Epping Forest, London

It was in that moment that Cayden did not hesitate to place Crouch under a complicated binding curse, wanting simultaneously for the unforgivable curse to be ceased whilst nullifying the immediate threat. However much she liked the girl and vowed to protect her, the use of the Cruciatus in front of her could not simply be ignored - it would undermine the honesty she wanted to strive for in the Ministry of Magic. 

But... Donia could not hold the curse, for she was not truly angry at Crouch. In fact, the girl was rarely furious to the point where she could maintain the curse long enough to be effective. Like a snowstorm she could be corrosively cold, but never would her blood boil. Her apathy towards human life existed, alongside the motive and other methods for inflicting pain, but not this one. 

The Cruciatus curse had always evaded her. It was not that she was weak; her power simply did not stem from fury.

But perhaps her inability to maintain it would be perceived positively: it would cast doubt on her sadistic nature, appearing too benevolent and inherently good to follow it through. Maybe that was the case, but she had never dwelled on it.

And Crouch may see it as weakness - or her not being willing to torture an ally. But her motives would not be revealed so easily, so she lowered her wand, offering it to Bryn.

"You're going to have to arrest me now. We might've stopped him, but I've used an illegal curse in front of four people."  Bryn's brow furrowed, conflicted. "I trust you." She added, pleading with him as he grabbed it, feeling the sycamore wood in his hands. 

"I surrender - I'll tell you what I know." or nothing at all. 

With the threat neutralized, Crest made his appearance. But not for any congratulations or anything like that. Priorities had shifted now. Now, he was security detail for these two criminals.

At last, his first encounter with the rogue element. The one who had eluded him for so long. Crest stepped right up to her, his steely eyes burrowing into hers as though trying to pierce the icy shell called her flesh. He kept his wand up and pointed at her, as autonomously as a machine. The fierceness on his face made it clear he was not backing down, or buying into her charade as easily as them.

---

That was all Crouch needed. The confirmation he had long sought was at last revealed like the last present on Christmas. And it was all he hoped for...

He could get out of this easily, but why spoil the fun? There was so much to watch yet. Would Crest become their unknowing servant and aide their plans by becoming more and more opposed to his fellows? What would Donia's infiltration bring? 

Why would he miss this show? Let's see if light consumed itself? Or if a dark kernel could be planted in his archenemy? Who knew? But for now... he'd play along and wait for his time to strike...

Donia raised her hands slowly, a move of surrender. She remained stiff, as if every fibre in her body had expected the man to show up and apprehend her. After so long, she had come to feel a shadow constantly watching her, even if Crest wasn't always there. In the cold depths of her blue eyes a flicker of disdain could be seen, but that could be attributed to her looking down the end of Crest's wand.

But Bryn had switched her wand for his, pointing it sternly at Crest with no hesitation.
"No, you don't get to swoop in and take Donia. You've done nothing here." Anger settled deep in his stomach, stirring long forgotten emotions of protectiveness and the need to defend ones who could no longer defend themselves. He would not lose another person under his care to injustice, he would simply not allow it. Power rippled through his voice, an undeniae threat in his tone.

"I have no qualms hurting you Crest; I've made a vow I swear not to break. I want to hear her story for myself."

Cayden hummed, keeping her eyes fixated on Crouch as she watched the scene unfold. "She needs to legally be taken to custody - my custody - or whoever I choose to be her jailor. Treason is a serious offence, Crest Strayer." It was clear Cayden would not let him escape with her lightly, and most likely she would place a status of traitorhood on Crest's family, and himself. 

Donia's lips ghosted into a smirk, one displayed for only Crest and Crouch. If Crest took her, he would be as much of a fugitive as she was. 

Your move, Strayer.

The smirk didn't go unnoticed by the Strayer, his eyes only constricting more. "You all can't be this blind can you?" He asked so dryly pacing around Donia like a tiger pacing his cornered prey.

"This was organized of course. You really believe Crouch would go down so easily and by Donias hand no less?" 

"Wake up." He told them coldly. "Take her into normal custody and you'll play into her hands."

"Donia has nothing to gain from this." Cayden stepped closer, putting a hand on Donia's shoulder whilst the other now turned her wand to Crest. Even though she was fully aware Crouch could escape and kill them using Crest as a distraction, his lack of movement indicated he wanted to see where this went
"We have her wand, her weapons and her ability to fight back. I'm using the appropriate legal channel. You, Crest Strayer, have no jurisdiction over this. If I see you approach her, I will arrest you and treat you as a criminal for hindering the work of the Ministry."

Cayden's tone was final, gaze steely as an auror who has dealt with people questioning her authority countless times before. She would not falter, she never could.

Bryn sighed, considering the situation in a frustrated tone. "We're playing into their hands, so stop arguing with us because the real criminal is about to get away." He pointed at Crouch, as he too had noticed that the Death Eater had stopped struggling.

It was clear that if he escaped, Bryn held Crest solely responsible for the failure. After all, the only thing the Strayer had done was distract them and indirectly abet the criminal. He would argue it was pre-mediated if he didn't know better.

Ooc Mer I have an idea - would I be able to jump in once Crouch replies?

ooc im curious, so sure

OOC Go for it man!

IC

"Damned fools. Both of you." He lowered his wands angrily, and walked over to Crouch and kept his wand trained on him. "I am coming with you as added security. So when you screw up I can correct it." There would be no negotiations with him now. How could Cayden forget the numerous times 'the legal channels' failed? And Bryn's irrational sentiments would be his downfall. Sydney was the exception rather than the rule. Donia was NOT Sydney, but his compassion would blind him to that fact.

That was why Bryn could never do what was necessary. Ultimately he was a good man. Too good.

Partnering with him was a great mistake.

---

Crouch laughed insanely, but remained where he was, "Well bravo... bravo..." He mockingly praised. "Let's give out some awards folks. That was quite the little drama."

"Man, Brynny boy, and you thought I was crazy! This one's at a whole 'nother level." He kept laughing the same laugh that hundreds had heard before he ended their lives. Including Sydneys.

"And I'M the one you're after?!"

ooc yesss lets do thiss

ic 
He had been absent for... months? years? He really didn't know. But what mattered now was that he had been summoned, and no matter how far he wandered, Rook always came back. He had found an affinity in another such as himself, and the Slytherin boy had been alone for too long.

He had scaled a tree with the deftness of one who had become attuned to nature, drawing his wand and aiming it at Crouch. The non-verbal spell left his lips as the binds became undone, letting the rampant young man become free to act again should he want to. Rook wasn't sure how this would turn out, but he would be ready to act should his old allies needed it. Perhaps they wouldn't accept him after so long, but he would god damn try.

"Imperio" His voice was a whisper, gliding along the breeze to the ears of the Desouza boy, attempting to sway the boy under his curse.

ooc OMG

ic The movement in the trees was not lost on Donia's sharp eyes, stern and apologetic gaze almost ghosting into a smile as she resisted following the shadow with her gaze. Somehow she knew she would escape this alive, and not in Crest's custody. To her that was the most important.

Bryn gasped, lungs seizing for air as he tried to fight the curse, knowing this feeling of happiness was just... wrong. But how could he fight it when every cell in his body could not resist? He felt so calm - calmer than he ever had been - how was this possible?  His pale eyes grew paler as his struggle continued. His agitation had caused a corrosive doubt to niggle at his mind, the frustration just enough for an experienced spellcaster to chip away ever so slightly at his mental walls.

I have to fight this, but-


Cayden immediately went to stun Bryn, realising the effect of the imperius curse far before it began to manifest in his appearance. "Don't defect from us now..."

OOC Well, this took a turn!

IC

"Well this took a turn! Thank you sir! CRUCIO!!!!" His smile widened even further, until it threatened to break his jaw bones, and quickly sent Crest down to one knee as he tried to resist the mind numbing pain. He laughed as he watched the auror struggle to reach for his wand.

Crouch quickly denied him by kicking it away. "Ah ah ah... naughty naughty!" His attention then shifted to Brynn. 


An imperio curse huh? I wonder where this will go. He resisted my spells so will he do it again? Oh I got so much more than I bargained for with this attack!! 


"Come on out friend! I prefer thanking people in person!" He called into the distance.

---

Shit!


Panic rose in Topher's gut. Bryn and Crest were out. Sure he still had Cayden but he himself was lousy at fighting. He tried to pour as much good luck as possible onto Cayden. She was their best chance of surviving this now...

ooc sorry about that

ic
He pushed, pressed, attempted to crush Bryn's mind. The boy's mental barriers were formidable, and he hadn't expected such a challenge. But Rook wouldn't give up; he was far too stubborn for that. Whatever it took to crack even an inch into his mind and overwhelm it, he would do it. 

His concentration was almost solely on the Desouza, taking nearly all of his effort to maintain the spell. He was a little rusty, and it pained him.

His voice was hoarse, raw from the lack of communication. 
"I'm rather pre-occupied right now, maybe when they all collapse."

His laugh rumbled through his chest, the spell continuing.
I will break you, Brynmor Desouza.

Donia took the moment to grab her wand, seeing Bryn struggling and allowing her survivalist nature to kick in. Caught in the crossfire between Crouch and Crest, she did not think she would make it out alive. After all, this mysterious stranger did not know her, and could consider her a threat. 

With a pang of guilt, she turned to Topher with a sad smile, speaking gently.
"I'm sorry Topher, I can't stay. Everyone wants to kill me here, I'm not safe." 
With a pop, she disapparated.

The effect was not lost on Bryn, for his mental barriers were pushed even further by the lingering sense of failure. I couldn't keep her safe, I couldn't keep Sydnay safe... The thought circled his mind like a vulture, ready to swipe and collapse his sense of tranquility for good. But he couldn't let it happen - Topher and Cayden still depended on him. But he was still immobalised, a grunt of pain escaping his lips, but nothing else.

--
"Pull it together!" She practically yelled at the Desouza boy, trying to claw him back from the depths of despair. With Topher's good luck, she shot a powerful stupefy in Crouch's direction.
"Expelliarmus!" She cried with her second spell, not relenting for one second. She would not fall to a Death Eater and his companion. No, that would be far too embarassing.

OOC Sorry folks but i gtg! Dx But I'm definitely getting back to this! LOVING it!

"No Donia!!" Topher raised a hand to stop her but was ultimately too late. He cursed up a storm in his mind for how awry this went but didn't let it break his concentration on Cayden.

---

The stupefy knocked Crouch back a ways, but this didn't stop him from rising again. His smile never wavered, it was like a halloween mask that had been welded to his face. "Oh Cayden, still fighting the losing battle. Don't you know, those you preside over? They want this. They want what I'm going to give to them..." 

"They don't voice it yet... but they will, I promise you that... AVADA KEDAVRA!!!"

OOC  ... Mind if I jump in?  

IC  Crouch's apprentice, or equal nowadays, had been watching from afar, waiting to jump in when needed.  The battle is steady for now, and has been very entertaining.  She hasn't been part of a good fight in a long time, and the urge to just jump in is rising.

Ooc I don't mind at all! The more the merrier to spice things up:D 

Ic Rook hesitated, gasping at the turning tides of the battle. Of course he had expected this to happen, bit he had only fired a couple of curses.

A creeping chill shot up his spine as he realised he wasn't the only person watching. His target had disappeared, so he sensed little purpose in remaining here. He would catch her another day. 

Crouch... Had become truly insane in his absence. His faith in his friend had grown thin, but he tried to shove this aside as his mental assault on Bryn remained. But he didn't want to kill him. No - he wanted to play with his food, and see how far he could pressure the boy until he caved - now just wasn't the time.

Rook lowered his wand, instead directing it at the tree opposite him and causing it to topple with his slicing curse. He still remained in stealth ; now Donia had fled there was no purpose in showing his face.

ooc ofc you can :3

ic Bryn felt released, the mental struggle suddenly vanishing as he sank to his knees. The battle was over, the assailant had stopped? but why? In his turmoil he hadn't noticed his ally disappear, noting that the attacker had never wanted him in the first place; they'd wanted Donia. 

The relief was short lived as the tree came toppling towards him. He barely managed to roll out of the way, quickly sending an ennervate spell to Crest in order to rouse him before it was too late. So much was happening that his head was still reeling from being tampered with, but he tried to shake it off as he watched Cayden battle with Crouch. The green light was unmistakable, and he hoped she moved out of the way in time.

Bryn struggled to his feet, having not given up.
--

Cayden instantly threw herself to the ground, old bones protesting as she forced herself to keep moving. She couldn't die like this; she was working so hard to purify the Ministry, and her work would not go in vain. Fortunately, Topher's luck caused the spell to narrowly miss her face, growling out her response.

"No, they don't. They want this world finally purified of your insidious poison." The elderly auror was now more determined than ever, renewed by Bryn's own resolve, standing in tandem with the younger man. "

"Expulso!" "Petrificus totalus!" She sent the spells in quick succession, deciding in that moment that restraining Crouch and leaving was their best option.

OOC Yay!!

IC  Before the stunning spell can hit Crouch, Raven jumps in, deflecting the spell.  "Mind if I cut in?"

"By all means Raven!" Crouch smiled crazily at his most trustworthy ally. He couldn't believe how well he had chosen all those years ago, all on a whim, when it came to her. "Assist us in destroying this rabble..." He pointed his wand to the tree directly behind Cayden and sent a nonverbal spell at it.

 Slowly, the branches started to move, creaking like bones that hadn't moved in centuries. Joints started to room, creating arms and fingers. Even a hole in the tree, once an owls home, became a fanged mouth on a eyeless face.

"SLAUGHTER THEM!" Crouch shrieked in excitement, "SLAUGHTER THEM ALL!" He ordered again as the monster reached for the elderly auror. 

---

The world could've disappeared around Crest but he would've failed to notice as his sight became fixated on Raven. While his body felt physical relief due to Bryn, his mind and soul was anything but relieved.

Without a second thought, he lunged towards crouch's apprentice. This has to be it. He may have lost Donia, this fight may be lost, but if he could take down Raven, the entire endeavor would be worth it to him. He had to stop holding back. Unless he was prepared to do what was necessary, he would never stop her, "crucio!"

---

As if this wasn't already complicated enough. 


Topher found his constant stream of good luck becoming periodically erratic at the sudden appearance of Raven. Guilt, regret and conflict was weighing at his concentration, worsening his degree of control over his powers. 

He knew they needed him to stay focused, but... It was... More complicated than he was sure even they would give lenience for where Raven was concerned.

Crouch is...
Completely and utterly insane.


Disappointment rippled through the boy's body, finally acknowledging how the situation had drastically shifted since he had gone on his own personal search mission. There were too many players - maybe he didn't fit in with the Death Eaters anymore, so where did Rook belong now?

Not that it mattered, as he watched the gray haired boy attack Crouch's apprentice. The odds were even, considering one of the boys on the auror's side appeared to be doing absolutely nothing, to his eyes. 

The crucio made his eyes light in amusement however - he had a certain affinity with the torture curse. 

Rook thought he'd watch for now, trying to catch Bryn's gaze, whispering under his breath. "Leave, you want to leave. Leave now." 

The stealth would be his ally, feeling like a marionette who could turn the tides of this battle at any moment.

Ooc thanks for reminding me Louis :3 

Ic the world seemed to slow down as words seemed to filter in from the trees. Run, they said. Leave, they whispered. A strange sense of tranquility washed over him as the words seemed to wrap around him, filling his entire mind with noise.

What was going on?

Bryn shook himself, clearing his head as he needed to be in the battle - especially now Raven was here. He tried to catch Topher's attention.
"I know its hard , but we need your concentration right now. Or we're all going to die." His tone was oddly calm, staring into the eyes of death with no remorse.

He focused his attention to Raven, firing a binding spell followed by a quick sway in his wand. "Sectumsempra."
Even if his spell missed, it didn't matter : he was trying to help Crest.

--

Cayden shrieked, barely escaping the monster's grasp as it tore into her legs. Her robes split, but she ignored it as she instinctively shot the disintegrating spell. "Reducto!" She prepared to roll away from it when the bark would rain down, old bones achinf and complaining at the exertion. She could tell she was starting to grow tired.

Raven's thoughts race.  She has a crucio coming from Crest and a sectumsempra from Bryn.  She dodges Bryn's, firing a quick stunning spell right back at him before getting hit by Crest's crucio.  She fights through the unbearable pain, remembering all the worse pain she's been through in her life to make the crucio less painful.  It seems Crest Strayer will forever be a pain in my ass... Then she smirks.  But he just used an Unforgivable... And before he would never stoop to that.  That means he should be easier to mold...

"Cayden, you don't look so good! You've aged like milk and I'm just getting started!! LEGILLIMENS!!" It was time to see what horrors lurked in her ancient mind. What terrors drove her to try and stop men like him.

A brother killed by a death eater maybe? Parents tortured by some nameless thug? He couldn't wait to taste her fears firsthand...

---

As Raven fell, Crest found himself satisfied. This could potentially be the long awaited end to their unrelenting blood feud.

But his content died when he saw her smirk. Was she planning something? Was he not using it strongly enough? It felt as though seem beast in the pit of his cold heart guided him on what to do.

He dwelled on everything she had done. Of the times she harmed his beloved Sam, of the friends she's harmed, or the countless other victims...

And he felt that beast grow stronger inside of him, deepening the pain he inflicted. 

'I'm using this no more differently than one studies a poison, understanding it I'll find a way to cure it. It is practicality, not malice.' He justified in his mind. Besides was this not the summation of what he always has been? The necessary evil? 

---

Topher shook out of his stupor at Bryns words, "right, sorry!" He was right of course. His eyes have saved Cayden twice already. 

He strengthened his concentration, trying to push Ravens presence from his mind. It was difficult but if he didn't they might not make it out of this alive...