Keble College

"Then we have much to accomplish together," Daniel notes with relish. "Gabriel!" He calls out, his tone once more shifting into something that cannot be denied. Rae's brother awakes with a jolt. "Clean up your neck."

Rising from her seat, it is with no small satisfaction that she looks to Gabriel's silent and subdued demeanor. The wicked thought to offer Gabriel to Daniel in perpetuity crosses her mind, but she pushes the idea away as just as quickly. "I look forward to working together, I'm sure that we will accomplish much. Thank you for your time and your assistance, Professor. I wish you a pleasant evening." Exiting Keble, Rae wishes that she could return to Lyra, or at least do something to focus her thinking. Every aspect of the Ventrue clan makes her think that the blame for any folkloric connection between Satan and Kindred lies squarely upon their shoulders. Obfuscating herself on the way home, she considers going for an evening run in the hope that it will help her think of a manner by which to find a suitable vessel for Dr. McDermott. 

(Continued from Cowley) "Dammit," says Michael as the cell phone signal seems to be returning the way they came. He looks around for anyone who looks like the woman in the photo, or for any cats oddly walking purposefully down the street.  He has an idea, more or less, of where she is heading at least, and keeping his obfuscation going, he jogs back to Cowley. He might be able to see her return there.  (Back to Cowley) 

(Continued from Cowley) Arriving on the grounds of the college, Rae almost expects to be swarmed by members of the Concord after the terrible antics of the prior evening. But as she makes her way into the building, everything is blessedly normal. Quickly ascending the stairs to the office of Professor McDermott, she gently knocks on the door. "Good evening, Professor. It's Raziel."

"Come in," the McDermott calls out. "What do you have for me, Raziel?" He asks as she enters.

Walking into the space, Rae wears a welcoming smile.  "Hello, Professor. What I have for you is a touch of unfortunate news, followed by what I hope you'll see as a greater gift than the one you requested." Coming to stand before the professor's desk, she affects calmness and confidence. "I do not know if news has already spread, but Francis de la Fontaine-my Khaibit grandsire-has returned to Oxford. He has returned to train me for what we fear to be a grave threat that now looms over both the Kindred and Kine of Oxford." "I was recently attacked by a Strix outside of my home. Other Strix may have already been nesting here and wormed their way into the inner workings of this place. There is no way of knowing at this point. So, alongside working within the bounds of our arrangement, I will be learning to fight the Strix." She pauses to note the professor's reaction before continuing. "Speaking of our agreement, these current events have precluded me finding a suitable vessel for you. So I would like to offer this in its place. While the Strix roam Oxford, you shall have my protection."

Dr. McDermott glances up at Rae and smiles a smile that is entirely too wide. His eyes fill with black as though smoke is swirling within them and an unpleasant sensation pulls at her heart. "I shall? Well, that's adorable," he remarks and the sound is like two voices speaking in synchrony, if the second were nails on a blackboard.

Rae's head swims as horrible pain in her skull is accompanied by an intense and terrible vertigo. The combination almost brings her to her knees, and she takes an unsteady step to the side as she fights to keep herself upright. After several seconds, she is able to focus on Dr. McDermott and register the strange change in his eyes and voice. She realizes that what she is suffered is far too similar to what the Strix outside of her flat had done to her when it shattered her obfuscation.  As she had learned from Francis, Rae calls upon the darkness to tear the veil from her eyes and perceive the world as it truly is. The mists of Twilight fill the space around them, and as she looks upon the professor, she watches as the shadow of two, enormous wings extend outward from the man's back.  Simple panic fails to describe the sheer dread that propels Rae out of the office and building at the supernatural speed of her Celerity. Ducking down into a shadowy corner in the Keble quad, she masks the attentive silence of her Beast before frantically dialing the number Parker had given her and praying that anyone would pick up.

As she flees, Rae can hear wings on the wind behind her. The dial tone blares in her ear in slow motion as the phone rings. Glancing down at her ankles, she can see the familiar shape of a black cat running alongside her.

Rae wondered if her gifts were confounding her senses, as never before had a phone rung so slowly in the entirety of her life or unlife.  " Shit...shit...shit..." Looking down to see the familiar form appear close to her, she leans in close to him and whispers.  "Lotus. Run. That thing will tear you apart and eat whatever spirit or force leaves you when you die. Run."

"Mrowr," the lithe little cat replies, baring his teeth, before turning to face the vampire's pursuer. "Good evening," a well spoken voice greets Rae upon picking up the phone.

"Lo-" The voice on the other end of the phone cuts her off, and she immediately turns her attention to it. Though she does her best to speak quietly, her voice trembles as the words come out frantically.  " Hello, I need help. Keble has been compromised, I'm being pursued by a Strix. Please help me."

"Miss Andrews?" Rae can't tell if the voice belongs to Parker or James. "Seek shelter. Try to remain calm and take things one step at a time. Help is on the way." From behind her, Rae hears a sudden thudding twang that echoes and reverberates loudly through the night.

Before she can answer Parker-or-James, Rae nearly jumps out of her cold skin as the noise sounds out from behind her. Quickly shuffling out of the corner where she'd hid, she does her best to remain in the shadows. With the Udjat  still active, Rae focuses on the area that seemed to be the source of the noise, searching the darkness for signs of faint body heat or movement. 

Rae sees a golden flower blaze in the air above the little black cat. The strix's stygian wings beat against the apparition's petals, but the monstrous crow is unable to withstand the light and retreats.

Just as Rae prepares to run, she is shocked to see the strange cat perform some manner of magic that repels the dark form of the Strix and drives it away. As she stands in the shadows of the quad, the questions overwhelm her. For how long has the professor been possessed? What manner of magic was that? Where was the professor's cat? Just what are these creatures? She reaches out to the mind and soul of the cat, only to grip her head in disorienting, throbbing pain as her own mind and soul ricochet off of one another by the doing of the Strix. "...Damn it."  Dropping to her knees, she bends down to the cat. "Lotus, if you can speak to me, please tell me what you are. What did you just do?"

" Mrowr ," the cat asserts smugly, licking a paw and cleaning its ear.

Rae's shoulders fall in mild disappointment, but she smiles and reaches out to give the cat scritches behind the ears.  " Thank you for saving me. " Standing up, she leans against the nearest wall, keeping herself enclosed in shadow. Remaining vigilant, she waits for the Kindred cavalry. 

The cat arches its back and sidles in a figure of eight between Rae's ankles, rubbing its neck against her. A few moments later the shadows swell, broiling up into a column from which steps Francis, his blade drawn in front of him. "Good evening Raziel, where is it ?" He hisses, eyes flitting around in search of his prey.

There is another moment of terror as the shadows take form once again. But Rae relaxes, if only partially, upon recognizing Francis de la Fontaine.  "My cat, Lotus,  did some manner of magic that drove it away. Produced a shining light that it couldn't withstand." She looks down proudly at the black cat, then back up to take a more grave tone with Francis.  "The creature has possessed the body of Keble Professor  Daniel McDermott. I was in its space just long enough to notice that the cat present during my last visit was now missing. I saw the man two nights ago, which, now that I say it aloud, leads me to believe that the Strix has been watching me for some time."  She pauses to reflect further, coming to a grim awareness. "And that thing has my human brother..."

"Your cat?!" Francis replies incredulously. The fluffy black feline stares back up at him, unimpressed. "You can't be serious."

"It hasn't quite settled for me, either." Rae says with an exhausted smile. "But I wouldn't be whole, much less standing before you, if not for this cat." "The Strix did something to me, corrupted my sight somehow. My Auspex doesn't work right now, along with God knows what else."

"The so-called 'Web of Destiny'," Francis spits. "Some Strix can bend probability and consequence to their liking. Which way did it go?"

Rae had watched the scene unfold, watched Lotus emit the flower of light that drove the Strix away. But as she tried to remember any other detail, there is simply an absence of sight or sense that engenders feelings of horrible disorientation. Sensations that she is now beginning to associate only with Strix.  She sways a little as she tries to recall, then looks to Francis in frustration. "I can't remember. I saw it, but it's like the memory has been stolen. Can I fight this effect off? The creature is hunting me, and even with Lotus, it will end me without a way to defend myself."

"When you use the Ba to shroud yourself in shadow and enter the ephemeral realm," Francis explains, "then their powers can no longer touch you. In the material world, your only defence is the sheer strength of your resolve. Better to strike first and avoid being a target in the first place. The effects of the Web of Destiny will fade with time. It cannot mark you forever." Closing his eyes, Francis steps backwards into the shadows, which engulf him without a trace.

"Alright, good to know. I wasn't sure if they could still reach me in Twilight. I-" Rae is cut short as Francis fades away into the shadows. "...-will see you at Blenheim, then."  Retrieving her phone, she texts the number provided to her.  All clear. Ready to be picked up and taken to Blenheim.

Good evening, Miss Andrews. Where would you like to be collected? The number replies a few moments later.

At Keble College, please. Thank you.

A little less than half an hour later, Parker pulls up outside the college in Francis's car. He gets out and walks around to open the back door for Rae. "Everything alright, Miss Andrews?"

Hastily approaching the car, Rae turns to make sure that Lotus is following close behind her. "Hello, Parker. Yes, the threat has been scared off for the moment. But we should get to Blenheim as quickly as possible." 

Rae's cat hops up onto the seat next to her and crosses his paws. "As you wish ma'am," Parker replies and the car speeds off north towards the city limits.

[continued from Cowley] “So did you already let him know that we’re stopping by or…?” Mehdi asks as he follows the professor to McDermott’s office. One hand holds a goblin fruit the size of a small orange. The Changeling bites through the pinkish colored rind as they walk, revealing another several layers of rind beneath instead of flesh, all in varying colors and shades. It doesn’t appear unpleasant as he munches away, despite the off putting appearance.

"No, I was just going to start a jazz concert outside his window and coax him out that way. If it stops abruptly, he's likely to come and try to commission more. It is always better to negotiate when someone knows they want something from you." Liam already has his phone out as he walks texting some people he knows from the local jazz scene. He thinks for a second before also firing one off to Aubrey  Pop up gig at Keble in the quad. Come join? Heads up, trying to get someone's attention so may end abruptly. Lots of your fans desperate to see us collab again ;) "One of my band mates is a student here. A few others I know too., don't want to post on socials ahead though or my sire will be here before we even start "

Mehdi at once looks both incredulous and exasperated. ”Or you know… I could just Helldive and spy on him without him or anyone else knowing we were ever here.” Clearly this would be the smarter, safer plan, but at this point Mehdi knows Liam well enough to know that the musician will never miss a chance to perform. “But fine, let’s get you set up.” he says with a sigh of resignation as he moves to go fetch Jetty and Liam’s equipment.

"There's my man!" Liam claps Mehdi on the shoulder before going back to his phone to wait for the inevitable replies

Chip (Mag|Sov|Ja|Aleixo) said: "No, I was just going to start a jazz concert outside his window and coax him out that way. If it stops abruptly, he's likely to come and try to commission more. It is always better to negotiate when someone knows they want something from you." Liam already has his phone out as he walks texting some people he knows from the local jazz scene. He thinks for a second before also firing one off to Aubrey  Pop up gig at Keble in the quad. Come join? Heads up, trying to get someone's attention so may end abruptly. Lots of your fans desperate to see us collab again ;) "One of my band mates is a student here. A few others I know too., don't want to post on socials ahead though or my sire will be here before we even start " It's not long before Liam's phone starts to buzz with responses from his band mates. Oh man, yes!! Keble quad? I'm there. Keble? Fancy 😏 Count me in, I’ll bring the special amp. Yesss, let's blow their minds! I can leave work early for this. Anything specific I should bring? I’m hyped! A pop-up gig AND your fans? Dude, you’re spoiling us. Can’t wait! This is gonna be epic. Just say when we start, and I'll make it extra loud. 😈 As Mehdi begins setting up the equipment in Keble’s quad, students passing by start to take notice with a mix of curiosity and confusion. Some slow their steps, exchanging glances as they notice the unexpected appearance of sound equipment in the middle of campus. A few bold students linger, intrigued by what might be a surprise performance, while others whisper to friends, nudging them to look over. One group of students, clearly excited, speculates whether this is some sort of guerrilla gig, their eyes darting to the unusual pair of Mehdi and Liam.

The October air over Oxford hangs thick with the weight of expectation as Rae, Aubrey, Khalid and Merric cross the quieted streets toward Keble College. The mages' protective enchantments cling to Rae like a faint shimmer in the air. Her shadow bends strangely and the pall of fear is muted by a steady Obrimos light. Keble itself looms ahead. The  red and pale bands of its  signature striped brickwork climb towards sharp Gothic spires and the great quadrangle lantern is lit against the oncoming dawn. The normally serene college thrums with a strange vitality tonight and music rolls from within the quad. Liam's band is already playing, the sound spilling into the night. A low, pulsing bass line rattles faint panes of glass and a saxophone cuts like a siren through the quad. From the outside, it looks almost like a late-night student party, one of those secret concerts pulled together by word of mouth. However, this isn’t that at all. This is bait. Students are trickling in and out of the hall, unaware of the darker games unfolding beneath the music. Liam is framed by yellow lamplight, bass in hand, his eyes half-closed in concentration, but scanning the audience with a predator's attention between notes. Mehdi is at the periphery, leaning against a column, speaking in low tones to someone who looks like a student usher. The atmosphere here is charged. The laughter and chatter of mortals seem almost muffled by the heavy, invisible pressure that the vampires recognise only too well. A predator’s presence. Something in the college is awake, watching and waiting. The group halts just outside the open gate to the quad. The mages' enchantments whisper faintly, like leaves stirred by a wind that hasn’t arrived. Somewhere deep in Keble's chapel towers, a crow caws with a sharp, cutting cry. The hunt has begun.

Rae's stride is confident and controlled as the sounds of the nearby concert echo through the night. She feels like a burgeoning carnivore cutting its teeth for the first time, attuned to every sound and action in her space. The night unfurls before her, her eyes picking up the movement and body heat of students in their comings and goings. Once the group stands before the quad, she unsheathes a small dagger she'd all but forgotten in a desk at her flat.  She focuses on the weapon, willing forth the very essence of her being to enfold the gleaming silver of the blade. Shadows cast onto her forearm from a nearby tree begin to writhe and move in accordance with her wish, tendrils of darkness snapping onto the dagger's edge. She smiles as the weapon begins to darken, only for her shoulders to fall in disappointment when the shadow spasms and falls away. She whispers in aggravation to herself.  " Fuck. "  Collecting herself, she pulls out her phone and sends a text to Francis. We've arrived at the quad. Aubrey and I, along with the mages I had mentioned to you, the Life mage and the necromancer. Then she turns to the others. "I've let my grand-sire know that we're here, he should arrive shortly. I wasn't able to manifest a shadow weapon, but I'll try again later when we have a better idea of what's going on. In the meantime, we should enter the building, yes? If you have any final preparation to perform, I suggest you do it now."

Aubrey lets out a sigh as she takes in the sights and - to her mix of amusement and dismay - sounds, of Liam’s mock concert. Mortals milled about around them with nary a glimmer of concern, their feeble unawareness cloyingly irreverent given the air of deadly anticipation going about the quad. Elbowing one jock out of the way with a bit more force than she’d even meant for, she comes to a stop opposite Rae and Khalid, her brow raising at the latter with recognition for what evidently he’d imbued them with. Her mouth drops slightly open as if to speak, but the words catch somewhere in her throat. Instead, her focus shifts to the khaibit. “Rae-rae, having trouble getting it up is nothing to be ashamed of, happens more often you’d think and all that… anyway if we do  have some time, there is a matter I need some help prepping: a ritual of my own that should prove useful against the shadows. A rite of fire .” She pauses for appropriate dramatic effect, her chin raising alongside the curl of her lips.  “Unfortunately, fire demands kindling, and that’s where I’m hoping you can lend a hand… give or take.” Her head tilts into the suggestion while her mouth quietly mutters the last part.

Rae pinches the bridge of her nose, pursing her lips in evident exasperation as she looks down to the ground and contemplates for several long seconds. She'd honestly prefer the Strix to an evening spent with her Daeva acquaintance. With titanic effort, she brings her focus upward to look the woman in the eyes.  "I do not have any spare body parts on me, unfortunately. But a fire ritual certainly sounds helpful, maybe Khalid can offer a bit of blood?" She looks to the young man as she poses the question.

“No good,”  Aubrey shakes her head, “Has to be kindred, and doesn’t have to be much. A finger? A knuckle even? Nothing you would miss… given it’ll be back by like, tomorrow anyway, right?”

"It is very likely that I need each and every one of my digits in the struggle to come, as the Strix is likely to target me once it spots me. Couldn't you use one of your own? Or must you use the bones of another?"

"It must be mixed  afterwards  with my own vitae, but it's only, like a bit of your off-hand pinky or whatever right? How vital could that be?"  She sighs and looks off towards the sound of music rocking the quad.  "I  could  try asking Liam, I suppose, but he is busy at the moment, it takes some time to prepare, and I don't know when our flappy friend will arrive." Turning back, she meets Rae's gaze with a look of steel.  "I promise you, I will be far more useful if I have the means to wield this fire than without. I wouldn't ask if I didn't think it was, like, genuinely worthwhile." 

Rae fixes Aubrey with a hard stare, clearly considering what has been said. Her gaze softens but remains on the Daeva as, with a slow determination, she brings her left hand up to her face and opens her mouth. A distinct crunch sound follows as she brings her front teeth down hard on her pinkie finger, the teeth just shy of her knuckle. Her vision flashes with color as she severs nerves and crushes bone, but its merely an instant and the stump where her finger had just been is blessedly free of hemorrhage.  Spitting her finger into the palm of her right hand, she extends it in offering to Bri. "I hope this will suffice."       

“Wait, let mー,”  Aubrey reaches out, but Raziel defies her expectations and, with seemingly little inhibition, bites the digit off in a quick fashion. Instead of a helping hand, Aubrey instead simply accepts the finger with a brief look down and a quizzical stare that warps into a crooked smile. “Fucking hell, I underestimated you Rae-rae. That was splendid.”  Curling her fingers around the bloody bone and clutching it to her chest, she straightens up. “I swear  I will do all I can to use this most generous of gifts to aid you tonight.”   That crooked smile grows til it verges on cheshire. ” Pinky promise.”

Flexing her hand at her side, Rae smiles faintly as a quiet horror blossoms in the far corner of her psyche. But she clamps down on the fear, pushing it away to be dealt with another time. She needs to be present, focused. Or they could all be destroyed tonight. Or worse.    "Careful, Bri. Almost sounded as though you liked me for a moment." Her smile is lighter now. "I'm interested to see more of the Circle's magic up close." She glances out towards the quad, her intent causing the shadows around her to briefly quiver.   

"That makes two of us,”  she muses to herself.  “There is  one more thing, however,”  she turns to Khalid with a disarming smile. “The ritual requires bone ash  specifically. You or your friend wouldn’t happen to know of a furnace or means to quickly burn this, would you?”

Mehdi is only half listening to the usher’s complaints. His eyes and ears scan the crowd for a dozen potential threats, unaccounted for allies and for Mc.Dermott. His thoughts swim with all the tangled threads, they lash against his mind like the tendrils of some great beast surging up from the depths, reaching, probing, strangling, hungry, so hungry- “Really man ye gottae turn it down, I don’t want tae be hard on ya but-“ Mehdi’s eyes catch a gaggle of students that hadn’t been there moments before.  “Rae,”  he mutters completely ignoring whatever else this guy is droning on about. He’s been trying to catch the kindred for days now. And here she is, with Aubrey, and Khalid, and… who’s that?  “Yeah, yeah, we’ll cut it off at eleven.”  he replies dismissively to the usher before walking away along a fragrant breeze.   “Rae! There you are, hey, we really need to talk. Honestly you too Aubrey, and you,” he nods to the mage he knows,  “And… hey, hows it going, you’re with them?”  He glances to the others with an obvious  ‘Is this guy cool?’  written across his face.  “I’m Mehdi.”

Rae turns sharply in the direction her name sounded from, only for her features to wrinkle in evident surprise and concern at the sight of Mehdi. "Mehdi?!" She begins looking around the courtyard, scanning each shadow in sight for any sign of movement. At the look the changeling gives her and the others, she indicates towards her new friend. "This is Merric, he's a talented young mage who has already helped us quite a bit."  She then takes a step towards Mehdi, lowering her voice as she does. "What's wrong? It's not safe for you to be out here tonight, let alone this close to us."