Paths of Legend: The Journey

[crazy_monkey1956]

Estelle senses apprehension but also resolve from the magical weapons.

Gentiri watches Estelle, still sipping at his soup, his paranoid eyes rarely blinking, "Some of us gladly do what is asked of us. Seems we are all destined for tragic ends."

It's hard to tell if is he referring only to his family, or to a broader definition of "we."

 

[ethandrew]

Estelle realizes that she never put much thought into what might happen to her if her task succeeded. The way this halfling was talking, maybe it would kill her in the process. That didn't sound like fun, not to Estelle, not one bit. There's the reality that perhaps no one would know that she saved the world from the evil clutches of the Serpent Queen and no one would know of it.

If her resolve shook, just a little, she knew she wouldn't be able to do this. She could blend into shadows, have a few drinks, relax and live a life people expected of her, but apparently that's not what the Wanderer had planned, nor the deities. It all made her head swim.

"So I was wondering if you could tell me a little about your visions that you had where I was in?" Estelle asked this casually and with an exploring tone, hoping to not upset him.

 

[crazy_monkey1956]

"Just people and monsters. The giant man. The half-dead woman. The dragon-winged snake. I've seen the giant man, gave him the dagger. Now I've seen you, the half-dead woman. I don't want to see the dragon-winged snake. Nope. Don't want to."

Estelle hears the halfling matron's voice bellowing through the house, "Time for tea!"

Gentiri flinches and huddles into his blanket, "Tell them I'm not feeling well. I don't want to be around the children."

 

[ethandrew]

Estelle gets up and moves to the hallway, when she spies the halfling woman she states pleasant, "Gentiri said that he's still not feeling well and the being around the children probably isn't the best idea. I hope that's not a problem." She smiles and retreats back into the room where she sits back down next to him, folding her legs in front of her.

"Where did you meet this giant man who you gave the dagger to? You said earlier something about a tavern?"

 

[crazy_monkey1956]

Vidani harumphs, "Well, of course." She meanders off muttering, "You'd think I'd never cared for sick people before. Goodness, someone has to clean up Jolly's messes. And who is that? Me."

"The Hydra's Flagon. He was there, eating, drinking, not knowing his destiny."

 

[ethandrew]

"Yes, I know the place. How long ago was this?" Estelle asked. "Oh, and I've been wondering, what exactly did the dagger say to you?"

 

[crazy_monkey1956]

"Yesterday morning. She...it...whispered horrible things to me. Promises of power if I would wield it. The power of a god if I slew Jolly with it. It feeds on killing, death, grows more powerful with each soul it takes."

 

[ethandrew]

Estelle moans audibly, "Yesterday? Oh, I was one day late." She screws her face up in frustration before releasing another moan.

She looks over at the halfling, "Just be lucky you did get rid of it, it probably would've tried to kill you as well."

 

[crazy_monkey1956]

Gentiri looks at Estelle sorrowfully, showing her the cuts on his arms, "It did. I fought it. But it was too strong. If you find it, it will get to you to. She...it told me not even a god could resist it. Why do you think Jolly or Piper or Thanyx doesn't just go after it themselves?"

The sullen halfling returns to sipping his soup.

 

[ethandrew]

"I know it will," Estelle states quietly, "But like you said, 'we are all destined for tragic ends.'" She stands up and leans down, kissing the halfling on the forehead.

"Thank you, Gentiri. You are a brave man to have faced what you've faced. Rest up and know that I'll do my part now to rid the world of this evil, however I must. You've been very helpful, and I'll keep in touch."

She turns to move out of the room, hoping to run into Miraki if he's not surrounded by his family during tea. If he is, she'll attempt to get him somewhere to where his family can't hear the details of their conversation.