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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Emperor Valerian" data-source="post: 1474765" data-attributes="member: 15043">Riding Hard Towards the ArmySiabrey let loose a string of frightful profanities, cursing Aeron, his ancestry, any sisters and brothers he may have had, and even as far as his godparents.“Remind me to never use a teleporter again,” Tess sighed, as she began to levitate up into the air, high above the cursing Siabrey and deadly quiet Shaun.  Slowly, she cleared the tops of the trees, and she carefully turned herself around, to take the in the full view of her surroundings as she rose higher and higher.What’s that? her eyes squinched as she saw a long mound of white and grey in the distance.  As she continued to stare, she made out very small turrets, and distant buildings.Wait.. Irulas is the only city in the valley with white...  She realized where they were... perhaps 15 miles from Irulas in some direction.  She almost started to go back down, but something told her to spin around and keep looking about anyway... just in case.She continued her spin slowly, looking for landmarks, when to the nearly opposite direction of the walls of Irulas, she saw something else that attracted her attention among the myriad of greens that denoted the forest.Purples, Reds and Blues?  What?  She once again squinted off into the distance, covering her face to keep out the sun’s glare.  The colors, she made out, were flags, and tents...The Army!“The army is to the south!  Maybe a mile or two!” Shaun heard Tess’ voice call, and he barely had time to remount his horse before Siabrey was already reining hers about, threatening to gallop off.“C’mon c’mon c’mon!” the fighter kept calling, “Tess, faster!” she snapped upwards, as Tess continued to slowly lower back down onto her own horse.  Satisfied when Tess was back in the saddle, Siabrey spurred her horse on, leaving the party little choice but to gallop afterwards as fast as they could.As the plunged towards the edge of the forest, and onto the massive plain where now three Imperial armies were camped, a riot of tents and colors burst into view.  One of which made Siabrey’s throat leap up into her chest.Beneath a rose colored tent, underneath the massive “S” banner of the Sipner family, sat a woman with multicolored hair.  Her head was bent down, as several people in healer’s robes tended to her shoulder and thigh.  As they drew closer, they could see that the crimson of her armor was stained many places over with the darker brown of dried blood.“Mom!” Siabrey cried, leaping off of her horse before it’d stopped, and dashing over to Stodiana’s side.  “Mom!  What happened!”The woman looked up with a tired grin, and raised her good arm so she could put a hand into Siabrey’s.  “Nothing... nothing much.  I ran into a demon of some kind... nasty bugger with a vulture’s head.  He shattered my longsword and slapped me good with a morningstar,” she gave a distant laugh.  “Good thing some of my soldiers took his attention... otherwise you’d be the head of the Sipner family.”“Mom,” Siabrey wanted to desperately hug her, but the healer’s attentions blocked her from doing that.  Instead, she had an idea, and produced the black katana, and placed it by her mother’s side.“What’s that for... and from?” Stodiana asked, before wincing as the healer’s instruments were jammed into her shoulder, probing the wound for disease.“Its from one of the mongrels,” Siabrey said quietly. “It is magical, but neither good nor evil.  Its a pale comparison to Kelir, but you should find it useful,” Siabrey smiled, and Stodiana gave a nod.“Thank you daughter,” she motioned for Siabrey to lean over, and Stodiana kissed her on the forehead.  “I am pleased to see you safe and unhurt.”Unhurt.  The phrased echoed in Siabrey’s mind only momentarily before suddenly she’d dashed back to her horse.  With a “Sorry, mom!  Gotta run!  Luke’s hurt!” She’d already spurred her horse out further into the camp.  Tess and Shaun shouted apologies for the short stop, before they followed.They’d travelled a few more minutes, desperately asking where the tent of Lord Lucius could be found.  To their dismay, the discovered they were in the camps of the main army... and none of the men or officers knew for sure.  As Siabrey grew increasingly despondent, Shaun looked about, and managed to see a familiar face.Her raven black hair was disheveled, as if it hadn’t been washed or cleaned in several days.  She wore a simple dress, covered with a white apron that was now stained with dried blood.  The same stained her arms, and despite her tired gait, her green eyes lit up when they met Shaun’s.“Elenya!” it was his turn to leap off of a moving horse, and tumble along the ground before rising in a fluid motion.  The two grabbed each other in a fierce hug, as he showered loving kisses on her face.  You’re safe!  You’re safe!“Shauny,” she smiled when she he stopped his attentions momentarily, “How did I know that you would come out almost unscathed?”“Um... well,” he started to say, then decided to not mention the froghemoth at all. No sense in making her fret... by the looks of it, she’s fretted over quite a bit.  “...yeah, I did,” he grinned.  “And now... what is this good news?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.  The rest of the party had reined up, Tess craning in to hear the news as well, while Siabrey drew close, but continuously looked around nervously... her mind was elsewhere.“Well... there’s good news... and then... there’s some other news...” Elenya said quietly.  “The good news,” she beamed broadly, “has to do with the baby.”“What is it?  Is he half celestial or something?”  Tess and Siabrey noticed Elenya’s face oddly go sad for a split second, before she covered whatever emotion caused that, and shook her head no.“No... there’s three babies, Shauny!” she jumped up in his arms with a laugh.  “I think Grumki would say you have the strength of Kord!”Shaun stood there, beaming proudly in a seeming afterglow.  “I guess you’re right,” he gave her a kiss and dipped her down, causing her to squeal.  “And the other news?” he asked, grinning.  Elenya’s face started to fall, before Siabrey interrupted.“I don’t mean to cut short this loving moment, but Elenya... do you know where Luke is?”  The fighter’s eyes looked a little desperate, and Elenya nodded, her face changing again towards concern.“Yes... he’s only four tents away... in the healer’s tent over there,” she pointed towards a large red and yellow striped tent.  “Go check on him... he’s not doing good,” she sighed.  Siabrey immediately grabbed Grumki, and dragged the half orc in that direction.  Tess wavered for a moment, before Elenya nodded to her to go follow.  What I need to tell Shaun needs to be a private moment.Once the others were gone, Elenya led Shaun over towards two stools laying outside of an unused tent.  After setting them up, she motioned for him to sit, her chameleon changing face finally revealing her worry.“What... what is it Elenya?” Shaun said quietly, as she sat next to him.  She gently took his hands into hers, and looked into his eyes... afraid.“There’s something wrong with one of the babies... something magically wrong,” she said slowly, quietly.  Shaun’s mind immediately flashed back to the Temple of Hextor... to her in the cell, and the giant, burned handprint over her stomach.  He visibly winced, as Elenya began to choke up, uttering an, “I’m s...sorry.”“Sshh,” he grabbed her and held her close.  “Its not your fault... they did that to you... ssshh...” he began rocking her back and forth.  “It’ll be fine... it’ll be okay...”If I find the Countess... and my baby is dead because of her minions... I will cut off her hand, and stuff it down her throat! his mind snarled.“They said... he’s not human!” she cried, tears flowing into Shaun’s shoulder.  Shaun merely cupped her head with his hand, and softly whispered comfort into her ear.“If he’s a demon, a celestial, a troll, or a snake.. he’s still my son,” Shaun said quietly.  “And I’ll love him, and I’ll love you, regardless.”Healers were quietly hovering over Lucius when Siabrey slashed into the tent.  The two nurses weren’t expecting anyone, and leapt backwards in fright at the woman’s fearful visage.  They’re fears were allayed somewhat when Quin muttered a soft,”Hi,” and wandered over to give Siabrey a comforting hug... a hug the fighter ignored as she drew up alongside Luke.“Grumki, please,” Siabrey said softly, and the half orc grunted as he looked over Luke’s wounds.  They had long since removed his armor, its breasplate beside his bed, split in twain.  His tunic had been taken off, revealing a massive series of deep cuts and piercings, stretching from his left shoulder, across his chest and stomach, to his right thigh.  Salves and ambrosias were packed into the wounds, their white color contrasting with the deep crimson of his rent flesh.  His eyes were closed, and his chest rose and fell shakily.“Young man... the strength of Kord was truly with you,” Grumki said quietly, before placing a hand on Luke’s head, another on his stomach.  He called upon Kord to heal this young man who had fought so hard, and Siabrey watched as the massive wounds pulled themselves shut, leaving a long line of large, deep welts where blood originally spilled.“He’ll be fine, dear Siabrey,” Grumki said with a smile.  “He’ll be sore for the rest of the day... Kord’s healing requires that some pain be felt, to remind the person of how Kord’s strength carried them.”Siabrey climbed onto Luke’s bed as his eyes fluttered, and she pulled him up still his head rested on her chest.  There she fiercely held him, her own tears of relief coming from her eyes.  I won’t ever leave your side again! her mind shouted, as she kissed him on the forehead.  “Mmph,” Luke’s muffled mouth muttered.  He managed to raise up his head to be able to talk.  “This is a nice place to wake up in,” he gave a small smile before a wince came over his face.“Am I hugging too hard?” Siabrey asked worried, and Luke shook his head with the small freedom of movement he had.“No, I’m fine... just so long as you’re by my side,” he said, nuzzling her gratefully.    She continued to rock him back and forth, tears still coming out of her eyes.  He looked back up at her,  muttering, “I suppose I’m going to get a lecture on recklessness.”“No lecture,” she said softly, kissing his forehead again.  “I came close to losing you... I won’t let that happen again!”======================================================That’s the end of that session.  The next session, the party encounters a celestial... of very unusual methods... as well as meetings their friend... Alexander V, Emperor...</blockquote>

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