isleofavalon | Log: Holy Grail War

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Log: Holy Grail War

🧙 WHO: Caster & OPEN (with a couple of closed TLs)
⚔️️ WHAT: Caster's gone on a grief-induced rampage after learning of the death of her lover back home
🕒 WHEN: June 6th, late night
🗺️ WHERE: The Brocéliande woodland
⚠️ WARNINGS: Violence, Arson, Kidnapping, Death Threats, Magical Torture, Grief, potential Body Horror (Will add more as they come up)

So here it was...the Witch of Betrayal finally showing her 'true colours' to Avalon. After that network post, Caster readied herself for whatever would come of it- the forest fire providing an ominous backdrop.

Since she'd come to Avalon, so many had told her she was a good person- and now, she was publicly burning it all to the ground.

[ooc notes: TL prompts will be in the comments!

I don't want Caster to get killed, but I'm all for her potentially getting maimed/scarred provided we plot first. If you don't think it's IC for your character to not just murder her, send me a message so we can plot how she can remove herself from the situation/have someone else intervene before it gets that far!

She'll be using her familiar symbiosis to fight and leaning toward making the actual description of that transformation slightly body-horror-y, but if you're not comfortable with that then just give me the heads up and I'll have her already turned when the thread starts.

Darin will have his own TL for rescuing him/fighting his own familiar fusion, which I'll link here when it's up- feel free to tag one or both as you see fit!]

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No, with the poor light and her exhaustion, she didn't recognise her right away- not until she found Maribelle letting her lean on her. She limped along at her side.

...It felt cold, somehow. Her words, her voice- she wouldn't even look at her.

"What...do you intend to do?"

She focused on keeping her fusion active, skeletal wings curling in tight against her back, and tail swishing anxiously from side to side.

"I'm taking you to back to our... your room."

Yes, there was a definite word change there. Maribelle wouldn't be able to stay in that place, not now. Who knew if ever again? She'd find a way around this place, even if it meant sleeping in the woods, but it just couldn't be with Caster anymore.

Even in her state, Medea recognised the change in her voice, and she just stopped in her tracks. Too tired for anything more than a flare of bitter anger- the skeletal tail slamming into the ground behind her- before she just grew quiet.

"...You're leaving."

The words didn't feel real. But- but she knew she'd rather stagger back to town alone than face abandonment.

At that tail slam, Maribelle flinches. There's a clear second reason for the separation...

Fear. After all this, she's become afraid of Caster.

Yet she doesn't let go or push Caster away. After taking a moment to breathe, she resumes walking. "You didn't think it was going to all sunshine and rainbows after all this, did you? ... I need some time away. I need to think."

...Medea had seen that look so many times before. From Jason, from the other Argonauts, from the people who she'd encountered after becoming a 'true witch' in her world, to those who she knew in the Holy Grail War. Fear at the dark magics and horrible tactics she called upon.

And coming from someone she'd grown to deeply care for? Someone who'd said she believed in and trusted her? It felt akin to a hot knife going through her.

But, she supposed, she'd now become that 'true witch' here as well, hadn't she?

Medea beat her wings as Maribelle started moving, staggering a couple of paces back to try and get some distance.

"Why did you come here? You have no obligation to me." It was everything she could to try and keep her voice level. "...Go collect your things. I- I have enough strength to get back."

A lie, but...Klaudia had promised to shelter her if it all went to hell, hadn't she? And she'd already hidden the Golden Fleece before she left the house that day. Hopefully Maribelle wasn't spiteful enough to take it.

Oh no you don't - Maribelle is not loosening her grip. Instead, she pulls Caster back along, stubbornly so.

"Because I don't want this cycle of revenge to continue, in case someone gets the idea to finish you off!" Maribelle snaps, her grip a bit tighter now. "I don't want you to get hurt any further than you are now! If I had a single ounce of healing magic left in me, I'd be using all of it on you!"

Yes, Maribelle was still very angry and very scared at Caster - but not enough to abandon her to the wolves and let her be torn apart, bleeding out to death in an alley like a lowlife thief.

"And I have no intention of being dragged back like this-" Bitterness. Bitterness and pain nothing else.

Her fusion was continuing to waver as well- wings slowly starting to dissolve in a sickly purple light- but Medea forced her focus back on maintaining it. She refused to let herself release the power so long as she felt under threat.

...She did, very much, feel threatened.

"Nobody is getting what they want today, that much is clear." There is slight relief that her fusion is coming apart, but it doesn't last long.

So they both feel threatened. So they both felt afraid. So be it. They've made their choices and there's no going back now.

"... I left my familiar there. At the room. To make sure no one stole your things." Including the precious golden fleece.

Before she could hope to argue the first point, Maribelle raised the second- and that went a little way to calming her volatile temper. Although, a small part of her had wondered if Maribelle would take or damage her things to get back at her for all of this.

"I...I see." Medea hated all of this, she didn't want to be dragged back by someone who'd grown to- in her mind- loathe her very existence. One who'd abandon her like the witch she was. And...hadn't the Trader warned her that she'd need a lot of sleep once the fusion wore off?

"...take me to the edge of town, then- I'll find my way from there. I'm not heading back like this."

"No." Maribelle wasn't even willing to discuss it or hear Medea out. It was just Not Happening, as far as she was concerned. "I'm taking you there. I want to see you make it there all in one piece. If anyone wants to continue the cycle of revenge right now, they'll have to get through me first, and I'm already feeling quite cross."

Maribelle was very angry at Medea, frightened of her too - but the one thing she wasn't feeling right now was hatred. Sure, anger and hatred often cross one way to the other, but not today. Not with her.

"So you intend to ignore my will...well, I should be used to that by now."

With this bitter slam of her tail, the bones started to crumble apart- but she was stubbornly going to keep her fusion up with every ounce of willpower she had, just to keep it going until she physically couldn't anymore.

But she did stop fighting her, letting her numb feet stagger alongside Maribelle's as they made their way away from the scene. Medea had gone quiet by now- what point was there in trying to say anything else?

She had to use the time to think of an exit plan. She couldn't sleep in her own house that night, not with half of Avalon out to get her.

It was clear this conversation wasn't going anywhere, so Maribelle didn't press it any further. She didn't want any attention drawn to them anyway.

And so, the two silently made their way back to their - well, now Medea's room. Maribelle keeps going, however, until she's able to get Medea sit on her bed.

Her familiar - a lovely white bird, a Caladrius, coos quietly from the windowsill. It then flies over to the bed, looking over at Medea with concern.

"... It can take away sickness, so I've been told." Maribelle explains quietly, before moving to gather what few things she can. "But as far as I can see, all your injuries are physical."

The bird coos again, sadder. As if to apologize it couldn't help.

Medea collapsed on the bed, using her arms to steady herself. Stay awake, stay awake, stay awake-

She turned her attention to the bird as it studied her. Sickness, hm... well, unless grief or exhaustion were sicknesses, there wasn't much else that could be done for her.

"Yes, physical, mostly..."

In an eerie purple light, her fusion finally came apart, the small dragon manifesting curled up beside Medea. It kept its eye on Maribelle and the familiar, tail swaying from side to side.

"...Get- get your things- I just need rest."

She needed to get out of here before she passed out...

Maribelle falls quiet again. She packs her few things - truly, few, it doesn't take long. Once it's all good to go, she heads for the door, and stops.

What can she say? Goodbye? Are you happy now? Was it worth it? Take care of yourself? All of it seems either too petty or too close. So ultimately... she says nothing. Her bird moves to sit on Maribelle's shoulder, and she walks out, closing the door behind her. As far as Caster may be concerned, the story ends here.

... But there's always room for an epilogue.

Once a good distance outside, Maribelle glances at her familiar. "... Keep an eye on her. I doubt you can do much, but..."

The bird already takes off, heading for the roof. Maybe Medea will notice the bird watching over her every now and then. Maybe she'll never know it was there. But Maribelle will know... and for now? It's all she can do.

She walks on, chiding herself as she begins to cry in public. How undignified.

Medea couldn't watch as Maribelle packed up her things, stubbornly focusing on a spot on the floor until the door finally closed. So that was it, was it?

But she knew she couldn't stay, even as she collapsed onto the bed. If anyone was coming after her, then her house would be the first place they looked, wouldn't it? She had to get out of here. She had to move.

Slowly, she nudged her familiar, trying to will it- and herself- to get up.

"Little one we can't stay here- they'll- they'll come-"

The little dragon made a small, sad noise- and despite her words, Medea couldn't find the strength to move from her exhaustion.

"...please..." It was hopeless, though, and she found herself hugging onto that weird torso-and-arm shaped pillow the Traders had sold her, quietly sobbing into its 'shoulder' until the rest of her energy wore out.

And there, she passed into an uneasy sleep.

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Log: Holy Grail War

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Caster why are you like this just stop

never change caster

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