Chapter VI: Dangerous Paths

[Ta'lia of the Seven Jewels]

Talia is on her way back to the inn, hurrying. But somehow she has to force herself to quicken her pace. It seems  all so unreal. The town looks peaceful, the citizens who are passing friendly. Injèrá is about to set and it will be soon dark, though dawn will last quite a bit till night takes over her rule completely.
But Terra is injured seriously and Koldar in a terrible condition as well and an ever more terrible mood if that is possible. He has found a ring which means nothing to Talia and is frightened to death of something, but of what exactly? Talia is frustrated. Of course there is something evil around, the Heart has a purpose and Capher has changed to a chasm demon, an event which can‘t be much more threatening.

But Injèrá is sending her last rays in the street of Chylikis and nothing seems farer away than demons and other evil things. She was exited from the prospect of sleeping in a bed again....

In her room there is not much to do. Avours things are already in the temple and she herself has not much to pack either. The Heart. It is still hidden in the other room. Talia decides to leave it there till all is done which has to be finished here in the inn.

As Talia wants to get Koldars and Terras things as well, she realises, that she doesn‘t know, where they are. With some angry words on her lips she decides to look after the animals and to prepare them for a quick leave. It surely is of no use to lead them all through the town to the temple where she is not sure to find an adequate place  to tie them up again. If she takes the heart with her, they should be here as safe as elsewhere.

The animals are all well fed and cared of. And they don‘t like that Talia puts their saddles and package on again. Even the dune mouse is unwilling to come to Talia and stays on top of the aj.  But knowing her by now she finally manages to get all ready for departure.

Wiping the sweat from her forehead she swears to herself that she will leave the party as soon as the heart is delivered. If they ever find where to deliver it without the help of Capher. She will take Avour and return with her to the Rahaz-Dath which she never should have left.

About to leave the stable, she meets Sir Tim, the inn owner.

„What are you doing milady, you have saddled all your animals? Didn‘t you ask for a room and aren‘t your clothes in the laundry still?“ he asks Talia.

„Yes, you are right, but unfortunately we may have to leave already tonight, I‘m not sure about it. I can‘t you tell more, for your own safety - but“ Talia hesitates, a thought is coming to her mind. she grabs in her pockets and gives Sir tim one of the smaller jewels“ well, if we are not back tonight, would you please look after our animals?“ Talia asks him.

Sir Tim agrees , shrugging his shoulders and Talia goes back to the rooms to fetch the heart.


Back in the room, Talia hesitates. Again all seems so unreal to her. Their personal things are gone, only the Heart waits in the next room, the bathing cabinet, to be picked up from its hiding place.

Talia pushes herself forward, she doesn‘t want to take the Heart, but has to. She kneels down to regain it from under the bath tube where she had hidden it . Sitting at the floor she takes a closer look. It is a wonderful deep emerald green stone , the size of a her fist. Is the stone itself of evil? Or could it help to fight the evil? Why did Capher want it so urgently? Now it is too late to ask him. Only the wizard in the White Tower can answer this question now.

What only can they do to avoid being chased all the time? What should they do to avoid danger and death which seems to be attracted by the stone. Terra is terrible injured and Koldar not much better of. They can‘t face more of those encounters of the bad type. And if something nasty would happen to Avour  - Talia would have to carry this burden her life long.... Only this magus might be of help, but he is now with Koldar...

Slowly a thought is forming in Talias head . She is not happy with it, but the more she stares at the green stone in her hands, the more it gets a fixed idea. Is it really a good idea, or is she just to tired to think clearly, or too exhausted and somehow near insanity? Or are the thoughts with which she wants to escape her forming decision are just excuses?

With a jump she gets up. She has to do it. It is not very reasonable, but the others are safer - for some time, till they have recovered. Maybe then - no, she thrusts her thoughts aside, wraps the heart in a small cloth, secures it in one of her bags and goes to look for Sir Tim or another person of this house she can trust.

*****************
It doesn‘t take long till she finds one of Sir Tims daughters, probably the one which has lend her clothes to Avour. She is addressing Talia:

„Oh hello, good to meet you, I have your tunic for you. I didn‘t dare to water it, not knowing what kind of fabric it is. But I brushed it well and it should be clean now. The other things are still wet though.“

Talia is glad, she has some of her Shendar clothes back, unexpectedly soon. Is this a sign to follow her „destination“. She thanks the girl - and asks her for a favour:

„Could you please bring a note for me to Nehtor temple? I‘m a bit in a hurry, well, can‘t go near there now?“

The girl agrees and so Talia quickly writes some line on a piece of parchment, one of the few she has left.

„Thanks you very much! Please give it to some of the following people you might find there, a knight with the name Koldar, an injured woman, a warrior with the name Terra - or an elven girl who's name is Avour. Ah well, if you can‘t find those, give it to a mage with the name of Hajarian Ryelliin - if possible. And Baveras bless you!“

Talia gives the girl some coins, who is running towards Nehtors temple to be back before the sun has set.

Talia looks after her for a short moment - then she goes to the stable to get Swing out. She fills a saddlebag with some food for Swing , luckily she has already bought some for herself and the others this afternoon. Her sword is on its place on her back, the flute in her saddle bags - as is the heart meanwhile. Fluffy has jumped on her shoulder. Nothing to do is left which could delay her departure. and so she leaves the northern gate the moment when it is closing for the night.

**********************

Sir Tims daughter is running to Nehtors temple to deliver her message and arrives soon, looking for one of the people whom she is told to give it.

***Astropic of the day***
"For me there is only the traveling on paths that have heart, on any path   that may have heart. There I travel, and the only worthwhile challenge is to traverse its full length. And there I travel looking, looking, breathlessly. ~Don Juan"

Edited by: Talia Sturmwind  at: 1/30/04 12:48

[Koldar Mondrakken]

"No worries, Terra, I think there must be more to face you then just a wall to defeat you. Don't get too comfortable" Koldar tries to sound assuring but in fact is a bit worried about Terra being so pessimistic. Yeah, they got beaten up back there but as long as one survives such a thing there's really no need to see doom and decay everywhere.

Koldar was seeking for the right words to cheer her up, if cheering up was the right word in context with Terra, when an elder priest of Nehtor arrives. "You were seeking assisstance, young lord. You seemed rather perisistant as one of the nurses put it."
Friendly and in no way accusing he nevertheless looked at Koldar as if he was a small kid which just disturbed some adults in important matters because its toy was broken.
Koldar bows deep. "My apologies, master, I was carried away. Me and my friends are in a desperate mission and now face obstacles only the white order might solve."

"The nurse talked about some signet ring, you've..."

Koldars thoughts rushed how to present the story the "right" way without lying to his face. For some reason he doubted he could cheat on this guy.

"It seems like it was lost by its owner and the reason for this is one of the many riddles that endanger our mission. I need to one of the elder of the order."

"What kind of mission are you on if I may ask?" - "On the path of light through the shadows of the night." Koldar reiterated quickly from his old memories and he saw as the face of the priest froze for the blink of an eye. "Well, then I don't assume you can tell me who you are either. Show me the ring you talked about before!"

Koldar gives it to the priest.

"Its bearer wouldn't have left this ring behind evenwhen facing death. When your mission is on the path of Nehtor and someone dares to threaten and obviously kill even someone with the blessing of the Goddess your obstacles are dangerous indeed. The world beyond the temple doors are not my affairs, I only care for the wellbeing of the sick but if you seek such a man you can find one west of the road to Vezash in the north. About 6 hours on foot has he lives as a hermit in a hut in the woods to redeem himself of the sins he commited during his duty for Nehtor and Eyasha. His name is Marius Delvain. He might be old now but I hear he once was a great Paladin of the White Order and anything concerning this:" the priest points at the ring "he might still know things about. Is that all you wanted to know?"

"Not right now." Koldar answers and the priest nods and obviously embarassed continues. "If you have all you need I'd press you and your friends leave. We're a temple of healing, we cannot protect you against whatever is on your track, it obviously has killed more ready servants of Nehtor before and I need to care for the wellbeing of my patients. We are healers not fighters, we can struggle against sickness and death itsself but not against those who cause death and destructions by the sword."

Koldar halfway expected something like that, his choice would've been Armeros' shrine afterall. And knowing that whatever was after them had not really killed this servant of Nehtor, the priest was talking about, the temple was not the best hiding place in the city.

Koldar nods. "I understand."

He turns to the others and esspecially Terra. "The priest is right. We cannot stay here, the risk to get discovered sooner or later is too grave. I fear we have to shorten our stay here. We wait for Talia and then get going. Maybe this hermit knows about our new foes or what has happened to them to become ones."

Koldar Mondrakken, Knight of the Moonlight

[Ta'lia of the Seven Jewels]

The young woman looks around, but can‘t find anybody right beyond the entrance. But over there to the right she hears voices. She follows them and finds a man discussing an issue with an old priest. Some other people are present as well. It looks like she has found the persons she is looking for.

„I have a message for the knight Koldar.“


 The message

Koldar, Terra, I hope our chasers will leave you alone if that what they want is gone and  you have time enough to recover. Our rough direction is clear. I will try to leave signs on my path only you can discover, hoping that you know me well by now. You probably have only to ask if somebody has seen an aj‘nuvic ....... take your time and get well before following me!
Your animals are ready to go, I didn‘t know where you left your belongings though.
- Avour, my love, don‘t worry, I will find a way to meet you all again. -

***Astropic of the day***
"For me there is only the traveling on paths that have heart, on any path   that may have heart. There I travel, and the only worthwhile challenge is to traverse its full length. And there I travel looking, looking, breathlessly. ~Don Juan"

Edited by: Talia Sturmwind  at: 1/30/04 18:55

[Avour]

Avour doesn't quite know what to do, still in a some what sleepy state she yawns and looks at Terra. Scratching her head pushing her face in to her arm in slight frustration. "Want, no want. Terra-Kin make mind. Avour-Kin no care..." She said short and sharply frowning. Her hear hurt from lack of sleep. Lowering her hand to scratch her chest Avour yawned again. rubbing her eyes with the balls of her hands.

ooc - I dont quite know what else to post. Aside from Avour being kinda cranky for being woken up.. she wouldn't know what else to do..  

Youd be lost if I wasnt here to annoy you - Little Sister speaking to Big Sister... (My sister talking to me)

[Terra Artemos]

Koldar tells Terra not to worry, but no to get to comfortable either. There was nothing comfortable about her situation, she would much rather be on her feet right now. Before she could reply an elder man came to speak to Koldar. It was not long after the Koldar and the elder man finished, then a girl arrived claiming to have a message for Koldar, it was then that Avour spoke.

Avour seemed fustrated, and still a little sleepy. All Terra really wanted was for Avour make the descission for herself. Terra had come to believe that Avour had the only right to make such a choice. She responded to this effect,

"Avour, what I want is for you to make this descission. You make the choice. I will except your help, but only if it is what you want. The opinion of others do not matter, only yours."

Her head still throbbing a bit, Terra reach over and pulled her dagger, holding it up to avour being careful of the razor sharp edges of the blade.

"If you truely want to do this Avour, you can use my dagger. It is vary sharp, so please be careful."

Admin Contact Info: Mortus Pryde/Terra Atremos

'I am grey. All but those like me see only darkness and light, they do not see the grey between them. In this greyness I dwell. I would not wish this fate on any other.'

[Hajarian Ryelliin]

OOC: Since I have no idea how to tie myself in really... just gonna be something short... then can gradually ease my way back in... bah.


IC:
Hajarian merely watched and waited, observing the situation with a passive interest. Koldar soon motions the urge to leave this temple and find safer retreat. The magus nods in mute agreement, and then gazes towards the door as he senses a hurried presence possessing a faint wisp of Talia's aura. A note is held in the woman's hands, and she soon approaches them, offering the letter to Koldar. Hajarian looks at Koldar and raises an eyebrow. Possibly, Talia is altering the plans a little, Hajarian guesses. He wonders how the knight will take to this sudden new change of events.


OOC: Blegh.

- - - - - -
Hajarian Ryelliin
Ice Elven Magus -10th Circle

[Avour]

With a rather large and angry sigh Avour takes Terra's dagger and slices herself across her palm and trickles the blood on to her. Blinking as she pumped her hand to keep the blood flowing befor the wound healed itself. Holding back tears, Avour bit her jaw, the wound started to close over as the bleeding stopped. Leaving only a trickle of blood from down her hand. She felt slightly dizzy, and her hand was tender, flipping Terra's dagger around in her hand she didn't clean it she just handed her the handle of it.  

Youd be lost if I wasnt here to annoy you - Little Sister speaking to Big Sister... (My sister talking to me)

[Terra Artemos]

Avour took the dagger with an angry sigh, and before Terra's mind could move to intervien, Avour cut heself across he palm and mad her blood flow from the wound. Terra was not happy with the spirit in which the aid was given and wasted no energy hiding it, but it was too late to stop it.

Terra took the dagger, being vary careful not to cut Avour with its razer sharp edges, but was at a loss what ot do with it for a moment. Finally she simply slid if back into its scabbard, turned her head to take in those of the group that was present as Hajarian looked on with passive interest. With Koldar still having to deal with the girl bearing a message for him Terra called to Hajarian for aid.

"Hajarian, could you help me in removing this bandage so that Avour may do as she needs?"

Admin Contact Info: Mortus Pryde/Terra Atremos

'I am grey. All but those like me see only darkness and light, they do not see the grey between them. In this greyness I dwell. I would not wish this fate on any other.'

[Hajarian Ryelliin]

Hajarian nodded to Terra and walked over to her. Kneeling down, he placed his hands on the bandage and then turned an eye to Terra. Carefully, but swiftly, he moved to unwrap the bandage, doing his best to keep from moving Terra much.


OOC: Blegh, wasn't really sure what to write.

- - - - - -
Hajarian Ryelliin
Ice Elven Magus -10th Circle

[Terra Artemos]

Hajarian nodded, and approached, coming to kneel beside Terra. He then placed his hands on the bandage, turned an eye to her before beginning to quickly unwrap the bandage, takeing care not to move her head too much. The wound on her head began the throb anew as the pressure of the bandage eased, though the throbing deeper in her head remained unchanged. It had eased a little since she was brough to the temple of healing, and with it her throughts came easier and clearer. These thoughts turned for the moment to Hajarian, realizing they still did not know much about him, at least she didn't, and could not know how much Talia and Koldar had told him. Turning her eyes to Hajarian, but daring not turn her head, she decided to speak,

"Hajarian, I am not sure how much you have been told, or how much you have told of yourself. These things should be left unspoken here, but I hope you understand I will still need to talk to the others in private so I will know what has been spoken, and what if any more we can tell you.

I can only ask you to not push for answers from us. Some things may not be for you to know, others we may not know ourselves, and yet others may be revealed to you as they are to us."

*OOC: NP, Haj, as long as we try and get things going again.

Admin Contact Info: Mortus Pryde/Terra Atremos

'I am grey. All but those like me see only darkness and light, they do not see the grey between them. In this greyness I dwell. I would not wish this fate on any other.'

[Hajarian Ryelliin]

OOC: *nods* Sorry for the few days absence, though. College crap.


IC:
Hajarian nodded to Terra as he finisehd removed the bandages. "I understand completely. You have your secrets and I have mine. They may be revealed in time, but for now, it is simply fair enough that we remain common allies."

He placed the bandages on the floor beside Terra and then stood up, glancing around the room. "Though, I do admit, these current events are indeed procurring my curiousity."

[Koldar Mondrakken]

"What in Foiros' burny face is she thinking?!" it escapes Koldar loudly, the girl flinching upon his angry, commanding voice. "Does she think she can take the dangers of the road ahead on her own when we just realized that it is even more dangerous than we anticipated?" Koldar is angrily throbbing his forehead and then sighs deeply. He smiles encouraging at the frightened girl who was obviously not expecting such an impact of the message she delivered. "Okay, this is all. You can go." His anger was gone but there's still that commanding tone in his voice. The girl nods hastily and hurries away. For one moment Koldar considers if he was maybe a bit too rude but then decides that at this point this was not very important. Talia was gone with the Heart, the knights that had ambushed him and Terra nowhere to be found and he and the rest of the group more or less clueless.

Koldar turns to the others while tearing the note to tiny shreds. "Talia has decided to go on to bring it to safety which leaves us to decide what we should do next. I'm tempted to follow her but honestly, that'd be a bad idea as it makes this little diversion pointless. With some luck the two knights only know me and now Terra after our little encounter but we cannot tell if they might know of the other companions of the group as well. When me and Terra follow Talia we might just as well confirm that and a woman with an Aj'Nunvic will have little chance to hide from them the further north she gets. And with Capher gone I need to collect some information on my own in the hopes to understand what else we might be facing. So we must decide now, should we stay together or not and what way should we follow then from here?"

Koldar Mondrakken, Knight of the Moonlight

[Terra Artemos]

Hajarian finished removing the bandage, and places it somewhere. Terra could not see where from the bed, and as she was trying not to move her head, did not bother to look where it was placed. To his responce she punctuated the descussion simply,

"We will all get the answers we need in due time."

Having concluded her business with Hajarian Terra reached out and gently took avours bloody hand, guiding it to where she thought her wound was. She cound not be sure of it though, her whole head hurt and much of her body aswell. She could only vaguely remember hitting her head, with memory of bits and peaces after that, most of them were just a fuzzy blur of an existance she could not be certain was real, though the pain the remembered was real enough.

As Avours hand came in contact with the wound, Terra's blood mingling with hers, Terra felt the throbbing pain ease. Avours prescious blood worked on eventually even the bleeding stopped and surface wound knited closed, leaving only a still painful headache, from the damage Avours blood could not as easily fix. Terra knew she would still need time to recover fully.

After Koldar finished relaying the content of the message Terra spoke up,

"Koldar, I fear I am not ready to be traveling just yet, at least not the distance between cities. As much aid as Avours blood has given, my head wound still needs time to mend the deeper injury."

Admin Contact Info: Mortus Pryde/Terra Atremos

'I am grey. All but those like me see only darkness and light, they do not see the grey between them. In this greyness I dwell. I would not wish this fate on any other.'

Edited by: Terra Artemos at: 3/22/04 18:19

[Hajarian Ryelliin]

OOC: *kicks self*


IC:
Hajarian turned to look at Koldar as the human knight spoke.The man was looking very miffled, even angry, as evidenced by his near chasing away of the messenger girl. He then tears up the note, and speaks to the group.

Hajarian listens with interest, and then shakes his head at Koldar. "No, following her would not be a wise idea at all. We must leave her to her own destiny. Hopefully, her impulsiveness will do us as well as she seems to believe. Though it is unwise for her to remain alone... but I fear we cannot send one of us after her, for even that may prove too suspicious. The two knights may know of only you and Terra, Koldar, but I don't believe they are not possibly allied with the woman in black we met at the gates."

"Until we have confirmed how much they know about us, I suggest we separate into small groups for the time being... you and Terra, as they already know you two are allied... and then I will stay with Avour. The only dilemma is that Terra is not physically well yet for anything too strenuous. And Talia may be in danger despite our not following her... and will have no protection." He paused, and then continued.

"No point in staying here longer than necessary though. Avour and I could depart within the next day or two, and you two following a deal of time after that. We cannot be sure how safe Talia is or is not without us."

Hajarian turned away and stared at the door of the temple. "In any case... it is certainly unwise for us to remain together here any further. We must finish off here quickly, and then split up, to meet up later at a point to be decided."

He looks down at Terra. "Any comments from you, Terra? Staying here for awhile is a required undertaking for you. And I am sure you are most certainly unfit for another battle, especially alone. You will need company."

- - - - - -
Hajarian Ryelliin
Ice Elven Magus -10th Circle

[Terra Artemos]

Terra moves her head gently to look up at Hajarian, though with less discomfort than before,

"I fear the one at the gates is of the same knights as the other two, if they are allied, I do not know. The other two however were irrational at best. I could not understand some of the words they used in our encounter, but I am pretty sure they were Styrásh. From the tone of their words when they addressed Koldar, I am sure he has a history with them. We will need to know more before we proceed."

Terra glances to Koldar, with a look telling him that he will need to be more open with this part of his past.

"We should first find somewhere safer where I can recover. Then we will need to know more about these knights Koldar. I understand you are reluctant to talk about your past, but it is now putting us in mortal danger. We need to know all we can about them before we encounter them again."

Admin Contact Info: Mortus Pryde/Terra Atremos

'I am grey. All but those like me see only darkness and light, they do not see the grey between them. In this greyness I dwell. I would not wish this fate on any other.'

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