Chp 8 : Turn 6 : Rites of Passage

[Xamvim]

Evelyn's Cures (wouldnt post in previous post)

Cure 1

Rolling some dice:

4d8 +8: 30 (5, 8, 3, 6)

Cure 2

Rolling some dice:

3d8 +8: 20 (4, 1, 7)

Cure 3

Rolling some dice:

2d8 +8: 17 (2, 7)

Cure 4

Rolling some dice:

1d8 +5: 11 (6)

[Zane]

Zinnaella catches Eve's smile at her, though notes that something is off - as though it is more than just weariness. A question for later it seems... she muses, continuing with her new, temporary, companions.

---

Zinnaella tries once more to correct Drayke on her name, but the look on his face tells her she has a better chance of getting water from a rock. So she just sighs and lets it go, knowing she can't do anything about it. Just then, she notes Val'anthis moving of in the same direction.

"Val," she calls out, moving quickly to catch up with the elf. She reaches him and slows back down to a normal pace, walking with him. "How is she, your mother?"

[GeneT]

The Zmena looks at Evelyn with searching eyes.

"Evelyn the Good. These priests are yours this day and every day hereafter. Look into their eyes and into the eyes of every citizen upon this square."

She laughs, chokes a little, and then coughs, but waves away the hands that reach to support her.

"You are an Anděl to them. A spirit of light and goodness. A deliverer of hope. The Angel of Prejete."

She searches Evelyn's eyes. "The magic may fade but what is in their hearts never will. It is not an easy road for any, to be seen as such. It is a heavy burden. This a Life Crossing for you. A moment of change. And I expect, it is one for us all."

[dougfan]

((Scooby doo to this point))

Others seek Kel. Vahanian approaches him and waits to be noted. He does not speak until Kel looks at him expectantly or ask him a question. "My Lord, the anděl wishes we search for Miro and others inside the Mayor's compound. Would you lead us?" Vahanian is a big man with a two handed broad sword and he has seen many battles. He is capable and trustworthy. And he looks at Kel with complete honesty. To him, Kel is someone to follow. Someone he would follow. He could lead men into the compound, but they would be less afraid and better managed with Kel as their Captain.

Kel turns to the tall guard, physically looking up at him. He blinks once then nods, his face a picture of stoicism as he sets to the task at hand. "Your name is Vahanian, yes? I will accept her task. Show me where we must go." He is fairly certain who they refer to when they say 'Anděl.' It is easy as there is one person in this entire square he would give such a honorific.

[Kurzio]

Val'anthis turns back and sees Zinn. "She's... alive. Thanks for everything. I'm in your debt." He bows slightly.

"Right now I have to find Mica. We were all imprisoned in the same room, but I didn't saw her leaving it."

[Zane]

Zinnaella smiles briefly to Val, "It was nothing, just a potion. There was too much death, I had to save those I could." Zinnaella looks down for a moment, but looks back up at the mention of Mica. "As it turns out, we are heading out to find Mica as well. How about we travel there together?"

Zinnaella nods her head back to the others following her as she mentions we and us so Val knows who she means. Zinnaella then glances back to ensure that Drayke and the others are following, but have given her some room with Val. If not, she glares at Drayke until he does.

Turning back to Val, she speaks softly. "Val, I'm sorry. I... I tried to get to you all. But there were..." Zinnaella shakes her head, no excuses. "No, I gave up. I'm sorry."

[Kurzio]

Val gladly accepts Zinn's offer. As they travel, he shakes his head.

"No, you have done more than I could ever excpect. You saved our lives at the risk of your own. It pains me when I think that we lost Xerxes..." he pauses for a moment, "but it I'm glad to see that he wasn't the only trustworthy human, young thief." As he says it, he truns to Zinn and gives her a sad smile.

[Zane]

Zinnaella smiles at Val's words - to begin with.

young thief...

The words grate on Zinnaella and she grimaces to hear Val state them. At one time, she may have been fine with such a title, but she had turned from that life. Others had used it and she had not corrected them. But not anymore, not now.

"No," she hisses slightly to Val, her voice still kept low to prevent the others from hearing. "Not thief," she continues. "Don't use that title." Zinnaella takes a breath, calming herself down. "At one time, it was fitting - but that is in my past, when I had no other choice to survive. But that is not me, not now. So please, just call me Zinnaella. Or Zinn - it is a name I am fond of hearing from my friends."

Zinnaella gives Val a soft smile as they continue on their way to check on the fate of Mica.

[Xamvim]

As the Zmena speaks to her, Evelyn can feel the magic of the amulet fade, the folded wings slowly dissolving into morning mist, then gone. The combination of the Zmena's weighted words and the dislocated feeling of emptiness she felt from the amulet's spent magic, causes Evelyn to bow her head slightly, for a moment before locking her golden eyes back on the Zmena.

"They are mine, as I am Vecer's," Evelyn replies in deference to the Zmena, "The hope I bring, is the hope Vecer brings to me."

Evelyn smiles, a little warmer than her recent smiles. She kneels before the Zmena and kisses her gently on the forehead, whispering to her softly, "I have the love of my life and the love beyond my death, both walking hand in hand with me. I cannot know if I will succeed or fail, but for as long as life's breath passes my lips and thoughts enter my mind, even in death, I will do all I can, for him, for you, for her, for Prejete and all her people .... for all off Turan."

Evelyn kisses the Znema once more and stands, "I must begin the crossings, with my brothers and sisters, but I shall return to check on you after each." Evelyn pauses, "Perhaps I will have the chance to speak with you and Val'anthis about happier times, when this is all done. He is a dear friend of mine and speaks highly of you. It would be good to speak of something less bleak for a change." Evelyn smiles at her and takes her leave.

Evelyn walks to the dead. It is a grim sight, fifty three bodies, many in parts lying in pieces on the blood stained square. Evelyn sees the other Vecer priests engrossed in their ceremonies, the occasional mourner, a friend or a lover, kneeling by them, paying their respects to the one being crossed, in silence or in vocal outbursts.

She sees the man in white, the leader of the South Gate, his body cut in two and approaches him. Evelyn is not immune to the feeling of sadness she feels as she nears him. Evelyn sees a woman, standing by him and Evelyn smiles at her, a smile of condolence.

"My name is Evelyn," Evelyn begins, her golden eyes, never leaving the woman's, "with your permission, I wish to cross this man, so that he may continue his journey. If that is your wish, I would like to know of his name and yours."

[GeneT]

"Yes My Lord," Vahanian says to Kel.

The guard settles the men with him. "By two," he call out, "with space enough to move and spread." Watching the men and women line up, he waits until he is satisfied and then nods to Lord Kel.

"It is this way My Lord," he says.

Vahanian directs Kel with a word here and a word there, always staying one step behind his Captain's right shoulder. The party weave through the Mayorial compund's vacant front gate and then divert right along the mansion's edge. They duck through a low arch connecting the compound with the legal administrative office and enter a gated tunnel leading to the portion of the prison underground. Searching the upper levels, they find little. Occassionally, they come across a body of a dead citizen. The lower levels are packed with prisoners. Sometimes, there is so many per cell that the floor itself is unseen. The smell if aweful. There are dead in with the living and some have not been feed in days. A few cells had no choice but to resort to canabilizing the dead.

Vahanian and Kel find Miro chained to a wall. He is missing his left arm, the stump burnt and angry, most of the right side of his face, and his right foot. Miraculously, the dwarf's head move some as Kel and Vahanian attempt to free him.

"Oi," he says weakly, his one eye rolling in his head. "Come back fur more have we. Well, your not have it outta this dwarf ya bastards."