Arista pouts, sticking out her bottom lip.
"But...that's not fair."
Giving her a quick kiss, he smiled and said, "No, it isn't."
She crinkles her nose as she's kissed by him and sighs.
"Fine....from now on I'll tell you everything, but you might be sorry for it. Now lets finish up what we came to do. I feel like....like time is really not on our side."
She walks into the shop.
"Well, actually I was also wanting to ask you about some seasonal flowers and some candles. We are having a celebration at Hadrinn's tonight in honor of Sadhana's and Clara's union and I was wanting to dress up some of his tables. I don't think we'd mind another look at those cups though."
She smiles lovingly at Alethiro.
He pulls the knife again and backs Corda against a wall, shoving the blade inches from her face. "Well, I have a suggestion...Here's what you're gonna do if you want you and your baby to live."
He pulls a blood red vial from his pocket. "You're going to give him this. And I'll be watching. If you 'lose' it, tamper with it, drop it or otherwise get rid of it, I'll be paying you another visit and it will be my last. I will write him a nice little love letter in your blood and entrails, got it?"
He puts the vial in Corda's hand and closes her fingers around it. He pulls the knife free of the wall, a small indentation coated in blood remaining. Sefirous smiles, his teeth like a shark's.
"I am sorry it had to come to this. I would have preferred using your dead body as incentive, but I have orders," he says, planting a kiss on Corda's forehead. "Now, don't forget...he has to have that by the end of the day. Toodles!"
He steps back and disappears in a puff of acrid smoke.
"Seferious? Tell me more of him and the trouble he poses you."
”He served with me in the army – on the Kill Team. He was a butcher, we all were, but he took it even further. He did things that made the rest of us look like f%%+ing saints”, the big orc explains with an apologetic cast on his crude features.
”He showed up here on Zahvroma sayin’ he was sent to take my place but we sent him packin’. He was in the mess just now but he’s different now. He’s stronger than he ever was. I think he made some kinda deal with Horseman of War.”
"I can commune with the night to seek answers at your behest, but all knowledge has its price. Not simply in favors owed, but also in the knowing. Be this something you want?"
Leery of continued dependence on magical prophecy, the big orc cocks an eyebrow. ”You can figure that out? What he’s up to and how to stop him?”
”Do it. If he’s in Valwick, everybody’s in danger.”
"The spirits are everywhere. Few things can elude their knowledge. Think of it as less of knowledge of the future -- but whispers of the present and visions of the past."
;
;
;
For a minute, Nicatha's silver eyes glow with an inner light and Skaar can hear whispers -- almost audible.
"Candles I have," Halfpocket answers, pointing to a large display. "However, I can't help with the flowers. I just don't keep them."
He kneels behind the counter and pulls out a small display box with two plain silver goblets. "Here they are. Finest silver from Alarion."
After a few moments of contemplation Cyna speaks up. "I'll let Hadrinn know what Rusty and Sathorn found, see if he has any thoughts. Maybe I'll find Skaar along the way. I won't be long make sure nothing comes out of there while I'm gone."
The gnome nods. "Will do."
Arista smiles while oohing and ahhing over the cups. She thinks for a moment before responding to him.
"Okay, well there are going to be three tables, and I'd like to have three candles on each table, so...I nine candles ought to do it. Those cups are exquisite. How much would one of them be?"
"Ten gold," Halfpocket says. "The candles are 3 copper apiece."
Cyna makes her way to Hadrinn's and informs him of the discovery.
"You've set up shop above some catacombs Hadrinn, and whatever is down there is giving off some nasty energy."
Arista smiles with girlish delight.
"That sounds perfect, here you go and thank you for all your help. I'll just go to the fields outside town and pick the flowers I need once I have these candles set up at Hadrinn's."
Arista just takes a pouch...out of somewhere, and hands Halfpocket the ten gold as she's talking to him.
Handing Alethiro the cup she looks into his eyes and smiles warmly.
"Here you go my love, this should work beautifully for our needs."
She takes the candles and heads to Hadrinn's to set them on the tables.
Once inside Hadrinn's she sets the candles down on one of tables while trying to picture how she wants it to look.
Upon seeing Cyna there she walks over and gives the tiefling a hug.
"Oh Cyna...isn't it just the most beautiful day?! I'm gonna set these candles up on the tables and go pick some fresh flowers from the fields to spread around them. How are things going with you? I haven't seen you around very much as a matter of fact. I hope the Green Circle is doing well."
Someone's in a good mood.
"I was just telling Hadrinn about a little problem he's been having. Seems he built his tavern right on top of some catacombs." Cyna replies after escaping the Aasimar's grasp.
"Something's down there that needs put to rest. A few of us in the Circle were about to head down there."
Nicatha conceals her frustration concerning the information she had discovered from Skaar. Yes, she had learned something important, but she usually learned so much more. The plots and histories of many and unfolded before in her mind's-eye, yet this Sefirous still remained a mystery. She could not even answer what he was doing in town right now. How was he preventing the spirits of the night from gazing upon him?
With a sigh, Nicatha closes her eyes. "Skaar, your foe has become a spirit himself -- an evil spirit called a purrodaemon, a deacon of the Angel of Desolation. He seeks to turn you to her will -- by corrupting you and what you hold dear -- or to feed you to her maw. You are the last he knew in life who has not yet met this fate."
At the news from Cyna, Arista looks at her with concern.
"Really? Hmmm...well, I don't have to get the flowers right this minute. I want them to look as fresh as possible for tonight anyways. Maybe I should come with you....just in case. Would you like me to? I would have to go back to my room and get my sword, but then I could get back to you. I wouldn't be able to stand it if something happened to you, or any of your friends for that matter."
Cyna considers Arista's offer and gladly accepts. That would be perfect actually. Our priest is preoccupied with Sathorn at the moment and I, no we could really use you down there.
Skaar furrows his brow, wanting to disbelieve what he's hearing but knowing it's true. "A f++!ing demon?! I knew he was a monster but this is too much. How do I stop him?"
Knowing about Alethiro's nightmares and knowing how badly they affected him, she squeezes his hand reassuringly.
She smiles back at Cyna, "That sounds perfect then. Just let me set up these candles, get my sword, and I'll be right there."
As she speaks she starts swirling and twirling around the tables with the candles. In no time it seems she has the three candles set on each of the tables in a triangular pattern. One at the top, and two to make the base.
"There, now I can go get my sword. Do you want to come with me, or have me meet you by hadrinn's cottage?"
The conversation was beginning to hit too close to home for Harakhty. Finishing with his current task for Michael, he made for the exit. "I think you might be right. See you at the wedding." For his years, the man was very insightful. Much like myself. But Harakhty did not like insight directed at him, much preferring his secrets to remain as such.
Determined to see the proceedings off right, he made for the weeding locale.
Cyna watches Arista fly about the cottage.
With a laugh she replies. "I'm not sure I could keep up with your pace. I'll meet you there."
Michael shakes his head at Harakhty. "I won't be there. As I said, I have issues still with such things."
How do you stop such a powerful evil spirit? The very question made Nicatha want to laugh hysterically.
"First you must determine the ways in which he could attack you and twist you to his purposes. What would you do anything for? Who do you love? These will be the things he subverts or destroys. Assume he is already trying to do so. I have heard of magic capable of conceal people and places from such wicked attention. I you can find some, then that should give you the time to increase in strength so that you may defeat your foe."
Skaar shakes his head. "That could anyone. He could come after the whole damned town. That bastard's twisted. You didn't see what he did at Falcon's Ridge..."
The big orc growls in frustration at his powerlessness.
"He could, but he will start with what will provide him the most influence over you. You love the entire town? Any of the colonist would provoke the same response from you? Stop worrying about your problems, and start think of ways to solve them."
Arista laughs at Cyna's comment about her way of decorating.
"That sounds just fine. Ohh..I almost forgot I need to get a gift for the girls before the shops close. Just indulge me for a few moments and I'll run over to the Vishkanya's shop and pick out something that I can pick up in the morning. Then it will only take me a few minutes to run back to the fort and pick up my sword and meet you back at Hadrinn's. I won't be very long at all. Don't go down there without me Cyna, I'll be right there."
She gives Cyna another quick hug before running out of Hadrinn's to the lovely Deshur women's shop.
Skaar's mind races as he tries to process the truth about his nemesis and the people he could threaten.
"All the people important to me are here in Valwick - Corda, the Explorers, Godrick. Everyone else is dead already", the big orc says grimly.
"No doubt he has designs on them all. Were I him, I would start with Corda. You have unresolved issues with women in your life. Hurting or subverting her would cause you the most pain. But, take heart Skaar a simple spell can prevent evil spirits from perverting your thoughts. Stronger magic can have stronger effects against them. Give me time. With the passage of a few nights, I might be able to discover more. More importantly, if you care for the people here, then they likely care for you. Bring your troubles to them. They might surprise you with their council," Nicatha replies calmly.
Now that the orc looked less panicked, the urge to slap him waned.
Hadrinn nods at Cyna. "There are a lot of mysteries here."
He spins as the aasmiar runs in, decorates then runs out. "Well, if you can get to it tonight, that's fine. Otherwise, I can post some bored paladins at the entrance. Seems like I'm going to be tied up here."
Arista quickly runs into the Vishkanya's shop, nearly out of breath.
"I need....some help....picking out a wedding gift...for the girls."
"I hope to be back with good news later." Cyna says to Hadrinn before stepping outside to meet back with her group.
Priya takes Arista's hand and offers her a drink of water. "We don't have much beyond clothing, dear."
Asha thinks for a moment. "There is one thing..."
After about an hour Sādhanā curls up with Clara drifting off for a peaceful nap.
Arista accepts the water with a grateful nod of thanks.
"I wasn't sure what to get, but I care so much for Sadhana and Clara. I want more than anything for them to have such happiness, a lifetime of it to be exact. I wasn't too sure what to get them, but something perhaps for the both of them."
She looks to Asha, pleading in her eyes.
"I'm sure whatever it is, it would be wonderful. Let me see what you're thinking of, it might be just the thing I'm looking for."
She drinks some more water and takes a few breaths.
"We weren't planning on selling these yet," Asha says, taking out a small box. "Elena is a little crafty if you give her time and materials."
She pulls out some jeweled pendants in the shape of various animals. "They are really delicate though."