Imprints in Stone [AU]

[GamesMaster]

The expected rush hadn't come -- mostly because the guard hadn't swept through cattown looking for Niko yet -- but Anders was still busy, still working. And so they're forced to wait a further few minutes while he tends to a patient before they can slip into the back and catch him between names.

Anders isn't a dumb man. Seeing the look on their faces, hearing that they want to talk, he tugs them all the way back to the store-room for privacy. "What's going on, girls?"

[Bethany]

"Here, this is better," Bethany says and then mutters a spell Anders would recognize- Silent Table, a somewhat uncommon spell that Beth has used a few times to help with noise issues when the clinic is really, really busy. It only lasts for a few minutes, but that's often long enough to set a bone or do the worst of some treatment and hide the screaming from the other patients.  The fact that it only covers a ten foot bubble, which means Ari is right up and close to Anders should a fight break out... well.

"What was in the letter you sent to Huntinghawk this afternoon?" Bethany asks softly once she's done, not wasting a lick of time.

[GamesMaster]

Anders frowns. "I offered my help in whatever way is possible. I have some small skill in alchemy, and not knowing if she would be resurrected or not, I suspected they may need my help to replace her essential functions. Why? What's this about?"

[Tethras Clan]

Merrill starts to nod slowly, a look of relief starting to spread across her face at what seems like a reasonable-

[Bethany]

"Why have Chirples sneak the letter in then? Why would you, a know opponent of the noblity, want to help her when you never have enough for here? Why stop at a forger right before? And right after getting a sample of my dad's handwriting?" Bethany, on the other hand, isn't buying it. 

[GamesMaster]

"I can see you're upset," he says slowly, watching Bethany carefully. "Do you need to lie down? I have tonics that can help you calm yourself."

Ari hisses, tensing, ready to strike.

[Bethany]

Bethany snarls at him, looking rather catlike herself for a moment. "As if I'd take anything you gave me anyway," she spits at him. "I just want you to look me in the eye and tell me it was worth it. That your fucking cause was worth betraying your students, your friends. Was worth lying and using an innocent, the most trusting soul I know. Tell me!"

[GamesMaster]

When he speaks, even Beth can hear the buzzing now -- a strong undertone, his words monotonous, flat. His eyes stare through her, vacant, and he straightens, his posture becoming unnatural. "Any price is worth paying to bring about Justice."

[Tethras Clan]

"Oh that's not good," Merrill says weakly. "That's- I think he mi-"

[Bethany]

Beth doesn't waste time with words, stepping back just enough to cast.  Fresh, green vegetation erupts from the wooden floor, slick with mildly toxic sap, to wrap around Anders. Strangely, the spell nearly avoids entangling Ari or Merrill despite them being so close to Anders.

[Tethras Clan]

"-ght be possessed?" Oh we're fighting, okay.

[NPCs]

The next twenty seconds goes by in a blur of furious movement. Ari manages to claw Anders-Justice up pretty badly, particularly as he's unable to move out of range. His first casting, however, pretty thoroughly neutralizes her as he uses his magic to strike her blind. Merrill, perhaps inspired by his spell, covers him in magical mud. There's only two more exchanges- Anders flings Hunter across the room with a spell just as the mabari had reached the fight, only to be hit with two other spells in reply. The last spell Anders casts is something of a miscalculation- he hits Bethany with a web of ectoplasm that promptly starts attempting to choke her. He went after her because Bethany was going straight for powerful attack spells (or as powerful as she has anyway) while Merrill was being more indirect.

Seeing her sister choking however... Anders goes down swiftly after that, a pillar of roaring green-gold flame smiting him to the ground. Merrill doesn't bother to glance at him, rushing over to fuss over Bethany, who is kneeling on the ground while trying to catch her breath.

[GamesMaster]

Ari's fur fluffs out, her tail trembling. "I can't see," she hisses. "What's happening? Is he dead?"

[Bethany]

Coughing softly, Beth manages, "he's down. Merri-" she winces, rubbing her throat. "Merri called down a fucking beam of holy fire."

[Tethras Clan]

"He hurt you," the elf growls, reaching over to absently pat the overprotective mabari that's sniffing every each of Bethany.