The closer he got, the whispers in his mind grew louder... but in the same breath, became less maddening, less urgent. He held concern for the companions that he left behind in the woods, but the wolves he had encountered before were not those and with Pea and Losteria in attendance, he doutlessly believed they would make short work of them. He hoped to recieve their forgiveness if he made it out of this gambit alive. It was foolhardy, to be sure, but he had to take this opportunity to end the threat of this unnatural creature. Strahd was calling to him, that meant that he was going to be allowed in close. Past his armies, past his defenses, right though his own gates and close enough to strike, that he could set him ablaze with the Moon Goddess' purifying light, like he had done with this monsters' lesser minions. He would end the threat to the land, this usurper, and free the victims of this tyrant's yoke or die in the struggle. Ursoc, Goddess, great Forest Lords... grant me the strength to bring balance to these lands. But as they say, no plan survives first contact with the enemy. The blood of determination that boiled during his run, the adrenaline that surged though him as he returned to human form as he closed in on castle Ravenloft, the resolution in his face as be passed the great gate and aproached the castle's front door, died out as the vampire lord's countenance came into view, leaving him tired, worn from the day's endevors, and breathing heavily from overly exerting himself to evade the nimble huntress. The master of the castle didn't at that moment seem so imposing, certainly not the 'devil' that the others painted him as. A pale-skinned monster to be sure, and he had no reason to believe the stories of his cruelty and malice were false... After all, this was the creature ultimately responsible for he and his companions' presence here, it would be unwise to underestimate him. Still, there was no hostility that he could see within Strahd currently, this 'monster' in man's draping. The politeness of his words and demeanor now made his attack on the church acolytes seem like a hazy dream, as if he may have imagined something different. He was sure that they were killed on his command, but the thoughts didn't seem like they wanted to stick around to sharpen his focus. Yes, focus, that is what he was loosing right now. The 'Devil of Barovia' was right in front of him, exposed. The priest Corely, was able to drive him back, surely the son of Corin had the might to defeat this evil. He raised his arm, focusing his will, his intent to invoke his goddess' words to reduce this creature to ash... And folded it across his chest in a slight bending of the waist to greet the castle's lord. It was shocking to him, and his mind began to reel at his sudden redirection of his actions. "As well as I can be, so far from my home. Thank you, but no. I prefer to tend to my own needs." Inwardly, he was stunned by the words that escaped his lips, by the thoughts that followed in short order. This man... this... monster? He not made a single hostile act against him, nor had he addressed him with anything but civility, even opening up his hospitality to him. It would be a unwise to simply act without giving thought to this new revalations. He knew nothing of this land, of the people or politics. All that he had to go on was what, the testimony of men of the local cloth? Church practitioners? The same sort of man-crafted institutions that were activly attempting to stamp out the way of life that he and his people had enjoyed for generations before their inception? These were the people whose words he was now taking uncriticially as fact? Certianially there was more to this tale then he was being told. This count was not natural, that was to be sure by the palour of his complexion. But only those who were deeply rooted with the church were the ones who decried him as a monster, and the only ones that he knew for certain that he had attacked. Could it be that it was the people who now lived in fear of a 'devil' of their own making? 'Elder' Turi felt that it was prudent to learn what he could before making his choice. His voice was even, save for the the quieting breath of his long run. There was no trace of the intent left that he had on his approch, replaced with a calm sort of polite curiosity. "Why is it that you called me here? Strahd, was it?"
