Suit Up

Virgil's reality continued to be shaken around him with this latest revelation that these terrible acts were happening within Baldurs Gate's walls. Forget Greenest and the Dragon, and the little scale covered beasts that had made his life less than fun for a few weeks.

These things were happening on his own doorstep and from the look of it, by his own people. The criminal element in Baldurs Gate had always been a constant, but none had considered blowing up one of the biggest defensible bastions the city had going for it.

Henry and the group had been informed and his reaction was one of hastened efficiency as messages were written and rolled into tubes of glass. Virgil wondered what kind of magic must have been on those tubes as the contents faded to nothing.

Mikarro and Ulfgar seemed to take the news in their stride, as if this was expected of this place. They conversed to themselves over a plan of the tower that Horus unfurled over a small table. Two stacks of books at each end preventing it from curling back up on itself.

Stedd did his usual thing and went wide eyed out of Harry's office, his loud footfalls stomping up the stairs could be heard.

Obcaeco just sat still, as if assimilating the information she'd just heard hadn't swayed her here nor there.

Virgil felt his mind cloud over. His thoughts jumbled and he couldn't rationalise what action was about to take place. 

He left Henry's room and motioned for the barkeep to grab a bottle and two glasses and he moved up the stairs. 

From Stedd's room the sounds of hurried packing could be easily heard. From the open door Virgil watched Stedd cramming everything into the bag of holding that lay open on his bed.

"Don't you think you're-" Stedd cut Virgil off with his sudden turn and drawing of his dagger.

Stedd took a step back suddenly, his dagger held only by his thumb as he outstretched the fingers on both hands and raised them slightly, eyes darting from Virgil's down to Thorn that was drawn and pointed at Stedd.

"You gonna put that away?" Stedd asked, as he sheathed his own blade. Virgil complied, placing Thorn back into its holster, coughing to clear the awkward silence.

"Drinks?" Virgil asked, glasses and bottle clinking as he raised them as he took half a step in.
Stedd's hand shot up, "Wait!" He said with hushed urgency. "Don't step there," He pointed directly in front of Virgil's raised boot. "Or there, or, you know what? Let's drink in your room."

Virgil nodded, smiling slightly and exited, opening the door across the hall and poured the fragrant red wine into the cups before setting down the bottle and handing a glass out to Stedd who followed him in a moment later.

"You gonna run?" Virgil asked. Stedd's hands slightly shook as he took the glass and gulped a mouthful.

"I was gonna go get Dad and Keri ready to move as soon as possible." He said, calming down a touch as the alcohol did its work.

"You're not gonna do the same?" Stedd asked, "I mean, go get your folks and make them safe?"
Virgil took a sip, considering his response for a moment.

"I'm gonna help fight," He said looking elsewhere, before his black eyes locked onto Stedds. "And I want you to fight with me."

Stedd' started to shake his head involuntarily before  Virgil had finished his request, as he'd seen him do several times before when the idea of a prepared fight had been raised.

"I get your not comfortable with yourself in fights, you dress tough to try to dissuade people from fighting you. But I need you to stop looking scary and start actually being fucking scary!"
Stedd still didn't seem convinced, his eyes having trouble meeting Virgil's.
"I want that fucking guy who was ready to gut someone just to get information about his loved ones captives. I wan't that guy to watch my back in whatever is about to happen next."

Virgil went over to where his leather armour sat on a chair and slid it over his head, fastening it down the sides, is face grimacing slightly at the weight and restriction of it. He strapped his long knife to his left thigh. Sheathed a dagger on his belt and rechecked the fastenings on the embossed holster that held Thorn.
He flung his fine long coat over his shoulders, it billowing out behind him as it settled as he turned around, Stedd held out the final part of his transformation, The black, wide-brimmed hat. 

Virgil took it and placed it on, adjusting it slightly at the front before calling upon his innate magics to alter his appearance. All of his clothing, his armour and boots, turned into a mat black, the lining of his jacket a deep purple and finally, a black mask with etchings of silver materialised over his lower face, completely masking his identity.

Stedd smiled. "Either you're going to a really fancy masquerade ball, or a whole bunch of people are about to be killed by the best dressed guy in town." Stedd quipped.

 "Excellent," Virgil stated as he moved to the window and flung it open before climbing out onto the ledge. "That's what I was going for. Tell the others I'll be waiting at the outskirts of the Fort. Go see what they want us to do."

Without waiting for a response, Virgil was gone from sight. Stedd rushed over to his window to see him running along the side of the wall up to the buildings roof. He scoffed loudly "Gods dammit, Virgil." He said in a hushed whisper to the night sky, still shaking his head before turning around and almost falling out the window as Obcaeco stood only two feet from him. "Gods Dammit! Obcaeco!" He shouted, visibly shaken. 

"I just noticed Virgil outside and thought I'd come up and see what was happening."

"Come on," Stedd replied with a huff, turning Obcaeco around and leading her back out the room. "Time to tell the others that Virgil's off to kill himself."