Looking For Death

[Arachnia of the Hour]

Ascending Wood, 26

*Another deep breath came and went through the spider-woman and she walked towards the piles of grain that were once her people. She would need to do something about them soon, they were bad for morale as well as unsightly. But for now, they served another purpose. This was the place of her people's murders, and thus, a few spirits she was looking for should still be around. It was only a few days ago that they happened, after all. Her black eyes closed for a moment, and when they opened she could see any unmanifested Spirits that were hanging around. Casting her gaze about, Arachnia searched for any of the spirits of murder that should be lurking nearby*

[Ress]

Ascending wood, 26

* Floating about the pile of grain, were five grey ghost like spirits with ghoulish grins on their faces, red liquid dripped from each of their hands as they floated a few feet off the ground*

"It Really was great, wasn't it?"

* The other spirits nodded in agreement, still entranced by the pile of grain and the murder that took place there*

[Arachnia of the Hour]

Ascending Wood, 26

*the Widow's lips curled into a smile, something she couldn't help but do when she saw three ghouls behaving as giddy schoolchildren. A hand went to her stomach and she rolled her eyes. Once everything was set she took a step forward and waved a hand casually at the three Bloody Hands. A fake, yet convincing, pout fell on her features now as she spoke to the Spirits*

Is that any way to treat a caller? Talking idly amongst yourselves while I must deal with being ignored? I do hope that this is simply a hearing problem and not a situation of dislike. After all, no woman truly wants or likes to be dismissed like this..

*her brow raised in question to the trio, expecting them to know who she was, not that she assumed that they would actually care. Beings like these had little-to-no interests outside their purview..*

[Ress]

Ascending wood, 26

* The three spirits did not move, still looking at the pile of grain with gleeful expressions on their faces. They did not look to Arachnia, but it was obvious they knew she was there*

" What do you want, child of Luna? We only know of death"

[Arachnia of the Hour]

Ascending Wood, 26

*another smile continued to curl her lips and her eyes smiled with her. It would do no good to Ress or the empire if she let her anger get the best of her. She was a Mistress of Spiders, after all. Priestess to the glorious and crafty Luna, it was time she started acting like one. Another step forward brought her directly in line with the three and she let her left hip swing to its side and raise while her left leg strengthened. The right counterparts fell to a softer position equally and the Empress's left arm bent at the elbow whilst her hand rested on its corresponding hip*

That is precisely why I want to speak with you, Bloody Hands. And you're still enraptured with the deaths that happened so recently, I see. In fact, it is these deaths that I want to counsel with you about. What say you?

*not that she intended to let it go, but if one was to have reasonable discussions with someone you wanted to get information from, and without shedding vital forces of course, then hostilities must be contained from both sides. No need to start them in those three..*

[Ress]

Ascending wood, 26

* The three enraptured spirits barely acknowledged her presence as they watched the pile of grain.. as if it were about to do a trick. As one could imagine, this area was like a ghost town.. people not wanting to be anywhere near these piles, lest painful memories and possible ill fate come to find them, but these three spirits were invisable to everyone who knew not how to find them.

" It was impressive... best we have ever seen...... what do you want to know, Lunar?"

[Arachnia of the Hour]

Ascending Wood, 26

I want to know about the arrows and the moment of their impact. Where did the arrows come from and did they deviate from a straight line at all? Did anything strange happen in the moments before, during and after impact? Also, what makes it so "impressive" and "the best you've ever seen"? To borrow your own words..

[Ress]

Ascending wood, 26

*All at the same moment, the Bloody Hands pointed their hideous ed appendages in the direction of the Imperial Manse, not bothering to look away from the pile.. still too entranced by the act they had seen*

" They came from that direction..... they arced... and other than turn the victims into grain.. nothing else...... and it was the best because it was a surprise.... we thought it was a simple barrage.... but we were all pleasently surprized.. it was so fresh... so exotic. It really looked just like The Old One described"

* the bodies of the bloody hands flowed and billowed, much like a cloud of rising grey smoke that never actually moved from its spot*

[Arachnia of the Hour]

Ascending Wood, 26

Arced, did they? Which direction did they do that?

*things seemed relatively grim still, given what information she had gathered, but it couldn't have been Ress. He loved this empire more than anything or anyone, and as much as she would rather not think about it, more than her as well. If the arrows had truly come from Ress, let alone someone else using Reign of Ress, they would have had to possess him to pull off such a feat. That, or stolen his weapon, which was nigh impossible unfortunately seeing as he usually kept it inside of his bracers...*

Also, which "Old One" do you speak of and what were they describing when they said that?

[Ress]

Ascending wood, 26


* The specters began getting annoyed with the bothersome spider woman, each one heaving a sigh of exasperation, before answering this question*

" The Old One.... Mortanious... the eldest of us bloody hands... been here since the first age. He told us stories about attacks like this so long ago... and we had thought we would never see them"

* The sound of glee in their voice was obvious as they spoke of the murder*

" He is near the Central Manse... he probably witnessed the attack"

[Arachnia of the Hour]

Ascending Wood, 26

*the Spider smiled once more, amused at the short attention span of these spirits. If it wasn't death, then they didn't care, that's the impression she was getting from these three. Not that she would be that far off, after all, that was their job as well as a past time. A small bow went their way and Arachnia nodded to the Bloody Hands. As obvious as they were making their desire for her to leave, she decided to oblige and follow this lead before the day was out. It was getting to be sunset soon, but that wouldn't stop her. As long as it wasn't inappropriate to visit er next targets, she would probably find herself without sleep tonight. This was Ress's future at stake, and even if it meant she kidnapped and ran away with him, she would do it. *

Well, then, it would seem that my welcome has been overshot. I'll be leaving you for now, Bloody Hands. Good day...

*with that, Arachnia turned in a single smooth motion and walked back to her manse, wondering if she was being watched. It would seem that she was a bore to the spirits of Ress's land... Hopefully that wouldn't prove to be a bane in the future. Once she got to her manse, the Widow set course for the nearest point to the central manse*

[Ress]

{ Continued in city proper at " Death at the summit" }