Netori: Stealing The Hero's Party!

The mansion 'Phordite–a once living creature, as alive as its occupants, now turned bricks and tiles, yet the witch's influence had shaped it into something new still. What had been mostly a home for servants and two named royals had turned into a factory for automaton production and the same went for potions, poisons, and hexes scribed on paper.

Darius, Aelin, and many others had joined her with the promise of helping her do something they didn't fully understand themselves. Even so, given their closeness the scribe didn't mind, and as for the others, there was profit to be made or deals to be struck. One such example was that of Shamisha and right as Raven and Monty were to arrive, Linkle was about to make good on her promise to her. Enjoy more content from empire

"Here take this…" Holding in her hand what appeared to be an armament with claws iron claws instead of leather binds, the witch offered the item to the sorceress.

Taking a good look at the item and in particular at the dark shine of the mineral serving as the jewel of the piece, the sorceress could already feel a disruption in magic even though she hadn't touched it yet.

"The failsafe, I thought you needed the core of a keeper to make this?" Glancing up at the witch, she squinted with a hint of confusion reflected in her gaze.

Before answering, however, Linkle grabbed Shamisha's hand and forced the item on top.

"I used the last bit that I had left, it should help defuse Mono's magical circuitry as long as you can somehow fix it on her body," directing the sorceress's gaze from her to the item again, Linkle undid the claws and ran her finger through a collection of runes imparted on it. "Just one touch of these claws and it will bind itself to her body, and if everything goes well, the very fuel that helps her move–magic that is, will be cut off and a sharp jolt of electricity should spark up her brain for at least a few minutes."

The last part struck Shamisha with concern. A few minutes was far from what was required to restrain the iron queen if absolutely needed. Worry-eyed, she looked up at the witch, but with a hand on her shoulder, she comforted her with words.

"I know this isn't enough, but help me get my body back and forget the queen I can rattle the very core of Atlaria with my knowledge and powers," Shamisha had little understanding of what any of it entailed, even so, the confidence in the witch's eyes and having the temporary failsafe was both a much better spot to be in than just a few moments ago.

"I really hope you're right about that because from where I stand it looks like she's losing her mind every day," right as Shamisha was done talking, a flash of blue light beside them blinded the duo in the makeshift alchemical lab.

For a spell, the two suspected some acid to have blown out of its vessel but as the light dimmed and their eyes fell on the two men who'd teleported next to them, their concerns were laid to rest–or rather replaced by something else entirely.

"What…" Looking around visibly confused, Raven's eyebrows frowned on their own. "What is all of this? What have you done to this place?"

"I thought it could use a bit of decor after you tore it down to rebuild it?" Rolling her eyes, Linkle leaned on her side before scoffing and looking back at Raven. "What does it look like, it's a lab! I needed it for the preparation!"

Bringing his attention back to the witch, Raven glared right back with his hands folded tight. Staring at each other–both stubborn as the other, neither let go of the glare and continued to show their frustration towards the other.

"That much I knew, Ophelia fills me in on new developments here every other week, but I didn't expect you to set shop in our home," Raven shot, sharply.

"Come on, as if I can work in that small shop of mine, I needed a bigger pl–"

"Get a room already, what the hell are you two doing quarrelling like an upset couple!" Butting in between the two, Shamisha who was already tense from working nonstop, cut their quarrel short. Then as the two directed their gaze to her, she moved between them and although fearful at heart, she beheld her hand towards Raven and asked. "You're here for a reason right? Then why are we wasting time…?"

Neither of the two could answer the question, for neither of them knew why they had such animosity towards the other. Ever since that kiss that grazed Raven's lips, the tension between them had escalated and what had been once a relationship of mutual benefit had turned suddenly hostile.

"The woman's right, I need to be back with my sister once we've discussed this in whole," said Monty, already worried that Lincy would be concerned after they so abruptly left her alone in their house.

With yet another sparking gaze at each other, the quarrelling duo let go of their shoulders and decided to simply cooperate with each other. Drawing a chair inside the lab, Raven first began explaining everything about his plans for an army to Monty as well as Shamisha and Linkle. He wanted to draw value from them as the witch could help with equipment while Shamisha with manpower and her mind.

An army of automatons was also in his mind, but given how easily their protocols can be outsmarted Raven didn't wanna rely on them, especially since the more effective ones like Avarice were more of a liability than anything.

"Who else is here, working on your errands?" That question by Raven to Linkle drew a long tour of the mansion, showing everything from Darius's room filled with scribed parchment to the main hall riddled with automatons working on other automatons.n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

But the night didn't end there for there were quite a few more visitors since the mansion had been rebuilt and sighting one such person, Raven was forced to stick around much longer than he'd planned to.

'Rose…' He thought, spying her along with the rest of his girls that had stayed at the mansion.

Brenna, Aerin, and the Centuarians as well as Aelin, anyone who wasn't needed for the preparations had gathered underneath the gazebo to admire the night winds–but the moment they spotted Raven, that of course changed in an instant.