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<blockquote data-quote="Delemental" data-source="post: 5249242" data-attributes="member: 5203"><p>Sigh. Once again, more time has passed between updates than I wanted.</p><p></p><p>-----------------------------------</p><p></p><p> A beam of light lanced out of Ayama’s caste mark, striking the teodozjia in the head as her very nature rebelled against the presence of this unnatural creature. The demon-cat howled, and tried to swipe at the hated Zenith with a rapid flurry of claws, but Ayama deftly avoided them all. She leapt atop the jade lion’s back, bringing both fists down on the back of its neck. Her anima serpents had coiled around the teodozjia’s torso, constricting, and though they were made only of light the demon seemed to react as though they were real, writhing as they squeezed. It seemed as though the demon’s struggles would soon cease, but then, suddenly, its head twisted around, and it summoned up strength and power from some unknown depths. The black lightning crackled from the dark gem mounted on the demon’s head, striking the winged serpents and sending them reeling into the sky, while a larger black bolt blasted into the center of Ayama’s caste mark. As the foul energies touched her, Ayama heard a litany being recited in her mind…</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p> Ayama felt her body wracked with pain, felt her consciousness fading as the overwhelming evil of the demon’s presence assaulted her soul. Then she saw the lion head lunge toward her, jaws wide, and felt a burning lance of pain…</p><p></p><p> Tiaka slammed his fists into Kaliel’s chest, sending the Solar flying back several feet, leaving a furrow in the snow. He recovered and rushed forward, slicing at the demonic man with Principle of Severity, tearing free another large chunk of flesh. Kaliel could see exposed bone in several places now, and most of the man’s viscera had dropped into the snow some time back, but still the abomination kept coming. As Kaliel pressed the attack, wondering how to fell such a foe, he saw a small white shape fly out and launch itself toward Tiaka. Zanka spun gracefully past the bandaged man, slashing at his legs with her war fans. Tendons snapped like the string of a kite, but still he kept coming, hobbling on ruined legs.</p><p></p><p> Not far away, the soulsteel chain of Nine Wounds Laughing whipped out, finally connecting with the general and breaking his nose. With blood pouring from his face, the general threw a hand out and gestured at the deathknight, and a blast of fine sand shot out of his palm, with enough force to shred flesh from bone. Nine Wounds Laughing was barely able to spin out of the way in time to avoid the scouring blast. She flicked her chain out as she dodged, catching Ghost’s typhoon wheel with one of the hooks and flipping it up into the air, where he easily caught it. The general, no longer confident in the infallibility of his defenses, turned and began to run up the hill, hoping to rejoin his army, even though the sounds of a terrible battle could be heard coming from over the crest of the hill.</p><p></p><p> Ghost glanced back as he prepared to attack again, and saw Ayama go limp in the teodozjia’s jaws, her anima suddenly dissipating. The demon cat dropped her roughly into the snow, and roared in triumph. Blood stained the snow crimson. Several yards away, both Kaliel and Zanka were too involved in their battle with Tiaka to have noticed their fallen companion. A cold fear coursed through Ghost’s spine.</p><p></p><p> The Night caste Solar ran a few paces and dove into the snow, vanishing as he ‘swam’ under the surface. He suddenly surged upward, leaping into the air several yards, the Left Eye of Mars in one hand and a boomerang in the other.</p><p></p><p> “You are not permitted to claim victory!” he shouted, as he threw both weapons.</p><p></p><p> The golden typhoon wheel sliced into the Malfean general’s back, causing him to cry out and stumble. The delay was all that Nine Laughing Wounds needed to catch up to him, swinging her chain around in a blurred arc than crushed his skull in. The boomerang sailed toward the teodozjia, and buried itself in the back of its skull, killing it before it could rip open Ayama’s entrails.</p><p></p><p> Kaliel and Zanka had been relentless in their assault on Tiaka, and had managed to fend off the worst of the green-eyed monstrosity’s attacks, even though both were reaching the limits of their endurance and had depleted almost all of their Essence.</p><p></p><p> For what seemed like the thousandth time, Kaliel set himself and made a furious series of cuts. “You are done!” he roared, accentuating each word with a cut from Principle of Severity.</p><p></p><p> The top half of Tiaka’s skull was sliced off, and several ribs were shattered, but still he came.</p><p></p><p> Zanka leapt in next, looking as though she were dancing around her enshrouded opponent rather than fighting him. But each spin was accompanied by the flash of a war fan, each sweep of her cloak concealed a lightning fast strike with a hidden blade.</p><p></p><p> There was little left of Tiaka but a bloody skeleton trailing ragged bits of flesh and muscle, dragging what remained of his entrails behind him. But still he came.</p><p></p><p> The Left Eye of Mars came flying out of the darkness, slicing Tiaka across the back of the knees and severing the tendons holding his legs together. The hulking monster fell to the snow, still trying to drag itself forward to attack, as Kaliel stepped forward and decapitated him. The body collapsed, still at last, and the burning green sun behind him vanished.</p><p></p><p> They stood for a moment, catching their breath. Then they noticed that Ghost had run over to where Ayama had been battling the demon, and was shouting at them.</p><p></p><p> “Go and see what is wrong,” Kaliel said. “I need to keep an eye on Nine Wounds Laughing.”</p><p></p><p> He jogged over to where the deathknight was crouched over the Malfean general, who still lived despite his injuries. Her incisors had lengthened until she looked like some sort of wild beast, and she had used them to punch holes in the throat of the general, and was now sucking his blood out. Kaliel saw the general's ragged breaths steaming in the cold, but watched as the mist curled around and was drawn into Nine Laughing Wound’s nostrils. As she fed, her form shifted and warped as she took on a new shape. When Kaliel grabbed her by the arm and lifted her off the general’s body, she looked exactly like him.</p><p></p><p> “This could be useful later,” she said, with a bloody grin.</p><p></p><p> “We do not have time for this,” Kaliel snapped. “Cease your posturing.”</p><p></p><p> “Very well,” she said, shifting back to her usual form.</p><p></p><p> They walked over to where Ghost and Zanka were attending to Ayama, who looked on the verge of death. They had bound her wounds, but it seemed to do little good; she had lost so much blood that there was little left to hold inside. “Is there anything we can do for her?” Kaliel asked.</p><p></p><p> “Unless she knows something of healing,” Zanka said, pointing at the deathknight, “then she is beyond our skills to save. She will not last long.”</p><p></p><p> Nine Wounds Laughing looked at Ayama’s still form. “You do not want me to attempt to revive her,” she said.</p><p></p><p> “There are healers at the Bull’s encampment,” Kaliel said. “Perhaps they can save her.”</p><p></p><p> “We cannot get her there in time,” Ghost said.</p><p></p><p> “We cannot,” the Dawn said, “but you can. You can travel faster than us. Take her, and go.”</p><p></p><p> Ghost paled, but he nodded as he looked down at Ayama. He bent over and picked the Zenith up gently, holding her tightly against him as he turned and began running off the way they had come, running and leaping across the snow.</p><p></p><p> The others began to make their way back as well. A minute after they departed, they all saw a dome of purple light suddenly fill the sky over the encampment of the demon army, a silent explosion of Essence.</p><p></p><p> “And that will take care of the rest of the two armies,” Nine Wounds Laughing said. “My companion is so reliable with matters such as these.”</p><p></p><p> “Does that mean that my home is free?” Zanka asked.</p><p></p><p> “Possibly. There could have been a few survivors on either side. Of course, that does not account for what may arrive in the next few months – I am almost certain that a shadowland will be the result of our efforts here tonight.”</p><p></p><p> “A shadowland?” Zanka repeated, horrified. “You have created a shadowland in Crystal?”</p><p></p><p> “We will find a way to eliminate it,” Kaliel said, trying to reassure her. But Nine Wounds Laughing chuckled.</p><p></p><p> “There is no way to do such a thing,” she said.</p><p></p><p> “I wish to hear nothing more from you,” Kaliel snapped. “We have completed the task you asked of us; I expect you to fulfill your end of the bargain as quickly as possible.”</p><p></p><p> “So, you wish for me to restore Kalliope’s soul as soon as I am able?”</p><p></p><p> “Yes, of course.”</p><p></p><p> The deathknight smiled. “Very well.” She crouched down, concentrated for a moment, and then leapt into the air, suddenly vanishing in a pulse of necrotic Essence.</p><p></p><p> Kaliel looked at the spot where she had just been standing, the snow beneath now a sickly gray. “Damn. But there will be nowhere you can run to when the time comes.”</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center">۞</p><p></p><p> Panic filled Ghost as he carried Ayama back to the camp. He moved as fast as he could, each Essence-fueled leap crossing dozens of yards at a time, but still he feared it would not be enough. He wished he did not have to bear this burden alone.</p><p></p><p> He arrived at the farthest picket lines of Kaneko’s army. Not surprisingly, a large number of people had gathered there, no doubt having witnessed the enormous anima display in the sky, and seeing his own monkey totem approaching at rapid speed, leaping and gamboling in midair. In the midst of the mob stood Yurgen Kaneko and Samea; behind them stood three others, whose faces were unknown to Ghost. One appeared to be a soldier of some sort, another was dressed as a courtesan. The one between them was older, and bore the trappings of a sage. Curiously, Ghost found it difficult to pick out distinguishing characteristics of any of the three, and as soon as he moved his eyes away, what few details he had seen seemed to slip away.</p><p></p><p> The Nightbringer did not wait to identify himself to the sentries, but simply jumped over them and landed at the Bull’s feet. “I require your best healers,” Ghost said.</p><p></p><p> “They can do nothing for her,” the Bull said, looking down at her. “Save give her the mercy of ending her pain.”</p><p></p><p> “No!” Ghost shouted, his caste mark flaring up again. “I do not accept that!” He looked over at the three strangers. “You there, sage! Do you know anything of healing?”</p><p></p><p> The old man, looking somewhat startled at being addressed directly, looked at Ayama. “Perhaps,” he said at last, “Bring her to the healer’s tent. And you will tell us exactly what transpired here this evening as we walk.”</p><p></p><p> Ghost followed the three strangers into the Bull’s camp, relating the story to them of Nine Wounds Laughing and her assassination plot. The three strangers took in the information, asking few questions, but quietly arguing between themselves.</p><p></p><p> They arrived at the tent, and Ghost laid Ayama’s body down on the table. “I have done as you have asked,” he said. “Will you heal her now?”</p><p></p><p> “This is not why we have come here,” the sage said. “We have larger concerns, and this is incidental. I am not convinced that we should intervene in her Fate.”</p><p></p><p> “Save her,” urged the courtesan. “Look upon her face. She is a true reflection of who she once was. Recall that her previous incarnation never succumbed to the madness. She will remain similarly untainted, and must be permitted to live and fulfill her destiny. Look at the good she once did, and can still do, for Creation.”</p><p></p><p> “Nonsense!” barked the soldier. “They all fall – it is only a matter of time. We have seen the evidence ourselves. That her madness was more subtle than that of the others does not mean it was any less destructive in the end. We waste our time in considering this; we have larger concerns than the life of one.”</p><p></p><p> Ghost glared at the three beings before him. “I do not know who you are,” he said slowly, “nor do I care. I know that what has happened here tonight troubles you, and that you are here to address that in some way. But if you wish our assistance in that effort, then Ayama will need to stand with us.” He stared the sage directly in the eyes, so as not to lose focus on him as his exhausted mind had been doing. “Somehow, you know of us and who we once were. I do not care how you have come by this knowledge. But consider this; perhaps the only thing that might have kept us from doing the things that we did, perhaps the only thing that will keep us from repeating those mistakes now, is if the right person, at the right moment, had provided enough compassion to extend a little bit of faith and trust that we can be better.”</p><p></p><p> The sage stood silently, looking at the floor as he pondered Ghost’s words. Finally, he raised his head. “Leave us,” he said.</p><p></p><p> Slowly, the healers and others in the tent filed out. The sage looked at the courtesan and the soldier. “And you as well.”</p><p></p><p> When his companions had departed, the sage looked at Ghost. “I was not there to witness what happened to you,” he said, “and so I cannot say whether or not you are right. I also cannot say whether what was done to you was right or not. But I can see how things have become because of it. Perhaps, this time, it will be different.”</p><p></p><p> The sage took up his gnarled wooden staff in both hands, and began slamming it into Ayama’s body. Ghost was filled with the urge to intervene, but was somehow transfixed, watching as the sage struck the body over and over again. Slowly, Ghost began to see that the sage was not simply bludgeoning her to death, but was making precise strikes, using a form of martial arts he had never seen before. He watched in fascination as each blow fell; the strike left bruises and minor cuts, as would be expected, but he noticed that each strike seemed to close up a wound, or reset a dislocated joint. It was as if Ayama were made of clay, and he was using the staff to beat her back into her proper shape.</p><p></p><p> After several minutes, the sage stepped back, clearly taxed by his efforts. Ayama lay on the table, looking bruised and swollen in many places, but her wounds were closed, the color had returned to her face, and her breathing was slow and deep.</p><p></p><p> “She will require rest,” the sage said. “But she will heal quickly.” He looked sternly at Ghost. “What I have done here tonight was more significant a boon than you could realize, young Solar. I will call upon you perform a task for me one day.”</p><p></p><p> “I will honor my debt to you,” Ghost said.</p><p></p><p> The sage turned to go, but then stopped. “One more thing,” he said without turning around again. “There is something important that you should make sure everyone knows…”</p><p></p><p> A few minutes later, Samea came rushing into the healer’s tent, a large book in her arms. “I believe I may be able to summon a demon that can help,” she said, but then stopped when she saw that the tent was empty, save for Ghost and Ayama. Looking down at her fellow Zenith, Samea was startled to see that her grievous wounds had vanished, and she had somehow slipped away from death’s door unscathed.</p><p></p><p> “I do not suppose you can explain this,” Samea said, dumbfounded.</p><p></p><p> “No,” Ghost said. He found he was having difficulty remembering much at all about the past several minutes, other than…</p><p></p><p> “I have a message,” he said. “It is important that it be spread as quickly as possible to your army.”</p><p></p><p> “What is the message?” Samea asked.</p><p></p><p> “That the city of Crystal will be moving ten miles to the West.” He paused for a moment, then laughed to himself. “And that, dear Samea, is not even close to the strangest thing I have experienced this day.”</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center">۞</p><p></p><p> Kaliel ran toward his camp. The first rays of dawn were already shining across the snow, throwing long shadows. He registered barely the fact that the Bull of the North’s encampment appeared to be preparing to pull up and move, though he was not sure why.</p><p></p><p> No one challenged him as he ran into the camp, heading straight for his tent. He burst through the door, nearly taking out the support poles.</p><p></p><p> Kalliope was sitting up in bed, looking shaken but very much alive. “Brother?” she gasped.</p><p></p><p> “Sister!” He rushed forward, dropping to his knees and embracing Kalliope as tightly as he dared. She sobbed as she clung to him, crying out, “you saved me, brother! Thank you!”</p><p></p><p> “You are safe, little sister,” he said, “and you are home.”</p><p></p><p> “I was so afraid!” she whispered. “After the man left the tent, I was all alone…”</p><p></p><p> Kaliel looked at Kalliope. “What man?”</p><p></p><p> “A large man, with short blonde hair. He was here when I awoke, and said he had a message for you.”</p><p></p><p> Kaliel recognized the description as that of the Malfean general they had just slain, and knew who had really been at Kalliope’s side when she was revived. “What is the message?”</p><p></p><p> “He said, ‘I repay my debts’. What did he mean?”</p><p></p><p> “It is not your concern,” Kaliel said. “Rest now. You are safe. You are home.”</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Delemental, post: 5249242, member: 5203"] Sigh. Once again, more time has passed between updates than I wanted. ----------------------------------- A beam of light lanced out of Ayama’s caste mark, striking the teodozjia in the head as her very nature rebelled against the presence of this unnatural creature. The demon-cat howled, and tried to swipe at the hated Zenith with a rapid flurry of claws, but Ayama deftly avoided them all. She leapt atop the jade lion’s back, bringing both fists down on the back of its neck. Her anima serpents had coiled around the teodozjia’s torso, constricting, and though they were made only of light the demon seemed to react as though they were real, writhing as they squeezed. It seemed as though the demon’s struggles would soon cease, but then, suddenly, its head twisted around, and it summoned up strength and power from some unknown depths. The black lightning crackled from the dark gem mounted on the demon’s head, striking the winged serpents and sending them reeling into the sky, while a larger black bolt blasted into the center of Ayama’s caste mark. As the foul energies touched her, Ayama heard a litany being recited in her mind… [color=Green][/color] Ayama felt her body wracked with pain, felt her consciousness fading as the overwhelming evil of the demon’s presence assaulted her soul. Then she saw the lion head lunge toward her, jaws wide, and felt a burning lance of pain… Tiaka slammed his fists into Kaliel’s chest, sending the Solar flying back several feet, leaving a furrow in the snow. He recovered and rushed forward, slicing at the demonic man with Principle of Severity, tearing free another large chunk of flesh. Kaliel could see exposed bone in several places now, and most of the man’s viscera had dropped into the snow some time back, but still the abomination kept coming. As Kaliel pressed the attack, wondering how to fell such a foe, he saw a small white shape fly out and launch itself toward Tiaka. Zanka spun gracefully past the bandaged man, slashing at his legs with her war fans. Tendons snapped like the string of a kite, but still he kept coming, hobbling on ruined legs. Not far away, the soulsteel chain of Nine Wounds Laughing whipped out, finally connecting with the general and breaking his nose. With blood pouring from his face, the general threw a hand out and gestured at the deathknight, and a blast of fine sand shot out of his palm, with enough force to shred flesh from bone. Nine Wounds Laughing was barely able to spin out of the way in time to avoid the scouring blast. She flicked her chain out as she dodged, catching Ghost’s typhoon wheel with one of the hooks and flipping it up into the air, where he easily caught it. The general, no longer confident in the infallibility of his defenses, turned and began to run up the hill, hoping to rejoin his army, even though the sounds of a terrible battle could be heard coming from over the crest of the hill. Ghost glanced back as he prepared to attack again, and saw Ayama go limp in the teodozjia’s jaws, her anima suddenly dissipating. The demon cat dropped her roughly into the snow, and roared in triumph. Blood stained the snow crimson. Several yards away, both Kaliel and Zanka were too involved in their battle with Tiaka to have noticed their fallen companion. A cold fear coursed through Ghost’s spine. The Night caste Solar ran a few paces and dove into the snow, vanishing as he ‘swam’ under the surface. He suddenly surged upward, leaping into the air several yards, the Left Eye of Mars in one hand and a boomerang in the other. “You are not permitted to claim victory!” he shouted, as he threw both weapons. The golden typhoon wheel sliced into the Malfean general’s back, causing him to cry out and stumble. The delay was all that Nine Laughing Wounds needed to catch up to him, swinging her chain around in a blurred arc than crushed his skull in. The boomerang sailed toward the teodozjia, and buried itself in the back of its skull, killing it before it could rip open Ayama’s entrails. Kaliel and Zanka had been relentless in their assault on Tiaka, and had managed to fend off the worst of the green-eyed monstrosity’s attacks, even though both were reaching the limits of their endurance and had depleted almost all of their Essence. For what seemed like the thousandth time, Kaliel set himself and made a furious series of cuts. “You are done!” he roared, accentuating each word with a cut from Principle of Severity. The top half of Tiaka’s skull was sliced off, and several ribs were shattered, but still he came. Zanka leapt in next, looking as though she were dancing around her enshrouded opponent rather than fighting him. But each spin was accompanied by the flash of a war fan, each sweep of her cloak concealed a lightning fast strike with a hidden blade. There was little left of Tiaka but a bloody skeleton trailing ragged bits of flesh and muscle, dragging what remained of his entrails behind him. But still he came. The Left Eye of Mars came flying out of the darkness, slicing Tiaka across the back of the knees and severing the tendons holding his legs together. The hulking monster fell to the snow, still trying to drag itself forward to attack, as Kaliel stepped forward and decapitated him. The body collapsed, still at last, and the burning green sun behind him vanished. They stood for a moment, catching their breath. Then they noticed that Ghost had run over to where Ayama had been battling the demon, and was shouting at them. “Go and see what is wrong,” Kaliel said. “I need to keep an eye on Nine Wounds Laughing.” He jogged over to where the deathknight was crouched over the Malfean general, who still lived despite his injuries. Her incisors had lengthened until she looked like some sort of wild beast, and she had used them to punch holes in the throat of the general, and was now sucking his blood out. Kaliel saw the general's ragged breaths steaming in the cold, but watched as the mist curled around and was drawn into Nine Laughing Wound’s nostrils. As she fed, her form shifted and warped as she took on a new shape. When Kaliel grabbed her by the arm and lifted her off the general’s body, she looked exactly like him. “This could be useful later,” she said, with a bloody grin. “We do not have time for this,” Kaliel snapped. “Cease your posturing.” “Very well,” she said, shifting back to her usual form. They walked over to where Ghost and Zanka were attending to Ayama, who looked on the verge of death. They had bound her wounds, but it seemed to do little good; she had lost so much blood that there was little left to hold inside. “Is there anything we can do for her?” Kaliel asked. “Unless she knows something of healing,” Zanka said, pointing at the deathknight, “then she is beyond our skills to save. She will not last long.” Nine Wounds Laughing looked at Ayama’s still form. “You do not want me to attempt to revive her,” she said. “There are healers at the Bull’s encampment,” Kaliel said. “Perhaps they can save her.” “We cannot get her there in time,” Ghost said. “We cannot,” the Dawn said, “but you can. You can travel faster than us. Take her, and go.” Ghost paled, but he nodded as he looked down at Ayama. He bent over and picked the Zenith up gently, holding her tightly against him as he turned and began running off the way they had come, running and leaping across the snow. The others began to make their way back as well. A minute after they departed, they all saw a dome of purple light suddenly fill the sky over the encampment of the demon army, a silent explosion of Essence. “And that will take care of the rest of the two armies,” Nine Wounds Laughing said. “My companion is so reliable with matters such as these.” “Does that mean that my home is free?” Zanka asked. “Possibly. There could have been a few survivors on either side. Of course, that does not account for what may arrive in the next few months – I am almost certain that a shadowland will be the result of our efforts here tonight.” “A shadowland?” Zanka repeated, horrified. “You have created a shadowland in Crystal?” “We will find a way to eliminate it,” Kaliel said, trying to reassure her. But Nine Wounds Laughing chuckled. “There is no way to do such a thing,” she said. “I wish to hear nothing more from you,” Kaliel snapped. “We have completed the task you asked of us; I expect you to fulfill your end of the bargain as quickly as possible.” “So, you wish for me to restore Kalliope’s soul as soon as I am able?” “Yes, of course.” The deathknight smiled. “Very well.” She crouched down, concentrated for a moment, and then leapt into the air, suddenly vanishing in a pulse of necrotic Essence. Kaliel looked at the spot where she had just been standing, the snow beneath now a sickly gray. “Damn. But there will be nowhere you can run to when the time comes.” [center]۞[/center] Panic filled Ghost as he carried Ayama back to the camp. He moved as fast as he could, each Essence-fueled leap crossing dozens of yards at a time, but still he feared it would not be enough. He wished he did not have to bear this burden alone. He arrived at the farthest picket lines of Kaneko’s army. Not surprisingly, a large number of people had gathered there, no doubt having witnessed the enormous anima display in the sky, and seeing his own monkey totem approaching at rapid speed, leaping and gamboling in midair. In the midst of the mob stood Yurgen Kaneko and Samea; behind them stood three others, whose faces were unknown to Ghost. One appeared to be a soldier of some sort, another was dressed as a courtesan. The one between them was older, and bore the trappings of a sage. Curiously, Ghost found it difficult to pick out distinguishing characteristics of any of the three, and as soon as he moved his eyes away, what few details he had seen seemed to slip away. The Nightbringer did not wait to identify himself to the sentries, but simply jumped over them and landed at the Bull’s feet. “I require your best healers,” Ghost said. “They can do nothing for her,” the Bull said, looking down at her. “Save give her the mercy of ending her pain.” “No!” Ghost shouted, his caste mark flaring up again. “I do not accept that!” He looked over at the three strangers. “You there, sage! Do you know anything of healing?” The old man, looking somewhat startled at being addressed directly, looked at Ayama. “Perhaps,” he said at last, “Bring her to the healer’s tent. And you will tell us exactly what transpired here this evening as we walk.” Ghost followed the three strangers into the Bull’s camp, relating the story to them of Nine Wounds Laughing and her assassination plot. The three strangers took in the information, asking few questions, but quietly arguing between themselves. They arrived at the tent, and Ghost laid Ayama’s body down on the table. “I have done as you have asked,” he said. “Will you heal her now?” “This is not why we have come here,” the sage said. “We have larger concerns, and this is incidental. I am not convinced that we should intervene in her Fate.” “Save her,” urged the courtesan. “Look upon her face. She is a true reflection of who she once was. Recall that her previous incarnation never succumbed to the madness. She will remain similarly untainted, and must be permitted to live and fulfill her destiny. Look at the good she once did, and can still do, for Creation.” “Nonsense!” barked the soldier. “They all fall – it is only a matter of time. We have seen the evidence ourselves. That her madness was more subtle than that of the others does not mean it was any less destructive in the end. We waste our time in considering this; we have larger concerns than the life of one.” Ghost glared at the three beings before him. “I do not know who you are,” he said slowly, “nor do I care. I know that what has happened here tonight troubles you, and that you are here to address that in some way. But if you wish our assistance in that effort, then Ayama will need to stand with us.” He stared the sage directly in the eyes, so as not to lose focus on him as his exhausted mind had been doing. “Somehow, you know of us and who we once were. I do not care how you have come by this knowledge. But consider this; perhaps the only thing that might have kept us from doing the things that we did, perhaps the only thing that will keep us from repeating those mistakes now, is if the right person, at the right moment, had provided enough compassion to extend a little bit of faith and trust that we can be better.” The sage stood silently, looking at the floor as he pondered Ghost’s words. Finally, he raised his head. “Leave us,” he said. Slowly, the healers and others in the tent filed out. The sage looked at the courtesan and the soldier. “And you as well.” When his companions had departed, the sage looked at Ghost. “I was not there to witness what happened to you,” he said, “and so I cannot say whether or not you are right. I also cannot say whether what was done to you was right or not. But I can see how things have become because of it. Perhaps, this time, it will be different.” The sage took up his gnarled wooden staff in both hands, and began slamming it into Ayama’s body. Ghost was filled with the urge to intervene, but was somehow transfixed, watching as the sage struck the body over and over again. Slowly, Ghost began to see that the sage was not simply bludgeoning her to death, but was making precise strikes, using a form of martial arts he had never seen before. He watched in fascination as each blow fell; the strike left bruises and minor cuts, as would be expected, but he noticed that each strike seemed to close up a wound, or reset a dislocated joint. It was as if Ayama were made of clay, and he was using the staff to beat her back into her proper shape. After several minutes, the sage stepped back, clearly taxed by his efforts. Ayama lay on the table, looking bruised and swollen in many places, but her wounds were closed, the color had returned to her face, and her breathing was slow and deep. “She will require rest,” the sage said. “But she will heal quickly.” He looked sternly at Ghost. “What I have done here tonight was more significant a boon than you could realize, young Solar. I will call upon you perform a task for me one day.” “I will honor my debt to you,” Ghost said. The sage turned to go, but then stopped. “One more thing,” he said without turning around again. “There is something important that you should make sure everyone knows…” A few minutes later, Samea came rushing into the healer’s tent, a large book in her arms. “I believe I may be able to summon a demon that can help,” she said, but then stopped when she saw that the tent was empty, save for Ghost and Ayama. Looking down at her fellow Zenith, Samea was startled to see that her grievous wounds had vanished, and she had somehow slipped away from death’s door unscathed. “I do not suppose you can explain this,” Samea said, dumbfounded. “No,” Ghost said. He found he was having difficulty remembering much at all about the past several minutes, other than… “I have a message,” he said. “It is important that it be spread as quickly as possible to your army.” “What is the message?” Samea asked. “That the city of Crystal will be moving ten miles to the West.” He paused for a moment, then laughed to himself. “And that, dear Samea, is not even close to the strangest thing I have experienced this day.” [center]۞[/center] Kaliel ran toward his camp. The first rays of dawn were already shining across the snow, throwing long shadows. He registered barely the fact that the Bull of the North’s encampment appeared to be preparing to pull up and move, though he was not sure why. No one challenged him as he ran into the camp, heading straight for his tent. He burst through the door, nearly taking out the support poles. Kalliope was sitting up in bed, looking shaken but very much alive. “Brother?” she gasped. “Sister!” He rushed forward, dropping to his knees and embracing Kalliope as tightly as he dared. She sobbed as she clung to him, crying out, “you saved me, brother! Thank you!” “You are safe, little sister,” he said, “and you are home.” “I was so afraid!” she whispered. “After the man left the tent, I was all alone…” Kaliel looked at Kalliope. “What man?” “A large man, with short blonde hair. He was here when I awoke, and said he had a message for you.” Kaliel recognized the description as that of the Malfean general they had just slain, and knew who had really been at Kalliope’s side when she was revived. “What is the message?” “He said, ‘I repay my debts’. What did he mean?” “It is not your concern,” Kaliel said. “Rest now. You are safe. You are home.” [/QUOTE]
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