Rinika looks up wide-eyed from staring at the statue toward Nik. "I, um, oh, what? Wizards? Well, they're well prepared. Smart. Tough nuts to crack. That's all. Nothing against them, y'know, as people. Nice to have on your side, even. But a tough fight. That one was fast, 'specially."
She tosses the statue into the bag but then crouches next to the pile staring at the rose. She fishes Nansi out of a pocket and asks, "Hey kid, what do you make of this? I think the doomlets are gonna hate it." She gives the tiny modron a pat. "Just like you."
She stands, and catches sight of her Spot hanging out at the tip of her tail.
"And you!" she says, pulling her tail in front of her face to address the Spot directly. "I uhm...Thanks, I guess. Or maybe Nik should be thanking you. Let's work on that sign language on our way to the next place. I need to learn more about you."
Jek blinks groggily as he wakes from his rather strange dream and yawns. He stretches a bit, and reclaims his lance.
"I... I'm sorry.. I must have nodded off there for a bit. He stares at the small pile of loot and then at Jaspan. "Seems I missed a bit of the fight. Think he'll know something?"
Jaspan rises coughing as they do so, she exclaims, "Who in Baator are you lot?" Her fingers reach for a knife.
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"Who in Baator are you lot?"
Jek grins. "Hi there! Name's Jek. I'm a free-lance courier, and these are my friends! They came along on a delivery and now we're stomping out boredom or something. It's pretty serious. Books are involved. Anyway, I'm pretty sure we killed a slinger who was trying to kill you. Crazy, right? We should probably talk in a tavern." He glances around trying to spot one.
"Maybe the tavern with Zombington and the golem? Barmy bubber from the pub was right. Should've taken our time getting to Myress." Nik suggests, gathering scrolls and scowling at Jaspan.
He sighs and scratches his cheek.
"To answer your question a little more clearly, we're the cutters that kept your name outta the dead book. We're headed that way." Nik explains, pointing roughly towards the tavern.
Jaspan looks at Jek like he’s barmy, ”What are you blabbering about? And no the strangler wasn’t trying to put me in the dead book. He said it was too early or something. Sure didn’t feel like it though. Look, I’m grateful you let me give him the laugh but I’m gonna tell you to pike it on the bub, I’m not into whatever you are.” Jaspan starts to walk off rubbing her neck and coughing occasionally.
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"That's...but...!! Ungrateful sodding dill. Too early? We were almost too late! I'll get that drink with ya, Jek. Maybe we go find the oracle next? Oracle. Now that sounds like a right square job."
"Wait one piking second. Whaddya mean? What was he up to?" Nik calls after Jaspan, suddenly giving her a peery eye as she sods off.
"I'll uh- howbout I trade you a little healing for the dark of it?" he adds.
Then Nik looks over at Khikril and back to Jaspan.
"Or Skee can patch you up." He adds, jerking his head in Khikril's direction.
Jaspan looks between Nik and Skee and shakes her head, ”Sod off. How should I know what was going through that barmy’s brain-box? Just said it wasn’t time to kill me yet, probably just wanted to scrag me now and put me in the dead book later.”
"Well sounds like he scrags then scribes. Thanks, I guess." Nik says while scratching his cheek.
With a shrug, Nik starts walking in roughly the direction of the tavern.
Xibalba watches the ungrateful #@$& walk away, pressing her lips sourly into a thin line. Though she was more annoyed at herself for failing to protect the others. She raises her wrists, reducing herself to common size before bowing middloat in apology as the others began to walk.
"Forgive this one's blasphemsome weakness to the sands of sleep. Tho perhapswise betterly than gnashing tha's friends." She snaps her head up sharply with a playful wink and chomps her golden speckled teeth at them.
Her grin turns more personal at the suggestion of drinks but grows wider at the dust accumulated around the half looted belongings. She floats behind Nik and Skee. "Which of tha dusted the murdersome wind-kin?
"Oh- uh- me. You don't have a thing about not killing killers, do ya?" Nik replies, wary.
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"Nay! Tha spurns no vexation in us. Killers kill killers, but many a killer needs killing. " Xibalba forms a quick thumb-centric Eldritch gesture of gratitude, wrist bangles clinking together like metal rain. "Myress wrought disordersome times, thusly their blasted end warrants high compliment."
"Oh- uh- thanks." Nik replies, scratching his cheek.
The party makes their way back to The Looking Glass, but finds it empty, bereft of customers and bartender. It looks abandoned like many if the festival dressings around town.
"Come, Zombington." Nik orders after it's clear they won't get any more alcohol here.
"I was hoping the strangler had a hint, but that was a bit of a bust. If anything we might've made it more boring around here." Nik says, looking around.
"Or- would the strangler count as uncreative? He did seem to like his schedule..." Nik speculates, scratching his cheek.