Drago smiled as he blissfully faded to sleep.
He walked to his Aunt’s place to find her, once more, out front with a large cauldron of stew. Why does she even cook? He wondered. ”Hello Aunt, what have you got cooking?”
She looked up and narrowed her eyes quizzically at him. ”You’re different, and I don’t feel Tarja’s essence with you. What happened?”
Drago shook his head slightly, ”Things got…...complicated.” From there, he went into the things that had transpired between the two of them, including her attacking him.
When he finished, Inana waved her hand and the cauldron disappeared into purple smoke. Getting up, she hugged her nephew, ”I’m so sorry that happened to you. I can only recall a couple of other times that happened to other Summoners, mostly with House Akulov. How do you feel?”
”It’s strange, I don’t feel different, yet somehow…..empty. Does that make sense?”
Inana put a hand to his forehead, closed her eyes, and began chanting something inaudible. After several moments, she opened them and said, ”Why didn’t you tell me?”
”Tell you what?”
She gave him a ‘you know what look’, ”Why didn’t you tell me that you had been in conflict with yourself? You’re undead half has been causing you grief, and unnecessary grief at that. You need to reconcile it before it ruins what you have with Yulia.”
Drago swallowed hard, ”But how Aunt? This is something I’ve been fighting for years….”
Inana put a hand up to stop him, ”Then don’t fight it.” With another wave of her hand, the ground opened up and he fell through the hole and into the darkness.
Hitting the floor of, wherever he was, it took Drago a few moments for his eyes to adjust to the darkness. And what he saw cause him to pause.
Seeing his darker self leaning against the cave wall, ”Well, nice of you to drop in. Come on, we need to go.”
Standing up, ”Go where?”
Kicking off the wall, ”Out of here. I assume you don’t want to stay here the rest of your life do you?”
”And what makes you think I can trust you?” Drago spat back with venom.
A faint glow appeared from behind, ”Because we can’t exist without you alive.”
He turned about and saw the white robed version of himself, ”You’re here too huh?”
The white robed Drago nodded, ”Your Aunt is a very smart woman. She’s put us in an Oubliette, and the only way we’re getting out, is if we work together.”
As much as I dislike Whitey there, he’s right. Now shall we?”
Drago didn’t trust his undead self any further than he could throw him, but it seemed he had little choice in the matter. Before he could say much, there came a monstrous roar from within the cavern. Perfect.
The three of them headed out, it didn’t take long before the ran into the first challenge, a trio of oversized bats. They defeated them easily enough, but the challenges got harder and harder to defeat, until they reached the end. A door stood before the battered trio with an inscription. Only when the differences of soul have been reconciled, can the one pass.
”What the Hells does that mean,” The Black Robe asked.
”I have no idea,” The White Robe responded.
Drago smiled, ”I think I know. Give me your hands.”
The three Dhampir’s joined hands and an intense glow engulfed them. A brilliant flash, and only one stood in front of the door. ”We have reconciled.” The door creaked open, and when Drago walked through it, he found himself outside Inana’s hut.
”Feeling better,” She asked with a slight smirk.
”You know Aunt Inana, your lessons are a real pain in the ass sometimes.”
She shrugged, ”It worked didn’t it?”
Unable to help his smile, ”It seems that way.”
With yet another wave of her hand, the cauldron returned, ”Care for some soup?”
”Sure.”
The two of them enjoyed a rather lovely meal.
Sadhana works in solemn silence, keeping a tight rein on her emotions. As they complete the pyres and place the bodies on them she speaks softly. "Your sacrifice.....and your betrayal will be neither forgotten nor unanswered." says as she light the first of the pyres.
Tesia stands by in silent support as she watches Sadhana light the pyres.
"We should head back and see about getting those people situated," Ylrhea says. "If we fly on Tesia, we should catch up with Sienna and the others."
Once all the pyres are lit and she has given Sadhana a moment she nods at Ylrhea and steps away from them briefly before changing into her huge eagle form and lowering herself to the ground.
Taking Ylrhea's hand Sādhanā nods quietly, helping her love up before climbing up onto Tesia's back herself.
Celia bows her head, speaking a soft prayer of final rest for the fallen sisters as the pyres are lit. Quietly she gets onto Tesia's back as well.
Tesia waits until everyone has climbed on her and are settled in their spot before she stands up. She takes a few steps while starting to flap her huge wings, and springs into the air. Once she gains enough altitude, she levels out and turns to head towards home.
Tesia arrives in Valwick shortly after Sienna and the rest do. The town is quieter as it is after midnight.
Tesia slows down as she glides overhead and lands on the beach. Coming to a stop after taking a few steps upon touchdown, she lowers herself to the ground and once everyone is safely on solid ground she turns back into herself. Looking at Sienna and Sadhana she asks, "Do you need us to help get them settled, or is it okay for us to go on home?"
"You and Rhadaya can probably call it a night," Sienna answers.
She nods as she wraps an arm around her love's waist, "Okay, come on love...let's go home." She lets out a tired sigh as they head home.
Nodding quietly, Rhadaya leans into Tes, putting an arm around her wife as they head home.
Joining Sienna along with Ylrhea, Sādhanā heads to get the survivors settled. Facing the pair and the little girl, the magus looks at them solemnly. "We can get you settled in tonight and you can stay for as long as you like. There is another enclave of us, ones who have kept to the path of Aroden's original ideals. If you wish I can take you there. You would be embraced and once again live among sisters, with a strong sense of community."
Ammon stood off to the side, waiting for a chance to talk to Sādhanā. But seeing the way she was addressing the two women, even with his lack of social grace, he figured it'd be best to talk at a later date. Placing his fist over his heart, he bowed his head to the Magus and headed to the Common House.
Tesia kisses her wife's forehead as they make their way home. Back at the house, Tesia unlocks the door and lets them inside, closing and locking the door behind them.
Getting up to their room she sits wearily on the bed, the events of the evening having taking their toll on the druidess. She couldn't understand how anyone, no matter how misguided they were, could allow innocent children to be killed....the whole ordeal was almost too much for her. So much needless death. She sits quietly for a few minutes, not knowing if she wanted to scream or cry. Finally, the grief of everything she witnessed coming to the surface, she buries her face in her hands and cries....finally releasing everything she had held back while they were dealing with everything they had to do in the caves, as well as on the beach.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
The levels of twisted monstrosity people could attain wasn't new to Rhadaya. She'd seen things that, until Tes came along, featured in her nightmares on a regular basis. That didn't mean she was immune to it
She waits for a moment, letting Tes process, knowing that she needed that moment to silently come to terms with expressing the sorrow and anger. As she begins to cry, powerful heart-rending sobs that were an almost physical pain for Rhadaya to hear coming from the person that shares her soul, her own tears begin to flow. She moves over to her wife, getting onto her lap to wrap her arms around her, cradling her head to her chest as they both give vent to an emotionally exhausting experience.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
As Rhy leans her head against Tesia's chest, she can hear her heart pounding out a furious rhythm. Wrapping her arms around Rhy as she curls into her lap, she lays them down on the bed and holds her wife close to her as they both cried out their feelings of anger, grief, and remorse at not being able to stop such an atrocity.
They lie like that for a good amount of time before the tears start to subside. Once she feels a little calmer she strokes her wife's hair, "I love you Rhy....I love you so much, I would kill anyone that ever tried to hurt you. Sadhana showed Jarrah mercy and it was the right thing to do at the time....but if I ever see her again....I will personally rend her limb from limb." She says with a quiet ferocity that Rhy had seldom heard from her before.
Catching Ammon's gesture, Sādhanā gives him a nod of both acknowledgement and thanks before he heads home.
"I'll walk Fae home and get some sleep myself," the tiefling says.
Magestreia approaches Sienna. "Why don't you go back home? Sadhana, Ylrhea and I can handle this."
Sienna shrugs. "Sure. Thanks."
She yawns and walks back to her house. She's careful to enter quietly in case Cyna and Gwen were asleep.
"What about me?" Warrin asks.
"We'll take care of you too," Ylrhea assures the man.
"Our mistrust of the Anizari will take some time to diminish," one of the Anizari responds. "We will need time to think upon the matter."
After lying down and taking comfort in each other for a while, Tesia lets go of Rhy and starts to undress her. She helps her off with her clothes as she tenderly kisses her shoulders. She then removes her love's boots before turning down the bed and tucking Rhy in under the covers. Shivering slightly she sheds her own armor, clothing, and boots before climbing back into the bed with Rhy and pulling her close, she wraps her arms around her beloved, gently stroking her hair and back while kissing her softly on the lips.
"Take all the time you need."Sādhanā says resting a hand on her shoulder. "If at any point you need anything at all, you need only ask. I'm Sādhanā, and these are Ylrhea, Celia and Magestria."
It takes quite a while of just lying with Rhadaya before she's able to start calming down enough to close her eyes. She didn't know if she would ever fully forget the things they saw tonight, but as long as she was with Rhy she knew everything would be okay.
Holding each other in a comforting embrace, Tesia's heart finally starts to slow as Rhadaya rubs her back in gentle circles. Snuggling under the covers with the love of her life, her eyes close and her breathing finally slows as she succumbs to sleep, her arms still around her beloved.
The Anizari women nod.
"Since I need a place to stay as well, I will help them secure some shelter," Magestreia offers. "Why don't you three go home and rest?"
Ylrhea looks to Sadhana and Celia. "Give her a few gold, love, so they can stay at the common house."
Taking a number of gold pieces from her belt pouch, Sādhanā hands them to Magestreia. "We'll check on you all in the morning. Have a good night."
Magestreia nods and escorts the group to the common house.
"We ready to go home?" Ylrhea asks Sadhana and Celia after everyone else leaves.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
As Rhy leans her head against Tesia's chest, she can hear her heart pounding out a furious rhythm. Wrapping her arms around Rhy as she curls into her lap, she lays them down on the bed and holds her wife close to her as they both cried out their feelings of anger, grief, and remorse at not being able to stop such an atrocity.
They lie like that for a good amount of time before the tears start to subside. Once she feels a little calmer she strokes her wife's hair, "I love you Rhy....I love you so much, I would kill anyone that ever tried to hurt you. Sadhana showed Jarrah mercy and it was the right thing to do at the time....but if I ever see her again....I will personally rend her limb from limb." She says with a quiet ferocity that Rhy had seldom heard from her before.
Hearing the ferocity in her wife’s voice, that part of her in tune with primal animal instinct, tells Rhadaya all she needs to know of just how deeply affected Tes is by what they’d seen. Caressing her cheek lovingly, she looks into her eyes. ”I know you would love, and I’d be right there beside you to blast whatever was left into nothing.”
After lying down and taking comfort in each other for a while, Tesia lets go of Rhy and starts to undress her. She helps her off with her clothes as she tenderly kisses her shoulders. She then removes her love's boots before turning down the bed and tucking Rhy in under the covers. Shivering slightly she sheds her own armor, clothing, and boots before climbing back into the bed with Rhy and pulling her close, she wraps her arms around her beloved, gently stroking her hair and back while kissing her softly on the lips.
Rhadaya lets out a soft, almost purring sigh as Tes undresses her, something she absolutely loved even in the most mundane of circumstances. Smiling as she watches her wife undress as well she melts into her arms as she joins her beneath the covers, returning her soft kisses, letting her presence erase the horrors of the day.
It takes quite a while of just lying with Rhadaya before she's able to start calming down enough to close her eyes. She didn't know if she would ever fully forget the things they saw tonight, but as long as she was with Rhy she knew everything would be okay.
Holding each other in a comforting embrace, Tesia's heart finally starts to slow as Rhadaya rubs her back in gentle circles. Snuggling under the covers with the love of her life, her eyes close and her breathing finally slows as she succumbs to sleep, her arms still around her beloved.
This. This, more than anything she could ever imagine, was what she needed. What they both needed….to be in the arms of the one person who made everything better, who made it easy to believe that there was good in the world. As she gently rubs Tes’ back she can feel her calm down as they both left the rest of the world outside. Her breathing slows as her love relaxes enough to drift off, the sorceress surrendering to the peace and safety of her wife’s arms, the arms that had made her feel safe since the day they met.
Sienna finds Cyna looking over their daughters work in the firelight. "Welcome home. You don't seem any worse for the wear, I take it things went well?" She asks quietly.
"I'd actually arranged to stay in Clara's extra room tonight....to give you two a little more time to yourselves." Celia says with a smile. "Given the type of day we've had, I think it's still a good idea. You two need each other right now."
Sienna nods. "Didn't know if you'd still be up. We found some people, a shard and some ship from space...but nothing that needed to be fried."
Ylrhea nods. "Alright. Thank you."
The gnome takes Sādhanā's hand. "We'll see you tomorrow...err, later today, Celia."
Sādhanā lets out a tired breath and is about to reply when Celia interjects. "Thank you." she says quietly, gently squeezing Ylrhea's hand. "See you later."
Cyna's brow furrows at the mention of the ship. "Was it empty or do we have another thing to worry about?" She asks beckoning her fiancee to sit with her.
Sienna sits down. "It was empty."
Ylrhea walks with Sādhanā back home. "At least we didn't have any devils to deal with. Might have helped with the frustration though."
"It would definitely have helped. I ignored the monster that Jarrah was for too long, and that entire enclave paid for it." Sādhanā says quietly. "Now, not only is it too late to save most of them,bur they can't even be avenged."
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
"You can't blame yourself for what you found out recently and it's outcome," Ylrhea says, unlocking their door. "All we can do now is focus on rebuilding what's left. You can still make some good come out of all this."
"I hope so love, I really do, and I'll do my damnedest to try and make those words true." Sādhanā replies as they enter the house, her tone emotionally drained.
"I hope whatever it was might be friendly. For once." Cyna says.
Ylrhea leads Sādhanā to the bedroom. "Let's get some sleep, love."