Healing Hands; The Early Bird - Jygust 30th-early MT (open)

[Shylah Boyd]

At Talanewei’s presence and words, Shylah calmed a great deal and tried to do as he directed. She struggled to focus, as her skills weren’t as high leveled as Torc’s and Talanwei’s. The more she struggled to focus, the more she felt the toll this was beginning to take on her small body. She started to feel as if her very strength was being drained from her. Still, Shylah pushed herself to continue. This young life was far more important than hers.

“I’m losing it….” Shylah whispered to Talanwei, as the snakes found their way from around her hands and onto a greater source.

My God, it matters to me not who succeeds in healing this boy. Please, see to his well-being. Heal him. All I ask from you is not for myself, but for this innocent youth. Rid him of the venom that courses throughout his tiny body Please, answer this desperate prayer. Time is running out...What are you asking of me? Show me what I must do!

[Torc Blackfoot]

Torc allowed his mind to remain a constant in the aether, for when the snakes attacked him, he had become slightly startled and the vision of the aether trembled. However, he remained calm, focusing on his task. Torc began to focus on the energies surrounding him, his mind felt the snakes with their greased scaled belly’s wrapping around his tendrils of thought. They would infect him if he did not react, so with leveled calm Torc used the shielding that was his bark and made it into small thorns which would rip the belly of the snakes and force it to bleed its evil.

However, thorns were not the only weapon that Torc could summon. Torc began to shape some of the healing energies of the boy and himself into a pack of mongooses. He had seen the creatures fight and kill many snakes before. Tales of the mongoose fighting the snake in its own lair and winning flashed through his mind. They cared not if there was venom dripping from their fangs.

Torc saw the energies beginning to blend and shaping themselves into a weave that would neutralize the poison within the boy. To Torc the mongooses were sleek and golden furred, their eyes stared at the deadly snakes, but Torc gave them a hunger and vengeance to their little purpose. He saw the fangs of the vipers, and cared not for the mongooses that he created had many sharp little teeth. Their cunning was renowned and since Torc had fashioned them from both himself and the boy’s energies he knew the poison no longer had a place to go. Nay Torc waited for a flicker allowing his bark to harm the belly’s of the snakes as he created more and more mongooses.

As the snakes began to close to his trunk he could feel the familiar yet horrible purpose they held. Whoever had created a hybrid of the spiders and time poison from the land should truly pay for such a crime. Yet he was in a struggle now not only to safe the boy’s life, but to escape unscathed himself. So Torc let loose the healing weave. He felt the mongooses’ course over his branches and course through the boy seek out the snakes of poison. Torc saw within the aether his weave branching out going after the poisons threads. Torc saw the beady golden eyes and golden fur going after a snake that was getting to close to his trunk, and for a flicker he wondered if he had made the mongooses strong enough and numerous. If not, he would have to make more and more till either the poison died or he would expire as well.

[Raevyn D`Altamooriana]

Raevyn knelt down beside the poisoned lad and laid a hand upon him. If there were energies present she wanted to feel them herself. Raevyn was convinced that there was almost nothing that the other two present could do to save the child. If he were to survive this poisoning, it would have to be with her help, and her help alone. He could die for all she cared. The dark priestess rose after a few flickers and turned to face the boy's sister.

"Who did he go see and when," Raevyn asked of the boy's sobbing sibling. "You need to tell me if you want your brother to live." Her voice, although lacking concern for her or her sick brother, was full of intent. This caused a modicum of concern for the adhiel. If there was anyone here in Pax that was poisoning people, it would be her and her alone. It had damned well better not be one of her followers.

Raevyn looked to see if there was anything present that would slow the effects of the boy's poisoning not cure it. If there was something from whats he could tell, she would suggest to Shylah to administer some of it to him. His suffering was inconsequential to Raevyn. In fact the longer her suffered, the better.

Once more the priestess laid a hand upon the sick child. She wanted to check among other things how his skin felt, and if he was warmer or cooler than usual. The follower of Anasati also wanted to know if there was anything else that she could feel, things not seen by eye.

[Talanwei Fortisse]

As Talanwei cultivated his connection with his god and tried to mesh his energies with Shylah, he sensed the resistance given by the barrier. In his mind he visualized it as a closed door emblazoned with the eye of the One. It was a door that had no lock because he could force his way through but who knew what effects that would have. Gods could be fickle and the One was perhaps the most difficult for a man like Talanwei to understand. He knew the healer paid her praise to Dominicus. A mix of indignation and an idle wondering seized him then. How could one so gentle and kind worship one so cold and unyielding? Shylah was half Adhiel as he was and in certain places in the Western Kingdom, the two were not welcome and even scorned. He remembered all too well his treatment in the Mouth.

With a furrowed brow he relented, not wishing to force a meshing of power between the sibling deities. Hearing her words, he shook his head slowly as if to refute her statement. Talanwei let his hand leave Shylah’s and placed it aside hers on the boy’s stomach. It came to him in a new clarity how close he was to Shylah. Swallowing hard, Talanwei gave a light squeeze to her shoulder and a brush of his hand on her back as he relinquished the touch to concentrate. He closed his eyes as the power of his god flowed into him. There was nothing Talanwei could compare it to save when he was wielding his blade in battle. Opening his dark green eyes, shot through with splintered vermillion the Achadhiel looked to the woman with a confident smile.

"Do not worry Shylah, we can do this. I will do all that I can to ensure he lives," said Talanwei turning his gaze from the grey seas of Shylah’s eyes to Torc, "Achlaliel perhaps we can come together to banish what is poisoning him."

In his thoughts, the power of the Bright One shone as liquid light. It pooled and gathered for Talanwei and with eyes that saw more than just the bodies and objects around them he looked to Torc’s energies. It was a tree that was rooted strongly and a gilded swarm of mongooses began to generate on and around the tree. At least, that was how Torc envisioned it, Talanwei could only see the vague shape of them as if through fog. The way the Achadhiel used magicks was not rooted in holy energies. It came from the Aether itself and Talanwei was intrigued. He had not seen energy manipulated in this way before. The snakes the poisons seemed to writhe like started to gravitate toward Torc. While the man manifested his power in two ways, Talanwei aimed to focus all the energies into another. The Achadhiel wove the energy in a tight weave he would use to contain the poisons. Inspired by the vague imagery he saw he formed it into the figure of a brilliant hawk of light. Talanwei had seen birds of prey pluck snakes from the earth with steel claws, ones that the serpents seldom escaped.

Lord of Light, please allow me to use your strength in concert with my brother. His magicks are not of your grace but with the skill he has and the wisdom granted me, I am more capable than my meager flesh. We are united in the pursuit of life and we are the shield to protect, the candle flame that will keep the darkness from claiming this innocent boy. With your blessing I strike at this tainted energy.

As they converged on Torc, the follower of Illuminatus sent his energies swiping across the flanks of the twining energies. He tried to swiftly come down to seize and contain them. In his mind, a steely grip attempted to close on the heart of the corruption. Should Talanwei succeed at halting the advance, Torc’s regiment of energies could come and neutralize the deadly poison. The tall Achadhiel wanted nothing more than to see to the safety of the boy.

[hr]edit: slight edit to correct Tal's perception[/hr]

[Guido Cercatoro]

Shylah felt a great tiredness begin to overcome her; she sensed that she was fighting something of great power – some dark poison that might have overcome her had she been alone. Yet, the strength that she felt from Torc’s powers and Talanwei’s words offered her the support that allowed her to focus on praying to her God and she felt renewed energy flow into her and through her into the bird; she felt the cooling air from the bird’s wings flow over her hand; as the air touched the snakes, they re-coiled as if the air stung their skin……..

Torc had used the bark of his tree to act as a shield in previous battles in the aether and once again he was able to use the same technique. The snakes recoiled from the thorns and gave the mage a respite from the attack, allowing him to move to the offensive. He pictured his attacking energies in the form of a pack of mongooses, recalling their ability to fight reptiles. The animals flowed towards the snake, passing effortlessly through the bark barrier – the battle was joined

…teeth and claws snapping at dark, dead-looking snake-eyes…

…fangs darting out to impale themselves deep in fur…

..flashes of rapid, golden-furred movement…

..coils tightening their grip on small bodies…

The fight swayed one way and another; Torc pouring his energies into the animals, the poison relentlessly sending forward the snakes; the mage sensed a stalemate that might only be resolved when one side tired first…Shylah sensed the raging torrent of the battle; the pressure on her hand lessened as the battle between Torc and the poison intensified….

The hedge-mage had to devote all his energies to combatting the snakes and could nothing to help heal the boy. Yet he sensed that the root of the poison needed to be dealt with and neutralised. For, behind the snakes lay a deep, dark hole that was spawning the creatures.

Raevyn felt the boy shudder as she lay her hand on him. He was blazing hot, deep in the grip of a fever clearly caused by a dangerous poison. The fever needed controlling quickly before the boy’s life burnt itself out. The only medicine of potential use that Raevyn could see from a quick glance around was the box of tablets of althea that Shylah had lifted down from her shelves.

The adhiel turned to question the girl once again.

“I do not know who he met,” she replied, the tears streaming down his face. Then, as she wiped them away with the back of one hand, her face screwed up in puzzlement. “I do remember one thing he said. Something about walkers, if that helps at all…”

Talanwei removed his hand from Shylah and placed it on the boy’s stomach before receiving renewed energy from his God and whispering soothing words to the healer, which she dimly heard. The energies allowed him to briefly focus in on the battle between Torc and the snakes; he vaguely sensed images of the way that Torc perceived the aether. Not fully visualised images – no, it was if he saw dim shapes of snakes and small animals battling within a mist. Talanwei fashioned his own way of dealing with the snakes – a brilliant, shining hawk that swooped above the snakes clawing at them from the sky. And as the bird of prey joined the fight, Talanwei also sensed that behind the snakes lay a deep pit of poison that was generating more and more of the evil creatures….the fight could not be won without stemming the source of the poison…

[Raevyn D`Altamooriana]

There was no telling whether or not Shylah's and Talanwei's prayers were working on the boy. She had no way of seeing what powers were in play here, her only certainty was that she felt Anasati's cold presence hovering about the room as if it were some sort of invisible mist. If they were indeed having any success the only option the dark priestess had was to cause some interruption.

"Those over there," Raevyn blurted out loudly while she pointed at the bottle she believed would be one to help the child. Her purpose was only to hopefully distract the two healers from what they were trying to do to give herself more time.

Anasati had guided the young adhiel once before. Under the cover of night as she fled the services of the Oneist army to flee to her native homeland of Gulanadur. Although Raevyn had no idea of what direction she was traveling, or where she was headed, she believe that it was signs from her dark goddess herself that had lead the woman to the safety of the dark adhiel stronghold of Fort Dusk in Aveas.

Whether or not it was signs of her deity or not, Raevyn believed it to be so. She had prayed to her then, to show her the, so she would prey to her now. Raevyn closed her eyes. Then the priestess closed her mind to those that were present there with her and began to pray. She prayed for some sign from her diety. Something solid in which she could use for her own benefit more than the boys.

Oh great Mother," she began to whisper in her mind. Great Mother who gives life, and mother who takes life. Ruler of the serpents and the spiders, rule of all that poisons their prey. Show me now Mother, I beg of thee, show me the cause of this child's poisoning. Show me in a manner that brings glory to you Great Mother, so that I may serve you better. Also Mother give me the strength to prevent those here that wish to undo your work. Allow me the power, Great One to impose my will to do your bidding here with this child that you so wish to call home. I pray that you deny those that try to undo what you deem to be done Great Mother.

It was then that yet another sinister plan unfolded in the priestess' mind. As she prayed for the power to further weaken the boy, it dawned on her. She could save him. She could only save him if he were to accept Mother Anasati as his diety and follow Raevyn in spreading her word. She then offered another prayer that reflected her new dark revelation.

If you Great Mother wish this boy to live, then let him see your light oh Mother. Show him your grace Great Mother. Grant him the wisdom great Mother to see that it is only by your grace that he is to survive. Mother show him that those here now can not save his life. Rather it is me, great Mother with your divine will that can save his life in order to sing your praises as I do. Mother, I humbly ask of the for you to grant me the power to impose your will.

Raevyn focused now, on the power her goddess had already bestowed upon her, and her own dark intent. If Anasati saw fit that the boy die, then Raevyn would be her vessel. If she saw fit for the boy to live, then it too, would be by her grace, and not by the prayers of the others.

[Torc Blackfoot]

OOC: Hope this makes sense.

Torc watched the great battle with the poison, golden furred mongooses flashing bloody teeth as they tore into black carcass of another snake, even as the snakes oiled their bodies around the mongoose squeezing the life out it. As each mongoose was created another snake rose to crush it, back and forth the line of battle was fought. Torc gritted his teeth, he hated to lose and to lose a life in the process was unacceptable. The gridlock of battle only made Torc hungrier to win, and so as each mongoose was made Torc saw the great cesspit of poison that the snakes came from.

Torc reached throughout his memory seeking knowledge or inspiration as to deal with the cesspit. The first thought that came to Torc’s mind was that he needed a great siphon; a leech that would drain the cesspits energies into its self and become stronger. However, Torc had hated to use such magickal structures. They were easy made and with time would bring down the strongest shields in magick battles, but too often they could be used to drain the life from one being into another. He sought his studies at the Guild looking into wards to see if he could simply stop the creation of more snakes, and then a memory floated to Torc.

Torc sat in a room with Master Benito, the window made of stain glass depicting Archmage Maximillian and his horrific death while he fought demons. It was the first time he had chosen a focus, it was the great tree that Torc had dream of. A golden leaf willow with white bark sucking the dark energies from the scillius river and providing beautiful clear water for the children of the Elf Quarter. The vision of sun breaking through the golden leaf cover as the sound of leaves rustling as a passing wind came by. Soft leaves dropping onto children laughing and shouting. Their mothers on the shore banks doing laundry, all the while the tree soaked up the great poisons in the river and transformed them into life.

Another memory came to Torc when he had visited the Lycaeum and spoke to the Master Curator Milanas. His words had profoundly impacted Torc and it wasn’t till now that Torc knew why he hesitated when confronted with the killing the entity.

"Perceptive at last young sir, a lesson to kind in mind. Remember always that your perception of what is may not always be shared by others. Indeed sometimes your perceived understanding may lead you into trouble, best always to ensure you have truly understood the truth of what is really going on." Milanas said, after regarding the pair of them for a moment, as he finished speaking Alexandrya felt the calmness she had felt at the sound of his words lifting from her mind. Once again her emotions felt under her complete control as they had before she had meet the well rounded Curator.

"With your Liche much is a device of perception, and the circumstances of his condition are not as they appear. However, finding the truth of the one who can see far might aid you well in learning of your mother. In the matter of your Liche though it is required that the seekers find their own truth which is more than a collection of facts and answers." Milanas said pausing to let them consider his words for a moment before continuing.

"As for the matter of wisdom, your Master's may not be the best source of such learning. You should beware lures of greatness and perceived truths for all such could lead across the path of Vanity. Such an encounter truly is something to be avoided. One thing I will assure you of is that if you look carefully and ask the right questions there are facts in the History section that may lead you to many far more desirable truths. Now since I feel that I have said enough I will bid you good day, and good luck in your quest."

Torc wanted to cry, Milanas had been right. The Liche of the Gibbets was Archmage Maximillian, a better seer then Torc would be any day, a man that Torc had met, and a man that he wondered if he didn’t control his destiny.

Torc saw a bird of some sort, it was fuzzy at the edges but it’s shape was that of a great bird, and as it attacked the serpents he formed an idea.

Slowly in the aether Torc reached within his pocket for an acorn focus. A seed that would spawn the great tree that Torc was, a tree devoted to transformation of evil into good. The weave was a siphon one that transformed the poison’s energies into healing. He was part of the great tree and the world in which it breathed. It had chosen a path of the mage long ago, but his essence was that of the land. His soul was that of a tree, he was a brother giving birth to another one of his kind. The weave began within Torc’s mind complex as any living being, and yet simple for it was a siphon that fed into a channel leaving healing energies through the room.

Torc hadn’t realized that he was the Healer till now. I am the Healer because I am the entity’s brother, I am part of the great tree of life, I am the great oak for the land!

Torc waited for right moment of distraction to assemble the acorn and throw it to the bird. The bird was a naturally more agile then a tree, and it allowed Torc to save energy instead of throwing it.

OOC: Editted due to change of plan with Talanwei

[Shylah Boyd]

Shylah felt anew with each cooling flap of the bird’s wings. She tried to focus on how she could use that bird to help fight off the venomous snakes. What could a mere dove do to a snake? That was a question that needed to be answered right away or was it? She prayed even harder for the One to show her how she could use this bird to help bring an end to the snakes.

Please show me what must be done. What are you wanting me to do? Shylah pleaded with her god.

Although Shylah could not see the mongooses, due to the fact that she struggled to focus on her prayer, she could hear from a far distance the battle that was taking place between the creatures and that of a screeching hawk. Which side would prevail?

I ask that you put an end to the poison. Wherever these snakes are coming from, I ask humbly that it would cease to exist. With those final words of prayer, Shylah started to feel drained, yet again. Stumbling backwards a bit, she regained her footing and started to wonder if she should even continue with her attempts. Dominicus was a selfish god anyway. No way would he share the limelight with another.

[Trajan Constantine Aeneas]

The thought of the smiling achadheil in the field did not, as Trajan might have wished, summon her to his side to comfort him, to lend him strength in his weakness, to bless him with whatever faculties a being of her status might possess, but her memory did sooth his agitation, at least momentarily, and helped to ease the coughing until it stopped altogether. When he regained his facilities, and the spots which always dotted his vision during a distressing fit cleared, he saw that the room had filled. In addition to Shylah, Talanwei was also in the room, as were two others he didn’t recognize. And Arianne and Aralan of course. But they seemed very small amidst all the others in the room.

Trajan looked into the faces of all those assembled, and noted how each wore expressions of intense concentration and he wondered just what exactly was going on. Tal and Shylah he imagined could be praying, but what of the other two? Were they also healers? Acolytes of the divine? That thought brought the irrational fear that he was too, any flicker now, be struck down by divine wrath scampering through Trajans mind like a terrified rabbit before the hawk. Once again, Trajan found himself assailed by his own demons, but before they could drag him down again, he saw Shylah stumble. Instinctively he reached out to snake one of his arms around her shoulders and steady her. He smiled at her warmly without a word, but didn’t speak and he made no effort to assist her one way or another. He was merely serving as her helper, when she needed strength, as now, he would give of his. And so he held her, and the boy, for the lad was scarcely a handful, even with only one hand, and he waited to see what the next step would be.

[Guido Cercatoro]

The dark adhiel’s attempt to distract the healers from their work had no effect for they were engrossed in their healing, oblivious to the rest of the room. Although Raevyn was not well versed in praying to her Goddess, she had felt a connection once before. And here, in the presence of the poisoned boy, she felt the same connection – as if her deity was involved in the scene that was playing out before her. She sensed writhing dark, slithering bands of energy winding their way around the boy’s stomach, emanating from a dark well of poison that sang to Raevyn of the glory of Anistis. She also sensed a small, dark ball of energy building in her hand and words forming in her mind…save him, he will be my tool, spreading my word…

The stalemate between the snakes and mongooses continued as Torc searched for his acorn focus to create his siphon weave. He succeeded in his endeavour and tossed the acorn to the flying hawk. The acorn flew straight and true going directly towards the hawk…

Shylah’s energies were draining away, slowly but surely. She felt no support from her God, as if her doubts about the One had left him cold and impervious to lending further help. The wings of the dove faltered in their flapping and the dove soared back towards here; she heard angrily spoken words as the bird flashed past her…doubter…betrayer…

The healer's hand felt scalded and she was forced to lose contact with the boy. As she stumbled, she caught sight of the hand that had touched the boy. The raw red imprint of a dove’s wing was marked on the back of her hand…

Trajan caught the stumbling woman and he too could not fail to notice the mark on her hand.

[Talanwei Fortisse]

For only a flicker, things came to a hazy focus that hinted at how Torc viewed the Aether and Talanwei’s hawk soared through the skies. He wheeled the hawk through the breeze he had fashioned in his thoughts. A clarity came to his view of the poisons as the well behind the snakes became apparent. It spewed corruption and spawned more of the snakes that swarmed towards Torc’s energies. Talanwei wondered who would do this to the young boy, what had he done to deserve such a malignant poison? To the Achadhiel who tried to keep all of his dealings plain and honest, this made no sense. To use poisons to strike against a child...it made the follower of Illuminatus wonder whether this was just unfocused chaos or if this were connected to some underlying plot.

These idle thoughts rolled about as he considered his next move for he was unsure of how to deal with the well of poison. Fortunately Torc was an able healer and his technique was forming a weave to siphon the source of the poison. Talanwei could not see it for the acorn it was, not clearly at any rate and what Talanwei viewed was the general shape as a fruit borne from the tree. As it flew, the Achadhiel sent the hawk diving and snatched the weave from the air. The fledgling healer focused intently as he sent his and Torc’s energies up and then careening down, aiming at the center of the deep pool of poisoned energies. He had witnessed hawks dive beneath the ocean waves to pluck a fish from its embrace. Under the water some of these birds would go, only to powerfully flap their wings to regain the sky. The aim of Talanwei’s dive was decidedly different; this hawk would not rise from this pool, and it was not something that it was seeking to take from the well of poison but something to embed in its center.

No matter what tried to hinder the flight, he was going to send Torc’s weave to the center. Should the weaves fly true, Talanwei would lend the strength of his to his partner in healing. Talanwei would try to envision the energies in a new way. The would be paladin was keeping an open and maneuverable weave to accommodate any changes upon sending the hawk of light below. A shielding weave to keep the poisons at bay while the siphon worked perhaps? Once deep enough, he would let the image of the hawk dissipate in his mind and would use his magicks to form a defense for Torc’s weave. Talanwei attempted to mingle his energies to Torc’s and give the acorn spines not unlike a chestnut on the branch. Focusing himself completely, the tall Achadhiel used all the power at his disposal to ensure the sorcerer’s success.

[Shylah Boyd]

While the stumbling did indeed break her concentration for the most part, it wasn’t entirely done until those angry words fluttered around the tiny healer. Without warning, Shylah’s hand felt as if she had burned herself upon a hot surface. A tiny gasp of pain escaped her lips as she opened her gray eyes and looked to her hand in bewilderment. So, this was the price one paid for questioning the One? The achadhiel started to wonder if there were worse consequences than this given to others who did the same if not worse.

Realizing that there was an arm around one of her shoulders, Shylah turned and looked up to see that the arm belonged to Trajan. With a quick nod of her head as if to thank him quietly, Shylah turned her attention back to the small achadhiel boy upon the exam table and two souls that she didn’t recognize. One, a male achadhiel and the other, a pretty, dark adhiel woman. Whatever it was the two were doing, it looked like they were deep in concentration and trying to assist along with Talanwei.

Turning to look at the young boy’s sister, Shylah gave the girl a sympathetic smile and turned her attention back to Trajan and whispered, clutching her still hurting hand, “I feel so helpless. I cannot get results from the One. It is like he doesn’t want anyone else to have anything to do with helping this child if he cannot do it all his own.”

[Trajan Constantine Aeneas]

Trajan heard Shylahs words, but he couldn’t take his eyes away from the mark which had suddenly appeared on her hand. It was a burn, or appeared to be, but in what exact shape it was hard for him to decipher. He squeezed her shoulder gently as he replied.

“The One is selfish and capricious.” He said softly, intending his words for Shylah alone. “He abandoned me, almost to my death, that day you found me. I am not surprised to find him sulking now, when an innocent needs him but is not ‘devout’ enough to seek his aid only from Dominican sources.” He then brushed his free hand over the mark on hers and asked, even more softly if it were possible, “What is this?” He asked.

[Guido Cercatoro]

Talawnei’s hawk caught the acorn in its talons; immediately he sensed the power of the weave and the bird of prey almost lost hold before securing its grip and diving towards the dark pool. He soared above the battle between the reptiles and mongooses which were still locked in an unending stalemate that was requiring all Torc’s attention.

As the hawk approached the cesspit, snake heads snapped at the bird but it proved to be too fast. Yet, Talanwei could sense the corruption spewing out of the hole.

The hawk entered the hole, still holding the acorn. All went black. No light shone from the hawk; no glimmer illuminated the blackness. Flying…falling.. total, absolute darkness; slithering things slipping by brushing against his skin. A foul stench entering his body…

He was…who? He did not know..

Flying…through a never ending night… a never ending darkness

Sensing only that he must continue…

Trajan, Shylah and the others present saw none of this; they saw Talanwei’s body stiffen and his face contort in a grimace as if he was looking upon some unknown horror….the mark on Shylah’s hand throbbed – the former legionnaire could see the raw flesh pulsing

Torc was still fully occupied with the battle but he was sufficiently aware to understand that the hawk had sought out the root of the poison and that in doing so it faced great danger…..

[Torc Blackfoot]

As each flicker drew to a burn, Torc bitter anger grew. He had seen many healers leave a patient on the battlefield due to their wounds being incurable. They would rather focus on healing as many as they could instead of wasting resources on a few. It made sense in a sick way, abandon those with no hope and save the many.

And here was Torc battling for a little boy’s life. He was fighting a war of the unstoppable versus the unmovable. He was alone… It was then that Torc realized he didn’t have to be. In the aether Torc moved towards the strange man who had come in late (Talanwei), and touched him. Before he sought to bring the man under the magickal shield he had conjure he spoke out into the Tether.

“I need help in this great battle, gently touch me and I will form a temporally bond with each of you.” Torc shivered he didn’t want the dark adhiel to touch him, let alone form a magickal bond with it. He hated all their race, for many more Oneist on Pan’s Isle would be alive today if not for them. Still for the boys sake he would do it. He offered a small prayer in his mind to the One.

Lord, I am humble and feeble creature. You have taught me many lessons, taught me to be humble. I know that I was not made in your image, I am only half of what you seek in all, but this boy is human without any taint. Take pity on his soul and my own. Amen.

Since, the strange man was first, Torc, sent roots of his own great tree into his being. They contained the seeds of Torc aetheral shielding as well as message. The message was simple, “Drop the seed!” However, the shielding and bonding to Torc was more important. Too many mages had looked into the darkness and been overwhelmed by it, Torc himself had been caught in the eyes of a daemon and only after massive worlds set around him as well as teleportation had he broke free from the horror. No the shielding was there to help reconnect and ground the man, for now with the bond he was part of the great tree, sunk deep within himself and the world.

Torc held roots ready for any others who wished to join.
For the warrior (Trajan), it held a vision of a battle. The mongooses were men in white armor fighting dark tabard beings on the plain. Blood from both armies were on the field, and if the man wanted a group of men were ready to fight for him. Torc, knew if he join he could help redirect the fighting while Torc concentration was lessen.

For the healer (Shylah), a vision of her shop filled with patients with minor cuts and injuries. If she chose to join her energies would be used to heal the boy, and Torc’s mongooses could become pure fighting machines instead of healing and fighting.

For the dark Adhiel (Raevyn), a vision of the dark tendrils awaited her. Torc cared little about her comfort within the Aether. He cared even less if the vision would overwhelm her, her kind was dangerous. He had seen that first hand, but if she choose to join Torc would give her vision’s of other dark Adhiels which represented his own mongooses.
He had one for the little girl if she chose to join… though her vision he would have to search for and only after he had the help of the others should they chose to…

[Guido Cercatoro]

*bump*

(OOC: its gone quite here - anyone want to join with Torc before I reply?)

[Trajan Constantine Aeneas]

Trajan was, he had to admit, morbidly fascinated by the burn on the reverse of Shlyah’s hand. And even more so when he saw the raw flesh actually throb . He was reaching out a hand to attempt to sooth the injury when the one of the strangers who had come late to the shop, the male, spoke up.

“I need help in this great battle,” He said, his voice strained by concentration, “gently touch me “ he continued almost without pause, “and I will form a temporary bond with each of you.” Talanwei had already joined with the man, and Trajan, seeing that, was comforted. The paladin was his closest friend apart from Shylah, and if he trusted the stranger who sought aid, then Trajan could only assume the fellow was alright. Glancing meaningfully at Shylah, he stepped forward and laid a hand softly on the fellows shoulder.

Instantly he found himself transported to a field roiling with battle. The represented forces were men wearing either white armor or dark tabards. The two armies were locked in furious, if pyrrhic battle, each side spilling the others blood with equal aplomb and tenacity, neither managing to gain an advantage. Trajan found that he was girded in the white armor, which nevertheless felt familiar, and he was armed with his own sword and targ. There was also a force of similarly armed and armored men around him, apparently awaiting his command.

He however, was reticent to enter the fray, not knowing the root cause or the motivations of either side, the force in white appeared to be goodly, though he could not put his finger on why they should appear so, while the darkly clad force appeared not only opposite but patently so, evil to the white sides good. The blatant symbolism disturbed him, it smacked of the rigid blind obedience demanded by the One. Though he knew that the stranger had asked for his help, he was not certain this was the manner to help in. Thusly frozen in indecision and uncertainty, the former Pax Honestus Legionnaire and Paladin Initiate of the One God stood, rooted in place, waiting.

[Guido Cercatoro]

(OOC: last call for posts here or I'll step in for those who haven't posted so that Torc and Trajan can continue here)

[Talanwei Fortisse]

On swift wings the hawk dove toward the pit wheeling past darting heads of snakes. Talanwei expected the hawk to encounter resistance but it was like flying into a tunnel. Except for in this tunnel, there was a palpable sense of corruption and the sense that things were writhing along its walls. In the Tether, the Achadhiel stiffened and a grimace colored his features. It was an altogether unpleasant sensation to dive into the origin of these harmful energies and it showed clearly in his face. He must help the hawk, Talanwei felt this keenly. The stench entering its flesh was unsettling and Talanwei beseeched his god for just a bit more strength.

The darkness is strong; this foul corruption fights to overwhelm my flight. I am not strong enough, my flesh weak, my soul not powerful enough. I ask for your blessings Bright One so that the wings I send this magick upon are not broken and the light can be delivered to this dark curse.

Talanwei did not need light to penetrate the dark but he did need to bolster the defense of his weave. If it fell short of the target, what use would their collective efforts be? When Torc spoke, it seemed to come to Talanwei from a great distance with a smoky quality to Talanwei’s ears. Reaching out lightly in response through the Aether, he moved to connect with Torc. Any help would be welcome for he knew alone he could not prevail. To Torc, the tall Achadhiel tried to convey what he was seeing, feeling to him. It was not yet at the point where he could drop the seed and their magicks to prevail. Talanwei trusted his god and the pursuit of a virtuous cause would not stop Illuminatus from bonding with other energies. Unless the One’s petulant nature refused a bonding they could be united. If the follower of the Bright One knew Raevyn’s heart he would have warned against a union that involved any magicks she potentially controlled. Unfortunately, she was much more practiced in keeping her intentions behind a masked expression.

Bringing his focus to bear, Talanwei had one hand on Torc in the hopes it would keep him from tumbling, lost into the blackness. Onward he sent the seed of magick, pushing for haste but also watching for attack. Anything that would try to stop him would have to be overcome. It simply had to be, for the well being of the child. Part of Talanwei also waited to feel out the place that would inevitably mark where to drop the seed to let it fulfill its purpose.

Bright One, you are my eyes in this blackest of night. You are the wings that give me flight and the strength when I have none. Help me find the path...

It was with this silent prayer he plunged forward.

[Guido Cercatoro]

Torc’s urgent request drew a response from Trajan who immediately put a gentle hand on the mage’s shoulder. However, the dark adhiel, healer and little girl remained inert, each lost in their own thoughts. The mage felt a sliver of reassurance from his prayer and the joining of another follower of the One. However, both the mage and former legionnaire sensed that their God expected them to rely on their own ingenuity to combat the menace that lay before them.

Linked to the mage’s energies, Trajan saw a vision of two great armies at war...clear symbolic representations of good and evil. There was an obvious stalemate with neither side able to gain the upper hand. Trajan waited on the sidelines, as the combat ebbed and flowed before him. And yet, as his aetheric vision surveyed the battle he felt a warm feeling at his side in the tether as if his sword was glowing, aching for the battle...

As the hawk vanished into the dark tunnel, Torc sought to extend his roots and shielding to the hawk. As he did so, he momentarily sensed a marginal turning in the battle, with the mongooses retreating a little and the snakes gaining ground...in Trajan’s visions, several white knight fell under a sudden flank assault by the dark knights...

******************************************************************************************

The foul, dark tunnel continued to envelop the hawk as it continued on its journey. However, Talanwei sensed a slight reduction in the depth of the dark as he muttered his urgent prayer and he could now see the outline of the slithering things that hissed in the dark. They moved away from the hawk as if the subtle lessening of the dark gave them pain.

Torc’s words found their way faintly down the tunnel, yet Talanwei knew the bird’s journey was not at an end. To drop the seed in this tunnel would be a futile gesture; it needed to reach the centre of the evil infection.

Through their combined efforts, a misty strand of faint energy now linked hawk and mage, enabling a degree of communication and perhaps more...

Ahead the tunnel appeared to narrow and a shape of even darker hue than the tunnel blocked the opening. A deep, sibilant hissing filled the air; a flickering black tongue framed in the head of a great serpent..

“Fly away little bird,” the voice hissed. It was the most unpleasant sound the follower of light had ever heard...

[Torc Blackfoot]

As Torc’s senses spread throughout the two men, he felt the battle slowly losing ground as the warrior that he brought within his tree stood silent. Torc kept concentration on the battle, but like a commander in the thick of it he spoke, “Fool! Join the battle, the dark army is the poison!”

Torc hated losing of the ground to the poison, but he also knew that the battle wasn’t over. Trying his best to secure the battle lines again Torc refocused his attention to the battle waiting for the warrior to either enter the fray which would lessen Torc’s own concentration a great deal.

OOC: If Trajan does decide to fight, I will do the following.

Everything is energy. The first law of magick, Torc hadn’t truly learned all the subtlety behind that law. The world was made of energy, and so was Torc. However, he was now connected to a hawk… a concept of faith that never before had enter Torc’s mind. Many teachers taught that Magick and the Aether was like a rope. You could tie it, you could follow a thread all the way to it’s origin, or you could realized that all the different threads; fire , water, time, space, entropy, and so on… were all made of the same material. Now presented with faith magick, Torc began to realize that Magick was just a thread in the rope of the Aether. Faith magick was another thread and even rune magick was yet another. Never before had such a thought expanded Torc’s mind.

As Torc continued fighting and summoning, he began to feel for the thread that was connected between him and the hawk. Reaching it he realized that the thread was connected to a part of him that wasn’t a part that controlled the aetheral threads. While Torc’s mind focused on the battle, Torc summoned absolute belief in the hawk and its success. His sould filled with the light of all that he had done right in his live. His soul casts light on all the doubts and wrongs, and with that energy of his belief and right and good Torc began to feed energy into the thread between him and the hawk.

Though Torc’s logical mind said that it had no chance of work and that nothing in his experience said it would work. Torc belief in hope and goodness forced him past his doubts. The idea of healing, the belief in something better, right, and pure, couple his love for all children Torc feed energy into the thread without paying attention to his doubts. It felt like his own inner warrior wanting to fight the evil which was the snake, wanting to shit in its mouth and say ‘Fuck you!’ as the hawk destroyed the barrier.

OOC: Well lets see if belief instead of magic will serve the bird better then anything else I could do.

[Trajan Constantine Aeneas]

Trajan Aeneas stood immobile as long flickers passed, watching the battle before him. And he was troubled. The imagery before him spoke of the simplistic world view of a follower of Dominicus, and he and the one god had parted ways rather completely several months ago. Even so, the mage who had sought his aid was working to save the same life he had, and that counted for something.

As if the thought had summoned it, the mages voice sounded out, startling the young human it was directed at. The revelation the voice offered was perhaps no such a revelation, nevertheless, it did bring things into sharp relief. Trajan had to appreciate the excellent flanking maneuver which the dark army had executed, but even that clearly a turn for them, in all probability the first step toward their impending victory, did not rouse the fallen Dominican to action.

[hr] [/hr]
The blade Trajan carried had been a gift from a dead man’s shade. He had carried it now for several months and it had become his weapon of choice. He had in fact touched no other weapon since first wielding this one against the undead dwarves at the Emerald Lake, and subsequently his skill with it improved much. Additionally, Trajan found that when he held the sword, a sense of rectitude, assurance and contentment filled him. It reminded him bitterly of his lost devotion to the one god, but had also helped him to assuage some of the guilt he struggled with over it, easing his sense of personal failure and sometimes almost managing to overwhelm his sense of abandonment as well. In that sense, the sword had been a boon, a blessing of valueless worth.

Yet at the same time the blade had not been gifted without caveat. It bore a geas to which Trajan was willingly and willfully beholden. That was not the matter wherin his concern lay. Rather it was with the blades mysteriousness, both of origin and of endowment. Though he knew the sword had come from the hand of a legionnaire ghost, he could not rightly say where the ghost had come by it. And though the sword had shown time and again extraordinary capabilities, it had yielded none of it’s secrets to him. Trajan had devoted countless marks of meditation focused by fasting to the sword and it’s nature, equal time meticulously cleaning, polishing and sharpening, and still more marks beseeching it in prayer, all to no discernable avail. Despite all that, Trajan loved, truly the sword, and it was the sword which ultimately convinced him of the necessity, the righteousness of joining the fight.
[hr] [/hr]
It did so by heating, a warmth which permeated even his vision. And when Trjans fingers closed over the hilt the sword let him know implicitly how it felt on the matter. With an exultant cry, he whipped the blade from it’s sheathe, savoring for a flicker the clarion call all warriors hear with their blood when weapons are drawn the instant before battle is joined.

“At them!” he commanded, using the motion of drawing the weapon to bring it forward in the universally recognized pantomime which meant only .. “ATTACK!”

Neither knowing nor caring whether the troops he had perceived as his followed or even still existed, Trajan Aeneas charged, aiming for the heart of the Dark Knights superbly executed flanking maneuver, his targ held before him, the banding flashing brightly as if to announce his coming, and his sword held high, glistening and glittering almost glowing as if it too relished the coming conflict. As he neared the fray Trajan aimed a decapitatory swing at the first black armored foe he came upon, still screaming wordlessly.

[Talanwei Fortisse]

In a normal situation, the brightening of the surroundings would go unnoticed. However, in this cave, starved of light and purity it was almost as significant as a torch being lit for Talanwei. It gave him heart; it caused the hawk composed of the energies given him by Illuminatus to loose a jubilant cry. Tightening its grip, onward it flew and the thread came to connect it to Torc. Thought it was faint, this connection to Torc bolstered the Achadhiel against his discomfort of being in the dark tunnel. It shone as a foil to the diseased energy of the poison, making Talanwei believe all the more that they would prevail.

The hissing seemed to be steeped in menace. It was a deep and dark sound coming from the head of a snake blocking the opening that would lead to, what exactly? The follower of the Bright One felt it was his goal that lay beyond the great reptile. Despite his reinforcement from Torc and the added measure of comfort the light had provided, Talanwei was unsettled by the sound of the voice. To one who believed as he did, it was all but natural to feel as such but he could not help but wonder. What drove this energy to harm and disable? Why were there such forces and what drove them to destroy rather than preserve life. Talanwei replied through the hawk but not in traditional speech. With all he was, all of the strength his newfound ally attempted to pour into him, with all that he held true and just he replied to the serpent, aiming his words as if it were a weapon. His voice came in a simple yet powerfully uttered...

No. Death will claim us all but not now, not for this boy. You will allow us passage. In the name of Illuminatus, you will let me through.

If the serpent’s words were dark, deadly and menacing Talanwei’s reply was righteous and would be infused with the light that he wielded. If it did nothing, he would be certain no simple request would move this beast from his path. Talanwei spared a flicker in wary observance as he kept his hawk before the beast out of it's fanged jaws. Should his negation, his defiance harm the snake in some way, he would drive the hawk in attack on the beast or to get past it. He looked with more than sight, more than his eyes could give him for any weakness, any place where a strike would drive back the snake so he could pass. He did not think it would be easy but as close as he believed they all were to saving the boy; Talanwei bent all of his thought toward victory. Toward clashing with this last obstacle and breaking it before the combined assault he would plunge as a spear into the beast’s scales. He hoped all of their efforts would be enough, nay he believed in his god and the virtue of his allies. They would win if it took all of him to do so.

[Raevyn D`Altamooriana]

The follower of Anasati must have slipped into a deep trance, or perhaps her prayers to her caused the young devotee to lose all track of time and circumstance. Raevyn knew not of the success or failure of the two others trying to save the boy's life. She did know that somehow, in some way, if the boy was going to live, it be solely by the grace of her deity.

Show me the way, she began to pray once more, closing her eyes once more as if by closing her them she might be better able to see what was going on inside of him, and with the others. Show me the way so that all here will see you and all your glory, all your power.

A strange thing suddenly happened. An idea, or perhaps it was an awakening within her. Raevyn who really had no care about the boy, let alone saving his live decided that she was going about this the wrong way. Raevyn did truly believe that if anyone here could save the boy it was her. She also believed that Anasati's presence was indeed strong at the very moment. Her wanting to save him now was for her own purposes, her own benefit. Save the boy in return for following her. It was simple, it was self serving. It was wrong.

Raevyn truly was a novice at this priestess thing. She was greener still when it came to saving someone's life. Yet everything became crystal clear to her in an instant. This awakening, this epiphany that she felt she had came up with out of the blue was truly the only thing that could save the boy's life.

Show this child Mother, that you are the way. Allow for him to see for himself that you are the giver and taker of life. Allow him Mother the chance to embrace you of his own free will, so that he too can sing your praises for others to witness. I pray thee mother that you grant him the knowledge and wisdom to do so. Give him a sign mother, and let him sing your praises along with me as your humble and faithful servant.

The adhiel took a step away from the boy and opened her eyes once more. She glanced down at him then towards the others. Raevyn was certain that there wasn't anything that she could do except to wait. If Anasati were to guide her, she would do as instructed. Yet for now, it was up to the boy to decide his fate.

She uttered one final thing in a hushed tone, "It is all for her to decide now."

[Guido Cercatoro]

Refocusing his attention on the aetheric battle, the mage once again managed to stay the assault of the snakes and the stalemate between the two sides was re-established.

Torc’s urgent entreaty reached Trajan’s ears but, at first, he continued to watch the battle noting that the white knights had begun to gain their lost ground. However, as he felt the aching for battle of the sword at his side, his resolve hardened and he drew the weapon.

...the sword sang....a rousing cry of delight mixed with a hunger for the blood of the dark knights...it felt light yet powerful....it grasped the former legionnaire’s hand with a determined life of its own... as if it would not return to its sheathe until it had gorged on its enemies...

Trajan charged at the dark knights, severing the head of the first he encountered. A shrill wail of anxiety spread across the foes that were arraigned before him and they melted away from the sword, clamouring to move beyond its reach. The white knights pressed forward gaining a clear advantage. A few paces away from his position, Trajan caught sight of a knight standing much taller than those around him. Dead eyes gazed out of a large, snake shaped helm that covered the knight’s face. The huge knight turned to regard the knight with the strange sword.....

...the sword sang..

Seeing the tide of the battle turn in the mongooses favour, Torc turned part of his attention to the thin strand of energy that connected him to the hawk and sought to embue the hawk with the light of the mage’s own belief, purity and love...

At first, the hedge-mage felt a resistance; as if the Hawk, tied as it was to Illuminatus, resented the intrusion of a follower of the One. Yet, Torc’s self-belief was unwavering and he began to feel the energy flow down the strand towards the bird.....initially slowly but then gathering pace...

Talanwei sensed Torc’s energy join with his own. The bird’s talons appeared to strengthen become sharper and more powerful; the hawk’s wings beat with a renewed vigour and strength...

Talanwei sought to use the power of Illuminatus and that additional energy lent to him by the mage to infuse his reply to the serpent with added power...

No. Death will claim us all but not now, not for this boy. You will allow us passage. In the name of Illuminatus, you will let me through.

The black tongue flickered; the body of the great serpent undulated, as if a wave permeated its entire body. It stood motionless for a few flickers as if listening....then it bowed its head...

“Pass then, I will not harm you. For why should I harm you, when I know what waits you beyond me.”

The snake pressed its body to one side of the tunnel, leaving room for the hawk to fly by. Of course, taking such an action would bring the bird within close proximity of the serpent...

All was dark beyond the snake...

************************************************************************

Waking from her reverie Raevyn prayed...and received an answer...

He will be mine and spread my word; spread my deadly love...fill him with your love as I fill you with mine...

The dark adhiel felt a great feeling of exhultation as the energy of Anasati infused itself within her...Raevyn’s left hand throbbed with heat and her fingertips glowed momentarily. Shylah gave a gasp as she noticed the bright flicker and brought her own hands to her face in consternation.

(OOC: I'll NPC Shylah for the present)