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Message: <blockquote data-quote="talien" data-source="post: 4557666" data-attributes="member: 3285">Fox and Geese: Part 1 – Voices CarryA group of men in the garb of Sarishan priests were arguing with a group in the accoutrements of warriors of Nier. Their voices rose steadily, and many people moved away from what promised to become a fight. No one had summoned the guards; in fact, they seemed to be intentionally ignoring the affair.The point of contention was a group of plainly dressed folk standing idly behind the arguing men. “Dese men are not your property, warrior,” said one of the Sarishan priests. He was easily identified by the Mark of Sarish on his forehead, an inverted triangle between two parentheses.  “You have no claim over dem. Leave us.”“Neither are they yours, priest,” replied a Sword of Nier. “You have no more right to constrain them. And I will not see them led like calves to slaughter.”“They don’t have any of the typical caste markings of Nishanpur,” said Sebastian. “Who they are, whether foreigners or field hands, is impossible to say.”Some of the six people look fearfully at the arguing group; others stared vacantly, or were preoccupied with small objects. They consisted of a human female, a dark-kin female, and the rest were all male.“Quintus,” whispered Ilmarė.One of the men, with a slightly more muscular build than the others, had a tattoo on his left arm, partially covered by the sleeve of his shirt. It read “Legio Occultus…”“The Legion of the Triumphant Rays of the Invisible Sun,” said Ilmarė in disbelief.“You accuse us of slaughter?” continued the priest. “It is your kind dat have bathed our land in blood and fire!”“Yours have been bleeding the land for centuries,” the Nierite replied. “We seek only to cauterize the wounds before this land bleeds to death!”Kham walked over to the legionnaire and stood in front of him.  He didn’t respond.“Quintus?  Hey, Quintus?” Kham waved his hand in front of the legionnaire.  “Yep, it’s Quintus all right.”  He pushed Quintus with one finger, but the man’s expressionless features didn’t change.  He merely moved slightly.“Hah!” snarled the Sarishan. “Leave us before you find yourself food for demons!”The Nierite put one hand on his two-handed greatsword. “We will not leave until you give over these blameless folk to us!”“Uh, I think a fight is about to break out...” Beldin reached for his axe.“Up we go!” Kham bent over and lugged Quintus over his shoulders with some effort. “Hey!” shouted the Nierite.“Leave him be!” shouted the Sarishan.The Nierite stepped forward, only to find the Sarishan priest in his path.  He backhanded the priest without thinking.The priest fell.  The Sarishan wiped his face with the back of his hand.  Blood was smeared across it.  The Mark of Sarish on the priest’s head began to glow.  “You’ll be sorry you did that.”“Uh oh,” said Sebastian.“Uh oh, what?” asked Kham.  He was having difficulty keeping the heavy man aloft. “Marks of Sarish bind those branded with them to not commit violence or have violence committed against them,” said Sebastian.  “The Nierite just violated the priest’s Mark.  That means—“There was a popping, hissing sound.  Four shrieking winged devils appeared in a puff of brimstone ahead and behind them.“Vorlerath Demons,” sighed Ilmarė.  The Nierites drew their two-handed swords and arrayed themselves in formation as the demons advanced.“That’s not what I’m concerned about,” said Sebastian.“There’s something worse than Vorlerath Demons?” asked Kham.  He whirled around, trying to keep an eye on the demons, the Nierites, and find a way out of the crowd.Sebastian pointed skyward as a pair of huge winged shadows passed over them. “Yes.”</blockquote>

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