"You speak to me of gardening?" Hyo Soon, or at least this avatar of her, laughs. It is a rich, throaty sound, quite unlike normal self. She walks toward Sevak, descending from the rock on an invisible staircase.
Around her soldiers draw back but she ignores them, like a noblewoman ignoring her slaves.
'Surely we, victors on the field of battle, have other things to speak of? Plans to discuss, projects to consider, places to conquer and tame?"
"I had not not thought my metaphor unclear," Sevak says, cautiously approaching her. He had to get her free of the staff--could he destroy it with Zhèngyì, or at least knock it out of her hands?
He lifts the armbands. "The Red Mouth, and those like him, are the weeds of civilization."
Hyo Soon laughs again, that throaty chuckle, 'Very well, Sevak. Let us use your metaphor. If the Red Mouth and his type are weeds, then are we not the gardeners? Towering above all, with power beyond their ken, fit to choose who lives and who dies?"
She narrows her eyes, "Or do you seek to be the only gardener? You move close...you desire the staff?" She runs a hand along it, as if caressing a lover, "Hoping it can remove that stain upon your soul?"
Sevak feels a twitch, not from himself. Somehow, he knows it is the spirit naga. A twitch of fear?
"A gardener I would be... but you sorely misunderstand the place of the gardener," Sevak says. He holds still for the moment, wanting to distract her from her last thought before making any kind of move.
"The gardener is a servant to the seeds. Yes, he pulls out the weeds, but he does this for the sake of the plants he wants to grow. He must make certain they have good soil, and the right amount of water. The work is long and hard, and often thankless. The rewards last only a season before the work must begin again. But for all his labor, it is the seeds that do the growing, and for all his work he cannot force them to grow, only give them the conditions that are right for them to do so."
"Is this the sort of gardener you would be?"
Hyo Soon smiles, lightning flashes between too white teeth. "You of course speak of your own lowly experience in the past. We would not be such. We would be masters of the land with servants to do the dirty work, to fulfill our dreams for this land. Together we could create a kingdom here, a place of peace and art. Is that not what you desire?"
She sweeps the staff and the ground ripples. Suddenly a field of flowers bursts into being there, a field of orange blossoms. Their sweet fragrance mixes oddly with the stench of smoke and death in the air.
"Is it so evil?"
"Evil depends on means as much as ends," Sevak replies, keeping silent on his other thoughts.
He still does not know how much of who stands before him is Hyo Soon, and how much is... something else. Nor does he know what her true intentions are now. Perhaps he might ask something that would appeal to Hyo Soon as she had been?
Sevak waves at the ruins around them. "You are not the first to wield that staff here. Have you learned more of that other bearer?"
Sevak spots Paq over to the side, talking to a group of the soldiers. He doesn't appear to be under arrest, exactly. Still, they aren't standing and swapping jokes.
'You seek to scare me?" She waves the Staff at the ruins, which tremble slightly as if during an earthquake, "You want me to look on the glories of the past and quake in fear? Bah. Your vision is too limited." She points the staff directly at Sevak, and he can see it glowing with a bright hot light, like iron withdrawn from a forge.
"I give you one last chance. Are you with me or against me?"
At least Paq was safe... for the moment. That was more than could be said of Sevak.
"Would you kill me merely for questioning you?" Sevak asks, throwing his arms wide as if to invite the blow. "Is not this evil? Hyo Soon would not have thrown aside the lessons of the past so quickly. I know not who you truly are, but you would have done well to learn this lesson as well."
The figure in shape of Hyo Soon pauses, clearly part of a inner struggle. The eyes seemed mixed in turmoil for a moment, the staff wavers, then turns aside.
'Fine, then. What do you wish? I do not have time to sit and talk. There is much to be done, with or without you." She does not even turn an eye to the soldiers or Paq (not to mention the former bandits and slaves).
Mentally, Sevak began pondering a simple jump and grab. It would be dangerous, not only from a blast from Hyo Soon but the staff itself. Didn't she talk of magical wards and protections? Yes, the female wizard was only 15 feet away, but who knows what would happen? Still, who else could do it?
Even as he mentally decided, he heard the voice of the sword.
"We could try and break it. I too, am of the old steel. Zhengyi says, curiously detached.
It would be better destroyed. It is too dangerous. If you think you can... Sevak mentally replies to the blade.
Aloud he asks, "I wish for the wisdom to choose rightly... but as I doubt all the power in the world would let you give that, would you truly be able to banish the Dark One?"
While his question is sincere, it has a hidden purpose... he drops his arms as if relaxing, but he watches Hyo Soon closely for the slightest hint of distraction. A laugh, concentration upon the unseen, anything that would buy him a fraction of a second. He will spring forward and strike with Zhèngyì the moment he sees an opening.
Hyo Soon ponders the puzzle for a moment, fingers tapping on the staff. "It is possible. One must start by disrupting the astral connection..." She trails off, considering it. "yes, it could be done.."
She sounds fairly convinced she can do it and then, distant beyond reckoning, Sevak feels a shiver of fear. Not from himself but...from the spirit naga? Was it afraid that Hyo Soon held the key to Sevak's freedom?
As she thinks, Hyo Soon's grip loosens ever so slightly, her stance a bit more relaxed.
For a moment, Sevak considers letting her try. To be free of the Dark One... how wonderful it would be.
But how could he be free of his own darkness if he did not try to save Hyo Soon?
He drops the armbands he still held in one hand as he springs forward so that he can put both hands on Zhèngyì's hilt. He brings the blade up , and then down with all his might, aiming a powerful blow at the staff.
Sevak moves with a blur, the sword thrumming through the air. Hyo Soon's eyes widen slightly as he rushes toward her, mouth half-forming some incantation. But Sevak is too quick, and the nagaji picked his moment carefully. Before there is time for a spell to be spoken Zhengyi is slicing through the polished white wood of the staff.
As the sword cleanly shears through the magical item, the storm swirling around Hyo Soon vanishes suddenly. The lightning shrivels away and the earthquakes dies away. There is a moment of pure peace. Hyo Soon's eyes seem to fade back to their normal colors and her breath deepens.
Then the Staff explodes with a roar that throws both Hyo Soon and Sevak to the ground. Zhengyi tumbles from his suddenly shaken grip, as a swirling malestorm erupts from the shattered arcane item. A blindingly white fog rises from the ruined parts of the Staff and coalesces into the figure of a human.
Tall and proud, he wears formal Imperial robes, the likes of which have not been seen since the fall of the empire. A stern face emerges from the fog, glaring at Sevak. The mouth opens in a rushing roar, then widens and widens until the head splits and the entire figure rips in two, leaving nothing behind.
Hyo Soon lies unconscious on the ground, soldiers and Paq standing at a distance, shocked into immobility. The staff is merely two pieces of dirty white wood, with burn marks along its length.
Sevak groans and forces himself back to his feet. He stumbles over to Hyo Soon and does his best to check on her, trying to ascertain if she is injured somehow.
Sevak is not an experienced healer but he does't need to be an expert to see something is wrong. Hyo Soon's skin is icy cold, even on his scales. Her eyes are closed but restlessly rolling under her lids. He can barely detect her breathing and her pulse is weak and fast.
Paq comes over and eyes her, 'She doesn't look so good. What was that...thing, that came out of the staff?"
Farther away, gathering up the slaves and bandits, the soldiers hang back.
"I would guess the spirit of the original owner of the staff," Sevak says.
He hesitates a moment, then goes and picks up Zhèngyì. He points out the armbands to Paq. "If you would carry those--I would be careful about putting them on, however, until we can make certain they do not carry any undesirable side-effects."
Then he comes back to Hyo Soon and considers whether or not he could carry her.
Paq nods and jogs over to the fallen bracers. He uses an old travel blanket to pick them up, careful to not let it touch his skin.
As Sevak ponders the fallen wizard, the Tian Commandant comes over, step quick but unhurried. The warrior has a few cuts and slashes on his armor, but otherwise looks unharmed.
His eyes flick from the nagaji, to Hyo Soon and to the ratfolk.
Then he says, 'I have many questions, but now is not the time. What can you do for her?"
Sevak shakes his head slightly. "Little, I fear. I can only guess as to what, if my guess is correct, being possessed by that spirit has done to her. Have you any priests with healing magic among your number? They would likely know better than I."
The Commandant turns to the side and barks an order. Out of the milling mass of soldiers, an older woman hurries up, satchel at her side. Without a word she kneels down at Hyo Soon's side. In a moment, she is checking vital signs, rummaging through her bag. She runs her hands up and down, and there is some glowing spell performed. Soon though the medic looks up, shaking her head, "I'm just a field medic, not a divine healer. Her body is fine, amazingly fine actually, I'm not sure what is wrong. I can tell she is fading though, despite what I did."
She looks at Sevak, 'What god did she worship? We are at the point of final benedictions unless you have some trick up your sleeve."
Sevak shakes his head. "No, she never said... surely there must be something we can do..."
He thinks of Immonhiel. Such a being would have the power to heal in this situation, but... perhaps he could pray to her? If she was such a one to hear prayers... but he could think of nothing else.
Immonhiel, I do not know... can I do something here for Hyo Soon? Can you do something? he silently prays.
In the quiet of Sevak's mind, he suddenly hears the croaking of frogs, the whine of night insects, the quiet lapping of water in that distant pool where he regained his sight.
Over this calming harmony, Sevak hears Immonheil, voice quiet in his mind, Know that I am pleased with you, Sevak. I watch your struggle with darkness and my heart is filled with compassion. I have sent you aid.
Then the harmony is gone, and Sevak is standing over Hyo Soon.
Out of the forest, the oread druid emerges. The green marble like skin glistens in the sun, covered with swirls of white. Powerfully built, he crosses the empty area quickly, ignoring the stares of everyone. A fresh breezes seems to precede him, pushing away the scents of battle and violence.
Without pause he strides up and kneels at Hyo Soon's side. He gently moves the medic out of the way, and begins some kind of chant. It is in Druidic by the tone is low and cadence so slow even Sevak has a hard time following it.
A blue aura surrounds the fallen wizard, outlining her form. It glows brighter and brighter until her figure is obscured and Sevak has to avert his eyes. Then it fades and Hyo Soon relaxes, her breath coming in deep breathes.
The muscular druid stands up, green eyes fix on Sevak for a moment, and the druid says,
"You did well, nagaji. You did not kill when you had the choice. I must think on this and the shadow behind you."
With a sweep he takes in the soldiers, the bandits, Paq, and the Commandant. In a loud voice he says, "This city is to be returned to nature, as it once was. Much evil and death has been done here. Leave it nature, to heal those wounds and to bury the past. Do not bother me, Tian, and I will not bother you."
He crosses his arms, as if daring the humans to say anything. No one does, and Sevak thinks he sees a shadow of a smile on those rocky lips.
Sevak inhales a sharp breath as he hears Immonhiel's voice. Thank you... he thinks, but before he can focus any more, the druid arrives.
Sevak stands and watches, then gives the druid a small, grateful bow.
"Thank you," he says, aloud this time. He wonders if the druid knows of Immonhiel, or if he knew not what had moved him.
He looks back and forth between the Commandant and the druid. "If I might suggest... there may be others left captive within the palace, as well as Paq and I's equipment. Perhaps a search for such could be made before departing to care for the wounded?"
The druid merely shrugs, "I have said what I came to say, and healed who I came to heal. As I have said nagaji. I will think on you." Then, without a further comment, heads back into the woods. A few of the soldiers watch him then glance at the Commandant.
The battle scarred veteran shakes his head and says, "We can because of the bandits, not because of some crazy druid. Let him be. If he wishes to make a shrine of this place...well, there are worse things." He looks at Sevak and then waves to a few soldiers. "Make things right inside. Bring out everyone and everything for inventory." A few squads head into the building.
The medic looks over Hyo Soon and calls over a few stretcher bearers.
The Commandant looks Sevak up and down, "I must admit, you are more impressive then when I first saw you."
He is interrupted by a yelp from Paq, who drops Zhengyi to the ground, the sword ringing off a stone. The ratfolk sucks his paw, curses the blade and stomps off, apparently insulted.
The Tian man raises an eyebrow then goes on, "You gave me an opening to deal with the bandits. This is a great service to me and to Po Li. I will not forget it, nagaji. Now, tell me what happened."
Sevak shoots Paq an amused look before looking back to the Commandant. He gives a brief summary of their trip--entering the vault, finding the staff and Zhèngyì (though he does not mention that Zhèngyì speaks), their disasterous attempt at infiltration, the Red Mouth's offer (in general terms), their planned execution and how it had been interrupted.
"The Red Mouth said something about a 'Lao Shu Po' as he died," Sevak finishes. "Does the name have any meaning to you?"
The Commandant takes the story in, with little emotion. Here and there he nods and at one point spares a compassionate glance to Hyo Soon, who is being carried away on a stretcher, under the watchful eye of the medic.
At Sevak's last question he looks a bit surprised and says, 'Why not ask your friend? He is some god of the rat-folk." He shrugs dismissively, 'And what is your plan now, nagaji? If you have your way and leave here a free man, where do you go?" His tone implies Sevak might not leave this place a free man.
Sevak sighs and looks north. "Get farther away from Nagajor. Beyond that? I would seek the wisdom to do right, wherever that might be found... if only I knew where to seek it."
He pauses, then adds, "And perhaps, seek to fight whatever evil I find along the way... if I have the wisdom to recognize it."
The human man eyes the nagaji. "I can';t decide weather to arrest you, or give you a triumphal march, nagaji. On one hand you are engaging in open warfare in my land without warrant or sanction. On the other, you have removed a grave threat to this region. "
He pauses for a moment, thinking. Sevak has a feeling this is not a man used to indecision. Finally he says, "You may go in peace. Do not waste this chance. Now, go be with Hyo Soon. She may need explanations as well." The Commandant turns to bark orders at his men.
Paq sidles up, still massaging his hand, "Your sword isn't very nice, Sevak. It called me several rude names. I hope you will give it a firm talking to."
Sevak nods. "Thank you," he says to the Commandant.
He then comes over and retrieves Zhèngyì. "I should have warned you the two of you would not get along," he comments to Paq.
"He is right, we should go to Hyo Soon. Hopefully they will return our equipment to us, and I can use my wand to do something about your wounds, as well."
Paq grumbles but follows as they go to meet Hyo Soon, crossing the field. Everyone, the soldiers, the captured bandits, the freed slaves, eye them warily. Many of them saw Sevak charge a swirling storm of arcane energy and win. They skirt the dead body of the ogre, bristling with arrows.
They find a small medic station set up in one of the few standing huts. The older medic woman is there bustling about. There is a mix of soldiers and bandits here, thankfully the injuries are fairly minor. What what Sevak can gather, most of them preferred to surrender then fight to the death.
In a corner Hyo Soon lies, curled against the wall. Although her face is hidden, Sevak can hear quiet sobs coming from her and her shoulders shudder with crying.
Before they reach her the medic intercepts them, "She hasn't said a word. She woke up and then just started crying. I'm not sure what to do then wait it out." She looks Sevak up and down, "Here, let me heal you."
She taps into some divine energy and a warm glow suffuses Sevak.
She ignores Paq who seems unsurprised by her lack of attention. They are soon left alone with the quietly crying Hyo Soon, her clothing battered, torn and burned.
Sevak sighs slightly when the medic ignores Paq, though he does thank her for her ministrations.
He kneels down next to Hyo Soon. "Hyo Soon, we are here," he says, quietly.
Paq, obviously uncomfortable idly scans the room, dark eyes darting into corners, whiskers twitching.
Kneeling by the bed, Hyo Soons ays nothing for a long moment. Sevak thinks he is being ignored until he hears her reply, voice strained and shaky, "Why?"
Sevak sighs. "Why are we here? Because I will not abandon a companion in need. Why did I destroy the staff? Because I feared it would destroy you and others. Why did the staff so consume you?"
He pauses, then quietly answers, "Because the past is never truly past."
He is silent again for a moment before asking, "Were there any whys I missed?"
She sniffs loudly and then says, quietly, "I knew what I was doing. I could see you there and it just seemed...right, to toy with you, to threaten you. It wasn't like I was someone else or trapped...it was me making those choices. I betrayed you. And myself."
She shudders, face still turned away. "Any I can still here it, in my head. Fainter, but still there. Telling me good this power felt, all I could do with it..."
Sevak frowns slightly. "When I destroyed the staff, there was a ghostly figure... are you so certain the voice is your own?"
Hyo Soon pauses, obviously having been unaware of anything after the staff was destroyed. 'I..maybe?" There is hoep there but she ruthlessly squashes it. "Anyway, I don't think I can be safely trusted with anything at this point." She shudders a bit and goes on, "I'll be heading home to Tianjing. To...deal with my problems. I will not trouble you anymore, or be a liability."
Sevak barks a short laugh. "I am beginning to think that realizing you cannot be trusted with power is the first step to wisdom," he says. "It seems only those most wary of power can wield it without harming themselves or others. Do not be ashamed that you have learned this lesson through bitter experience when so many never realize it."
Hyo Soon turns and faces Sevak. Her face is stained and lined with tears, eye red, skin pale. Slowly she says, 'And all of those I killed learning that lesson? I doubt them and their families would approve of learning such a lesson."
She does slowly sit up though, avoiding Sevak's eyes. 'So where do you go from here? You never hinted at any further travel. Our task together is done, as badly as it ended. At least you achieved something, helping free this area of the bandits."
Paq shifts at Sevak's side and he realizes the ratfolk had ben absent for a moment. What was he up to?
At his side, he can hear Zhengyi say, voice hard When this is over, we must speak of your companion
Sevak shakes his head. "I wish there were comfort to give you in this, for then perhaps I might find some for myself."
He gazes of into the distance at Hyo Soon's last question. "...I do not know. Away from Nagajor, that much I am certain of. Beyond that..."
He shrugs slightly. "Somewhere that lessons in wisdom might come cheaper."
Silently he thinks to the blade, I would help him if I only knew how.
Hyo Soon shrugs, "Well, I wish you luck with your journeys. I hope you find some cure for the darkness that shrouds you, Sevak. One of us should be cured at least."
She lapses into silence.
In his head Zhengyi intones You do not know the darkness that dwells in your fellow traveler. He is not worthy. You risk corruption by remaining at his side. I am not at ease with this, warrior.
"May we all find healers for our unseen wounds," Sevak says, sighing.
He turns to Paq. "You have been ill rewarded for your loyalty, my friend. Let me see if I can do something for your wounds."
Should I not aid him in fighting it? I would scarce think myself honorable if I abandoned one who has suffered so for my sake, not to mention saved my life.
Fighting it?Has he ever shown signs of guilt, let alone redemption? the sword rumbles in Sevak's mind. You were distracted by your ally. Look closer at this thief. Ask what he was doing while you comforted your comrade.
Sevak turns, and looking closer, can see Paq's pouches look considerably heavier then they did before. The ratfolk had been robbed the dead and dying in this hospital room.
"What's wrong?" Paq asks.
Sevak sighs and waves him towards the exit. "We should speak outside," he says.
The ratfolk's whiskers twitch once, as he shrugs, 'Sure. Why?" As they leave the impromptu field hospital Paq adds, 'I didn't hear what you and Hyo Soon were saying. Is she coming with us or...?"
Sevak sighs. "No, I do not think so."
He hesitates a moment, reluctant to bring up the real reason for this conversation. How could he accuse one to whom he owed his life?
"Ah, please give me those armbands back," he says, as much to delay as anything else. "I should study them, to see if they are safe."
Paq begins digging through his now bulging pockets and pouches.
'Are you sure you want to mess with these things? I'm not a magical expert but I doubt our dearly departed warlord kept them for their looks. Maybe we should just sell them, maybe even these soldiers?"
He hands Sevak a bundle of rags, and the ex-druid can feel the weight of the armbands inside.
"I would rather know more before deciding what to do with them," Sevak states. "It would hardly do to sell them only to discover they exercise a corrupting influence on their wearer."
Sevak hesitates a long moment, still not wanting to get to the point, but he must. He looks around to make certain none are listening, then looks at Paq and asks, "Paq... why would you steal from them? They may be dying, but they likely have families to whom their belongings would go, who will need such in days to come."
Paq raises an eyebrow and says, "Huh, you noticed? I suppose I got used to you being blind for too long. Seeing his attempt at humor has failed he sobers and says voice low, 'Do you see how they treat me? A plauge-bringer? Why should I respect their laws, their ways, if they will not even give me the courtesy of life?"
His voice is bitter as he adds, "If they treat me like a thief, why not be a thief? What do I have to lose? Besides, you think this will go to families? Sevak, you are naive. In Po Li, the state will take all that remains, with a cut for the local commander. Humans are corrupt beyond your dreams, Sevak."
Sevak shakes his head. "You saw a little of Nagajor, and I saw enough of Quain. But corruption and evil only grow worse if none oppose it. If you always play the part of the thief, the prejudice will always continue. If we do not start being different, then who will?"
Paq sniffs, "So you place the burden on the one being misjudged?" he rasies is voice and says to Zhengyi, "That sound fair to you, sword? Should the one being oppressed be forced to meet a legal code that will never help him and only serves to keep him down?"
Paq then returns to his normal voice adding, "It was only me 'playing the part of thief' that kept you alive, alone and blind. I certainly wasn't working a day job. Who would hire a ratfolk? We are corrupt and evil after all."