judgement.

[Wyrmbreaker] It's late Saturday night when Wyrmbreaker's M3 pulls up outside the gates to the Caern. Three people climb out, Lukas, Sinclair and the kinswoman Genevre. A fourth also emerges, but he's no longer in any shape to climb.

Hoisting the body of the Silver Fang Dirge of the Covenant over his shoulder, Wyrmbreaker descends the sloped terrain into the Caern. Sinclair remains outside the bawn with Genevre until special permission can be obtained for the kinswoman to enter.

Katherine had been asked to meet them here. Lukas meets her eyes levelly, wordlessly, as he finds her. The burden on his shoulder is unmistakeable. He lets her look for a moment, and then starts walking again.

"Come on," he says. "I need to find the Elders."

[Kemp Oates] He had started spending more and more time at the Caern where he might be easily found when needed. And because he had a house guest that was Kin and it made the small den of his seem like it was way too tight a fit. So it was within the Caern he was when the odd party arrived.

"Awfuckme, this can't be good."

Muttered under his breath. The Christian holiday of Christmas was over. His birthday was past. And he was pretty damned sure Lukas wasn't bringing him a Valentine's gift. Besides, the bundle lacked a red bow and heart shaped box.

[Truth's Meridian] Katherine had in fact already been at the Caern.

When Sinclair's voice had reached for her across the totem-link, she had been thanking Buried Hatchet for her challenge and stepping out of the challenge circle a Fostern of the Nation, there had been a glow about the Silver Fang that had nothing to do with her moon being in the sky above.

She is exhausted.

Her throat is dry and parched and she wants nothing more than to return to her home and recover from a grueling night. However, this is not to be. Instead, she walks to meet her approaching Alpha with his bloodied burden hanging over his shoulder. The smile slides from the Half Moon's lips. Her skin washes out, and she stops.

She stares at Lukas, does not speak a word but waits for him to pass by her; fingers reaching to pinch the bridge of her nose. Then she turns, several paces behind and follows in a cloud of designer perfume and Rage.

[Balance without Fault] Bringing a body to the Caern is bound to garner attention. The Guardians see it. They pass it on among themselves, totem-linked and silent, almost universally unseen.

Balance Without Fault had not been sleeping, but he had been lying in a cot, placed inside one of the heavy concrete bulidings, flat on his back, his fingers linked, staring at the ceiling, when someone had knocked on his door.

He sits up rigidly, back straight, shoulders back before calling out for Sees the Umbral Sun to enter.

The plain Glass Walker pauses at the threshold before saying simply, "You'd better come see this."

--

And so, as Wyrm Breaker and Truth's Meridian come in search of the council members, and Kemp mutters that this must not be good, the Philodox Grand Elder is headed their way, side by side with the female guardian. The Fostern Theurge breaks off before she reaches them, returning to her patrol.

The Grand Elder says nothing as he comes to stand beside the Rotagar, He will allow the Fostern Ahroun to speak first.

[Kemp Oates] He was well aware of the stirrings going on and then the Grand Elder's approach. His head turned slightly when he was joined and a long drawn out exhale escaped him. The only good thing in all of this was it was not a Fenrir lugging a bundle in like a sack of corn on the shoulder.

[Sinclair] Unfortunately for Genevre, if she speaks up again while she and Sinclair are waiting, she's going into the caern the same way she went into the car: unconscious. There's already serious bruising across the Silver Fang's lovely, smooth features, enough to give even the most stalwart a hell of a headache. If Genevre can keep quiet, however, Sinclair escorts her in after they've been granted permission, and Genevre is allowed to do so walking under her own power.

At least it's not Sinclair, this time, that is covered in blood. Lukas is, his face and throat drying with it. The Glass Walker is last to join her packmates in the caern proper, casting a warning glance to Genevre and standing somewhere between Katherine and Katherine's kinswoman.

[Wyrmbreaker] For what it's worth, Dirge of the Covenant is not dumped at their feet like a sack of flour. He's laid down. His limbs are straightened. There are only two wounds on his body, both to the throat, so close together that they combine into one fatal ruin.

"This was Dirge of the Covenant, son of Falcon, whose blood was pure and mighty; whose glory was great; whose wisdom recognized; whose honor was less than that of a cub. Over a month ago the Council decreed that he should, for his lies, receive the Voice of the Jackal and be banished from seeing his kinswoman, Genevre."

His eyes never meet the Adrens', but stay level just beneath them. His tone is flat; he recounts fact and history as clearly as he remembers it: the path to this moment.

"Tonight I found them apparently conversing in a cafe in Lakeview. Genevre was weeping. I do not know what they spoke of. She later claimed she was giving Fons a letter from her father, but I trust nothing out of her mouth now. They were both present for the Council's ruling, and knew very well that they were forbidden one another's presence. They deliberately flouted the law that was laid upon them. Furthermore, Genevre had previously asked for my friendship and forgiveness for her machinations with Dirge of the Covenant, twice, promising to never again be swayed by his lie, and thereafter gone straight back to him. Tonight marked the second time.

"I do not offer this to divert attention away from what I have done. Genevre's actions will be judged by her Elder; I do not ask the Council's interference. I'm telling you this because...

"I was furious. And the Council should know why."

A pause; then he continues.

"Upon my arrival Dirge of the Covenant immediately attempted to depart without addressing me. I detained both him and Genevre, intending to bring them before the Council. As he tried to walk past me, I shoved Fons back. He stated that if I touched his person again, he would take it as a challenge against his right of territory. I told him I would break him if he opened his mouth to me again. He said, Challenge accepted.

"At that point Genevre interrupted to complain that she had left her coat in the cafe. I turned on her and shouted at her to shut up; I called her careless, selfish, stupid, spoiled, and a brat.

"Dirge of the Covenant immediately flew into a red frenzy and attacked me in his direwolf form. Sinclair was commanded to take the warform to mitigate damage to the Veil, and to restrain the kin lest she attempt to step between two fighting war-wolves. The kin did not interfere; she continued to complain about her belongings.

"Meanwhile, Dirge of the Covenant came at me. I believe he would have bitten to kill; I do not believe he was at all conscious of his actions. I bit him twice. The first bite was not sufficient to put him down. The second was, and killed him.

"He did not rise again.

"I gathered everyone and brought them here. Sinclair and Genevre both wait outside the bawn. They are available to recount the story as eyewitnesses."

[Wyrmbreaker] [take your time, guys. i'ma run a quick errand. also, the talk of Fons at the beginning refers to Fons's final renown of 2.9G, -0.2H, 1.3W, and his impressive PB4 + Noble Heritage Merit (-1 diff to all social rolls w/ Garou)]

[Wyrmbreaker] [er -- sorry, sinclair is already there. let's say genevre is waiting outside though, as per Warder's orders. don't wanna NPC DI's char w/o even checking with her]

[Sinclair] [*thumbs up!*]

[Kemp Oates] He looked from Lukas to the body and back again. For a guy that usually gave the appearance of slouching, couldn't care less, Kemp was fully straight and alert. A muscle twitched in his jaw and the line of his back was ramrod straight.

[Balance without Fault] Balance without Fault regards WyrmBringer dispassionately, his eyes moving from the Shadow Lord to the corpse of the Silver Fang, then back again.

He stands easily, his hands loose at his sides, his feet shoulder width apart, his weight balanced absently on the balls of his feet.

"Did you intend to kill him when you brought him down?"

(truth of Gaia)
Dice Rolled:[ 6 d10 ] 2, 2, 2, 6, 7, 10 [WP]

[Kemp Oates] The scent of blood was thick in the air with the body laying there. He knew it was nothing more than a shell and he fought the desire to demand it be removed from his sight. It was becoming a habit lately to have bloody bodies dumped at his feet.

[Truth's Meridian] As her pack-mate speaks; the Silver Fang Philodox beside him grows very still.

There is the flavour of Rage about her, licking at the air and suggesting that she retains her silence out of a desire to keep her self control in tact. She is weary, and she feels the pressure of the moon weighing down upon her. Her eyes are on Dirge of the Covenant's still form laying between them on the ground as Lukas speaks of what led to the Galliard's untimely death.

She is thinking of the last time she saw the Cliath alive; and what it consisted of.

She is thinking, perhaps strangely, or perhaps not strangely at all given the circumstances, of her younger sister.

She is thinking that it should not have been on her Alpha's shoulders that Dirge of the Covenant was carried into the Caern. Had she been a better elder, perhaps this could have been avoided, had she dealt with him when things had begun to unravel instead of trading insults, had she --

"The King will have to be informed."

She says aloud in a soft, tired voice, her pale eyes now fixed on the injuries that had killed Fons van der Noot. "This was his Nephew, however distant they may have been. In such cases as these, there will be traditional burial rites to be performed. They may wish for his body to be sent home."

The fair features of the young Aristocrat are pinched, she raises her eyes as if to comment further but halts herself as the Grand Elder speaks.

[Kemp Oates] "Oh the body will be returned, rest assured of that."

His voice was equally soft, a low rumble. Just how and by whom wasn't voiced yet.

[Balance without Fault] The King will have to be informed.

Balance without Fault casts a glance to the newly minted Fostern, and the Adren when he speaks. "We will deal with that in a minute."

And he turns back to Wyrmbreaker to wait for his answer.

[Kemp Oates] The bad thing was, last time he saw Fons alive, he'd seen no remorse, nothing from the Cliath but scorn. Some of the things said had made him believe if he were to climb to the top of Fons' family tree, he could fall off the tip and not strike a single branch before he hit the ground.

So like the Grand Elder and everyone there, they waited with baited breath for the response from Lukas.

[Wyrmbreaker] [sorry guys, i'm back!]

[Wyrmbreaker] "I -- " There's a hesitation, the first. Wyrmbreaker's brow furrows; he thinks. A few seconds go by. Then, "Rhya, perhaps you're the best judge of that.

"When Dirge of the Covenant came at me and I moved to counter, I was not thinking, now it ends, now I will kill him. But on my second strike, I was not thinking I must hold back, I must be careful not to kill him. I struck and held nothing back."

[Kemp Oates] Now his brows furrowed with Lukas' response. A certain tension began to sing through his body though his posture did not alter.

[Balance without Fault] "And when you called his tribesmate and cousin 'careless, stupid, selfish, spoilt and a brat', what were you thinking then?"

[Balance without Fault] There is no apparent accusation. The question carries no remonstration and is genuinely asked - not meant to make a point.

[Wyrmbreaker] "That she was careless, stupid, selfish, spoiled, and a brat. And that she was deliberately playing Garou against one another for her own sick amusement."

[Kemp Oates] He couldn't say a word when it came to Kin. In fact, he was highly allergic to them. As far as he could tell, most of them were exactly as Lukas just described. So this was one of those times he had to resist rocking back and forth on his heels while whistling.

[Balance without Fault] "Did it occur to you, when you insulted the kinfolk of another tribe in the presence of her tribesmate, in a place where the veil must be protected, against a Garou with whom you have already had fraught dealings, that the outcome would very likely have lead to blood?"

[Wyrmbreaker] "No. I just wanted her lying mouth shut."

[Balance without Fault] "You are a Fostern in a multi-tribal sept," Balance without Fault says. "You must learn to think more than that.

"Truth's Meridian," he addresses the master of challenge, "Among your tribe, if an outsider killed one of your own, what would be the punishment?"

This is as much test as it is lesson as it is part and parcel of his decision.

[Wyrmbreaker] You must learn to think more than that, Balance Without Fault says. Wyrmbreaker interjects: "May I speak, Rhya?"

[Balance without Fault] "Soon."

And the Grand Elder asks the question of Wyrmbreaker's packmate.

[Truth's Meridian] Katherine frowns, her chin lifting slightly as she is addressed. She studies the Grand Elder, and then her pale eyes shift to take in her Alpha, her voice is unwavering as she replies: "In all honesty, Rhya it would most likely be demanded that the one responsible be put to death. But, that is an old way, an ancient form of punishment and I do not believe that in this case, it would serve our cause any good to lose another True Born.

Severe forms of punishment have been known to stretch from marking the perpetrator with a sigil of shame, to banishment from all Silver Fang lands." She looks down at Fons. "For the death of one such as this? The baring of the body back before the King himself."

[Kemp Oates] "If he takes the body back, odds are great he will not return unless in a bag himself. It also seems to me, the incidents of Garou killing Garou are rising in this Sept. Like a taint."

[Sinclair] Sinclair's been silent all this time. The last time she stood before Truth in Frenzy she was not permitted to do more than witness. The Stone of Scorn is long over, the glyph-covered rock having passed from her possession, and she has regained some of what she lost in terms of renown. But she does not speak now, because she has not yet been questioned.

At Kemp's words, however, her eyes flick over to him.

[Balance without Fault] The Grand Elder regards Truth's Meridian solemnly while she speaks. There is a crease between his brows, ever present, never easing. It is nearly effortless, the slight frown, as if it were a habit, or perhaps the way his face naturally falls.

Truth in Frenzy's interjection earns him a regard as well.

"I agree." Meaning one or the other or both.

Then to Wyrmbreaker, "What did you want to say?"

[Wyrmbreaker] There's a beat.

"You told me I must learn to think more than that. Rhya, belated as it is, this is what I was thinking.

"I thought to remove them from one another's presence. I thought to drop Genevre off at Katherine's loft, where her tribal elder could reprimand her for her behavior and then send her back to her father's court. I thought to bring Dirge of the Covenant here to ask Truth in Frenzy's permission to bind him immediately into my pack and under my leadership, protection, and responsibility.

"I thought to speak to Dirge of the Covenant away from the crocodile tears and attention-whoring of his cousin. I thought to lay down the law he must abide by under my leadership, and spell out every consequence he could expect to face if he flouted it. I thought to then allow him the opportunity to ask whatever he wanted of me, under the vow that I would answer truthfully.

"I thought to be his Alpha, and to make him a true member of my pack for as long as he followed me. I thought to treat him justly and honorably, giving him whatever respect -- or punishment -- he earned for himself.

"That is why, when Genevre ran her mouth on and on to make Garou dance their attention on her for her own amusement, I wanted her lying. mouth. shut."

[Balance without Fault] "All of those are signs of excellent thought, Wyrmbreaker," the Philodox replies. "But none of those thoughts can be used in defence of Dirge of the Covenant's death.

"Don't think that I'm not aware that others are at fault. But the one other Garou I would punish is dead. All that leaves are your actions.

"Do you or yours have anything to add before we make our decision?"

All three of the Unbroken are included in this question.

[Sinclair] Sinclair, for one, raises her hand.

[Wyrmbreaker] "I was not saying it out of self-defense, Rhya."

That's all Wyrmbreaker has to say.

[Kemp Oates] "I do have to add here. I listened to Fons, I saw his attitude before this. While I mean no disrespect to the dead nor his Tribe. And I don't mean to lessen the reason we are here now, but Dirge of the Covenant was seriously disturbed in his ability to interact with others. I find the Kinswoman just as flighty and disturbed on an interaction level."

This is as close as he could come to saying they were both fuckin nuts without saying it bluntly.

"I had hopes that bonding Fons to Lukas would be a learning experiance and growth time for both. But all I can see learned is, Fons couldn't care less what was handed down to him and his pride outweighed his ability. And Lukas lacked the control to hold it together and not kill when a beat down would of gotten the start of the thought process going."

[Truth's Meridian] Truth's Meridian is silent, her thoughts drawn inward as if shrouded by a fine veil. She says, eventually, choosing her words with a great amount of care: "Only that I have known Lukas Wyrmbreaker for a good many years, and in that time he has never acted rashly," save, perhaps, for now, "or without some understanding of the consequences to his actions. It is my belief that however he has erred in the killing of one of my own, his deeds up until now should be weighted against it.

In short, that he retains my full support, and trust, even if as elder for my tribe I must seek recompense from him."

She listens to Truth in Frenzy, her brows drawing together. "It is true that Dirge of the Covenant proved, time and again that he was ruled utterly by his own sense of importance. In his time here he made many enemies and few friends, even among his own tribe. He flouted the authority of his elder, and used intimidation and treachery to achieve his goals.

Perhaps what has happened here was inevitable."

[Balance without Fault] "No." Flat contradiction, and the Grand Elder turns his gaze to the Master of Challenge, "What happened here was not inevitable. Inevitable is death by Wyrm. Inevitable is shunning or other punishments. Inevitable is not being put down by the Garou who has agreed to be his alpha.

"There will be no salving of consciences tonight by use of the word 'inevitable.'"

A turn of his head toward the Galliard, and he watches her for several seconds, his mouth twitching. "You don't need to raise your hand," he says. "You're not seated at a desk and I am not a mild-mannered math teacher."

[Wyrmbreaker] [okay folks, i don't mind watchers, but GO PLAY.]

[Sinclair] "I think the Silver Fang and Philodox Elder should be invited to offer more counsel than a couple of questions," she asks, lowering her hand slowly. "It's her Kinswoman involved in this, taking part in provoking most of this from the start. It's her tribesmate's death we're talking about. She is Wyrmbreaker-rhya's packmate, but her connection to the Unbroken has not caused her to be impartial or overly lenient in the past.

"Specifically," she says, glancing at Kemp briefly before going back to the Grand Elder, "on the last occasion of a Garou killing another, her punishment was hardly biased in my favor."

She puts her hands at her sides, loose. "Respectfully, I also think that Truth in Frenzy-rhya is wrong: I doubt strongly that a beating would have started any arc of change or beginning of humility in Dirge of the Covenant. I was also there when this happened, and what Wyrmbreaker-rhya said earlier is the truth: he did not go out of his way to kill Fons, nor did he go out of his way to hold back. I would not call that a loss of control. Being possessed by a minion of the Wyrm and slaughtering an allied Garou -- that's a loss of control. Frenzying and attacking another Garou in a fit of pique -- that's a loss of control. It is incredibly difficult, even for the most skilled warriors, to pull a strike right before the line between a survivable injury and a lethal wound. Any time we attack one another, whether frenzied or intending to kill or not, the potential is there. Any time we begin a 'beat down', it's possible that the disciplined Garou is going to end up a corpse.

"But that doesn't mean we stop using corporal punishment, or physical pain to teach lessons." Sinclair takes a breath, lets it out slowly. "Balance Without Fault-rhya, I am not telling you your duty, but I am trying to remind you of the nature of the Garou who has died tonight. We all know there is no law forbidding the death of one Garou by another's hand. We do know there are laws demanding submission to your betters: a law Fons flouted every time he opened his mouth or took action. There is a law requiring the acceptance of an honorable surrender, something Fons never offered even when he was humiliated, beaten, and chastised by multiple Garou above his rank. There is a law for respecting those beneath you, which I believe he was incapable of, because he never showed respect to anyone.

"Rhya, Dirge of the Covenant was an oathbreaker, a scoundrel, and an unrepentant, unremorseful, unchanging violator of the Litany. I will not argue for the inevitability of his death. I will, however, stand witness to what little I have seen of his life and say that whether or not these are the end times, the entire Nation is better off with him cold in the ground."

[Kemp Oates] "He was a sociopath, that much is true. And the Kin's excuse? He was to have nothing to do with her and she knew this too. She was to remain under Katherine's protection. Yet apparently even with all the fear she claimed to have of Fons, she didn't stay away from him."

[Balance without Fault] "You're right," to Warcry. "Every time a Garou bares claws or attacks another of his kind, there is certainly a risk of death. Which is why every time we do we must exercise caution, or else we will kill ourselves off more quickly than the Wyrm. By your Alpha's admission, he made no attempt to pull back his blows.

"As for your statement that the Nation is better off without Dirge of the Covenant, neither you, as a cliath, nor your Alpha as a fostern are fit to judge that fact within my territory among the Garou who have joined this Sept.

"Your Alpha has taken away a Garou who was belligerent, arrogant, a liar and a troublemaker. Your Alpha has taken away a Garou. A set of claws to use against the Wyrm. A Cliath who might have learnt to be better, and could have at least died facing the wyrm, if he hadn't.

"An opportunity now gone, before he had even had one moon to learn from his mistakes.

"One more, I repeat: Dirge of the Covenant was not blameless in this. If he were here, he would receive punishment far outstripping whatever is given to Wyrmbreaker.

"However he is not. The right of this council to decide punishment was taken from it.

"As for the Philodox Elder, your opinion is noted."

A pause.

"Is there anything else?"

[Truth's Meridian] "I have not yet questioned Genevre about her actions tonight, but she will be dealt with, have no doubt about that. The accusations leveled against her are not small," she glances briefly at Lukas, then Sinclair, before her pale eyes return to the Grand Elder and Kemp. "But neither are they unjust, if she has knowingly sought out and conspired with her Cousin.

But I will make no ruling about her future until I have personally heard her version of events."

[Balance without Fault] "Her interaction is no longer merely a tribal problem, Truth's Meridian. It has become a problem of the Sept.

"I would like to know what you intend to do about it, once you've decided."

(getting out the responses quickly, but the GE will give everyone a chance to respond before moving on!)

[Truth's Meridian] [NP, Kate has said what she wants for the moment, I believe -- and I have to BRB, so, don't wait on me! ]

[Sinclair] After Balance Without Fault speaks in response to her, Sinclair neither nods nor glares, simply going quiet while she waits for resolution.

[Wyrmbreaker] [i'm good!]

[Balance without Fault] Silence hangs for several seconds while the Grand Elder allows the Unbroken an opportunity to respond, and no one does.

"Alright," he says. "Come back tomorrow at dawn. We'll have our decision then. Bleeding Heart will clean the body for burial."






[insert decisionmaking scene here]







[BWF] The Grand Elder meets them all where they had stood last, in sight of the water but some distance from the edge. It is impossible to tell if he's slept or not; his baseline is the same.

"On the first full moon in December, Dirge of the Covenant challenged Wyrmbreaker's honour and they battled. Wyrmbreaker as the victor.

"Not very long ago," he begins, when they're gathered, "Dirge of the Covenant was brought here by Wyrmbreaker under allegations of spreading rumour, among other things. Dirge of the Covenant was marked with the voice of the jackal, and told to join the Unbroken. Wyrmbreaker, as a Fostern of the Nation, who previously claimed the right to lead Dirge of the Covenant was tasked to do just that. Lead and teach."

A moment's breath.

"Last night, in a public venue, Wyrmbreaker and Dirge of the Covenant spoke, heated. And when Wyrmbreaker insulted a kinfolk of Dirge of the Covenant's tribe, the Galliard went into a frenzy and tried to kill him.

"Wyrmbreaker killed him instead."

This is a summary, an eagle's eye view of the events.

"By his own admission, restraint was not used. By the words of his packmate, this is always a risk. And whlie that is true, we have all frenzied, and all lost control. When in these frenzies, the restraint of a packmate, a septmate or a stranger are often the only reason why so many warriors are still alive today."

His hands are loose at his side, fingers gently curled toward the palms. His knuckles are bruised, the skin cut over them, as if he has recently been in a fight.

"Wyrmbreaker, you have failed in the task set forth to you by the Council to be Alpha to Dirge of the Covenant. You have shown a lack of control. You have killed a Garou, thereby removing his claws from this Sept. You have taken away the council's right to attempt to teach through discipline, and have removed the chance that Dirge of the Covenant might have learnt from his mistakes and become better for it.

"As you have removed him before his punishment could be completed, you will take part of it on for yourself. You will have the voice of the jackal until the moon wanes crescent again.

"Packmates are often asked to share in the weight of a punishment. This is so, tonight."

Truth's Meridian, "You and your kinswoman, Genevre, will take the body of Dirge of the Covenant back to his family. You will represent your pack to your tribesmates and offer what is necessary. He was your tribesmate; that it was inevitable, as you say, also falls upon you."

Warcry: "You have said that the Nation is better off without Dirge of the Covenant. Consider this a test of your skills then: Find a story of the Galliard which casts him in a good light and tell it at the moot.

"That settles last night's matter."

[Lukas] At the end of sentencing, Wyrmbreaker bows his head to the Grand Elder and to the Ragabash Elder.

"Thank you for your attention, Rhyas."

He turns to Katherine for administration of the Rite.

[Kemp] He stood and listened to the judgment. All the while he presented a neutral front but running through his mind was that the lecture was worse than the punishment, it always was and in this case, appropriate.

Lukas could live with this and Kemp would avoid him so he didn't laugh when the guy spoke.

Katherine would take the nettle of a Kin away back to where she came from. Maybe the Fangs would stick some poor sucker with the woman?

Sinclair would...heh, Sinclair had the hard task.

[Katherine] Truth's Meridian says nothing while the verdict is delivered by the Grand Elder; when it is decided that she shall escort her Kinswoman and Dirge of the Covenant's body back to the Court of King Calvin de Provence there is a brief tightening around her lips, dare say a glimmer of fear at the prospect -- but she is a daughter of such Courts and knows, as they all do that she is the best suited for such a job.

"As you wish, Rhya," she says with a small inclination of her head before turning to face her Alpha.

Katherine echoes the same procedure she had done for her now deceased brother; she bends down and collects a handful of dust. Slowly, she raises her blue eyes to Lukas and steps closer to him; her voice weaving the ritual into the air around them as she murmurs the incantation and blows against her palm.

Stepping back, she turns to Balance Without Fault.

"It has been administered, rhya."