A Leon and Hunter

[Ruhe Krieger]

There were times where even in the Vandenreich where camaraderie was conditioned. As far as Ruhe was concerned, as she continued living her life as a private, she was still by all means a child. She attended classes and found herself educated on a number of topics. A number of those said topics were around warfare and Quincy propaganda, as well as devout worship of his Majesty, but Ruhe didn't mind this. She found herself looking quite charming and cute; when she kneeled in prayer. Ruhe aspired to be someone that everyone in the organization found pleasing. After all. That was a key to her survival.

Religious but not to the point of obscene mindlessness or potential depravity. A paragon of virtues who seemed well behaved, obedient, and able to follow orders quite well. Charming and cute; and able to sway the hearts and minds from others. Talented and with seeming potential, at least, considering she was once Paiva's protege. In truth though. The young Ruhe had little interest in the heated battles and grandeur chaos that seemed to threaten to consume all of the Quincy. A never ending struggle that had went on for well over a thousand years. An amount of time that the young girl couldn't begin to fathom.

She was lost in her thoughts. So much so that she didn't realize she was called then. "Private Ruhiger. Private Ruhe!" A voice shouts out to her, as she is snapped out of her stupor. "Private Ruhe Krieger. Reporting for duty." She says, before stomping her right foot down, and entering into a military salute. Her right fist held tightly over her heart. She finds herself stared down by the officer in question. Whom steps forth and bats their cap off the top of their small head. "Are you deaf girl? Do you have no respect for authority?" The voice barks, before Ruhe shakes their head no, "No. I-"

"I hate having to repeat myself. Insolence and lollygagging will not be tolerated."  That said, the officer looks towards each and every one of the other privates gathered in their small platoon. Some twenty people. Perhaps it was because Ruhe was an outsider. Perhaps it was because of her background, or the fact she did not grow within the Vreich's culture. The small blonde found herself dragged out and shoved out to the front. "Now is the time to pay sharp attention. And for everyone else to improve their aim! Everyone. You have permission. Fire upon Private Krieger." What a fucked up day this was. Standing before the training ground, and digesting those words? She in truth felt a sense of panic...

[Leonie Dallmann]

Today had started as quite the interesting day, to say the least. It seemed that Leonie was to be training with quite the number of Privates today, as seemed to be fairly routine. It had been what, maybe two months since she'd been recruited within His Majesty's ranks? She was glad to have been getting the much-needed hands on training that was necessary for the goals she wished to attain.

Standing out in the Silbern's training fields, Leonie stood single-file alongside what felt like twenty other Privates, each of varying builds and heights, looking to make a name for themselves within the Vandenreich, at least, so she thought. She found it hard to believe that someone would seek to simply blend in amongst the rank-and-file, looking to simply skate by without advancement.

Especially when your superior officers were breathing down your neck.

Such seemed to be especially true for a younger Private; a girl named Ruhiger. She seemed to be almost dragged from a stupor of sorts, as though she were lost in thought. Raising an eyebrow, Leonie wondered just how much the mind had been able to wander in a short time. Though, everyone's minds were made differently, blessed individually by His Majesty in lots of different ways. Perhaps this was just what the girl had to deal with on the daily. Nobody could really say for sure.

As she was dragged forward, pulled a good bit away from the line of Quincy that had been formed not a moment before, Leonie felt herself perk up as a command was given to her, and the rest of her platoon; to use the girl as firing practice. Such was an absolutely repulsive thought! For her to use one of her fellow Privates as some kind of training dummy... It was unthinkable! From such a short distance away?? How on earth was anyone going to reasonably get in any kind of practice?

Letting out a soft hum as she manifested her bow, Leonie kept her gripes to herself. If nothing else, this was going to prove valuable in seeing just how durable other Vandenreich Quincy could be. She'd have her own specifications in that regard, but surely she'd be somewhat similar. In looking to keep the woman alive, aiming to analyze just how much could be inflicted with a single arrow, Leonie kept her aim fairly tame.

Nocking an arrow with her bow, pulling the string back, and letting the Reishi bolt fly, Leonie simply aimed for the girl's left shoulder. Certainly not enough to cripple the girl on its own, as was not her intention, but enough to hopefully get a good look at the girl's physical resilience, and her tolerance for pain. And, her name... Ruhiger. She'd have to remember that for follow-up testing, if such a situation presented itself.

[Ruhe Krieger]

There was that brief moment where as Ruhe was shoved out into the open, she looked out before her and saw the glowing bows of each and every private before her. Some of them were younger; like herself. Some of them were older. The blue aura lit up the field and her eyes as they aimed freely upon her. It was in that moment, as the blasts of energy were shot towards her, she'd moved instinctively in a blur of motion; high speed movement.

As the arrows collides into the ground or blurred past her, slamming further along the field, the young Ruhe appeared within the air, as she began to rapidly spin and twist her body like a spiral top, before she'd reorient herself, landing along the training ground with a skid of her legs along the ground surface. She bends her knee slightly to absorb the impact from her descent, and as she does? They cursed themselves for a moment. A brow of interest raised from their supervisor. "Another volley. Loose at will."

In those next moments, as Ruhe stood upright, the sleuth of privates would draw their arrows yet again, and the young Vreich recruit stood upright. She could easily dodge an arrow, or even a few. However. This wasn't the same thing as that. In this case, volleys of arrows that flew as fast as bullets were threatening to hit upon her, and she found herself trying to come to a conclusion. What was she to do? Though the next words spoken made it somewhat clear on the nature of this "training."

"She dances around. Dance!" Would she need to show more? Would she be pushed to some higher extent now? For a moment, she clenched the pendant around her neck. Yet; in this frame of time? She was terrified. Not terrified of the people around her threatening to shoot arrows upon her, but instead, more mortified at the idea that people would know what she could do. What Ruhe could really do. What more they would expect out of her once they saw. So, she made a self conscious effort then. Show as little as she possibly could. 

[Leonie Dallmann]

Hearing the words call out as the Private before her seemed to effortlessly sidestep her arrow, Leonie furrowed her brow. She found it rather frustrating that this girl had been able to just ignore what she'd fired. No matter; she wasn't going to let that get to her. Not at the moment, at least. She had to prepare her next plan of attack against the girl.

Especially with a higher-ranking officer observing.

Though, the question remained; just where was Ruhe moving to, and how fast could she keep doing that? It was difficult to say, all things considered, as she knew next to nothing about the woman in front of her. Though, a semblance of a plan slowly began to form in the Quincy's head; something that she could hopefully make use of in order to actually tag her! She'd need to get recognition somehow, and that seemed like the perfect opportunity for such an avenue.

Nocking not a single arrow, but instead five, Leonie took aim upon the Private once more, as she let each arrow fly upon the command of the higher-up. She hadn't expected each of those to strike true; quite the opposite, in fact. Assuming that Ruhe stood still. Instead of taking one singular shot on the girl, Leonie sought to let her arrows spread out, covering a distance around Ruhe like a "shell" of sorts. To where, if she decided to move from her spot, she'd be tagged with one of Leonie's arrows.

Though, such brought about a different problem; the others in her squad. While it wasn't something she was one-hundred percent on, it was an incredibly safe assumption that a number of individuals were aiming for Ruhe head-on. She'd be put in quite the predicament, if she'd decided not to move. And, if she did? Leonie was hopeful for getting the credit with that little maneuver. She could practically taste the words of affirmation~!

Though, she remained prepared. If it was necessary, she was fully ready to nock another set of five arrows, only to let them fly once more toward Ruhe. Same idea behind such a maneuver. Surely she couldn't keep dodging forever; while she was most definitely conserving the spiritual stamina she had over the lot of them, how was her physical stamina looking at the moment?

SPOILER: Click to show

{Reiatsu Pool: 1,200/1,250}
-50 for Class 7 Arrow x5.

[Ruhe Krieger]

There was a single moment where Ruhe lay assaulted by hordes of arrows. For some Quincy; much like Leonie had, had sought to land their marks. Take the credit. SOme of which even turned on bow properties as to change the way their arrows fired, or their shapes. It was in that next moment; that there was a brief pause as Ruhe snapped. For there was something that she was holding back in herself; all the time she'd been wandering. All the loneliness she'd been subject to and ill treatment. She'd been granted power. Immense power and blessings in her own right.

She'd been beaten down, oppressed, and looked down upon for her entire existence. She'd ran from home; partially because she had no choice, but also because she sought to escape that sort of life. In those next moments, she went slack, and limp. Her eyes shined brightly and reflected that bright blue light before she was enveloped. Before a large explosion takes place, rumbling the earth before her. Smoke rises up and a cloud of dust where Ruhe previously stood. Surely she was dead...

Until a hideous and humongous pressure begins washing over the area. Growing harder and harder on each and every single person here. So hard was the pressure that the ground began to crack. Privates would feel their backs bear down upon them, and even the Lieutenants present here were subject to feel its weight. Until then a voice calls out in a cold call. "Kneel." The weight would only further increase. Before stepping out of the dust. There stood Ruhe. Her uniform ripped in several areas. Yet. She stood, perfectly unscathed. Her veins blue.

Blut. Her blood boiled, and the power of the Emperor coursed through her. For she was one of his chosen children. For no other Quincy in recent times has developed as far or as fast as she had. Within less than a year had she discovered powers that would be considered no less but an envy to those Quincy. For despite being an outsider and not indoctrinated from birth in the Reich, her blood was pure. She stepped closer and closer, her pressure growing even further still. Watching as several were forced lower still. Until their heads were touching the fucking ground.

Ruhe moved with refinement and grace. Until gazing deeper upon the eyes of every person. Then to Leonie. It wasn't super clear for Ruhe how everyone around her would react. Yet, she was tired of being the world's punching bag and feeling helpless. Because she realized she held more power than most. More than she could have ever realized. For it was there that she looked down towards her gloved hand. Clenching around the Quincy cross pendant along her neck, she could feel the power it gave her as she drew in reiatsu. Before she said four simple words.

"I should kill you all." She said it, and yet she couldn't believe the words that came out of her mouth. Yet, she realized that it was true. She realized that was how she felt. There was needless discrimination and biases within this system, and she realized by all intents and purposes, a good number of them sought to legitimately kill her. She slowly drags her white glover over her face, in a slight clawing motion, as if to drag her fingers down her face. Shaking her head. Somebody better get talking, and relatively fast. Because Ruhe was pushed over a new edge...

SPOILER: Click to show

1500/1500 Reiatsu

-300 Blut

+500 Quincy Cross

[Leonie Dallmann]

After firing a number of arrows, the last thing that Leonie had remembered before her vision went dark was slamming into the ground. Likely, with enough force that would've otherwise killed the girl. As her vision darkened rather quickly, leading her to fade out of consciousness, she saw a simple sight, and heard one word echo through her mind; the same word that woman before her said.

Kneel.

Something didn't sit well with her. Something felt... Almost off about such a word to be used. By another Private, nonetheless. It felt... empty. She could've meant it with every fiber of her being, but it felt like it rang hollow. At least, on Leonie's ears. She held no rank. She held no stature. There was no backing to her name, aside from those that stained her past like a simple point within a meritocracy. It was hollow.

Though, Leonie wasn't exactly in a state to ponder the idea of much of anything from then on. No, she instead was forced to deal with the injuries that were enacted upon her. By some stretch of impossibility, and likely a little bit of either Luck, or a blessing from His Majesty himself, she hadn't succumbed to her injuries, like a fair number of newer Privates had. She'd been strong. She'd been ready to take quite the punishment.

Though, that wasn't to say she wouldn't be suffering from it. No, not at all. By the time she'd been coherent once more, and able to recognize just what was going on, Leonie found herself waking up in a hospital bed. Softly blinking through the view of white the eclipsed her entire body, alabaster and reddened gauze coating areas that could only be assumed to have been bleeding, she took a moment to look around her. She'd been bed-ridden. Her entire body ached. And yet, she lived.

That was ultimately what had mattered to her. She couldn't fathom the thought of her own existence coming to such a short end; not while she had goals to accomplish. Not while her goals had her seeking to avoid exactly that. Death was simply not an option for the girl, as such would've left her without the ability to explore the infinite expanses of knowledge. She would've lived a pointless existence.

Thankfully, that had not been the case. She'd been given another chance. She wasn't to squander such potential. Especially while such might've been a gift from the Holy Emperor. Closing her eyes once more to get the much-needed rest that was likely for someone in a hospitalized situation, Leonie felt that recovery here was the best option, situation permitting. Though, one thing was for certain; she'd seek to take the life of the woman that almost took hers, whether such was expressed or otherwise.

[Ruhe Krieger]

When Leonie and the other Quincy that were rushed to intensive care came to, thinking, and resting. She would find that soon enough, coming before her was Ruhe herself. Stepping into the room with her head bowed low. Stepping closer to her, as she slowly rests a small wreath of flowers atop her bedside. "I'm sorry..." She said in a solemn and remorseful tone. A small bar of chocolate rest on the side.

"I'm so sorry." She repeated. In truth. Ruhe had realized much to her mortification and horror, that when she let out the full power of her spiritual abilities and unhampered? She had killed those that were too weak; and had harmed others. Even the lieutenants around her had struggled to be upright. To those that died however, she felt an irrevocable sense of guilt inside of her small heart. Her moment of rage had turned her into a killer. It was the first time Ruhe had killed other Quincy.

"The medics said they'd work on healing you soon, and that you should make a full recovery..." Before Ruhe took the liberty then to hold her hands to her eyes, and shake her head no. For tears began to well in her eyes, and she felt a sign of repentance. She felt shame. For the anger she took out on others wasn't satisfying to her, nor did she feel some sort of glorious victory. I-hi-hic! Is there a-any way I can make it up to you?" She says, sobbing into her forearm.

How could she have done this? How could she have done something like this?! Ruhe had quite possibly never felt as horrible as she had now. Or at least came close to it. The young Ruhe wondered if she was truly fit for this kind of life. For as much as she was a Quincy, and a powerful one at that, she held morals. She held doubts and insecurities as a girl that was robbed of life or any decent sort of upbringing. Yet, in moments such as this, she couldn't help but feel like a monster. Could the Emperor forgive this slight? 

[Leonie Dallmann]

Reeling from the injuries she'd recently suffered from, Leonie would've let out a soft sigh if she could've done so without pain. Even breathing tended to hurt for the time. Though, it seemed that something interesting had occurred here. The same woman that had caused all of this; that had taken the life of numerous Privates, and hospitalized even more had shown up in Leonie's own room, looking to seek some sort of solace in apologizing to her. Such behavior was deplorable.

She hadn't bothered responding to the girl, until after she'd been asked a question; one that she'd gotten rather surprised to hear. This girl wants to make it up to me? Despite her best interests, Leonie did let out a sigh this time, with a noteworthy pain centered around her diaphragm. She'd power through it, though. But, she would respond to Ruhe as best she could, her words notably shaky.

"You want to... make it up to me?" She tried her best to scoff. "Tell me, Krieger, if you drop ceramic down a flight of stairs and apologize to it... does it fix the problem? Does it repair the ceramic? Even if you glue the pieces back together... damage will still be evident. You'll never have said ceramic back to where it once was. Where it stands... you sought to kill me. A number of others, as well. What makes you think this situation is any different?"

Despite her words, Leonie's thoughts were not laced in anger. Quite the opposite, actually; a noteworthy hint of disinterest laced her voice. Almost apathetic to the entire situation at hand, Leonie hadn't felt much of anything toward the woman in front of her. At least, aside from a desire to return the favor, but she wasn't going to openly speak on that. Ruhe had displayed power of which she'd never had the opportunity to see. Provoking that once more wasn't exactly in her best interest, especially while the girl seemed to be on a hair trigger.

"If you want to make it up to me," she started, "then forget this happened. Forget about your transgressions here, and simply focus to hone that potential. Hone your own killer instinct, and weaponize it against His Majesty's enemies. In an empire where the lot of us could be torn apart with ease just from talking back to a superior, weaponizing those emotions against one another is simply impractical." She knew this to be true, yet still boiled in her own hypocrisy. "Turn what you've just done against our squad, and direct it toward the Shinigami."

[Ruhe Krieger]

When listening to Leonie, she was equal parts shocked, but also disappointed. As she listened to her speak about ceramic being dropped down stairs. How even if glued together, there was little that could be done to fix it. "I suppose not...In that case. The ceramic is useless." She says, before slowly holding her hand to her face, and lifting her head back. And Ruhe began to laugh. Listening to how emotionless and logical it was? She found herself slowly raising the volume of laughter. Though it was not one of joy or amusement. It was a laugh of despair as she found herself realizing this folly.

"Then are you useless?" She came to suddenly ask. "...Is this what we are? What I am? That we're so mindless that the only value we have is based on our power to kill?...To such an extent that the desire to kill our enemies outweighs the desire to make friendships? Kin amongst one another? When we have his blood running through our veins?" Ruhe found herself found herself clenching her fists then. "Is that abuse of power the only thing we come to expect? Respect and fear towards those that butcher us as our superiors!?" She found herself almost glazed over with lunacy.

Before she entered another fit of deluded laughter. "I see! I see! Hahahaha! Ahahahaha!" That was the funniest joke of all. What camaraderie was there amongst the Vreich? Whom looked at one another and saw brother, or sister? They shared in his power, his blood, and yet, it was but a curse of control. Whom ruled over whom and who's aptitude shined the brightest. To be his chosen children. To be the rulers of the Empire he built. Governed by the threat of fear, with fear being the main compass of obedience as opposed to love. That was what the Emperor was. A figure of greatness and awe that no Quincy could ever aspire to reach, a symbol of fear and power.

However, an isolating figure. 

As Ruhe found herself mind boggled and fucked by this epiphany, she'd released a menacing effect with her reiatsu. Not quite gravitational pressure, but released a different feel of power. Leonie could likely see the machinery around her begin to make strange sounds, buzz, or even contort to some degrees in ways that it shouldn't. "I understand it now." She mused. The only thing the Vreich seemed to acknowledge was power, and if that was the case, the only way to survive, to be admired, was to be one of the strongest. To be then displayed upon a pedestal as one of the Emperor's chosen. One of his special children. It was the only way her life would be valued. 

The Emperor was a figure that was divine and ruled over all, as if it were heaven. His subjects sought to guarantee that there was hell. Amalia had done it. Just as many others have done in the past. Just as many others would do. And only when the Emperor deemed it the oppressors useless would he rid of their cruelties, to take their power, and rule over the oppressed, to choose his children yet again. Ruhe had always sought to keep her power hidden, to get by, to hope to find people to genuinely love her. Then Ruhe realized it. Amongst the Vandenreich, it felt as if other than zealot devotion to their God? Love was devoid. It didn't exist. Love was too fragile to exist in a place as cruel as the Vreich.

[Leonie Dallmann]

Leonie let out a sigh as the girl began to go on a tirade. To let her emotions overrun her like that... It was deplorable, if nothing else. Frustrating to see, and ultimately left her questioning whether or not this girl was someone she'd wanted to associate with down the line. If nothing else, she'd prove to be quite difficult to reign in where she could.

"If deriving value from your position in this organization is your goal," she started to speak, waiting for Ruhe to calm down from her laughing fit, "then I'm afraid you're the useless one here, Privat Krieger. Our value is given to us through His Majesty, and our purpose here is to enact His will. While we each may have our own goals - lord knows I have my own - we exist to further His Majesty's efforts, as he is unable to do so himself. Until the day that He may rise from His throne and enact that will upon the world, we are his agents."

Waiting for a moment, the girl continued speaking thereafter. "Make no mistake, Ruhe. We are in a militant, religious organization. To assume that serving that purpose should not be your first goal is frankly heretical. There are plenty of other Soldat that are more than willing to make friends, and 'play nice'. I am sure that you can seek them out; even from our superiors. I will not, however, say that I am one of those Quincy. Especially after the events that have unfolded here today. Are we understanding one another?"

If nothing else, the girl was left pondering her own thoughts. Just how long was this recovery process going to take? Surely not that long, as the healers and medical staff within His Majesty's empire were the best of the best. Still, however; it was frustrating nonetheless. The girl did not like the idea of what had happened. Still, though; she'd need to push forward if nothing else.

[Ruhe Krieger]

Frankly. The thing about Ruhe was she largely felt lost and wasn't with guidance for the most part. She'd lived a life of terror, and she felt as if she was incredibly desolate and alone. For being part of the Quincy race, she did not feel such a notion as Quincy pride. Instead, she was dragged here by Amalia and told that she was part of a war. That she was but a machination and tool in the part of a tool cycle. So, she found herself silent. When she heard Leonie speak about enforcing the will of the Emperor. The Emperor. The Emperor.

"...And tell me then...How do you receive his will and orders?" She found herself not without faith of his existence. No. The very fact she held the power of Blut. The very fact her powers were so strong were a definite fact of that. However, it was the fact she felt directionless was her greatest frustration. Ruhiger Krieger had no reason to exist. That was the misery of her being. She had no purpose, but also no love of which to nurture her to be what someone else wanted. She was instead treated at times like an animal in the case of Amalia. She was trained with fear and incentive to avoid punishment.

She found herself hearing Leonie speak about how her priorities should be for the Emperor and the Vreich first. That was sensical, because she was a Quincy. She was a soldier. However, she made it seem like there was camaraderie amongst those in the Vreich. Yet, she didn't see it that way. She saw instead the powerful with the privileges to boast? And she saw the powerless. Those that followed. Perhaps that just meant that Ruhe wasn't fit to be a soldier at heart. Though she did display something here today. She was strong. Very strong. She found herself quiet for a moment, when Leonie made it clear she had no desire for friendship.

No desire to do such a thing after what happened. So. With that made clear and concise? She did as she knew how to do. She found herself bottling in her feelings and thinking deeply. She wasn't satisfied with the answer that Leonie gave her, because she'd never seen any form of divine punishment or retribution from the Emperor. She never saw any form of regulation or justice, and she certainly couldn't say she felt close to anyone in the organization. Leonie spoke about deriving purpose and fulfillment from simply serving the Emperor.

Yet, she felt as if nothing in the world had ever sought to serve her. Bring her satisfaction. Bring her joy and fulfillment. Within her was a pit of loneliness. Holes that couldn't be filled. Especially not by the superficial relationships she'd felt. In short. What she realized was that Ruhe felt the world was cruel. People were cruel. And she'd wanted nothing more than to feel small and loved by something. Someone. One might argue that the power she held was a sign of love. A gift. Yet, she felt more like a tool by those around her. Those that sought to use her. If they told her that her purpose was for the Emperor?

How could she not think the same way? Feeling discontent, she didn't really understand. Or perhaps she didn't want to. Instead, she'd say. "I understand. Frau Dallman." Before taking the liberty to leave as soon as she'd come. She understood the words, but felt as if they were meaningless and fruitless. So instead, she would continue down the path and her own conclusions. Until through power or significant feeling, she could feel otherwise. Until then. She would dance off. To do the Emperor's bidding. Whether she knowingly did so or not. At least if she was to be a tool, she could take comfort in that purpose.

[Leonie Dallmann]

"Me?" She asked, "you should know full well that neither of us receive His Majesty's orders directly. It is his chosen - the Sternritter - that do. Those who get audience with His Majesty. From there, word trickles down to us, for them to command as necessary in order to enforce His Majesty's wishes. If you wish to be privy of said information in a more... direct fashion, perhaps ascending among the ranks in His Majesty's Vandenreich is the way to go."

Truthfully, she wasn't sure why she gave the girl that tried to kill her information like that. The last thing she wanted was for someone this... unstable, to hold any position of power. Over her, at least. And while sure, it was hypocritical of her to feel that way, it wasn't like Leonie cared. Not one bit! After all, she simply had His Majesty to thank for her continued existence. If it were not for Him, she likely wouldn't be in this bed, and would've rather ended up as a thick red paste on the training grounds, like a handful of her other comrades.

Hearing Ruhe's closing statement, Leonie did what she could to nod through the casting. Good Gods, did it hurt. "Oh, and Krieger?" She spoke, "I shan't be saying a thing about this to the higher-ups. In turn, however, this is our mess to settle; I will be coming for you, to settle the score. If I'm struck down before that happens, we'll know my path to vengeance was deemed unjust by His Majesty himself. Until that happens however, sleep with an eye open."

And with that, the girl took a deep breath. If nothing else, now was the time to focus toward recovery. Toward healing from this incident, and doing what she could to cover the situation up. She wasn't a snitch, after all. Quite the opposite; she very distinctly believed in handling situations herself, where possible. Her pride simply wouldn't allow for anything less. So, she'd achieved a new goal. One that was going to pave her path red if necessary, and one that she hoped would prove fruitful in the end.

[Ruhe Krieger]

She'd spent time with a number of Sternritter, one of which was one of the most authoritarian and ruthless amongst them, if not the most. She'd faced harshness and cruelty, and from that experience, she got the true grasp for what the Vandenreich was. The metaphorical mask or front ws ripped off, and she saw the horrible things that represented the organization as a whole or at least from the seeming upper echelon. She spoke about the Emperor delivering some notion of justice or retribution. However, that presumed the Emperor cared of such things.

After all. The Emperor needed powerful figures to act as his voices and his agents. And the subservience and loyalty of those mighty mattered more than the lesser. So Ruhe was coming to view. Privilege came from power and position. And validity and value were reflected in the rank you held. If the powerful trampled over others, then they would simply view it as validation that God viewed it just. It was a dower and souring mood. It was then that perhaps Leonie had said something that would take it up a notch too far.

When she mentioned coming for her? To settle the metaphorical score? There was a pause then. As she turned. Where she mentioned that if she was struck down before then, the path to vengeance was unjust. "I see..." It was there, she slowly began to turn towards her then. And with a step, a pressure began to grow. There was one thing that Ruhe learned from her time in the wilderness. One thing she learned from Amalia at the very least. That threats were not taken lightly. That the only time the rage stopped was when the threat was ceased. No longer. Leonie might feel pressure bathe over her again.

Upon her bed, as the legs holding her up might quake. The medical equipment beginning to go off the fritz. Where was God now? The Emperor now? It was there that her veins began to tense and glow a bright blue as power began to channel through her in its full glory, her eyes shining the brightest blue that they ever had. Looking to drown and suffocate her in the pressure, as she raises an arm up towards her. Slowly stepping forward and resting it atop her head. "Then understand this. It's not by the Emperor's grace that you're living after making such a statement." She says, her hand slowly wrapping around her eyes, tightly, as she feels conflicted feelings within her. Her skin was as hard as steel, and she slowly dug her gloved fingers into the softness of her skin.

"It is by mine. Know that I, Ruhiger Krieger could have blown open your skull into a thousand shards and ensured you'd not be able to have an open casket burial. And know that you've threatened her. It's not my sleep that should be compromised. Frau Dallmann. Because I am more than keen to show you the Emperor's justice right now..." She'd release her, and would turn, her blood feeling like it was boiling hot. Searing, with a feeling she'd never felt before.

"The next time you presume to threaten me as you just have? Well..." Letting the pressure continue it's suffocating presence, she'd fire an arrow into the side of Leonie's bed, and with a super controlled exercise of her spiritual power, she'd cause the bed to tilt sideways and cause Leonie to fall off from it with her shortbow. Before leaving the room and shutting the door behind her. The lion would have to fuck around and find out. Hopefully by that time however? She would be prepared. 

[Leonie Dallmann]

Truthfully, there was little reason for her to respond to some baiting like that. She wasn't going to sink to this traitorous wench's level. For her to say something like that... That 'it was by her hand that she was still living'? Who did she think she was? To directly say something like that about his Majesty? It was nothing short of heretical.

"Whatever you say," she started, "I'm not entertaining this thought right now." She sighed and rolled her eyes. There was a lot wrong with this situation, but she wasn't going to address it. Instead, she was simply going to allow the Quincy to walk out, if she so desired. If nothing else, she was simply looking to just get this afternoon over with.

She'd hopefully recover within a short period of time, so it was something that the girl wanted to focus on for the time being. She needed it, if nothing else. Especially after all that had been done within the last few hours! She had quite a number of wounds that needed to be tended to, but thankfully she was still alive. It was something that she'd eventually get over.

[Shizuka Sanamizu ✮]

68 paragraphs = 340 TP for both participants