Just as Nemia and Milli started spilling out of her office, a large burly man knocked into Nemia's shoulder passing by. Hard enough to cause a loss of balance, falling into the door and smacking it loudly against the wall.
Oof. "Hey, watch it." Nemia warned the man, regaining her posture and glaring at his back.
The man stopped and turned, meeting her glare with a fiery gaze. "Excuse me?" He bit out, his voice low. Nemia's skin crawled in a silent warning to herself.
Milli poked her head over Nemia's shoulder. "She said watch it, bud." Nemia admired the strength Milli showed, but now wasn't the time. Especially now.
The large man seemed to grow in size and his nostrils flared, stalking back over. Leaning his face down to initially get in Milli's face before Nemia pushed her back into the office and slammed the door shut.
On closer inspection of the man's face, he reminded her a lot of Borash in features just much larger in scale. His eyes a deep brown, so close to black. He sneered in her face. "Protecting the human bitch?" He spat. Literally spat, in Nemia's face.
Nemia glared at him, wiping his spit from her face. Taking that same hand and smearing it across his stretched shirt to dry it. "One chance to leave." She growled low, warning the man. "Step away. Walk away." Doing her absolute best to control herself.
There was a moment of hesitation before the man roared with laughter, though even the laugh seemed relatively forced. He brought his face even closer. Nemia's nose crinkled in disgust. But he crossed an unknown line the moment he reached up and gripped her shoulders, shoving her back against the door. "I should walk away?" His voice distorted and dangerously low.
Nemia shook as she tried to control her rage that was building a flame inside her. "You asked for it." She hissed, her arms shooting up and put to knock his grip on her shoulders loose. Keeping the same momentum, in the same fluid motion, she made connection with his chest and pushed him away. Sending him flying and crashing against the other side of the widened hall.
"Fucking Hybrid bitch, you'll pay for that." The unknown man roared. His body shaking and contorting as he started to shift. A moment later, Nemia was face to face with a huge brown bear.
He lunged for her, using her speed she managed to dodge out of the way but he was on her still. Surprisingly able to quickly change his coarse with ease as he lunged again, she dodged though he managed to sink his claws into one of her arms.
The hall was extended and large, but not large enough for her to be able to shift with a large bear already taking up half the space in the hall. She was going to have to do this as is, no wolf though Adira snapped at him in her mind.
Her fangs extended and her nails lengthened. Then, with a blue in motion, she was latched to the ceiling. Staring down as the bear searched along the hall before his his snapped up at her on the ceiling. Reaching up on his hind legs, he could almost reach her but that's exactly what she needed.
He reached up, swiping at the air under her. She jumped to the wall then used it as a spring board, propelling herself into the bear almost fully extended.
He roared and swiped at Nemia's back as she rocketed into him and caused him to fall onto his back. She ignored the pain of his claws swiping at her back and legs, focusing herself on getting a clear shot and dug her teeth into the bears neck. Ripping a chunk out and spitting it to the side, going in for the other side.
He swatted and pushed, his roar deafening her. So much so, that she didn't hear the others arrive. Until suddenly, she was being pulled off of the bear as one of the other guards came running over with a collar that quickly snapped around the bears neck and forced him back into human form. A special design meant for shifters so they can't use their beastly forms.
Nemia shook herself out of the grip from the two who had pulled her away from the fight. Both had a fearful look in their eyes. Nemia was bleeding from several spots along her arms and legs, she knew her back was even worse. But everything was already starting to heal, she'd just have a lot of dried blood to deal with when she finally made it back to the castle.
"Thank you." She muttered softly to the two that pulled her away. Then, she turned to glare back at the man. Who was clutching his neck where she's ripped a chunk out. His eyes widened with shock. Catching a glimpse of Milli spilling out of Nemia's new office behind the man.
"Who the hell are you?" She questioned him, slowly walking over to place herself directly in front of the huffing man.
The man gave a deep laugh, sneering at first. "Wouldn't you like to know, Nemia."
Her hand was around his throat, her thumb digging in to his fresh wound, causing him to grunt in the pain. "I asked you a question, I expect an answer."
Her hand wasn't glowing with the rage boiling her blood, though in the reflection of his eyes, she could see her eyes shining a bright searing white. Fear seemed to work a lump into the man's throat, then. The once sneer turned to disbelief.
"Your eyes. It is you. The vessel of Solis has come." A flicker of hope flashed in his eyes and the guards holding him seemed to stiffen and their eyes snapped to Nemia's. The quickly cast their heads down in submission.
"Bryson... Bryson Grosu." He answered finally with a shaky tone. She swore if she were to let him go, with this sudden change he would have bowed to her.
So she did, motioning the guards to drop their grip. Which they obeyed instantly, stepping a single pace away and down Bryson went. On his knees, looking down at her feet. "What do you know of Solis?" She questioned.
Bryson mumbled to the ground, though loud enough to be heard. "Only the basics. Really just the prophecy. Trying to learn the hidden layers though, has proved to be difficult." He added with a layer of disappointment edging his tone.
"Stand up and tell me the prophecy." Nemia demanded of him.
Bryson quickly got back to his feet and nodded.
"When sun doth bow to shadow's reign,
And crimson skies recall the slain.
A soul shall rise 'neath faded crest,
With mark of flame upon thy breast.
Born of blood both cursed and blessed,
Of shattered oath and god's unrest.
The ancient light shall stir once more,
To wake the fire from days of yore.
The house long buried shall endure,
When truth walks armoured, bold and pure.
Yet if the vessel shall stray or fall,
Darkness shall claim the light of all.
One path to rise, one path to rend,
One to begin, one swift to end.
By Solis' hand, the mark is sown,
By bearer's will, its fate be unknown."
Bryson was staring into Nemia's eyes by the end. Reciting it word for word with ease. He'd definitely studied it over and over again. But why?
Her heart beating loudly in her chest as she placed a subconscious hand over the mark on her chest hidden under the shirt.
"That's the prophecy. That's all I really know. Other than the Trugheta clan being the ones chosen by Solis. That family has long since died out though, or so I thought." Bryson seemed to sharpen his gaze. "Until I ran in to Malcolm that is."
Nemia's eyes narrowed at that dreadful name. "So you work for Malcolm too, huh." She sneered, getting back in his face.
Bryson shook his head fiercely. "I don't work for anyone. I just ran into him a while back, always muttering about a sister that was never meant to live. When he finally told me his true surname, Trugheta, that's when I realized who he was. You were the last child born of the clan. I only had a hunch you wore the mark, however, but now I know. I'm terribly sorry for attacking you, but I had to see your strength for myself." There was a plea in his eyes, resentment even for harming her in any way as his eyes glanced over her body at bloodied areas.
"Why?" She growled lowly, wanting to understand.
"Because Malcolm is unleashing literal hell with Kyth, and you're the only one that's going to be able to stop him." Bryson stated plainly and Nemia could only detect what he said was his truth.
Nemia sighed and stepped back. Glancing at the two guards on either side of him. "Get Julianos. Take him to Vârcolaci Vault." She eyed Bryson for a moment. "You attacked me in unjust. You deserve punishment for that. Prove your worth inside, and you may be released early. Don't cross this line ever again, because next time no guards will get to you fast enough." She stared pointedly, and he gulped.
"I'll prove my faith to you. Just heed my warning. Get to Kyth before he gets you." The guards started to haul him away but she nodded in confirmation to Bryson before he disappeared down the hall.
Nemia's eyes fixed on Milli's then, she was trembling and had some blood running down her head and made it's way to her neck. Nemia's eyes softened and every vampiric aspect receded from vision. "Oh Milli, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to push that hard I was just trying to keep you safe." She reached her hand out to Milli as she closed the distance.
Milli shook her head gently. "No, it's okay. I shouldn't have tried to step in anyway." She mumbled softly and kept her eyes peeled to the floor.
Nemia pulled her in for a soft, comforting hug. "It was very brave of you, to stick up for me like that. Let's just wait till you have the physical strength to back it up, yeah?" She mused softly in an attempt to lighten Milli's mood.
Milli laughed softly and nodded her head. "That would probably be for the best." She mumbled, finally looking at Nemia. A shaky smile quivering on her lips.
Nemia rewarded her with a smile of her own and started tugging her down the hall. "What do you say, let's get outta here. Dorian's going to love another bill coming to his home." She suggested, glancing around at the splintered walls and broken pictures. At least Milli's desk survived. Milli agreed and off they went.