Calling in the Air Tonight [Attn: Anyone]

[Bella]

Siera There was a commotion in the Yards, and Siera knew why.

A small crowd of trainees had gathered and then been dispersed, only to gather again--either by those who were not totally obeying the edict or ones newly on the scene. The not-so-young Ji'dar flowed onto the scene with the others. She knew what she'd find, she knew before it had come to pass what was going to happen, although she had not been a direct part of it.

When she was inadvertently jostled closer than intended, she saw the true macabre extent of the scene and was legitimately ill. She gasped softly and swallowed hard, feeling almost green in that instant. This was not necessary... None could read her thoughts and her expression would be interpreted for the horror it was, just without her personal subtext. "Why..." she whispered, to herself more than anyone.

OOC: For those still at the body, feel free to notice/interact with her if you like. Obviously, no one knows her thoughts/backgrounds, but she's available for interaction or just getting booted from the scene, lol.

Also, in case anyone clicks the "last post" link instead of the thread, there is a Lys post before this one.

[Roan]

As Gaidar Captain and Mistress of Arms, Riahana had written letters to parents, family members, and significant others when the unfortunate happens, and one of the Warder Yards falls. She knew the grief such a letter would bring to the recipient, though there was nothing to be done for it. Today would be the first time she would deliver such news in person, and needless to say, she did not look forward to the task.

Perhaps Ria should have expected to find Lysira in the Yards, as her friend and Ani were rarely far from one another, though she hadn't expected to find her friend quite so quickly. The concern on her friend’s face was obvious, and Ria realized that she and Ravak both bore their own troubled expressions.

When the pair closed distance, Lysira signed, wanting to know what happened. Ria furrowed her brows with a deeper look of concern as she translated, prior to replying and briefly looking towards Ravak, “She's asked what happened.” She didn't know if her Master of Training knew Lysira’s signs, but for the sake of. . .efficiency, assumed he didn't.

Looking back to her friend, Ria answered, “Lysira. . .it is Ani.” She paused, taking a deep breath and letting it go in a frustrated sigh, “She has been murdered. . .and whoever did it beat her badly in the process.”

[Bella]

Lysira Walker Gaidar If there had been any emotion on her face, and it had been slight in the first place, it vanished in an instant. A combination of all her training, especially under the wrathful gaze of Caden Ives, and the Void shut down anything that might put out too great any emotional response. In a moment like this, that could be a dangerous thing to let happen.

The word rolled through her mind... Murdered. Someone had been murdered right here on Tower grounds, in the Warder Yards, and likely not far from her. She hadn't even known. Had it happened while she was standing here?

Lysira inhaled slowly and swung her glittering black gaze between Ravak and Riahana. 'Take me to her.' She needed to see for herself, to make it sink it. It wouldn't be like this was the first time she had seen a dead body, or even the first time the body had belonged to someone close to her, but she still needed to see and be a part of this.

If they were both here, then there was no one obviously to blame in grabbing range. That meant they had to figure out who had done it, and hunt them down.

[Craig]

Ravak

Ravak found it odd to only hear one half of the conversation, and was uncomfortable about the subject matter. He had not accompanied Riahana to deliver the news, nor to see what he could do for Lysira. All things considered, the slight Gaidar took the news with quiet restraint. Only her eyes and hands moved initially, but then they were walking back. Rav slipped in behind Riahana and Lysira, sombrely following the Saldaeans. The three fancloaked forms made a procession back to the Training Yards.

The real reason for coming out to see Lysira was to determine if the Gaidar had anything to do with the murder, or with the murderer. The smell of murder faded quickly as he had walked with the Mistress of Arms, and had never returned. That meant that Lysira had no contact with the murderer, or at least not before the crime was committed. For whatever reason, Rav dismissed the notion that Lysira was a potential suspect. She would have had some stench attached to her, if that were the case. In addition, the idea that one of the Warder Yards would kill their own was... actually oddly familiar. His fight with Dakson seemed like ancient history, but it had only been two years? And Rav may have succeeded if not for the M'Hael. That memory seemed funny, like it was all just a childish prank. It hadn't been at the time. But this can't be a prank gone wrong. Ani's fingers had been broken. That wasn't something that just happened, that was intentional. The large Shienaran ran his thumbs over the pommels of his swords. His fingers gripped tightly around the hilt until his knuckles turned pale. He would hunt this person down, and see them suffer for their crimes.

[Bella]

Lysira Walker Gaidar Even in the Void, Lysira could feel the blood freeze in her veins.

Even with the slight alterations to her posture that had been made before Lysira got there (which she obviously had no way of knowing about), Ani looked...terrible. It looked like she had suffered, been made to suffer. The broken fingers were impossible to miss, and one could not help but interpret the significance of it.

The diminutive Gaidar--born while her parents were in Saldea, but actually half Cairhienin and half Murandian, looking far more like the former with her small size and dark eyes--knelt slowly beside the corpse.

Lysira clung with desperation to the Void as it tried to slip away in the horrific moment. She forced her eyes to roam over every inch of the poor broken girl. Not just out of respect, she felt not turning away was a sign of respect, but also to see if there was...anything at all to help them know...anything.

Who would go after you? Lysira wondered.

When her eyes fell on the girls broken fingers, she winced and wanted to look away. Then, she noticed something. Her brows knit as intense curiosity took hold. Briefly, she looked up at the group. 'Have any of you noticed this?' she asked, not in accusation but curiosity as she moved to the fingers.

They were still loose because her death was still so recent, so she was able to open them and pull out a clump of blonde hair, not very long but not very short, and ragged as it was clearly ripped out in the struggle. She held it up.

[Craig]

Ravak

Ravak looked away as Lysira bent down over the form of her friend. His eyes were locked onto the form of the Warder Hall, beyond the thinning crowd of onlookers, thanks to Dax's efforts. The scent led in that direction. He spared a glance for Lysira and Riahana, both women transfixed by the murder scene, before he walked off after the trail. That took him by Dax. "Dax, if Lysira or Riahana are looking for me," he pointed towards the Warder Hall in conclusion to his sentence. "And thank you." The Shienaran had to get over his dislike for the man, especially after all of this time. Rav turned away before he saw his fellow Gaidin's response.

The packed dirt was a little sodden; the weather had been wet overnight, and windy. It was peculiar how he couldn't shut out the sounds of driving pain or howling winds so easily at night, now that he was used to the silence of the Tower's basement. Still, putting up with the weather was a small piece to pay to be with Sinead.

The unseen track that Ravak was followed seemed to soften as he approached the large building. His brow furrowed in a mix of confusion and anger. But the time he got to one of the twin doors that led inside, he was no longer sure if what he was following was the murderer, or another scent. Gaidin and Gaidar often had scents around them; part of the business of being a Warder meant occasionally breaking the rules. And some of the worst Drin and Ji too got themselves into trouble. But murder is murder. It shouldn't be... To anyone looking on, the Master of Training seemed to stepped back and forth through the doorway, a grim expression on his face, as if he was trying to determine whether he was coming or going. Eventually he made his way inside, standing in the centre of the Flame and the Fang mosaic, and looking around. He had lost the trail, so now he observed the foyer's visitors. Steel blue eyes scanned the room, hoping that something or someone would seem out of place.

OOC: If Lysira and Riahana don't follow a few minutes behind Rav, he'll return to them.

[Roan]

Riahana shook her head in answer to Lysira's question as she turned her gaze to the lock of hair in the other Gaidar's hand, "I admit I did not notice the hair in her hand, Lys." She was about to say something else when she looked over and noticed Ravak walking in the direction of the Warder Hall. Turning her attention back to Ani's body and her friend, Ria held on to the Void and the calm and focus it provided. Emotions boiled within, but didn't consume the Mistress of Arms as she once again examined the scene before her. The Ji' didn't deserve to suffer.

Why her and why now? Ria wondered.

Looking back towards the Warder Hall, she wondered where Ravak was, and excused herself as she followed the path he originally took. It didn't take long to find him in front of the Warder Hall, but she couldn't help but study him curiously as she approached. He made an odd site stepping in, and then out of the doorway to the Hall. Before Ria reached him, he entered the building. What is the man doing? she silently asked as she closed distance before following him in.

With an arched brow, she came to stand along side Ravak and watched him carefully, "Do I dare ask what you are up to, Master Darrow?" She used is title out of respect, not deferment, and while her tone was grim, it was not directed at him, but more so the situation. She relaxed the hand that had rested on the hilt of her sword, and forced herself to let tension out of her shoulders. Being alert was one thing, but she didn't need to look as if she was about to spring into combat.

[Craig]

Ravak

Rav felt the Mistress of Arms' presence before she spoke, and had chosen to ignore her. It was very much a childish response to the way he had been informed about his soon-to-be latest recruit. It was also because the Gaidin had kept the pool of people who knew about his talent to just two people. As he turned to face her, having seen nothing amiss in the foyer, he put on the best air of calm he could muster. What he was about to say would sound ridiculous, so he had to put it plainly to Riahana.

"I can smell violence." Kaia had called it 'Sniffing', but that term would mean nothing to most people. Rav turned to regard the room again. "Whomever did that to Ani came through here afterwards, but..." He sniffed again, and not for show. "I can't track it further. But the murderer came in here, or through here." The other doors on the far end from where Rav and Ria were standing led towards the Grey Tower. Almost anyone fleeing from the scene would come through here as a matter of course.

The Shienaran noted how his fellow Borderlander had relaxed her grip on her weapon, but Rav wouldn't convince himself to do the same. "I may be able to pick up something if I move around the grounds or the Warder Halls. I've not been foiled like this in the past." He rubbed at his nose self-consciously. "But then it's not clear to me how it works. A gift from the Creator," he said ruefully. "But, regardless, I stand by your orders. Shall I rearrange classes to made sure no-one enters that part of the Yards? Or shall I attempt to find this murderer? If I can't track by smell, there may be others better suited to the task."

[Roan]

Interesting, Riahana thought. Ravak was a Sniffer. . .and while it was a rare talent, he was the second she'd met in her lifetime. She couldn't help but wonder how he coped with the Warder Yards, as it was a place meant for violence, even if it was a controlled violence. The thought, though, was pushed to the side as she listened to what he was saying. The murderer came through the Warder Hall. Was it possible one of their own was the culprit? Such a thought put a sour taste in the Mistress of Arms' mouth as she scanned the room before them.

Looking to Rav as he rubbed his nose, Ria couldn't help the frown. It was not pleasant business. "We need to speak with witnesses to see who may have seen what," she began as she scanned the hall once more. "Please rearrange classes to leave the area undisturbed. I would like you and Dakson Gaidin to start speaking with witnesses," she continued speaking as she turned towards the doors that lead back to the Yard, motioning for Ravak to follow. They likely wouldn't learn anything more by standing in the entry way to the Warder Hall.

Before long the pair were back at the body. Dax, Zeen and Lysira were still near the body, along with some on-lookers. Would Ravak pick up on the killer if they were among the gawkers, she wondered?

Schooling her expression, Ria turned towards the Soldier, "We need someone from the Infirmary, and I would like you to fetch Gareth Asha'man, if he is available." She then looked to Dax and Ravak, "I'd like you two to start talking to anyone who may have seen anything. I am going to stay with the body. . .and Lysira Gaidar. Any questions?"

[Jenn]

Normally one to chafe at required obeisances, Zeen wisely kept his thoughts to himself and his mouth shut as he snapped a quick salute to Riahana Gaidar, fist to heart, before turning from the Yards. He could more than likely find his way to the Infirmary while asleep, he had spent so much of his initial time at the Tower there.

He exchanged terse glances with Dax, the corners of grey eyes tightening as he passed Ravak Gaidin. The red-haired man seemed happy to ignore him for all intents and purposes. Zeen tried not to think about the why as he lengthened his stride, the advantage of his height suddenly become very apparent.

The tall Amadician burst into the Infirmary, quickly saluting again as several serene faces swung towards him. "I am looking for Asha'man Gareth. Riahana Gaidar sent me. He is needed in the Warder Yards." His spoke quickly, his words as clipped as his tone. The disapproving glances and stares melted away. He was given directions down a nearby hall to what looked to be more private rooms and it was within one of those that he found the man.

"Asha'man Gareth," the Soldier knocked and saluted, noting that he and the Yellow were of similar height and build. "Riahana Gaidar sent me. You are needed in the Warder Yards." Zeen hesitated a moment. "She is unhurt," he added quietly, "but we must hurry."