It Has Begun

[Kaden]

The wizard had several giant cubes of ice levitating in the air as he approached the club again, this time knowing it was the point of no return. They were deep into this and he couldn't back out now. Unlocking and opening the door, he set all the cubes down in a line in an alley behind the building. Each one held weapons he'd gleaned from his shop - every weapon he had in stock as a matter of fact. As he flicked on the lights, he noticed for once that he was the first one there. "Nice change of pace." Kaden mused, and he got the tables and chairs set up once again for the final briefing.

[narym]

Narym walked into the back room, having left Lily at the bar with a " mine's a pint!". She looked around the room in surprise. Apart from Kaden, there was no one else there. She took a seat in a corner facing the door. Old habits died hard! Tipping the chair against the wall, she put her feet up on a table, laid her head against the wall and closed her eyes.
" Ah Kaden, my friend, I'm so tired, I could sleep for a week!" She smiled faintly. " Wake me up when the party's started."

[Cassiel]

Cassiel looked at the clock as she walked into the club. She was wearing skin tight black pants and a tight black tank top with a red design on it. Over it she had her leather jacket. Her lips and nails were ruby red and her hair was left down. She was wearing black leather lace up boots with a dagger in each one. Cassiel was ready for the king.

She wanted to get to the club before too many people showed up because she had something she had to give to Cassandra and she didn't want too many people to know about it. Cassiel was not surprised when she walked in the door that Kaden was there already. She gave him a tense smile as she walked over to him. "So, this is it," she said.

[Kaden]

"I would, of course Narym." Kaden said with a knowing smirk. "But all the weapons I've got are right out back, and since you're the first one here, you'd technically have first pick at what you wanted." He added, before noticing Cassiel come over to him.

"Yep, this is it. The big day - well, night - we've all been waiting for. You look ready." He said.

[Cassiel]

"I'm definitely ready. Not looking too forward to the first part of my mission though. I hope he still has a weakness for shifters, otherwise I'm in trouble." She took off her sunglasses and showed Kaden that her eyes were all panther. "I can't shift them back, so it's a dead giveaway if I take the glasses off."

[Kaden]

Kaden thought this was odd. "Why can't your eyes shift back?"

[cassandra]

Cassandra made her way into the club found an out of the way corner to sit in. Catching Casssiel's eye, she let her know she was ready to talk whenever she had the time, then leaned back and closed her eyes, her mind all agog with everything that was happening.

[Cassiel]

After she talked to Kaden, Cassiel went to go sit down and review her plan in her mind. She saw Cassandra walk in and go to a secluded corner and made eye contact with her. When she saw that Cassandra was ready to talk, Cassiel walked over to her. and sat down next to Cassandra. She knew the other shifter would be stressed out and probably going over the plan in her mind.

"I don't want to take up too much of your alone time because I know you are going to be very busy getting everything together, but I have something for you." Cassiel took a blue velvet box out of her pocket and grinned. "I promise I am not proposing or anything."

She opened the box and inside was a gold necklace. The necklace looked like a tube, but it had a hidden secret. Each end untwisted and there was something inside. "The top has a scroll with a word that will unlock the door to the kings quarters. One thing most people don't know about me is that I am half witch. So when I leave the king, no one will be able to get in but the person with the scroll. You don't have to say anything out-loud, just take the paper out and read the word to yourself. It can only be read once, so don't take it out until you need it. Otherwise you will need me to unlock the door. When you are inside, you can use the potion in the bottom to wake the king. There will be no side effects or grogginess, he will be immediately alert as soon as the potion touches his tongue." She gave Cassandra the box. "That is really all I have for you, so I can leave you alone now if you want."

[cassandra]

"Thank you so much Cassiel! I'm just trying to sort a lot of things out in my head...not an easy thing to do when you're me....you can stay if you like...you're not bothering me, I'm just not very talkative at the moment....perhaps you should mark this day on your calendar." Cassandra said with a wry smile.

[narym]

Narym opened one eye and groaned. What's a girl gotta do to get some sleep! As her foggy mind took in what Kaden had just said, she sat bolt upright, both eyes open, her mind alert once more.
" Oh man, that's great!" she said, beaming. " I'll pay you when I get my first wage!"
After Kaden had told her where they were, she strode out of the room and into the alley. Her mouth opened in awe as she saw the huge ice cubes containing the weapons. Well well and isn't that a wonderful trick, she thought. If I'd known more about all the gifts gathered in this one place, I wouldn't have been so worried about the plan. Then she looked at them again. Um....

Narym walked back into the clubs back room and up to the Wizard.
" Um Kaden?" she smiled uncertainly," um... how do I unfreeze 'em?"

[Alledyra]

Slipping into the Club, Dyra found her seat as she watched the room patiently. She felt better than she normally did, with her ritual complete, her soul felt almost stable, and definitely more strengthened...but she didn't know how long that would last. Instead of dwelling on the upcoming battle however, Dyra reviewed her memories, and watched the people already in the room. Smiling slightly at one she had almost forgotten, she waited for the party to begin the march...

[Kaden]

"Right." Kaden said with a grin. "Unfreeze 'em, of course. Sorry bout that." He said, jogging out to the back alley. Snapping his fingers, the ice cubes around the weapons vanished, leaving no traces of water or any proof they'd ever been there aside from the cold on the metal weapons. Erecting an ice wall to block the only other entrance to the alley, he nodded to Narym. "There you go. Choose whatever you like. Just leave something for the rest of the group." The wizard added with a teasing smirk.

[narym]

Narym grinned. This guy was on her wavelength! She walked along the line of weapons and checked them out. There was quite an assortment; swords, knives, crossbows, even a staff. She felt like a kid in a sweetshop! Oh man, isn't this just so cool!she thought. She tried a couple of swords for weight and balance and decided on a plain but beautifully wrought one, with runes trailing along the blade. Then a crossbow, small but strong, made of a wood she was unfamiliar with. And of course, the bolts in a skilfully crafted leather quarrel.
" This is going to cost more than I can afford to pay in one go," she admitted to Kaden. " Do you do an instalment plan?" She smiled winningly at him. " Look at them, they were made for me!"
She looked into his laughing eyes. " Please?"

[Kaden]

"Oh don't worry about paying. For this trip we're going on, weapons are gonna be free for everyone." He said. "I'm assuming that I'll be able to get the money to restock from what I get from the castle. So don't worry about it. Consider it a gift if you like."

[narym]

Narym was moved by Kadens generosity. She had been on her own for a long time, apart from her closest friend and companion Fallow, and was unused to such kindness and friendship. Covering her awkwardness with humour, she grinned and quipped, " Ah well and if I'd known that, I would have chosen more, so I would!"
She grinned at the Wizard. And hoped that he would understand how grateful she was.
As she walked back into the club she looked over her shoulder at him and promised," I'll have your back Kaden, never fear of that!". And winked.