Template:Featured Articles/46-2015
 "Ahh, Vimala, so nice of you to join us, how did you know we were talking about you?" Aedesh asked rhetorically before turning to face the congregation with a large smile, "My friends, this...poor lost girl came to us herself looking for help, for information. And look how eager she is for our help, despite the darkness that has taken over her she seeks us out. If there was ever a sign we are doing good and just work." Blimey, what a nutter. "Uh, yeah, about that." Topaz inched sideways, not missing the way a couple of the beefier men in the crowd were looking at her. "I think I made a mistake. I'm actually pretty happy with the darkness, not much for light, me. So if you don't mind I think I'll just go now. No need to waste your time when I'm beyond hope and all." "Nonsense," Aedesh waved away her objections, "No-one is beyond hope my dear. It's just a matter or applying the correct stimulus and giving it the right amount of time Time and stimulus, those are both things we have plenty off." "Right, well..." Topaz took another small step to the side. "As I said, I'm pretty happy being a creature of the night and all, so I'll just..." She bolted. Being small often had its advantages, and she'd spent a lot of time running from things in her life. She was fast. The men who had been glaring at her, however, were faster. They dove at her and she reacted instinctively, managing to blast one of them. He flew back while the other one grabbed her, wrestling her to the ground. "There's no need to panic," Aedesh said seemingly oblivious to the way his men were manhandling Topaz, "We're just here to help you drive the evil from your system. I know it seems scary but no-one can live a happy life possessed by a great evil." Almost instantly the twittering that had started when Topaz had blasted the man died away. Topaz herself gritted her teeth, muttering, "Sorry mate," as she pushed her way into his head... And found a wall. What the fuck? Aedesh's eyes widened slightly, a slight catch in his voice the only reaction though his eyes turned to bore into Topaz's "Yet that evil drives them to lash out in all the ways they can at those that would help them. Physically, mentally, the evil is resolute in it's will to survive. And there we ourselves might indeed learn a lesson from our foe." God damn it. Okay, she'd just have to work with what she had, then. Energy crackled around Topaz's fingers, blasting the man who was holding her, and he slammed back against the wall behind them. By now the rest of the congregation had stood, closing in on Topaz, and she backed up a bit, scared despite herself. They may have been all be regular people without powers, but they were regular people without powers who far outnumbered her and were clearly willing to do anything for the precious priest. Still, no one could ever say Topaz was one to just give up. Energy sparked to life once more between her fingers as she tried to figure out her next move. "It's no use my child," Aedesh shook his head sadly, "Are you truly so far gone that you'd even attack a room full of innocent poor-hearted people who just want to help you? Surely you haven't given yourself truly to the darkness, there must be a spark of kindness and compassion left inside you that would stay your hand. Or would you truly attack a mother trying to help the child she sees hurting in front of her, a father giving all the can to help his community become a place he'd truly like to see his children grow up in?" That brought Topaz up short. These people weren't bad, they had just been manipulated. They were being used by the very man taunting her. Not evil. Just misguided.
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