Toramin heads to the surface with whomever wants to come with him. When he gets to the odd river, Ymmir will carry him by sticking his arms out of the wall. From there he heads makes his way to Edward and Firyin.
"We succeeded, though at great cost, the others survived but they remain behind to explore. I am going to the colosseum."
Making his way carefully through the war-torn city, a tired and rather injured dwarf seeks to lay down is burdens before the drow elder.
Bjorkus follows Toramin, floating along the ground as long as Dalton’s spell lasts and then following on hoof once the enchantment’s lapsed. The bull’s badly wounded too, visibly tired (a rare sight), and worst of all his head is full of mixed emotions. He was pleased to see Akropash’s revolution coming along and proud to have helped where he could be but demoralized by how little impact he’d had in the important battles. He’d fought so hard for Akropash’s people to be free but it in end he’d hardly mattered. With both Targ and Acera he’d been too weak. I’ve gotta get stronger.
Dalton shuffles along with Toramin and Bjorkus, his eyelids beginning to droop as the adrenaline needs the system.
Dear me, it is time for an afternoon nap...
The main body of the party reaches the surface with no incident. It becomes apparent that Acera's defensive spell was very short lived, so keeping her in check becomes more of a grisly chore than anything. The undead walks along silently, not reacting to anything or anybody. Basically a perfect prisoner.
At the surface, Firyin and Edward are still standing vigilant guard. Normally taking a guard position with a partner for so long leads to some friendly conversation, but these two were not graced with that pleasantry.
Once the main party steps out, they are met with cheers and pats from Edward and the whitecloaks. Firyin just looks at Acera silently for a moment, nodding and leaning against a wall.
Not ten seconds into daylight and there's a whooosh sound. Out of the ether steps Älia. She walks forward slowly, leaning heavily on her cane. It occurs to the party this is the first time they've seen her standing. Her unblinking eyes fall on Toramin (you think, it's hard to tell since she has no pupils). "Heff has informed me of what occurred. Congratulations on your success. I know you are all weary from the burden you have carried and the fighting you have done. Turn over the egg to me and let Acera regenerate. I will take over here, you all deserve a rest."
Bjorkus greets the wise woman with a tired nod.
”There’s a bodysnatcher out there still. Be careful getting’ them wherever you’re taken ‘em.”
"Thank you for taking on these burdens, honored elder. Her magic was surprisingly strong. Heff says that the Egg is in this box."
Not that there is proof.
Toramin will hand the Egg to Alia first. Then he will place Acera on the ground much more gently than when he was trussing her up. He unbinds the rope so that the necromancer can again draw breath.
That unpleasant duty finished he looks around realizing with their manse destroyed he has no idea where he will sleep.
Next the two go down into the depths. Heff stops at three different intervals to disarm traps, chuckling while saying something about being paranoid. Once they hit the bottom and turn the corner it's a room filled with darkness and noises from people, crying and moaning in pain. With a wave of his hand, Heff lights the area.
Six cages on each side adorn this spacious room, and each are filled with prisoners. Various races, both genders, and all ages are down here. When the light comes on there are moans of pain and terror, accompanied by several cries of "No!" "Please don't hurt us!" "By the gods, somebody help us!"
In the far left corner, in a larger cell there are no people. Instead, lying on the ground is a magnificent white horse with wings, lying on the ground in a puddle of blood.
Heff looks around quickly, then declares the area free of traps. He goes to opening the cages on the right side, giving comforting words to the prisoners and taking out food and water for them.
Älia takes the lead cube, staring at it for several seconds before waving her hand and making it disappear. Then she turns to Acera.
Hell hath no fury and all that.
With a sharp jerk of her hand, Älia raises Acera into the air. After a few moments Acera's broken body regenerates and she takes in life-saving air, sucking down oxygen like one that just came back from the dead. She takes half a moment to glance around and barks a spell, but as it lashes out it dies before moving a foot. Älia speaks, and her voice echoes off the stones and chills all who can hear her to the bone. She pauses and speaks again, then drops the now regenerated Acera to the ground. "Take her to the fourth room." Suddenly Acera is lifted off the ground by invisible hands, then she vanishes into thin air.
"Acera will no longer be a problem. I imagine it will take some time to break her, but we intend to learn every detail of what she knew. For now, return to the Colosseum and Krokar will take care of your return to Andril."
"You have all done great things here, and you have shaped the world for the better. You have ended two great evils before they could come to full power. Only the gods know what kind of havoc they would have been able to cause."
"What of Akropash and my work with the healers? For all the good we did, we also caused great upheaval. What of Ninnec? I do not want to leave him to fend for himself. What of the ghostly crusader? Promises were made. I very much want to return to Andril with haste, but I do not want to abandon my responsibilities here before they can thrive on their own."
Unlike the challenging tone, Toramin had with Heff, when the dwarf spoke to Alia, he spoke respectfully.
Dalton agreed with Toramin they had some loose ends to tie up, but it was time for sleep. "Surely that can wait until we rest a spell, Toramin."
When they find the room with more prisoners, Gabriel is stunned. He had been... Right? There were prisoners down here. Something shifted in the young tieflings eyes, and he found himself doing what he could not earlier, his sight becoming blurry and unfocused. Only for a moment, as he's quick to brush away tears. He had been right, they had been down here, but he had been wrong too. There had been more. This didn't forgive what he had done nor did it make that feeling inside him recede...
But all the same... it helped. Just a little. Not just to know that he hadn't been entirely wrong, but to actually be able to save innocents. Upon spotting the winged horse, the tieflings eyes go wide. Suddenly his mind is no longer slowed despite the exhaustion, suddenly they are sharp as they look over the other prisoners scanning anyone for injuries. He notes several, but none of them seemed life threatening. "Heff, if anyone needs help ask. I'm going to see to this one."
Gabe moves into the cell with the lone prisoner and begins moving with practiced precision that came from years of combat medicine, a night of learning under the most experienced healers he had ever met, and a day of treating gruesome injuries so horrid he would probably find himself not lacking for nightmare fuel. He's by the horses side in an instant, calmly but quickly scanning through his book. He thought he saw... There.
It wasn't a large section, considering the numerous things that the book had to cover in various humanoid's, but there it was. Gabriel was starting to wonder who had written this book and for what purpose, that it had various races and even a few diagrams of animals. It wasn't nearly as much information as the rest, but the image of the horse with various details told him what he needed. He took a deep breath and turned to the majestic creature, his magical gloves steadying his shaking hands as he pulled out numerous bandages, cleansing supplies and cloths he could dab the former in. It wasn't all he'd need but for now it would do.
Bjorkus snorts and stares at the drow woman in surprise.
”You’re serious. We’re goin’ back to Andril already?” the bull says in disbelief. ”Akropash is bleedin’. She needs us more than ever.”
Then he remembers his unanswered rallying cry at the dinner party, his capture and torture at Targ’s hands, the battle with Targ, and finally the battle with Acera. Maybe it was time to go home.
Turning with another snort, this one angry and tired, Bjorkus heads for the coliseum.
"We will have agents stationed here for weeks to help clean up and rebuild. You may stay and take care of any business you may have for as long as you wish."
Gabriel kneels down and begins working on the injuries of the beautiful winged horse. It has been nearly disemboweled and its throat harshly cut at, but the animal still breathes. With some stitching and healing salves, Gabriel just barely manages to get the creature conscious. Its eyes flare in panic and it tries to stand, but its knees buckle as it falls back to the ground.
"Gabe, the prisoners are all ready to walk now. See if you can get that pegasus moving."
Gabriel starts wipining the blood from his hands with one of the cloth pieces he had pulled from his vest, then raises them slowly to show the creature he was unharmed. "You're alright now. You're safe. I won't let anyone harm you, I swear it."
Gabriel had been a captive for a while, and part of him wanted to press on, to explain, to ask questions. But there was panic in the creatures eyes. Gabriel needed to take it slow.
More than satisfied with the "I'll do it tomorrow" window, Dalton begins trudging-off towards the Colosseum. "Let's see if Krokar can't take care of a cot first..." He holds back a yawn. "No disrespect, wise Alia, but you hit the stake on the head: We are beyond exhausted."
Calmed by the statement that they weren't being recalled after creating a huge mess, Toramin trudges after his friends. Sleep could not come soon enough.
The pegasus looks at Gabriel with fear and confusion, but after a moment it calms down. Then Gabriel could swear that is nods in response to his words. It stands up slowly on trembling legs, but this time stands and limps forward, giving Gabriel a lick on the cheek. It looks with eyes that hold far more intelligence than any normal horse.
Gabriel's voice was calm, quiet, and gentle. But it was not insulting or slow, as it might have been if the creature had not actually nodded at Gabriel and those eyes had not carried that spark of intelligence. Instead he spoke as he might to any patient, though admittedly there was a bit of awe in the tieflings voice in this case. "So we're going to take the steps slowly, and if you need to take a break stop at any time. I'll stay by your side."
Gabriel moves out of the cell, his tail moving again for the first time since he had jumped into the pit, and he turns back to wait patiently, just as he would for any injured. "Oh! Outside, we must be careful. A shade haunts the ruins we will exit into. I have promised to see it laid to rest, but it may be a bit... disturbing to be around."
”Thanks again Bjorkus.” Rilka says after he heals her once more. Clearly she feels better. Her stride is longer and not slow and stilted. She doesn’t look like she’ll be dancing anytime soon, but for now she can’t suppress a grin at having all of them survive. The halfling examines the pistol Heff gave her. It is impressive. She doesn’t know if the weapon can be resized with some basic shaving of the handgrip and sawing of the barrel or if magic will be involved like Bjorkus’ new sword. ”Thanks for the pistol and the accolades. We all lead when we needed to, depending on our strengths. We supported each other.”
Rilka is surprised they are to be sent to Andril so quickly. She nods along with Toramin’s words about not leaving so quickly.
”Sleep does sound exceptional right now. Healing too.” As they begin their walk back to the Colloseum, Rilka walks closer to Bjorkus. She doesn’t want to intrude or inhibit whatever he’s feeling, but he seems a bit down and could use a slight dose of cheer. ”Was flying as fun as it looked?” she asks. ”I know it’s early planning an’ all, but are you taking volunteers to liberate your ship?”
As the party is debating on their next move, Gabriel emerges from the tunnel with Heff. Trailing behind them are thirty newly freed prisoners and a badly wounded white horse with wings.
"Good, now you're all here." Älia raises her staff in the air and a massive energy flows through the area, closing wounds. Only one channel and the entire party is at their full strength.
Bjorkus breathes easier when the drow woman's pulse of healing energy mends his ruined torso. He takes a moment to appreciate the new scars scattered across his hairy torso.
The bull doesn't notice Rilka's closeness until she speaks (though to be fair that's an easy mistake to make).
"Don't know that I'd want to do it all the time but flyin' was fun", he rumbles. "It's a like swimmin' but faster. I used to swim a lot before all of this."
The mention of his ship makes Bjorkus's heart sink. He'd all but forgotten about the Storm and her crew in the commotion across the past few days but did it even matter? Was he strong enough to take her back and save his men? Two months ago he would have thought so without a doubt but nothing made any sense anymore. He felt so tiny and the world was full of giants.
"I... I don't know", he admits in a low tone. "She might be better off without me."
Despite having been standing completely still, Gabriel tripped when the wave of healing magic washed over him. He wasn't sure if his muscles has seized with sudden energy shot into them or if he had simply been that surprised, but when he found himself straightening again he felt... Better. Not whole, not completely, but much closer to it then he had been in hours. All the new injuries he had received were apparently sealed. Some didn't even leave scars, attesting to Aliea's skill as much as her power.
The tiefling was both surprised and not to find his new patient was also looking a lot better, as the same healing magic must have healed her as well. And as he scanned the others in his group, his eyes kept widening. All of them healed. That was... awe inspiring. And down right terrifying. He couldn't even tell if that had been difficult for the drow woman.
To avoid seeming ungrateful, Gabriel bowed to Alia, offering thanks to her for her healing. As a healer himself, Gabe actually found this kind of thanks a little embarrassing but the woman was probably far more composed from him. She was also a leader, and perhaps expected it, so when he spoke his words were spoken both carefully and with respect. And much like earlier when Gabe had stumbled upon the winged horse, a bit in awe. "My thanks, Alia, for me, my friends and my patient. You have my gratitude."
Gabriel waited the proper three beats that he was supposed to wait while bowing to someone much higher on the food chain, just as Geoffrey had taught him, and then straightened again. He continued, trying to be respectful, "It feels like all my injuries have been washed away, but there is still a... hole there? We fought something Rilka called Ghouls earlier and they struck several of us. I haven't felt right since that moment. Know you a way that I can treat this?"
He thought briefly about asking her to, but that seemed incredibly rude. He was a healer himself after all and while he did not have her skill or power, he had enough of both to take responsibility for it.
For those paying attention to the magic, it appears to have taken Älia very minimal effort to do that much healing. She looks at Gabriel and the rest of the party. "Yes, I can feel the life force drained of you. Tomorrow come to me again and I will tell you if the power is still taking hold, and I will remove it for you. I have no qualms about healing it, but the material components are very costly."
With her work done, Älia gestures and with a whoosh disappears.
The party begins the walk back to the Colosseum, flanked by their guard of whitecloaks. Once they get into the center ring there are Aestherics waiting who take over guarding and the whitecloaks are dismissed. A few look at Raul with uneasiness, but the werewolf takes out manacles and puts them over his own wrists. "I knew what I was agreeing to. Thank you for taking down that evil witch. However this ends, I'm glad she was taken down." Raul is lead away by half a dozen Aestherics who have silver weapons on their belts.
On the way all of the allies the party has accumulated arrive, giving congratulations and praise. Sylpha runs up and throws her arms around Bjorkus, venting her sadness and anger as she weeps on his shoulder. A masked healer walks up and politely congratulates the party, telling them that he's Jamie and explaining how he was chosen to be their contact to the masked healers. Ninnec runs up and looks overjoyed at the freeing of the city, babbling away to Toramin about plans for the future of Akropash. Coralla runs out from the bathhouse, then sees the strix woman on Bjorkus and pauses. She gives a quick congratulations and runs back inside.
Back at the Colosseum the party is met with a massive roar from the Aestherics and the local civilians. Many are symbolically wearing broken chains. The Aestherics guarding the party don't let anybody within twenty feet, quickly ushering them inside to meet Krokar.
The party is lead under the Colosseum where Krokar is waiting. He laughs his approval, patting everybody on the back (nearly knocking several people over). "Well done, well done indeed! Soon enough we will learn all of Acera's secrets and uncover what she was trying to do. You've all earned yourselves a promotion and a damn good reward for your work here. I'll get you your new badges, and we'll get to work on a budget to figure out what you can get from our vaults. This day is going to do go down in history."
Bjorkus,
You did well. A deal's a deal,
I'll have your ship at a pre-
determined destination within
a month. You'll still have to
fight for it, but I do imagine
you'll relish the opportunity.
Heff
Dalton,
Now that events have settled
down, tell me when you are
wanting to continue the search
for your father. I would like
to help in any way that I can.
Seimah.
Gabriel, during the walk toward the Colosseum, fell into step beside his friend Edward. The paladin was worried briefly about the prisoners but the healing energies Aria had used had made that less of a concern. Gabriel is silent through out the walk, uncertain what to say, or if he should even say anything. Edward would be leaving soon and it wouldn't be right to burden his friend with the mistakes Gabriel had made. In the end, the tiefling was much less cheerful then he had any right to be. Only the presence of prisoners he had freed and the winged horse kept him from openly decrying his own actions.
When Jamie comes to speak to them, Gabriel gestures to the masked man in the hopes of speaking to him off to the side.
The tiefling would have waited for a response but he suddenly found himself being dragged along with the others downstairs. When he was met with congratulations, it was more awkward then uplifting, for several reasons. He was one of those almost knocked over, for instance. And ontop of that he didn't actually work for their organization. He didn't hesitate to point some of that out to Korkar, "I'm not actually part of your group, so I'll refrain from taking anything. Besides, what I helped do here, that was my job. Nothing more. Although, if you wish to repay me, I do need some aid dealing with a dangerous shade I promised to help put to rest. And my winged friend could probably use help getting home."
The weary dwarf gives Naome a surprised look, "Bandits? How odd and particular. I sent my mail through a variety of channels. These bandits would have to be extremely well informed to pull off this feat. Thank you for letting me know."
Bjorkus' magic was the only thing that was keeping the dwarf on his feet, but he returns Ninnec's hug with all the vigor he can muster.
"I want to hear all your plans, Ninnec. Over the next few days you will have to tell me all about what you want both for yourself and Akropash. I will stay and work to improve the city for a while -- to help you achieve your goals. When we leave, you are welcome to come with us. I understand that the adventuring life might not be for you, and you will have my friendship regardless, so whatever you choose I'll be happy for you. Wherever you end up, I know you can achieve great things."
As for the cheers and congratulations -- Toramin is nearly deaf to it. His mind was awhirl with questions.
How while Akropash be reconstituted? I need to make sure the Aestherics don't put down too many roots here. These people deserve self rule. So much to do: laws, education, infrastructure. There has to be a peaceful and orderly way to bring Akropash to glorious new heights.
The cheers of the assembled crowd get Bjorkus’s attention but it’s the symbol of the broken chains that really helps to soften his melancholy. They’d done it. Akropash was free. It’d be a long time before the city was running smoothly but with the wealth of resources hoarded by Targ and his witch, the city would have whatever they needed to make it happen. Perhaps his own failure didn't matter so long as they'd succeeded in the end.
When Raul’s lead away by well-armed Aestherics, he gives the werewolf a begrudging nod of respect. The werewolf was dangerous and unpredictable but he felt better knowing the man wouldn’t be able to hurt the city anymore and he’d at least played a part in the final stages of ending Acera’s madness. He silently hoped Raul might be spared an execution so he could settle the score with him someday for his cowardly attack at the dinner party.
Sylpha’s excitement and embrace instantly fills the bull’s tired form with a much need rush of energy. If there was going to be a time when Bjorkus didn’t care for the soft company of a woman this would be it but that wasn’t the case. He wanted Sypha in his arms now more than ever but the sight of the girl from the bathhouse stepping away distracts him – at least temporarily.
Bjorkus parts ways with the strix woman long enough to attend the meeting with Krokar but he’s absent in every way but physically. He grunts and nods in acknowledgement but exits as soon as it sounds like the orc’s done with the debriefing.
Krokar shakes his head. "Right, nobody told you yet Leoni. You were granted temporary honorary Aestheric privileges due to your involvement. You've now lost those privileges, but it means you're eligible for actual membership if you're interested."
Bjorkus makes his way back to the bathhouse and finds the same old dwarven woman at the front desk. She raises a brow, and says in a somewhat sarcastic tone. "Congratulations on your victory. Looking for a victory bath here?"
"Actually, I never shared my last name with... Right, secret organization." Gabriel smirks a little, but considers it all the same. This group, whoever they were, was an ecclectic one. But the fact that they were here now, freeing a nation from tyranny, spoke well of them. Those they employed were not all that bad either. Heff wasn't exactly the most inspiring individual but he was skilled and intelligent. Krokar was straight forward, which Gabriel could appreciate. And they had resources. "I would be... honored... But there are some things I would have to speak with your leaders about. I have oaths to higher powers that might conflict with your goals, for instance, and I have... plans that would have to be run by your leaders should I accept. Just as I am certain there are some things you would wish to ask me, such as descriptions of the one that sent me here and my encounter with him and Calios."
Gabriel continued to think. He hadn't given a definitive answer yet, but still... "The shade is a danger to Akropesh, so if I joined I suppose you would help me deal with him and his brother anyway. But my winged friend was simply a prisoner. Can part of my reward be having her helped home?"
"Of course, the offer is on the table for you to possibly be recruited. If you decide our organization is not for you, just let us know and we'll wipe your memory and go our separate ways. Let us know within a month."
"We would be glad to help such a magnificent beast."
Gabriel blinked, surprised to hear that this memory wipe concept was a real thing and not just some threat Heff pulled out of his ass. Ontop of that, the casual way in which the man said it disturbed Gabriel just a little. Did they plan to do that for the whole city? It made sense to a degree but the means to do so must have been incredibly costly, otherwise it would be the perfect way to control a nation. And now he had that terrifying thought. "Right, well, uh..."
Gabriel blinks, uncertain of what to say for a moment, and then looks around to the others. All of them probably wanted to rest but he had more work to do. "Who should I speak to then? And please tell me it isn't Heff." Gabriel adds that last part jokingly, though the humor seemed to fall a little flat with him for some reason.
”Do me a favor and just point me her direction. I know the girl came this way, I just saw her a few minutes ago. There’s gunna be a lot of change in Akropash in the comin’ days and I don’t know if I’m gunna be here for all of ‘em. I need to talk to her.”
Krokar laughs. "You really are in the dark, aren't you? The Aestherics are ruled by a council of five who share equal power, and I am one of those five. You can talk to me, Heff, or Älia."
"Oh, well in that case, I'm a paladin... Which you probably already know. Military's tend to make room for us because of our skill but you lot seem a bit... different. If I was given an order that went against my oath's or against just laws, I wouldn't be able to follow it. Right now I have a pretty high estimation of your group but I also know from dealing with Heff that it's still a possibility we might encounter." Gabriel takes a breath and tries to study Krokar briefly to see what the man thought of that.
Then he continues. "As far as my plans go, I'd be more then willing to explain in private, but I can't be too specific either. It involves secrets that are not my own to give. My hope is you'd be able to respect my discretion in that regard. If neither are a problem that just leaves any questions you might have of me before accepting me, about myself or the encounter I spoke of. I'll be dealing with remaining undead and serving as a healer for the next couple weeks, so if now doesn't work you can find me pretty easily around the city."