The screamer was another one of the fae. They were in a green colour, and green sparkles trailed behind them as they ran dramatically out of the house. They spotted Violet's sympathetic stare and ran straight to her, hiding behind her.

"Please help me! They had me tied up, see?" The green faerie held out their wrist, and there were indeed pinkish grooves in their skin.

Violet frowned at the sight and put an arm out to protect them. "Don't worry, we won't let them get to you," she reassured them as she pulled her bow off her back.

The fae standing in the open doorway sighed deeply. "Okay, I know this looks bad," sputtered the blue one, "but he was tryi--"

A fireball zipped past Nikola, swirling and dangerous, into the faces of the two elves at the door. They tried to avoid it when they felt its heat, but it caught their cheeks as they leaned backward and bored into their shoulders.

Nikola shot a questioning look at the Mage, who vocalized only when she saw Nikola's expression.

"They were holding him prisoner," Ven growled out, and began flicking the end of her staff toward the duo in the door. A spine shot out with every swing.

Ven's displeasure was all Nikola needed to join in, especially when another person's head popped up from behind the fae that were now patting themselves down.

"What's taking you so lo--" They asked, but sputtered and ducked when a quill threatened to embed itself into their forehead.

Nikola drew her cleaver and used her [Crunching Cleave] (MAYBE) to soar over to the burnt faeries, embedding its edge into the forehead of one, and then the other, and then the next. Then, with no valid targets remaining, she landed inside the house. It had hardwood floors, which she noted as she touched down on them.

There didn't seem to be any others lying in wait, but there was a bundle of abandoned ropes, corroborating the green one's story. They had been being held prisoner, but for what?

She tilted her head to cast her gaze over her shoulder just in time to see the accused explode into glitter and pixels. She wasn't going to get the story from them.

"Thank you, deeply and truly," the one remaining fae breathed out gratefully. "I almost wasn't sure I was going to get away."

"Of course," Violet cooed, "you poor thing, do you need anything? I might have a potion I can spare, if your health is low."

Nikola stepped away from the voices of her comrades, wading further into the dwelling. It looked lived-in. The furniture was displaced with continued use. There were 3 backpacks piled up, as if the residents had been packing up to leave just before they'd arrived, though she had counted 4 people. Was one storing their possessions in their inventory alone, or was their backpack upstairs somewhere?

She tugged on the knot in the drawstring, opening the backpack nearest to her. The items inside looked haphazardly packed and were, in some cases, struggling against the fabric.

Were they leaving in a hurry? While they were leaving in such a hurry, did they stop to take a quick kidnapping break?

The others flooded into the house, then. Ven hadn't put her weapon away, and neither had Nikola.

"The potion healed me up," said the green faerie with an empty beaker in their hand as they waded into the house. "So thank you. Say, what level are all of you?"

Violet tried her best to not get distracted by taking inventory of every single thing in the house. There was an island in the kitchen! "We're all level 5 or 7," she responded honestly, running her fingertips along the countertops. Marble.

"Where is the one currently in control of this city?" Nikola wasn't about to get sidetracked from their main goal. She slid the drawstring closed again, which the green fae noticed with immediacy.

"And what did they have you all tied up for?" The Archer's words were spoken in a gentle, high-pitched tone. She didn't want to pry, but she was also curious.

"Just a little misunderstanding," the one remaining fae said with a shrug. "It's nothing, really. You know... I'm only counting four of you. Is your fifth member waiting outside?" He looked behind himself and close to the door.

Luke and Nikola shared a look. The Butcher could tell the winged man was hiding something, but what and how? How deep did his secret go? She became suddenly aware that they were in the center of a village that had previously seemed empty; a village they didn't own. And that he had entirely skipped over her question.

"Oh, we don't have a fifth member! Do you want to try out or something?" There was a glimmer in Violet's eyes as she asked. She no doubt thought that having somebody else in their sixth slot would secure them a win and make them safer, something she seemed to crave. But in this world, who could be trusted?

"Absolutely." The fae's wings fluttered excitedly behind him, dropping emerald glitter to the floor that disappeared shortly after landing. He grinned. "What's involved in the tryouts?"

"Well... maybe if you know who's claimed Sweetstay, you could take us to them." She flicked her braid innocently over her shoulder and made purple eye contact with him.

"Ahhh, so I see you've got your eyes on Sweetstay? Alright, let's say I do know who owns the place. Do I get something out of telling you besides getting to be a part of your little group?" He glanced between the four of them, sizing them up.

Oh, so he only answered questions when Violet asked them, Nikola noticed saltily.

"You were the one asking to join our party. Is that not satisfactory?" Ven questioned with a bit of a knit in her brow.

The fae sauntered over to the three backpacks still on the floor. "You said you're all either Level 5 or 7? I'm Level 13. I'd be an asset to you, so I'm just seeing if you might sweeten the pot. Alright alright, though-- tough crowd. I'd join just to get to be in your wonderful company."

He looked at Violet as he ended his sentence, eliciting a soft smile from her.

Nikola glanced to Luke again. His muscles were tense before, but now they looked taut like guitar strings. He looked like he was trying very hard not to punch somebody, because that's what was happening.

Since when had Luke become so protective of Violet's company?