The Keepers of Chaos: A Vault of Hell

Vestus Konstotte: CXXXVI

Twisted Games: CXXXVI

Vestus took long deep breaths trying to control the narrow anger he was feeling. He.. hadn't known Avi and Embric for long, tracking his time. He had only been in Waterdeep for little over two weeks. He did not want these two to die, he didn't want anyone else to die. "Avi, I.. must know how you were invited to this ball?" he grasped at straws, why would this happen? Both his employer and Alekzandr's? Was this a sick joke?

"Victoro.. Could he have?" Herod started, the warlock trailed off, a sickly thought played in that boy's eyes one Vestus could not peer into. Vestus placed a hand on Embric, the fire genasi seemed panicked and scared his mouth twitched a little. It was the same tic he'd noticed in Blazor nearly six years ago.

"Calm down.. It's going to be alright." Vestus said sternly, he realized only then that Embric was.. A fanboy, a scared, terrified for his life, fanboy. How he would react, is how Embric would react. The hotter the flames got from the hardened bellows the closer water turned to steam. He tried to comfort Avi at the same time.

"I-it was like everyone.. It was a raffle set out by the Cassalanter family, twenty from different districts.. Sea ward, North Ward, Trades Ward, Dock ward. Hold on.. The dock ward? The trade ward.. His eyes slowly turned to the left realizing how much danger they were in.

"This.. can't be a coincidence." Markos mumbled, the half-elf was pacing now, but nearly as much as Alekzandr, who had stumbled upon Rishall, Vestus had never met this figure, he was a short golden dragon born with gold eyes and long whiskers dressed like an expensive tutor. Vestus gave a glance to Markos quieting the cultist, he couldn't have anyone raising a panic. No, they needed to stay calm under any circumstance. It's what he would've told Cramer, or Timval it's what he would do now.

"I learned a long time ago. You lead by example." He set his hand on Alekzandr's shoulder. "Calm yourself-" The man merely turned his head, Vestus felt a chill run down his spine as he got a good gaze into Alekz's face, those electric blue eyes were ablaze with the flames of Hades. "We will. I assure you." He tried again.

"Mr.. Konstotte.. Are.. are we going to be ok?" Embric asked again. Vestus wanted to cry, the man next to him was married, matured, and old enough to raise a stead of his own yet for him.. Everyone there save for the druid and Alekzandr was a child.

"Yes." He assured, though he could not make such a promise, "Everything will be. I need both of you to keep quiet.. Don't incite a panic, I.. doubt they will let you escape at this point but we will do everything we can." Vestus looked across the garden slowly, and more and more figures stood about he counted.. Hold on.. That couldn't be right. Forty. Fifty.. Eighty..

*"Two hundred."* his eyes glared with Herod's voice spoke in his mind. The warlock stood next to the cultist, he knew Alekzandr said that Markos could read minds and Herod speak into them but this was completely different, also the first one was more of a joke he thought.

"No.." He whispered, not wanting to believe that, two hundred? Was one not enough? His ears roared with the sound of his own blood Vestus practiced breathing, in.. and out.. In and.. He clenched his teeth. "Ares.. be with me." he decided at last. "Embric, think of it like this, we must simply temper a steel and.." The fire genasi was clearly beginning to calm but he frowned if not panicked more at the steel analogy. Vestus stopped himself, he needed to know when he was ahead. "The poison you consumed can be cured, I'm sure of it." he sighed and led the two lovers across the yard letting them nearly collapse on a set of chairs. He didn't want to mention his suspicion that a poison may not take out the two genasi, no need to create false hope.

"Rishall.. I need you to take me through the events." He found himself with Alekzandr nervously toying with a string of metal scrap in his pocket trying to stay busy.