784 The Great Esca-Debate.

Margarita "Ok... That's better than nothing I suppose. Do you have a plan... Or any ideas at all." she asks.

Zudite "Ah... Well, not really." he says, causing Margarita to almost fall down the basement stairs as she descends.

Margarita "What's that supposed to mean? I thought you said you could help?"

Zudite "We can! But I think first discussing your situation with the others would help us a lot."

Margarita sighs, "Alright, what do you need to know?"

Zudite "Erm, well... Where your specifically being held, guard posts, entrances, and similar things to that... Probably?"

Margarita "Probably? Look, if you don't know what you're talking about then please converse wit hyour allies before making contact with me... The situation is dire enough as it is without the added distractions." she says, finally reaching Ciaran's cell. Zudite frowns at having the mental connection cut, deciding to gather everyone to discuss what the plan actually is...

She looks down at Ciaran who's sat against the wall, her clothing torn and bloody, she looks up at Margarita and nods, "Found anything?"

Margarita slowly nods, "Well... Kind of? A novice mage has made contact with me but... He doesn't seem all that reliable."

Ciaran shakes her head, "Any help is good help, they'll have information on the outside... Try to find out their goals and motives for trying to help us before making any deals." she says, knowing full well that people shouldn't be trusted on their words alone.

Margarita "Are you... Holding up well?" she asks, obviously referring to her treatment by Vasile.

Ciaran nods, "Nothing they can do will break me, I'd sooner bite my tongue than become one of his servants.

Margarita "Good... I'll try to get some information that might help with our escape, should we choose to use this "Zudite" and his allies ." she says, leaving Ciaran alone yet again.

Elsewhere :

Zudite "I've managed to get in-contact with Margarita." he quickly says to those gathered.

Hurtelt "Hm, not as useless as I thought." he shrugs.

Etredi ignores the Witchers remarks and looks at the young mage, "What'd she say? Anything helpful?"

Zudite shakes his head, "No... She asked whether we have a plan and broke off the connection when I told her we didn't..."

Etredi "That ungrateful b-"

Tildanird "Maybe she was doing something important that made her unable to speak to you?" he questions.

Dythi nods, "I think that's probably what happened, besides, most people wouldn't want to waste time talking to someone who could offer nothing, especially so in dire straights."

Etredi "So? We should just come up with a plan then."

Hurtelt shakes his head, "If only it were so easy..." he mutters.

Etredi "What's the problem now?" she asks in fed up tone.

Dythi nods, "Zudite, can you form a connection with Margarita? It'll be easier to plan something if we're all together like this."

Zudite nods and closes his eyes, "Probably?"

...

...

Hurtelt slouches into the chair, "So, Etredi, since you've been "Working" so hard lately, any news we should know about?"

Etredi shrugs, "There's been rumours, but I'm not sure if they're true or not... Apparently, someone's been liberating the cities East of here... Single-handedly."

...

Hurtelt raises a brow, "Where'd you hear this?"

Etredi "At my work obviously, the Vampires are less tight-lipped around children... One thing that makes me think it's real though is the fact that they seem to fear whatever is freeing the cities."

Hurtelt snorts, "Vampires afraid? I highly doubt that."

Etredi shakes her head, "I swear... Some of them were even whispering about fleeing and trying to hide before "They" get them."

Zudite "Ah, I've done it." he interrupts the conversation.

Margarita had recieved the mental connection again as she was cleaning a room on the second floor of the mansion. She had been watching the movements of the Vampires outside, noting that the many lesser Vampires seemed to patrol the outskirts at random intervals, and routes. "Hello again."

Zudite "Margarita, everyone is gathered... We were just discussing ways of assisting you, but first we'd like some information about the mansion you're in."

Margarita "I can do that..."

Zudite "Ah then-"

Margarita "-But first, I need to know why you are trying to help us..."

...

Zudite "Hm, isn't just wanting to help someone a good enough reason?"

Margarita "A good reason, but not enough to risk your lives. Answer me or I'll be unable to cooperate."

Zudite sighs, "We were hoping to make use of your talents to open a portal and escape Pont Vanis..." he admits, feeling slightly shameful for trying to avoid her question.

Margarita "That's fine... Everyone wants something, it's whether you admit it or not that makes you trustworthy." she says, going on to explain the layout of the Mansion.

Dythi "Hm, so we'd need to gain access to the basement to rescue her friend... And the basement is relatively difficult to reach if we assume Vampires will be around every corner. I don't think we'd even be able to sneak in if we were all invisible."

Hurtelt "Obviously, Vampires would smell us from a mile away." he says.

Etredi "Maybe Margarita could get her friend out, and we could help them escape afterwards?"

Hurtelt shakes his head, "I doubt a sorceress is going to know how to pick a lock, pickpocket, or forge a key. We'd have better luck asking the Elder to unlock the cell for us." he mutters.

Zudite "Wait... So if we can't do anything on the ground level, second floor, or third... Why don't we try just accessing the basement as it is?"

...

Hurtelt "Yeah right, what're we going to do? Dig there?"

...

...

Zudite "Yeah?"