"God, we're really doing this."

Slitted eyes slid over to the man standing beside her, the hard lines around her mouth softening just a touch as she did. She could see that his expression matched hers: Repressed anger, determination and bloodlust coursed through those facial scars he'd acquired while he was gone, hate for Selene's leader palpable. Fates, probably for Selene in general, if she was reading him correctly. It made sense. Raised in a Barbarian's Paradise, where honorable battle was expected and knowing Selene women fought by stabbing a man mid-coitus, feeling that hatred probably came to him as easily as Darkness magic did.

Of course Shion hated it, too. What they did to her parents; Who they'd made her kill for initiation; For being so damned determined to ruin her life. Sebastian had left the Barbarian's Paradise because the Barbarians did mercenary work for a living: It was why he travelled so often. He hadn't left because he hated it or its people.

Their reasons for hating Selene were different in almost all ways. 'Almost' was the key word, however; their hearts beat as one when it came to their daughter, her well-being, and her current situation.

Her eyes slid back to their previous position, the smallest of smirks appearing on her face. Yes, her hatred stemmed from other things. She couldn't hate her Sisters for killing her husband or daughter, fortunately. Both of them, Fates be kind, were alive, even if they were worse for wear.

And Shion was going to make the Alaxia, the Sylvain bitch who'd taken her daughter, feel what she had made Shion's family feel ten times over. Of course she'd die for taking Iri, but Alaxia would have to live just a bit longer than she should so she could be consumed by the sea. Last, but not most importantly of all, Alaxia would stare straight into Shion's eyes as Shion sliced, tore and ripped out every tendon responsible for movement before said consuming.

It was safe to say Shion wasn't happy. Yet she was, ironically, the happiest she had been in a very long time. Funny how revenge did that to a person.

Now that she was planning cold-blooded murder though, maybe she would rip out Alaxia's jugular with her teeth. That would certainly attract sharks to her remains when Shion dangled her bleeding body in the water as bait.

Absently, her hand reached out for her mate's and their fingers laced together, his hand giving hers a soft squeeze. The smirk on her face grew to a playful smile. "What, you aren't regretting storming an island full of Assassins who once ripped you -literally- and your family -metaphorically- apart, tortured the love of your life and stole your daughter, are you?" Her head then tilted to her left, the gesture enough to turn Sebastian's gaze towards her. She could see his eyes soften a touch as they passed over her face and towards a plethora of definitely not snarky, out-spoken, powerful and beloved figures. "Especially when we brought such a motley crew of friends!"

"We'll see how good they are," was her mage-husband's only response, eliciting a puff of cinnamon-scented smoke from her immediate left. Oh Giatsu, her second love, always so giving and willing to help her see her life through to its destiny. Originally the smoke bender had reservations about working with Sebastian.

Understandable, to say the least. Usually husbands and their wives' new boyfriends didn't get along all that well. To Giatsu's discovery, however, Sebastian was completely supportive of how Shion saw the air bender. What had he said again? Oh yeah: "Hell, I love this woman, but sometimes you have to let her like who she likes. I can't stay chained to a bed for a day and a half again."

To which Giatsu and Sebastian had a long and hilarious talk about various topics, some of which being how...energetic Shion was with her affection.

But back on point, there was an island to take over. "I don't think the leader has any idea we're coming since we've kept off of their radar. I'd suggest we either go in through one of the staircases built into the island or we scale the outside of the island with climbing gear."

This was met with several stares and glances back and forth. Oh, right, almost everyone could fly except for her and Sebastian.

Her eyes narrowed in thought. Or could he...?

"Before you start," she quickly continued, wishing the Duk'zarist teen capable of magical horrors would keep that smug look off her face, "They know we were airborne before, and they'll be keeping their eyes out for flying targets. We're going to want to keep this as non-magical," Shion's lips thinned as her narrow eyes landed on the Ja'yan with bat wings, "and non-aerial as possible."

The smirking teen's hand rose slowly, smugness growing in proportion to her hand's height. Shion sighed, clicking her tongue as Shiek opened her knowledge-wielding mouth. "Counterpoint: I can literally do all forms of magic. I can just pop us close to where your daughter is and we can run like hell."

Shion's face turned dead-pan as a sigh escaped her lips. Giatsu was nodding and signing, I'll cover us with smoke, she can do her juju shit from inside.

"Ok, fine, you guys want to pop in? We can pop in. Just know that we want to be as close to the training hall as possible, because that's where Alaxia and the Executioner are. We won't have a lot of reaction time, the building is warded inside, and they don't call Khali the fucking Executioner for nothing."

Shiek snorted. "Wards. Like I care about wards."

Turning to share in the ridiculous moment with Sebastian, she found him adorned in a happy smile. "I changed my mind," he cheerfully chirped, "I think we'll do just fine."

"Fates be cursed," Shion muttered under her breath, shaking her head. Louder, she added, "Let's just get this over with."