[Masq] Hail Mary
~1650, Undisclosed location~
The horse had fallen, she had taken its remaining life as an unpalatable last resort. The others were gone. Most of them had been combatants, front line fighters, taking some down in words of power, blood and fire. Those were the first to die.
She had been with the younger warlocks, the ones expected to hold things down inside the fortification, such that it was. They had caught up to her and she had been lucky enough with a quick Command and a conjured wall or two in order to escape thus far, but it wouldn't last.
Maria could hear the last of the screams ebb in the distance. The way back meant running straight into the Sabbat. All other directions but one meant passing into more of their territory, or arduous climbs with little means to eat and sleep in safety. She wasn't trained for survival, not in those kinds of circumstances.
Stones and rocks cut at her feet and tore at her clothing as she cleared the trees and made her way through the mountain pass. After a few hours, the castle's parapets came into view. She dreaded what she was to do next, almost as much as she dreaded the thought of what was behind her. This was perhaps her last, best, and only chance.
The horse had fallen, she had taken its remaining life as an unpalatable last resort. The others were gone. Most of them had been combatants, front line fighters, taking some down in words of power, blood and fire. Those were the first to die.
She had been with the younger warlocks, the ones expected to hold things down inside the fortification, such that it was. They had caught up to her and she had been lucky enough with a quick Command and a conjured wall or two in order to escape thus far, but it wouldn't last.
Maria could hear the last of the screams ebb in the distance. The way back meant running straight into the Sabbat. All other directions but one meant passing into more of their territory, or arduous climbs with little means to eat and sleep in safety. She wasn't trained for survival, not in those kinds of circumstances.
Stones and rocks cut at her feet and tore at her clothing as she cleared the trees and made her way through the mountain pass. After a few hours, the castle's parapets came into view. She dreaded what she was to do next, almost as much as she dreaded the thought of what was behind her. This was perhaps her last, best, and only chance.