Verene drops the bolts she had been holding out in offering with a surprised grunt as the fallen crusader shoots her. They clatter to the ground.
"You're making a terrible mistake," she says urgently. Each breath hurts; she can't waste words. She tries to make eye contact with the two crusader women who haven't attacked them, her hands already drawing out the protection scroll. "We aren't your enemies. We should be protecting each other. Don't fall to this madness and evil!"
Her eyes flick to the young woman, now looking much less surrounded. "Girl, run!"
With three chanted words the scroll is gone in a puff of smoke, leaving a faint shimmer of magical armor around her body.
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Elliot grits his teeth as he watches the crusaders lay in to the group. Verene getting shot was the last straw.
He was going to kill each and-!
...
"In accordance with the teachings of Sarenrae, I hereby grant you cultitst, or fallen crusaders i suppose, one chance to repent and turn back to the light. Go to sleep and take it."
In what would be his last ditch effort to keep these fools from being killed, he rushes forward, lowering his guard to the crusader next to him, then turns around and casts Colour Spray over the three crusaders now locked in melee.
Then he quickly turns to the girl right behind him. "Run! Or get behind me and i'll keep you safe from him!"
Merixia brings her shield up to try and block the man's attack, but she's just a touch too slow. Gritting her teeth, she lets her rage at the injustice of it all flow through her. How dare these people betray their oaths as crusaders! How dare they sacrifice an innocent woman for power! "So, you have chosen death."
The cleric swings her bastard sword at the fallen crusader, aiming for his neck.
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Elyda had kept her silence as her companions attempted to reason with the group of surviving or fallen crusaders. Unfortunately, her words could be misunderstood by those predisposed against inquisitors, so she remained quiet but watchful as the others spoke. Alas, the dialogue fell short of its intent and the ex-crusaders attacked. The woman with the battered sword almost sliced her arm through, even as she asked for forgiveness. What in the name of the Lady of Valour is going on, here.
Elyda's red scar itched as the pain of the deep gash resonated through her being. They dared attack an inquisitor of the Light!
Taking deep breaths to suppress the pain and anger, Elyda's light blue eyes fell on the woman who had sliced her arm and the others, even as she watched Merixia swing her blade at the male crusader who had attacked her.
Steadily lifting the iron holy symbol from her neck, so the sword and sun could be plainly seen, Elyda found and raised her voice and spoke with a steadiness belying her need to cut them down for their dishonour,
"Upon my honour and in the name of The Light of the Sword, the Lady of Valour, I ask for order and truce. We do not, and will not, cohort with demons and devils. We are sworn to protect the innocent and eradicate the plague that has befallen Kenabres. This Tiefling woman, the cleric Merixia, is an ally and we have fought valiantly side by side, in the name of justice and righteousness." She let the holy symbol gently fall to her chest. Even as the blood poured forth from the wound on her left arm, in her true hand, Elyda raised her golden sword just enough (but not threateningly at this stage), so the brilliant sheen of Radiance could be beheld, and began to recite (in part for expedience sake) one of the tenets her parents had often spoken as paladins of the Light, hoping the ex-crusaders would know the words and meaning, "I will have faith in the Inheritor and I will not tarnish her glory through base actions. If we were cultists, then I would not be able to hold this holy symbol or sword in the name of Iomedae." She was not taught to cut down other crusaders and good folk. Let them be calm, or else they will leave me no choice, she inwardly mused.
Then with a practiced, keen stance, Elyda quietly began to cast; a fine, shimmering golden light appearing at the end of her spell and surrounding her form - a magical barrier - before turning invisible to the naked eye. Radiance's golden blade radiated the warm light for a brief moment.
===
Thesius steps to the side, his buckler nudging the longsword to the side just enough to prevent any harm.
A melancholy whisper upon his lips, "Why must the good fall so?"
Holding on to his hopes that lady luck will guide him, he attempts to disable his opponent with the morningstar. It would be a shame to spill the blood of one, who despite being misled, might still be of help to the innocent they seek to harm.
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Elliot is the first to react, dodging around one of the crusaders to get behind all three. Unfortunately, he leaves himself unguarded (deliberately) in order to draw out her attack. It pays off, as well, as he deflects her reflexive strike with ease, before turning and invoking a potent spell. An explosion of colors erupts from his fingers, coating the ground and the three unfortunate crusaders. Two of the group fall to the ground, totally out - including the leader. However, one middle-aged man remains, stubbornly resistant against his magic.
Merixia attacks the sole remaining crusader who has engaged with them, but his armor and shield prove more than a match for her skills, deflecting and protecting him from Ragathiel's righteous fury.
Verene struggles to fight off her gag reflex, but manages to get a scroll out and summon up her invisible armor of magical force.
Elyda, meanwhile, steps slightly back from her foe, carefully casting the armor of faith that Iomedae grants her. The inquisitor feels her goddess' protective hand extend over her, keeping her safer from any blows that might come her way.
Thesius swings at the crusader The man's defenses hold, and he easily manages to hold Thesius off. "Arik's down!" He shouts. "Pull back!"
Obeying both of the arcane siblings, the young woman throws herself away from the pair of crusaders who are nearby to her, running away from the combat. However, the heroes note out of the corners of their eyes that she hasn't gone far, instead just hiding at a corner of a ruined building.
Making discretion the better part of valor, the man turns on his heels, circles around Elliot, and dashes down a road to the north. The crusader who'd expressed her doubts follows with him almost immediately, ditching her fellows, while her friend hesitates, growling, and flees as well. Finally, the crossbow-wielding man dashes northwards as well, leaving behind his sword and shield in favor of getting away from the heroes.
The young woman looks warily at the heroes as a few heartbeats pass in silence. "Th-thanks for saving me. My name's Klarah... Um... who are you?"
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Rather than answer the girl right away, Elliot swiftly turns to his friends behind him. His eyes linger on Verene and he is relieved to find her still standing - if a bit worse for wear. "Quick, bind them while they're out, so they can't harm anyone else! Most of all themselves. The spell doesn't last long," he says to the group.
With his adrenaline starting to fade, he tucks Radiant Eclipse behind the belt he wore over his chain shirt and turns back to Klarah. "Oh. Well... You're welcome, Klarah. I'm Elliot, and these are my friends," he begins, not really sure how to respond to someone thanking him for saving their life. It was a first, that was for sure! "Are you all right? What happened here, and to the crusaders? We... got stuck underneath the town after the attack and had to fight our way back. We literally just did and know nothing about the situation here. Could you tell us more? If you're able to, that is. I wouldn't want to pressure you after such an ordeal."
As he inspects her for any outward injuries, a thought suddenly occurs to him. "Wait... you said your name was Klarah? I think I saw you at Armasse, with your mother. What a strange coincidence... Is she all right?"
Merixia looks tempted to give chase, but the safety of the would-be victim and restraining the fallen crusaders takes priority. Lacking a rope, she looks up at Verene. "Hey Verene, can you check if any of their gear is magic before I cut their cloaks up for bindings?" Once the diviner verifies that at least one cloak is nonmagical, Merixia efficiently cuts it into thick strips and ties the pair hand and foot.
That done, she stands up and gives the group a good look. Verene, Elyda, and herself were hit; of them Verene looks worst off. Thankfully the young woman appears uninjured. "Okay, healing time! Everyone who's injured, gather round." Merixia holds up her silver holy symbol. "Ragathiel, grant me your healing light!"
Thesius puts his morningstar away and takes the time to search the individuals, using detect magic to help. He tosses any weapons back towards where they approached from in case their allies returned from wince they ran.
"Well done Elliott. That was a wonderful display of nonlethal options. Hopefully we can talk some sense into them."
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Verene blinks as the fallen crusaders lose their nerve in the face of a quick disable of two of their number, then smiles in relief at her brother. "Good job, Elliot. Quick thinking."
"Here, just use my twine and wrap it several times. It will save you time." Moving gingerly, Verene hands Merixia an almost-new ball of kitchen twine from her pack. Wrapped and knotted three or four times around wrists and ankles, it should certainly be as hard to break or slip out of as makeshift cloth ties, or so she hopes. "I don't think we want to restrain them long-term, anyway. Where would we take them?"
Elliot seems to know the girl Klarah, so she merely listens to their conversation. When he artlessly brings up her mother, she winces slightly. Hopefully, there is not a fresh wound there.
When Merixia finishes her task and prepares to heal them, Verene comes closer, braces herself and sends warning to Thamyris, perched watchfully on a half-crumbled rooftop. On the final word, with one quick yank, she removes the bolt from where it lodged in her breastbone, just before the wave of golden light washes over the group. She manages not to faint from the pain, but falls to one knee with a cough that is half a retch. Unfortunately, while it is not bleeding badly thanks to the healing, the injury hasn't fully closed and the cracked bones don't seem set. She prods her ribs and winces.
"Thank you, Merixia. If no one objects, I think I'll use one of the healing potions, too." Supposing no one objects, Verene uncorks and swallows one of the four green-glowing potions taken from the final set of cultists they fought the previous day. But it, too, seems to struggle with the injury.
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Elyda watched as some of the ex-crusaders fled the area, away from them. Those, unconscious, on the ground were being restrained with Verene's twine. Casting her eyes to Elliot, she simply stated, "Well thought and done."
When the maiden introduced herself, Elyda acknowledged her with a polite incline of her head and replied, "It appears the gods wished for us to cross paths this day, Klarah. I am Elyda. Be not anxious, for you are among friends. Have you a safe place to return?"
After the girl answered, Elyda wished to be of some use, even as her arm bled, and she answered Merixia, "I will cast the spell and let you know," and then began to cast her spell to determine if the gear was mundane or magical.
After a little time, Merixia called the injured to her and Elyda joined the cleric; relieved when the healing energy knitted some of the deeper wounds, but not all. "Thank you for the healing, Merixia. The battered blade cut to the bone," she said.
The pain was still there in her left arm - part of the skin raw and gaping. Once again, Elyda called upon her magic, this time to heal her remaining wounds. Kenabres had already proven to be dangerous and from a source she had not expected. Fear has brought on lawlessness. Lady of Valour keep us safe so we may aid the good people who remain.
Once the spell was completed, the deep cut in her left arm sealed whole and the skin returned to its rightful shade.
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As the heroes heal (mostly unsuccessfully), Klarah blinks a few times at Elliot, before approaching with a slow nod. "No wonder you seemed familiar. You're, uh, really distinctive. No offense." She adds hastily.
"Mother is... well, my family's alive. My parents and I are, anyways, and that's more than I think most can say these days." She casts a wary look around. "Demons are everywhere, even now. I think most of them left, maybe to Nerosyan, but there're still plenty around."
"I came out here to look for supplies to scavenge. My parents and I have been hiding in our shop's basement... but my parents got hurt when one of the beams collapsed. I was looking for some medical supplies." Klarah looks at the heroes. "Please, if you have any magic to spare, could you help them? Or at least, if any of you know anything about medicine..." There's an edge of desperation to her voice.
Thesius' quick examination reveals that each of the two unconscious crusaders was armed with a heavy crossbow, a longsword of middling quality, a flask of alchemist's fire, and a cold iron dagger. With such small cold iron weapons, no wonder they were looking for a better way to slay demons. Each of them also has a heavy wooden shield - no heraldry - and a breastplate. The breastplates do have iconography indicating that they've taken the oath against the Worldwound, but don't have any signs that they're worshippers of Iomedae. Probably, these two and their fellows were mercenaries - derisively called "Low Crusaders" by some of the more devout people of Mendev.
Klarah, meanwhile, goes over to the dropped sword near the well. Bending over, she picks it up and looks at it grimly. "I guess I should start trying to learn how to use this..." She says softly, almost to herself.
As they speak, the two unfortunate crusaders begin to stir, though they still don't awaken.
Thesius steps to the other side of the fallen crusaders, morningstar in hand. While he hopes to not have to use it, he does not want to be caught unprepared. He is not sure what these two are fully capable of.
As he waits, he tries to recall if he knows anything further about the two. One of those that fled mentioned the man he faced was named Arik...
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After downing the underwhelming potion, Verene backs up a little and examines the crusaders, Klarah, and the street in general with her wide-sweeping cantrip to reveal the presence and influence of the Abyss and its creatures. If one or more of the crusaders have been tainted or possessed, especially the leader, it might explain some of their monstrous behavior. And the girl seems utterly harmless, but she has just learned a hard lesson about caution by running into a fight without her armoring spell.
If Klarah is right in her impression, in one sense they are lucky that most of the demons have moved on from Kenabres. But cold fear grips Verene's heart at the thought of Nerosyan overrun like this, and not just for her parents. The war really would be lost then, and with it, the world. Yet she believes — she has to believe — that the full military might of Mendev, with the Queen at its head, will not be so easy to topple as one border city, which seems to have fallen at least partly through the treachery of undetected cultists.
"It was brave of you to seek help for your parents, Klarah. We are trying to find a safe place to gather survivors and help them if we can. Is it a life-or-death emergency right now, or could we go with you to aid your parents once we know we have a place to take them to that will be safer than the basement?"
He can't even place their iconography, other than to say it's definitely from one of Kenabres' units who served the kingdom and Crusade.
Klarah looks up from her newly acquired weapon, blinking rapidly, and nods. "Uh, they aren't going to die any time soon unless their wounds get infected, I guess." She rubs her face with one hand, before looking at her other, seeming surprised to see the sword there. Taking a deep breath, she turns back to the heroes.
Before she can speak, though, the pair of crusaders on the ground groan softly - they're starting to wake up.
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"It would seem your allies have chosen to make a tactical retreat with the lost of their leader Arik. We have removed your weapons and bound you for our own well being as we hopefully manage to have a more peaceful talk. I am Thesius and these my comrades. We seek an end to the demons within the city as I believe you do as well. Pray tell, can we discuss such this time prior to violent action?" he says while shifting his gaze between the two captives. While he does have his weapon in hand, he keeps it at his side to allow them to hopefully understand that he means no harm, but will protect those around him should they move aggressively.
Calling over to Merixia, Elyda relayed the results of her spell on the crusaders' gear, "The gear is not magical. It makes sense since they were desperate for a demon slaying blade." Laying her hand on her side, Elyda began to quietly cast; asking the Lady of Valour to guide her next endeavour/s.
Elyda moved to stand near Thesius, the golden blade of Radiance ready to protect the company and not necessarily cut down the stirring captives. Periodically, Elyda looked up and around their current position, watching for anyone watching them or approaching the party.
As Thesius waits for a response, Anevia, Aravashnial, and Horgus arrive in the little plaza. The archer looks around quickly, her brow furrowed and bow at the ready. "What happened here?" Noting the bound prisoners, her expression darkens further. "Cultists?"
Klarah looks wary as the party's companions arrive, stepping back and looking ready to bolt, though she relaxes when Anevia speaks. "Um. Are these friends of yours?" She asks, looking at Elliot.
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Thesius raises his head to take in their allies. His eyes shifted towards Anevia, he responds, "Not as far as I can tell, but they do seem to be misguided crusaders. Their allies fled after Elliot elegantly incapacitated these two with a bit of heroics and a well-placed spell."
Turning his eyes towards Aravashnial, he asks, "Aravashnial are you aware of any truth behind the ability to create a demon slaying weapon through the spilling of innocent blood? I do believe you are the most experienced of us in the terms of the arcane." He hopes that the name may ring of familiarity to the captured crusaders and, if nothing else, they will take the elf's words to heart.
Elliot looks a bit embarassed, but pleased, at the paise from all his teammates. He makes a throwaway motion with his left arm as he tries to get out of being the center of attention. "Ah, come on guys! Knowing you, you had this in the bag anyway, right? Though, I am happy the spell contributed to no one dying," he glances at the prone crusaders on the last bit.
As the heroes heal (mostly unsuccessfully), Klarah blinks a few times at Elliot, before approaching with a slow nod. "No wonder you seemed familiar. You're, uh, really distinctive. No offense." She adds hastily.
"None taken," Elliot smiles in what he thinks is a disarming manner. "After a decade or two you kind of get used to it."
He listens as Klarah talks about the situation her parents were with Verene. "Verene is right; we're still trying to get our bearings and hopefully find or start some kind of organised resistance with the other survivors here. Though, given that we don't know where to find any, perhaps you could tell us where the shop is? We have a few places we were planning on visiting soon, and we could drop by if it's close or on the way? Or, failing that, send someone to your parents once we can, assuming we make it."
To the side, he hears Thesius start to talk to the stirring crusaders Merixia and Verene had bound in the meantime, while Elyda stood watch. "Maybe not share it now, though. Seems like they're waking up."
Yet, before the low crusaders can offer any response, their other companions show up.
"Um. Are these friends of yours?" She asks, looking at Elliot.
"They're good folk," he says, grinning in some relief as the others caught up. "Anevia is a member of the Eagle Watch and a skilled archer, and Aravashnial over there is my teacher. He's an accomplished wizard capable of casting powerful arcane magic, much stronger than mine. We're very fortunate to have the two of them with us - they've gotten us out of some pretty tight scraps. And that's Horgus over there. He's a wealthy noble."
Under his breath, he mutters the last sentence to Klarah: "He's 'special'." The less said about Horgus, the better. Though if the man somehow overheard, perhaps his ego would interpret that in a positive way.
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Merixia chokes off a giggle into a cough at Elliot's sotto voce remark. "Nice to meet you, Klarah, although I wish it was under better circumstances. I'm Merixia, a cleric of Ragathiel. I have some training in battlefield medicine, so if you like, I can take a quick look at your parents." She eyes the fallen crusaders' armor. As much as she would like a breastplate, they aren't dead, so their equipment doesn't properly count as spoils of battle. Pity, that.
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Klarah hesitates, considering Elliot's question. "Well, I do know some things about what's been happening here, but I don't know much about anyone fighting the demons - at least, not without becoming as bad as the demons themselves." She scowls, gesturing at the stunned prisoners.
Anevia grimaces at the thought. "Damn. Seems like the fall of the city's bad enough that everyone's thrown their loyalties out the window."
Aravashnial actually snorts at the idea. "That old story? No. Demon slaying weapons are at their least made from cold iron. At their most, they are sanctified to the celestial realms and the gods that rule them. Slaying innocents will just get you sent to the Abyss yourself after you die."
The crusaders finally begin to return to full awareness, struggling fruitlessly against their bonds. Arik, the leader, growls, looking around at the heroes. "Damn you! You've doomed my people to die at the demons' claws!" He thrashes about, but the bonds of twine manage to keep him tied.
His compatriot seems less able to strain against her bonds - perhaps a residual effect of the magic that stunned her. "Traitors." She mumbles, before pushing against her bindings again.
Klarah scowls, approaching them with sword in hand. "You think that you were going to survive just by killing me?" She kicks Arik in the flank, wincing as she stubs her toes against his breastplate. "You little..."
"This place is the Abyss now! We need to survive and escape!" The second crusader cries.
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"Klarah, my apologies for not saying hello yet. Elliot seemed to conversing with you and I wanted to make sure that these crusaders were kept from doing further harm. I am Thesius and while I understand what they sought to do is horrible, I would ask that you refrain from attacking them. I have no plans on allowing them to try to further harm you and would ask that you rejoin Elliot," he says softly to her, sympathy in his eyes.
He then moves to in front of Arik and kneels down as he addresses the man with a scowl, "It's easy to blame your own misdeeds upon others, but I assure you that if your comrades die, that burden falls upon you. You chose to attack us over your own prejudices and inability to know right from wrong." His face softens as he continues, "So I would ask that you look into your own heart and assess what occurred once more. We have done little to harm you and would perhaps even seek to join forces not only for our," he gestures to everyone there including the two captured crusaders, "own safety, but those around us. Perhaps we could even see this city back to it's past brilliance if we can work past our differences and find common ground upon which to stand as we combat the evil that has invaded our homes."
Verene looks bleakly at the fallen crusaders' leader. Rather than seeing sense after his involuntary nap, he seems as committed to his delusional belief as before. And every minute they stay out here on the street trying to reason with these two is a risk to the whole group. She decides to try appealing to self-interest, making sure to look both crusaders in the eyes as she speaks. "There is no strength in virgin's blood, but there is strength in numbers. Far from dooming you to die, see this for what it is: a second chance to live."
Then she turns away, pretending to look through her pack so the crusaders will not be able to see her lips moving, and whispers to the group included in the message spells. "If they will not see reason, what do we do? Those bonds won't hold long. Even if we strengthened them, I have no mind to drag two noisy fools through half the city looking for somewhere to jail them, no matter how much they deserve it. Anywhere undefended we leave them securely tied, they simply become bait for demons, and no one deserves that. Nor do I wish to execute them. I say we keep their weapons so it will be harder for them to harm other innocents, point them at the city walls where that crevasse has broken them, and tell them to run and keep running."
Klarah flushes as Thesius greets her, and nods, before swallowing and looking back at the bound crusaders. "I, uh..."
Before she can continue, Arik scowls at Thesius, spitting a wad of oddly colorful phlegm at his boots. "You still think this place can be saved? You're crazier than the cultists! At least they're winning! If working together," the words come out as pure vitriol, "could've saved Kenabres, do you think we'd be here lying in the dirt?"
HIs comrade looks sullen, but doesn't speak.
Aravashnial shifts slightly. "I do not wish to leave them bound - at least not without weapons. There are yet demons about, and I would not see them doomed to torture and death. Either we leave them weapons and send them away, or we kill them quickly."
Anevia grimaces. "I hate it... We can't bring them with us, care for their safety, and prevent them from possibly drawing more demons or cultists than we might otherwise do. There aren't any authorities that we know of. Until we find some, I trust Elyda and Merixia to make the judgment here."
Horgus simply looks disgusted at the crusaders.
Klarah looks between the crusaders and the heroes. "I say we leave these two morons. The demons will probably kill them, and I don't want to waste any more time on them."
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The crusaders finally begin to return to full awareness, struggling fruitlessly against their bonds. Arik, the leader, growls, looking around at the heroes. "Damn you! You've doomed my people to die at the demons' claws!" He thrashes about, but the bonds of twine manage to keep him tied.
His compatriot seems less able to strain against her bonds - perhaps a residual effect of the magic that stunned her. "Traitors." She mumbles, before pushing against her bindings again. "This place is the Abyss now! We need to survive and escape!"
Elliot can only stare in disbelief at the depths of depravity these mercenaries had fallen to. He manages to keep quiet long enough for Thesius to try persuading them, but when Verene suggests having them run out the city stripped of their gear if they refuse, he speaks.
"Do you have no shame? None whatseoever!?" he hisses at the fallen crusaders - uncharacteristically angry. "This girl-" - he points at Klarah - "-Went out into a demon and cultist infested city unarmed to get help for her parents. By herself ! While you and your fully equipped unit of knights whine about somehow not having the proper gear to fight at all!? But instead of trying to help her -or anyone?- you try to kill her on the off chance this gives you a fantasy weapon from a non-existant good diety who would be into the sacrifice of innocents ?"
He shakes his head, mouth partly open as he just cannot believe the stupidity of it all. "No, it gets worse. You directly attack fellow crusaders - rare allies - when they call you out on how this is a bad idea. You then even try to kill us, while we went out of your way NOT to harm you! And even now, when you're on the ground and bound, left behind by even your own unit, you still hold on to those thoughts and call us traitors? How many second chances does it take for you to admit your mistakes!?"
Taking one of the coldiron daggers, he throws it into the ground point first. "You say you need a weapon? You had weapons - both for demons AND for cultists. What would you have even done if this HAD worked and you'd gotten such a weapon? It took ONE spell from me to drop you, and then your ENTIRE unit fled! What good would it have done on you? All of you put together seemingly don't even have the basic courage of ONE villager you're sworn to protect!"
Taking a deep breath and closing his eyes for a moment, he seemingly re-finds his calm. "If I were you, I'd think back on why I came here. I see breastplates on you that say you took an oath to defend this place. Did you come here for easy money, or did you actually come here to fight? Are you a mercenary worth your salt, or just another one that gives them a bad name? And if the former, do you have the balls to own up to your mistakes and try fixing them? Or are you just going to run, hoping you can still look at yourself in the mirror and be proud of what you've done?"
With Anevia suggesting leaving their fate to Merixia and Elyda, and Klarah (probably justifiably, given what they tried), suggesting leaving them behind, Elliot seems to not detect outright hostility from the female crusader. "At bad as it looks, you might still have a choice. You might have allies now," he adds to her, then looks to what the two knights of the group decide to do with them.
Thesius listens as Elliot rants at the captured crusaders, finding himself agreeing with most of what is being said as he watches pair. Seemingly unfazed at the spit. It meant little in regards to what they had come to see.
Thesius understands Klarah's outrage and works not to judge her by it. Despite all of this, he allows his eyes to linger about the second of the captured. She had tried to speak before her leader cut her off.
"What would you say miss? I myself believe that a crazy world, may require," he allows his eyes to redirect to Arik's as he finishes, "the so called crazy to save it. For if no one steps up, there is no hope."
Verene regards the ex-crusaders searchingly while Elliot and Thesius speak their piece, but what she sees makes her heart sink. She bends to retrieve her bolts and whispers, "You're not wrong, but I'm afraid you are wasting your breath on these two, Elliot. You can't reason someone out of a position they didn't reason themselves into, and you can't shame a fear-maddened animal. Arik has been driven into complete irrationality, and the woman seems to have practically given up on life already. It may not be impossible to reach them, but it would be very hard, and we would have to start by appealing to their most basic concern for their own lives, I think."
She turns aside to speak to Klarah for a moment, drawing her away a few steps with a gentle hand on her shoulder, if she will go. At least the girl only seems justifiably angry and afraid, not especially malicious. "Your anger and contempt are understandable, and I do not ask you to feel any differently than you do." There is only compassion in her eyes. "Only to know yourself safe from them now. And to consider whether you would truly, this moment, take up the knife yourself, and torture them to death while they lie helpless. If not— it is not courage to allow a demon to do it for you."
Merixia looks down at the bound crusaders, her yellow eyes cold and remote. "These two have shown themselves willing and able to slay the innocent in cold blood. They have not shown any signs of remorse, or even acknowledged that what they tried to do was wrong. In the absence of a court of law, the way of Ragathiel demands their deaths, so that they may not repeat their offenses." Part of her regrets the necessity of executing those who might once have been allies... but part of her craves the rush of a righteous kill, the blood of the wicked. "Provided that a majority of us agree, I will make it fast and as near painless as I can manage."
Elliot steps back as Thesius attempts to take over changing the girl's disposition. His face then drops as he listens to Verene's incoming message . "If that didn't work... I don't think I can get through to them. I'm not even sure how to appeal to their sense of self-preservation if what you say is true. But... I had to try."
Merixia's judgement pulls him from the conversation and he briefly glances at the girl next to Verene. "Klarah? You don't have to look if you don't want to. Feelings of anger might pass, but the image of a gruesome act of killing fellow men might remain." He wasn't entirely sure how he knew that, but it felt correct. Perhaps something the sword had imparted to him from a previous owner, he decided.
He turns around and meets the cleric's eyes as she waits for everyone's answers.
The emberkin shakes his head and the trail of smoke from his burning hair follows the motion. "I... have no objections. Goddess be my witness, I tried to act in accordance with her teachings. Now, I think it's more important to do this quickly, equip ourselves as best we can and get moving. Who knows what other atrocities are being committed here, in which we might still intercede if we but not linger here needlessly? Every moment we try appealing to them is another we lose to save someone else."
Thesius holds onto his conviction in front of the crusaders. Someone needed to step up. Nothing would be accomplished otherwise.
Arik sneers at Elliot. "Shame? Shame died with the city. Now there's just survival." He doesn't even flinch at the dagger toss. "You ever fought a demon with a knife? It's suicide. You have your fancy magic, and your gold swords, and your arrogance, and think you know what it's like to try to survive without them?" He spits again.
At Thesius' question, his companion offers a crooked smile. "If we're crazy and the world's crazy, doesn't that make us the perfect fit?" There's a note of bitterness in her voice, but her eyes are hard.
Klarah shrugs slightly at Verene and Elliot. "I don't want to kill them. I don't want to save them. They deserve whatever they find out here." She'll probably regret saying that in the future, but right now she seems firm.
Elyda watched the interaction and then quietly cast a spell, once again calling upon her Lady's blessed guidance. Merixia had pronounced judgement on the pair whose fear appeared to be clouding all sense and reason. She understood Merixia's standpoint, yet she wished to try reach the captives before casting her own judgement.
"You ever fought a demon with a knife? It's suicide. You have your fancy magic, and your gold swords, and your arrogance, and think you know what it's like to try to survive without them?" He spits again.
Elyda began speaking; her words steady and uncommonly calm for the inquisitor. From her own experiences with strangers, anger and misunderstanding only begat anger and misunderstanding, and nothing got sorted.
"Fear and desperation are merciless masters and will not keep you alive in this city or any other. We did not always have sacred swords when we have fought demons - we have simply fought together, bloodied and almost at death's door, for the welfare of all. It is easy to pick off people if they are alone, separated or isolated. The heroes that have come before us - if they had given up hope, faith and their principles, then there would have been no place for those who came after - for us - in this land or any lands. We have not meant you harm, this girl Klarah was going about her day trying to survive. I have shown you my dedication to the Lady of Valour and still you resist the truth? The blood of a maid won't save you or this city. It'll leave it with less people to fight against the darkness. Anger and loathing make for critical mistakes and ones no one can afford at this time. We are not asking you to lower your guard, for trust is something to be earned and that goes both ways. We are asking that you allow yourself to see some reason, for a proper discourse, so we may not waste any more time bickering and wishing for death in plain sight of an enemy that wishes us all dead. Can we reach an understanding?"
"I say we leave these two morons. The demons will probably kill them, and I don't want to waste any more time on them."
In the same steady voice, she responded to the young woman they had rescued not moments before,
"Klarah, you have recently gone through an ordeal that has left you with less than charitable feelings toward these people. I am not making light of it. However, to leave people to die by the hands of demons is a grim fate indeed. As is killing people who cannot find some sense/reason. You have said you do not wish to kill them or save them and that is your choice. Yet, as we saved you from death, we cannot judge them to death so readily, even when time is scarce and threat is high."
"Now there's just survival." He doesn't even flinch at the dagger toss. "You ever fought a demon with a knife? It's suicide. You have your fancy magic, and your gold swords, and your arrogance, and think you know what it's like to try to survive without them?"
Verene blinks away a brief vision of herself grabbing this selfish lowlife by the collar and shaking him until his teeth rattle in his empty skull while roaring,
But cathartic as it might be, she has never been able to successfully replicate the drill-sergeant bellow of Third Sword-Knight Vandemar, and she knows on some bone-deep level that her best effort would only make Arik sneer and close up like a clam.
"Yes." Her voice, when it comes, is quiet. "I know exactly what it's like to try to survive a demon attack without fancy magic or golden swords. This is not the first time Khorramzadeh the Storm King has come with his armies to Kenabres. Last time he did, I was younger than Klarah here. But I did survive, and you can too. I survived because someone - many someones - who did have the ability and the will to fight, stepped between me and danger. I want that for you. That is being offered to you, right now. So take advantage of it. Cooperate with the mages, and the gods-touched, who are offering you this chance. Because you're right: survival has to come first. You can't do or decide or become anything more if you die. And this is your best shot. So ask yourself: Do I still want to live?"
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Arik coughs at Elyda's words, his face twisted in a scowl. "Iomedae? Have you seen the city? Do you honestly believe she cares? Or if she does, do you think she's powerful enough to save us? Her temples are gone, and with them her church." His lips twist in a sneer. "You've already doomed our squad. Hell, if you're right, we were doomed anyways."
"You think we didn't try to fight them?" The woman says darkly. "Half our squad died in the first assault, and three more since. Maybe you can stop some, but they're limitless. Everyone's going to die some time, and... well, we're dead walking now."
Arik spits his agreement - surely he must be running out of saliva?
Klarah shrugs at Elyda, before looking away. She's not happy, but she's willing to accept whatever the heroes decide.
Anevia whispers to the others. "Sounds like we're split on what to do with them, and I'm not sure they can change their minds. At least," she adds, "not without time that we just don't have."
Thamyris chirps in Verene's ear. "Hear wings! No feathers, but wings!"
Verene stiffens and glances upward, scanning the sky. "We are out of time." She whispers to the message group, "Wings, featherless wings, approaching now." To Thamyris she adds, "Good job, my dear. Big wings, or small ones?"
She shakes off a possible future in which she extends a hand to Arik, then realizes awkwardly he is still bound, and he merely looks at her with contempt from the ground. Instead she pulls out the fine dagger and starts to cut the bonds around the woman's ankles so she can stand. The group had not come near to agreeing to execute these two, and no one except the girl had wanted to leave them to become demonbait. In a low voice she says, "Decide. Stick with us, keep quiet, and live. Or, if you really want to die, you can run from the flying creatures approaching and give them something to chase."
"You think we didn't try to fight them?" The woman says darkly. "Half our squad died in the first assault, and three more since. Maybe you can stop some, but they're limitless. Everyone's going to die some time, and... well, we're dead walking now."
"See, that's the thing with defeatism. It's a self-fullfulling prophecy. If their numbers *were* endless, they'd have won long ago, and we've been told most of them have moved on from the city. In other words, they believe they've won and have grown careless. That opens them up for a counterattack," Elliot tries, glancing between Elyda and Merixia and waiting on a final decision of sorts when Verene instructs them of inbound enemies from the sky.
As Verene begins cutting the woman's rope so that she can run away, Elliot looks at Arik and draws Radiant Eclipse. "I think we've each said what we could to convince you. But demons are approaching now, and it's time for you to choose. You can live and fight back at them if you come with us. But we can't drag you with us, or force you to live, so it's either that, you let the demons catch you, or I can mercy-kill you before that can happen. It's your choice. You have three seconds to decide."
He swallows and tries not to appear nervous. "One..."
"No need, Elliot. Should he choose to die, this is part of my duties." Merixia looks around for the approaching enemies, fingers tightening around the hilt of her sword. Most of the time she appreciates her teammates' kindness and compassion, but right now it's extremely inconvenient. They could have been well on their way to Gwerm Manor by now, but oh no, we have to try and talk sense into would-be murderers. She sighs, rubbing the base of her horns with her free hand. What a headache.
Maybe she can see if Elliot is amenable to more lethal spell options later on.
Thesius confirms his grip upon his morningstar. It seemed like that he may be using it again shortly, but would like to do so in more favorable conditions if possible. He examines the area looking for somewhere they might hide and/or protect themselves from aerial assaults. There were too many tactical advantages for the opponent without something to force them down to being within reach of the ground.
Thamyris pauses, considering the question. "Small ones. Bigger than mine, but small."
"We're dead anyways." The female crusader says coldly, in response to Verene. "Either you kill us, or the demons do." Her voice is almost disinterested.
For his part, Arik growls. "You might be better matched against the demons than we were, but you won't win. No one will. Even the damned fools who follow them lose." He lets out a strange noise that might once have been called laughter.
"Unfortunately they seem uncaring of the atrocity that they were about to commit and I find it likely they may try again if it means increasing their chances of survival within their disillusioned minds. I find it a risk to the general populace to leave them to their own antics," Thesius says darkly while stepping back.
Continuing to look around, Thesius adds, "It would be worth finding somewhere more defensible if we are to fight flying opponents."
"No need, Elliot. Should he choose to die, this is part of my duties." Merixia looks around for the approaching enemies, fingers tightening around the hilt of her sword.
Elliot tries to steady the tremble of the hand holding his sword as he listens to the cleric. "Thank you, Meri. But... I am resposible, and it's part of my duties too, now. I went too far in trying to offer mercy to those undeserving, it seems. Or at the least, for too long - and someone else in the city might suffer the price."
"You might be better matched against the demons than we were, but you won't win. No one will. Even the damned fools who follow them lose."
"Then I will be the fool for both of us. Go in the sun's light."
The words come out stern, and he slices off Arik's head.
He leaves the woman to Merixia in accordance with her beliefs. Glancing at Thesios, he says: "Agreed. Now let's move. If anyone needs their armor, we should drag the bodies with us into hiding, and quickly!"
Poor Elliot. It seems that he's discovering his goddess' fiercer side now. Sarenrae is merciful, but also uncompromising toward evil. "Very well, then." Stepping around the growing pool of blood, Merixia takes her heavy sword in both hands and raises it above the other crusader. "May Pharasma have mercy on your soul." With that, she strikes the woman's head off.
"Let's go, and yes, I can use a breastplate." The cleric quickly cleans and sheathes her sword, then grabs the headless corpse by the feet and starts dragging it toward a nearby alley.
"We're dead anyways." The female crusader says coldly, in response to Verene. "Either you kill us, or the demons do." Her voice is almost disinterested.
For his part, Arik growls. "You might be better matched against the demons than we were, but you won't win. No one will. Even the damned fools who follow them lose." He lets out a strange noise that might once have been called laughter.
Verene shakes her head, though whether in sadness or disbelief is unclear. She says nothing more to the ex-crusaders, but stands back in silence, turning her head away from the sight of their deaths. Her eyes are remote, already on to the next problem: thinking about what to do next. Most importantly, should they try to run from whatever is approaching, or fight? Small is better than large, probably, but much depends on the specifics of what kind of demon it is, and what it can do.
To Thamyris she says, quietly, "Thank you. That is helpful to know."
At the very least, it seems wise to remove some angles of attack. Verene steps carefully over to the nearby building, as far under its roof as she can manage, and puts her back to its wall, drawing up her crossbow again. At this point, checking the bolt and tension is almost instinctual.
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[ooc}Arik and his friend can't actually make those.[/ooc]
The two crusaders die quickly and, in some sense, mercifully. Hopefully their souls will be granted a place outside the fiendish realms, but who can say? Only Pharasma knows what criteria she has for judging her petitioners.
It takes her disturbingly long to determine what manner of demon might have small wings, but ultimately she comes to the conclusion that it is almost certainly a quasit. Quasits are deliberately created from fragments of a sinful mage's soul, and are therefore often familiars of said mages. While hardly physically threatening on their own, despite their poisonous claws and sharp fangs, quasits adore tempting the unwary to sin, that they might come to the Abyss after their death.
Like all demons, quasits are resistant to weapons not made from cold iron (or blessed by one of the good gods), and are immune to electricity and poison. It is remarkably difficult to harm them with acid, fire, or cold, as well, and they heal remarkably fast.
The fact that they can turn invisible at will helps them in this pursuit, as they can pose as helpful voices to answer questions of oblivious and ignorant victims - and can even offer true answers, as they have the ability to call upon greater demons' knowledge on occasion.
In a place like ruined Kenabres, the most threatening thing about quasits would be the fact that they can turn invisible, and therefore can go and alert other demons or cultists about the party's location. Fortunately, their telepathy is only available to those they touch, meaning that they would have to fly elsewhere to report such a thing.
Unfortunately, it also means that a quasit might not do that and simply follow the heroes until they encountered something bigger and meaner, before taking the opportunity to lash out when they are distracted.
Anevia steps back into cover, guiding Aravashnial behind her and scanning the skies. For his part, Horgus runs (as quickly as he's able with his heavy frame) over to another ruined building.
The archer draws her shortbow and nocks one of her cold iron arrows. "What are we looking for?" She asks via Verene's spell.
Thesius turns his head at the carnage and moves to start gathering the weapons they had confiscated focusing initially on the daggers and flasks. His morningstar on the ground next to him for easy access as he goes about the task.
As he hears the dragging of a body, he turns that way and notes something the others had perhaps not thought of.
"Dragging those bodies with us is going to leave a blood trail behind. We might be better off leaving them as bait for whatever draws are way so we can assess what they are determine if we can dispose of them."
Verene releases her concentration on the fiendish-detection cantrip and draws a pinch of white powder glittering with a touch of silver from her pouch, smearing it in a messy line across her eyelids and the bridge of her nose as she chants a short phrase. It flares, fades and vanishes, seeming to sink into the skin.
When she had spent the time last night to understand and copy Millorn's invisibility spell, the oppositional unweaving of the illusion had seemed so straightforward that she took a chance and wrote down her idea too, beside it. She isn't sure if it will work, and she briefly regrets that applying it to someone else is still beyond her, because it would certainly be more useful with a flying foe for Anevia to know exactly where to shoot.
"Thamyris says the featherless wings he heard were larger than him, but still small," she then message-whispers to the group. "I think what he heard is likely a quasit. Unfortunately, that would mean that in addition to flying, it can become invisible at will, has poisonous claws, and heals supernaturally fast. Cold iron or blessed weapons would hurt it normally, however. More importantly, if we don't deal with it now, it could follow us and wait for a time when we are already threatened or distracted to attack. And if we don't kill it, it could run away and get reinforcements."
She scans the sky and the street around them again, keeping her gaze unfocused even if she spots something. If their enemy is here but invisible, she would rather it still think itself undetected for now.
"Dragging those bodies with us is going to leave a blood trail behind. We might be better off leaving them as bait for whatever draws are way so we can assess what they are determine if we can dispose of them."
"Good point, but I'm not sure one more blood trail will matter much compared to all the death and destruction already around us," Elliot responds, as he does what he can to quickly scramble backwards with the one of the bodies.
Once the party stops in the cover of rubble from a partly destroyed building, he takes out the crossbow with the few coldiron bolts he'd gotten from Verene in an earlier life and watches the sky with Anevia and his sister.