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Masym is struck speechless as the melodious tone from the woman who has enspelled him. He stares at her for what seems an eternity, before sweeping her up in his arms. "I...I am not...I...I am...you are the most beautiful woman I have met, and you have...driven the cold from my heart." Any reply from her is quenched by his kiss, as he pulls her to him never to let her go.
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Tchak finds a moment when others are not totally entwined in each others arms to meet with each person privately and give them a small wrapped gift.
For Malusha, a journal to record his poems in
For Phoebee, a small book of local songs
for Nella, a necklace with her deity's symbol engraved and inlaid. (meant to be pretty, not a replacement for her holy symbol, but I suppose could be used as one)
For Jones, a set of arrow fletchings that can be put on his arrows. They are jet black and crimson. There are enough fletchings there to use on about 100 arrows.
for Masym, a pair of leather gloves with the image of a dragon tooled into the leather.
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Masym gives the tengu a broad smile as he unwraps the gift. "These are magnificent!" Sliding them onto his hands, he flexes his fingers experimentally. "Very thoughtful and practical too!" He grasps the tengu's shoulder in thanks. "Wei Tchak, you have been a true companion, and also a true friend. May the Gods walk with you as you travel on your path. You will be missed, my friend."
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True to her word, as the sun comes up over the horizon the next morning, the crew of the Grinning Pixie casts off the docks of Kalsgard and heads west. The banks of the Rimeflow grow further and further distant, on both sides, until all you see, all around you, is open water. The sky is clear and the air bitterly cold. The sailors, bundled up against it, throw the occasional odd glance your way, when you prove unaffected by the temperatures.
Eventually the ship turns to the south, and with that, the finality of it all sinks in. After arriving by accident and spending almost four months in the frigid lands of the north of Avistan, traveling thousands of miles, from one end to the other and back again, you are finally on your way home.
The fact that you might arrive there just in time for winter, brings an ironic smile to your lips.
Malusha spends most of the day sitting near the bow of the ship, occasionally glancing off in the distance in thought, though mostly writing in the new journal Wei Tchak gave him the day before. Eventually, as the sun sinks below the horizon off the starboard bow and the light fades, he closes the journal with a satisfied smile.
We begin with anticipation,
To each a different destination,
Heading on our way towards home.
Aboard the Pixie we set sail,
With our hands upon the rail,
Wet prow slicing through the foam.
The days upon this water way,
We'll spend together, talk and play,
Saving memories, to each to his own.
We'll take a moment to recall,
The things and people that we saw,
Our mighty deeds could fill a tome.
Dwellers in the ice and snow,
Kind and gentle we now know,
Their hearts were never made of stone.
We now leave the frozen past,
Knowing that those die are cast,
We know not yet to where we'll roam.
When we reach our happy shores,
The sailors shipping all the oars,
We'll breathe our air into our bones.
Arriving joys, they will fade,
And all the friendships that we made,
Will remind us, we're all alone.
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As the Grinning Pixie makes its turn southward, Nella makes her way to the bow of the ship where Malusha busily scribbles into his new journal. She couldn't help but smile; she wasn't surprised to see that he'd already put Tchak's gift to him to good use. Her own gift, a beautifully engraved necklace, lays around her neck and glints in the setting sun. Although it was good to be heading back home to Absalom at last, she couldn't help but feel a sense of melancholy about the whole thing. Once they returned to the Grand Lodge they'd likely all be split up, assigned to different teams going to different places.
This is just like saying goodbye to Table 224 all over again..., she sighs to herself.
"Um...Malusha?" she says softly, trying not to startle her fellow priest. "Remember when you asked me if I wanted to go with you to Osirion? I...I've been thinking it over and I think I'd like that, very much," she smiles. "Let's do everything we can to convince the Venture-Captains to let us work together again, the next time they decide to send a team south," she continues as she slips her hand into his.
"Just don't laugh when you get me on one of those camels, okay? I know my friend Aleris would never let me hear the end of it if she were there to see it," she laughs as she rests her head against Malusha's shoulder, gazing into the setting sun with anticipation and hope for the future.
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