-Avigdor Lieberman

John had to break into a near-sprint to keep up with Moira's pace as she bolted out of the room, her armor clanking noisily as she made her way toward a different sector of the manor. John still didn't know his way around, so he did his best to keep her in sight. Tricia fell behind rapidly, shouting something about setting up a data transfer before they were out of earshot.

They arrived at a room John had only been in once before - the war room, the same place Moira had set up their first fateful battle with the Cabal only three days earlier. Lord Brighton was there in full armor, something John had never actually seen before. He wore a sword at his side, a gilded hilt sticking out of a long, black leather sheath. As the two of them burst into the room, he glanced up for only a moment before returning his eyes to the map, though as he spoke he raised his voice enough so that they could both hear as they approached more cautiously.

"They assaulted one of our most isolated outposts, and they still used **** caution in their methods. As far as our earliest reports indicate, they had been studying the Confessors' schedules quite regularly. They struck when there were a minimal number of Knights and Confessors present, creating less resistance. They caused minimal disturbance in the house itself, as if they knew roughly where they would find what they were looking for. The most damage was done during their entry to the Confessors' chambers - they blasted the door using a rather large amount of what we can only assume based on blast radius, burn marks, and magical residue was a mixture of magically enhanced high-explosives. Most of the equipment was unharmed, yet they took a very limited selection."

"What exactly did they retrieve?" John asked.

Lord Brighton looked up as if seeing John there for the first time. "Moira, perhaps he should wait outside, there are-"

"John Newman is now a member of this Order. He has agreed to aid us, though I cannot say I wished for it to come this early. He has a right to know what it is this battle will be fought over - now, what was taken?"

John bristled a bit but could say nothing. He had agreed to protect the Order, but the promise being called in so soon had him on edge.

"Many high-value artifacts, but mostly those left unsecured inside of the secured room, or those easiest to access. The only objects which appear to have been sought out and scoured entirely from the room were five Rods of Disillusionment, two Crystals of Impassivity, and a series of enchanted gemstones enchanted to contain various emotions by taking them away from their holder.”

"Ah, so that is why you were so interested in the recipe for my suppression formula. You wanted to know whether it was more effective than your magics."

Tricia strode into the room almost unaffected and… oddly confrontational. Despite the neutrality of her tone, the way she held her body was off from how she presented herself in John's world. Here, she turned her eyes not to examine the surroundings but to examine every Knight in the room. She paid particular attention to Lord Brighton, Moira, and him. One of her two drones hovered silently beside her.

"Hardly relevant to the discussion, but not inaccurate. It was not a secret, so you know - we would have told you had you merely asked the purpose of our request."

"If I asked the reasons of your demands of me, I would either be overcome with information or left sorely disappointed. I know not which," Tricia said, managing a biting tone even with her level words. Lord Brighton frowned but said nothing. Moira became almost hostile.

"Glad you could join us for this meeting, Tricia. So glad that I can almost overlook your tardiness… Father, could you update us on the current status of our forces? What have we missed?"

"Currently, we are in the process of evacuating all non-essential personnel from our outposts and securing all rare and valuable magical artifacts. Given that their previous raid gave them access to no significantly important items, we are taking serious liberties with what constitutes 'rare' or 'valuable'. Within six hours we plan to have all but the equipment required to defend our necessary outposts secured in our vault, all non-combat personnel recalled to the manor, and all outposts bordering on Cabal territory reinforced with as many men as we can spare from our defenses."

"It's good that they didn't take anything of value - they may not fully understand what they've taken, or they may not have found what they were truly looking for. Either way, we need to take the fight to them, as quickly as possible."

"You keep saying they didn't take anything valuable… why would they do this, then? You seem to hate the Cabal; if they were powerful enough to take you in a war, why now? Why over nothing?"

Lord Brighton smirked - it was not his usual look but rather an almost fatherly pride that welled up in him.

"You recruit well, Moira. The boy is asking the right questions - to answer that one, though, I'd have to be leading them. The Cabal is powerful, but they would have a difficult time taking on a Warden and a former Warden Lord, even with the might of their entire ****. Furthermore, as they were the ones who initiated the war, we are not currently aware of any other forces which have agreed to aid them in this battle. We, on the other hand, have the aid of the Moon Clan, the Forgotten Legion, an offer of assistance from Lady Arista and her mercenaries, and of course our resident contracted mages..."

Tricia said nothing, but John noticed a tension in her muscles that hadn't been there before at Lord Brighton’s mention. Moira's eyes lingered on the scientist for perhaps a moment too long as her father mentioned her name, because it gave just enough time for John to interject.

"So… what's the plan?" John asked, glancing over everyone. "I don't know a lot of those names, but I know Tricia. If your plan involves a scientist, it can't just be straight up war, can it?"

"Scientist? Yes, she does have a certain interest in the field of magical and technological advancement…" Lord Brighton said, sounding far too interested in John's choice of words, "but there is time enough to discuss our capabilities as we plan more. For now, we simply need to consolidate our defenses and bide our time until we can decide the most efficient places to strike. You are right, boy - the Cabal is powerful but not foolish. They took nothing of enough value to justify our retribution. Whatever they seek to gain, I suspect it is through further conflict."

"They will not have it - but they will have the conflict they were so willing to risk," Moira said, glancing down. John cast his eyes to the map that was more or less identical to the last one he'd seen in this room - save that now the Cabal's cul-de-sac was painted in the Order's color, rather than their own, and that there was a large red circle over a portion of the Order's territory that John inferred as the targeted safe house.

"Once we have established a line of constant communication with the Moon Clan and the Forgotten Legion, as well as inquired as to Lady Arista's terms, we will consider retaliatory strikes. Until then, we must focus on ensuring our territory is impenetrable. We do not know yet what they are seeking, so we must prevent them from taking any more than they already have."

"And we must capture any Cabal agents who enter our territory. If they seek something other than trinkets and enchanted baubles from their conquest, we must pry the information from their soldiers by any means necessary."

"Indeed," Lord Brighton agreed, though the distaste was clear on his face. "We are short on beds, but I will do what I can to secure you a room in our Barracks, John Newman. Until it is safe for you to return, we will provide fully for you here. I had not intended this to be the way your tutelage began, but… well, times are as they are."

"Wait, wait, what are you talking about? I have to go home, like, now. I agreed to protect the Order and help you, but I can't just move in out of the blue! My mother-"

"Will be in great and terrible danger if even a single Cabal agent knows where you live, John Newman. As of yet, your home is safe - it is not within their territory, and those who know your face are secure within our dungeon. But your little stunt at the mall left survivors, and there is no telling what rumors they have spread about your abilities or your allegiance. It is entirely possible this manor is already under surveillance to watch our movements. They would not dare strike here, but they may monitor it in an attempt to gauge our weak points. I will not hold you against your will… but you leave at your own peril, and that of your family."

"I…"

"If you wish it, I will release you from your vows in this war, John Newman."

John cast his eyes to Moira, who was staring him down with an intensity he had rarely seen in her. She clutched one fist over her breastplate, bowing her head but lifting her eyes to meet his.

"You made your vow with the intent of becoming stronger… and you have not often fought without the aid of your creations. In less than a day since making your promises, I find it distasteful to hold you so tightly to them. If you do not wish to fight, we will not **** you. You may stay here, safe, and await the end of this battle."

"Saccharine whore!"

Gasps echoed out as Tricia burst into the conversation with a fury he'd never dreamed of hearing from the collected group. Her brow furrowed deeply with the anger exuding from her, and for just a moment John saw it tremble in a strange and almost inhuman manner, the creases deepening and flexing unnaturally. The drone over her shoulder beeped furiously, facing her and glowing with that frequent green light. Tricia gasped, shaking so hard that for a moment she grabbed onto the drone's midsection for balance. When she eventually recovered, her eyelids flickered woozily, and she seemed hazy as she glanced around the room.

"I must… I need to go."

Tricia stumbled from the room unopposed, the Knights and even Moira herself apparently stunned by her outburst. John himself could only imagine what it had taken for her to summon so much emotion when she'd been all but dead to the world until now. Even her excitement at John's abilities and a chance to study them had been so muted he hadn't known how to process it.

"I just… I don't want to go back on my word, I figured something like this would happen, but… so suddenly? And I can't go home?"

"It would not be safe for you to go home even if you had made no vow at all," Moira said, casting her eyes down. Despite her apparent regret John could see her struggling with the anger at Tricia's insult. "The Cabal are not known for mercy. If they even suspect you as an Order ally, they would hunt your family down solely to hurt you, if not to **** and use against you."

"I will help," John promised, "but first I need to get to Seras. She's in my room at my house; if I don't go back, she could be discovered or come looking for me."

"We will see if the Moon clan can make contact with her," Lord Brighton said, stepping forward. "They have not openly declared themselves allies, and they are far more talented at going unnoticed. If your home is not already under surveillance, they will be able to seek her out without arousing suspicion from the Cabal, and we can ensure they have you on call so that you can assure this 'Seras' she is safe to accompany them away."

"Right, okay, that's… that's good. What do you need me to do for right now then, since I'm stuck here?"

Lord Brighton frowned for a moment, and then his look grew yet darker, until he was practically scowling at the map in front of him. He did not lift his eyes, gaze locked firmly on the sector of the map where the furious red circles were hastily drawn.

"Prepare for what may come. You have known battle, John Newman… you have never known war."