So Sean, Jon , and myself prepared a story with the dual purpose of reinforcing the bonds between the characters, reveal to Evra a life-changing event, as well as an attempt to pull her back from the brink. Forgive the length. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Catherine, after having
spoken with Lotus, had reached a conclusion that she was finally willing to
share. She possessed all the ammunition she could muster to keep the situation
peaceful. Evra was an ugly person, both physically and mentally, but by all
accounts that wasn’t always the case. The fact that she was now standing under
a beaten sign that read “Goodheart’s Martial Academy and Orphanage” seemed to
be an example of that.
So here she was, in another one of her formal dresses as she came to call on
the Storm’s Fury and her mechanical guardian. Granted, it was covered for the
moment by her robes, which she was using as protection from the bad weather
that seemed to be rolling in. Today, she’d left the rapier at home. It was a
symbol of conflict and possibly antagonistic. Besides if a fight broke out
between the pair, any blows exchanged between the pair would be done with
magic.
On her arm Catherine was carrying a basket of herbs as a gift. When crushed
together and brewed into tea, it would settle the woman’s upset stomach. Which
would also serve as another arrow in her quiver when the conversation began.
Evra would owe big time when this was all over. These herbs had been incredibly
difficult to find and sneak into the city. With the final battle approaching
everyone was on edge.
Catherine looked around a few times to see if anyone else was following her.
She didn’t need Rolph or any of the Lizard’s getting suspicious for carrying
food and drink for something that didn’t need to consume them. With no better
opportunity, Catherine knocked.
--
Lotus was
wandering the house when he heard a knocking on their front door. The mess
caused earlier by the inquiries by both Rolph's men and the Lizardfolk had
mostly been cleaned up. However, Lotus would not allow himself the illusion of
security. The tension of the Lizardfolk incursion, the dark master who may call
upon him at any moment, and the new wave of demons, a stone's throw away from
his new home made to that. Yet, when Lotus heard this knocking, he let his
guard down even for a brief moment. On the few occasions that their house
received visitors, Lotus took note of the way they chose to make their presence
known. Knocking was a common way to do so in this plane, as it was in the
others he'd been to, but everyone did it with a different rhythm and intensity.
This knocking was steady and collected in terms of rhythm and volume: it was
Catherine's.
This was not the first time the Lady Du Vantes had visited their abode. She had
come a few times before asking about Evra. Her line of questioning usually
pertained to Evra's emotional state and health. She once also asked about what
he knew of Evra's past. Lotus was aware that such information could be used
against Evra, but at the same time, if she intended to betray them, it would
have been as simple as telling the Lizardfolk where Evra resided. Thus, Lotus
had told Catherine what little he knew about Evra. He told her that in the
past, Evra had someone precious who was now lost to her, that she had
apparently had aspirations for starting a family that likely died when the man
she loved did. She also told him that recently, Evra would occasionally appear
ill and at times, he could hear vomiting.
This
worried the metal one. He was not concerned with getting sick himself – such
things didn't affect his synthetic body. No, Lotus was worried because of what
he had seen in the tower. This sickness could be the first step in Evra
adopting the visage he saw of her when she was with Arkenvane. He was concerned
with what Evra was becoming and what it would mean for Lotus. He did not want
to become another black instrument for a dark master, and Lotus started to
accept the idea that a day may come when he'd have to turn his blade against
Evra. Lotus did not express this concern to Catherine, but told her what she
wanted to know with the hopes that the noblewoman could be of aid should that
day arrive.
Catherine's last visit wasn't too long ago though, and Lotus had wondered why
she had come this time. Nevertheless, fully armored and equipped, Lotus
answered the door and let Catherine in.
--
Evra pulled a hand away from her mouth,
the feeling of be sick again slowly fading once more. She had lost count of
times the feeling washed over her, and it annoyed her greatly. Having exiled
herself with in the master bedroom hadn’t help matter either. It only made the
feeling of being trapped as she was worse. With the lizardfolk and Rolf’s men
looking of her, leaving the home without magic was not possible. The only
solace she had as of late was that the pair wore going to finally make an
attack on the keep. With any luck, The Queen and Rolf would die along with
Stormscar and that Ashfall woman.
Another wave of illness hit the scarred woman, once more her hand raised to
cover her mouth. Evra wasn’t sure how much more of this she could take, and not
knowing the cause only caused her mind to wonder. Was it something caught
having traveled about as she had, or was it something Arkenvane had left in
that room to affect her?
“Blood… and… bloody… ashes.” She cursed as she kept herself from retching once
more. She would hold it down once more but only barely. The sounds of Lotus’
heavy footsteps caught her ear along with what sounded like a door opening.
Forcing herself from the bed, Evra slowly moved to the door of the room and
slowly opened it a crack, try to listen to who was at the door or whoever he
had let in. --
Catherine took a step in and looked up at the hulking figure of Lotus. It
always struck Catherine how intriguing Lotus was, she had never seen a
construct develop a semblance of a personality like he had. He arguably wasn’t
even a true construct like a golem or even animated armor. Catherine smiled and
set the basket on the ground. Slowly, as to avoid getting her dress soaked by
the droplets of water from her robes, she slowly removed the soaked clothing
and held them out for the warforged to take.
She smiled, “Good day dear. I was hoping to speak with Evra. If you wouldn’t
mind, could you go fetch your mistress for me?”
“Provided you haven’t booby-trapped the kitchen or set some otherwise devious
traps on the stove, I’ll go set some tea to boil. Would you like me to prepare
you anything while I’m there?”
Lotus looked onto to Catherine and hesitated. Catherine's gesture felt strange
to him. Perhaps ironically, he did not appreciate the idea of being treated
like a servant. His featureless expression did not betray this sentiment though
as he took the robes with a nod. “Very well,” his hollow voice rung out, “but
be aware that she may not be as welcoming as I have been thus far.” He turned
into the hallway, looking for a coat rack. Did this house have a coat rack that
was misplaced in recent days, or one that simply never existed? Either way,
Lotus decided to place the robes in a nearby closet.
“As for the kitchen, you will find that I have placed no traps there. Although,
I would advise against going to the second floor.” Lotus paused again. Would
there be any tactical advantage to trapping the kitchen? Something to consider
later. “I myself do not need anything, thank you.” He showed Catherine to the
kitchen then ascended the stairs to fetch Evra with thoughts of coat racks and
trapped stoves on his mind. Once he reached the second floor, his steps became
far more measured and precise. He moved to Evra's room with a calculated gait
so as to avoid the myriad of traps he had set up.
“Evra,” he said upon looking at her opened door. “I do not know how much you
have heard, but the Lady Catherine is here and she wishes to speak with you. I
am not sure what her intentions may be but she does not seem ill-intentioned.
It is likely that she simply wishes to talk. I think brought tea.” He paused.
“Know that I cannot test for poison as this form is affected by poisons as any
other person. However, as I said before, I do not believe that we need to worry
about such things.”
Evra simply listen as the metal man spoke. She herself was unsure of why the
woman might have returned nor why she wished to speak. After all the last time
the pair had spoken, she wasn’t happy with the way Evra had been acting. Part
of the younger woman wonder what it was Catherine was trying to get at now.
“Well… I guess it would be rude to simply to make her wait…. I suppose.” She
said before moving to fully open the door and step carefully through the
doorway watching to avoid the wide number of traps that Lotus had set. She
still wondered why Lotus had taken to acting like a caretaker for her, but as
it was it simply something Evra had to be thankful for.
Evra slowly made her way down the stairs before turning for the kitchen. While
she hadn’t heard what was said she could easily listen for the footstep before
Lotus had come to get her. She shook her head before walking to meet the silver
haired woman.
“What brings you this day, Catherine? After our last chat, I thought you would
think it was a waste of your time to speak to me.” Evra spoke, she was still
unsure what to think of the woman and still was unsure if she could trust she
wouldn’t try anything.
Catherine turned her head slightly as Evra entered the kitchen. Catherine
would’ve thought she’d have readied herself a little more since she was
entertaining a guest. Catherine clicked her tongue, more in thought than in
annoyance. It seemed that she had perhaps been wrong about Evra’s upbringing,
perhaps that she was even just ‘new money’. Catherine would have her work cut
out for her. To which, at that thought, the noblewoman had to hold in a sigh.
She turned her focus back to the task at hand and pointed to a nearby table. On
it sat a plate with several baked goods and an assortment of jams. With food
being as costly as it was to find in the city, the jams especially had cost her
a great deal to acquire. Next to the plate sat a bowl with several apples that
Catherine had preserved herself. It originally was to be for when the city
celebrated the death of its King, but Catherine supposed Evra would need them
more now. Catherine surveyed all of this as the tea kettle began to whistle.
With a quick movement, she removed it from the heated stove top and gently
began pouring it into a teapot.
With her afternoon snack prepared Catherine smiled up to Evra, “Hello dear. I
thought you might enjoy a snack. I doubt you’ve had a proper meal in a long
time. Please, let us sit in your living room where it’ll be more comfortable…”
She paused remembering the overall devastation of the house. “Or any other
place that will accommodate a conversation. I come with news, good or bad will
be up to you.”
Lotus stood behind Evra stoically as Catherine presented the food. As Lotus did
not commonly eat, he had no measure for how expensive or rare this food might
have been. He had heard that Segwyr has been going through a food shortage
though, so he could surmise that at least some bit of effort went into the
procurement of the spread in front of them. Still, he was not interested. Taste
in food was a relic from his past life. One that, as far as he knew, he could
not return to.
Lotus thought back to the rooms of the house. He recalled that down the hall
there was a small room. It had a desk and a few empty book shelves, as well as
a couple of chairs and a small table. It seemed spacious enough to accommodate
a small group of people, but seemed like it was meant to be primarily used by
one or two. Perhaps it was to be the office or study for a teacher or other
staff member when this place was to be an orphanage? It certainly seemed like
an appropriate place for a conversation.
“I know of a room.” Lotus spoke as he pointed down the hallway. “It is not too
far from here, if you wish to speak there.”
Evra’s brow arched as the silver haired ‘noble’ spoke of news. With how thing
wore within the city, nothing came to mind that should be seen as bad news.
Well one thing came to kind but the woman had no idea who Jim was, nor any
reason to link him to herself. Evra turned her head as Lotus spoke and nodded
thinking she knew the room he meant.
“A bit small, but no windows to worry about. It should work out fine.” Evra
said in an approving tone. She slowly turned to face Catherine once more. She
still wasn’t sure how much she could trust her, but at the very least she
hadn’t told Rolf or the Lizard Queen.
“Well, I doubt it will be as comfortable as you may be used to, Lady Du Vantes,
but should serve well enough as any other.” The younger woman spoke before
moving towards the room, acting as a guide.
Catherine
followed carrying a makeshift tray loaded with all of the goods she’d brought.
After being led into the room, which fared just about what Catherine expected,
and set the tray down on the centermost piece of furniture. While Evra selected
a seat for herself and Lotus did…whatever he was doing, Catherine poured three
cups of tea. She picked up two of the clay cups and handed the first to Lotus
and the second to Evra.
One of the few items that she had been unable to acquire, due to it’s
mind-boggling expense and being out of season, was honey to sweeten the tea. It
was going to be quite bitter at first, but the herbs had a delightful aftertaste.
Catherine thought for a moment as to whether or not Lotus would even drink his.
And if he did drink it, would he even be able to taste it? Catherine watched
the man from the corner of her eye to see what kind of reaction he would have.
“Despite what you said earlier, I couldn’t bear not to set you aside something
to drink. Feel free to have a biscuit as well, dear.”
Catherine settle in her own chair and took a seat with her own clay cup of tea.
She smiled as she took a sip of the brew in case the others were suspicious of
her having poisoned the tea. She nearly gagged when the first wave reached her
tongue, but found it most refreshing when it had passed.
“So my dear Evra.” Catherine began. “I feel like we ought to have a polite
conversation before I deliver the news that I bear. I’ve spoken at great
lengths with Lotus about you, yet you and I haven’t had the pleasure of a
direct conversation. I curious what it is that brought you to this city.”
Catherine
turned to Lotus, “I’m equally curious about you too, darling. In all of our
conversations I never really asked about you either. Forgive my impertinence,
but what exactly are you?” She asked, “Are you man? Machine? Some force of
magic?”
Catherine wasn’t sure that either of the odd pair would even respond. That they
instead want a quick resolution so that everyone could be on their way. Evra
thus far seemed to be impatient and despite his wary nature, Lotus struck her
as a man of action as well.
Lotus did not know how to respond. He was never trained in etiquette. Such
niceties are of little use in battle, and what little of it he did know from
observation may not be proper to the denizens of this plane. Was the tea
offered merely as a formality, or did she genuinely wish for him to drink it?
Was he to show gratitude and appreciation for the effort put into the tea, or
would it be offensive for someone so base to accept something from one of a
higher station? There's also the inherent danger of the tea being poisoned.
Catherine herself imbibed the tea, so it would stand to reason that it was safe
to drink. But what if she was simply immune to the poison? It was no secret
that Catherine was a practitioner of magic and there were certainly magic’s
that could ward one from poison. Catherine could also simply be innately
immune. She appears human, but there are also magic’s that can alter one's
appearance. Or perhaps, there are beings on this plane that merely appear human
but have other properties – either from interbreeding with other races, the
intervention of divine or demonic beings, or simply the warping nature of
powerful primordial forces. Lotus had seen examples of such beings in the past,
and the true properties of this plane and what may dwell in certain areas of it
was still foreign to the warforged.
Internally,
Lotus grappled with questions, mysteries, and unknowns, but without the
infrastructure to express this struggle, the others simply saw the metal man
standing in silence for a few brief moments. The thought of simply asking if
the tea was poisoned did cross his mind. The thought of asking said question at
the edge of a blade immediately followed, yet Lotus restrained himself. Rash
and unplanned force of arms often faltered against spellcasters who were given
time to plan for such reactions; Catherine did not strike him as the foolish
type. She likely had a plan in place for the violence of her hosts and Lotus
had not formulated a strategy to counter her quite yet.
Thus, Lotus stepped forward, opened the crude hinge that sealed his mouth, and
poured the cup of tea inside. If it was to be poison, better that he succumbed
to it before the one who can quicken herself and hurl lightning bolts. If this
was otherwise part of a ploy on Catherine's part, better that he play along so
that she may be lured into a false sense of security. And if it truly was a
benign exchange, then Lotus can benefit from the good will.
As the liquid poured down into some reservoir within himself, he could feel the
tea. He could tell the tea was hot, perhaps of a damaging temperature to softer
tissue, but he had no nerves to feel the scalding. He could sense the
particulate matter of the ground up tea leaves, but he had no tongue to taste
their bitterness. Lotus was not made privy to the intricacies of his body. He
did not know what happened to the things he ate and simply assumed that the magic’s
that maintained his form assimilated them into something that could either help
or hinder his form. He did not feel these things the way a normal person might,
but his internal magic’s constantly fed him with knowledge about his general
state of being and any changes to it.
So, when the tea reached the vacancy in his body that most would call a
stomach, Lotus could tell that it was not immediately harmful. He thought it
appropriate to express gratitude before answering Catherine's question, but he
could not smile. So he did the best he could: leave the hinge of his jaw open
and politely nod.
“The nature of my existence is not one that is easily defined.” The voice came
from his mouth, though it did not move as he spoke. “Not even by me. I am a
being that was made for the dual purpose of servitude and battle. As you can
see, my form is made of wood and metal, but it is not wholly limited to the
properties of those materials. My form is inorganic, but it can mend itself
slowly and even grow stronger. I do not feel pain, but I know when and where I
am damaged. My form can move its various appendages with average flexibility,
but it lacks the mechanisms to do so. I believe this form to be sustained by magic’s,
and I assume them to be far more complex than those one would use to animate a
suit of armor. I was clearly designed and created to be a tool, but I have
thoughts and free will. I would also say that I have life, and that this is not
my first. I do not know who I was in my past life: that person's name and
memory are long lost to me. Yet, their soul still resides within me. I am that
person no more, but I am still a person.”
The flare of green energy in his otherwise hollow eye sockets marked Lotus's
resolve as he declared “People have names, and mine is Lotus. I hope that is a
sufficient answer.”
Evra’s head turned slightly to Lotus as
she heard that the noble and metal man had spoken about her. A slight look of
annoyance crossed her face, having not known about these ‘chats’. She looked at
the clay cup, a thought of it being a trap crossed her mind but with both Lotus
and Catherine drinking, the thought faded. She took hold of the cup the best
she could with her lone hand, settled herself in her own chair. As she sipped
the tea, the bitterness wasn’t too powerful to her but unlike the ‘high-class’
lady, Evra never had anything like sugar or honey to dull the taste. The
pleasant after taste was welcome surprise.
“What has brought anyone to this god forsaken ruin of a city?” The woman said
not trying to seem rude but the bluntness would easily be seen as such.
“Of course, the war… Like everyone else here. More or less at least. But I fail
to see why that matters?” She questioned, not sure what the older woman was
trying to get at.
“Thank you, Lotus. Forgive me if I caused you any offense.”
Interesting. Catherine thought. Lotus was for sure like nothing she’d ever
encountered. He was a construct yet he’d developed a personality. Catherine
found herself a little jealous that Lotus had taken to guarding Evra. Such a
guardian was perfect in every way, except maybe when you did something it
disagreed with. Catherine wondered at what the process it took for him to be
created and wondered if she could attempt it herself. Perhaps she would
investigate when she wasn’t so busy. Catherine adjusted herself to face Evra
directly.
“Why we’ve come to destination always matters, my dear. Whatever we're try to
escape... something is always guiding us. Whether that the Gods or our hearts.
And no matter how much you try to run from it, it’ll always catch up with you.
With that said, I’ll cut right to the chase as to why I’m here.”
“This may come as a shock to you, but I believe that you are with child.”
Catherine paused to let the news sink in before continuing. “At first I thought
that your behavior was attributed to your mourning, which may still be the
case. However, between that and the fact you seem to experiencing morning
sickness, I have little doubt that being with child is what ails you. And I
suspect you’re at least two months into your pregnancy.”
Catherine didn’t even give her a chance to speak. “You’ll probably also wonder
why I even care. I’ve promised to beings higher then ourselves that I would
help those that are in need. And despite what you’ve been saying, your actions
are a desperate call for help. As much as helping you is probably going to get
me killed down the line, I’m here to help you. Besides you’re treading down a
path that has already begun leaving its mark. A path that has no place for
raising a child. A path that is harder to return from than you think.”
She glanced to Lotus, “I may be wrong, Lotus. But it seems like you’ve wandered
such a path yourself.”
Catherine's
words did not mean much to Lotus and only served to confuse him. He did not end
up here as an attempt to flee anything. His presence here was the result of a
servant changing masters and then a final calamity in which the servant was the
sole survivor. Sure, sometimes the hand-off was done by force, but never was it
done with Lotus's wishes in mind. Likely that was because before coming here,
Lotus had no wishes to speak of. Even now his wishes are vague and uncertain.
Also, while Lotus acknowledged the existence of the Gods, (the presence of
divine spellcasters was proof enough for the metal one) he did not believe to be
guided by any of them. Surely, if that was the case, they'd have made
themselves known to him in some way. Thus, Lotus did not have to worry about
something from his past returning to haunt him. This plane was a clean slate
and a new life.
And what was this path she spoke of? The path of having a child? No, that was
absurd; Lotus lacked the organs to bear or create a child, and he certainly
could not be the father of one either. It was unlikely that she meant his
stewardship of this abode either. That duty was a self-imposed one. It was
simply a task to give Lotus something to do: a semblance of a purpose until he
found a true one. He was not doing it for Evra – who evidently cared little of
it anymore – and it certainly wasn't for himself – he could not imagine ever
requiring such a large space, not for him alone at least. It was a task that he
could quit at any time with no consequence; he simply did not want to. So maybe
Catherine was referring to their unfortunate entanglement with Arkenvane. Yet,
it would be rather strange of her to be concerned with such things given her
willingness to accept his aid.
As
for Evra's pregnancy, Lotus did not know what to think. He was familiar with
the general concept of birth; instead of growing from the ground, hatching from
an egg, or being spiritually transferred to a new vessel, sometimes new life
was grown inside a being and would ultimately emerge from their mother's body
to live their life in the world. He was unfamiliar with the specifics of the
process though, and did not know how long it would be for humans of this plane.
Nothing from his short time here led him to believe the process was fatal,
however. Lotus saw many children with older beings he could identify as their
mothers. He certainly did not know that pregnancy made the mother sick, either.
Or perhaps it doesn't and this is the cause of Catherine's concern. Regardless,
this was not the domain of Lotus's expertise. He did not know what exactly this
meant for Evra or if it was important at all. Only time, and further words from
Catherine and Evra would tell.
Thus, Lotus returned to his other thoughts. He could not figure out the answer
for himself without investing too much time and surmised the risk of it was
minimal, so he simply asked. “What path are you talking about?”
The small speech of gods made Evra sneer
a bit in anger. At this point the woman was sure her life was simple joke for
the gods to toy with more than anything else. She tried to hide her displeasure
by having another sip of the tea. Still holding the empty cup, she listened as
Catherine continue.
As she said that she believed Evra was with child, the younger woman face
turned to a mix of shock and confusion. The clay cup in her hand nearly dropped
from her hand. Evra’s mouth was moving, but no sound was coming out but if one
could read her lips they would be able to see her ‘saying’ a mix of no’s, it’s
can’t be and not possible. She was clearly shocked hearing the noble’s claim.
Trying her best to control herself, Evra placed the cup down, not noticing her
morning sickness had faded. She looked to the pair, looking back and forth
still shocked. Her hand coming to rest on her stomach.
“I… I… How… can you… be sure?” She asked still clearing in shock. At the very
least she wasn’t upset, at least at the moment, hell a look of maybe welcoming
the news seemed to slow cross her face.
Catherine sat there for a moment to gather her thoughts. This was to be the
tricky part. Things were still tense between the pair and any wrong move here
could kick off a devastating magic duel. She stood up and refilled all of the
empty cups as she collected her mind. Yet, since she’d been planning this
conversation for a while, yet Catherine had to prepare her mental defenses just
in case.
She decided to answer Lotus first. “Since you possess a mind like any other
sentient creature and since you’ve stumbled into one of the most dangerous
places in the region, I made the assumption that something malevolent drove you
here. Just as Evra said earlier, it seems to largely be true for most that have
come to this city. Forgive me if that was an incorrect assumption.”
Catherine returned her attention back to Evra. “You and I are similar in many
ways. More so than I care to admit. My ‘claim’ is largely due to my own experiences
as a mother and what I experienced in the early days…of my first son.” Speaking
of her family, especially her children, was really hard for Catherine. Just
mentioning them nearly caused her mental defenses to fail and release
Catherine’s own demons. As it was, some of her darkness was leaking out. The
area around Catherine was cooling steady, yet beads of sweat began popping up
from the strain of reigning in her true identity.
“The tea I’ve brewed also has properties that help women in your state. It settles
the stomach during this tough time in any mother’s life. My mother taught it to
me and her mother taught her. If you’d like I’ve brought a few more weeks’
worth of the plant so that you can brew the tea yourself, I will show you how
to make it.”
“Provided you want me too.”
This news
clearly affected Evra and from the way Catherine spoke, Lotus came to believe
that she was not lying. This was not some insidious plot to throw Evra into
disarray and take advantage of it, or at least if it was, it was masterfully
executed. Catherine legitimately wished to help Evra. She felt sympathy for
Evra's situation given her own experiences. However, Lotus almost drew his
blade at first. He could tell that the room was getting colder from something
unnatural. Something dark and ominous was near and Catherine was likely the
source. His every instinct gnawed at him to draw his weapon and face whatever
peril was before him. To strike down this darkness before it became a threat.
But his form remained still.
Lotus could sense that they were at the climax of Catherine's visit. The risk
and tension in the situation were of a kind that were foreign to Lotus, but he
could still tell how delicately things hung in balance. To draw his blade now,
for whatever reason, would be to disrupt that balance and escalate the
situation to a height it might not have gone to otherwise. An unease took over
him. Were he to have nerves, his hands could be twitching, screaming at him to
draw his sword – that not doing so went against everything he had learned up to
this point. But somehow, that was fine with him.
Lotus wanted to address what Catherine had told him. To correct her that
malevolence was not what led him here. That malevolence and those who wielded
it would no longer hold sway over the warforged, but he let his restraint send
that message for him. Instead, he tried to guide the situation to a resolution
he hoped would be the optimal one. Lotus laid a hand on Evra's shoulder and
spoke.
“I would recommend accepting her offer. I do not fully understand her motives
for being here, but Catherine's words seem to be spoken in earnest, and she
would have little to gain by going through all of this simply to betray us in
the end. Especially since she has already had numerous opportunities to do so.”
Evra was still in a state of shock as
pair spoke, their words reaching her, but mixed in with her own thoughts. She
couldn’t understand… why would Catherine would help her as she was. She had
said something about a promise but it still just didn’t make sense to her. After
all, Evra had been serving someone clearly against the gods but still the
older woman was here.
As Lotus’ hand gripped her shoulder, Evra felt it comforting much like ‘he’
might have done as this moment if he was alive. It took much for the younger
woman to hold back tears as she thought about Jim. It simply wasn’t fair for
her to be alone as she was, to care of his child. His words reached her ears
and she nodded before letting her head drop low, trying to hide the tears that
had begun to well up.
“Your right Lotus… on all counts. But…” She paused her mind still wondering.
“... After what you have seen… and the danger I have put you both in… How can
you both still offer to help me so willingly?” The tears wore starting to run
down her face now, silently still trying to hide them. She had wanted to rid
herself of this side… but somehow the pair of the older woman and metal man had
reached the small bit she couldn’t rid herself of.
Catherine was
having real difficulty now. Seeing the tears starting to well up in Evra’s eyes
made the resemblance between the two startling. Everything that the women had
been through was similar, except that nobody had been there for Catherine.
Catherine told her as much.
“I want to help you, because I don’t want you to fall prey to the darkness that
is so willing to open its arms to you. As I said, you remind me so much of
myself. Yet you stand on the precipice of disaster. I’m not sure if you’re
aware, and I’m not sure if I was the only one to have seen it.” Catherine
looked to Lotus, “But in that tower, I saw something. When Arkenvane’s true
nature was revealed to us, so to was another disturbing image.”
“It was your face, Evra. It had changed. You had become some sort of undead
creature, just like Arkenvane was revealed to be a Lich. If you’d truly fallen
into such depravity, then I would have killed you by now. However, I don’t
think that is the case.” “Lotus, I believe I can keep myself under control, but
in the event I cannot I would appreciate you not taking any fatal strikes.”
Catherine paused. “I would like to share my secret with you both now. My reason
for coming to this city…What you have to look forward to if you allow despair,
hatred, and suffering into your heart. Come Evra, take a look…”
With
those final words Catherine gently released the containment that she had built
around the darkened side of her mind. The frigid air around Catherine deepened
until mist began to creep up around her body. Within the mist skeletal wings
began to take shape and fanned out as if Catherine was about to take flight. A
ghostly halo appeared at the crown of her head and her face drained of color,
leaving it as white as bone. A sob escaped her throat as fat, black tears ran
down her face. They rolled with all the viscosity of the tar and even looked
like such. Catherine spoke, her voice distorted.
“I had beautiful wings once. Wings that I flew that I once through the skies
with. Beautiful wings like my grandfather had. But I lost them. They were taken
from me when I slaughtered all of those Elves. The Elves that took my husband
and sons from me. I killed them all.”
Catherine fought desperately to lock her mind down again. It was difficult, but
her earlier preparations made it a winnable fight. With a final tear, Catherine
locked the darkness back in its cage. The wings, halo, and tears with it.
Slowly the color began to return to her face. Picking up a clean cloth,
Catherine began to clear the sticky black substance from her face. “Lotus, that
is the path that I spoke of.”
“And Evra, now do you see why I want to help you?”
Steel was drawn at Catherine's transformation. Lotus did not intend to strike
down Catherine, but her warning warranted that he at least be prepared. He
could not fathom the amount of discipline required to keep such a dark
existence in check. He could feel something trying to grip his mind and steal
his composure but, as if on instinct, Lotus began to speak:
“A mind that knows itself is as a wall against danger. A mind that
loses this knowing crumbles and weakens the body's resolve. Know yourself so that others may know peace in your strength.”
It was one of the mantras that revealed itself to Lotus earlier. Its tongue was
foreign to this plane but very familiar to Lotus: it was the tongue of Those Who
Follow Gith, but in the dialect of Those Who Spurn Her. Lotus's knowledge of
this mantra and the darkness within Catherine reminded him of the unknowns
within himself.
When Lotus had tried to probe the depths of his mind and soul, all he found
were walls. Lotus was aware that there was latent knowledge and power within
himself. It was clear that some of this – such as the mantras – were parting
gifts of the scarred man, implanted psionically into his mind. Such things were
not beyond their kind. But other parts, such as the magic’s and sword
techniques, were from elsewhere. Yet, nothing about those seemed as dark and as
twisted as what resided within Catherine.
However,
Catherine's form made Lotus doubt. Why would such things need to be sealed in
the first place? Was there peril in having such knowledge and power? Perhaps
there was a day where Lotus wielded such power and knowledge in full and
brought about nothing but ruin. Worse yet, what if such things could be tainted
and perverted – or already were? Until recently, Lotus thought little about
taking lives and Lotus would have seen the power to do so with ease as a boon,
not a curse. Yet now, there was too much about Lotus's nature that he did not
know, and as he progressed through this so-called “new life,” the memories of
his early days as a warforged started to grow cloudy.
This evoked something within Lotus that as far as he knew, he never experienced
before: fear. Instead of standing still in fear however, he moved to answer
Evra's question. “I help you because it is what seems natural to me. I do not
know what my purpose is yet, and I hope to find it in time. I've lived an
existence of bloodshed and slaughter at the behest of those with bloodlust and
questionable morals. I know not how many lives I have taken or how terribly
I've brought woe to those around. Even now I do not feel guilt for the things
that I have done. Yet, existing in such a way feels... unfulfilling. Thus, I
have decided to give more peaceful aspirations a chance. Aiding you these past
few weeks has just been one way of trying that. Yet, all I know is war and
loyalty, so those are also the tools I use to pursue these aspirations. At
least until I've come to know a better way. So I am willing to help you until
such servitude would contradict peace. It has not come to that point yet.”
Lotus turns to Catherine and for a moment an unnatural creaking can be heard.
Perhaps the noise of Lotus trying to force a smile from hinges that only know
to open and close. “It seems it might not for a while.”
Evra’s hand touched the self-inflicted
facial scar as she heard about her… transformation. First, she was shell-shocked
by hearing she was with child and now… maybe even becoming something else. Now
she watched as Catherine became a… a fallen angel mayhap, it truly wasn’t clear
to the human but a small part of her wanted to reach out. To offer a gentle
hand like Lotus had for her, even with the chill that filled the air about the
noble woman.
However, Evra’s attention turned to Lotus as he spoke. She knew so little of
the people she had traveled with, even those whom she called friends and now in
an effort to save her maybe, she learned they all were damaged in their own
ways. Hells… these two wore newly met and still they seem to be trying to bring
her back from a path she was on at the moment.
“I… I hope it will never come to that point Lotus… But if it does… Do what you
must.” Evra said trying to pull herself back together. Clearly everything
happening at once, along with her own demons, wore taking a toll on the young
woman. She then turned to Catherine voice cracking a bit as she spoke.
“I… I need all the help I can get..." She paused not sure if she should say
anymore but it might be for the best, her and Lotus at least knew why she had
started working for Arkenvane.
“He… he somehow… has... ‘him’” Evra said trying to think how to say anything,
but her hand once more rest on her stomach might have been a sign of what she
met at the very least. The tears had dried, but her face still showed she was
on the brink. Her mind started to think back to a promise made moons ago. How
close had she come to breaking that promise entirely.
Catherine forced a smile. She
was still feeling the psychic reverberations of releasing the darken angel from
its cage. But it seemed that Evra finally understood and was now asking for
help. That was a good sign that what they’d seen was not yet Evra’s true face.
However, it was only a matter of time before Arkenvane returned to his pawns.
If not sooner, due to Erynion’s failed attempt at betraying them.
Catherine finished wiping her face the best she could, having missed some of
the smeared ichor. Since what she had come to accomplish was taken care of, it
was time to begin making plans. “I’d understand if you were hesitant, but I
would like to open my home to both of you. I suggest you join me there instead
of this death trap of a house. Evra, you also need to get out of that room of
yours. It’s not good for your health, mental or physical. Besides, once the
lizards realize that you aren’t in the keep they’ll go back to tearing the city
apart looking for you. I wouldn’t be surprised if either they or Rolf sent
warriors to await you here, in your house.”
“They have little to no reason to search my home, so you ought to be safe
there.” She said. “You’re welcome as well, Lotus. Although you aren’t as sought
after as Evra, I have room for you to keep an eye on us if you’d like.”
“And Evra, I’m sorry to hear about your mate. Perhaps we’ll find a way to help
him one day, but Arkenvane is clearly beyond our reach right now. We’ve all
seen the power he possesses. And Lotus and I have seen the defenses of his
home. I’m not sure of a way to search it with him there or not. I’m sorry.”
Lotus
contemplated Catherine's offer. She made a few valid points and it was
certainly a better alternative than simply waiting around for Rolph or the
lizardmen to return. However, there were still a few loose ends to deal with
and work to be done for the future.
“I thank you for the offer Catherine, but I am afraid I cannot leave this place
quite yet. If we left this place empty, then in time, someone we do not know
would take residence, and given the traps still in place and the unknown danger
that lies behind the locked door, letting potentially innocent people fall prey
to such things would be inadvisable. That locked door needs to be investigated
and the traps removed before we truly leave this place unguarded. But even
then, I believe I have a plan for how to use this space.”
“It is no secret that Rolph and Stormscar shall have their final battle soon,
and I do not see a positive outcome for the conflict. Is Rolph wins, it is
unlikely that a suitable leader will step up and bring order to Segwyr. This
will result in a power vacuum that will plunge the city in further chaos as all
the remaining factions fight for control. If Stormscar wins, then all of his
purported atrocities continue. Either way, the threats of demons, undead, and
madness worms that have already made their way into the city go unchallenged.
Not to mention the hobgoblins and lizardfolk who so loosely aligned themselves
with Rolph are likely to run amok in the city in the aftermath.”
“Thus, in the aftermath of this battle, I shall make a call to arms to those
who wish to see these monsters eradicated from the city. This building, once
cleaned and clear of threats, seems like it would make a decent base of
operations if a more suitable one cannot be acquired after the battle.
Preparations would need to be made, and resources gathered, so I would
appreciate your assistance in this matter when the time comes, but I understand
if you cannot lend it. After all, it is evident that you have quite a few
things to deal with yourselves. Either way, I am perfectly willing to aid you
two in whatever matter you require my assistance in.”
“If you wish… you may remain here then
Lotus. You would have ready been seen by Rolf and his men as a caretaker of
sorts.” Evra said as she thought about the house. At this point in time it had
lost all the hope she once had for the place. Maybe somewhere down the line,
should she survive to see it, it may once more become her and her beloved’s
home. But for now she couldn’t worry about it.
“There is a vault downstairs as well, so it would make for a good base if you
needed it.” She added having made her mind up. Catherine was right, both on her
hiding away in her room as she had been on Jim. She didn’t want to admit it but… he
may very well be lost to her forever.
“But before I leave, I would like to help when it comes to that door. After
that, I’ll be willing to leave… if that is alright with you Lady Catherine?”
Evra questioned, not sure if her offer was an open one or not. It would be
clear she still cares for the home, maybe still holding on to the hope she had when she
first moved in. She once more took hold of the cup and drank more of the tea,
waiting for the older woman’s answer.
Catherine listened to Evra’s request and nodded. “Of course. Perhaps we’ll come
upon something down there to aid in our endeavors, Gods willing.”
Catherine nodded to Lotus. “I will be there to help you Lotus. In fact, I
believe that I know someone who would be very interested in helping as well. He
is a priest of Vaun… a lively one at that. I shall arrange a meeting between
you two if you’d like to hash out the details. And if you need coin it shall be
yours. Once the mage guild begins to settle, we can dispatch mages to assist in
the construction and defenses of your…group.”
“Also I feel the need to point out, that despite how we all feel about him,
bridge fortifications were on Rolph’s agenda. I recall him mentioning it in
passing before this latest madness began. It sounds like he would be willing to
help at some point, likely after we’ve taken the Keep. I’m not sure if he’ll up
and disappear on us, but perhaps he’ll stick around.”
“And on that note, I feel that I should mention that establishing a post-war
government has been on my mind for some time. As much as I would love to
declare myself a Queen, the city will not likely be ready for another monarch
to take the throne so soon. I would also like to see the aristocracy return to
this place, but that seems a bit premature to introduce as well. So in that
case, perhaps we can promote a council to assume the day-to-day duties until we
can get the chaos under control. Perhaps key positions are identified and the
most qualified person assume those duties.”
“Lotus, perhaps you could become the Captain of the City Guard. That would go a
long way politically and financially towards your goal of mounting a defense of
the city.”
Lotus nodded and lamented his inability to smile. Perhaps once he found someone
knowledgeable enough to maintain his body (someone so skilled would be needed
eventually), he perhaps could change that. It did seem like a useful thing to
know how to do. He was glad to have made allies and to know that there were
more out there to aid him in his new cause.
“I thank you two for the help. I would like to get in touch with this priest of
Vaun. Such a man will certainly prove helpful in removing the demons and undead
that's for sure. I am not sure how willing I will be to work with Rolph
however. Some of his decisions have been questionable at best and he certainly
will have a few things to answer for should he survive the battle. As for the
government, I am not so well versed in such things. I am certainly willing to
rally men and lead them in the defense of this city however, and if taking a
formal position will aid me in stabilizing things, then so be it.”
“But those are matters for a bit later,” Lotus turned to Evra. “Right now, I
would recommend ensuring Evra's health and dealing with what lies behind the
door. And hopefully, further complications will not arise with the upcoming
battle.”
Evra moved to stand up,
seeing as the chat Catherine had come to have having ended. She, herself,
didn’t have much to add, seeing as she has only really cause more problems in
spite of trying her best to help.
“I’ll gather a few things to be ready to leave then. I should at least try not
to be a greater burden than I already have.” She said, looking at the basket
carrying the herbs the noble had brought. A small sigh escaped her lips as she
thought about the trouble she must have caused of pair here now. She finished
the tea before rising back up to her feet.
“If you wish for some coin for your troubles, either of you, let me know. I
don’t have much at the moment but if I can speak with a few about town then I
should be able to repay for anything.” Evra spoke, once more with her normal
voice that Lotus would remember from before Rolf’s and Kespek’s attempt on her.
“Also Lotus, if you choose be sever as a caretaker of this house, I would at
least like to tell you about a few things in the vault you should avoid.”
