"I guess, Tarius is right, but without them wouldn't be this world too simple and boring, don't you think?"
Saya smiles absent-minded and quietly leaves fort.
(casting Message)
She walks slowly towards Inn.
Sladan saying to himself after hearing Saya in his head.
Sladan has a weird look on his face, not knowing what Saya did hear. He feels even weirder when he thinks she can "be in his head" even more than before.
Saya logically assumes Sladan went to Inn,
as it is only building, he can close the door without someone screaming at him being intruder.
Thinking about it makes her grin.
Saya organizes her thoughts while entering the inn.
She finds inn owner and gives him 4GP for a room and food.
"Can I get the food now?
I want to take it to my room."
She explains and than waits for the food to be ready.
"How much for that?"
She points at the shield hanging on the wall.
The Inn owner looks surprised
"Uhh oh ... that ... 100 gold."
Saya determines the actual price of the shield is about 4000gp.
It looks like the Inn owner does not know the actual rarity of the item.
Saya tries her luck.
"What about I will give you 70GP right now.
It's not much likely, you will have such a great offer from somebody else in here."
She smirks.
"Hmm ... no I want 100 .... its shiny .... my Inn will be darker without it."
"Alright. Deal."
Saya hands him pouch of gold and takes the shield. After polishing it, she carefully put food on it and leaves to a room.
She enters the room, ready for a little fight.
"Hey, hey, easy. Don't break the door, or any of my bones...Please?" says Sladan, fearing for his life.
Saya walks in without looking at him.
She places the shield with the food on the table near bed patiently.
"So from now on..."
She turns to him and gives him a look of dangerous predator.
...I am responsible for yours action Mr'Sharp Mouth'."[/b]
She slowly drops on her knees straight in front of him.
"I will appreciate if you would not cause any more troubles as I am getting impatient."
Saya looks into his eyes with the deadly grin.
"If you are gonna do it again, certainly there will be a punishment."
She reaches her hand to touch him.
"I will demonstrate it just in small amount."
Her hands starts moving fast as she tries to tickle Sladan without mercy.
She cant stop giggling as she could see his face changing in many ways.
"Understood?"
After a while she stops and tries to help him to break the rope.
"Eat!
And don't make me repeat myself"
Sladan looks at Saya, and with a smile on his face he tells her:
"You are so cruel! You take advantage of a pour souls tied up with ropes...".
After that, with a smug face he says: "But still, that isn't the more horrific punishment. On the other hand, knowing that now you really are inside my head is..."
He freezes and stops talking. He was too into the moment and just said something that can be misunderstood.
"The spell I mean."
Sladan's face turns serious.(Small pause)
"I am sorry for my behaviour. I am not sorry for what I said to him because I meant every single word I said. I am only sorry for the problems I might have cause you. That wasn't my intention. I would never do something to hurt you. I did not think that Tarius would interfere in this matter. I will behave better, I promise. But I would do it again all over if needed. Somebody had to stand out for you. I will always be that person."
He breaks the eye contact and looks at the ground. He observes the food.
"I will eat with one condition. Join me!
He starts eating as soon as he's untied. While eating, he finds a peaceful moment and says: "Hantanyel órenyallo."
Saya looks at the food and after long time she realizes,
she wasn't eating anything properly for past few days.
She throws herself at that delicious food.
When they finish eating she looks at him with the eyes full of concern.
"I think it would be the best time to check outside
and maybe set up the traps too?"
She looks through the window thinking.
Sighting, she looks at Sladan waiting for his response.
-Posted with Wayfinder
"Yes, we should definitely go and see how we're standing. I'll set those traps we talked about in front of the gate so we don't get to overcome in case that Tarius cannot convince their men. We need to stall them... Let's go!"
Sladan places 4 snare traps in front of the inner gate carefully so that the opening or the destruction of the gate won't set them off. Because of the dense snow, the traps are covered.
- X: -AM, Y: 30
- X: -AM, Y: 31
- X: -AN, Y: 31
- X: -AN, Y: 30
While Sladan is setting traps in front of the gate he notices a man in the distance slowly approaching the town.
One of the halflings is on the watch now Sladan is pretty sure no one else noticed.
Sladan looks around only to find one of the halflings on the watch.
"Pssst. Hey, you there! Can you see the man approaching the town?", he points towards the direction with his head.
"Go and call Gnaus, Tarius and my friend here. We need to see what we are dealing with. Do it fast. I'll stay here and I'll think at something."
Sladan looks for a log or something that could block the entrance in the case he needs it.
Saya hears Sladan as well.
The halfling runs off.
Sladan notices the gate has its own mechanism to prevent it from opening.
When Tarius comes running Sladan can make out that the person approaching has Norfall armor. He is about 600 feet away.
"Tarius, there's a guy approaching the town. He's at about 600 ft away. From what I can see he has Norfall armor. The only person that comes into my mind is Otho... What do you see?"
"Saya, I need to tell you something. Please, come." he shouts so that Saya could hear him.
"Someone in Norfall armor?"
She askes nervously trying to see where Sladan is.
"Sladan, be careful."
She says when she sees him.
Trying to see further she pulls the sword, she discover in a pile of equipment from Gnaus caravan.
"Here, take it. Just in case you will need it."She hands him magical sword .
Sladan takes the sword and addresses Saya in elvish:
"Please don't do anything reckless. If you will be in danger at any time, look at me.." he makes her to look into his eyes. "If you will be in danger at any time, make yourself unseen and flee this place. Find a safe one, HawkEye will follow you. Promise me you'll do as I say. Can you do that?"
Tarius runs on the palisade. "Close the gate you fools! He shouts.
Hawkeye sits down on the palisade and watches Saya.
The man is about 500 feet away.
(in elvish)
"I was always protected by brave and kind souls,
my fury friend!
Let me fight my own battle,
otherwise there will be no one in the end just me.
That is the worst punishment I could ever receive!!!
Lets live our lives with no regrets."
She looks at him with strong determination.
"This wont be an end Sladan, we have to much to accomplish."
She smiles at him kindly and with a promise of next day.
The man is about 400 feet away.
You both can see that he is walking rather clumsily also his face is very white.
Sladan runs to the right side of the inner gate and tries to close it by himself.
He continues his discussion with Saya in the meantime.
"Now you have to think not only at yourself. The whole Valcia depends on you, you bear that on your shoulders now. It's you legacy to be great and I am going to see it through. Think about the greater good in here."
"Do not worry about me too much.
I am strong enough to withstand much more than this.
But before I have to do something.
I will be right back."
Saya runs off to get a shield while trying to contact Star Kormek.
(casting message)
In her mind there is a little prayer.
The man is about 300 feet away.
Tarius screams at Sladan:
"What is taking you so much!? You should..."
He suddenly stops and does not finish his sentence.
When Sladan looks at the stranger he sees him lying face firsts in the snow.
Kormek does not reply to Saya.
Saya curses.
She continues until she gets into her room, quickly grabs the shield and runs back.
Sladan finishes closing that side of the gate and then turns to Tarius.
"Stay here and get the other side of the gate, but do not close it yet. I'm going to see who that man is, maybe he needs our help. If I sense any danger I will run back and try to squeeze in. If I don't make it back in time, just promise me you will protect Saya for me. You don't have to care, but just don't let her do anything stupid that would put her in jeopardy."
Sladan rushes out the gate and sprints towards the man.
Tarius looks surprised and shakes his head then he speaks to the halfling:
"Cover the entrance."
The halfling hurries to the gate.
Gnaus and the other halfling joins them.
"Whats going on?" Asks Gnaus and instantly is cut short by Tarius. Shhhss.... be quiet!
Sladan sees the motionless man lying in the snow.
He can make out his whitish blue skin.
Sladan does not see anyone else far and wide.
Sladan stops at a reasonable distance from the man, somewhere around 15 ft.
Sladan tries to figure the man out. He looks for any movement that would gave the man away, or any steam made by the warm breathe in the cold environment.
In half way she decides to check the fort too.
She enters it and look around while breathing heavily.
"Star Kormek?"
The shield is getting pretty heavy as she feels like her hands cant hold it anymore.
The man is just lying there. As far as Sladan can see he is unarmed.
Saya
Kormek is still in the cell.
You notice that all of Kormeks muscles stiffen as his sight falls on The Holy Defender.
You also notice the key. It still lies on the ground in front of him exactly where had Tarius thrown it few hours ago.
A big backpack in front of the cell next to it lies a book with a religious symbol, a heavy armor and a short sword.
Saya looks at him with eager eyes.
"I am sure you know what is this.
She let it down in front of his cell.
That's a symbol of light who shines eternally.
The light which never dies down and
it shines the brightest in the darkest corners of our world an our minds.
Do not hide yourself in that deep blackness.
Come out!
See the sun once again, Star Paladin Kormek.
Sladan lowers his body to the ground, leaning on his right foot. The right knee touches the ground. It is used as a balance point. With his right hand he reaches for his jugular to see if the man still has a pulse or if he can sense the breath.
"He seems blue because of the hypothermia. Don't you dare wake up and ambush me right now!" Sladan thinks for himself while checking to see if the man is alive.
Saya
At first Kormek does not respond.
"It was not Saranrae who abandoned me... It was Iomedae.
The day I saw them for the last time ... they ... they choose to pray rather to fight. They where mercilessly cut down one by one ... Magnus the last. Their bodies where dumped into the river while they have been moaning in pain ... they were still alive. Thats why I lost faith..."
In a moment he speaks again.
"Even if you are who you claim to be, what use will you have for a man who does not believe in you?... Tell me where have you been that day?
You come here out of blue, expect to accomplish what? You cannot change the past miss Holy Esper."
He does not speak with anger rather with pity in his voice.
Sladan
All tough the pulse is weak the man is still alive.
He is very cold.
He suddenly grads your arm. With his second arm he grabs you by the neck .
"Listen to me... he ... made them drink ... something... something evil... my friends ... changed ... aggressive ... i run ... find Tarius.... tell him ... I am sorry..."
Then he passes out.
As the poor man passes out, Sladan attempts a grapple on him to pick him up. He then takes 20 to carry the man back to the town. Arriving at the gate he tells Tarius to open for him.
While walking to the fort, Sladan addresses Tarius: "He told me that Otho, most probably, made them drink something he called evil. All the others changed and became aggressive. He ran in order to find you. He also told me that he is sorry. I couldn't hurt him, so I brought him here."
Sladan walks into the fort without paying attention to Kormek or Saya on purpose, not even to look at them.
"Bring him a couple of blankets!" Sladan orders the halflings after he puts the man on a bed.
"What do we do now?" his eyes fall on the helpless man.
Saya shudders after hearing his sharp words.
She closes her eyes to try to erase the picture of defenseless paladins.
In split second the radiant figure pops up in her mind.
She grins.
"They have always their way with us.
Gods and even angels."
She smiles.
"Maybe I am wrong but I do believe in Iomedae.
She has not abandoned you...
...You abandoned her!
She is even now waiting for you to come back.
What are you scared of?
Did you fail to see, everything what happened has its own reason."
She turns back to him.
"As for me...
...you are right.
I failed to be there in time."
She stoops painfully.
"I failed my people and myself...
...But I will still stand with my head up and will fight.
Not for me but for others, who have still faith in me and in this world."
Her tears slides on her cheeks.
"I will never loose faith in you ,Holy Warrior.
I will wait for you. And I will never stop waiting."
Saya gives him last passionate glance and walks off.
Leaving the prison hall, she hears loud noises really close.
She goes and looks what is the commotion is about.
As Gnaus puts blankets on the cold soldier Tarius puts shackles on his hands. Everybody looks at him with a surprised look.
"What ... Im just cautious." He answers, then he looks at Sladan.
"Are your traps ready? It looks to me that it will stop snowing tonight. If that's the case we can expect them in the morning."
"Today we should return to Norfall ... I had hope that Quintus would send someone to search for us. But even if he did they will be here tomorroW at noon ... not sooner ..." States Gnaus.
Tarius turns to him. "Don't worry my friend as long as they can magically conjure a catapults we should be safe."
Saya joins them.
"The traps are ready. Extra precaution won't mess anything up. We have time to protect the gate and the walls as well" Sladan replies shattering Tarius's vanity.
Saya enters the room,
where she can see Tarius, Gnaus and Sladan,
who is next to the bed.
Without even looking twice she rushes to him with the pale face.
"Are you alright?Are you not hurt?"
As she touches Sladan gently, she realize there is someone lying on the bed.
"What happened?"
She looks at Sladan startled.
"Yes, I am ok, thank you. This is one of Tarius's men. He fled before Otho got to him as well. Otho gave the others a drink that this guy over here called evil. The symptoms were aggressiveness and changing in their behaviour. He ran in order to warn Tarius. Unfortunately, he was to weaken because of the weather he had to face. You know how that feels." Sladan replies to Saya's questions.
Something feels different about him. He's not the same person in which you could find joy before.
Tarius suddenly speaks:
"... I don't believe we can do more. This is rather hard for me to say so don't make jokes. If we should die tomorrow ... are you willing to join me for dinner and mead tonight?"
Gnaus replies with a smile:
"Sure my friend, I got very good wine just for this occasion.
The boy will be on the watch ... he is too young to drink, so the brothers can join us. What do you say."
Both of them look at Saya and Sladan.
"I could use a warm supper and some mead. Definitely some mead. That's if you would have me, of course." Sladan replies humble.
"Mead... I was never very fond of it, but I sure want some right now..." he thinks for himself.
"Well, the hell with all this!"
She puts a grimace on her face.
"Witch is invited by two ex Witch hunters for a drink...
...should I be more honored or scared?
I am definitely in."
She giggles and than looks at Sladan.
Sladan looks back at her in a strange way. He doesn't know if that was how Saya would react in a normal situation. Sladan tries to find out if there was more to her words.
Sladan realizes that Saya, like him, was under pressure and now she sees an opportunity to cool down.
You all meet in the Inn and so the evening starts. The food ... is warm.
No one talks. Awkward quietness precedes.
The sun is just about to set when the mood changes.
Mainly thanks to alcohol the halfling brothers start to dance on one of the tables singing so the mood eases even more.
Tarius and Gnaus sing along and clap in the rhythm.
And so the song goes:
"I’ll pay for this round
And do it without a fight
Comes the sun, I’m outward bound
So let’s get drunk tonight!
Let’s get drunk tonight!
The time has come to leave the Shire
and roam the wide world green
I’ve heard the tales of broader dales
and things I’ve never seen.
I have no taste for farming life–
I leave that to my brother–
I want to roam far from my home
and maybe find another.
I want to see the towers of Men
that rise up to the sky,
and see the dells where wood elves dwell
and give dwarf beer a try!
I was not made for hearth and home
I’ve known this from my youth.
I’ve a restless soul with no fixed goal
if you wanna know the truth.
So let’s all drink till we are drunk
let beer flow like a fountain–
I’ll soon be gone–travelling on,
o’er hill and dale and mountain… "
They put up a surprisingly enjoyable performance.
Sladan sits by the table with the jug of mead in his hands, taking smalls sips.
He looks at the cheerful brothers dancing at the table, but he cannot rest the feeling he has inside.
Now that he's alone, his head is filled with various thoughts that won't let him be. It's almost like torture. His face is still frown.
He sips from the mead again. He desires to let himself be carried away by the mead and to loosen up. Still, his reasoning stops him, for how long it's not known.
During the night Saya holds her mead.
Watching carefree brothers, Tarius and Gnaus,
she feels unnaturally calm.
Her eyes finds Sladan.
Saya remembers the time,
when he said to her his opinion about Kormek.
She wasn't able to say anything.
The time passed and she slowly become aware of his importance in her life.
She got scared and tried to distance herself from him...
...just a bit.
Maybe it would be better if she has never tied herself with anyone emotionally again.
But it become too late.
She could feel herself slightly shivering.
She takes a sip and looks down on the floor.
Sladan kept drinking small sips from the jug while he was thinking about his home.
About his people being used as slaves in Amerys... He takes on more sip.
About what Kormek said, that his people had to flee Valcia. "For all I know that man told me lies just to get me in the same pit of desperation where he is..." He takes one more sip.
He keeps looking around the inn. His eyes meet with Saya's. He looks scared. "Please don't come here and be kind to me. I do not deserve it. I deserve that fate that's been lying in front of me."
He starts talking to himself whispering: "You fool, you made her care about your life to much and now you are causing ever more pain. Didn't she suffered enough?"
Sladan finishes the whole jug and asks for another one. He drinks half of it with ease, hoping for a miracle effect that will ease his pain.
Sladans and Sayas attention turns to the brothers as at the end of the song one of them missteps and falls from the table.
Tarius, Gnaus, the Inn owner and both the halflings, one on the ground, laugh hard.
The evening continues as the brothers tell stories of how they became guardsmen for Gnaus.
They make it epic and rather cinematic. All know its exaggerated but trough their jokes you can easily forgive them.
Once they finish Tarius starts one of his stories:
"There was this one time we have been tracking this witch, she was real pain to catch. Do you remember Gnaus she was..."
Tarius stops talking as he notices Gnaus's expression. Both the brothers Tarius and Gnaus look at Saya and the moment turns into an awkward situation.
Saya gives them murdurous look but after a moment she whisper.
"You wouldn't be able to catch me."
She laughs as the tension breaks.
Covertly looking at Sladan who is drinking heavily now,
she starts to worry.
Puttinng her lips on the cup with mead,
she decided not to drink anymore.
Saya patiently watches Sladan.
The brother's story helped Sladan not to think about everything that's going on. As soon as the situation gets awkward again, Sladan starts drinking in order to hide his emotions.
Even if Saya knew that they did not intend to offend her with the story, Sladan is surprised she laughed about it.
He takes a new drink and walks slowly over to Saya's. He starts feeling a slight tingle in his hands.
"I thought it would be worse by now." he tells himself.
When he gets closer, he asks in elvish: "Are you ok? I know it was a lot to take in. Last time there was the talk about witchery I know I almost lost my calm. May I join you, there are a few things I would like to discuss with you? I would like to do it now, while I still have the chance to say everything that's on my heart." He looks at the third jug of mead he holds in his right hand.