As the Crusading army marches north throughout Wednesday, Khalia ir'Indari begins quietly speaking with the others in positions of importance. With the information she acquired in her research, and Horatio Donovan adding his own opinions to the matter, Khalia feels like she's slowly getting through to many others. And the idea that this whole crusade might be pushed forward under faulty logic and pretense begins to take hold. By the time the crusade camps for the night on Wednesday, Khalia is feeling better than she had been.
Brother Tod Elston agrees with Khalia and Horatio both. The dwarven warrior Stonegaard concurs as well. The warforged leader Brother Anvil is a bit too solid to be swayed straight away, but he insists he will keep his senses open and not presume anything is black and white. For a warforged, that is about all Khalia could expect. The elven mage Dael'dareen is a bit too quixotic to know what her opinions are on the matter, and Khalia doesn't even try to speak with Gerrold... knowing the man would probably go running to Nevillom in order to get himself back into the Elder's good graces.
When the command squad and squad leaders meet with Nevillom Thursday morning, he reports that he is not able to contact the scouting party. He suspects something's happened, and thus they will be pushing forward at double-speed... and that by mid afternoon they will arrive where the agreed upon rendevous with the scouting party was supposed to be.
***
When Jina refuses to answer Jango's question about what she plans to do to get back home... Jango realizes that he has only two choices. Abandon her, or let her tag along. For now. With
it insisting that time is of the essence... Jango relents and he and Jina take off through the jungle trees Wednesday night.
Jina is still amazed at the speed and agility with which Jango moves in almost complete darkness, and several time she has to call out to him to slow down. She can't move nearly as fast with only her low-light vision helping the way. She can see that with each passing hour, Jango's frustration just grows and grows.
About an half-hour after dawn on Thursday morning, a very tired Jango and Jina stumble through the trees and find themselves in somewhat of a clearing. Well at least an area that had several trees knocked down to use as firewood. And within this clearing they both see about fifty or so men and women, dressed in the armor and weapons of an army... all of them wearing or carrying the symbols of the Silver Flame. They do not know what this is all about, but they are easily seen by a number of guards and are ushered into the camp. It isn't long after they are brought in and have begun to be questioned that Khalia ir'Indari slips out of the meeting with Elder Nevillom to come upon the two Silversun twins. Neither knows how or why the other is here... these kinds of coincidences just usually not happening unless some divine hand is ushering them together...
But the conversation is swift and informative to the point, and Khalia convinces the others that these two pose no threat. She takes responsibility for them both herself.
However, she does acquire a measure of concern when two hours later the army is ready to continue marching, and she finds that while Jina is still here and ready to go... Jango has disappeared.
Because Jango used the opportunity of the Silver Flame crusade to leave his sister with folks that would protect her... but he himself could slip away and move on ahead. And as he rushes through the trees and underbrush on Thursday morning and early afternoon... he and the voice prepare for what will happen next when they arrive at the temple where they will meet their help.
