Asmodeus slipped a glance over his shoulder, and cursed, softly.
He turned a corner with her, still walking normally - then twisted, pressing Nydia into the wall, for a moment looking into her eyes.
He calculated the risk of running, risks of splitting up, risks of hiding, then pointed to the tower that was standing tall over the city - which was shaking for some reason...
"Run there. Now. No-one will follow you. I will explain later. Go." His voice was serious, demanding, completely and totally focused, and pleading with her to do as he said...

naydia looked at the tower then back at Asmodeus
"what about you are you coming as well?"
she pushed herself off the wall and was preparing herself to run towards the tower

Footsteps sounded behind them, footsteps that were gathering speed, voices too, angry voices.
"No. Now go!"
Asmodeus gestured frantically for her to move, moving away from the wall, looking about to run back towards the voices, his hands going to his pocket... then he looked at Nydia and his hands moved away...

nydia nodded
"ok ill go but please meet me there"
she started running towards the tower pushing her way through the crowd that was there for the festival, she glanced back wondering what Asmodeus was planning to do

Asmodeus watched her go, vanishing from sight amongst the crowd.
He smiled to himself tightly. Counted to ten.
Then he turned back into the alley they'd fled through, timing his punch exactly right so the first of his eight pursuers was completely winded, and fell to the ground.
The others were right behind him though, so Asmodeus stood his ground.

The young men circled him.
"Kinda pissed at you, man," one said, trying to move in behind him.
"Sorry," Asmodeus countered, "but I'm afraid being pissed never got you anywhere. Or rather, it almost got you a long long time locked away. You should be thanking me."

Another man made Asmodeus spin around, trying futilely to cover his back.

"Come on... she knew what she was doing, man, we all did."

"She was drunk, and barely sixteen. You knew that. Didn't want to let that stop you, so I did. Hardly criminal."

"Well, technically nothing's criminal."
CRUK!

Asmodeus cried out and sank to one knee, a punch to the back bringing him down. He spun, wincing, struck out, landed a hit. But as his assailant fell away, another one rammed a boot into his spine, sending him onto his hands and knees, pain tormenting him.
"Yeah... provided you don't get caught..."
"And no-one's alive to tell the guards..."

Asmodeus forced himself back onto his knees, and managed to rise.
One punch. Traded. Kick to the shins, followed up with haymaker. Trap arm, send into colleagues. Wound to back, unable to prevent, rapidly becoming weakness. Too severely outnumbered. Defeat, inevitable -

Time blurred after that. Just pain, and blood.

Eventually they left, and he lay there in a pool of his own blood, barely able to move.
"D...Drat... it seems... I have been...I..."

His eyes fluttered shut...

due to the large crow of people nydia was unable to see Asmodeus. So she continued making her way to the tower as she was told to do. After fighting through the large crowd she found herself standing outside the tower looking up at it. She slowly approached the door, creaked it open just enough to look around and stepped in
"h-hello, is anyone in here?"
she said quietly

OOT: Bel fell into the thick overgrowth that surrounds and fills the interior of the walls.

Bel stared into the blurry sky, his vision half there. He felt something warm on his arm trickle down to his elbow. "My landing must of been hard" He thought. "... It was a fool's endeavor, and I should not of brought that girl, she could be hurt...... Damn it! Not like this again!" He was frustrated in his helplessness. With a great struggle he managed to grab a branch of the foliage he landed in, and attempted to pull himself up, but he lost his strength and his grip, falling back.

OOT: And to Nydia...

The tower was empty, it was dark inside, the only light shining from the magical stain glass windows, and the green light anomaly in the glass display. (The interior was at a normal scale here as well).

Rei landed with 'Thump' onto something surprisingly squishy. She shook about for a bit, wondering what broke her fall and then looked down. Beneath her was Bel.

"Oh! Hi there!"

nydia walked around in the dark, she noticed the light shining from the stain glass window and walked over to it. she stood before it admiring it for several moments
"what a strange window"
she said to herself, she glanced around the room then back at the window and tilted her had admiring it some more

Other light orbs flew into the hallway, it seemed like they were there to see why another intruder entered the keep. They flew about slowly, sticking close to the ceiling.



Bel coughed at the impact. "We got to get out of this mess" He said weakly. "I can't get myself out of here... My right arm won't budge"

Rei jumped up and looked down at Bel. She wasn't sure what to do next and was looking around for an escape or some form of help.

"I erm, Where to?".

She looked down at Bel again, somewhat expectantly but quickly shook her head and tried to pull him up to his feet.

nydia noticed the orbs on the ceiling and followed them with her eyes, she wondered where the orbs were coming from
"is there anyone here? hello"
she started walking around slowly looking to see if someone might be in the tower she was in
"i wonder if asmodeus is ok, i hope he gets here soon"

The orbs swayed around against the ceiling and after a brief period of silence, a response came to Nydia, "Yes.... Yes, my darling.... Someone is here.... I can see you quite well.... Come, seek me out... Let my friends show you the way...". The orbs moved in correspondence to the voice, they immediately shifted over and moved towards the end of the hallway in a fluid motion. They circled around a door near a spiral staircase, indicating her to open it....



Bel, with Rei's help managed to sit up. "Well that could of been worse, the vegetation saved us. That fall would of been deadly." He felt around with his left hand on his right shoulder, "I dislocated my shoulder..." He scooted to a stone wall and leaned against it. "Im gonna rest here a bit, then I will try to fix it when I get my strength back. But, are you alright?"

nydia was startled upon hearing the voice, she didnt think anyone was actually there. she then followed the orbs over towards the door. she examined it for a moment and proceeded to open it. she cautiously turned the knob and pushed the door open before stepping in
"in here?"

Rei shook herself and then patted along her body. She felt saw but seemed to be fine as well as retained most if not all her movements. A moment later she shook her head and looked back at Bel.

"I am fine."

"Yes... In here" The room was very dark, yet some light shone from a crack in the wall to the center, revealing a misshapen man who wore a simple metal mask with an exaggerated crooked smile. "Do not fear me... I am just.... a foreman... a directer... a thinker..... After all... I invite you with warm intentions". It turned its head towards one of the orbs, "Ah my friend.... What news do you bring?" Something in the dark gently grasped the orb from above. "Hmm... Indeed.... So it seems..." The foreman turned its head to Nydia again, "Pretty?.... Arent they?"

nydia stepped a little closer towards the man
"yes, yes they are"
she examined the man for a moment
"is.. this your tower?"
she looked around the room
"im sorry for the intrusion, but asmodeus told me to come here, i can leave if you like"

"My tower? ...Tsk...Tsk... No, This is my majesty's tower..... I belong here as much as any servant... Even then, as similar as it is.... This world is not my preference... Albeit, I am assigned here... hehehe........... Oh but do stay a while.... I am afraid ...Everyone else around here is not much for conversation... I do enjoy it..."

nydia thought for a moment
"i guess thats ok, at least with me being here asmodeus can come and find me"
she looked around for a place to sit
"this majesty of yours, is he around?"

OOT think you missed joshiers post

Bel, having regained enough strength to stand again, spoke to Rei, "Its late, and this place is probably not going to be safe if we stay too much longer. You should head home... And I'm sorry for bringing you into this..." He picked up a large stick off the weed riddled ground and used it to support himself.


The foreman spoke to Nydia, "His majesty... Sits alone in his grand room atop... The tower... He is a somber one... Nobody is allowed to see him". A group of the light orbs fly close by, carrying tea cups and a tea pot. "Would You like... some?"

nydia looked at over at the orbs carrying the teapot and cups, she nodded
"yes i would like some thank you, is there a place i can sit, i dont want to be impolite and just make myself at home"
she looked around the room again
"why isnt anyone allowed to see him?"

A chair slip up to Nydia, pushed by the flying orbs. "His majesty... Only allows those... Who were created by his own magnificence... In his presence..." It took a cup of tea and threw its contents on its masked face, "...Delicious..."... "Wisps are the only exception... They are devoid of a will... They cannot think... They do not bother his majesty..." The crude iron mask it was wearing suddenly changed its expression to a frown, "But the servants... They are too lowly.. They live to serve..." Voices whispered all around the room repeating, "Vivimus ut serviant".

"Home?", Rei repeated.

She paused and though, looking back in the direction of the city.

"I'll pass.", she said.

Bel gave her a confused look, "What do you mean 'You will pass'? Are you seriously going to stay here?"

nydia sat in the chair the orbs pushed to her
"thank you"
she looked back at the forman
"i see, and im sorry he treats you like that, he should be fair to everyone"