"I know not what he wishes to ask, young miss," the man replies. "I am only a soldier.
I wonder if I can sneak a poison pill in.
"Th-th-then m-my guardian sh-should definitely c-come with us..." Luca stammered out, looking like she was having a very hard time mustering the courage to talk at all.
Kien stares hard with a look that very much says Her guardian is coming with her.
The soldier seems unfazed by Kien. "As you will, miss,"
He put his helmet back on and steps outside, three more soldiers appearing from around corners and across the road, forming a box around you two as they escort you through roads, crossroads, ever-upward, to the hill upon which the Temple of the Triarch is built. The Temple is an enormous stone structure, decorated with fluted columns and an open gallery in the front full of marble statuary depicting winged humanoid beings interacting with mortals, offering aid in battle, counsel, healing of the sick and wounded, every manner of succor mortals ever desire.
You are escorted through a side door and enter the interior, moving through a wide central hallway, finally arriving at something like an audience chamber.
Three clerics sit in stone seats, two human women and one dwarf male, all middle-aged and older. They rise and bow as you enter.
”We thank you for coming,” says one of the women. ”We were alerted to a troubling presence in this city, and it is our duty to investigate. Eubeia, speak again what you told us.”
The golden-eyed woman Kien had met earlier steps forward from a side hallway, and likewise bows. ”I was about in the city when my Sight revealed a disturbing nature within this girl. A great evil, coiled, a snake capable of striking whenever it pleases. An ancient and distant greed."
"And?"
The woman looks at Luca with her unnatural eyes. "But though this child has evil within her, the evil is not of her. Rather, she is a host as for a parasite. Or a conduit, perhaps."
The three judges - for that is the only thing you can call them - regard Luca with calm, and not unkind, eyes. The dwarf speaks. "Do you have anything to say about this woman's claims, girl?"
As they enter the zone of truth he balks for a moment, then realizes it's probably a permanent effect that just settles over the entire area. Still, something to keep in mind.
Kien's lip immediately curls when it becomes apparent they're here to be interrogated. "Is that why you bring us here, because you fear a power you don't understand? And you threaten a child?" He interrupts any attempts to defend themselves. "You imply destroying her to deal with this evil you fear. Come Luca, you don't have to answer them." He steps to the side, gesturing for Luca to leave.
Luca was quiet for a few long moments, literally shaking in her shoes... before one of her small hands clenched into a fist.
"And what, exactly, is evil to you?" she asked quietly. "Because I've seen plenty of people hate and fear something they don't understand, even when other people are just as much of a victim of it. And I've seen monsters protect me when nobody else would. I don't know why - maybe I can't know why, nobody promised that everything in the world would make sense. I'm just a dumb, stupid, ignorant child, but if people would start looking at what things actually do instead of how different they are, maybe they'd be able to tell who the real monsters are."
The judges all but ignore Kien, and if anything show only a small amount of amusement at Luca's dodging of the question. "Indeed, the Triarch and all their followers hate Evil, for it is our anathema," says one of the women. ”And it is naive to think that Evil cannot do things that seem Good to further its own ends, for that is a favorite tool of the truly corrupt. But you have not answered our question, and so let me rephrase it: How long have you known of this evil, and what do you know of it?"
"I know that it protects me from anything that might try to hurt me." she said quietly. "Whether that's monsters or orcs or my own family, and regardless of how I feel about it. I don't know what it is or what it's motives are. I don't even know if I can know its motives. Some things aren't as simple as good and evil. Like an earthquake or a volcano, you might lament its damage, but you can't ascribe morality to nature. As for the other question, I've known of it since I was even more of a child, when its minions killed a monster that threatened me and my sister, then slashed her face when she tried to protect me from it. Then my parents threw me in a room to wait while they tried to figure out a plan for dealing with me that wouldn't harm their precious reputations. I didn't ask to be this way, and I still don't want to be... but it's not like I have much of a choice in the matter."
"These are not simple animals, my dear. And they do not protect you out of love, but because they are directed by something else, a cruel being from a very strange place," says the dwarf. "What it's interests are is always hard to discern. But it has claimed you for its own - you would be wise to want rid of it. And we offer you a way. Stay here with us, miss, and see you free from it!"
The dwarf is halted by an upraised hand from one of the others. "I think perhaps we have started on too dire a tone. My name is Kamon. What is your name?" the woman asks.
"The last time somebody offered to help me get free, they tried to kill me." Luca answered, not trusting them in the slightest. "Do you actually have a plan I can support, and if so, what is it?" After a moment, "I apologize if I seem like I'm not very trusting, but that's because I'm not. It's easy to have noble ideals, but I don't really want to have all of my hopes dashed again. It's a lot easier to live without hope until people prove they deserve it."
"Trust is hard to build, but I had hoped our position as clerics of the Triarch might gain us some initial standing," says one woman with a wry smile. "And we cannot tell you a plan, as we do not yet understand what manner of evil we are dealing with. Our magic has discerned no immediate danger from you, and thus we cannot do you harm, for to do evil unto an innocent is forbidden, even in the pursuit of good. Only one other thing is certain - we cannot allow it to remain here unless you are willing to let us help you. Your aid in this matter, or your departure from this city and its whereabouts, are the only choices left to us."
"So, your oaths prevent you from harming innocents, even if it would be 'for the greater good'?" Kien asks with a hard look.
"I'm willing to hear any actual plan you can come up with." Luca answered bluntly. "But I'm not willing to just sit around forever and agree to let you do anything, regardless of how long it will take and whatever it might be. The gods are supposed to know a lot, so ask them if you need a good plan fast enough to get me to stay." After another pause, "...And if they don't answer, well, it wouldn't be the first time they've shown that they don't actually care about me, whatever the churches claim. But don't push Kien or Tyrus out just because of me - they haven't done anything wrong." It was better this way, wasn't it? Adults said whatever was convenient. Only their actions mattered in the end, so that was what she had to rely on in the end. It hurt far, far too much to think that people might actually care about her, only for them to turn their backs on her like almost everyone else had.
"Correct. Things here on the mortal plane are... messier, than in the Heavens, but we strive to remain as close to their ideals as possible. And one of those is that without grave and imminent threat, avoidable harm to innocents is evil."
At Luca's words, the three share a long look, as if they have some manner of communicating with each other without speaking.
One woman speaks. "Very well. We sent for you as soon as we learned of you, and have had precious little time to reach out to the Divine Triad for counsel. Will you remain here with us for one day, to give us that time? We will take no other actions without your consent, and if we recieve no answer..."
The dwarf finishes. "Then perhaps the threat is not so grave as we fear, and it is the Triarch's will that you remain here so long as you please."
The pressure in her mind was growing more intense, more... focused. It had opinions, and she knew better than anyone how much of a problem that could become.
"...No." she said quietly. "My desires are the least important of all here, and it doesn't care what I think when it feels like there might be some kind of a threat. I think everyone will be better off if I just... stay quietly at the inn and don't cause trouble for anyone. Send a message if someone has a bright idea or gets useful guidance or benefits from whatever it is priests actually do all day. I doubt you'll have any trouble finding me."
The three do not look at each other, but you feel that they have shared an important realization.
"So you are a captive, then. Or hostage. But we must respect your wishes even so," the dwarf says. "We will send for you tomorrow, at the eleventh hour, and we will do our utmost to free you."
You are escorted back to your rooms after your meeting with the three judges, the guards silent as they walk to all sides of you. Their leader, the same man who found you at your employer's home, bows before he departs, also without words.
They still didn't understand - or maybe they just didn't want to understand. Most of the time, it wasn't that she was forced to go places or to do things. She may have been freer than other people, considering bodyguards would appear whenever she needed them. But with their focus, maybe they simply couldn't understand the gnawing fear, the realization that you couldn't escape... sigh.
But at least it was over. For now. And nobody had been mauled across the face this time.
When the others return, Tyrus shares his victory.
"Ah, well, I'm afraid I spent a silver on supplies, but this time with success. While it is difficult to guarantee that I have not simply started imagining things while I..." he trailed off "I felt another presence, in my... me. Another soul. Not doing anything, but there. Given everything, it is hard not to assume a casual relationship with my affliction."
Tyrus notes, belatedly, the look on Luca's face. "I'm sorry - I think I let my excitement get the better of me. How was your day?" the old wizard looks quickly from Kien to Luca, and back "Is everything alright?" Another quick look at Kien "I have a few combat spells prepared - should I quickly memorise some more?"
"If you can spare them, yes. We have a group of powerful mages that are very interested in the source of Luca's powers. They make out as allies, but if they think the best way to 'cure' her is violence, it's gonna be a hell of a fight."
"That's how people in power always are." Luca said quietly. "If they think you're a threat, they'll do whatever they can to get rid of you, even if you don't want to oppose them. Most of them don't even bother to ask questions first - they just assume they're right." Which was why she was slightly surprised these ones had bothered to talk to her at all. Maybe their deities would take their powers away if they just went around stabbing people, so they had to get justifications first...
Or maybe she was just being paranoid and they really did want to help her. Not everyone was an utter cynic, after all... but then, she literally couldn't control the powers that went through her. What she wanted was usually the least-important detail imaginable.
"Luca; the consequences are yours, and thus so is the decision. I still have a lead to follow up - though it means a long trip. Kien seems amicable enough. Gods know adults have manipulated you enough in your short life, and your decisions have always been good. Stay? Or Run?" Tyrus looks seriously in the young girls face.
I don't have the life experience to make that kind of a decision! But that was the way of the world, wasn't it? It didn't care what you wanted, and there were times when you'd have to make some sort of a decision before you could get anywhere. "I'd rather... stay with you. I just can't trust any of the churches, not when they've judged you before even thinking about you."
Kien nods gravely. "Then we must flee to escape their retribution. Tyrus, do you have to remain here to continue to do your research?"
Tyrus sighs "No. I've a clue now. Soul magic is a rare specialisation, but it exists elsewhere."
He starts to pack "Did they forbid you from anything other than leaving? A half day to gather supplies would be good - but we'll need to be careful to ensure they do not notice. We'll also need to leave in such a way they cannot easily follow - a head start would be good."
He considers "Perhaps magical travel? Expensive, though. Inquiring into any travel option is problematic, if they are keeping an eye on us."
"If we have to put money into it, fine. We need any advantage we can get. They will assume Luca and I are the main concerns, you go and secure what resources we need under the falsehood of looking for something else. A half day should be fine."
Given that you've spent considerable time with the Academies already, you imagine that you could return to speak with them again without much notice being taken.
In fact, now that you think of it you remember a fellow whom you spoke with on the subject of alchemy. Really a rather impressive fellow himself. Though he spoke little of his own abilities, he did mention being interested in the subject of teleportation.
"I do think we should wait for the one day. If you run when they really don't want you to, they'll assume you've done something wrong and are trying to hide." Luca noted. "......Well, they just kind of assume I've done wrong things anyway, but one course of action is much more likely to have them actively pursue, rather than decide it's not their problem anymore."
"Then I should go back today. I will try to grab what clues I can, and look into alternate travel arrangements." Tyrus agreed.
[b]"Should we need to flee I doubt mundane travel arrangements will e enough - but even a few simple feints may help. Kien, Luca, can you find other accommodation for us, far from here. Something very cheap. We can then move to the other location, leave a forwarding address, and simply vanish.
Luca nodded slightly. "There's always beds if you know where to look." she said. "They're not particularly safe, but the people there won't want to ask any questions."
Tyrus looked out the window, doing his best to judge the time. "I think if I go now I can still catch some people. I hate to rush, but... Kien - can you take Luca to find the rooms? Best if I seem inconsequential. A tutor or something. I'm off to the Academies."
Not 100% sure of the time of day we are now at, but assume we have at least a little daylight.
Tyrus will try to find the old Golmish lady in the hopes she can drop some more clues on how to stop, stave off or at least better understand the issue.
He will also seek out the alchemically interested man with an interest in teleportation. The Makon line from last time gives him an intro here - they had a gate (I don't believe we agreed to keep that secret) and he can claim he found a non-functional Makon gate he believes might have been a teleportation gate. If nothing else he himself is almost at the level to dimension door, and might be able to sell that he's looking for someone who could teach that spell.
@Mercy: Do you want rolls?