The Mistakes Of Misfits
Chapter 24: Sumi

I woke up still caked with blood from the night before. I remember coming home, the screaming from me and Kasious to go save Varrin now. The orders from Otah to calm the hell down and think things through. We lost that argument so hard that I went straight to bed without even cleaning up.

The air felt dead in the room without the usual excitement that welcomed me when I woke. Even before Varrin and I got together I would at least wake up to the sounds of the other misfits. Today the entire warehouse seemed to be devoid of sound. I needed to pull myself together, moping around wouldn't do anyone any good.

I got in the bath and started to clean off the blood that had been so thoroughly spilled on me in the fight with the cultists. The blood seemed to clean off but the sun below it remained. We had let our friend get captured, I had let him. Now who knew what awful torture he had to endure because I wasn't fast enough.

A knock at the door wrenched me away from my thoughts. I quickly threw on my leathers before answering. As I opened the door I saw Kerrigan standing across the hall leaning against the wall. "We're heading down to the council soon." He explained. "Are you alright to come down?" he looked genuinely concerned, but that had to be senseless pity. He didn't actually care about me.

I threw my wet mess of hair into a small ponytail and stepped out the door. "I'm fine, let's go" I swung the door shut and we walked down the hall. We of course had to change locations after Varrin was captured. None of us expected him to give them information but torture was one hell of a motivator. This new warehouse wasn't as nice but was much bigger. We walked in silence for a while before Kerrigan finally broke the silence.

"I'm sorry about Varrin." He muttered. He kept his face neutral but a bit of what looked like concern seemed to take over his features. "I wish there was more we could have done."

A bit of anger boiled up through me that probably shouldn't have. I should have saved him. I could have saved him if I was faster. If I was better.

"What do you care anyway?" I asked. "You've hated both of us from day one." Kerrigan put a hand on my shoulder but I quickly moved out of the way and faced him.

Kerrigan's brow furrowed a bit but his face stayed mournful, even when facing my anger. "I've never hated either of you." He explained. "I have... issues with your kind. I wasn't able to separate those feelings from you and Otah." There were many who hated our kind. It didn't surprise me that the hatred Kerrigan had was one of long running prejudice.

I let out a sarcastic laugh. "So what changed? Are we just so awesome you lost all that hatred?" I shouldn't have been this hard on him. He had been civil with me for some time now and it wasn't fair to throw all of this anger at him.

Kerrigan shrugged. "I've been trying to be better. You aren't the people who hurt me. It took me a while to see that... Varrin was. Varrin is a good man. You're a good woman, we'll get him back, Sumi."

Emotions threatened to flow out of me like a tidal wave, but I held it back and nodded to the half orc. It was all I could manage in my overly emotional state. Kerrigan returned the gesture and didn't say any more as we approached the new chamber for the council.

Kasious and Otah were already before the council. Otah stepped forward. "The only reason he is even captured is because your people couldn't do their job. Sabastian and his cult were supposed to be distracted during our meeting with the templars!" Kasious put a hand on the old orcs chest. It was strange to see. He was the one telling us to calm down yesterday.

Otah seemed more angry than I had ever seen him. He had never lost his cool like this in front of us. Rycard, the harvest quadrant leader, sat forward. "Sabastian saw our ruse and before we could react he took a small section of his troops to the grand hall... there was nothing we could do." He stood tall, not a bit of hesitation or sorrow in those eyes. "The mage was a casualty of war. These things sadly happen."

My blood boiled. It took every bit of restraint I had not to rush him and break that cocky skull open. Just a fucking casualty? I would show him a casualty! I stepped forward but Kerrigan put a hand on my chest. "Don't get angry quite yet, Kasious had enough to deal with." I looked at Kasious and Otah and sighed.

"If they won't listen..." I started. I would tear apart this entire city if it meant saving our friend.

Kerrigan nodded grimly. "If they won't help then we will do it ourselves." He reassured me. I smirked at the half orc and we continued into the chamber. Otah saw us and his shoulders straightened, as if he didn't want us to see any of his anger. It seemed the old orc was much different when his students were out of sight. It was almost comforting to know Varrin's capture had pissed him off as much as the rest of us.

He looked up at the council, an eerie calm falling over that calculating face. "The mage is an asset you can not afford to lose, there has to be something we can do to save him." He pleaded.

Calibri answered this time. "We have the means to execute our plan. We cannot risk all of that for one man. No matter how important he is to you." I almost jumped up on that podium myself but Marline spoke up.

"Varrin is important to all of us. Imagine if Sabastian can somehow harness the power he holds. If an initiate mage can become that strong... Sabastian would be a god." A small murmur started between the revolutionaries and the templar's. They knew the power Sabastian already held all too well.

Calorina nodded. "Perhaps we should accelerate our plans a bit, it could be a compromise that leaves Sabastian vulnerable but does not destroy our plans."

Calibri raised an eyebrow. "What are you suggesting Calorina?" He asked. This was it, either Calorina convinced them or I was leaving this damn room.

Calorina shrugged, putting on a mask of pure indifference. "We go out and rally the people today while Sabastian is distracted with his new prisoner. The mage clearly hasn't been broken yet, if he was they would have attacked the old safehouse. I suggest we rally the citizens today, then storm the castle at dawn."

Rycard laughed at the idea. "How do you expect us to convince the people to fight when the cult has such a stranglehold on the city. Most won't leave their homes let alone attack the castle."

I stepped forward. "What about Kasious?" I blurted out. The entire room turned to me. I cleared my throat nervously. "The prince of the city is back to take on his father. If the people were to rally behind anyone it would be him." I turned to Kasious. He looked a bit nervous but he gave me an appreciative nod.

Marline nodded. "Tila has informed me that the city has been in a state of unrest since rumors of the prince have been spread. Perhaps if he made an appearance he could rally the people to our cause." The idea was sound, if not a bit dangerous. We had to do it though if we were going to save Varrin.

Rycard looked less than convinced. "Sabastian already stole one of our troops, if we put the prince out in the open then we could risk the same happening to him." The council murmured amongst themselves for a moment.

Kasious stepped forward. "It is a risk we will have to take." He told them. "This is my city and Sabastian took my friend. It is time I took both back from him." Every single member of the council looked to Kasious with a mix of reverment and trepidation.

Marline stood up from her seat and walked toward Kasious. "If you do this prince, we cannot guarantee your safety. This revolution is dependent on you taking down your father." She took one of his hands and looked him in the eye. "If we wait we can starve the castle slowly and weaken the cult and the king. If you do this... there will be no alternative, there will be war... and it will end in blood.

Kasious furrowed his brow and nodded. "It is what needs to be done." He answered. "I will prepare my people, I ask that some of the templars join me for protection if the cult decides to strike." He sounded very solemn and professional, very unlike the Kasious I knew.

Marline nodded. "You will have a small battalion. That much we can arrange." She stopped for a moment, looking at the floor before saying her next words. "May Varun light watch over you child."

Kasious nodded as he took his hands away from Marline and turned to us. "Ready to save our friend?" He asked us. One by one we all stepped forward. To my surprise Kerrigan didn't even hesitate to join us in this battle. Maybe his claim about trying to be better was true. We stepped out of the council room and prepared for war.

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