Porcelain Child/SessionTwenty

With the group reunited at last, you go about your orders to ready Glie for a possible attack by the beasts that lurk in the darkness of the woodlands. Anona and Epheri, with a curious Magpie in tow prepare to locate a still living village in which to lay an ambush and crush the apparent leader of these monsters. The magistrate, Yengo and Vana head to support Ujiro who is trying to organize a defense plan with the town officials.

The Council Hall
<onine> "....but we are just farmers, not soldiers!" One sniveling official type whines.
<onine> "Besides!" a man that looks to be a guard of some authority sneers. "We have had no reports of anything, even if we did believe you, we are not going to barricade our roads and arm the peasantry!"
<onine> "But they are coming to eat you, don’t you see!" Ujiro yells in response as the magistrate throws the hall doors open with a boom, Vana, Yengo and Tara flanking him.
<onine> The sight of a Dragonblood hushes the petty nobles for the moment at least. The hall is large and wooden, circular in shape, with many seated around the main floor of packed dirt. There is a group of three on an elevated dais at the end of the hall which Ujiro is standing before. Above there are balconies which in more glorious times would allow the townsfolk to watch the proceedings of administration. This room likely serves as a courtroom as well for trials.
* Yengo looks about the room a little uneasily, wondering exactly what they've walked in on.
<onine> There is a bitter looking older man with long dark hair sitting in the center, wearing the robes of a patrician and with the badge of office, to his right is an aid or lesser administrator, balding and sniveling in appearance.
<onine> The only respectable looking one is the guardsman to his left, dressed in light armor, he is relatively handsome for the lower class, with blond hair and a carefully cut goatee. He surveys you with ice blue eyes.
<onine> Most of those sitting around the central area bow their heads low as the prince of the earth moves through the room to the central dais.
<onine> Ujiro stands to the side now that the magistrate is taking over. There is an uncomfortable pause, a very uncomfortable pause. You can even hear the draught crossing the room make its way through your cloaks, and the sound of disturbed torches.
<onine> The magistrate speaks simply, as though talking to children. "I am Magistrate Mnemon Diamandus. These are my Archons. We have come to aid you in your defense."
<onine> The man in the center coughs a little before speaking. "I, and all my colleagues thank you, prince of the earth for gracing us with your presence and offering your assistance... but there is no assistance needed..." His voice trails off, and his jaw is slack. He wipes his mouth with the back of his hand.
<Yengo> "Don't be ridiculous. We've seen what became of the other towns in the area. Trust me, you need all the help you can get." The words are out before he can think to stop them.
<onine> "The reports of an army on the verge of taking our fair trading city is vastly overestimated by your man here, is that right Eudorus?" He gestures vaguely to both Ujiro and the soldier on his left side.
<onine> "We have scouted, yes, and found little. I will admit that our search was shor-" the man begins
<onine> The patrician cuts him off with a sharp wave of the hand and a click in his throat. "Nothing."
<onine> The other 'lesser' balding patrician speaks up from his right. "Indeed. We have the assurances of the Immaculate Order that the situation is contained. A minor uprising of beasts. Nothing more."
<Yengo> "Ours hasn't been. We've been moving through this area for weeks, and we've seen dozens of those things... village after village emptied and laid to waste. This is almost the last place left, they are massing for an attack."
<onine> "Indeed." The magistrate says. "The beasts are cunning, they could easily have hid from your patrols."
<onine> The guardsman looks to the patricians.
<onine> "Here-say... " The lead patrician mumbles almost tired.
* Yengo clenches his fists, looking over at Tara's wound. This is hearsay, eh? "You seem awfully concerned about making sure Glie is defenseless. What's the harm of preparing for the worst? If it doesn't come, feel free to jeer at us after. If you don't listen, this place and its people are finished."
<onine> "You must prepare your defenses for this attack. You have nearly a thousand innocent people here, they cannot be fed into the maws of the beasts." the magistrate adds.
* Vana fidgets nervously at Yengo's fervor, standing slightly behind the magistrate.
<onine> There is silence... then laughter. Wheezing, old, laughter, almost dusty. It is a spluttering old laugh, one of bitter humorless spite.
<onine> The man's shoulders bob as he chuckles, then laughs out loud. "I thank you prince of the earth and your splendid Archons, but our town is quite safe. In this day and age, the Order reigns, not your crumbling magistracy. Thank you for humoring me, but I do not scare that easily."
<onine> He waves his hand dismissively at you. He is... laughing.... laughing at an exalt!
<onine> Most of the other members of the hall chuckle in response, but you can tell they are nervous as hell. When you look at them they stop and cast their eyes at the ground.
* Yengo growls briefly. "We'll arm this place with your approval or without it. I'm not leaving these people in your incompetent hands. And mark my words, when it's all over, they'll remember who wanted to throw them to the wolves."
<onine> "So be it then. Eudorus. If they cause trouble. Arrest them. I will not permit nuisance in my fair city." The man stands, and with the help of his aid and a walking stick, steps of the dais and exits a door to the side. Most of the others are not willing to be in the room with the Dragonblood, and they flee quickly after their leader is gone.
<onine> The guardsman shakes his head and walks past you, exiting out the front door of the hall.
<onine> You are left in the silent hall, with only a pair of guards to keep you company, who wait by the door.
* Yengo is still shaking. "I'm sorry, sir, I didn't mean to make them walk out, I just..."
* Yengo trails off.
<onine> "Its alright, we still have the option of killing the leader... let's see how Anona and Epheri are doing in a moment." the magistrate says
<onine> "You see... this is what Ujiro has been wrestling with for most of the afternoon! They do not show proper respect to protectors!" Ujiro adds, folding his arms over the breastplate of his armor angrily.
<Yengo> "Doesn't seem like they show proper respect to anyone. Too bad Anona wasn't here for this." He grins a little at the thought.
<onine> "Yes..." Diamandus scratches his moustache. "I've met strong-willed mortals like him before. More often than not, that reason is that they have backing bigger than you... and a spine to go with it."
* Vana speaks up, quietly. "Diamandus, sir?"
<onine> "Vana?" He turns to the fire aspect, silent until now.
<Vana> "If... if we move some of the people from the outermost houses, we could limit the damage. It isn't exactly quality preparation for battle, but they'd at least be out of the way."
<Yengo> "Vana has a good idea. Even if the powers in charge won't work with us, we can try to get something done. Give them some sort of a chance. If only the monks would back us up..."
* Vana nods slightly, falling silent again.
<onine> "Yes, this place has no wall, no mote, not even a fence. Without the authority to back up our actions, we can move them as Dragonbloods, but when we turn around they'll move right back."
<Yengo> "Maybe we don't need that authority. If we can demonstrate that the threat is real, we should be able to mobilize them without the leadership... maybe the commander of the guards, he seemed to be the most reasonable."
<onine> "Perhaps... We could also try to capture one..."
<onine> Ujiro scratches his stubble. "Catching the beast would be most difficult, but challenging!"
<Yengo> "I doubt one will convince them..." he swears quietly. "What kind of people refuse to let you HELP them? This damn Isle..."
<onine> "People have been fiercely independent with Her Highness gone, and without a dynastic family controlling this region, that man has control of just about everything. I doubt he would want attention to be paid to his little corner of paradise. He would not want his milking cow to be shared by one of the families."
<Yengo> "Maybe we should introduce him to that charmer we met at the construction site," he says bitterly. "I think we should talk to the commander... Eudorus, was it? Maybe we can at least get his men on a higher state of alertness."
<onine> "I agree. Yengo, you and Ujiro see to that, Vana, Tara, we'll go check on our two sorceresses."
<Yengo> "Good luck."
<onine> "The same goes for you." At that, the group splits...

The streets of Glie
<onine> <onine> Yengo and Ujiro have since split to go and find Eudorus, the apparent captain of Glie's guard. You and Tara follow the hulking mass of the Magistrate back to the fountain in the town center where Epheri and Anona plot.
<onine> * Vana is still mostly quiet, seeming ill-at-ease. Par for the course with Vana, but this is a little bit stronger than usual.
<onine> <onine> The people much like in any other town that rarely sees the exalted, bow or flee at the sight of the magistrate and to a lesser extent you.
* Vana fidgets slightly, eventually working up the willpower to speak again. "Magistrate?"
<onine> "Yes Vana?"
<Vana> "Um... do you need me at the moment?"
<onine> He chuckles and glances back at you, his eye glittering. "I always do, it depends in what fashion you meant. Did you have something in mind?"
<Vana> "Well, I... I was going to talk to some of the villagers. See if I couldn't get some of them to stay with some friends, closer to the middle of the village..." She looks uncomfortable at taking any sort of initiative.
<onine> He stops, rubbing his moustache. "Go... but stay as subtle as you can. Keep your eyes open."
<onine> "Although I have no fears of mortals arresting you, the less trouble, the better."
* Vana nods slightly. "Yes, sir. I will." She bows, in the oddly formal Lookshy fashion, and starts off towards the river, and the edge of the village.
<onine> "Good luck." Tara offers as you leave.
* Vana offers a smile and thanks as she wanders off.
<onine> You go about in a wide circle around the town, most of the villagers don’t pick you as a Dragonblood, but a few are smart enough to know what Jade Artifacts mean. Most pack quietly, some refuse to leave.
* Vana tries to persuade them that it is only temporary, and that they don't lose anything if she is wrong.
<onine> Along the way you do notice a pair of guardsmen in different uniforms to the captain tailing you. They don’t tail too close or intently however, being a Dragonblood, they are of course very wary of you. It would not take a great deal of effort to lose them.
<onine> You get the feeling they would RATHER not be doing this.
* Vana does indeed spend a little of her energy to deepen her skin tone to a pale red. Hopefully the villagers will react a little better to this.
<onine> Most of them are suitably cowed/impressed, though you can bet that they will be gossiping about this rare occurrence. 'A Dragonblood asked me to stay over Uncle... '
* Vana eventually notices the guardsmen, and waits around a corner for them to catch up.
<onine> "...can't believe this, this is insane, what if she gets mad?!" you hear one of them complain as they walk briskly towards the corner.
* Vana waits patiently, feeling a little uncertain.
<onine> The two soldiers pass, their uniforms and armor gray rather than the guard's brown. They have swords as well, rather than the spears and polearms of the town guard brigades here. "Hey... did you see which way she went?"
<onine> "No, I didn't, and I don't much care." the second remarks
<onine> "If we lose her the Merchant Master will be *mad*"
<onine> "What, are we gonna tell him? Sorry sir, we lost the bright red woman with the four foot sword..."
<Vana> "Excuse me?" She steps out of the shadows.
<onine> Like a bright red bad. The soldiers nearly jump out of their armor and whirl around, their hands darting to the grips of their swords. Their task has put them on edge. They gasp and look around madly before kneeling before you, scared. Very scared.
<onine> "Y-y-yes, s-sire...er...lady?"
* Vana` waves her hands at them quickly. "N-No, please don't do that... stand, please."
<onine> They look at each other, as if wondering if this is some sort of test, then they reluctantly stand.
* Vana is greatly relieved. "Thank you..."
<onine> Evidently, the first soldier, quite young guesses that they are caught "P-please lady, we were under o-ord-!" His partner elbows him in the ribs.
<onine> But its too late, the younger soldier already spilt the beans all over the ground.
* Vana looks between them uncertainly. "Whose orders?"
<onine> The older one sighs. "The lord, Merchant Master Kallorn..."
<Vana> "Merchant? Why would a merchant want to watch me?"
<onine> Younger Soldier
"We're part of his personal guard. He ordered us to keep an eye on your group... he's concerned that you'll cause unrest."
<onine> Older Soldier
"The title is what we use for mayor or lord of this town. Since we are a trading town it is fitting that the man that runs it is knowledgeable in merchant affairs."
* Vana nods a little. "I see... well, we're not going to cause trouble. The Magistrate just wants to make sure the town will be safe."
<onine> "The town IS safe." the older soldier says.
<Vana> "It is at the moment. But those things get closer every day." She gestures out past the village. "It can't hurt to be prepared, can it?"
<onine> "The Merchant Master says otherwise."
* Vana shakes her head. "He's wrong. You need to be ready." She looks at the pair of them. "Don't you want to protect these people?"
<onine> "Yes... but..." The younger soldier shrugs.
<onine> "We have our orders. Unlike you, Lady, we cannot disobey at will." The older soldier finishes.
<Vana> "... I guess so. As long as you don't try to stop me, you can keep on following them, if that's what you want."
<onine> "We ah... hmmm. Just don’t cause any trouble... er... please?"
<Vana> "I won't. I'm just asking some of the villagers to move inwards for a while."
<onine> "Fine fine... but that's all?"
<Vana> "Mhmm." She nods.
<onine> The two bow and move off, but as you continue they appear now and then, keeping an eye on you.
* Vana resumes her door-to-door persuasion service.
<onine> You have mixed success, but it is what you would expect when a Dragonblood goes door to door and says 'Stay at John’s for a few days.'

To the Guard-Captain’s Office
<onine> In the mean time, Ujiro and Yengo make their way to find the guard captain Eudorus. Ujiro and Epheri had been here for a few days so he seems to know the way. He questions you at length on the combats you enjoyed on the way to Glie.
<Yengo> "Enjoy is the wrong word for it. But I understand the three of you had a few run-ins of your own. Thank you.. for what you did for Tara. I won't forget that."
<onine> "Ah, no thanks needed!" He slaps you on the back. "Indeed the combat was legendary...."
* Yengo grins a bit. "I have a feeling convincing this guy is going to be just as... uh... 'legendary.' "
<onine> He laughs. "Yes, but necessary. This monstrous swarm of beasts must be stopped." His face falls a little.. "It has been troubling... sad...terrible... no nobility to it, no two competitors facing down eye to eye... it was hollow... just villagers with no minds left."
<Yengo> "Yes... it's even worse because we have no idea what could be causing it. These don't seem like er, regular undead. Even I halfway don't believe our stories. I guess there's no reason to expect these people to."
<onine> "The captain is different. I can see it... he was a farmer."
<Yengo> "He did seem to be the most reasonable. I just hope we can get him on our side, for whatever good it'll do."
<onine> You reach the small building with the sign marked 'Watch Headquarters' in low realm script. The building is quite run down, but its paper screens are all intact. The guards don’t spend much time on gardening and fence-fixing. There is a guard by the door with a spear and brown armor and sleeves.
* Yengo steps up to the man, trying to appear confident and, well, not extremely pissed off. "We'd like to speak to your captain, Eudorus."
<onine> "Your purpose?"
<Yengo> "I'd like to ask him about the patrols the guards have been making. We're going to investigate the area around Glie again shortly."
<onine> "The captain won’t see you. He-" As the guard says this, the guard captain Eudorus comes to the door.
<onine> "Evidently on his way out, a stack of reports under his arm.
<Yengo> "Captain, please. A moment of your time."
<onine> "What is going on here? Oh. It's you two. You have already been told that no action will be taken."
<Yengo> "A moment is all I ask. You started to say something back there. Please. All we want to do is help. We're Archons, not politicians. I don't care who runs this town, I care about keeping the people here safe. And last time I checked, that was also your job."
<onine> "It is, but there is a chain of command for a reason, and that chain cannot be broken or there will be nothing but anarchy, surely you know this. I'm sorry I cannot assist you." He glances at the guardsman, but the guard misses it. "Why don’t you visit Butterfly Hill before you leave. The view is wonderful. Excuse me."
<onine> He passes you and heads into the center of town.
<Yengo> "Damn it..." Yengo stalks a few steps after him, but stops, murmuring to himself. "Butterfly Hill..."
* Yengo looks over at Ujiro. "Know where that is?"
<onine> "Sort of... there is but one hill in this town... I assume that is it. Though... it may be metaphorical." He grins
<Yengo> "I guess we could check it out... assuming it wasn't an insult in disguise." He shrugs. "Want to take a look?" The Magistrate and the others are likely to be a while anyway.
<onine> Ujiro shrugs. "We appear to be running without moving at the moment anyway..."
<Yengo> "Lead the way, then."

Butterfly Hill
<onine> Butterfly hill is a smallish grassy affair, with no butterflies to speak of. There is a small pagoda inside with a table and stone chairs. Hill is a bit grandiose for something that is more like a large mound.
* Yengo wanders over to the pagoda idly, wondering how the others are faring.
<onine> You wait a while...and a while...and a while some more. The sun nearly sets and you are about to leave when another person arrives. Eudorus has left his armor behind and wears a loose tunic and slacks. He still wears his sword however.
* Yengo nods at the man, gesturing to a nearby chair. "I thought you might come."
<onine> "I was afraid you didn't catch my innuendo. Sorry, subterfuge is not my specialty. I tried to come earlier.... but Kallorn detained me at length." He steps up to you. "Chel Eudorus. Captain of the Glie guardsmen. I already know Ujiro..."
<Yengo> "I am Yengo, Diamandus's First Archon."
<Yengo> "I have to admit, of all the receptions I expected to get here, denial wasn't high on the list. No matter what your bosses might say, this entire area is absolutely crawling with those creatures. The Order is actively hunting them, but I don't think they're doing too well."
<onine> He bows slightly.
<onine> "To be honest, I believe you. My cousin and I would exchange letters monthly, their village had a young girl who was a particularly good rider, she ran her own postal service. That service has been gone for... I don’t know, MONTHS now..."
<onine> "And all Kallorn and his cronies seem to want to do is sit and scratch their asses. They're mad that the Dragonblooded have come to crash their little party they've had for the last five years. Without the Magistracy, taxation has been easy to dodge. So they're mad like a nest of kicked hornets that there's a Magistrate here."
<Yengo> "We've seen almost nothing but death since we got here. I don't know what this is or how it got started, but its definitely coming this way."
* Yengo groans. "Of all the... look, we weren't even planning on coming here or stopping. We were only passing through when we stumbled into this hell. We're trying to HELP. Is there anyway to get that message through to Kallorn? I assume he's the one that laughed at us."
<onine> "That would be him... he keeps a lovely estate on the southern side of town, staffed with guards he's poached from the best of my men and paid ridiculously for their services. Most of my men remaining are loyal to me.. but some aren't. The Merchant Master doesn’t trust me, I'm a farmer's son, not a politician.
<onine> "
* Yengo nods. That's the way of it everywhere, it seems. "Well, we do have a plan for the moment. These things seem to be led by one particular creature in their movements. We're going to try to lure it into an ambush and destroy it. That may take care of the problem... but if we fail, or if it doesn't, Glie has to be ready to defend itself, or there will be slaughter here."
<onine> "Are you saying that Glie is the only settlement left?!"
<Yengo> "There may be others out there... but probably not many. Like I said, we've seen little but scene after scene of carnage."
<Yengo> "They've been hitting the smaller towns first, their numbers growing with the dead. Massing, probably to attack here."
<onine> Eudorus' face twitches as he considers the implications of his family as dead soldiers.
<onine> "How long do you think we have?"
<Yengo> "Honestly, I don't know. Not very long, it's probably a matter of days now, if that." He shakes his head. "These things are tough, too. You can cut them to pieces and they'll keep coming. A mortal's chances one on one with them aren't good. This place has to be ready."
<onine> "I have scarcely more than fifty men...That's not enough."
<onine> The sun dips below the horizon, shortly after that a strange echoing cry rings out from the woods, a chilling cry. Eudorus shivers.
<Yengo> "The Dragon-Blooded will even things up somewhat, but it isn't. Can we get Kallorn on board? His men would be useful. The peasants should be armed, too. The town needs fortifications..." he trails off at the cry. "That's one of them."
<onine> "Those cries have been happening a lot in the past few weeks." he mutters.
<onine> Ujiro grumbles. "It is them. Speaking to one another. Organizing their forces...gloating over their accomplishments..."
<Yengo> "The noose is tightening." He stops. "Listen, we'll do whatever we can to help you, but we can't do much with our hands tied. If you could help us mobilize the people, quietly, there might be a chance. Kallorn won't move against us if the town is on our side." Maybe, he thinks.
<onine> "Our best bet is to have the women and children in the town hall... and mobilize the men of the town with bamboo pikes. My men can't possibly hold many off alone."
<Yengo> "Sounds like a good plan. One of the other Archons is from Lookshy, she may know more about fortifications than I do, but even I know a little. We'll help you, but it's not going to be easy for us to do much as long as Kallorn is on our backs."
<onine> "I know." he sighs. "The man is a greedy insufferable buffoon."
<Yengo> "Believe me, I'd love to help you solve that problem." He makes a fist. "But we do operate within the law." Mostly.
<onine> "Well... I'll see what I can do to help, I'll get some men together privately and see if I can muster at least something resembling a defense force. Where can I find you all?"
<Yengo> "We're staying at an inn in town... I don't know how well Kallorn is watching it, but you can get a message to us there."
<onine> "Alright." He says.
<onine> "Good day to you Yengo, Ujiro. I hope this works."
<Yengo> "Me too. Good luck."
<onine> He strides quickly down the hill and into the village, apparently worried even by this simple clandestine meeting.
<onine> "What a frightening problem." Ujiro muses.
* Yengo shakes his head, as usual unsure of their chances.
<Yengo> "You've got that right... I guess we'd better see how the others are doing. Maybe this won't even be necessary."
<onine> "And if it is, let us die spectacularly."
* Yengo looks askance at him. "I'd rather live spectacularly, but I guess that's better than nothing."
<onine> "Always be daring. Death is just a new experience I haven't tried yet!" He laughs and takes a swig of sake from the jar on his belt before offering you some.
* Yengo upends the jar briefly before handing it back, wiping his mouth. "I think I'll wait a bit longer to try it. But that's not bad sake."
<onine> He nods in agreement as you walk back to the inn.

Outside Glie…
<onine> Meanwhile the sorceresses plot to locate a free village... or to summon demons or to generally do what partying sorceresses do with a bucketload of essence and some free time.
<onine> The Magistrate heads off with Yengo, Tara and Vana to speak to the council, leaving you two Dragonbloods to work magic and baby-sit the ever excitable Magpie.
<Magpie> "Are you going to summon demons now?!" Magpie has been waiting impatiently as they talked about boring stuff.
<Anona> "It's hard to do safely without proper equipment, Magpie. I was hoping to set up a working space at the new house, but we've been sidetracked."
<Magpie> "So we should find this village -real soon-, right? So we can summon demons?"
<Epheri> "Yes, or perhaps use a demon to find the village."
<Magpie> "Which?"
<Anona> "Still, if we have the time I think I can at least elementally empower a few things; I've been meaning to get around to that sometime."
<Magpie> "Elementally empower something? Will that help with finding a village?" Magpie clearly wants to get the village out of they way, so they could move on to the exciting stuff.
* Epheri smiles at Magpie "It won't. But it will help us to defend this place."
<Magpie> Oh. Okay." Magpie sits back on her heels and lets them get to it.
<Anona> "Well... no. But I'm not about to try and summon a demon in the middle of nowhere like this? Have you any /idea/ what would happen without a proper summoning cage?"
<Epheri> "It would be most dangerous. This still leaves us with the problem of finding the village though, Anona."
<Anona> "Bah, there's villages all around here. We just have to find one with people still living in it. Can't be THAT hard."
<Magpie> "Shouldn't it be good for ambushes, too?"
<Magpie> "I mean, tall weeds or something to hide in."
<Anona> "Eh, it wouldn't hurt, but I don't see it as being that important."
<Epheri> "She's right you know. Not just any village will do."
* Magpie grins at Epheri, and looks smugly back at Anona.
* Magpie clambers to her feet and dusts off her backside. "So we go find a village? With weeds?"
<Anona> "Well, weeds or no, it still needs to have living people to lure the beasts in."
<Epheri> "Ideally we find one with both. And soon. The sooner we find one, the sooner you can play with elemental empowerment..."
<Magpie> "Right. And burn things. So let's hurry."
* Magpie gives Anona extra incentive.
* Anona ponders. If I was a village, where would I be?
<Magpie> "Maybe along the road," Magpie hints.
<Anona> "And perhaps ones closer to the town. Since apparently nobody who isn't here has noticed multiple villages full of peasant farmers being slaughtered."
<Anona> On further consideration, Anona adds, "Or the ones that have noticed have been likewise slaughtered themselves."
<Epheri> "They will no doubt try to blame us when we present the evidence. foolish people." she sighs "Or that."
<Magpie> "Okay. So lets go." Magpie takes them both by the hand, and attempts to drag them off in a likely-looking direction.
* Anona allows herself to be dragged, because really, she doesn't have a better idea right now.
* Epheri lets the girl drag her too, because what she'd really like to do is get to an inn and actually sleep. something she hasn’t done recently.
* Magpie harries the two into some semblance of a search for an appropriate village.
* She stares at the road stretching forward at the edge of the town. And its attendant miles of empty countryside. She still has both Dragonbloods firmly in her grip. "Ah- do you think demons would help? Maybe we should get demons first."
<Anona> "To do that, we'll need to head back to somewhere we can set up... or, you know, we could just get horses."
<Magpie> "Or we could send out some crows. I bet crows know -all- the villages."
* Epheri smiles "We could always ride a couple of my hounds.."
* Magpie stomps her foot suddenly. "Welll! You're Dragonblooded! Make a decision!" she demands.
<Anona> "I suppose it would be a good test of your own sorcery, Epheri. Since improving your skill IS the reason you were dragged along... well, that, and so your father could keep an eye on me."
* Epheri smiles graciously at her cousin "As you wish then." she steps away from the pair, and starts to concentrate.
* Epheri chants briefly, focusing her will, twisting the essence that is hers to command, bright white runes swirling in the air before winds blow from the poles, twisting together into a wolfhound, the size of a horse.
<Magpie> "-Cool-."
<Epheri> "That is one."
<Magpie> "We're going to get another one?!" Magpie is attempting to clamber up the wolfhound's shoulder.
* Epheri focuses again, this time her skin glowing white and appearing as marble, white light dancing under her skin as she chants. There is a second burst of the winds, and a second hound, near identical to the first, materializes.
<Anona> "Not bad."
<Epheri> "Thank you." She smiles and gestures to the first "Let Anona ride you, and obey her commands as you would mine." then she turns back to the new one, and mounts it, after commanding it to kneel.
<Anona> "How long do they last?"
<Epheri> "Until eight hours have passed. Then, if I read the description right, we would be best to be not still riding them."
<Anona> "Eight hours ought to be plenty. Or so I'd hope - if we can't find a good site by then, we're sunk anyway."
* Epheri nods. She gestures for Anona (and Magpie) to lead the way.
<Magpie> "So let's go!" Magpie has perched herself atop first wolfhound's neck.

The countryside
<onine> You lope off into the countryside, heading quickly down the road. The afternoon has the approaching chill of twilight already, but the land is still alive with types of small white and pink flowers that bloom just prior to winter. As night arrives, the lands echo with strange cries. Not the howls of wolves and the hoots of owls, but truly indescribable shrieks and calls.
<Anona> "That would be the... whatever they are..."
<Epheri> "yeah. ...That's why I didn’t especially want to sleep out there."
<onine> There are fleeting shadows in the woods, you don’t ever see them when looking directly, but out of the corners of your eyes they are there... leaping... watching.
* Magpie shudders. "I wonder why the villagers haven't run to the town....Do you think they have? And they didn't...make it?"
<Anona> "It's possible. those things seem like they're fast, when they want to be..."
<Epheri> "They are. Far too fast when they want to be."
<Magpie> "Are you sure it's a good idea to pick a village to defend? I mean...there are so -many-...maybe all the villagers should go to town and we can defend -that-."

An empty village…
<onine> In about two hours, just after sundown, you come across the first of the few villagers that haven't been wiped off the map yet. You stand on the hills and look down on it. Couldn't house more than a hundred people. There is no light there however...
<Anona> "It's what I would have done, but I don't make the decisions, do I? But if we can't find any living villages... we won't have a choice.
<onine> There is a powerful smell in the air, even from here, the exalts noses burn with the sour smell of burnt flesh.
<Magpie> "What?" Magpie asks, twisting around to look at Anona. "What's going on?"
<Anona> *sniff* *sniff* "Something's burning. Somebody, maybe."
* Epheri makes a face at the smell.
<Epheri> "Somebody, is or was."
<Magpie> "-Burning-? The zombies- they, they puff smoke..." Magpie looks queasy. "We should go look."
<onine> It's definitely a was, there are no fires around, and Anona is an expert. The wind is blowing over the village towards you.
<Anona> "Wonder what's going on." Anona starts down towards the village, without a care in the world...
* Epheri sets off down after her, wishing perhaps she would show a little more restrain. but not wanted to get into an argument with her. Not here.
* Anona keeps an eye out for anything moving. Alive or otherwise.
<onine> You move into the village. There are signs of combat. In the moonlight you can see spilt blood on the ground (which has been noticeably rare elsewhere) and the signs of scuffles. As you reach the village center you see the ashes of a massive bonfire. The heat is still radiating from it, and you can see burnt bones in it.
<onine> Poking up from the ashes like gray-black tombstones of unmarked graves.
<Magpie> "Hellloo?" Magpie calls. Her voice quivers in spite of herself.
<onine> "Helllooo...." your voice echoes back.
<Anona> "This is... recent."
* Epheri nods "It must be...and there must be someone left alive, else who set the fires?"
<Magpie> "Is there anyone here?!" Magpie shouts.
<onine> "Is there anyone here...?!"
<Anona> "I don't know, that might be a bit of an assumption..." Anona looks into any nearby huts or other buildings, just in case there ARE survivors...
<onine> The silence seems to say 'no'
<onine> As does the darkness.
* Epheri whispers to her hound to track anyone who walked away from the flames. That isn’t Anona or Magpie.
<Magpie> "I guess....I guess the monks came...or something. Or the people ran away."
<Anona> "Hm... I wonder if we could rig up an ambush here anyway. Make it look like they missed a few."
<onine> The wolfhound moves around the village investigating as such beasts do, before moving northwest.
<onine> Glie is southwest of you, and the monastery is far north.
<Anona> "Guess we should go that way and see if anybody's alive."
<Epheri> "Anona...the people who set the flames went this way." she calls out.
* Magpie shifts uneasily, still atop the other wolfhound. "So let's go now."

A village not yet empty
<onine> Once again you trek off on your mounts, making excellent time over the lands, leaping obstacles lightly, weaving around trees when there are no roads. You come at last to another village, this one however is alive and well. Lights burn in the windows of the village. You can see people moving around on the dirt streets of the small community, something appears to be happening.
* Anona waits to see if anyone notices the two women and a girl riding horse-sized dogs.
<onine> No one appears to notice, most of the attention is focused inwards, to the center of the village.
* Epheri frowns and tries to look through the darkness to the village and to what the villagers are doing.
<onine> It's too hard to see, sort of you 'cant see the village through the buildings' situation. They just obstruct the view too much.
* Epheri starts to ride forward and around a little, to get a better view
<Anona> Time to use some of that Dynastic charm. Continuing the honored tradition of "no subtlety whatsoever", Anona rides her hound a bit closer and calls out. "What's going on here?"
<onine> You reach the gate on the main road, a smile wooden arch with a sign depicting the town's unimaginative name in low-realm script. There seems to be a hustle and bustle in the center of town, a few shouts and whatnot, but you cant make much out. Walking down the road towards you is a person.
<onine> A young peasant girl, not much older than seventeen. She is barefoot and wearing a simple wrap-around kimono with a sash tie. At first you cant see anything because of the light behind her.
<onine> But as she grows closer in the moonlight you can see that she drags her feet as if tired, her skin has lesions and her eyes are glassy. Her mouth moves as if she is muttering. You can sort of make out the occasional murmured "...help me..."
<onine> Epheri has seen this before... in villages east and south of here... before the... sickness takes hold, when they still have a semblance of their humanity left before the beastly presence takes over... Human...but not.
* Magpie gasps. She leaps down off of Anona's wolfhound, and runs to the girl. "Are you sick? Are lots of people sick? What's the matter?"
<Anona> "Epheri, see what you can do about her. I'm seeing what the bustle is about." Anona gallops straight into the village center.
<Epheri> "...I wish I could." she whispers softly, then looks up "BE careful! She is about to become one of them!"
<Magpie> "But she's not -dead-. And she's not puffing smoke either. And you don't become a zombie from getting sick." Magpie touches the girl gingerly on the arm. "Uh...how do we help you?"
* Epheri spurs her hound forward, to be closer to Magpie "I know. But, I have never seen someone recover from this. And they do rise as zombies" Epheri speaks with unfortunate experience.
<onine> She brushes her hands against your shirt as if blind. "Help meeEEEEEAAAAAAAHHH!!!" She lunges at you, trying to bite you!
<Magpie> "But...” Magpie shrieks, and backpedals.
<onine> Her body doesn’t catch you well, she has trouble controlling herself and you slip out of her grip before she jerks suddenly and drops to the ground moaning. Behind her you see a familiar looking immaculate Dragonblood who leaped down upon it.
<onine> Orihime reverses both shortswords and stabs them down into the girls back. The young woman thrashes around still alive for a few short moments before lying still.
<Magpie> "She tried to -eat me-!"
<Epheri> "I /told/ you she would. My thanks, Monk."
<onine> "Stay back!" she shouts, yanking the blades out of the girl and grabbing a handful of the girl's kimono and starts dragging the dead girl to where the commotion is.
* Magpie follows her. A frantic search among her pockets had yielded the self-defense utility of a spoon, and she holds it clutched in her hand. She had an idea... She pulls herself up behind Epheri.
* Epheri rides forward, and commands her hound to kneel, extending a hand down to magpie "Come up here, you'll be safer." she says.

The center of the village…
<onine> In the Village center, the monks seem to have gathered every farmer. Some complain loudly at the treatment, but are reassured that it is for their own good, and for the Realm.
<Anona> "Fancy meeting this bunch again..." said half to herself.
<Magpie> "So what are doing here?" she asks Orihime chattily, looking down at the Dragonblood.
<onine> "Shut up." Orihime orders. The fifteen odd monks form a rough circle around the villagers, there are about fifty at most, this village is small indeed. Orihime lifts the body and heaves the dead girl in front of the villagers, some of them wailing and holding the body, cradling the young girl’s head. Family.
* Epheri rides forward. She has a very nasty feeling in her stomach.
<onine> "She was ill! How could you!?" Wails one of the women over the noise of the outraged villagers.
<onine> "This girl bore the taint! Lying to the Order about such things is heresy!" Orihime roars. "How many more!? HOW MANY!"
<Magpie> "She tried to eat me!" Magpie adds for good measure.
<onine> Those near the Dragonblood cower, the heat radiating from Orihime’s body is as intense as any bonfire.
<onine> The villagers don’t answer. "Then we are left no choice." Orihime turns away and brushes a lock of matted red hair off her forehead, her form silhouetted.
<onine> "Do it."
* Magpie looks at Orihime uneasily. She was -sure- the Immaculate couldn't mean...
* Anona chooses this moment to speak up. "Do WHAT, exactly?"
<Epheri> "You /cannot/ do that." Epheri says. As she puts and together, to make a very icky .
<onine> "What is necessary." On her order, the monks close quickly on the throng of villagers, their blades cutting perfect arcs for the throats of the men, women and children. Screams erupt, of fear, terror and rage. The monks do so, their faces set in a sad, yet stony calm.
<Magpie> "Stop it! STOP IT!" Magpie screams.
<onine> Within a minute, even less, though it seems like much longer, everyone is dead. Some do however rise up again, hissing and snarling, their eyes glassy and hungry, but are quickly cut down by the monks.
* Anona is frozen stiff. Certainly, she's repelled... but... monks... the Order... how could they?

<Magpie> "You -murdered- them!"
<onine> The town square is now a bloody killing field. The monks maintain their circle once the task is complete. Their faces stony.
* Magpie is crying. Her face is twisted up in an expression like hatred. "You- you stupid-" She launches herself at one, and pounds at his chest in futile rage.
<onine> "We saved them. And if you can’t realize that, then maybe you will when you too become one of them, your soul crushed and shattered and your body a slave to them.”
<Magpie> "They're dead! They're dead and it's all your fault!"
<onine> The monk restrains you easily, holding your arms firmly in a painless hold.
* Magpie screams and kicks at him.
* Epheri watches. Inside she feels sick. Part of knows that this a ...solution to the problem, but most of her does not want to admit it. "And will you do this to Glie too? Will you keep stopping them defend themselves until the only thing you can do is butcher them?"
* Epheri speaks calmly, despite what she says.
<onine> "I'm doing what is necessary. Their souls will move on." She doesn't turn to the other monks. "Gather the firewood for the pyre."
* Magpie ceases her enraged assault, frozen as she realizes "You....you killed the other villagers too. You're slaughtering -whole villages-. And you're going to kill more..."
<Anona> "I wonder exactly how necessary it was... but we won't find what we want here. Epheri, I think we should return to Glie..." ... and see if the others have had any better luck, being the unspoken part of the thought.
<onine> "We will do what we have to. Or perhaps you would prefer us to sit on our hands as this monstrous curse devours the Isle? Yes that would work very well wouldn't it. This village was already under the beast's sway."
<Magpie> "You're killing people because it's too hard to try to save them! You're evil and I hate you I hate you I HATE you and I hope you die!"
<onine> As she speaks, the monks heap the bodies of the villagers onto the large bonfire and add more wood. Soon the sickly sweet smell of burning flesh and fat is reeking in the air heavily.
<onine> "You speak as if we are proud of this. How deluded."
* Magpie just backs away from her, shaking. She backs into a wolfhound, whirls, and climbs up it. "Let's -go-," she says, her voice muffled as she buries her face in Anona's shoulder.
* Anona turns her hound without bothering with another word. Since it would inevitably end in flames if she tried.

Men in gray
<onine> The three of you turn to go, but spaced evenly in the street you can see black shapes standing, clad in gray. Waiting.
<Anona> "What now?!"
<onine> The figures appear to line every street, preventing escape. They wear gray robes with cowls and hoods, their feet and hands are bare. In unison they slowly walk in and surround the area. Orihime's monks notice too late and drop into defensive stances, but the attack never comes.
<onine> The other monks in gray wait, then a voice rings out, and ancient, yet powerful voice. The owner is old. Old beyond years, but his scratchy voice bears more power than any man or woman you have ever met, including the magistrate. Everyone looks to the voice, the presence is irresistible.
* Magpie 's grip around Anona tightens.
<onine> "Sesus Orihime...my student... I am so deeply, deeply disappointed in you. I poured knowledge and wisdom into you like a pure magma flow, and this is how you use it?"
<onine> The owner stands on one of the overhanging eaves of a building. He is old and gangly, dressed in flowing robes. His silver hair is long and tied back, his eyebrows impressively long, and he wears a long beard which he strokes endlessly. He is bald.
<Magpie> "You're going to kill her?" Magpie asks hopefully from behind Anona.
<Magpie> "I think you should." The girl squeezes her eyes shut.
<onine> Most of Orihime's monks kneel, murmuring respect to the man's station.
<onine> "M...Master Horoke!" Orihime gasps, dropping to her knees.
* Epheri listens. curious of, but respectful toward someone of such immense power and with such a blessing from the dragons
<Anona> "Who's this?" Anona isn't as respectful, but she drops the overtly hostile tones.
<onine> "What have you done Orihime? What indeed..." he shakes his head and strokes his beard. "Villages still lay dead. The beasts roam the countryside, and worse yet, you too are killing innocents!"
<onine> "Master! They were infected, they were to become them, they were-" Orihime stammers
<onine> "Silence! You spoke of heresy to these peasants, yet you are the one committing it! The path of the dragons is one of peace and mercy!"
<onine> Orihime falls silent.
<onine> "Take her. She may yet be salvageable... after significant atonement." he gestures and a few of the gray-clad monks clap irons onto Orihime's companions, and leeching Jade manacles onto the young Dragonblood.
<onine> The monks file quickly out with their prisoners, the master remains as they go.
<Epheri> "If I may be so bold as to ask." Epheri speaks up "What do you intend to do with her, and about the dead."
<onine> "That." he says with a snort. "Is none of your concern."
<Anona> "Considering that we are /also/ trying to stave off this rash of beasts, I'd say we deserve an answer about the dead, at least. What the Order does with its own, I don't give a toss."
* Magpie stays latched onto Anona. For once, the girl seems too shaken to hurl insults at the Immaculate. Even at her suspected head villain, the abbot.
<onine> "This is no concern of yours, silk-swaddled dynast child. Go back to your decadent palace, this is no place for you."
<onine> At that he turns and jumps away across the buildings.
<onine> The exalts don’t see it, but just before he leaps out of sight, he turns, his face and body illuminated by the bonfire, his beard and hair trailing behind. He grins with inordinate delight as he gazes upon you.
<onine> You don’t know how you see it, but in his dark eyes you perceive everything and nothing, terrifying chaos, the likes of which you have seen but once before...
<Anona> "Alright, HE gets an extra order of pain, come the day."
<Magpie> "Can we go now?" Magpie whispers.
<Epheri> "We can go now."

Back in Glie
* Epheri rides back to Glie with the pair of them, the wolfhounds bounding along at fast pace, not tired by their exertions. When they reach the perimeter of the town, and the three have dismounted, Epheri orders them to move away from here, and hunt zombies for the rest of their short lives.
* Magpie slides down off the wolfhound immediately and begins running forward calling out at the top of her lungs, "VAAANNNNA! YENNNNGOOO!"
<Magpie> There's a certain panicked edge to her voice.
* Anona follows Magpie, with an uncharacteristically grim look.
* Epheri walks by Anona’s side once the hounds are away. "I hope they did better than we." she says quietly
<Magpie> "VANNNNA! YENGOOOO! WHERE ARE YOU! I SAW HIM!" Magpie pelts down the streets at a sprint.

The commons of the inn…
<onine> Well, you all head for the small inn that the Magistrate organized for you to stay in. In the commons there are a few blue-clad guardsmen, from the Merchant Master's private watch, but the Magistrate is steadfastly ignoring them.
<Magpie> "Diamandus," Magpie gasps for breath.
<onine> "Ah. You’re back." He says, standing, his face a little grim.
<onine> Around a table, Vana has returned from her small quest, and Yengo from his negotiations with Eudorus. Tara has set a pot of tea and mugs down to aid in chasing away the cold.
* Vana is looking rather alarmed at Magpie's yelling.
* Magpie almost falls to a stop. "They were killing them! They were killing everybody! But it's the Abbott! It's him! I -saw- him!"
* Yengo nods as they enter the room. "Good to see you all back okay. Did you find anyth- what?"
* Magpie is almost sobbing. Her eyes are big and red and puffy, like she's been crying.
<Magpie> "The Immaculates were killing -everybody-."
* Yengo looks at her with concern, then gazes up to the grim look on Anona and Epheri's faces. "What happened out there?"
<Anona> "To be more exact, Orihime and her bunch murdered a village because a few of the villagers got.. ‘infected.’ "
* Vana crouches in front of the girl, extremely concerned. And just looking more so at this pronouncement. "Are you okay?"
<Anona> "Then the abbot came and told her off, and took them all out in chains... and was quite rude to me about it," This last seems to be the most important.
<Magpie> "It was the -abbot-. He's just like the girl-monster. And he -wanted me to see it-! And the Immaculates killed everyone. Even the children." Magpie is clearly overwhelmed, and she collapses into tears on Vana's shoulder.
<Yengo> "The entire village..." he trails off. "By the dragons... what could they be thinking. The Order... they're not supposed to do this." Obstinate and proud he could accept, but this... he's stunned.
* Vana hugs her close, trying to take this all in.
<Anona> "My thoughts exactly. Now... the abbot didn't seem very happy about it, so maybe it was just Orihime's bunch, but..."
* Anona clearly is reluctant to completely condemn the Order.
<onine> "An entire village... I can see the motive, but surely there was another way." The magistrate sighs.
<onine> "In their place, after months of fighting with my back to the wall, I may have done the same thing in my younger days."
* Magpie looks up from Vana's shoulder. Her face is tear-streaked. "He stopped her because it's -him-. He's behind it all."
<Yengo> "Murderers," Yengo says, bitterly. "I thought at least they were trying to help. They had better pray I never see any of them again."
<onine> "If it is the abbot, he probably didn't want his monks killing off potential forces that he could muster."
<Yengo> "Why do you think the abbot is behind it all? If he stopped the slaughter..." Could BOTH sides be this corrupt?
* Epheri turns to look at Magpie "Perhaps what he was punishing her for was being seen by us.."
<Magpie> "He's like Windswept Boughs. Just like her."
<Magpie> "He isn't human."
<Anona> "How can you tell? I'll allow things can look human without being so, but... he didn't seem unusual."
<Yengo> "But Windswept Boughs was a fae... how could an abbot..." He shakes his head, not really disbelieving the girl, but still reeling from the earlier news.
<Anona> "and wouldn't Immaculates be able to detect such things easily?
* Vana rubs Magpie's back reassuringly, listening intently to her words.
<Magpie> "I saw it. He wanted me to see it. His -eyes-. They were...chaos and madness and ..."
<Magpie> "And he -smiled- at me."
<Yengo> "This is too much." Yengo sighs. "I don't even know what to think anymore. I'm just sorry the three of you had to... to see that." He's thinking mostly of Magpie - how many horrible sights had their journeys already shown the child?
<Anona> "Pity we didn't have the spoon handy."
* Magpie 's raises the spoon.
<Anona> "You know, just to be sure."
<Magpie> She'd forgotten it for a moment. Just long enough for the abbot to escape. Magpie raises her voice tremulously,
<Magpie> "Do you think the zombies aren't...aren't really zombies, but...weak fairies? They smoke. And they take people over so they can live here."
<Yengo> "They do seem smarter than the undead are supposed to be... maybe we should try cold iron next time we see one... which won't be long."
<Anona> "Possibly... I believe we've established they aren't like any zombies we've ever heard of."
<Epheri> "It probably won’t work worse than anything else we've tried."
<onine> "But why did they take Orihime? Why not merely kill her? She would do more harm to them than good." The magistrate asks.
<Magpie> "She worships him. They all do. The monks."
<Yengo> "For all we know, she IS dead now." He doesn't sound like this upsets him much.
<Magpie> "What if ...what if we can't beat him? He has all those monks..."
<onine> "We would need a way past them."
<Vana> "We'll find a way."
<Yengo> "We'll stop him." ...hopefully.
* Epheri nods "We'll stop this."
* Magpie just shivers.
* Vana picks her up carefully. "Diamandus, do we have a room organized?"
<onine> "Yes, a single room and a bunk room, as per usual."
<Vana> "Okay. Tara, would you mind helping me?" She starts to walk towards the designated rooms.
<onine> Tara nods and follows quietly.

Still in the common room
<onine> "Well then.... " The magistrate says. "The monks can wait for now at least, we need to make sure Glie doesn't fall. With the population here turned, this infestation will spread unchecked. This is the last bastion if you will forgive the drama."
<Anona> "Have you had any luck with the local authorities, then?"
* Vana carries Magpie into the single room, getting her ready for bed with Tara's help.
* Yengo looks after the departed members of the group, hoping everything is all right. He sighs. "I've spoken with Eudorus, the captain of the guard. He's agreed to rouse the people of the town and his own men. Beyond that, though, I don't know."
<Yengo> "Kallorn runs a lot of this town, and after that scene earlier today, he'll be trouble."
<Anona> "So? Nothing tying him up and sticking him in a dark room by himself won't solve."
<Epheri> "That would create more trouble than its worth when the attack is over, I'm almost sure."
<Yengo> "Tempting, believe me."
<Anona> "Given the existence of the town when this attack is over is still in doubt, I fail to see the trouble."
<Epheri> "You do have a point there, Anona."
<Anona> "We lock him up, beat the tar out of anyone who objects, and we let him have his town back when it's all over. If we win, the grateful populace will keep him from doing too much directly. If we lose... well, let's not dwell on that."
<Yengo> "Maybe. We might not have to go that far, though. We don't want to bring a civil war to this town, especially not now. He does have quite a few armed men."
<Anona> "We have four Dragon-Blooded. We win."
<Epheri> "When we're asleep too, Anona?"
<Yengo> "But maybe the rest of the town loses. I say we don't try anything drastic until we're sure there's no other choice."
<Anona> "Hey, it's just an idea. I'm not saying we need to kill the town to save it; that's what we're trying to *prevent*..."
<Anona> "... I'm just saying, the time for politeness and civil niceties is well-past."
* Epheri raises an eyebrow at this.
<Yengo> "Believe me, I agree with you. The moment he tries to cause trouble, we smash him like a bug. I'm hoping if we get the people moving fast enough he won't be stupid enough to try it anyway. Problem solved on both ends."
<onine> "I too agree." The magistrate says. "But we must move carefully to gain favor here. We have the advantage of Exaltation, that is all so far. If we kill him, we lose much."
<onine> His personal guards shift a little nervously on the other side of the room.
* Yengo waves idly to the guards.
<Epheri> "Perhaps we should adjourn for the evening. It is rather late, and I would like to sleep at least once in a week."
<Anona> "Yes... *yawn*..."
<Yengo> "Good idea. It's been... a long day."

Vana’s room, later that night…
<onine> It is night time, somewhere near two or three in the morning, getting on its way to dawn. Vana has been sleeping light as always.
<onine> Her dreams revolve around the door to the room opening and an impossibly large anathema walking in with ease. It strides over to the bed and raises its sword to cut her and Magpie down in a state of terrified paralysis.
<onine> Then she hears a noise to her right, she glances... and the door opens to admit the anathema again... and again... and *creak*
* Vana does -not- like this dream, whimpering softly in her sleep.
<onine> Vana blinks her eyes open. She is now awake, and the door is indeed opening.
* Vana immediately reaches for her sword, rolling out of bed and bringing it up towards the intruder!
<onine> The door opens the rest of the way and a figure stumbles in onto its hands and knees, panting. Its bald head reflects a little light from the window.
* Magpie stirs in her sleep. She, on the other hand, is -not- a light sleeper.
* Vana barely manages to not hack the bald person's head off, waking up properly just in time. She stares at them in confusion.
<onine> The figure holds his side and catches his breath then looks up at you, a familiar face in the moonlight. The monk, Pazu.
* Vana blinks at him, lowering her sword. "Pazu?"
<onine> "V...Vana! Oh thank Hesiesh I've found you."
* Vana stands slowly, offering him a hand up. "What's wrong?"
<onine> He slumps against the wall, wincing. "I know... I know what they are doing...oh gods what a fool I've been..."
<onine> "The child was right... the child was right..."
<Vana> "What's happening, Pazu?" She puts a hand on his arm to reassure him.
<onine> He winces again in pain. "I - I need your help. I know what Master Horoke is doing now. He intends to take Orihime over, a new body bursting with enlightened essence. That is why they have been moving so fast, he needs strength to subdue the will of the Dragonblood."
<onine> "Once he has that power he'll come here... with the others."
<Vana> "Where are they now?"
<onine> "They may have already reached the monastery. I fear that my brothers and sisters may be... " He trails off. "Anyway... I know of a way that we can reach there fast, and get into the Inner Cloister without going through the main gates."
* Magpie wakes at last, lifting her head groggily. "Vana...what is it..." she sees Pazu, and her eyes go wide. She scoots back toward the headboard of the bed, scrambling wildly around among her pockets for the spoon.
* Vana begins to reply, but sees Magpie awoken. She moves over quickly, taking hold of her hands to still the wild movement. "Hey, it's okay. He's on our side."
<Magpie> "Are you sure?" Magpie asks suspiciously. "He works for -him-."
<Magpie> She manages to invest the innocent pronoun with a considerable amount of venom.
<onine> "I owe you an apology young Magpie... you were right all along..." He bows his head sadly.
* Vana gestures. "See? He's fine."
<Magpie> Her eyes widen. "And you're admitting it?" This was new to her experience with Immaculates.
<onine> "I am... and I would like to apologies more, but there is no time to lose."
* Vana nods, locating her armor and swiftly donning it.
<Magpie> "But what about Glie?"
<Magpie> "If we aren't here...they'll all...."
<onine> "If we do not go now, there wont be a Glie, and none of you will be able to stop that."
<Vana> "If I get Horoke, maybe the zombies will disperse. And like Pazu says, we have little chance of stopping the attack otherwise."
<onine> "We can take the rebellious river, the entrance is just south of here, its flow can have us there within a day or two at most. It is a peculiar underground river that flows in reverse, going deeper to a wellspring below the mountains rather than flowing from the mountains to the sea."
* Magpie nods soberly. "Okay." She rolls out of bed, and goes to the neighboring room to knock loudly on the door.
<onine> "Wait! It's no use. Only us three can fit."
* Magpie stops, her hand still raised. "But..."
<onine> "Or rather us two." Pazu gestures at him and Vana.
* Vana nods. "You have to stay here, Magpie."
<Magpie> "No."
<Magpie> "You're going to sneak out. Just like the bandits."
<onine> "I don’t think you will be able to fit through the entrance with that armor Vana... I'm sorry."
<Magpie> "Remember what happened with the bandits?" Magpie is quietly furious.
* Vana crouches in front of Magpie once more. "Yes, I do. And I'll do it again, because I'm not going to let you walk into danger, okay?"
<Magpie> "We'll be swimming."
<Vana> "Swim into danger, then." She manages a slight smile. "You're still not coming along."
<onine> "We must hurry. It will take some time for Horoke to prepare himself, but in the mean time, the others are likely feasting on Orihime's mind."
<Magpie> "You're not even going to tell the others?"
<Vana> "You can in the morning, if you have to. But I'd rather not worry them... better they don't know what I'm doing."
* Magpie 's jaw drops. That had to be the stupidest thing Magpie had ever heard.
<Magpie> Still...obviously Vana was not going to let her go too.
<Magpie> There was only one solution.
* Magpie stomps back to bed.
<Vana> "I'm sorry." She stands, and turns to Pazu. "Let's go. I'll drag the armor through after me if I have to."
<onine> "That may work." he nods.
<Vana> "Goodbye, Magpie." She waves slightly to the girl, though in her grumpy state she probably doesn't notice.

The Rebellious River
<onine> The pair of you flit out under the cover of night, like ninja, heading a few miles south in the pre-dawn. Pazu listens until you hear the faint sound of rushing water. "That is it. The Rebellious River..." He searches and finds it, and incredibly cramped cave, which he squeezes into.