Grobnak had returned to the compound and Emalia sat a bit longer in the bakery. Tom stared at her in open disgust, and others that had seen her sitting with the leader of both the Jihad and Talosians whispered and pointed - sharing looks of irritation and indignation. Emalia looked down, and unable to finish what was left of the pie, hastily rose and scuttled from the building.
There was no way she would go back to the Clan Hall at this moment. She felt frozen in a place where she didn't want to be, but couldn't help to be. Embarrassment trailed behind her, mocking her, but why should she be so ridiculed for her beliefs?
No one noticed her passing through the west gates of Westbridge on her way to the Jihad compound. When she arrived, she stared up at the entry, not taking notice of anyone leaving. A gaunt figure knocked into her shoulder and Emalia apologized profusely. He looked her over with a grin... he knew her name... and within a few moments of welcoming her home, he knew the rest of her tale.
"I....would say....talk to him perhaps? It....sounds....best..." Emalia agreed. She pulled from her bag a tome given to her by Grobnak. In it was history written before her time, or his. She would give this to Hellstrom and hope he would read it. Perhaps if she couldn't get him to see, this would.
She set off, leaving the pale figure behind, and made her way through the streets of Westbridge. As she headed north, the sight of the mountains caused her to slow. He was up there and she was terrified. 'Perhaps,' she thought, 'I will sit here and look over the book once more...'
It was not long before Colin's voice rang out. She told him everything and before she knew it, she found herself sobbing uncontrollably on his chest. She was afraid to go into the mountains... afraid that after this trip... she might never see Hellstrom again.
Pie and a Side of Tears
Finished with the tears, Emalia made her way down the mountain toward Westbridge. Her face was hardly recognizable it had turned so red and puffy from her tears. She hoped somehow, that if she went into a tavern, she might find Tarran. Surely her brother could help her - even if she really knew in the back of her mind she wouldn't find him.
The Blue Moon was a rowdy place, enough that no one really noticed her with her dirty clothes and bowed head. She made her way to the table as far away from everyone as possible and sat down, plunking her head onto the table and wrapping her arm around her face. A waitress came by and deposited a glass of water without a word, and left Emalia alone.
Every so often, she would let out a sob, for she felt truly lost now. She sat there mired in her own sorrows until a familiar voice hissed, "You look troubled, Child." It was Grobnak, and the ability for Emalia to release all of her thoughts to someone.
It was the perfect time to ask him about murdering, to which he admitted to doing, minus the joy that was believed to be had when he did. He admitted to being part of the Talosians... there were no lies.
Emalia hung her head at the admissions, and pressed on to her heart. She told Grobnak that she was losing someone very dear to her. "All I ever wanted was his approval." "[Ao] will use those he has deceived against you, and the greater your love for them, the greater the weapon." “How can I deal with this pain?" “Take comfort in your new family.”
Emalia sat stock still, trying not to let the tears that threatened her to fall. "I'm going to lose him... I'm going to lose them all."
"If he truly loves you, no matter the hurt, then perhaps he should trust you and respect you enough to accept your Faith, even if he does not share it. If not, you must remember that you are your own person now. Blessed by The Apprentice with Absolution. He must learn to accept that, or it will not be you that loses him, but perhaps, he that loses you."
Grobnak leaned over, kissing Emalia on the forehead lightly. "If I'd had a daughter, Child, I think she may have turned out akin to how you are today." Emalia thought of how nice it would be to have met one similar to herself, and how nice it was to be looked upon as though she had a father. It was with this thought that she lead Grobnak to the bakery, and amidst the stares of the patrons, shared with him a pie.
The Blue Moon was a rowdy place, enough that no one really noticed her with her dirty clothes and bowed head. She made her way to the table as far away from everyone as possible and sat down, plunking her head onto the table and wrapping her arm around her face. A waitress came by and deposited a glass of water without a word, and left Emalia alone.
Every so often, she would let out a sob, for she felt truly lost now. She sat there mired in her own sorrows until a familiar voice hissed, "You look troubled, Child." It was Grobnak, and the ability for Emalia to release all of her thoughts to someone.
It was the perfect time to ask him about murdering, to which he admitted to doing, minus the joy that was believed to be had when he did. He admitted to being part of the Talosians... there were no lies.
Emalia hung her head at the admissions, and pressed on to her heart. She told Grobnak that she was losing someone very dear to her. "All I ever wanted was his approval." "[Ao] will use those he has deceived against you, and the greater your love for them, the greater the weapon." “How can I deal with this pain?" “Take comfort in your new family.”
Emalia sat stock still, trying not to let the tears that threatened her to fall. "I'm going to lose him... I'm going to lose them all."
"If he truly loves you, no matter the hurt, then perhaps he should trust you and respect you enough to accept your Faith, even if he does not share it. If not, you must remember that you are your own person now. Blessed by The Apprentice with Absolution. He must learn to accept that, or it will not be you that loses him, but perhaps, he that loses you."
Grobnak leaned over, kissing Emalia on the forehead lightly. "If I'd had a daughter, Child, I think she may have turned out akin to how you are today." Emalia thought of how nice it would be to have met one similar to herself, and how nice it was to be looked upon as though she had a father. It was with this thought that she lead Grobnak to the bakery, and amidst the stares of the patrons, shared with him a pie.
Walking upon the Road
"How can she be so blind as to not see it. There is no way he deserves her." Colin thought to himself as he continued his trek northward along the road leading from Westbridge.
He had just left Emalia sitting where he had come upon her along the side of the road. They had shared a long conversation. She told him all about her beliefs she shared with her Jihad brethren. Sure, Colin though it sounded like a big risk. On one hand, if they are right, then the vicious cycle could be broken and suffering ended... permanently. On the other, if they are wrong, unnecessary destruction would be wrought upon so many. And to top it all off. Colin didn't really believe in all that supernatural stuff anyway. If he couldn't touch, taste, hear, or smell it he just had a hard time believing it.
But maybe that was just his disconnection with magic that made it that way. Either way, he could still respect Emalia for her beliefs. After all, she is an intelligent woman, and her caring is so deep and genuine. But Hellstrom, apparently, could not and the pain that it caused Emalia was almost unbearable.
So there Emalia had sat, in the grassy dirt alongside the dusty road, sobbing into Colin's chest because of Hellstrom. Sure, Colin had welcomed the closeness it brought but the circumstances were all wrong. "She does not deserve the pain this is causing her and he has no right to do this to her. As a matter of fact, that man doesn't even deserve be around her. I could just..." Again, Colin's thoughts stopped there, immediately redirected back from crossing that line. "What she needs now is comfort and understanding and I can give that to her. She will see that she has made the wrong choice, and once the blindness that this crush has brought upon her has been lifted she will be able to see me. After all... "If things don't happen with Hellstrom... who knows what the future could hold."
He had just left Emalia sitting where he had come upon her along the side of the road. They had shared a long conversation. She told him all about her beliefs she shared with her Jihad brethren. Sure, Colin though it sounded like a big risk. On one hand, if they are right, then the vicious cycle could be broken and suffering ended... permanently. On the other, if they are wrong, unnecessary destruction would be wrought upon so many. And to top it all off. Colin didn't really believe in all that supernatural stuff anyway. If he couldn't touch, taste, hear, or smell it he just had a hard time believing it.
But maybe that was just his disconnection with magic that made it that way. Either way, he could still respect Emalia for her beliefs. After all, she is an intelligent woman, and her caring is so deep and genuine. But Hellstrom, apparently, could not and the pain that it caused Emalia was almost unbearable.
So there Emalia had sat, in the grassy dirt alongside the dusty road, sobbing into Colin's chest because of Hellstrom. Sure, Colin had welcomed the closeness it brought but the circumstances were all wrong. "She does not deserve the pain this is causing her and he has no right to do this to her. As a matter of fact, that man doesn't even deserve be around her. I could just..." Again, Colin's thoughts stopped there, immediately redirected back from crossing that line. "What she needs now is comfort and understanding and I can give that to her. She will see that she has made the wrong choice, and once the blindness that this crush has brought upon her has been lifted she will be able to see me. After all... "If things don't happen with Hellstrom... who knows what the future could hold."
The Informant
Nyrul made his way to the Jihad Compound, in the debt of the night knowing this is where he could find Grobnak, to help aid him in the upcoming plans of his. Once to the Compound, Nyrul snuck into Grobnak's chambers, where Grobnak seemed to be studying some unknown things. Nyrul kept his face cloaked and stood in the door way to Grobnak's chamber, he spoke in his soft whisperers tone "Sir..." Grobnak seemed taken off guard a bit, then replied "Greetings Brother." Nyrul took a steep bow before Grobnak, and it was returned.
Nyrul began to tell Grobnak of his recent findings on this unknown man who had been speaking to Emalia just a short time after Grobnak had spoken with her. Nyrul spoke of everything, even his intentions of wanting to kill this man who was trying to stand in Jihad's path.
After everything was explained Grobnak gave Nyrul the order to find this unknown man that had been speaking with Emalia, and track him find out everything about him, his next of kin mainly, and then report back. Nyrul was a little distraught when what he wanted to do was shot down by Grobnak, but he understood fully what needed to be done.
Grobnak then made plans to go and see Emalia right away, whilst Nyrul began his devious plan to lure Hellstrom into speaking of anything he loved dearly, so Nyrul could carry out Grobnak's plan to convert them or destroy them.....Nyrul slipped back into the night and made his way back to Westbridge.
Nyrul began to tell Grobnak of his recent findings on this unknown man who had been speaking to Emalia just a short time after Grobnak had spoken with her. Nyrul spoke of everything, even his intentions of wanting to kill this man who was trying to stand in Jihad's path.
After everything was explained Grobnak gave Nyrul the order to find this unknown man that had been speaking with Emalia, and track him find out everything about him, his next of kin mainly, and then report back. Nyrul was a little distraught when what he wanted to do was shot down by Grobnak, but he understood fully what needed to be done.
Grobnak then made plans to go and see Emalia right away, whilst Nyrul began his devious plan to lure Hellstrom into speaking of anything he loved dearly, so Nyrul could carry out Grobnak's plan to convert them or destroy them.....Nyrul slipped back into the night and made his way back to Westbridge.
Stuck in the Middle
Never before had the wooded mountains north of Westbridge seemed so inhospitable to Emalia as they now did. She stumbled down the mountainside, falling and sliding in the dirt and leaves, her normally pristine white robe growing dirtier with each slide. Tears marred her vision, making it nearly impossible for her to navigate her way regardless of how hard she tried. Even the calm that continued to swirl around her, weakening her with its heavy radiation, couldn't help her control the sobs that echoed off of the trunks of nearby trees.
At long last, she came to rest upon a large rock, that sat on the edge of a clearing. She was high enough on the mountainside to see Westbridge and its walls and towers, but too far to make out any individual people that might stream in or out of it. She climbed to the top of the boulder, scraping her legs and arms enough that they stained small portions of her robe crimson.
It was here that Emalia clenched her hands into tight fists, folded herself forward, and began to wail into the daybreak. Her talk with Hellstrom, ironically in the very same place they connected, stung her like a barbed dart. Everything was wrong. Everything.
Maxell was generally quiet anyway, so it honestly didn't bother Emalia that he was absolutely silent while she went on and on about her lack of knowledge of the RoK,Ao, The Apprentice and just how dangerous it seemed that no one had told her of the consequences.
About the time she was musing on how she could begin to spread the word to the realms, a cough interrupted her thoughts. Maxell seemed rather grateful as Emalia sat up and took note of Hellstrom. She could tell something was troubling him, but what, she didn't know. He requested her company in the woods, and their walk ended at the overlook.
Emalia did think it was odd that Hellstrom began by asking her how old she thought the trees were, but she didn't hesitate in her answer of hundreds of years. It was that instant moment that her life began to shift into something she didn't recognize. "I know you spoke with Grobnak recently."
The hate that Emalia saw flash into the eyes of Hellstrom took her completely off guard. "Well, I did speak to him... and he made a lot of sense."
"Snakes often do. Listening to that man's silver tongue is almost worse than had I let you read the Cyrinishad."
It had to have been a dream. Emalia's vision went hazy for a moment, hearing the Cyrinishad being compared to Grobnak as the better of two. Hellstrom went on, trying to show Emalia the beauty around them created by Ao, attempting to wrest her from her thoughts of Rebirth and into the world that sat around them. They stared into the Elven Valley. "Do you see madness down there?" "Don't you want all of them to be saved?" "I do" "Their grandchildren?" "I want them saved NOW, not at the whim of the petty Gods." "Hellstrom, don't you see? There's always going to be a thread! Even if they bring down the RoK, it's going to keep coming back." "We don't KNOW that!"
Hellstrom delved into the history of the RoK, some of which Emalia knew already from Grobnak and the tome he had given her. Hemelia, the dreaded virus, reared its head. "Grobnak is a carrier I believe to this day. It brings delusions with it, the victim hears voices."
"They are sent from the Rok. They are voices of The Apprentice." "The Jenovese built a church based on their delusions while in the grips of the virus. A virus Emalia... a church based on a virus that killed people. Good people. People I knew well. My friends, my family."
Hellstrom continued while Emalia's thoughts reeled in silence. Grobnak had warned her that this might happen, he had told her that the very people she cared the most about, may very well be the ones that would shun her for believing that destruction would bring about resurrection. "We were able to fight back the demons. Every last one was slain and they are contained now." "But why... why do it over and over again when just once and we would never have to do it again?" "At the risk of oblivion?" "You speak of chance!" "Are you willing to risk that you are wrong? It would mean our death. My death." "I am willing to die, to be reborn, to have this contained forever. Time immortal."
Emalia stood convinced, here she was, prepared to give of her very self - to sacrifice her life to spare the lives of countless others... and she couldn't convince the one person that she wanted so badly to believe in her.
"Grobnak is a murderer. A killer of the worst sort." "No. He spoke what made sense." "Not only does he belong to the church of Talos, he leads it. He leads a band of Murderous Talosians!"
Emalia paced now, tears in her eyes as small tremors began to assail her shoulders. Hellstrom continued, showing her what would have happened if she had read the Cyrinishad based on the word of a Cyrisist. Her only argument was that to not read, would have meant a lack of knowledge, and to be without understanding was bad. "I don't want to lose you to this madness, Emalia. Too many have been lost this way." "I won't be lost... I'm not lost! How can you not see that this is for the benefit of the whole realms? Never to have to do it again... and all it takes is our sacrifice." "Because, we don't know." "Aren't we, as Guardians, expected to aid the realms?" Emalia rose and turned to look at Hellstrom. Tears rolled down her face as she desperately tried to make her case.
"Emalia, this is based off of the voices heard in a diseased delirium. To
take this chance when we can destroy it instead." "Hellstrom," Emalia begged, "This makes sense. I'm not diseased. I'm not delirious..."
"But Grobnak is! I won't be involved with a group that wants to destroy everything I want to preserve." Hellstrom’s words broke into the very heart of Emalia. At that moment, at that instant, she would have given anything to have things back the way they were - but to do so would be to go back on each vow she promised to Grobnak that day. In a whisper, Hellstrom continued, "I don't want to lose you..."
There was nothing she could say, no way she could hope to counter his words. "It is my job... my duty to protect these woods and everything in them. That ends if the RoK falls." Her protests, at this point made with halfhearted conviction, meant nothing. "This fight has brought the realms together in a way that has never happened in the span of known history-except for the Jenovese."
Hellstrom mentioned the insanity of Emalia's convictions, the lunacy spouted from Grobnak's demon's tongue, only pointing to her that if she believed it, she must be the same. Though Hellstrom obviously didn't believe she was the same as the being she had spoke to in the forests, Emalia couldn't see at any rate that youth had anything to do with it. For her, she had made a good choice, one that would save the realms – but only now was she beginning to see that it might mean the end of everything she had held dear up to now. "I love you Emalia. Please, for the love of everything, do not do this thing."
It was the final, crushing blow. If only those words were spoken outside of this moment in time. The thought of it ripped her very soul from her and crushed it into fragments. "Oh Hellstrom... don't... don't say that..." "It is said Emalia. I can't nor will I take it back. You know where to find me when you've done your thinking."
Such is how Emalia found herself sliding through her tears down the side of a mountain. What might be wrong with her, that she made so many choices that caused this sort of result?
Could she truly be insane? No one knew what she had vowed...and no one would know. The image of Grobnak standing before her, the ritualistic dagger held in hand to her throat, and the words she spoke echoed over and over again – interwoven by Hellstrom's - "It would be better to push myself into this blade, than to betray my family and myself."
At long last, she came to rest upon a large rock, that sat on the edge of a clearing. She was high enough on the mountainside to see Westbridge and its walls and towers, but too far to make out any individual people that might stream in or out of it. She climbed to the top of the boulder, scraping her legs and arms enough that they stained small portions of her robe crimson.
It was here that Emalia clenched her hands into tight fists, folded herself forward, and began to wail into the daybreak. Her talk with Hellstrom, ironically in the very same place they connected, stung her like a barbed dart. Everything was wrong. Everything.
Maxell was generally quiet anyway, so it honestly didn't bother Emalia that he was absolutely silent while she went on and on about her lack of knowledge of the RoK,Ao, The Apprentice and just how dangerous it seemed that no one had told her of the consequences.
About the time she was musing on how she could begin to spread the word to the realms, a cough interrupted her thoughts. Maxell seemed rather grateful as Emalia sat up and took note of Hellstrom. She could tell something was troubling him, but what, she didn't know. He requested her company in the woods, and their walk ended at the overlook.
Emalia did think it was odd that Hellstrom began by asking her how old she thought the trees were, but she didn't hesitate in her answer of hundreds of years. It was that instant moment that her life began to shift into something she didn't recognize. "I know you spoke with Grobnak recently."
The hate that Emalia saw flash into the eyes of Hellstrom took her completely off guard. "Well, I did speak to him... and he made a lot of sense."
"Snakes often do. Listening to that man's silver tongue is almost worse than had I let you read the Cyrinishad."
It had to have been a dream. Emalia's vision went hazy for a moment, hearing the Cyrinishad being compared to Grobnak as the better of two. Hellstrom went on, trying to show Emalia the beauty around them created by Ao, attempting to wrest her from her thoughts of Rebirth and into the world that sat around them. They stared into the Elven Valley. "Do you see madness down there?" "Don't you want all of them to be saved?" "I do" "Their grandchildren?" "I want them saved NOW, not at the whim of the petty Gods." "Hellstrom, don't you see? There's always going to be a thread! Even if they bring down the RoK, it's going to keep coming back." "We don't KNOW that!"
Hellstrom delved into the history of the RoK, some of which Emalia knew already from Grobnak and the tome he had given her. Hemelia, the dreaded virus, reared its head. "Grobnak is a carrier I believe to this day. It brings delusions with it, the victim hears voices."
"They are sent from the Rok. They are voices of The Apprentice." "The Jenovese built a church based on their delusions while in the grips of the virus. A virus Emalia... a church based on a virus that killed people. Good people. People I knew well. My friends, my family."
Hellstrom continued while Emalia's thoughts reeled in silence. Grobnak had warned her that this might happen, he had told her that the very people she cared the most about, may very well be the ones that would shun her for believing that destruction would bring about resurrection. "We were able to fight back the demons. Every last one was slain and they are contained now." "But why... why do it over and over again when just once and we would never have to do it again?" "At the risk of oblivion?" "You speak of chance!" "Are you willing to risk that you are wrong? It would mean our death. My death." "I am willing to die, to be reborn, to have this contained forever. Time immortal."
Emalia stood convinced, here she was, prepared to give of her very self - to sacrifice her life to spare the lives of countless others... and she couldn't convince the one person that she wanted so badly to believe in her.
"Grobnak is a murderer. A killer of the worst sort." "No. He spoke what made sense." "Not only does he belong to the church of Talos, he leads it. He leads a band of Murderous Talosians!"
Emalia paced now, tears in her eyes as small tremors began to assail her shoulders. Hellstrom continued, showing her what would have happened if she had read the Cyrinishad based on the word of a Cyrisist. Her only argument was that to not read, would have meant a lack of knowledge, and to be without understanding was bad. "I don't want to lose you to this madness, Emalia. Too many have been lost this way." "I won't be lost... I'm not lost! How can you not see that this is for the benefit of the whole realms? Never to have to do it again... and all it takes is our sacrifice." "Because, we don't know." "Aren't we, as Guardians, expected to aid the realms?" Emalia rose and turned to look at Hellstrom. Tears rolled down her face as she desperately tried to make her case.
"Emalia, this is based off of the voices heard in a diseased delirium. To
take this chance when we can destroy it instead." "Hellstrom," Emalia begged, "This makes sense. I'm not diseased. I'm not delirious..."
"But Grobnak is! I won't be involved with a group that wants to destroy everything I want to preserve." Hellstrom’s words broke into the very heart of Emalia. At that moment, at that instant, she would have given anything to have things back the way they were - but to do so would be to go back on each vow she promised to Grobnak that day. In a whisper, Hellstrom continued, "I don't want to lose you..."
There was nothing she could say, no way she could hope to counter his words. "It is my job... my duty to protect these woods and everything in them. That ends if the RoK falls." Her protests, at this point made with halfhearted conviction, meant nothing. "This fight has brought the realms together in a way that has never happened in the span of known history-except for the Jenovese."
Hellstrom mentioned the insanity of Emalia's convictions, the lunacy spouted from Grobnak's demon's tongue, only pointing to her that if she believed it, she must be the same. Though Hellstrom obviously didn't believe she was the same as the being she had spoke to in the forests, Emalia couldn't see at any rate that youth had anything to do with it. For her, she had made a good choice, one that would save the realms – but only now was she beginning to see that it might mean the end of everything she had held dear up to now. "I love you Emalia. Please, for the love of everything, do not do this thing."
It was the final, crushing blow. If only those words were spoken outside of this moment in time. The thought of it ripped her very soul from her and crushed it into fragments. "Oh Hellstrom... don't... don't say that..." "It is said Emalia. I can't nor will I take it back. You know where to find me when you've done your thinking."
Such is how Emalia found herself sliding through her tears down the side of a mountain. What might be wrong with her, that she made so many choices that caused this sort of result?
Could she truly be insane? No one knew what she had vowed...and no one would know. The image of Grobnak standing before her, the ritualistic dagger held in hand to her throat, and the words she spoke echoed over and over again – interwoven by Hellstrom's - "It would be better to push myself into this blade, than to betray my family and myself."
The End of Innocence
Hellstrom while sitting in the enchanted Laval pools in Kossuth's church thought about everything that had happened in the past few days. It had been nerve wracking and he had not really rested in quite some time, but the end result was wonderful.
Hellstrom’s thoughts were interrupted as a small flame sputtered up from the pool and a familiar voice spoke to him. "Hellstrom, I need you at once." Elbryan's voice commanded.
Hellstrom sighed and muttered to himself, "I guess my break is over." Hellstrom stepped out of the pool and dressed quickly. From the tone in Elbryan's voice he meant now. With one last sigh Elbryan tapped into his limited magical ability and a door appeared in the wall on the east side of the room. Hellstrom walked to it and opened it to find himself in Elbryan's mansion in Torregianno.
Elbryan was sitting in a chair next to a lit candle with a book closed in his lap, waiting for Hellstrom impatiently by the look he had on his bony face. "Have a seat Hellstrom." Elbryan said evenly. "We have some.... issues we need to discuss."
Hellstrom sat in a chair across from Elbryan as he related the information that Vorcet had managed to gather at the Jenovese Camp. Hellstrom jaw dropped as Elbryan got to the description of the girl. He knew immediately who it was. He could never forget that description. He had gone over it too many times in his own mind. As the story was finished Hellstrom's surprise was replaced by rage. Rage at the Jenovese, and rage directed at Grobnak specifically.
"That SNAKE" Hellstrom growled fiercely as he stood up and began to pace. "If I lay hands on that monster I swear...."
"You will do nothing. That is what you will do." Elbryan answered as evenly as before. "Don’t you think you have someone ELSE you should be worrying about?" Hellstrom stopped in his pacing as he caught Elbryan's meaning. Hellstrom tried to stutter something but Elbryan cut him off. "I understand your need to explain, but it is not necessary. You are the closest to her right now. Do what you can."
Hellstrom with a somewhat relived if not confused look on his face nods and says quietly "I will not disappoint."
Back In the Church Hellstrom paces his small room while he considers his options. "I was able to get her to destroy her copy of the Cyrinishad..." Hellstrom thinks aloud to himself. "Maybe I can talk her out of this madness." Hellstrom sighs as he opens yet another door, his third for the evening exhausting his magical energy and walks into the Sanctuary of the Crimson Guardians to track down Emalia and have a MUCH needed chat.
Hellstrom’s thoughts were interrupted as a small flame sputtered up from the pool and a familiar voice spoke to him. "Hellstrom, I need you at once." Elbryan's voice commanded.
Hellstrom sighed and muttered to himself, "I guess my break is over." Hellstrom stepped out of the pool and dressed quickly. From the tone in Elbryan's voice he meant now. With one last sigh Elbryan tapped into his limited magical ability and a door appeared in the wall on the east side of the room. Hellstrom walked to it and opened it to find himself in Elbryan's mansion in Torregianno.
Elbryan was sitting in a chair next to a lit candle with a book closed in his lap, waiting for Hellstrom impatiently by the look he had on his bony face. "Have a seat Hellstrom." Elbryan said evenly. "We have some.... issues we need to discuss."
Hellstrom sat in a chair across from Elbryan as he related the information that Vorcet had managed to gather at the Jenovese Camp. Hellstrom jaw dropped as Elbryan got to the description of the girl. He knew immediately who it was. He could never forget that description. He had gone over it too many times in his own mind. As the story was finished Hellstrom's surprise was replaced by rage. Rage at the Jenovese, and rage directed at Grobnak specifically.
"That SNAKE" Hellstrom growled fiercely as he stood up and began to pace. "If I lay hands on that monster I swear...."
"You will do nothing. That is what you will do." Elbryan answered as evenly as before. "Don’t you think you have someone ELSE you should be worrying about?" Hellstrom stopped in his pacing as he caught Elbryan's meaning. Hellstrom tried to stutter something but Elbryan cut him off. "I understand your need to explain, but it is not necessary. You are the closest to her right now. Do what you can."
Hellstrom with a somewhat relived if not confused look on his face nods and says quietly "I will not disappoint."
Back In the Church Hellstrom paces his small room while he considers his options. "I was able to get her to destroy her copy of the Cyrinishad..." Hellstrom thinks aloud to himself. "Maybe I can talk her out of this madness." Hellstrom sighs as he opens yet another door, his third for the evening exhausting his magical energy and walks into the Sanctuary of the Crimson Guardians to track down Emalia and have a MUCH needed chat.
A Report from the Eyes of Flame
The room was dark except for the one Candle that Elbryan was using to read. He was deeply involved in an interesting tome he had acquired in a recent trip up Khelben "Blackstaff" Arunsun's tower to eradicate some demons that seemed to be troubling the roof. The Book was called "Devious Invention's" and was a quite interesting tome dealing with the components necessary in the construction of certain magical devices.
Elbryan could feel the magical energy building in the room as the portal opened and his personal spy Vorcet stepped out of the portal with a frown on his face. Elbryan placed his worn leather bookmark in the book and careful closed it being careful not to damage the pages before looking up at Vorcet and waiting for his report.
Vorcet repeated the conversation between the girl and Grobnak as best he could, making sure to point out her obvious interest and easy acceptance of the filth that Grobnak spewed. Finally Vorcet got to describing this new recruit among the Jenovese. A young slender girl with wavy brown hair and brown eyes with a light bordering on white complexion. When Vorcet finished Elbryan sat back in his chair with a thoughtful look on his face. He knew the girl Vorcet spoke of. He had just brought her into the Guardians not more than two weeks ago. Though Vorcet had no need of that knowledge, and Elbryan had learned long ago to spread knowledge out among his fellow worshippers of Kossuth so as not to create havoc within his church, especially with the Variety of followers Kossuth had.
Elbryan mulled over the possibilities for a while forgetting that Vorcet was still standing there awaiting a response. "Thank you Vorcet. That will be all." Elbryan said as he realized Vorcet was still there. "And Vorcet... Get some sleep. You look like death." Elbryan added remembering how long Vorcet had been in the field. Vorcet simply nodded his understanding and the portal opened again and Vorcet stepped through as the gate closed.
Alone again in his mansion, Elbryan thought for a moment before summoning a small flame in his hand and speaking into it. "Hellstrom, I need you at once." And not waiting for an answer the flame withered away to nothingness once more.
Elbryan could feel the magical energy building in the room as the portal opened and his personal spy Vorcet stepped out of the portal with a frown on his face. Elbryan placed his worn leather bookmark in the book and careful closed it being careful not to damage the pages before looking up at Vorcet and waiting for his report.
Vorcet repeated the conversation between the girl and Grobnak as best he could, making sure to point out her obvious interest and easy acceptance of the filth that Grobnak spewed. Finally Vorcet got to describing this new recruit among the Jenovese. A young slender girl with wavy brown hair and brown eyes with a light bordering on white complexion. When Vorcet finished Elbryan sat back in his chair with a thoughtful look on his face. He knew the girl Vorcet spoke of. He had just brought her into the Guardians not more than two weeks ago. Though Vorcet had no need of that knowledge, and Elbryan had learned long ago to spread knowledge out among his fellow worshippers of Kossuth so as not to create havoc within his church, especially with the Variety of followers Kossuth had.
Elbryan mulled over the possibilities for a while forgetting that Vorcet was still standing there awaiting a response. "Thank you Vorcet. That will be all." Elbryan said as he realized Vorcet was still there. "And Vorcet... Get some sleep. You look like death." Elbryan added remembering how long Vorcet had been in the field. Vorcet simply nodded his understanding and the portal opened again and Vorcet stepped through as the gate closed.
Alone again in his mansion, Elbryan thought for a moment before summoning a small flame in his hand and speaking into it. "Hellstrom, I need you at once." And not waiting for an answer the flame withered away to nothingness once more.
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