I would love to learn from you, but I feel that it's important for you to stay here. They need you and you need them.
"I will stay, we can barricade the door, and it sounds like the top of the library is gone? Blackwing won't be like it once was but we can hold out till this group finds someone to come rescue us. If you happen to find Quendys tell him that Blackwing still stands." Aravashnial goes over to assert his leadership in a kind but awkward manner.
The door is locked and everyone makes themselves as comfortable as possible on the tables and floor. Noises can be heard outside, some screams and what sounds like "Monsters" prowling in the nigh even a loud howl can be heard.
Fenna wakes up first and prepares what little food they have, dishing everyone a bit of food.
"Our stores were on the second floor and it is there no longer, did you find any extra food stores that we could go to before you go?" She asks.
As everyone settles in, Lorena sets up her bedroll in a corner of the library, though not out of sight - no need to worry their already-jumpy companions. Glad to be free of danger for the time being, she takes off her armor and buckler - stretching out her stunted, obviously useless wings for the first time since before she even entered Kenabres - then spends some time cleaning her bloody self and gear up with some old rags before drifting off to sleep.
During the night, Lorena seems to sleep soundly through all the noise outside, though her mind wanders through a haze of shadows. Eventually, she approaches a familiar figure, one not unlike her own but made seemingly of pure darkness, speaking with her own characteristically sultry voice: "You have done well so far, but this is just the beginning. I will watch over you. Now, go." And with that, the she starts awake.
Khaz slept the sleep of the deeply injured. He woke the next morning with a groan. Rolling over painfully, he put a hand to the worst of his wounds and began to will them shut.
Carson rolls his bedroll out in a section of the library, reading whatever he could get his hands on by a single glowing light, kept behind his book so as not to disturb the others. He makes sure to get enough sleep to refresh his spells the next morning, however.
"Many thanks. We haven't found anything similar that I can remember, but we will do our best to help you in return for your hospitality."
Firinn sleeps lightly, curled up in a corner as Rionnag sleeps above him. When he wakes in the morning he stretches languidly before rising to speak with his companions.
”Aye lad, I’d appreciate the aid.”
Horgus trumps around, looking at the door then looking back at the group
Firinn sees Horgus getting restless and nods to him. "We had best get moving, securing Lord Horgus' house should be our immediate priority."
Horgus smiles at being refereed to as "Lord" "You are right, once I am home I will pay you and you can be on your way to saving this city or whatever it is you wish to do." Horgus says with some niceties in his voice.
Lorena nods to the scholars as she eats, then packs up and prepares to head out. She's still got some food in her pack, but it'd be best to save it in case she needs it - and what's edible to her might not be so palatable to anyone else, anyways.
"Alright then, lead the way." Of course, Lorena has no idea where anything is, so all she can do is follow. And from all that's passed over the past few days and nights, she figures these people are okay to follow.
The group is given some directions on how to best cross the city to get to where they want to go. Heading north a bit then east brings you to a giant gorge in the ground. It is not deep but it is enoguh that Aniva will have trouble.
Caron hands her the levitation scale and the end of a rope before crossing, pulling her weightlessly across.
Firinn, having scaled the gorge first, hauls Aniva across easily and then nods his thanks to Carson for the wizard's quick thinking.
"Thank you." Aniva looks a bit distraught at not being able to do to much.
The group heads further north, bodies lay in the street and many of the finer homes have been destroyed. Carnage is everywhere in the streets, Aniva pales at all the destruction and loss of life, Horgus is much to quiet for who he is.
The group hears talking about a head, it sounds like someone is being talked over but no sounds of combat or violence.
Firinn holds up a hand to stop the rest of the group then readies his bow and sidles forward, staying behind cover as best he can.
There is enough rubble and other destroyed debris littering the way that Firinn approaches relatively quietly. There looks like a group of 5, 2 women and 3 men. Their half ring way of standing blocks what looks like a person kneeling on the ground, one of the men is holding a sword high in the air, not in an attack position.
"You give up your life so that we may purge this city and retake a crusader strong hold." The man says
Firinn retreats just far enough for the others to see and waves them forward frantically, before stepping out of cover.
"By what right do you threaten this person?" He calls, voice clear and angry. "Are you crusaders or demons yourselves!"
Khaz trudged forward, having heard the shouting. With the last battle fresh in his mind, he groaned when he saw the crusaders. He said to himself: ”Torag, no. More traitors?”
"Traitors no, this virgin is willing to give her life to quench our blades with her blood in a ritual to help drive off the demon invaders." The group turns to look at Firinn and Khaz
This is an old thought that the blood of an innocent Virgin can help turn a regular weapon into something that will kill demons.
"Are you willing Miss?" Firinn asks, without taking his eyes from the leader with the sword. "It would be a great sacrifice to make... for a uncertain gain." He doesn't say that this sounds like a load of bull but his expression is pretty clear.
"Leave your plans, join with us and we will all go to the Defender's Heart together - the cities defenders are regrouping there. No need for this girl to sacrifice her life. Together we will be more than a match for any demons we might face."
”That...and I’ve never heard of this. Who told you of this ritual?”
Lorena stays back, out of sight. Best not to complicate things with these overzealous crusaders.
History
"I've never even heard of something like that, despite that fact that killing someone innocent is so blatantly wrong. This is just assisted suicide. If this was confirmed to work, we'd have lines of virgins selling their own blood to crusaders here. There's just no grounds for it. Even if it would actually work, you can take blood from someone without killing them quite easily. Trust me, all of this group has lost a lot of it lately. We've been able to take down most of the demons we've encountered here. Please just join us in escorting these civilians and everything will be alright."
It takes all of Carson's energy not to prestidigitize up a slideshow about how much of a bad idea this is with no scientific basis.
Bolstered by Carlson’s ironclad logic, Khaz said ”Aye. I’m a paladin of the crusade. Not only is this wrong, but if this was true I’d have been taught it. This is an evil act, even if ye are doing it for a good cause. Such actions only help demons, never harm them.”
The man's blade falters slightly, [b]"Good Dwarf and young man do you know what took place in the city just yesterday? We need all the help we can get to drive the demons back. This is an ancient ritual that worked in the past, History books have stated so."[b] The man says.
"We are all here to help. I promise you there are far better ways than taking this woman's life to help. We are well aware of what has happened here. We have been cutting our way through demons for the past two days, and I will not allow you to murder he. If you wish to start killing people over an archaic and unproven ritual that I've never even heard of in the centuries of history and libraries worth of demon slaying books I've been through, you will have to start with me."
Carson stands his ground, taking none of this.
The group fans out around their leader and draws weapons. "Young man, I can see by the fact you do not carry a large weapon or armor you must be a mage. One as you shouldn't be so bold when you are standing on the same ground as someone much better trained." The man leaves the threat hanging in the air.
Hearing the conversation quickly turning hostile, Lorena digs around in her pack and finds the scale that she'd salvaged from the caves, then activates it, her demonic features vanishing. Still, she stays out of sight, though ready to spring out in an instant.
Khaz silently swore to himself that he would not let this woman be murdered.
”Woah, woah, woah. Let’s all calm down here. It is obvious that we are all here to fight back the demons. And if we come to blows it will make our cause all the weaker. Let us all travel together. Find the priests and hierophants who are most knowledgeable in fighting back these outsiders. If the crusaders here are correct, there are many questions left unanswered. Such as how long their blades will remain potent! Imagine, if ye would, if she died, and the blades lost their power before they could be even put to use! An innocent life wasted due to haste and lack of knowledge. How could any live with themselves? So come, follow me. We will make haste together.”
And get someone with authority to tell you all that you are full of shyt and are about to murder an innocent woman he thought to himself.
The two women in the group look at Khaz with a knowing look.
They don't want to do this either but are out numbered
"So what shall you have us do ser Dwarf?" The leader says.
The sun is slowly raising into the sky as you stand and talk, Horgus and Aniva are still waiting for your group to take them home.
Firinn keeps his eyes fixed on the leader, an arrow on the string but bow unraised - at the moment...
”Come with us. We are escorting Lord Horgus home, and brining her-“ he motioned to Aniva -“to defender’s heart so that her wounds might be treated. Come with us.”
Sensing the mood of the crusaders, Khaz said to their apparent leader as they walked ”So, tell me about yourself, what brought ye to the crusades...”
As the likelihood of a fight decreases, Lorena dismisses the dragon's power. Appearing normal now and changing shape later would only cause more difficulties, and she's sure that her companions would vouch for her.
"We will send her with you but there are others to be rescued. We watched a contingent of knights get cut down just last night while riding enmasse, smaller groups are better." The leader says
”Aye then. But first, give me your word. Ye won’t kill any innocents for this idea of yours. Ye promise me that ye will at the very least talk to a priest first, get all the details. Nay put an innocent life on your soul. Aye?”
"Dwarf we will go and see if we can find those who need some rescuing, how do you know there are people at Defender's Heart?" The leader asks
”Do ye know Kimroth?” He half-smiled as he said this. ”Defender’s Heart is home to half the mercenaries we have and a good number of crusaders besides. Fortified, full of strong drink and food, it’ll have either survived or will have been the first place survivors would go to.”
And besides. That’s where ma and pa go after work. If they were inside, there’s no way they’d allow it to fall he thought to himself.
"I am not sure that I have heard of Kimroth, we are only recent to the city, coming up here just last week." The man replies then takes his leave with his group
Watching them go, Khaz sighed. There were so many low templars in the crusades these days, the amount of perfidity was enough to drive one mad. At least these men seemed to mean well, even if they were horribly misguided. He hoped that they would not continue straying from the path of righteousness.
Carson stands down without any further fight when Khaz talks them out of it. If it was a fair fight one on one he was confident he could've taken the guy, but not if he was going to be ganged up on.
"Let's keep moving. Hopefully we don't run into any more so-called crusaders. Pray they don't find anyone else out here."
"I hope they deserve our trust." Firinn says as he watches the men leave... "desperate men will try anything..." There is a regretful note in his voice, as though he knows the truth of what he says all too well.
”Aye. It is a sad day, but Kenarbres needs every sword it can muster. They are misguided, but at least they will fight the demonic.”