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Everyone knows that leading is hard. The easiest part about being a leader is becoming one. The problem is that no one sits you down and teaches you step-by-step how to be one, which pitfalls to avoid and what to do. Shade, there is an infinite number of circumstances which no one could possibly predict and plan for exactly. One of the worst things that could happen was a pyrrhic victory. As Vivace looked down upon Silas and Mwani, one clinging to the other and their faces a picture of abject sorrow and defiance, he could not help but feel that they were headed that way. Certainly, he had never wanted it to come to this; the air around them was palpable with pain and he felt that he was, one way or another, responsible. His family had raised and groomed him to be a leader. They had never hid the difficulties nor the dilemmas they faced each day and often had invited him to watch during council meetings or accompany them on diplomatic missions. What they had not told him was how hard it was.

Suddenly his vision was suddenly obscured by the image of an imperial. As if by a conjuror’s trick, one that Rad certainly would be proud of, Dios appeared out of thin air in the midst of them all. “W- -” startled Vivace, taken aback by the apparition - no - flesh and blood imperial. Just he had though he had seen it all. Faes made out of glitter and monsters made out of dust. All he could do was nod in acknowledgement, momentarily lost for words as the demon extended his apologies and Beryl said what needed to be said. For better or worse, the exiles were a silver lining, slim as it was. If Mwani was innocent, he, like Spirit, would be safer away from the clan and there would be time again for a reunion if all parties involved escape unscathed for the ordeal.

Unscathed. That was a falsehood for while many of them stood alive, many more suffered from physical injury and mental trauma. After the ordeal was over, Vivace would open the clan once more and accept all those who were exiled back; that was if there was even a clan remaining to return to and that was not even the only question. Would they even want to return after all was said and done, to a place and time that held nothing but ghosts and bones? Would they be better off starting fresh, creating new and happier memories to replace the ones of death and accusation? And what about the the ones here, right now, living and breathing the same air he was at this moment. He would not be the one who would stop them if they chose to up and leave; what right did he have as leader to compel them to stay in an environment where they did not feel safe. He sighed long and slow, his face expression grave as Mwani addressed him, not denying what the skydancer was saying. “It was the right thing to do as you did, watch over Silas. The the clan is appreciative of your efforts to take it unto yourself to support him where no one else would. I am not saying that you are an irresponsible therapist or healer; no one doubts your skill or value to the clan. None of us are superdragons, and I will freely admit that I have made my own share of mistakes. Life is tough and we must stay strong together or not at all.” His anger was temporarily at bay, still there under the ashes but not enough to take root. This was not what he had envisioned. No dragon was immune to their plight, even Vivace who was normally closed towards others.

“As the others like Simoeis have said, figuring who it is as quickly as possible is the best way forward, hard as it may seem. When the going gets tough, there is nothing to it but to embrace it. I am sure I speak for the rest that we all wish for a peaceful solution. I do not wish to separate but if it must be done to ensure our survival, trust me, it will be done. Any one who has been exiled wrongly are welcome to return, but only after we get to the bottom of this.”

---

edited minor mistakes

Watching Dioramus appear just like that surprised Silas at first as he lifted his head in the direction of the sound, having not seen Dioramus anywhere before he brought his face close to Mwani, but that thought couldn’t linger for long when he had other matters to worry on. His surprised expression turned to one of neutral sorrow, as reality grounded and he realised there was nothing he could do. As he softened his tone, a flat pitch laced his entire sentence, something that Silas would not have done if not for the heavy devastation in his heart.

“I’m sorry about them. But it’s not easy to patch the wound of losing a friend.”

At that thought his anxiety started to flare up again, so he curled in closer on Mwani’s back once more, trying to reduce once again, the gathering shiny specks of dust. He was still listening however, so when Beryl made her speech he hated the fact that she was right and gritted his teeth hard as a result. He thought Beryl’s explanation made enough sense for no hard feelings. Perhaps... Perhaps there may be time to make apologies later, but Silas couldn’t do that with the situation at hand, one that Beryl continued so quickly after. Would it truly be any safer for Mwani out there? Having these considerations Silas made no audible comment, instead letting out long, high whine instead, overtaken by the emotions.

He would remain silent as Mwani spoke to him, and then when Simoeis spoke, and then Vivace. But at the very least, the idea that those wrongly exiled could return, gave him some hope. He propped himself up on his paws then, so he could be heard better, especially by Mwani.

“Mwani. I’ll find the killer. I’ll make sure they will be caught and you can come back, because it’s not you. It’s definitely not you. You could have let me die, but you didn’t, you’re kind and you would never do such a horrible thing. Never.

"When they make you leave, I will make sure every nearby creature in the forest will keep their eyes on you. They’ll make sure you’re safe, not a single bad thing will happen to you. And when the killer is brought to justice, you will have a safe way and place to return to.”

Silas sounded very determined then. And he resolved that he wasn't the one apologies should have been directed at.

"I can only hope our next votes will be much more grounded than this one. It is not Mwani, I can feel it, and I have never been more sure in my entire existence. The more we get wrong, the more our home will be reduced to nothing but dusty memories."

But such determination didn’t last. First his frills fell, and then his head, and then he fell entirely so he was back to lying down in a curl. This would be the last time he can be by Mwani, for however long it took them to find whoever was responsible. Silas didn’t like such a thought. All he could see was Mwani standing alone and... And himself too. Even though he was staying back for his friend, he found it hard to be brave. His voice cracked.

"You will come back, won't you?"

At the sight of Dioramus, Mwani stepped back, tail curling around his legs.

He listened to what everyone said, then stepped back even more, even away from Silas. The skydancer shook his head, realizing nothing could really protect him from what- who was waiting out there for him, and accepting his likely fate to be exiled. The fact that the concept of 'You'll come back after we find the killer' was so highly regarded, that another dragon could die because of their mistakes, that Mwani was so easy to toss out and bring back in as if it was all just fine.... The only person who sounded reasonable was Silas.

The skydancer looked down, eyes full of sadness.

"....I won't be coming back. If I'm exiled today, and I do believe it will be today, there is no way for me to come back here."

Mwani glanced at his shadow.

".... He's here somewhere. As soon as I leave he'll take the chance.. I might as well start packing."

He turned away, before looking back to Silas.

"Please take care of my garden."

Then he looked away, walking back to his home.

Usually he wouldn't give up, but when even his friend started to realise his fate, he couldn't help it.

A shame.

Silas jolted into flight as Mwani stepped away, and then landed on the ground just a tiny bit too hard. It took him a moment to process that this was in fact, a final goodbye. Mwani didn't want to come back. This was it.

He sat there watching him go, front paws raised. He put them down one by one, not breaking his gaze once, his wings that had been curled around him drooped towards the ground, limp. And then he did something he didn't know he could do. He cried. His face scrunched as the first sob hiccuped through him, and then he couldn't stop it. This continued until his eyes were too blurry to see the dragon in front of him anymore, so he let himself fall to the ground, spine curved and head just in front of his paws as he shook and echoed a wail toward the high heavens, an anguished cry jumbled with the sound lightning strike just before an avalanche. Perhaps, the forest around him did phisically change too, with the trees bowing ever so slightly and the ground trembling. The plants on Silas wilted as he did, no longer able to stay up, as Silas' own will plummeted.

And he felt ever so alone.

Cherep sat quietly, thinking over the events of the night before. He hadn’t got a wink of sleep since the incident. His wings were tucked, and Pebbles snuggled in close, unusually silent. Cairn stood guard nearby with his hackles raised.

The Banescale purposely let his gaze wander, not resting very long on any one dragon’s face. He didn’t want the killer to know who had saved him last night.

He was half-listening to Vivace talk, but not until Silas appeared did he really begin to pay attention. Cherep bristled, sensing the tension between the Fae and the Imperial. Mwani and Silas also seemed to be trying to protect each other- apparently they had bonded a bit after Silas was hurt.

The Banescale felt bad for Mwani, but sadly most of the evidence just seemed to point to him. He hoped that the young Skydancer was not the killer, but at the same time, Cherep wished he was so that he could just go home.

Mordaine had finished some daily practice spells before realizing that something seemed off.. almost like nobody had died. She walked through the clan before finding herself overhear Vivace talk to Mwani. She hadn't really payed attention until Silas came to his defense, where it seemed that Mwani was being accused of the murders. Mordaine almost doubted the Skydancer's accusation until Simoesis had pointed out how the Skydancer could've easily killed Skella the night before while the forest Fae was unconscious. She simply looked over at Mwani as he walked away, a slight show of pity on her face.

---

Mordaine mechanically votes for Mwani

It could be anyone. The killer could be (and probably was) in the same area, at the same time as everyone else.

"How do you know if it is Mwani? It couuld be any one of us. It could even be me, for all you know." Silentstep asked no one in particular.

(I mechanically vote for Mwani)

The weight of the inevitable exile pressed down on his shoulders as if the world’s gravity was much stronger than it actually was. Among the group of dragons there was a strong undercurrent of sympathy for the plight of the skydancer, not the least of which came from the distressed Silas. Still it was not enough to sway the correct number of votes and overturn the decision all together. The sense of finality was cemented when Mwani stated that he would not be coming back, disregarding the offer to return. Was this a sign that the clan had nothing left to give and hope lost for its continuation? So much hurt, so much pain, so much death. Vivace was silent, watching on as Mwani’s retreating back disappeared and Silas collapsed into himself into a howling ball of sadness.

As if by its own accord his tail started to curl around Silas and one foot stepped closer, before Vivace caught himself a second later, shaking his head in self-disgust and sorrow. Would the fae welcome comfort from the very dragon who had injured him, and was responsible for exiling his one and only friend away to the wilds beyond? No. He was the least suitable among them, however much he may want to lend his vast shoulder to Silas. The damage was already done; he would be rejected and rightfully so. With a last look behind him and a low sigh, he turned and walked away. To where he did not know. He was not afraid of being injured or even of dying but the turmoil of emotions within was something he was not used to, not accustomed to, and deep down, it scared him.

The light around him grew darker as he passed underneath the trees and into the forest, his feet following a trail to a place he had not visited since that first time. The glade where the duel had taken place was still a wreckage but signs of recovery were showing themselves in the bright green shoots where branches and shrubs had been broken. Still, he walked onwards, the path becoming haphazard and winding. Eventually a mound of earth, vines, mud and wood appeared in the distance, his trident sticking out of it like a spear. Without fear of the golem coming back to life, the imperial placed his paw on the body and yanked out the weapon in a swift movement.

Starting now, Vivace would be taking no chances. If Mwani was innocent and they had been wrong, he was fully prepared for the killer to come after him next. Tonight, after the exile, there would be no sleeping. Just him and his trident, awake and waiting for death. Who’s death? That was up to the Eleven.

[center][size=6][emoji=sun size=1][b][u]The Evening[/u][/b][emoji=sun size=1][/size][/center] [quote=The Exile] [center][emoji=torch] ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ [emoji=torch][/center] Mwani left the scene with a goodbye, before even hearing his official exile. He knew that it was coming, and he knew that he had no authority to oppose the clan's vote. As he packed his bags, he looked awfully depressed for a therapist. He looked over at his garden - plants took a long time to grow, they needed dedication, devotion and attention. Well, they would be under Silas's care from now on, so he wasn't worried. Still, he gently pat his plants, running his hand softly on his vines. "Goodbye." he spoke softly. Feeling like he's being watched, Mwani turned around, looking at the dark corners of his room. Many dark thoughts had been let out on this very office, and many problems had got solved. Unfortunately, [i]his[/i] problem was bigger than something that could be solved in there. As he gripped his bags, he noticed that one of his plants was withering. Hidden in the shadows of bigger, stronger potted plants, the little guy was looking down, even losing petals. He carefully grabbed it with his tail, carrying the pot outside his den's door, into the light. Beryl stood there, ready to recite the same official exile statement in the absence of Vivace. "Mwani," she spoke as if she was reading from a script. "I'm sorry." she sounded genuine, and Mwani believed her, before she went back into a business tone. "You are hereby exiled from this clan for the suspicion of Rad, Hetki and Skella's murders, as well as the attack on Cherep's life last night. You have until midnight to-" noticing the bags on his hands, she stopped. "You're leaving now?" Mwani nodded quietly, not looking at anyone in the eye. "What's the use of a therapist, if no one wants to talk? I assume you won't be needing my services in the future either. But I'm sorry that I've failed you, I've failed you all." And with that, he opened his wings, only daring to look at Silas for a moment before flying away. "I'm sorry." "I've got big things planned!" he remembered Rad had said, not knowing that [i]someone[/i] had bigger plans. But fate, fate had even bigger plans, and Hetki had warned him about it. "You need to act quick, your window is closing and if you're not careful you will be forced to leave." [i]He[/i] was quick to set Skella's familiar free from it's trap after the murder, but not quick enough to take Cherep out before he left. It takes time for wounds to heal, whether you're a forest destroyed in a battle, or a clan tore down from the inside by nightly assassinations at the hand of the trusted therapist. [/quote] [emoji=comment][b]Well done, folks![/b] [emoji=subscription update]@Tynethyne @Relics @Greyh0und @CrazyAKApanda @Sandcastle @Ragsy @Cattafang @ShinyDecidueye @Poliwag3903 @Peanutbuttergay @Darkmoonbreeder @SweetToothArt @skittlebow @ThanosBottomText @SilverSong92 [quote=The Reveal] [center][emoji=magnifying glass]~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ [emoji=magnifying glass][/center] The Vengeful in this game was: Silentstep (played by Poliwag3903) The Magist in this game was: Rad (played by Sandcastle). The Seer in this game was: Skella (played by Darkmoonbreeder). The Witness in this game was: Hagsmire (played by Ragsy). The pair of Inseparables in this game was: Beryl (played by Relics) and Cherep (played by SilverSong92). The two Guards in this game were: Dioramos (played by ThaosBottomText) and Spirit (played by ShinyDecidueye). The Killer in this game was: Mwani (played by Peanutbuttergay). Here is what happened behind each Kill: Rad's kill: Mwani's familiar (Gusting Goblin) tied the rocks to Rad's feet. Then Mwani acted as if he was falling into the water, grabbing Rad and pulling him down. Witness clue: The killer themself did not tie the rocks to Rad's legs. Hetki's kill: Mwani made the net from the vines in his garden, set the trap between two trees and pushed Hetki into the trap, suffocating her. Witness clue: The vines that strangled Hetki appeared to be organized neatly. Spirit's kill: Mwani stole a cage and some muck from Silentstep's den, using them to trap Skella's familiar, slitting her throat with a knife before setting it free. Witness clue: The cage used to trap Skella's familiar was stolen. Cherep's -attempted- kill: Mwani intended to sneak into Cherep's den, killing him in his sleep, also bringing his familiar to help fend off Cherep's familiars, but was stopped by Dioramos before he had the chance. [/quote] ----- As with the previous games, we've made custom achievements for y'all! For all the players: [img]https://i.imgur.com/7rE5ppd.png[/img] For the players who survived till the end (Vivace, Beryl, Simoeis, Mordaine, Silentstep, Silas, Dioramos, Cherep): [img]https://i.imgur.com/URjMhSy.png[/img] For the Killer (Mwani): [img]https://i.imgur.com/qlpvgee.png[/img] Do note that [u]only the players of the eighteenth game of Killers in the Clan are allowed to use these[/u]. Each game will have its own custom achievements. :>

[img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/201013/9bd068898b09c5668a8d201bbec877bf.png[/img] [emoji=gold crown][b]Leader:[/b] Flasha | Female | Spiral | Darkmoonbreeder | [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/forga/2558325/501#post_44945753]Link[/url] [emoji=silver crown][b]Second-in-command:[/b] N/A [emoji=deer skull size=1][b]Demon:[/b] Vars | Male | Skydancer | ThanosBottomText | [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/forga/2558325/507#post_44970607]Link[/url] [emoji=Coliseum Team][b]Warrior:[/b] Orias | Male | Tundra | GayScreeching | [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/forga/2558325/500#post_44944862]Link[/url] [emoji=rainbow star 2][b]Wizard:[/b] Vayle | Male | Skydancer | SoaringFlame | [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/forga/2558325/500#post_44944947]Link[/url] [emoji=ivy leaf][b]Silent Archer:[/b] Vidarr | Male | Tundra | MediaeLycan | [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/forga/2558325/500#post_44944973]Link[/url] [emoji=wind balloon][b]Traveler:[/b] Pumpkin | Female | Coatl | Arilia | [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/forga/2558325/501#post_44945001]Link[/url] [emoji=book 2 size=1][b]Travelling Bard:[/b] Sandy | Female | Snapper | Relics | [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/forga/2558325/501#post_44945979]Link[/url] [emoji=skull size=1][b]Spirit Medium:[/b] Melinoe | Female | Bogsneak | Winterrox66 | [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/forga/2558325/501#post_44946185]Link[/url] [emoji=net size=1][b]Hunter:[/b] Selden | Female | Mirror | craftbaobao2 | [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/forga/2558325/501#post_44946289]Link[/url] [emoji=fae winking size=1][b]The Joke:[/b] Me!! It's me!!!!!! | Female | Fae | skeettlebow | [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/54035074]Link[/url] [emoji=left wing size=1][b]Hunter/Ghoul:[/b] Morrison | Male | Skydancer | Ragsy | [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/forga/2558325/502#post_44948729]Link[/url] [emoji=cloud size=1][b]Proffessional flyer:[/b] Visia | Female | Nocturne | HolyShipper | [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/forga/2558325/502#post_44949052]Link[/url] [emoji=ceramic jar size=1][b]Artisan:[/b] Ahtra | Male | Mirror | Greyh0und | [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/forga/2558325/506#post_44953998]Link[/url] [emoji=firework size=1][b]Shapeshifter mage:[/b] Gemini | Male | Coatl | Yakusoku15 | [url= https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/forga/2558325/506#post_44960851]Link[/url] [emoji=snowflake size=1][b]Winter Spirit:[/b] Glacier | Male | Spiral | banii | [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/forga/2558325/506#post_44966130]Link[/url] [emoji=magnifying glass size=1][b]Tracker:[/b] Freude | Male | Skydancer | creationsWrath | [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/forga/2558325/503#post_44949405]Link[/url] [emoji=familiar heart][b]Relations:[/b] Gemini x Vayle -> ? ? x ? -> Orias, Vidarr ? x ? -> Melinoe, Visia [ Female // Male // 15 total ]