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Shackled City Epic: "Vengeance" (story concluded)
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<blockquote data-quote="Lazybones" data-source="post: 984078" data-attributes="member: 143"><p>Chapter 6</p><p></p><p>The gathered priests drew in a collective breath of surprise as Zenna revealed her face, and the stubby horns that jutted from her temples that were instantly visible. Ruphos’s eyes widened in astonishment, but Morgan’s response was more dramatic.</p><p></p><p>“A fiend in the Sanctum!” he croaked, drawing back and clutching at his mace. </p><p></p><p>“Oh, do control yourself, Morgan,” came a voice from the entry. All present turned toward the newcomer, a short, brown-eyes woman of perhaps thirty years. She was clad in a simple but functional clerical robe, and wore her long brown hair in an elaborate coif that fell down to her neck in a flowing cascade. She wore an expression that reflected impatience and brooked no challenge, and her frown was directed at the other clerics as much as the two strangers. </p><p></p><p>The woman strode with deliberation over to them, and rested her hands on her hips as she cast an evaluating gaze first upon Zenna, giving her horns the merest tilt of an eyebrow, then Mole, and finally Ruphos. Finally, she turned to Morgan, who was still clearly agitated, with his fingers white on the haft of his weapon. At least he hadn’t lifted it from the hook on his belt. </p><p></p><p>“Have you forgotten, Brother Morgan, that the wards upon the Sanctum prevent any evil creature from entering its confines?” Zenna nodded to herself, remembering the tingle she’d felt on passing through the arch earlier. But the woman had already turned back to face Zenna, fixing her with an imposing stare for all that she had to look up to meet the eyes of the wizard. </p><p></p><p>“I apologize for the precipitous behavior of my priest. I am Jenya Urikas, acting High Priest of the Temple of Helm in Cauldron. I extend to you the hospitality of our church. I can see that you’ve come a great distance, and are clearly exhausted by your travels. Illewyn, take our guests to the rectory and see that they have food, drink, and the opportunity to wash off the dust of the road. Morgan, go to the festhall and get Malakar and Serrah; they were helping with the work on the Winter Fund and have likely forgotten the hour.” </p><p></p><p>The two clerics nodded quickly. Under Jenya’s expectant stare Morgan moved toward the door, looking back once with uncertainty—and finding Jenya still looking after him—before turning and heading out into the night. </p><p></p><p>“He’s a good priest, but he takes the ‘vigilance’ part of our code a bit to close to heart,” Jenya muttered, as the man left. Turning to Ruphos, she said, “I heard on the way over that there had been a bit of excitement. Come to my office, and tell me what happened. You ladies, please go with Illewyn; I’ll come and meet with you again shortly.”</p><p> </p><p>With Mole and Zenna staring after her open-mouthed, Jenya took Ruphos decisively in hand and steered him toward the door in the rear wall of the nave. Belatedly, they realized that they hadn’t even told the priestess their names. Illewyn noticed their reaction and smiled. </p><p></p><p>“Yes, she’s a force of nature,” the young cleric said. “But she’s had a lot to deal with since High Priest Delasharn departed.”</p><p></p><p>“Seems like there’s a lot going on here that we don’t know about,” Mole stated simply. </p><p></p><p>The cleric sighed. “These are difficult times in Cauldron. It was bad enough with the earlier disappearances, but now, with the children being taken... Jenya has publicly committed the Church to finding them, and bringing their abductors to justice, but thus far there’s been no information...”</p><p></p><p>“Children?” Zenna asked. “Children have been abducted? Ruphos mentioned some kidnappings, but he didn’t say...”</p><p></p><p>Illewyn nodded. “Come, we can talk about it more over a hot meal. Jenya can tell you more, later.”</p><p></p><p>* * * * * </p><p></p><p>A short while later, Mole and Zenna were together in a small, simple room with walls of undressed stone within the rectory. A curtain hanging in the doorway offered a modicum of privacy, and a pair of simple cots offered an opportunity for rest. Zenna was standing over a basin that sat on a table against the wall, the sleeves of her tunic rolled up as she washed her arms and neck with a towel already gray with the dirt she’d accumulated on the road. Mole was lying on one of the cots, although her eyes continued to roam the room, taking in every detail. She had her purse in her hand, and by the look on her face as she jangled it, she wasn’t pleased with what she heard. </p><p></p><p>“You left <em>all</em> my weapons? The least you could have done was recover my throwing knife! I had that specially made, you know! And that crossbow, that cost forty crowns!”</p><p></p><p>“I didn’t exactly have time to look for your knife, and other things were on my mind at the moment,” Zenna said without turning. Bending low, she lifted two handfuls of water and splashed them into her face, letting herself enjoy the cool feeling of the water against her skin. “And you were heavy enough besides.” Memory stirred of that long hike, her friend dying in her arms, and she felt a cold shudder. </p><p></p><p>She straightened and felt a hand touch her arm. Looking down, she saw Mole there, an uncharacteristically serious look on her face. “I’m sorry... Thanks, it must have been... difficult.”</p><p></p><p>Zenna nodded, and smiled, taking the gnome’s hand in her own. </p><p></p><p>They looked up as the curtain parted, revealing Illewyn’s familiar face. “Jenya would like to see you, now.”</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Lazybones, post: 984078, member: 143"] Chapter 6 The gathered priests drew in a collective breath of surprise as Zenna revealed her face, and the stubby horns that jutted from her temples that were instantly visible. Ruphos’s eyes widened in astonishment, but Morgan’s response was more dramatic. “A fiend in the Sanctum!” he croaked, drawing back and clutching at his mace. “Oh, do control yourself, Morgan,” came a voice from the entry. All present turned toward the newcomer, a short, brown-eyes woman of perhaps thirty years. She was clad in a simple but functional clerical robe, and wore her long brown hair in an elaborate coif that fell down to her neck in a flowing cascade. She wore an expression that reflected impatience and brooked no challenge, and her frown was directed at the other clerics as much as the two strangers. The woman strode with deliberation over to them, and rested her hands on her hips as she cast an evaluating gaze first upon Zenna, giving her horns the merest tilt of an eyebrow, then Mole, and finally Ruphos. Finally, she turned to Morgan, who was still clearly agitated, with his fingers white on the haft of his weapon. At least he hadn’t lifted it from the hook on his belt. “Have you forgotten, Brother Morgan, that the wards upon the Sanctum prevent any evil creature from entering its confines?” Zenna nodded to herself, remembering the tingle she’d felt on passing through the arch earlier. But the woman had already turned back to face Zenna, fixing her with an imposing stare for all that she had to look up to meet the eyes of the wizard. “I apologize for the precipitous behavior of my priest. I am Jenya Urikas, acting High Priest of the Temple of Helm in Cauldron. I extend to you the hospitality of our church. I can see that you’ve come a great distance, and are clearly exhausted by your travels. Illewyn, take our guests to the rectory and see that they have food, drink, and the opportunity to wash off the dust of the road. Morgan, go to the festhall and get Malakar and Serrah; they were helping with the work on the Winter Fund and have likely forgotten the hour.” The two clerics nodded quickly. Under Jenya’s expectant stare Morgan moved toward the door, looking back once with uncertainty—and finding Jenya still looking after him—before turning and heading out into the night. “He’s a good priest, but he takes the ‘vigilance’ part of our code a bit to close to heart,” Jenya muttered, as the man left. Turning to Ruphos, she said, “I heard on the way over that there had been a bit of excitement. Come to my office, and tell me what happened. You ladies, please go with Illewyn; I’ll come and meet with you again shortly.” With Mole and Zenna staring after her open-mouthed, Jenya took Ruphos decisively in hand and steered him toward the door in the rear wall of the nave. Belatedly, they realized that they hadn’t even told the priestess their names. Illewyn noticed their reaction and smiled. “Yes, she’s a force of nature,” the young cleric said. “But she’s had a lot to deal with since High Priest Delasharn departed.” “Seems like there’s a lot going on here that we don’t know about,” Mole stated simply. The cleric sighed. “These are difficult times in Cauldron. It was bad enough with the earlier disappearances, but now, with the children being taken... Jenya has publicly committed the Church to finding them, and bringing their abductors to justice, but thus far there’s been no information...” “Children?” Zenna asked. “Children have been abducted? Ruphos mentioned some kidnappings, but he didn’t say...” Illewyn nodded. “Come, we can talk about it more over a hot meal. Jenya can tell you more, later.” * * * * * A short while later, Mole and Zenna were together in a small, simple room with walls of undressed stone within the rectory. A curtain hanging in the doorway offered a modicum of privacy, and a pair of simple cots offered an opportunity for rest. Zenna was standing over a basin that sat on a table against the wall, the sleeves of her tunic rolled up as she washed her arms and neck with a towel already gray with the dirt she’d accumulated on the road. Mole was lying on one of the cots, although her eyes continued to roam the room, taking in every detail. She had her purse in her hand, and by the look on her face as she jangled it, she wasn’t pleased with what she heard. “You left [I]all[/I] my weapons? The least you could have done was recover my throwing knife! I had that specially made, you know! And that crossbow, that cost forty crowns!” “I didn’t exactly have time to look for your knife, and other things were on my mind at the moment,” Zenna said without turning. Bending low, she lifted two handfuls of water and splashed them into her face, letting herself enjoy the cool feeling of the water against her skin. “And you were heavy enough besides.” Memory stirred of that long hike, her friend dying in her arms, and she felt a cold shudder. She straightened and felt a hand touch her arm. Looking down, she saw Mole there, an uncharacteristically serious look on her face. “I’m sorry... Thanks, it must have been... difficult.” Zenna nodded, and smiled, taking the gnome’s hand in her own. They looked up as the curtain parted, revealing Illewyn’s familiar face. “Jenya would like to see you, now.” [/QUOTE]
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