don't bite the hand that feeds you if it's holding a knife

[draconite]

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[draconite]

[ Her head is throbbing.

She doesn't know how long it's been since she's slept properly. A few days, maybe. She's been making do with a few snatches of slumber here and there. Never longer than an hour or two before she's jolted awake again with the feeling of molten flame and blood on her face and her teeth. She's been trying to tell herself that none of it means anything, that being shown these dreams or visions or whatever it is won't make any change – but she knows that's a lie. Like a bud waiting to unfurl, she can feel the promise of something monstrous just waiting to come loose and that the motive has prodded and pushed it into focus now of all times was an inevitability. She only has so much time, after all, until she has to pay back her debts.

She's swaying a little on her feet as she makes her way upstairs from the dorm. Exhausted as she is, she feels an odd sense of purpose and clarity nevertheless. Even a bit of bemusement, as she comes to the potions room, as to just who she's seeking out in her moment of need. ]

... Hubert.

[ Of course he's here. Bryn's relieved that he'd lived up to her expectations. ]

I... need your help.

[pegasinister]

[His current project was finished earlier in the day, tucked away and safe. So his time in the Potion Room was, if anything, just to give his mind something to do while sleep was impossible. Not that he slept often anyway.

When he sees her he startles slightly- the end of the week is here, being out was a risk. But by now he can't make himself distrust Bryn specifically]

... you look wretched. Come, sit.

[draconite]

I feel wretched.

[ She grumbles it more to herself than him as she wobbles over, steadying herself on the counter and chairs as she goes until she finally settles herself beside Hubert. She has to lean heavily on the worktable even as she sits, not fully trusting her body to hold her upright. ]

I'd hoped... this was something I could handle on my own, but I think...

[ Her voice wobbles a bit. Cracks. When she continues, it's higher and softer in a way that makes Bryn seem a little softer too. Younger, even. ]

I think... something is very wrong with me.

[pegasinister]

More than the usual?

[Said with no malice, his eye narrowing in concern.]

Your balance seems off. Are you feeling dizzy? Weakness?

[he turns to face her, his tone not dissimilar to when he examined someone else all those weeks ago]

[draconite]

Yes. All of it. Which I think is... well, I haven't been sleeping. Not much. [ Not that any of them can, with things being as they are. ] But that isn't it.

[ She pulls in a shaky breath and drops her gaze from Hubert's face to her hands, scrunched into fists in her lap. ]

Do you... remember what I said at the séance, a few weeks ago? Someone worried about the possibility of hostile intervention and I said...

[ Another deep, deep breath. ]

"What's one more loose soul in here?".

[pegasinister]

[Worry blooms even more overtly on his face]

... is this a Calamity situation?

[Depend on Bert to get on the thought train right away]

[twibeast]

[ Orthrus isn't someone who needs to sleep, but when you're an eternal being you come to appreciate it for different reasons. A way to past the time, something to make your endless existence slightly less insufferable. A way to briefly reunite with those you've lost.

But he's never liked nightmares. Ever since he had his first one all those millennia ago when it was still just him and Patroclus. And so he's taken to sleeping as little as possible this week, if even at all.

Tonight is yet another restless night when he just can't do it (never mind that the Friday pattern hasn't escaped his notice) and so he finds himself leaving the dorm and making it up instead up[ the tower. He ascends all the way to the top floor, harp under his arm, and makes himself comfortable in the solarium where he can see the stars. Then he starts to play, just to make the night pass faster.

Maybe it's stupid being up here this late. Or maybe he can prevent a tragedy. He doesn't know. But surely it's better than staying in that room right now. ]

[encelevenemus]

[Ironically enough, Somnus was having more than a little difficulty sleeping himself. His wayward roommate had long since left the Abjuration dorm, wandering the tower before eventually finding his way to the highest floor...eventually following the notes of a familiar harp.]

Orthrus?

[twibeast]

[ He startles when he hears the voice but when he sees who it is he relaxes. ]

Somnus? You're up as well?

[encelevenemus]

I am. I fear I have not been sleeping particularly well as of late, and decided it would be the best use of time to make some attempt at patrolling instead.

[twibeast]

Hah, then we're in somewhat the same boat.

Sleep is not... particularly appealing to me, right now.

[encelevenemus]

Likewise, as unfortunately ironic as I know that must sound.

[He sighed, shaking his head before coming over to sit down nearby.]

Fortunately, I have seen nothing out of the ordinary tonight.

[encelevenemus]

[Somnus opened his mouth to say something further to Orthrus…and then abruptly stopped when he heard something coming, head snapping up as the disposition of cold steel slammed down on brief humanity. He held up his hand slightly in the universal call for quiet, blue eyes narrowing at the door.]

[Hubert appeared in a heap on the ground, and he crossed the distance in a flash of blue to kneel at his side.]

Orthrus—quickly, do you know any healing?! Hubert, what in the name of the Fulgurian happened to you?!

[pegasinister]

[He doesn't answer at first, and it is very possible he was unconscious. But his eye flutters open, staring, glazed and almost unseeing, at Somnus. His skin is ashen, his arm leaking blood but the spray slowed- his artery pinched from how surprisingly clean the tear was- Bryn was simply that strong]

Bryn... berserk. Right behind.

[twibeast]

[ Orthrus is confused for a moment when Somnus stops like that but then he too sees Hubert and runs over as fast as his legs can take him ]

Hubert!?

[ He kneels at his other side once he makes it over ]

I... I only know a little! Only enough to deal with small scrapes and bruises, not--!!

[ And then what he hears Hubert say makes his face pale ]

B... Bryn?!

[encelevenemus]

[Emotion always complicated things, and so it was shut down in an instant. Worry for Hubert or concern for Bryn could not be a factor here, else it risk all three of them.]

[Somnus was silent, thinking—or calculating, given the sharp look in his eyes and the harsh tension set in his jawline. Brynhilde’s death was becoming a foregone conclusion in his mind—even if she were calmed and they reached a healer, Hubert’s life was still in question and her execution a real possibility. The critical points laid in who would die and who was to be considered accountable.]

[Hubert's brilliant mind was needed to keep the others on track. Orthrus's kind heart was needed to guide and comfort them when they might waver.]

[So then, there was only one acceptable loss of the three of them.]

Orthrus. [His voice held a strange authority to it, as though the force of a massive suit of armor’s voice could be heard in the commands of a mortal less than six feet tall.] Take Hubert and hide near the door. When I draw her attention, the pair of you run and wake the others. We need someone with healing magic to see to his wounds, and I can not defend either of you while carrying him.

[Sacrifice the few—the one—to save the many. Wasn't that exactly what he had always done?]

Do not look back. I will be but a step behind to guard you both.

[Another lie told without hesitation, to add to every other falsehood that had built a monarchy.]

[pegasinister]

[The two men's words are garbled to his ears as his awareness comes and goes. There's a comfort that Somnus is going to handle it in some way, but also a sudden raging fear and... guilt]

Don't... my fault. I... did this.

[Don't kill her... he tries to say, but he can't, shock rising through his body as the adrenaline that got him up the stairs starts to drain with his blood. Cold, distant.

Soft...]

[twibeast]

[ All of this is happening so fast, almost too fast for him, but he looks back at Somnus. ]

But-- are you sure?

[ "A step behind you"

He doesn't believe it ]

[twibeast]

[ Orthrus keeps running. It's harder with his human legs and with Hubert to carry, but he can't trust Hubert to be able to stay on his backside in his current state so this'll have to do.

They get as far as the fifth floor, when Orthrus finds his own stamina and worry for Somnus AND Bryn starting to wear him down. ]

[pegasinister]

[For the first few minutes Hubert was, blessedly, unconscious. The fact that he wakes at all is an act of willpower alone, and 'aware' is pushing it]

Stop... listen.

[twibeast]

[ He's surprised when he hears Hubert and that alone gets him to stop. ]

Hubert?! J-Just hang on a little while longer, we're almost--!

[--not actually there but he's TRYING to be optimistic, lest he also shut down mentally ]

[pegasinister]

[He has no idea where they are, honestly. He can barely see ORTHRUS let alone around them. He raises a hand to hush him, fingers trembling]

Sh.... shut up. Listen. She's coming. Fast. No time. Put me down.

[twibeast]

[ He shuts up as Hubert tells him to and then turns his head back to listen closer. His hearing may not be as strong when he's not a dog but it's still stronger than a human's and now that he doesn't have his own adrenaline distracting him he can hear it too.

Which means Somnus failed.

He doesn't have the time to mourn. He has to make sure no one else dies today, he looks back at Hubert. ]

Absolutely not!! I'm not going to just let you die!

[ But he has to think quick, so before Hubert can protest he quickly looks around and then bolts into the chapel. ]

[pegasinister]

I am dead man alr- guuah-!

[The sudden change of direction makes his hand drop and his stomach twist, returning him to a near faint]

2/2

[twibeast]

[ Orthrus blinks.

He's on his bed, sitting up right and wiping down his harp as he regularly does to keep it nice and clean. He blinks a few more times, confused. ]

Did I... fall asleep sitting up...?

[ That's strange. He doesn't need to sleep so why would he... was the motive taking that much of a toll? Was he more accustomed to sleeping than he realized?

He looks around the room. Even in the dark he can tell Mei is still sound asleep but Somnus' bed is empty. That's weird, though not necessarily unusual given the mortal king's ghostly status. Maybe he went out for a patrol?

He thinks for a moment to go look for him but decides better of it. Somnus can take care of himself; loathe as he may be to admit he was one of the most capable among them so it should be fine. He'd probably only be an annoyance to the other millennia old being if he went to look anyway.

He sets his harp aside, propped against the bed, and then lays down on his side facing the wall. After a few seconds he reaches out for the plushie of Cerberus he's kept with him since Loki gave it to him all those weeks ago and holds it close.

And thus he falls asleep, unaware of why his face feels so wet. Probably just a nightmare. ]