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Annabelle rushes ahead into the stables. The other women and Ethan follow slowly behind behind him, held up momentarily as Ethan hugs his father and sisters good-bye.
”Be safe, son. I’ll see you tomorrow morning. Stick close to the crusaders, okay?” Ethan nods obediently.
"It's okay, dad. We've got the Inheritor's blessings!"
By the time they catch up with Annabelle they find her in the stables in one of the box stalls, approaching a solid cream horse with a white mane. The creature appears spooked, its ears are pricked straight up and it is tense, backed up away from Annabelle. The cavalier approaches the horse slowly with her palms up. ”Hey pretty girl! It’s okay, sweetie. It’s okay….” she says softly and soothingly. In one hand she has a carrot, which she offers.
The horse’s nostrils flare and as Annabelle approaches, it starts to rear up. Annabelle backs up before she takes a hoof to the head, frowning.
Within each pen on either side of Annabelle, the horses back as far away from the vampire as they can muster, blindly driven into fear by the scent of undeath.
Inquisitor Wardsev doesn’t look up from his work. ”Divination magic is not fool-proof,” he says, simply. ”It is a tool, not a crutch.”
The crusaders stand down, watching in confusion (and a little bit of horror) as the bodies start to dig their own graves. They mumble to themselves for a while, but eventually accept that Markus has not come to do them harm. They resume digging graves and loading in bodies, but they give Markus’ creations a wide berth.
Working together, Markus is able to direct the crusaders to dig enough graves in three hours.
The work done, Inquisitor Wardsev smiles at Markus, illuminated by torches carried by the nearby crusaders. ”I appreciate the help. We should head back to Defender’s Heart for the night. We will hold a funeral service in the morning. Are you coming with us, Markus?”
Isilme rounds the corner to the stables in time to catch the horses trying to back away from Annabelle. In retrospect it should've been obvious that this might be the result, but she couldn't imagine a more painful discovery for someone who seemed to truly love riding. She moves up behind Annabelle and places a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Would it help if I attempted to soothe one of them with music? Perhaps that would make it less skittish?" she offers, unsure how to aid her, but hoping they'd be able to come up with a solution so Annabelle would be able to ride.
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Annabelle's eyes are as wide as the horse's as she backs out of the box stall. The other horses around her whinny in agitation and move away from her.
She glances up at Isilme, not quite focusing on her. "No. There's no point. I can't even get close to one of them, let alone saddle them." she says, faintly.
Round the corner comes a man in splint mail exiting the stables. He has copper hair and a thick beard, with amber eyes. He stops when he sees Annabelle and smiles.
"Hey, Kir! 'Atta girl, I've been looking for you! Captain said you were alive... but why are you leaving our regiment? Where did you get assigned?"
Annabelle stares at the other cavalier mutely, not knowing what to say. "Um. Hi, Rancent. Um..."
Ehren finds that mending can fuse the fragments together, though it of course does not restore any magic to the stone.
It would take a very, very long time to mend them all together. He also doesn't have enough room in his pack for all of the fragments.
Valaria, Ehren, and Lann finish cleaning the Hall of the First Fatalities after a few hours. Their work done, Lann stops, exhaling.
"I don't know about you two, but I'm getting tired. Are you going to be staying the night here, or are you heading back to where the other Crusaders are?" He smiles. "In any case before you leave, you should share in our food."
"I couldn't agree with you more. My back is killing me." Val stretches, working out the aches and pains of a long day of work. Her back pops a few times and she rolls her neck before a small yawn escapes from her lips.
"I think we're heading back to the Crusaders for the night. No offense intended, but we wouldn't want to impose on you when you're still getting settled in." She hesitates at the offer of dinner. If the Underfolk were already having trouble with obtaining enough food for their own people, it feels a bit wrong to stay for dinner and use more of their supplies. "If you're certain we wouldn't be a burden to feed..."
"Honestly... 'Belle cut a Babau in half in the Grey Garrison. I loosened it a little, but it never really stood a chance. Irabeth seems fairly keen on keeping my group together for now, and if that holds through the change in leadership... I'd love to see her join us." Ary says warmly, extending her sword-arm to the cavalryman. "Ary Bishop. It's a pleasure to meet you..." she trails off, allowing him to introduce himself and shake her hand.
Isilme waits for Ary to finish introducing herself and then does so herself. "And I'm Isilme. It is a pleasure to meet you," she says with a smile. "We were lucky to have Annabelle with us at the Garrison. All of us that were there were changed by the experience there. I imagine that's why Irabeth wants to keep us together. And I agree with Ary that having her continue to fight along side us is a great honor," Isilme adds.
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What am I doing? Ehren asks himself with a sigh after gathering the umpteenth shard. For a moment he had entertained the idea of at least restoring the shape of the wardstone fragment, but it soon became obvious that it would be a prohibitively time-consuming effort. He settles for what he had managed to collect already, having some idea of what to do with them. In the meantime, create water proves to be just as useful as it always. Having lost count of the number of times he had cast the rote spell since entering the garrison, there is a certain cathartic feeling when they finally manage to get the room clean.
"Since you offered... I think it should be fine," Ehren says to Lann, glancing at Valaria. He understood her concerns and agreed with them, but it didn't feel right to him to deny their hospitality. With a lopsided grin, he adds, "Afterwards, I think I will take the long way back to Defender's Heart."
Val giggles. "And I'll appreciate the company on the way back."
Rancent smiles and shakes Ary's hand. "Really? You're fighting under Ary Bishop?" Annabelle nods. He grins in response. "I heard the story last night! And you were there? I don't remember the bard saying that, but it was a pretty long story!" He nods to Ary and Isilme. "Rancent Byne. It's a pleasure to meet such fine women. Kir excluded, of course - she's a rapscallion!" He winks at her and chuckles but Annabelle doesn't smile. Her eyes are brimming up with tears, despite her best efforts to look neutral.
He pauses... and gives her a closer look. "Annabelle, you don't look so great. What's going on with your-"
Annabelle closes her eyes and turns her head away. She stands there for a moment, fists clenched, before she quickly snatches up her glaive.
"Sorry. I don't feel well." She salutes Ary, sloppily. "Bishop. Go without me." She turns to Rancent. "Bye Rancent,"
With that, she turns and rushes back to her room. Rancent (and Ethan) stand there puzzled.
"I'll never understand women," the cavalier says, confused.
Ethan doesn't really understand what is going on, but he pushes forward to shake Rancent's hand, eyes sparkling with admiration. "Hi Mr. Byne! I'm Ethan. Are you really a cavalier? How fast is your horse?"
"Hello, Ethan! Yes, I am a cavalier. And my horse is very fast. Faster than any demon, for sure!"
Ary purses her lips. "I'll never understand women, either, I'm afraid." she says with a shrug. "I've no idea what to do for her, and my best ideas... fell flat." she says with a frown. "I don't think they'd have helped anyway. Regardless... we really need to head out to see a friend... daylight burned a long time ago." she shrugs slightly. "If we're to make it back out this way before tomorrow, anyway."
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Isilme watches as Annabelle leaves heartbroken. "Rancent, know that there are many things in such tales that are never recounted. What she's going through now has little to do with who she is as a woman, and much to do with what she's experienced as a Crusader. Annabelle has suffered in ways that would have caused even the toughest of us to fall apart. In ways that even those of us tasked with infiltrating the garrison haven't had to cope with. I think she's strong enough to move forward, but it will weigh heavily on her for a long time yet."
She turns to look at Ary, unsure if she should try to follow Annabelle for now, or go. "Alright Ary, lets get moving then. I imagine she'll not be in the mood to talk to anyone for a while anyway."
"Hinagiku, まだ行きたいですか? 彼女は話をしない場合でも、あなたの会社は、彼女を静めるかもしれません" she says.
Markus directs the fallen Crusaders to put their brothers and sisters into graves before falling into open graves themselves, at which time he releases them from his control. "To the funeral service? Absolutely. Come - let's return."
Markus will walk with the other Crusaders back to Defender's Heart, though he'll likely give most of the soldiers a good amount of space - he understands that he makes them uncomfortable.
Hinagiku leaves to be at Annabelle's side. She finds her curled up on her bed, sobbing, the past days' events finally having worn her down. She is a good and supportive friend, though, and while the vampire does not want to talk much, she is able to calm her down with more stories from her book on Sarkoris.
------
Meanwhile, Ary and Isilme head out with Ethan towards Horgus Gwerm's manor. It is much closer than the Grey Garrison and with Triple Time it takes around twenty minutes to reach. Ary leads the way with the light of Radiance.
They find that the home is guarded by a pair of crusaders, as Commander Irabeth was eager to do what she could to thank him for helping to feed the refugees. They escort the three in with no trouble.
It is starting to get late at night, but they catch Horgus still dressed and working. He is busy writing many, many letters, trying to reach out to and mobilize his various holdings around Mendev.
"Ary Bishop," he smiles at her. "I'm happy to see you again. How are you? And who are these with you?" He peers at Isilme closely. "Ah, I remember you. Isilme, was it? Were we formally introduced?" He holds out a hand to shake.
He then turns to Ethan, who grasps his hand. "E-ethan, sir. Ethan Mylne. I'm a cobbler's son and hopeful squire."
-----
Valaria and Ehren eat a very late supper with the Underfolk - there is grilled corn, bread, and hard cheese. Chief Sull himself personally thanks the pair for having come to check in with them, and after a little bit more conversation, the two head back to Defender's Heart.
The ruined city is pretty spooky at night, but since Ehren can call upon the Green to help him see in the dark, the pair don't even need light to navigate. The walk is uneventful, and they arrive back at Defender's Heart at the same time as Markus.
Inquisitor Wardsev bids Markus good night and heads in to rest. The funeral service will be had tomorrow morning.
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"Ethan has been my go-to helper in the Defender's Heart these last few days. He's the one responsible for my messages reaching you promptly." Ary says with a smile. "When I received your letter reminding me that you could use help, he was first in my mind for such a thing." she offers a grin. "In fact, he still has a letter for you, now. The ravens were a bit busy this morning. And yes, this is Isilme. I was going to bring two more with me, Annabelle Kir and Hinagiku... I honestly don't remember a last name. Regardless... this is Ethan. His father is quite possibly the best cobbler in Kenabres, and I suggested he could probably expect work from you as well in the future. How are things?" She says, pushing the business through the door so she could reach the pleasantries.
"No, I believe our introduction before merely extended so far as settling the matter of Li'an's deposit. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance formally, Master Gwerm," Isilme says, smiling politely and shaking Horgus's hand. She wasn't entirely sure what she thought of him, but there was certainly no sense in being anything other than courteous when Ary was trying to find a position for Ethan and his father.
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Once they return to Defender's Heart, she waves to Markus and makes her way inside. She retrieves her journal and begins to write, having two days worth of thoughts to get out onto paper.
First it began with us arriving at the entrance to the Garrison, where we discovered a pack of disgusting worm demons called Vermleks, born from the souls of the blackest necromancers and using their powers to inhabit corpses. So Isilme began to weave her magic and conjured an illusion of a great elven host that marched on the Garrison, with Elan and Aravashnial at the head. And so fooled were the demons that they fell on the illusion thinking they were about to be engaged in a great battle. Caught in her illusionary web, we fell on them with blades and spells and slew the lot of them.
With the blessings of Terendelev, gods rest her soul, we ascended the walls of the Garrison upon the clouds themselves and entered beneath the gaze of the demons. Inside we did rescue our newest comrades, Hinagiku and Annabelle from the cruelest fate. Yet we were confronted by the hosts of Deskari himself, as demonic locusts did rise to slay us. Yet our skill and power struck them down. Realizing their situation, the hosts of the Worldwound fell upon us in force, with hordes of Deskari's faithful using all their might to attempt to cast us down with reaping blades and foulest magics. Yet each fell before us one by one and we carved through their lines until we reached the heart of the Garrison where the wardstone was bound. There we did confront Jeslyn, one so wronged that Deskari's power did worm its way inside her heart and turn her fear to madness and hate. Beside her stood the child of Baphomet, one of his bullheaded minotaur brood, and the risen bodies of those slain in the cultists rituals. Yet by divine grace did the fallen stand, to fight for the fate of our world one final time. The battle was terrible, but righteousness could not be denied. Blades cut down the minotaur and cleansing fire purged the unholy dead. And finally Ehren, faithful guardian of the Menhir's power, did the deed and unleashed the magic granted to us upon the wardstone.
Then holy light did consume the world as the Menhir did unleash its stored power. We six, kind Ary, stalwart Markus, wise Isilme, youthful Ehren, calm Hinagiku, and myself, free-willed Valaria, were whisked away to times long past as the shattered stone did unveil its history upon us. Great battles between gods and demons raged before our eyes and peaceful moments where faith was reaffirmed played before us and we knew the truth of all that had been done. We saw Aroden's great victory over the lord of the locust horde and Iomedae's herald raising the mighty wardstone above Kenabres itself. We saw innocents condemned to supposedly sacred fires. And foulest traitors revealed to light. And finally secrets, which I will not share tonight, were bestowed on us to tell us each why the fates did contrive to bring us to this moment.
Then we awoke as one, glowing with the blessed powers bestowed upon us. Yet evil is not easily dissuaded. Areelu Vorlesh, the cursed Worldwound Witch herself, did send proxy to slay us for our foiling of her master plan. Yet protected by divine power as we were, her sorcery could not touch us and the sacred might of the wardstone did, with its final breath, banish her back to her lair. In rage, her final gesture did unleash a horde of blood demons upon us, with gnashing teeth and savage blades they attacked, but we raised our blades once more and with new blessings from on high we carved through them mightily. With whirling knives, striking blades, holy magics, and glorious songs did we defeat the horde and drive the demons into retreat. And thus was the day won in the name of all righteousness!
The details of the wardstone’s vision were… personal. Not something that I can share with anyone. It was… an experience seeing everyone’s past. I… I was never sure if I believed in fate or not, but it certainly seems like something pushed us so we’d be in the right place in the right time to be there when the wardstone shattered. Isilme’s past was first, so I guess it was going in chronological order. She suffered, more than anyone should have. The demon Minagho forced a woman to wish her out of existence in exchange for her children’s lives. Isilme looked so broken, being forced to relive something like that all over again. I can’t even imagine being destroyed like that. It wasn’t even death. It was… destruction.
Too many of the visions showed pointless cruelty. I didn’t think I could like Loitr less, but then I got to watch him murder an innocent woman because Deskari put a curse on her and he decided that meant she should be burned as a witch. I’d set him on fire and watch him burn just to see how he likes it, but I like to think I’m better than bigoted murders. I might break his nose if he tries to talk to me though. At least I had the chance to relive something less awful for my turn. I’ll never forget the night that I was visited by my lady and apparently fate isn’t about to let it slide either. Maybe it was Desna’s blessing that made me worthy. Or maybe there’s something inside me that drew her attention. I don’t know. But I’ll try my damn hardest to prove that I’m worthy of her faith in me.
Markus’s was a bit odd. Apparently, he was part of some weird cult down in Ustlav for a while. A bunch of weird guys focused on knowledge and magic. I don’t know. It was all mysterious, even when they were in their private meetings. But his real power comes from being descended from Tar-Baphon himself. No idea how a lich has a kid, but I guess it was sometime when he was still alive. I guess if you’re going to be a necromancer, you might as well be descended from the biggest, baddest necromancer ever. I guess that explains why he’s so gloomy all of the time though.
Our new friend Hinagiku was apparently born from the menhir themselves. Yeah, I’ve got nothing on that one. It was the result of… I just don’t know. We watched a demon do some kind of ritual. Something went wrong and then there was a child there. It does explain her personality. She’s contemplative, resolute, and very at peace with herself and the world around her. I believe she follows Irori. I don’t know much about his faith, but she certain seems to be sure of herself. And she can take down demons with her bare hands, which is always nice.
Ary was next. Well, kind of. Her family has been part of the crusades for as long as there have been people fighting the Worldwound. We watched the day she was sworn into the crusades. I think that she was something special even then. She’s pretty tough for a little kid. And she was born with a truly good heart. I’m glad to call her a friend, especially after everything that she’s gone through. She lost her family a long time ago, so maybe the crusaders sort of became a family to her. Regardless, she may have the strongest faith among all of us. I hope that Iomedae realizes what a person she has serving her. Ary deserves some recognition for that at the very least.
Finally Ehren. I don’t know why, but he’s just adorable when he’s nervous. From what I gathered, he’s part of the native Sarkorians. With their lands essentially destroyed by the Worldwound and overrun with demons, they have to do what they can to preserve their culture. So one of their rituals is to commune with the wardstone when they come of age. Ehren’s communion was a bit more… intense than expected. I guess that explains how he could sense the stone when we were under Kenabres and when it was locked up in the Grey Garrison.
It certainly was a long day. And then I got blackout drunk. After all of the insanity that was the fight in the Garrison, we f*cking deserved a party. So we got a big barrel of mead, a bunch of tankards, and drank until we got too drunk to remember the rest of the party. I think I might have gotten just a little overbearing. And I’m pretty sure that I started trying to pair people up. After Markus turned Annabelle into a vampire I think that they’re going to need each other for a long time. And maybe she can finally make Gloomy stop being so gloomy. It will be a happy day when his nickname no longer applies. A relationship may help with that. Or maybe he just really needs to get laid. Both would be great. Aravashnial and Isilme seem to be spending a lot of time with each other too and I know that Ary was visited by someone in her dreams that she’s got it bad for. I’ll get her to spill eventually. I… I don’t think I’m ready for someone new yet. I… I got a chance to say goodbye to Li’an the night after the party. Lady Desna did me a favor and let me speak to her one more time. I still miss her, but I can move on. The world needs help right now and I can let myself keep dwelling on those who have been lost.
I’m glad that today was a day to relax. Just cleaning up after the battle and spending some time with friends. I think it may be one of the last peaceful days for quite a while.
At the mention of Gwerm's letter, Ethan perks up and digs around in his pack. He produces the parchment and hands it to Lord Gwerm.
"Hmmm. I see." He smiles as he quickly skims through Ary's letter. "Well, I am in desperate need of new staff. I highly value your recommendation." He shakes Ethan's hand again. "We will discuss the terms of your employment here tomorrow morning. It is far too late for that."
"Is the city cleared of demons yet? The harvest is soon, and I would rather sell my yield than continue to donate - but I won't risk sending for it to be transported here if the supply wagons are at risk of being attacked."
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"The city has, in fact, been cleared of demons. The victory at the Gray Garrison seems to have wiped all of them from the city, and without their support the cultists routed," Isilme answers. "I imagine there will be great need for it in the near future, and it certainly would be unreasonable to expect you to continue donating it. As a newly sworn member of the crusades, I would ask that you consider how the people of Kenabres have suffered, and how much they've lost when you decide how to price the harvest, Master Gwerm," she says as diplomatically as she can manage. She wasn't certain if he'd be willing to price gouge in a situation like this--certainly she hoped he wasn't that sort of person--but it was worth nudging him away from such an idea.
"It also might be wise to send word to Irabeth so that she can ensure that some escort is provided as well. It is in the interests of the crusades that the food be delivered safely, and once word gets out that the demons are gone, it may be that bandits will step in to take their place," she adds after thinking for a few more moments.
"It seems to be for now, anyway." Ary says with a grin. "I really am glad you had faith in us, you know... a lesser man would have taken my letter and ran." She says, beaming.
She then proceeds to elaborate on the situation. "From my understanding of the situation... when we shattered the wardstone to prevent its corruption... it lashed out like a dying animal, performing its job in full, and banishing every last demon. Unfortunately, that still leaves the cultists... so you'll likely still have bandits to worry about. So basically what Isilme said. Depending upon what sort of work you specifically need, I can ask around. I can say for certain that Klarah and Aitha will almost certainly need a place to stay, though I'm uncertain of how they would be of specific use. There are also the Riftwardens in a similar position. If you found unpleasant having them around, I'm certain you could find a use for them" She says with a smile. "But on the topic of asking the Crusaders, I second that. Losing the food would be... beyond terrible."
"Oh, right, before I forget... the Loumises made a sheet set for you today at my request. Osirian Cotton. That doesn't mean much to me, but..." She says, as she takes out the molesting bag and offers it to him.
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After bidding farewell to Chief Sull, Lann, and the other underfolk, Ehren leaves the Grey Garrison with Valaria, feeling more at ease with himself. Exhausted by the day's exertions, upon their return he quickly retires to his room, but does not go to sleep right away. Instead he toys with the wardstone shards some more, fusing a few of them together to form various small shapes.
A memento...? Or a monument even, he thinks as he sits back to assess his work. It certainly wasn't anything practical, and an artist he was not.
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Horgus considers Isilme's words for a moment before affirming - "I'll keep in mind the market - causing undue burden on the city's fragile economy at this point could affect many of my investments."
"Oh, I assure you my wagons will be defended regardless," he says, dismissively at Isilme's concerns that they be attacked. "You need not concern yourself with how I conduct my business."
"Ah! These are lovely. Significantly better than the sandpaper I've been sleeping on these past few days. As always, you anticipate my needs without my asking. Thank you." He smiles at the Osirian sheets, then opens up his moneypurse and hands Ethan a silver piece as a tip for delivering the letter, and six platinum pieces to Ary as payment for the sheets.
"It's against my creed to accept gifts but I will gladly pay you for a service I needed rendered," he says, pressing the money into her hand.
"It is getting late and I will be retiring to bed soon. If you would like, Ary, Isilme, I can shelter you in my guest rooms for the evening. Will you be staying the night?" After he receives their answer, he nods, and says, "Ethan, I will escort you to the servant's quarters."
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"Oh, right. Sorry." Ary says after a moment, "I somehow knew you'd pay me back one way or another." her slight frown transforming into a grin. "Do you happen to know about how much they'd actually be worth if you'd had them commissioned? I'm no good with that sort of thing... and want to make sure I didn't take advantage of the Loumise's generosity."
She looks to Isilme to see if she wants to stay the night here, allowing her to be the decider on that front.
"If we stay, we would need to leave at daybreak so we can swing by Elan's house. Well... It would certainly make searching it easier and safer." Isilme thinks on the matter for a few moments before deciding. "I suppose we will take you up on your offer then Master Gwerm. Thank you for your hospitality," she says with a bow.
"If I might impose upon you further, would you have a few sheets of parchment you might spare? I am inspired to write this evening, and unfortunately my journal is back in Defender's Heart," she asks Horgus.
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23rd of Arodus
Li’an,
I am not sure if you’ll ever get a chance to read this, but these are words that I want to share with you. Your sacrifice gave me life, little one, and I shall endeavor to live up to this opportunity. I remember you as a little child when you first came to live with Elan. I imagine you would remember little of that time, though. We only ever spoke once afterwards, on that calamitous day. I wept for you that day, dear, no one should have had to live through what you did. Despite the loss, however, you moved forward it seems. Your father would have been proud to see what you’d accomplished. The great love and respect you commanded from your friends can leave no doubt. Having seen how much you meant to them, I wish Elan and I had not decided to conceal my existence from you. All three of us were worse off for it. Your friends, Valaria and Ary especially, were heartbroken when they lost you, something made worse by the fact that it was I that returned in your place when they tried to bring you back to life. Perhaps one day I’ll repay you properly, but until that time comes I shall tell you a story.
القمر والنجوم
Prologue
In a time long forgotten, surrounded by family and friends, a woman laid down to rest. Her sleep was well earned, for she had done all she wished that day. She had poured her heart and soul into her writing, and created something greater than the sum of its parts in the process. So as her eyes closed, she knew only the peace and satisfaction of having accomplished her goal. Falling into a deep slumber, darkness engulfed her. But it was only momentary, for having seen the woman’s accomplishment, her Lady smiled down upon her and blessed her with a dream as her reward.
She dreamt of lands of flowers whose shades changed according to the whims of those about them. Skies filled with stars that shone both day and night, set amidst a backdrop chosen from the palette of twilight. Long she ran free amidst the fields of that place, taking in the realm in all its beauty. Its endless variety and beauty could only sate her desires for so long, however, for she had the soul of a poet. As she roamed she yearned to learn the secrets of the lands she traveled, to hear what had transpired in the endless fields and forests of her new home. If the lands had born witness to anything, however, they remained silent on the matter.
No longer satisfied, her dream turned to new realms, and once again she walked the world she’d lived in before she slept. She wandered from place to place, listening and sharing. She was the wind, and the stories she collected seeds born aloft in her wake, scattered to the four corners by her travels. The dream her Lady gifted her was endless, and so she rejoiced for century upon century, sowing the seeds she’d found wherever they might find purchase. In time, her dream turned again, and this time it was she that was born by the wind, swept away by a man she’d fallen for. Her thoughts turned from sharing the stories of others to creating new ones with him. And together they roamed as free as she had in her home, unburdened by the world.
Her time with him seemed ever so brief, but it was beyond anything she had hoped for. In choosing to spend her life with him, however, she had given away the freedom by which she controlled her dream. In time she grew restless and uneasy, for the world had become a darker place. Though she had made new friends, and she still found herself deeply in love, the world no longer heeded her desires. Eventually her dreams turned dark, and she found herself trapped within the dream that had been a gift to her. The world, once a place of beauty and kindness was now cruel and cold. She dreamt of terrible things, of suffering and pain, and of terror. Though she knew it not, her heart cried out to her Lady to freed from the torment. Taking pity on the woman, she took away the dream she’d granted her. Though the darkness that engulfed her seemed an even crueller fate, in time she came to accept it, and once more slumbered peacefully.
Chapter I
When one has dreamt their fill, and given themselves to the night that lays beyond, all that remains is to awaken. -- The Book of Stars
When the woman awoke, she was surrounded by friends and loved ones, though none there knew it yet. She opened her eyes and saw those gathered before her looking upon her in confusion. Where they had expected a friend, Thorn, instead they found someone else had awoken. Though saddened that she hadn’t been whom they had expected, they nevertheless gave her their hospitality. Each in turn introduced themselves to her: Rose, a woman of exceptional beauty and guile, a champion of her goddess; Lion, a shining beacon and a bulwark for her friends with a heart that shone brighter than the blade she carried; Tower, gleaming silver in his armor, a living symbol of martial prowess and bravery whose very presence struck fear into his foes; Stone, a hierophant whose wisdom and power caused the very ground to rise up in his defense; and Bone, a mage whose power and compassion led the very dead to rise up and offer their service to him. Finally, behind them all stood Sage, a brilliant but stoic man she’d dreamt of many times whose sight had been taken from him. She stood before them, the last wisps of her sleep fleeing like morning fog from the sun, and bowed. “I am Song,” she said simply.
Her new companions knew not what to make of her, and debated why she had awoken. Sage, however, spoke in her defense thusly “I know not why Song has awoken in the place of Thorn, but I will vouch for her. Her heart is true, and she will stand by us to the end.” Satisfied for the moment, the group decided to return to Bastion. Though small, it was the fortress from which they now fought against the demons that had occupied their home, and it had served its purpose well. The journey to Bastion was long, and if any of them had thoughts about Song’s awakening they kept it to themselves. When they arrived, they met with Wolf, a courageous paladin to whom control of Bastion had fallen, and Fox, her wife, a scout who was as cunning and stealthy as her name suggested. In order to ensure the safety of Bastion, Wolf tested Song’s honesty and virtue with both words and magic. Long had the demons that assaulted their home worked to infiltrate them, and Wolf especially had dealt with such things in the past. Once she had passed, she joined the others, who were planning on marching on an old tower that they had learned was one of the places where the cultists of the demons had taken shelter.
With Song ready, the band of crusaders set forth to investigate the tower. Rose, Bone, Lion, Stone, Tower and Song marched quickly towards their destination, their tempo set by her flute. When they arrived, Rose strode forward boldly and without hesitation, approaching the door of the tower. To say she was silver-tongued would be unfair, for surely the words that sprang forth from her mouth were those of some metal far less base than silver. The cultists, incapable of seeing through her deception welcomed the group in as if they were their own. So certain were they in the verity of Rose’s words, in fact, that the guards went immediately to sleep, only to find themselves bound by the heroes shortly thereafter. Having taken the tower, all that remained was to deal with the cultist’s master. Deep beneath the tower he waited, though he too had been fooled by Rose’s deception. By the time he’d realized the truth, his fate was all but sealed. Harried by their attacks, he found himself cornered quickly, and though he called out for help, none came. Within moments the fight had ended, his soul sent to whatever fate his cruel masters had planned for it.
It was here within his lair that they found his notes along with a captive which together laid out the demons’ plans for the group. The demons planned to corrupt the wards which sanctified the lands surrounding the demons domain, preventing them from marching upon the world. By doing so, they would both destroy the armies of those who opposed them and unleash themselves upon the world. Disturbed by the news, the heroes marched quickly back to Bastion, where they shared news of the plans with Wolf. “This is dire news indeed,” she said, “We must move quickly to thwart their plans. Tomorrow we shall march upon their stronghold, for no other choices are left to us.” Though grim, the heroes knew they had their task laid before them.
One by one, they retired for the night. Praying to their gods, writing in their journals, or simply giving themselves over to sleep. Fox, Song, and Rose stood upon Bastion’s ramparts, the latter two offering their prayers to the Lady of the Night. It was then that Fox, angered at the loss of Thorn, whom she’d considered a close friend, lashed out at Song. Taken aback, Song could offer no defense. She had not chosen to awaken in Thorn’s place, and though she bore her likeness, she was her own person. Still, Fox’s admonition cut deeply, and shortly afterwards she retired, uncertain of her place within the group.
Upon returning to Defender's Heart, Markus puts away some of his things and heads up the stairs to Annabelle's room. From outside of it he can hear her crying and so he hesitates for a moment before knocking. "Hey, Annabelle? Can I talk to you?"
"Ummmm. Yeah. Yeah, come in," says the vampire.
She is sitting cross-legged on her bed, still in her riding gear. Her face is tear-streaked, but it's actually difficult to tell how hard she had been crying - her face is not red or swollen.
Hinagiku sits silently behind her, braiding her hair. It's soothing, but Annabelle really didn't feel like talking much.
She looks up at Markus. "Hey. What's happening?" Her voice is listless.
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"Well, um." he scratched his head. He hadn't handled the previous night particularly well, so he was a little cautious about speaking to her now. "I know you were cavalry before the attack happened, and Kenabres' destruction was rough on everyone. And... it completely slipped my mind that normal horses would recoil from you now."
"So I wanted to show you something. Hopefully it'll make things a little better."
Annabelle stands up, rubbing her face clean. "Ugh, I probably look like a wreck," she worries aloud.
"Oh... so you've seen Ary and Isilme, huh? Yeah. That sucked," she says, honestly as she walks over to him. She gestures for Hinagiku to follow them.
She gives him a small smile. "Is it roses?"
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Markus' eyebrows shoot up. "Why... do you want roses?" He puts his hands in his pockets and looks down. "I mean, no, it's not roses. This time. But would those help anything?"
"Actually... just come with me."
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Annabelle laughs. "Oh. I thought you knew?" she gestures to her hair clip. "I'm a Shelynite. The Eternal Rose." She follows Markus, talking as she goes.
"And, I mean. Why wouldn't I want roses? They're beautiful. Looking at beautiful things puts your heart at peace. Have you never enjoyed a quiet walk through a flower garden in the spring? There's a special kind of happiness that comes from beauty, I think."
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"I did know that you were a Shelynite, and I know about her titles." Markus frowns. "I've just always thought of myself as... a practical person, so gifts of art or beauty never really are things that I think of."
"Not to say that I don't appreciate them, of course - I do know the beauty of somewhere serene and peaceful."
He leads her down to the stables while he talks, and pulls out an already-saddled and prepared horse from one of the stalls. He'd talked to the stablemaster beforehand about this stunt, of course.
He leads the horse to the head of the stable, shushing Annabelle when she protests that she couldn't ride one.
He grabs another saddle and walks into an empty stall, and comes out with a beautiful chestnut horse - the horse has little wispy flames that dance when its hooves touch the ground, and its eyes glow very faintly. Every once in awhile a ripple passes through it's body, and where the ripple goes the horse appears opaque - possible to see right through, but only for a moment.
"I thought you'd miss your horse." he says. "And maybe you'd want to go for a ride."
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Annabelle's eyes grow huge at the lovely mare and her smile widens. "Wow. What? What is she? Is that... Blossom?"
She is anxious to get moving - anything but sitting still - but she needs to thank him first. She wraps her arms around his shoulders in a hug. "Thank you so much. I..." She lets go slightly and looks at him - they are the same height. "I'm really sorry I snapped at you last night. I mean, you don't deserve that. You're just trying to help. So... I made you something."
She presses a folded up piece of parchment into his hand. It is a small, charcoal sketch of himself - she is a talented artist, so the likeness is accurate. His expression is neutral, but his gaze is intense.
Markus opens up the parchment and gazes at the drawing for awhile. He smiles, folds it and puts it into his pocket. "Thank you." he says. "I'm glad you're not... too resentful. Now, while the sun's still down, let's get going."
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Horgus shrugs at Ary. ”I don’t trade in textiles, but I would pay roughly that much for sheets of this quality. They are not particularly beautiful, just comfortable, so I wouldn’t pay more than that. Why?” he says, gruffly.
”I suppose I can walk you two to the guest rooms. I still need to replace those sheets, also. You should request them commissioned, Ary. I need six beds.”
Meanwhile, Annabelle goes riding with Markus. It’s dark, and they need to provide light for Markus’ steed (especially since he is not as good of a rider as Annabelle) but the cavalier’s spirits are higher than he had ever seen them. She is bonded to her mount – the mare moves with her seemingly with her thoughts.
Eventually, though, Markus needs to sleep. And so do all of the other heroes, one by one.
26 Arodus 4713
Hinagiku is awake first, even though she stayed up. The monk does not need much sleep.
Markus sleeps in the latest. Not only did he stay up late with Annabelle, his arcane feats of the prior day left him weary – he does not awaken until almost noon.
The crusaders spend the morning observing funeral rites at the graveyard while Markus sleeps, and Ary and Isilme head back to Defender’s Heart. Wardsev and a cleric of Pharasma, a blonde woman in purple garb, oversee the services together. The mood is somber. The crusaders know that this is not going to be the only funeral they have this week. It will take a long time for the city to be cleared of the fallen.
But now, it is noon. Commander Irabeth sends out her Eagle’s Watch to assemble the various heroes, as well as Annabelle and Anevia to the war room.
”I really hope you all had a restful day yesterday. But it appears that a problem has arisen that I feel that your group would be specially suited for.”
”I have received a sending from Fort Portolmaeus to the north that stated that they are under attack. It seems that their wardstone has gone inert. I need you to do several things for me. First, I would like for you to travel there and connect with Commander Manaria Wardroxan. I would like Ehren to examine the menhir and determine what is going on. I would also like for you to assess the damage on the fort and to assist the crusaders there as necessary. They are currently barricading in place, but the passphrase, ‘That the Black Prince might be redeemed’ will identify you as friends. Once you have completed your assessment, I would like for you to send word back to me, and await further orders. A Third Sword-Knight, Ser Jorsal of Lauterbury, will be headed there soon to interview you on behalf of the Queen.”
”To this end, by the authority vested in me by Crusader Queen Galfrey, I am promoting Ary Bishop to the rank of Captain.” She strides over to Ary and affixes a small badge to her cloak, identifying her rank. She smiles. ”You’ve deserved this for awhile, Ary, but circumstances have delayed the formality. I am placing you in command of Markus, Isilme, and Annabelle, for now. Feel free to bring any allies that would be beneficial towards your goal.” she shoots Valaria and Hinagiku a small smile.
Anevia grins at Ary, wrapping an arm around her. "Oh, yes! I told you you were gonna get promoted. I'm so happy for you."
Commander Irabeth smiles. ”Do you have any questions?”
Annabelle stands at attention. ”If I may, Chevalier. I don’t know if I am well suited to this task. I can only ride at night..”
Irabeth nods. ”You should defer to your Captain in this matter. We have covered carriages available. But that is a judgment for Bishop, as the risk to your life is certainly present. It is also within her right to exclude you from the mission.”
”However I do ask that you make haste, whatever you decide. The sending was short but urgent. They need help.”
Markus snaps awake at the end of his long sleep, and hurriedly puts on his clothes and packs his things, thinking that he might be late for the funeral. By the time he makes it outside, he realizes that it's far too late and sighs, going back in Defender's Heart. He spends the rest of his free time organizing his things, eating a spartan breakfast and getting ready for the day.
When Irabeth's summons comes, he eagerly goes to the meeting and listens intently to what she has to say. "Yes, Chevalier. We'll make sure that fort stays safe." he says.
"I personally believe that Annabelle's aid in close-quarters indoor battles and for nighttime watch outweigh the risks of transporting her during the day. That's my assessment, at least."
Isilme spent much time writing the previous night, for she felt the urge to compose her thoughts of what had happened. When she finally fell asleep, she dreamt of the skies she'd seen, and the feel of the grass beneath her. She had daydreamed of those skies for much of the trip back, content to walk in silence.
Now in front of Irabeth and the others, she beamed proudly to see Ary promoted. "Congratulations, Ary. It suits you well," she said smiling at her.
"I will go wherever the need arises, Commander. And it's an honor to serve under Ary's command," she says with a smile, lacking the formality of a crusader.
"Mostly cause... like you, I don't like taking advantage of my friends. The sheets weren't really something I'd normally be buying, and since I bought them from a friend, I wanted to make sure I'd paid them properly." she says with a smile. "And that sounds nice. I'll put in an order with the Loumises when I get back to the heart." Before bed, she also makes sure to retrieve the much nicer looking cloak, and cleans it with her ring. In the morning, she prays, before heading out with Isilme.
Once she returns to the Heart, Ary heads straight to the Loumises to put in said order... and then gets drawn into the other things. Like being hugged, and promoted, not necessarily in that order. She pats Anevia on the shoulder as she wraps her arm around her. "I never did get a chance to see you before I left yesterday, did you have a good morning?" she offers a smile.
"It's up to her on whether or not she's willing to go. I'd like to take extra precautions in case she does. I'm not going to send her to her death, knowingly." she says looking to Annabelle and letting her decide. "A carriage with extra curtains in case of penetration from outside forces maybe? I don't really know about the particulars."
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Val grins ear to ear and sets a hand on her shoulder. "Congratulations. I'll be happy to follow you around and stab anyone that you need stabbed. And to provide running commentary on your leadership style. Maybe write some epic poetry about you and your men's many glorious adventures." She pauses and looks around at the group. "Err, writing epic poetry about you and your women's adventures and the efforts of Markus the Brave to remain chaste surrounded by five beauties 24/7."
She chuckles. "Shame we don't have time to celebrate your promotion, but it looks like the demons aren't going to wait and duty calls."
Isilme laughs at Val's depiction of the group. "So does Rocky fall into the five beauties, or is he in the background on the 'staying chaste' side?" she says mischievously.
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"It's difficult, I think," says Markus, a glance of irritation crossing his face, "To have sex whilst being attacked by powerful chaotic outsiders." His irritated look turns into a grin. "Though I don't know whether you'd know all about that, or whether it's ever even stopped you before."
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Val grins. "Me, you, Ary, Hinagiku, Annabelle. That's five of us. I'm still not sure about Rocky. I know Markus has at least two lovelies pining after him, but I don't have any good material on Ehren yet. Maybe Sunshine, but I'm not sure."
She laughs outright at Markus's counter. "Well, there was one time in Kyonin... There was this shadow demon out of the Tanglebriar. Long story short, I had a very interesting night with the town priest. It's also where I learned to hate shadow demons. Did you know Calistra worship is very popular with elves? Just an unrelated fact."
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"No, I... I meant... cause you're a chaotic outsider." Markus opens his mouth, holding up a finger while he tries to explain his joke. He sighs. "Nevermind. It wasn't funny. Let's just go fight demons."
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Val giggles. "True. I also like to think I'm good too. Very good."
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Right back where I started from. It's a perfect circle.
"Very well, Commander," Ehren replies to Irabeth, before looking over at Ary with a smile. This was an important moment for her, he realized. His expression quickly falls when the discussion somehow manages to veer toward his love life. The one that may or may not exist, not that he'd admit to either. He coughs into his hand a few times, as though it would help somehow.
"Er, anyway, we should definitely get going soon."
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Ary and Isilme awoke early in the morning to round out to Li'an's former home. Ary was familiar with the place - it was uncommon for new recruits to have homes as most of the unranked crusaders lived in small ramshackle constructions or in sprawling tents outside the city walls.
They found the building ...mostly intact. It teeters precariously close to a large crevasse in the ground, and there is a chunk of the roof missing. It would need to be patched lest rain ruin the bedroom.
But the bottom floor is intact. Her things are tossed about -clearly a looter had taken their chances with the home - but as Li'an did not keep any valuables at home they left empty-handed.
Commander Irabeth nods. "Well, if you have no questions for me, you are dismissed."
Annabelle gives Markus a look and raises an eyebrow as Valaria talks about Markus' successful(?) love life, but she does not comment. She leans against the wall, holding her glaive.
After Irabeth and Anevia leave, she speaks up.
"So, um. A carriage? Think that'll work, Markus? Ary? Er.. I mean, Captain?" She frowns. "I don't want to be a burden. But I don't want to be left alone," she finishes, meekly. She sighs. "Okay. I know. Forget I said that. That's selfish of me. I will respect your order, Captain Bishop."