycle, and certainly her big tough customers did as well when they brought a horse unsuitable for them to be riding to her to be 'retrained'. This man was no different, whomever he was. It took a small mind and a huge ego to come before someone's enemy and brag at them. He completely ignored her request to leave, instead peppering the area with threats and vague prose meant to intimidate.

It didn't work. Kavala was scared, of course, but not to the point of being completely frightened into stunned stillness. She would have if the man would have done anything remotely threatening, but tossing angry sinister words at someone was again to her like a stallion snorting and pawing and prancing - all wind no sails.

There had been lots of training recently, of the type that mainly taught her to take advantage of whatever situation she was in. And his speech gave her time. She didn't hesitate to withdraw the parts of her blowgun as he began his motions and the creatures began to manifest. She slapped the pieces together and retrieved darts for it, pulling forth the vial of paralytic. Quickly fumbling for the cork and dipping the darts, she fitted one into her blowgun and screamed inside her head to ignore what was going on. Be ready. Ignore what was going on. Be ready. She chanted this over and over to herself until at last when he turned away, the newly formed creatures looking around wildly, Kavala let fly one dart after another in a series of controlled puffs of air. Her hands shook in her fear, but he was close so it gave her courage. She'd only fit three or four and puff before she turned her attention on the hulking masses who materialized in the circle.

The healer only carried ten darts in her beltpouch. So fighting a growing compulsion to check on Mao and make sure she wasn't hurt, Kavala let fly as many of the other darts as she could before tucking her dart gun into her belt, dropping any darts that remained back in her pouch, and drawing her dagger. The Konti would aim for the nearest creatures too her, hoping to bring at least one or two down before the actual fight started. She didn't have enough daggers on her to throw any, so she retained her weapon, reversing the grip and taking a defensive stance as she waited for their next move.

And as she did so, she tried not to think of his words about her specifically. She'd done nothing to no one she was fairly certain.

[Vanator]

Vanator' crouch deepened instinctively as he watched Mao bounce away from Nycer as if she had hit a stone wall. A shiver danced along his spine. Sorcerer, wizard, freak. In the Drykas' mind, webbers and reimancers were not like those who used the darker magics, like this malevolent being surely did. Though Kavala did not see him as a physical threat, Vanator could not shake the disturbing malice he sensed from the nefarious man, if he was a man at all. When the wicked head turned to address Kavala, Nycer's words dripping with insinuation and threat, an intense rage swelled in his chest. It disgusted Vanator to hear him speak to his sister in such a manner, and the horseman silently swore to do the most horrific things to Nycer should he lay a hand on Kavala, things that even a Zith would vomit at witnessing. How dare he threaten her, his little sister! Little sister. Since their argument at Sanctuary, Van had no longer looked at her as such, or so he had thought. At that moment, her life in danger, it was no different to him than when they lived in the grass together, when he was fiercely protective of his youngest Konti sister. Perhaps he had not yet been able to let go of that past, as Raiha had counseled. Vanator shifted his stance as Nycer spoke, his body moving to partially block his sister, a reactive posture to defend her. It also served to help conceal Kavala as she prepared her dart gun, though Van was only cursory aware that she was doing something. His eyes would not leave those of the menacing figure before them. The Drykas desired to take action, to do something. But he found himself unmoving, gripping his small ax, staring dumbfounded as the four hulking shapes rose from the liquid and light. His eyes darted to Mao, hoping she was recovering, not as much for her own sake, but because he had a feeling they would need her to survive. Their antagonist vanished in some sinister way, and Vanator steeled himself for the battle to come, heart rate rising and adrenaline pumping to energize is lungs and muscles for combat. Kavala, always thinking, was ready. He saw the tube raise from the corner of his eye as he coiled himself for a charge. Darts flew out in impressive succession toward the bulky mutants even as the Drykas made a snap assessment of their opponents. Certainly strong and better armed, the axeman wondered how quick they moved. Four against the three, he scowled at the odds. His eyes darted towards the jaguar. They needed Mao, there was no hope without her. "Mao! Mao! Get up!" Vanator yelled with a roar of authority tinged with desperation. Van mourned for lack of his battle ax. These club-wielding beasts had further reach than the man and his simple hand ax. Kavala had only her small blades. His only hope was to get inside the reach of the club, where the weapon was unwieldy, and strike fast to debilitate. Perhaps his sister's toxins would give them an edge, for they desperately needed one. The horseman chose not to charge one of the creatures, leaving the others to slip past and attack Kavala. Instead he took a few steps forward, in front of the Konti and stood his ground. They were large, and it would seem difficult for more than one to attack him at once. Maybe he could buy Kav some time to flee. He wanted to command her to go, to hide herself away. But he knew enough to understand she would not leave, and have these things harm anyone in Sanctuary. He only muttered a word, packed with emotion, apology, affection and fear for her in one utterance...."Kavala."

[Mao]

The impact left the jaguar winded. She rolled and came to a halt on the ground, breathing heavily but feeling no real devastating after effects of the failed attack. But he was leaving. The creature was escaping! She could not let him escape, not after what he had done to her; what he’d done to her family! But when she tried to stand, Mao felt slightly lightheaded. She swayed a bit then collapsed once more, shaking her head with a growl. No no no, he was escaping! NO! She roared, a powerful emotion thrust into her vocalization and pounded in the pair’s ears. She watched with an overwhelming sense of failure as Nycer disappeared, and a new scent filled the air with a disgusting odor of malformation and human. Vanator was screaming at her, and his words didn’t register in her mind until her eyes fell on the grotesque forms of the invaders. Kavala had already began an assault with her blowgun, but Vanator stood there like a dumb animal in the wake of a predator that was about to outrun it. Of course they needed her. They could do nothing on their own, especially that Drykas filth. She pushed her legs up and bounded forward, feeling the adrenaline course through her veins with each pound on the compact earth. Mao launched herself into the air, narrowly avoiding a swing of one of their clubs, as her claws meant to catch the disfigured skin of one of the Diverse. She wasn’t quick enough at one point, and had been struck with a club on the back, sending her in a rage and a hiss as she whipped her head back and clamped her powerful jaw on one of their arms. And she shook. She shook with all the pent up rage and anger she harbored for the demon called Nycer, and what she would do to him when she finally had him in her claws.