Post by Grafh on Sept 23, 2007 9:25:01 GMT -6
Cat and Kenzie were in whispered conversation when the guys woke up the next morning.
“They’re up to something,” Rex muttered under his breath to Calif.
Kalk was impatient to resume the search but agreed to wait until after the morning meal. The two groups agreed to travel together for the continuing search.
“Are you sure you know which way?” The guys asked Cat as she set out confidently down a trail.
“Sure, I’m sure.”
Everyone else looked unconvinced.
They hiked down a path and cut through the woods. It seemed they had been walking for hours when they decided to stop for a meal.
Rex leaned over towards Calif and said under his breath…didn’t we cross over the same bridge three times?
====================
Trub paced up and down in front of Shing Jea monastery impatiently as Racthoh, sat in waiting, on one knee in the dirt, almost meditating. To his right, Sit Nah, the guilds soul warden sat preparing an exorcism ritual in full ceremonial dress (Rarely did he show his face).
"How long is this going to take?" Trub blurted out suddenly.
"The ritual is almost complete; we just need Asuir here and... I will need a second Ritualist to help me cast out a demonic force as powerful as the one inside young master Laheri" replied the aging shaman.
"Amy...", Racthoh said, not really directed at anyone.
Trub started speaking again but before she could get a word out she heard the sounds of people approaching. "Someone's coming, quickly get down", the three of them perched down behind a pillar, waiting to see who it was.
"I'm telling you guys its this way.." came the sound of a familiar voice, Followed closely by the appearance of Cat, Calif, Kenzie, Kalk and Rex all looking rather exhausted from walking.
When Trub saw the familiar faces she quickly jumped out from behind the pillar and ran over to Kalk.
"Chit, you're ok!", Kalk embraced her with a hug, relieved she was ok.
"Yes, I’m fine, I’ve had far worse y'know? Anyway, did you guys have any luck finding Asuir?"
Calif shook his head at her, "we spent most our time walking in circles" he said as he brushed a twig out of his hair, glaring at Cat.
Rex looked past Trub over at Sit Nah and Racthoh, "Sooooo, whats going on here?" he inquired.
Racthoh stood up and unfolded his arms, "Asuir is coming here to Shing Jea. He's coming to spill as much blood of the servants of Dwayna as possible, and thus invoke "The Tear of Dwayna" a mystical comet that fell on top of Jenurh, or "The City of Woe" over a millennium ago. Should he do this most of the island will be plunged to the bottom of the ocean and the kingdom of Jenurh will rise from the depths. He is seeking the army of restless souls to do his bidding, or at least...some force working through him is..."
"How do you know this? " asked Kenzie.
"Its the Blade isn’t it ? " added Cat.
"Yes", replied Racthoh "The blade has twisted the boy's wishes and desires for its own amusement."
"Own amusement? But I don't understa....." Cats question was cut short by the sound of yet more approaching. It was Asuir. Racthoh and the others took up hiding places where ever they could, awaiting the confrontation.
Amy, Angel and Ice trailed behind looking distressed.
"...What are you going to do Asuir?!" Amy practically screamed at him.
Asuir continued to walk relentlessly forward ignoring his wife’s cries.
"Asuirrrrrrrrr!!!!" Amy now in tears, "I'm pregnant...Don't do this...please don't do this..this child needs a father! YOU ARE GOING TO BE A DADDY!"
Asuir paused and turned around.
"I'm going to ...I’m going to be a daddy?" he questioned, lightly loosening his grip on the blade.
Trub leaned over and whispered to Kalk. "Now! Go go go! "
Suddenly before he could tell what was happening his face hit the dust of the monastery floor and all the wind was knocked out of his lungs. Kalk stood over him, proud of the take down he had just performed. Kenzie and Racthoh ran over as quickly as possible to help restrain the Ritualist, but too their surprise where met with little resistance..In fact, he seemed to be smiling, no, not smiling, laughing.
"heh heh hehehehh..."
Everybody looked at Asuir puzzled. There was no talking for a good twenty seconds, in an uncomfortable atmosphere of silent terror.
"HAHAHAHAHAHA" Asuir's laugh became so manic and chilling that it was no longer recognizable as his own voice.
"YOU. THiNk. ThAT I WOULD. Give UP. THe RiTUALIST?". It had become clear Asuir was no longer speaking. Everybody except the three holding him down took a step back in horror.
"THE RITUALIST IS MINEEEE." The voice said through him, as Racthoh tried to pry the blade out of Asuir's hand. Whatever had hold of Asuir wasn’t about to let go of the blade either, and tightened his hand so tight several of his knuckles came out of place and his own nails dug into his palm until he bled.
Amy fell backwards and started crawling backwards in terror, "That’s ..not him..that’s not him..it’s not him " she said over and over in disbelief.
"A KiNG NeEDS a CROwn Don'T YoU THInK ?" Said "Asuir" to the three holding him down...A sick joke. Several barbs of obsidian burst out of his head in a demonic crown formation, spraying those close by with blood.
Kenzie turned her head in disgust and fear. "This is getting nowhere!" She shouted.
"Agreed " replied Racthoh, Jumping to his feet, followed by Kenzie and Kalk, all three lifting the Ritualist pushing him towards Sit Nah.
"Mrs. Laheri, Its time, I need your help" Sit Nah said calmly to Amy, as the three held Asuir upright, struggling to hold him still.
Amy stood up and stumbled over to Sit Nah in front of Asuir. They both turned to him and placed a hand on his head.
"YOU'll NEVer CAST ME OUT"
"You are wrong." Amy was already familiar with the purging ritual.
Asuir arched back head facing into the air as a blackness filled the area and all the animals for miles fell quiet. For several seconds everything seemed to freeze, no one moved or made a sound, an appropriate contrast for what was soon to follow. A deafening high pitched wail of anguish made everyone except Amy and Sit Nah cover their ears, the two Ritualists continued chanting their purification cantation.
The hand holding the blade broke back into an open position and the blade fell with a clang to the floor and the obsidian barbs protruding from his head broke off and fell to the dirt. Just as soon as the blade hit the ground, Asuir blacked out and the wailing stopped.
Sit Nah and Amy practically collapsed from the toll of the ritual. Trub quickly took a leather cloth and covered the blade, wrapping it up securely and handed it to Racthoh who placed it in his belt.
"See to it Asuir gets medical treatment, and arrange some transport back to the guild hall, we are going home." Racthoh walked off into the monastery alone and disappeared around a corner.
Everybody breathed a sigh of relief, and several people fell over in the grass laughing, happy the ordeal is over. Amy, Ice and Angel all ran to Asuir's side.
"He's out cold, poor guy.." said Angel wrapping a makeshift bandage around his head.
"He's going to be ok right?" Amy asked Angel, wiping her face, clearing the tears from her eyes.
"Yes, these head wounds though....I'm afraid they will leave some....very bad scarring"
-------
Asuir recovered from the blackout after several days of dehydration treatment. Upon awakening, he could only remember bits of the whole experience, and now looks at the scars around his head as a constant reminder to cherish what he has. Now lives with his wife Amy, in Bejunkan Pier, Kaineng City, where he works for his Stepfather Jared, as a trade solicitor. Amy is expected to give birth around Canthan New Year; Sit Nah predicts the birth of a girl and a boy.
……………
“They’re up to something,” Rex muttered under his breath to Calif.
Kalk was impatient to resume the search but agreed to wait until after the morning meal. The two groups agreed to travel together for the continuing search.
“Are you sure you know which way?” The guys asked Cat as she set out confidently down a trail.
“Sure, I’m sure.”
Everyone else looked unconvinced.
They hiked down a path and cut through the woods. It seemed they had been walking for hours when they decided to stop for a meal.
Rex leaned over towards Calif and said under his breath…didn’t we cross over the same bridge three times?
====================
Trub paced up and down in front of Shing Jea monastery impatiently as Racthoh, sat in waiting, on one knee in the dirt, almost meditating. To his right, Sit Nah, the guilds soul warden sat preparing an exorcism ritual in full ceremonial dress (Rarely did he show his face).
"How long is this going to take?" Trub blurted out suddenly.
"The ritual is almost complete; we just need Asuir here and... I will need a second Ritualist to help me cast out a demonic force as powerful as the one inside young master Laheri" replied the aging shaman.
"Amy...", Racthoh said, not really directed at anyone.
Trub started speaking again but before she could get a word out she heard the sounds of people approaching. "Someone's coming, quickly get down", the three of them perched down behind a pillar, waiting to see who it was.
"I'm telling you guys its this way.." came the sound of a familiar voice, Followed closely by the appearance of Cat, Calif, Kenzie, Kalk and Rex all looking rather exhausted from walking.
When Trub saw the familiar faces she quickly jumped out from behind the pillar and ran over to Kalk.
"Chit, you're ok!", Kalk embraced her with a hug, relieved she was ok.
"Yes, I’m fine, I’ve had far worse y'know? Anyway, did you guys have any luck finding Asuir?"
Calif shook his head at her, "we spent most our time walking in circles" he said as he brushed a twig out of his hair, glaring at Cat.
Rex looked past Trub over at Sit Nah and Racthoh, "Sooooo, whats going on here?" he inquired.
Racthoh stood up and unfolded his arms, "Asuir is coming here to Shing Jea. He's coming to spill as much blood of the servants of Dwayna as possible, and thus invoke "The Tear of Dwayna" a mystical comet that fell on top of Jenurh, or "The City of Woe" over a millennium ago. Should he do this most of the island will be plunged to the bottom of the ocean and the kingdom of Jenurh will rise from the depths. He is seeking the army of restless souls to do his bidding, or at least...some force working through him is..."
"How do you know this? " asked Kenzie.
"Its the Blade isn’t it ? " added Cat.
"Yes", replied Racthoh "The blade has twisted the boy's wishes and desires for its own amusement."
"Own amusement? But I don't understa....." Cats question was cut short by the sound of yet more approaching. It was Asuir. Racthoh and the others took up hiding places where ever they could, awaiting the confrontation.
Amy, Angel and Ice trailed behind looking distressed.
"...What are you going to do Asuir?!" Amy practically screamed at him.
Asuir continued to walk relentlessly forward ignoring his wife’s cries.
"Asuirrrrrrrrr!!!!" Amy now in tears, "I'm pregnant...Don't do this...please don't do this..this child needs a father! YOU ARE GOING TO BE A DADDY!"
Asuir paused and turned around.
"I'm going to ...I’m going to be a daddy?" he questioned, lightly loosening his grip on the blade.
Trub leaned over and whispered to Kalk. "Now! Go go go! "
Suddenly before he could tell what was happening his face hit the dust of the monastery floor and all the wind was knocked out of his lungs. Kalk stood over him, proud of the take down he had just performed. Kenzie and Racthoh ran over as quickly as possible to help restrain the Ritualist, but too their surprise where met with little resistance..In fact, he seemed to be smiling, no, not smiling, laughing.
"heh heh hehehehh..."
Everybody looked at Asuir puzzled. There was no talking for a good twenty seconds, in an uncomfortable atmosphere of silent terror.
"HAHAHAHAHAHA" Asuir's laugh became so manic and chilling that it was no longer recognizable as his own voice.
"YOU. THiNk. ThAT I WOULD. Give UP. THe RiTUALIST?". It had become clear Asuir was no longer speaking. Everybody except the three holding him down took a step back in horror.
"THE RITUALIST IS MINEEEE." The voice said through him, as Racthoh tried to pry the blade out of Asuir's hand. Whatever had hold of Asuir wasn’t about to let go of the blade either, and tightened his hand so tight several of his knuckles came out of place and his own nails dug into his palm until he bled.
Amy fell backwards and started crawling backwards in terror, "That’s ..not him..that’s not him..it’s not him " she said over and over in disbelief.
"A KiNG NeEDS a CROwn Don'T YoU THInK ?" Said "Asuir" to the three holding him down...A sick joke. Several barbs of obsidian burst out of his head in a demonic crown formation, spraying those close by with blood.
Kenzie turned her head in disgust and fear. "This is getting nowhere!" She shouted.
"Agreed " replied Racthoh, Jumping to his feet, followed by Kenzie and Kalk, all three lifting the Ritualist pushing him towards Sit Nah.
"Mrs. Laheri, Its time, I need your help" Sit Nah said calmly to Amy, as the three held Asuir upright, struggling to hold him still.
Amy stood up and stumbled over to Sit Nah in front of Asuir. They both turned to him and placed a hand on his head.
"YOU'll NEVer CAST ME OUT"
"You are wrong." Amy was already familiar with the purging ritual.
Asuir arched back head facing into the air as a blackness filled the area and all the animals for miles fell quiet. For several seconds everything seemed to freeze, no one moved or made a sound, an appropriate contrast for what was soon to follow. A deafening high pitched wail of anguish made everyone except Amy and Sit Nah cover their ears, the two Ritualists continued chanting their purification cantation.
The hand holding the blade broke back into an open position and the blade fell with a clang to the floor and the obsidian barbs protruding from his head broke off and fell to the dirt. Just as soon as the blade hit the ground, Asuir blacked out and the wailing stopped.
Sit Nah and Amy practically collapsed from the toll of the ritual. Trub quickly took a leather cloth and covered the blade, wrapping it up securely and handed it to Racthoh who placed it in his belt.
"See to it Asuir gets medical treatment, and arrange some transport back to the guild hall, we are going home." Racthoh walked off into the monastery alone and disappeared around a corner.
Everybody breathed a sigh of relief, and several people fell over in the grass laughing, happy the ordeal is over. Amy, Ice and Angel all ran to Asuir's side.
"He's out cold, poor guy.." said Angel wrapping a makeshift bandage around his head.
"He's going to be ok right?" Amy asked Angel, wiping her face, clearing the tears from her eyes.
"Yes, these head wounds though....I'm afraid they will leave some....very bad scarring"
-------
Asuir recovered from the blackout after several days of dehydration treatment. Upon awakening, he could only remember bits of the whole experience, and now looks at the scars around his head as a constant reminder to cherish what he has. Now lives with his wife Amy, in Bejunkan Pier, Kaineng City, where he works for his Stepfather Jared, as a trade solicitor. Amy is expected to give birth around Canthan New Year; Sit Nah predicts the birth of a girl and a boy.
……………
