Tenth Crusade [JT, R, Closed]

[✱Paiva "Amalia" Vollbrecht✱]

Nestled at the center of the Silbern rested a divine anchor. At the feet of emperor's throne room resided the immaculate cathedral. A space for seeking solace, enlightenment, and knowledge. Above all, this holy chamber was a testament to the Vandenreich's vital role in preserving the Quincy race. Etched in the very walls of this cathedral was the history of the Vandenreich Empire. Each entry was a piece of that history, isolated and preserved for the purpose to reminding all those who resided here of the sacrifices and triumphs that created this sanctuary. 

Amalia rarely used this place for prayer unlike others in the Vandenreich. For her, the cathedral was both a beacon and graveyard. One that reminded her of her might and authority. In many ways, the historical depictions etched in stone or portrayed in colored glass invigorated her soul. They centered her resolve in a way that many might find insidious and and perverse. These four walls were also the resting place for all of Amalia's crimes. Crimes so gruesome they violate the laws of nature. By simply passing the threshold she was freed from the sin and darkness that clung to her soul. Here she buried it alongside the history of her brothers and sisters. 

The purpose of this cathedral was indeed different for many. And while they prayed or basked in the glory of their history, beside them was a growing darkness. One that fed on their prayers as they passed their lips. This beacon of might and graveyard of sin was the source of Amalia's power. It restored her should her armor weaken. It strengthened her should she feel fatigued. For in that moment, as her proud eyes gazed at the visage of the emperor, she reminded herself of her superiority. And with a wicked smile, Amalia came one step closer to realizing her godhood. 

Amalia let out a faint chuckle as she smugly glanced to her left. She tapped her fingers on the back of her seat while she impatiently waited for Priscilla. Amalia knew what this palce meant to her and how it rejuvenated her soul, but wasn't sure what purpose it served for Priscilla. She figured it would be a similar beacon for her, but even Amalia knew her violent nature was unmatched within the Vandenreich. Nevertheless, this was a suitable place to begin based on where they are going and what they plan to do. This day could prove fruitful and prosperous for the Vandenreich or end in slaughter. A part of Amalia wanted free Quincy to convert, but another part of her begged for them to resist just so she could have some fun. Undoubtedly, many will make the wrong choice. Such a shame. She thought with a chuckle.

[Sieglinde P. Krantz]

With a loud creak, the wooden doors of the cathedral opened up to Priscilla's hands. She pushed the door open just enough until she could manage to squeeze herself inside, then gently shut them. She desired to do so with as minimal noise as possible, as to not interrupt her superior who might have been lost in thought at the time. She walked inside, holding herself high, rather excited about the day at hand. She had no idea how today was going to go. There were chances that it could go splendidly well, and there were chances that it could go horribly wrong. Either way, it would be a learning experience for the Captain.

"Sorry to keep you waiting," Priscilla said, followed by a short but sweet bow. She felt that the two of them were on well enough terms that she could skip the formality between the two of them. She knew that Amalia was still her superior, and did address her as such when she needed to. But, at the same time, she took a much more relaxed tone around her as compared to the other members of the Vandenreich. This wasn't due to a lack of respect, no, not at all. This was due to the fact that Priscilla felt comfortable around the Sternritter she had grown to admire over the years. "I was a tad bit busy making sure I was well-suited to represent. Wouldn't want that to be an issue when trying to recruit."

Priscilla let out a small laugh at the end of her comment. After a few seconds, she sat down on one of the pews, and held her hands in prayer. She began to close her eyes, and take a moment of silence. After about a minute passed, she tilted her head back up, sat up straight, and opened her eyes, now with a smile on her face. "So, where are we headed today, Amalia?" she asked. She was familiar with the task at hand, and knew what they were going to do, but Priscilla had no idea where they were going. This wasn't necessarily a bad thing, only something she'd need a bit of information on beforehand.

She quickly unbuttoned her uniform, revealing a white dress shirt underneath, while checking her stock of items. She had a full stock of both selee schneides, as well as ginto tubes, having six and thirty of them respectively on standby, should the situation get ugly. Re-buttoning her uniform, she smiled towards Amalia once again. "All set!" she said cheerfully. Priscilla was in a rather good mood at the moment. She couldn't wait to see what would happen, as previously mentioned. She was practically bursting with excitement! No matter how the day would have gone, it was a win-win. They either got more Vandenreich members, or Priscilla could continue to test out her powers!

[✱Paiva "Amalia" Vollbrecht✱]

Sorry to keep you waiting.Amalia turned and watched Priscilla while slouching casually in the pew. She furrowed her brow and stared at Priscilla quizzically before rolling her eyes. She sighed and playfully swatted at her. “Would you stop bowing.” She demanded. “I keep telling you it isn’t necessary, but you persist. Leave the bowing and kneeling to the fearful sycophants feeding off my crumbs” She remarked with a generous laugh. Amalia leaned to her right and observed Priscilla for a moment, her eyes scanning her outfit. I was a tad bit busy making sure I was well-suited to represent. Wouldn't want that to be an issue when trying to recruit. Amalia smirked as she watched Priscilla. So, where are we headed today, Amalia?

"Oh, I can see you followed my example. Very nice!” Amalia reached over and fussed with her clothing before directing her attention to her hair. “I’m thankful you took to this like a fish to water. You have always been one of my more promising pupils. You’re no longer a pupil, are you?” She sighed and leaned back on the pew, staring forward. “You’re a teacher now and have become more than just a colleague.” Amalia continued to gaze forward, the sun’s light shining brightly through the stained glass windows. “Look at all this history. It’s not wonder so many come here. It practically vibrates with raw energy.” She stated softly.

Amalia’s attention return to the present as she clicked her tongue before responding to Priscilla. “You’ve heard of Karakura, right? A spiritual nexus of sorts.Evidently there is a particularly large settlement of Quincy who are under the protection of not one, but two notable groups.” Amalia scowled for a moment. “That traitorous fullbringer managed to procure me some of this data and I dig a little digging on my own. Not only a a prominent anit-Vandenreich family providing them refuge, but a human world organization has been helping Quincy from neighboring regions relocate. Strength in numbers, I suppose.”
zzzz

“Have your sources provided you any additional information on free Quincy groups in the human world? I know you have feelers out there for the purpose of spreading the word of the Emperor.” Amalia smiled at Priscilla before leaning forward and glancing at a statue in the likeness of the emperor. “Naturally many will resist. They’ve been brainwashed by those despicable families, not to mention those ineffectual groups, most notably Uzaki Enterprises. Silly little bounts and fullbringers running around trying to meddle in affairs that transcend their trivial existence.”

[Sieglinde P. Krantz]

Priscilla laughed alongside Amalia. Upon being tapped by her, she began to speak. "Apologies," she said, "I guess old habits just die hard. Doing what I can to break it, though!" She continued to listen to Amalia speak, smiling all the while. She was genuinely glad to hear what she had to say, and appreciated every word of it. She continued to let her speak, deciding against commenting in that moment. She perked up upon hearing the mention of Karakura, having remembered her most recent trip there. She frowned a bit, remembering her rather bitter defeat at the hands of the Beastclan that had bested her.

She quickly shrugged it off, continuing to focus on Amalia's words. Upon being asked about her sources, a smile returned to Priscilla's face. She continued to let Amalia finish, before deciding to comment. "Actually, I had just gotten information before I arrived here! I heard word that there's a corporate company known as Xcution who had recently hired a rather large number of employees, a fair portion of which have been Quincies. One of my men is currently going though the process of being hired within the company, mostly to see what it's about and perhaps get a bit of information out of them as far as what's currently going on. It's nothing notable at the moment, but a possible lead to go off of if you'd like."

She looked ahead, practically jumping with excitement. "I am so very ready for this, you've got no idea! I can't wait to see how many we're going to be able to bring to the light! My guess is... fifteen people at least! How about you? Care to make any predictions? A friendly bet, perhaps?" Pricilla giggled. "I'm only kidding. Unless you'd like to actually have a friendly wager to see how many converts we can actually get to follow us today?" She smirked toward Amalia, albeit playfully. This was made as apparent as she could have possibly made it; she meant nothing ill towards the Captain Supervisor, only a bit of fun with the situation at hand.

[✱Paiva "Amalia" Vollbrecht✱]

Amalia draped her hands over the pew in front of her as a pensive expression washed over her face. She gently rubbed her bottom lip with her fingers before resting her cheek against her hand. Amalia scanned the room as her fingers pressed into her cheek. It was clear she was carefully examining what Priscilla had just revealed. "Employing Quincy?" She asked curiously. "I'd normally find the idea of Quincy seeking employment at either Uzaki Enterprises or Xcution traitorous and appalling, but there is something provocative about it when you say it out loud."

Amalia nibbled at her finger while her mind pondered. She set her gaze upon Priscilla and with a devious smile congratulated her. "Well-done. Their sudden interest in Quincy can be used to our advantage. Who knows what dirty little secrets those peasants are hiding. Only time will tell, I suppose." She said with a hearty chuckle. Amalia prided herself on understanding her opponents, but the institutions that housed them remained a mystery. There was only so much information that could be gleaned from the outside. Even so, Amalia wondered if there was anything worth knowing. Did they have anything worth taking? The better part of Amalia thought there was always a reason to exploit someone or something. Even if the benefit was small, it could still prove useful. 

Care to make a predictions? A friendly bet, perhaps? Amalia playfully smiled at Priscilla. "We're not gambling with the lives of other Quincy, are we?" She jested as she leaned back. "I've got a wager for you. I bet this diamond necklace that the blind and obstinate will all be dead come midnight. If not, you better clear your calendar. Those seem like fair terms." She said with a smile as she lifted herself from the pew. Amalia approached the doors to the cathedral, gesturing for Priscilla to follow. "We will not be showing any mercy, Priscilla. If after we encourage them they refuse, we kill them. Only death awaits those who defile their Quincy spirits by cavorting with inferior races."

"Actually, if you end up killing more people than me, I will give you my diamond necklace. It belonged to my grandmother and hers before her. It has a significant history in the Vollbrecht family. You have to earn it, though." She said with a wink. "What better way to earn such a beautiful heirloom than through cutting down our enemies." As Amalia traversed the long, sun-filled hallway, she couldn't help but wonder about whether Sebastian was taking refuge in one of the free-Quincy sanctuaries. A part of her never wanted to see her again, that part of her that was ashamed and embarrassed. That aside, she wanted nothing more than to rip him open and paint the walls with his innards. She had fallen silent while she thought of Sebastian, a grim expression painting her face. Would Priscilla notice?

[Sieglinde P. Krantz]

Upon hearing Amalia's congratulatory words, Priscilla beamed with gratitude. "Thank you, Amalia! I thought you might be interested in that sort of insider information! Truth be told, deception and infiltration plots are my personal favorite!" A childish smile rose to her face. She was like a kid in a fucked up candy store. "I'll certainly keep you informed as to how it all goes, hopefully we'll be able to get some useful information, as well as possible security flaws within the organization itself! Do I hear a possible invasion plan?"

Priscilla's face began to glow with excitement. "Wow, that's some wager you're willing to make! Are you sure you're wanting to make that kind of deal? That's almost like you're imploring us to get violent upon arrival!" She chuckled with this comment. "Though, the question must be asked, what exactly do you mean by 'better clear your calendar'? What exactly are you planning?" A smirk began to rise to Priscilla's face. She figured that Amalia was definitely planning something, but what exactly she was planning wasn't something she could've reasonably guessed at the moment.

She quickly noticed the rather brooding appearance that Amalia had taken up. "Everything alright?" She looked to make sure that everything was alright with her rather murderous friend. "Something particular on your mind? Or are you just thinking about the potential... massacre, that'll be happening later? If so, I do promise you that I'll beat you in this wager." Another chuckle came from the Quincy. She was quite interested in what was going to happen. Only time would tell if she would win that necklace from the woman she looked up to.

[✱Paiva "Amalia" Vollbrecht✱]

Amalia's regret had quickly sedated her demeanor. The feeling was powerful enough to penetrate her defenses and now Priscilla was given a glimpse beyond the mask. Amalia could attempt to hide her feelings, but it wouldn't be convincing enough. She was foolish to have let her guard down. Fortunately it was in the presence of Priscilla and not someone less trustworthy. Amalia leaned back as her fiery gaze aimed forward. "It's Sebastian." She snarled, her tone overcome with seething rage.

"Surely you remember him." Amalia's voice dropped in volume as she whispered to herself quietly. "Vile traitor." It was apparent Amalia had strong feelings  about Sebastian's sudden departure. To her it was the ultimate betrayal. Sure he had become a traitor to Silbern and his Majesty, but he had deceived her. It was more personal than the defection of some random Vandenreich member, and even more complicated based on his possible method. She had converted him and was responsible for him, and thereby liable for his actions. 

This wasn't merely a betrayal, but a stain on her reputation. "He violated my trust, Priscilla, and you know I don't give that away freely, if ever. The moment I laid eyes on him I saw nothing but a lost soul, someone searching for purpose and way out. Honestly, he didn't know which he wanted more. I offered to convert him thereby renewing his purpose in life. His Majesty sensed his ambivalence and bestowed upon him a mere fraction of what he would normally. When I heard of his defection, I was certain he would be eliminated using his Majesty's Auswählen. But somehow...the connection had seemingly been severed."

Amalia's voice quaked from both anger and fear as her eyes trailed over to Priscilla. "I dare not speak of such sacrilege. To say its name is to validate its existence." She said as a forlorn expression crept across her face like a shadow. Amalia looked around the cathedral, ensuring the space was free of any stragglers. "This ritual is of the most blasphemous nature, Priscilla. Very few know of its existence. I don't know if this ritual was used, but I know of nothing profane enough to do for Sebastian what I believe he wanted."

"If it is indeed what he used, I can't begin to explain how he discovered its existence.  Centuries ago his Majesty sent the Sternritter on a mission to purge all records of its existence. This included anything and anyone. We decimated entire Quincy lineages to wipe this from history. While we can enjoy ourselves, we must remain vigilant. I'm hoping we can find out where he might be by visiting these various locations. Scouts alerted me of a strange man who had recently taken up residence in this location, which is why we'll begin here. I'm not sure if he's foolish enough to live with Quincy, but it's a start."

[Sieglinde P. Krantz]

Priscilla rested her chin on her hand, lost in thought. Sebastian? The name certainly sounded familiar, but she hadn't met him in person. From other members of the Vandenreich, she's heard his name mentioned, usually from the higher-ups, but it was never more than a quick mention usually followed by some snarky comment directed towards him. She never learned too too much about him from the libraries, either. There wasn't anything on him whatsoever. Perhaps she could learn more from Amalia? Only time would tell with that. Should she learn more on him, perhaps she should document it? That'd be best, certain history shouldn't be forgotten, especially about someone terrible like this. If anything, it's better to mark traitors to make them easier on the general populous to hunt down, should they desire to do so.

"So, you're looking to wipe him off the map, huh?" Priscilla smirked, quite interested in Amalia's plans for Sebastian. "Well, I'm sure you know I'd be more than happy to help you accomplish that goal of yours! It's only fair after the constant aid you've given me to help me get where I am. I'd be glad to assist you! Hopefully we do find him here, as to limit the amount of searching that needs to be done. Also, I'm sure you're already aware of this, but should we find him, he's all yours, as long as I can watch what'cha do to him!" With this, the Quincy giggled and continued, with a fairly obvious hint of sarcasm in her tone. "For science, of course! It's not like I'm just going to condone the ending of someone's life, there has to be something gained from it, no?"

Priscilla watched the woman she considered to be her best friend take on a gloomy look. She stared rather quizzically. "Pardon me for asking, but what ritual would you be referring to? If it's information I cannot be told, I'll accept that, but I've got to say I'm awfully curious now. It sounds like this would be quite the conundrum if it were to have been used, yet I'm still not entirely sure what it is. Exactly how problematic would this be for us if said ritual took place? Would we be encountering any hardships upon arrival? If so, I'm sure we can tolerate it, but it doesn't hurt to be prepared nonetheless. Better safe than sorry, right?"

Out of the blue, she began to unbutton her coat. "Please, don't mind me," she said, directing her own attention to the inside of uniform itself, "just taking inventory before we leave. I'd like to make sure I've got everything before this all happens. I've been preparing a few tricks for a matter like this, and I'd like to make sure I, at the very least, have the option to make use of them!" She began to look through the various items she had stocked inside of her uniform, making sure everything was accounted for. After a brief second or two, she looked somewhat disappointed, and directed her attention back to Amalia. "I'm missing a few things, sadly. Not as prepared as I'd like to be, but so be it! The chances we'll face heavy backlash is relatively limited, anyway, correct?"

[✱Paiva "Amalia" Vollbrecht✱]

Amalia stared at Priscilla in a moment of incredulity. Priscilla's casual interest in the ritual seemed to disregard the palpable fear Amalia was experiencing. She couldn't quite understand why Priscilla wasn't more alarmed by what she was saying. Did she not understand the mechanics of their connection with the emperor? "Priscilla," Amalia trailed off as she contemplated her words, "you don't seem to be grasping the gravity of this crime. This ritual severs one's connection with the Emperor, a feat previously considered impossible. His Majesty is a god and only the most profane of rituals could possibly sever our connection to him."

Amalia's hand trembled with the same fear and anger as before. The concept of the ritual was not only blasphemous, but threatening to Amalia's beliefs about his Majesty. She never thought a ritual born of mortals could penetrate a god's will. Amalia believes she and the other Sternritter are extensions of his Majesty's godhood, and so this ritual is a threat to her person as well as her beliefs. "The ritual is voluntary, though I suppose it could be forced on someone though I have no knowledge of it ever having been used in such a way. It isn't either well-known or something that can necessarily be weaponized. So, in short, no, we're in no immediate danger. But his behavior is a sin." She said as emotion built in her voice. "It is equivalent to the crime of self-destruction. To take one's life is to spill his Majesty's blood. Severing one's connection is just as gruesome a crime."

Amalia rubbed her hands together before lifting herself from the pew. "Yes, we will be wiping him off the map. We're going to convert those wise enough to choose the correct path and kill the others, but not before we extract whatever information we can find about the mysterious man seen frequenting this location. We need to find a way to track Sebastian and end him. A public execution would certainly be more satisfying, but it would only raise suspicions on why he wasn't eliminated using Auswählen." 

"I'm missing a few things, sadly. Not as prepared as I'd like to be, but so be it! The chances we'll face heavy backlash is relatively limited, anyway, correct?" Amalia gave Priscilla a soft smile. "You have everything you need at the tips of your finger. You need nothing else. That being said, I have no idea what you mean by backlash. Backlash from whom about what? What backlash could we possibly receive from free Quincy? From where we're standing they're in the wrong, not us." Amalia proceeded to exit the cathedral. "Let's go. We have some free Quincy to enlighten."

[Sieglinde P. Krantz]

Priscilla simply nodded, and began to walk behind Amalia. She ran though numerous different things in her head, regarding the situation at hand. She still couldn't even begin to express the level of excitement she felt for the upcoming events. She was thrilled at even the thought of bringing some Quincies into the light, under the emperor. She couldn't help but smile. "I must say, I'm getting fairly excited at the prospect of aiding fellow Quincies in finding the light of the Emperor!" As she was keen on constantly doing, Priscilla ran through the events of what might happen in Karakura in her head. Even in a situation where any sort of rebellious attitude toward them was trivial, where those who tried to rebel would be effortlessly shot down, it still didn't hurt to plan.

Though, even through this planning, she couldn't help but ponder on what Amalia had said before about that ritual. Was it actually possible to sever a connection with the Emperor like that? Of course, she believed her friend, but it seemed a bit far-fetched. No wonder something like that was shrouded in such secrecy. At the same time, though, an idea almost immediately popped into her head; an idea she was fairly confident that Amalia might enjoy to hear. "So this ritual is something that very little is known about, no? I'm honestly quite surprised I've no recollection on something like that. That being said, though, there's likely someone either here in the Emperor's domain, or out in the World of the Living that does know about it. Perhaps even a small circle of people. After we're finished with our business here in Karakura, I've got somewhat of a proposition for you."

The Captain simply continued to smile at a potential plan in order to eliminate all knowledge of this apparent ritual. Granted, something like that would take a tremendous amount of effort on both their parts, constant information seeking, as well as keeping their own actions transparent with the rest of the Vandenreich, as to not rouse suspicion. Though, that provided problems in and of itself; if the two of them were to keep their findings public, and one of these people who had known about this ritual remained in Silbern, they could potentially vanish. Something like that would complicate any potential plans to eliminate this knowledge. She'd have to run it over with Amalia later on, and get her two cents about it all should she be interested.

[✱Paiva "Amalia" Vollbrecht✱]

"That's precisely why you're not familiar." Amalia said matter-of-factly. "Like I said, the ritual was considered long forgotten. We killed everyone who knew of its existence, so it makes sense you wouldn't know." Amalia's pacing became hurried the further she considered their conversation. It was clear Amalia was unsettled by the topic and the possibility that Sebastian had used said ritual to sever his connection from the Emperor. As the two neared an expansive terrace, Amalia placed her hand on Priscilla's shoulder and looked at her sternly.

"You must take this matter seriously. The mystique of this ritual shouldn't distract you from its gravity. Do you understand what I'm telling you? It severs our connection with the Emperor. This should concern you, Priscilla. Even if a small number of people do, in fact, know of its existence it could threaten his Majesty's authority. And a threat to his Majesty is a threat to all of us. Never forget that!" Amalia gravely emphasized while attempting to hide the fear residing in her gaze. 

Amalia attempted to recompose herself by adjusting her posture and taking in a shaky breath. She closed her eyes for a moment before opening them to reveal her usual confidence and determination. With his natural demeanor rejuvenated, Amalia swayed back and forth slightly as she flicked her hair. "Forward we march." She said sweetly as the shadows enveloped them and carried them to their desired location. As the shadows dissipated, the sunlight drenching her rose-kissed hair and porcelain skin.

"My scouts were right. This is...quaint." She said with a disgusted expression as she examine the settlement. "These Quincy would rather live in huts and poorly constructed buildings than opulent manors? It's almost vulgar in its audacity." As Amalia haughtily disparaged the free Quincy's way of life, she couldn't help but notice the totems encircling the settlement. She inspected them curiously from a distance, her eyes narrows in disbelief. "You've found yourselves some masters." She remarked with an insidious grin. 

Totems appearance

She couldn't believe it. She hadn't seen totems of this nature in centuries. She believed the art of ward weaving was long dead, but it seemed she was discovered a myriad of things on her journeys. Was Amalia somehow stifled by living in Silbern? She couldn't dispel the thought. Perhaps Silbern wasn't the epicenter of culture as she had once believed it to be. This was all the more reason to convert as many people as possible, but she knew they wouldn't come without proper convincing. 

Amalia was devout to the Emperor, but she was equally devout to the practice of Quincy lore. It was important to keep their traditions alive. A matter she was reminded of inadvertently by Alexander. The runes etched in his family's vault were a reminder of just how rich their ancestry was, and how easily it can be forgotten if not given the proper attention. Amalia leisurely approached the settlement, her eyes and hands scanning the air as if in search of something. 

She slowly moved her hands through the airs, careful not to touch whatever it was she was seeking. She breathed in before puckering her lips and blowing softly in front of her. If Priscilla was paying attention, she would notice a faint flicker that passed along a seemingly invisible surface. "Ohhh..." She said almost seductively. "There you are." Amalia cautiously pressured her fingers into the invisible barrier which resulted in sparks at the point of contact. Amalia jumped back and began laughing, almost proudly. 

"Ohho hahaha!" An unmistakable joy came across Amalia's face as she bared her teeth with hearty laughter. "A master weaver indeed." She remarked with continued laughter and excitement. "Oh, this is too much. THIS IS BRILLIANT!" She shouted enthusiastically. "I came here expecting to see a bunch of peasants milling about only to discover there is masters of their craft hiding behind WARDS no less!" Amalia couldn't contain her excitement. "The art of Quincy magic is alive and well! Enderl would be pleased to see this!"

Amalia leaped backwards a few times until she was 25 feet away from the ward. "Step aside, Priscilla. We're about to see just how robust this ward is." A jubilant, yet frenzied expression painted Amalia's face as she raised her hand and formed a bow from pure reishi. An arrow comprised of pure energy materialized before blasting in the direction of the settlement. Amalia's own curiosity had taken over and she just had to see what strength this ward offered. The arrow then collided with the ward, resulting in a sizable explosion. The ward glowed, giving it dimensions, as it bravely withstood the force of Amalia's arrow. 

The ward wobbled and swayed as the surface endured the force of her reiatsu strength. As quickly as the explosion spread it was gone, gulped and ingested by the ward. "I couldn't have asked for anything better. This is one magnificent ward. I haven't seen something of this nature in centuries!" Amalia said with praise. "I can't tell if this is the doing of one or many ward weavers. I hope it's the latter. Can you imagine gaining not one, but two, three, even four ward weavers!" Amalia's enthusiasm faded for a moment as she gazed ominously at the settlement. "I won't be leaving without them..."

[Sieglinde P. Krantz]

Priscilla simply nodded as Amalia was speaking. She didn't want to interject; far from it. She was genuinely interested in what the Quincy had to say, if not quite concerned. Sure, the thought of shattering a bond with His Majesty was certainly something that spooked her quite a bit, far from believing it was possible, but at the same time, she wanted to do her research on it. She wanted to do what she could to find out how a ritual like that worked, in order to perhaps come up with some sort of countermeasure. Who knows? There might be a way to permanently strengthen the link between His Majesty and the rest of the Vandenreich, as to prevent this ritual from ceasing to ever work. Either way, though, she saw that harping on the topic wasn't a good idea, and decided to drop it. She could look into it later on.

Smiling alongside her superior, Priscilla followed Amalia, stepping into the shadows and awaiting the arrival at their destination. It took only a second, and upon arrival Cilla immediately squinted and used her forearm as a sort of visor. It took her a bit to get acclimated with the sunlight, but after a few short moments she moved her arm away from her face, and watched Amalia examine the seemingly invisible wall. She had the faintest idea as to what these wards were, but it was nothing significant. 

"I came here expecting to see a bunch of peasants milling about only to discover there is masters of their craft hiding behind WARDS no less!" She smiled hearing this. "Right? I've got to say, I'm certainly surprised myself. I never expected to see these kinds of wards in person; I've only done some minuscule readings on such magic, but to see these in person..." It was quite literally breathtaking. Priscilla shared Amalia's passion for the situation, if not a bit more contained. It was all so fascinating! Much like her friend, she wanted to see just who was behind creating these, and whether or not the two of them could actually interact with the creator. She wanted to learn more, and possibly even take to ward weaving herself, should situations allow.

Upon seeing Amalia step back, Priscilla quickly followed in suit, pulling out a small notepad as Amalia got prepared to fire. Her plan was to take notes; see if she could determine the exact size, hopefully get an estimate of strength, and other independent factors she could observe. "Fire away~!" She said somewhat jokingly, watching Amalia release the arrow into the Quincy settlement. Upon impact, the explosion given off had put Priscilla into a state of awe. It occurred to her that she'd never fully seen the extent of what Amalia was capable in combat, and decided to take note of that as well. She knew Amalia was powerful, sure, but she didn't know exactly how powerful that was. A small part of her was hoping that she'd be able to display that here today.

Upon watching the explosion be effectively eaten by the wards, Priscilla tucked her notepad away, having collected every bit of information she could. She wasn't about to take measurements of the field, as that might've been a bit of a waste of time for the two; if she had to put an estimate on it, the field itself was likely around forty or fifty feet in radius; certainly no laughing matter when it came to size, but nothing that couldn't be worked around if needed. She turned to Amalia. "So what might the plan of action be? Shall we try to brute force our way through the ward if possible, or take a more diplomatic approach?"

Truth be told, Priscilla was quite happy with either route they decided to take on the given situation. She had no real preference as far as which route they took, and truth be told they each had some merit to them for their current goal; the more aggressive of the two would lead to a display of power, which could've been used as an intimidation factor. Convince those free Quincy to join through fear, and the hope to strive for such power. On the other hand, a friendlier approach was just that; it was a way the two of them could attempt to convince who they could about the words of His Majesty without needing to take violent action against the Quincy, possibly allotting for more people to want to embrace the light.

[✱Paiva "Amalia" Vollbrecht✱]

"This is ancient Quincy magic." She remarked with a joyful expression."My family has an individual guard unit who specialized in this defensive style. While this ward is strong it lacks the more dangerous nuances of wards centuries ago. I never thought I'd see this again. We need to convince them to join us. Think of the possibilities, Priscilla. If we had weavers we could set take entire regions and then cloak them in wards. Only the most powerful of enemies could even hope to place a scratch on them, let alone thwart them entirely."

Amalia couldn't contain the hunger she felt. She craved the power these Quincy possessed and was determined to make it her own and thereby his Majesty's. Amalia approached Priscilla, though her eyes remained fixated on the ward. "No." She said in an almost entranced state. "We have to be more delicate. Normally I'd say let's obliterate it, but if we do so we'll frighten those protected by it. Fear will continue to be our ally, but let's take a different approach initially. I want to assuage their fears and extend our sincerest apologies for striking their ward. We're just that enthralled by its wondrous nature. A site unseen since we were mercilessly slaughtered by our enemy: Shinigami." 

Amalia's manipulative genius was taking shape as she molded her demeanor to fit the situation. Like a chameleon she transformed herself into something she believed the free Quincy could relate to. Something she knew would put them at ease and allow them to take down their guard. "Saccharine sweet." Amalia said to Priscilla as she pulled at the corners of her mouth with her fingers. "Smile." She said before lightly tapping her cheeks. Amalia abruptly turned to face the ward, her white cloak flowing in the wind. "I'm sorry for the intrusion and even more regretful for how I responded in a moment weakness." Amalia's tone was like honey as her words slipped from her coral pink lips with grace and fragility. 

"You see...I'm the last remaining member of my family. My family lived centuries ago in the region of Cochem. We prospered there, as did the Quincy magics you display here today. I'd be lying if I said this didn't tear at my soul like claws of a beast. This ward is a forgotten Quincy art, a reminder of more peaceful times when Quincy could live freely without fear of aggression. My mother was a gifted ward weaver, much like yourselves. She died young before she could teach her daughter the ways of Quincy magic. I suppose in my excitement I foolishly sought to test the authenticity of the ward, believing the art to have died with the Quincy much like my family." 

"What is your name?" A voiced called out from within the domed ward. "Paiva." She said. "This is my friend..." She said, gesturing for Priscilla to introduce herself. "She too suffered at the hands of oppression and bigotry. Much like me, everyone she knew was slaughtered. She's young and inexperienced. She can only read about wards in dusty books piled in empty rooms." Amalia gestured for Priscilla to come forward if she hadn't already. "This is a marvel for someone like her, and me. We simply want to know more. I've traveled a long way and would be grateful if you took the time to speak to us." A separate female voice called out from within the dome. "You're Vandenreich. It is woven in every piece of that clothing. We don't associate with your kind. You've come to murder and pillage, like always"

[Sieglinde P. Krantz]

Priscilla couldn't help but giggle a bit due to the act that Amalia decided in the moment to put up. She knew the woman as sweet, but that was mostly to her. After all, she saw Amalia as more of a motherly figure in her life as opposed to a friend, a subordinate, or really anything else. There was a level of respect there that Priscilla had for her, as she acknowledged her as a superior, but it was moreso casually, like how an adult would acknowledge a parental figure.

Returning from that tangent, though, she knew Amalia as someone nice to her. That wasn't to say that she'd be necessarily kind to those outside of her life. After all, there was no real reason to be truly kind to those that had no influence on the woman's life on a constant basis, was there? Either way, that topic was neither here nor there while involving their current situation. Priscilla simply followed in suit, and smiled to her superior's initial request. Hopefully it'd aid the situation in some way.

As Priscilla went on to listen to Amalia's words, a genuine look of sorrow rose over her. She'd heard rumors about how her supervisor had been raised, but it hadn't been anything extravagant, or anything that she could just ask about without possibly upsetting her. That being said, everything she was saying aligned with the rumors. Perhaps they were all true? If that was the case, then she couldn't help but feel bad for her. Nobody should have to live through the life that she did, and she genuinely felt bad for how she had it.

Upon being motioned to in order to introduce herself, Priscilla did just that. She did what she could to clear the somber look from her face, hopefully adding to Amalia's story, and began to speak after a curtsy. "Salutations," she said, "I'm Priscilla." From there, she continued to listen on to what her supervisor had to say, nodding along as she seemed to nail key points of her past almost word for word, even if there was next to no detail that had been shared. It was still all effectively true. 

"You're Vandenreich. It is woven in every piece of that clothing. We don't associate with your kind. You've come to murder and pillage, like always." This comment genuinely seemed to bother Priscilla. She wasn't about to take kindly to sullying the name of the Empire, but at the same time, she wasn't about to tea down the goal Amalia had been working toward. "We've come for quite the opposite, in fact," the Quincy interjected, "we mean not to cause any harm to you kind folks. We merely seek to learn more about these wards you all have in place. It's truly an interesting sight to behold, and an art-form that I'd very much like to learn, if possible! Those behind the wards seem exceedingly skilled, and far surpass anything that I'd be able to learn from texts. Perhaps you'd be willing to indulge us~?"

[✱Paiva "Amalia" Vollbrecht✱]

Amalia could sense Priscilla's defensive posturing. She had taught her well. She was a skilled manipulator. While Amalia was interested in gaining access to their village and the knowledge they possess, she wasn't above threats and violence. In fact, she expected it. People so rarely heeded her warnings. She hoped the talents she passed on to Priscilla would grant them access. Amalia's masterful understanding of people and which strings to pluck at helped her get far in the Vandenreich. She wasn't above using her feminine wiles to seduce and lure man or woman in the direction she desired.

Priscilla, however, had something Amalia no longer possessed - Innocence. Or, at the very least, the appearance of it. There was something about that way she carried herself and the lilt in her voice that left people feeling comforted and supported. Amalia couldn't help but pride herself on Priscilla's growth, and even more so on her decision to mold her as she did. She was a wise investment. Amalia thought to herself. Amalia rarely acted without some internal motivation and certainly never acted altruistically. 

While she has come to care for Priscilla and think of her as a friend, she very much began as a project. She was a lump of clay Amalia molded. With all that considered, a part of Amalia still saw her as that lump of clay. If history proved reliable, it was in Priscilla's best interest to remain useful. It's that mentality - viewing others as objects to be moved on a game board - that makes Amalia particularly deadly. Even when emotions are at play that cold, calculating part of her is always at the helm. 

"Yes, she's young. She's never seen anything quite this amazing. She has only my memories to feed her curiosities." There was silence for a moment. Had they done it? Were they about to take down the wards? As the silence persisted, so too did the wards. This is regrettable. Am I going to have to shatter that precious ward of theirs? She thought bitterly. "You have come to learn from us? How can we believe this? Your brothers and sisters have likely said similar things and when a Free Quincy's guard is down they do not hesitate to conquer and dominate. Total submission. That is not our way, and we want no part of it." A frail voice called out from the distance. 

The woman from earlier shouted once again. "Your angel-faced disciple has yet to be corrupted. You..." Amalia's eyes narrowed as she readied herself to attack. "You I cannot decipher. I see nothing but dark clouds. Why does your soul resist my gaze?" Amalia's eyes widened as she stumbled backwards. It couldn't be. How does this one village possess such power and in such variety. "You're an augur." Amalia's voice called out with undeniable tremors. "I am. You know of this gift as well? You are a wise Quincy. I wouldn't have assumed the Vandenreich supported the ancient Quincy gifts. You have new gifts you seem eager to offer as bargaining chips."

Amalia clenched her teeth, but immediately steeled herself. The woman clicked her tongue as she slowly came into view. "I disturbed the clouds that surround your soul. My words trouble you." Amalia was trying to conceal her anger, but as an augur she was able to see beyond Amalia's polished appearance. "Hexe." Amalia said in a thick, German accent. "That's what the commoners used to call your kind. You were known to use your gifts to help others, not just Quincy. You cannot deny your kind-hearted nature. It is said to be ingrained in nearly every one of you, with some notable exceptions."

"You are knowledgeable, young one." Amalia smiled. "I haven't been a 'young one' in quite some time. The merciless slaughter of your family and destruction of your people's history tends to age you." The woman nodded as she approached the walls of the ward. "You have suffered a great loss. That I can Seelensicht." Amalia put out her hand in defiance. "Stay out of my head. You can't just go peering into people. People didn't like it then and they won't like it now." Amalia glanced over at Priscilla as if to pivot the conversation to her. She knew she had to be careful otherwise the woman would see far more than she wanted, if she hasn't already seen as much from Priscilla. 

The woman looked at Priscilla, tensing her wrinkled face. "Your mind is a jumble and...something troubles you. What is it?" Amalia looked over at Priscilla, worrying that the woman is seeing something she doesn't want her to. "She's not used to this kind of thing." The woman scoffed. "That's a lie. She's no novice. Are you?" The woman peered at Priscilla with a scrutinizing gaze. "Is your story similar to hers? Did you lose someone? Was your family killed in senseless slaughter? Does that drive you?"