Verana felt as if her mind was moving in a fog, trying to catch up with what the rest of her was doing. Her body was able to operate physically, she didn't feel any slower or less able to fight than she ever did, but the drain on her power was stopping her brain from working as quickly as she wanted it to. Sencha had been right, she was drained, but she had also known that she needed to do something. If she could only remember what it was, for if she didn't do it, people were going to get hurt.

At the end of their argument, he had conceded angrily to her refusal to stand by due to how much power she had used. His glare told her that he was not happy with her, even if he understood the sacrifice of one's Path more than most. Her decision to take her friends into harm's way ate at her, even as she struggled to get her brain to work. Verana had not stopped to contemplate tactics, nor had she been patient enough to wait. She knew she needed to do this, to save lives, and the driving urge of her Path had taken control of her exhausted mind.

She needed to get to this place, where she could find the way to stop the battle from destroying all of Irlen. In her obsession to do that, shehad put herself as well as five people who trusted her, in danger. Verana found herself thinking about the words of Pharos and Drakos, cautioning about the responsibilities of leadership and the fight that belonged to more than just her, once it was too late to change things.

They had been fighting desperately, only keeping ground because of their abilities to force fighters back, outmatching those that were moving against them in fighting skill. And just as they began to tire, the pressure had lessened. The Vayan and Rulin forces had caught up with them, forcing the humans to fight between two enemies and giving Verana and her companions a needed lull.

It was clear to her then that this would be a slaughter if the Irlen warriors continued to fight but long moments passed and there was no sign that the Humans would do anything other than fight till they were all dead.

"They're dying. They're all going to die." She said, spinning to block a sword slash, before using her foot to kick the man flying backwards into the crowd. "They have to know they're outmatched!"

"They're desperate and backed into a corner." Reyani replied in Oldspeak, before translating to Shelby who glanced their way

He had not said much, but Verana knew he wasn't happy with her for not consulting him before dragging him across the city. Another person who would be hard pressed to forgive her for the mistakes of the day

Nick yelled from where he shoulder checked someone back into the crowd. "They're fighting for their King! They believe honour is the only way they can salvage their souls. If they abandon him, they are forsaken! Death in battle is their only hope."

"There's got to be a way to stop this." Reyani spun her staff around, the blades disappearing as she swept a man off his feet and hit him hard enough to knock him unconscious. "Who defends the people who can't fight when this is done, when the Cassaei come?"

"They made their bed, Reyani." Shelby growled and shook his head, shouldering his opponent back out of the way and spinning his blade to prepare for the next attack.

They found a brief reprieve from fighting, the Irlen warriors turning to another two fronts as Janzel's and Drakos' forces each appeared from a different street and joined the fray. Verana caught sight of Sencha appearing in the crowd and as the others took the moment to take a breath, she sheathed her blades and grabbed Reyani's arm. "Lets remake their beds, then."

Reyani looked at her in askance but followed as Verana turned and sprinted for the building though she stopped before she got too close to the door. She sensed a wall of power built up just inside the threshold, waiting for someone to enter, and didn't think it would be a nice surprise.

With no other entrance in sight, Verana then ran along the far side of the building, using her senses and power to probe through it to try and find what she was looking for, hoping that she would know it when she found it. With the battle outside and the oppressive feeling of festering, dark power within, it was a battle to get her already beleaguered mind to focus on what she needed to do.

"What are we doing, Verana?" Reyani asked as the men started backing their way towards them, keeping watch on the Irlen fighters.

But with so many other attacks, the enemy under siege didn't pursue, though she could tell the Irlen warriors were distressed at the fact that they were leaving the occupants of the building unprotected.

"What we came here to do. It wasn't to kill everyone. Stand back." She pulled her power, every ounce that she could get a hold of, even draining the power that she had stored in the scrying crystals and her swords feeling it move painfully through her, as if it were pulling out some essence from her body in order to be accessed. Verana ignored the pain, focusing on the task at hand, the driving feeling of what her Path told her she needed to do. She held her left arm out in front of her, palm facing the wall, where she felt another swell of power being called by a group of people within.

With the other hand, Verana pointed to the far corner of the building as she addressed Reyani. "I'm going to make two new doors. I think there's children in there, I'm going in here... where the priests are to deal with them. When I yell, you go through with Nick, he'll be able to find the one who can stop this. When you have everyone, let me know and I will follow you out. Be quick...as quick as you can."

Reyani yelled at Nick, relaying the plan to the other three while Verana continued to pull as much power as she could. It was only a few quick moments before her friend nodded to her, standing beside her and bracing herself before murmuring. "We're ready."

Verana sent a wave of power through the wall blasting through to where the priests were conjuring a spell together. Immediately her power began battling whatever they were trying to craft as she stepped within the building and did her best to hold her breath.

It was dark, filled with a sharp, pungent smoke that burned her lungs and eyes, smelling of dirty bodies and a myriad of scents that spoke of cruelty. She heard the children crying, frightened in the far corner and the men yelling as they tried to unleash whatever incantation they had created at her.

It would have consumed the entire building, children and all, if her power hadn't been there to contain it. Verana pushed against the violence of their spell, wrapping it in her power and holding it from fully unleashing. It roared and flickered, beating against her power like a wild animal in a trap. Try as she might, she could not muster enough power to completely quell the attack, and was challenged to hold it at bay like she was.

"Now Reyani!" Her voice echoed oddly through the smoke, and though she struggled to ascertain if Reyani had heard her she could not spare any more focus or energy on trying to figure out. She opened her mouth to yell again, but her voice squeaked out in the smoke and in that moment she sensed Reyani and Nick moving through the building, towards where she had sensed the children.

Verana braced, focusing on the group of twenty men, all holding onto some long black staff which they were now pointing at her. Behind that group were several well dressed men looking as if they did not understand just what was going on and did not know whether to feel confident or afraid. Still, they sneered at her, not one of them showing concern for the children who were in the building with them. Anger fuelled her, allowing her to continue fighting, though she was barely hanging on to consciousness.

Power rushed through her, clawing at her, screaming through her brain, fighting her as she continued to use it like a wild beast. It was hers, but she didn't have control anymore, it fought through her as her mind struggled to hold on. It was like ripping out her own heart and mind, burning the empty vessels where they once had been. She had gone too far, she knew that, and despite the fear that came with knowing she would not survive if she did not turn back, Verana knew she needed to continue for just a little while longer.

"Verana! We have them all. Including the King!" Reyani yelled through the gloom.

Verana let go of her power the moment she heard those words.

Verana tried to give herself a fighting chance, whatever good it would do. She merely let the bubble in the room implode as she turned and forced her body to sprint one last time. Stumbling as she desperately sped toward the openings in the wall that she had created, Verana felt her power and the incantation that the priests were trying to attack her with, combine violently.

There was a moment's lull as the vacuum collapsed in on the priests and then the building shook in a ball of fire, which engulfed the interior and caused the outer walls and roof to collapse inwards, as if suddenly no longer supported. Stepping out into the fresh air, she felt the implosion pulling air past her into the collapsing ruins.

Verana stumbled two more steps before doubling over, vision narrowing dangerously before she fell to her knees and stared blankly at the paving stones in front of her face. There wasn't a single thought that managed to move through her mind and she could feel her heartbeat slowing down.