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The Doomed Bastards: Reckoning (story complete)
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<blockquote data-quote="Lazybones" data-source="post: 3482375" data-attributes="member: 143"><p>Thanks, rath! I admit I started the story in much the same vein as you had anticipated, but a lot of stuff has crept in around the edges and beneath the surface over the course of the tale. Glad you are enjoying the result. </p><p></p><p>* * * * * </p><p></p><p>Chapter 154</p><p></p><p>FAITH</p><p></p><p></p><p>Varo encountered Serah in one of the side-chambers formed by the goblins’ first exploratory shafts. The cleric knelt in front of an <em>everburning torch</em> and her divine focus, praying quietly. She heard Varo enter, and looked up at him. </p><p></p><p>“Do not let me interrupt. I will seek a place elsewhere.”</p><p></p><p>Serah nodded. Varo could see that she had reflexively taken up her holy symbol, and held it tightly in her lap. He studied her for a moment. </p><p></p><p>“You have achieved transition; congratulations. Few among the clergy of the Shining Father achieve the potency of the fourth valence.”</p><p></p><p>“How do you...”</p><p></p><p>“You forget, I was once a follower of the Father myself. Now, I am just an apostate,” he said, a faint stirring of regret in his voice. </p><p></p><p>Serah detected that regret and misunderstood its significance. “The high tenets of the faith say that it is never too late for one to return to the Light,” she said, some hesitance obvious in her voice. </p><p></p><p>Varo let out a chuckle. “Do not waste your time with me, priestess.” He started to leave, but paused a moment, and turned back toward her. “As you are bereft of your spiritual counselor in this place, consider this advice: <em>death wards</em> will be of great use if we encounter more incorporeal undead, and the <em>restoration</em> spell is likewise one that will almost certaintly be necessary. It will be a relief to Allera to have another who can cast the latter.”</p><p></p><p>“I have no diamond dust.”</p><p></p><p>Varo reached into a pocket and tossed a small bag at the cleric; it landed at her knees. “Do not worry. It is mundane; I bought it at a jeweler’s shop in the Gold Quarter.” </p><p></p><p>She looked up at him, clearly not certain how to respond. </p><p></p><p>“And if you must unleash <em>order’s wrath</em>, please be cautious of where you direct it.”</p><p></p><p>With a final smirk, Varo turned, and vanished back into the darkness. </p><p></p><p>Varo finally chose a mine tunnel that burrowed back into the earth, crawling a short distance before it opened onto a wider space where a vein of ore had been hollowed out by the goblin miners. Smoothing out a relatively flat space clear of rocks and debris, he knelt and began his own ritual. </p><p></p><p>The cleric opened his mind to the power of his god, drawing in raw power and fixing the triggers to release the magic in his mind. It was a ritual he had completed over a thousand times, and it now came almost as easily as breathing. Once he was finished, however, he began something new. He began casting a potent summoning, reaching out with the power just granted to him by Dagos, leavened with the strength of his will. The spell was draining, drawing some small portion of the caster’s own life energy into the weaving. Varo pierced the palm of his hand with a small knife, smearing his own blood onto the tiny representation of Dagos. He spoke words in an ancient tongue, ritual phrases that bound his need to the summons he was sending across the veil that served as the boundary between the planes. Minutes passed. </p><p></p><p>The spell’s ending was something of an anticlimax; there was no burst of multicolored smoke, no yawning portal into some fell netherworld. The cleric simply bowed his head low as he spoke the final phrases, exhaustion overcoming him as he concluded the ritual. </p><p></p><p>When he finally looked up, he was not alone. The newcomer was a tall, lean figure of a man, with strong features and a neatly trimmed beard. He was worn in an expensive-looking tunic and trousers, with a leather cape dangling from his shoulders, all in gray. He looked to be about forty, with dark shaded skin. At first glance he might have been taken for an Emorite or a Razhurian, but his flesh bore not the olive tint of the former or the deep earth-brown of the latter, but rather was the color of old ashes. His eyes were solid gray orbs that flashed as they focused upon the cleric. </p><p></p><p>“Your situation grows more dire, Licinius Varo,” the man said. </p><p></p><p>The cleric did not respond for a moment, taking the opportunity to collect himself, and to replace his divine focus—still smeared with his blood—around his neck. “That will not do,” he finally said. “Your current features resemble someone that will agitate my companions.” He was able to keep his voice level, although in all honesty, his first look at his guest had unnerved him as well; the creature might have deliberately chosen a face that was similar to that of the Grand Duke, or it might have been chance. Either way, he wasn’t going to let Talen get a look at him in his current guise.</p><p> </p><p>“As you wish,” the creature said. His features shimmered, and a few seconds later he resembled a much younger man, clean shaven, but with skin color and eyes as before. He came forward and seated himself on a protruding ledge of stone that jutted from the wall. “Shall we discuss compensation?”</p><p></p><p>“To save time, I must stipulate that I cannot offer anything that depletes my personal life energy, or any items in the personal possession of any of my companions.”</p><p></p><p>“You narrow the field considerably.”</p><p></p><p>“I am not without other resources.”</p><p></p><p>The gray man smiled slightly. “Let us indulge chaos a bit, shall we?”</p><p></p><p>Varo’s eyes narrowed. “What do you mean?”</p><p></p><p>“Just this. Let us agree that I will assist you against the guardians, and in exchange, I will be granted choice of any item that we come across during the time of my service.”</p><p></p><p>Varo considered. “Any item that is vital to our progression through Rappan Athuk, such as a key or trigger, must be exempt. As are any artifacts.”</p><p></p><p>“Agreed, if you stipulate that once I claim the reward, my term of service ends.”</p><p></p><p>Varo stood. The simple action took considerable effort, but Varo was not going to let the creature see him weak. “Agreed,” he said.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Lazybones, post: 3482375, member: 143"] Thanks, rath! I admit I started the story in much the same vein as you had anticipated, but a lot of stuff has crept in around the edges and beneath the surface over the course of the tale. Glad you are enjoying the result. * * * * * Chapter 154 FAITH Varo encountered Serah in one of the side-chambers formed by the goblins’ first exploratory shafts. The cleric knelt in front of an [i]everburning torch[/i] and her divine focus, praying quietly. She heard Varo enter, and looked up at him. “Do not let me interrupt. I will seek a place elsewhere.” Serah nodded. Varo could see that she had reflexively taken up her holy symbol, and held it tightly in her lap. He studied her for a moment. “You have achieved transition; congratulations. Few among the clergy of the Shining Father achieve the potency of the fourth valence.” “How do you...” “You forget, I was once a follower of the Father myself. Now, I am just an apostate,” he said, a faint stirring of regret in his voice. Serah detected that regret and misunderstood its significance. “The high tenets of the faith say that it is never too late for one to return to the Light,” she said, some hesitance obvious in her voice. Varo let out a chuckle. “Do not waste your time with me, priestess.” He started to leave, but paused a moment, and turned back toward her. “As you are bereft of your spiritual counselor in this place, consider this advice: [i]death wards[/i] will be of great use if we encounter more incorporeal undead, and the [i]restoration[/i] spell is likewise one that will almost certaintly be necessary. It will be a relief to Allera to have another who can cast the latter.” “I have no diamond dust.” Varo reached into a pocket and tossed a small bag at the cleric; it landed at her knees. “Do not worry. It is mundane; I bought it at a jeweler’s shop in the Gold Quarter.” She looked up at him, clearly not certain how to respond. “And if you must unleash [i]order’s wrath[/i], please be cautious of where you direct it.” With a final smirk, Varo turned, and vanished back into the darkness. Varo finally chose a mine tunnel that burrowed back into the earth, crawling a short distance before it opened onto a wider space where a vein of ore had been hollowed out by the goblin miners. Smoothing out a relatively flat space clear of rocks and debris, he knelt and began his own ritual. The cleric opened his mind to the power of his god, drawing in raw power and fixing the triggers to release the magic in his mind. It was a ritual he had completed over a thousand times, and it now came almost as easily as breathing. Once he was finished, however, he began something new. He began casting a potent summoning, reaching out with the power just granted to him by Dagos, leavened with the strength of his will. The spell was draining, drawing some small portion of the caster’s own life energy into the weaving. Varo pierced the palm of his hand with a small knife, smearing his own blood onto the tiny representation of Dagos. He spoke words in an ancient tongue, ritual phrases that bound his need to the summons he was sending across the veil that served as the boundary between the planes. Minutes passed. The spell’s ending was something of an anticlimax; there was no burst of multicolored smoke, no yawning portal into some fell netherworld. The cleric simply bowed his head low as he spoke the final phrases, exhaustion overcoming him as he concluded the ritual. When he finally looked up, he was not alone. The newcomer was a tall, lean figure of a man, with strong features and a neatly trimmed beard. He was worn in an expensive-looking tunic and trousers, with a leather cape dangling from his shoulders, all in gray. He looked to be about forty, with dark shaded skin. At first glance he might have been taken for an Emorite or a Razhurian, but his flesh bore not the olive tint of the former or the deep earth-brown of the latter, but rather was the color of old ashes. His eyes were solid gray orbs that flashed as they focused upon the cleric. “Your situation grows more dire, Licinius Varo,” the man said. The cleric did not respond for a moment, taking the opportunity to collect himself, and to replace his divine focus—still smeared with his blood—around his neck. “That will not do,” he finally said. “Your current features resemble someone that will agitate my companions.” He was able to keep his voice level, although in all honesty, his first look at his guest had unnerved him as well; the creature might have deliberately chosen a face that was similar to that of the Grand Duke, or it might have been chance. Either way, he wasn’t going to let Talen get a look at him in his current guise. “As you wish,” the creature said. His features shimmered, and a few seconds later he resembled a much younger man, clean shaven, but with skin color and eyes as before. He came forward and seated himself on a protruding ledge of stone that jutted from the wall. “Shall we discuss compensation?” “To save time, I must stipulate that I cannot offer anything that depletes my personal life energy, or any items in the personal possession of any of my companions.” “You narrow the field considerably.” “I am not without other resources.” The gray man smiled slightly. “Let us indulge chaos a bit, shall we?” Varo’s eyes narrowed. “What do you mean?” “Just this. Let us agree that I will assist you against the guardians, and in exchange, I will be granted choice of any item that we come across during the time of my service.” Varo considered. “Any item that is vital to our progression through Rappan Athuk, such as a key or trigger, must be exempt. As are any artifacts.” “Agreed, if you stipulate that once I claim the reward, my term of service ends.” Varo stood. The simple action took considerable effort, but Varo was not going to let the creature see him weak. “Agreed,” he said. [/QUOTE]
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