Back where it all Started (Chyril 23rd MT)

[Syrawenn]

"Rules are there to be changed." Syrawenn insisted. "No one is that inflexible. Even time isn't. An nether, I should know!"

It was almost as if Vaga repeated her statement when she mumbled something about 'everything new'. The youngster stared at the woman with more than a little suspicion. It was not as if she expected Vaga to come charging at them with spells or knives, it was more that she was not entirely sure if they were all on the same page.

"Soooo sounds like Stormlord ain't no god. Weird how all those powerful people became pawns in their own game. Very weird. Too weird, actually. I'd really like a word with Dominothing. But well, I guess that won't happen in this lifetime."

A box came out.
The other eyebrow shot up.
Syrawenn folded her arms, looking at Vaga from under her dark eyelashes. She was tempted to ask the woman why there were no riddles or warnings with this one. Yet that would be pesky. And she might be annoying, but she didn't want to be a pest.

The girl took the box and looked for the mechanism, weighing it in her hands. Next she shook it gently. After that she looked it over carefully again.

"So...you want me to open this..." The look in Vaga's eyes did quite enough, of course.

And hey, she didn't tell me NOT to open it!

If there was a way to open it without damaging, Syrawenn would find out and indeed...open it up.

[Vanadius]

As Syrawenn examined the box, the old crone answered Gavin's question.

"All dead now. Witnesses all dead."

The box was small, barely big enough to cover the young girl's palm. It was a beautiful thing, intricately carved with images of flowery wreaths, bagpipes and claymores, and held closed by a simple clasp that was easily undone.

Vaga ignored Syrawenn's words and sat staring at her, mutely. She cocked her head in interest as the youngster opened it.

There were no demons or plagues, no blood or body parts, or anything other horror that one might imagine in a situation such as this. Instead it was a slender, delicate looking pendant of a silver harp, on a thin silver chain. It was crafted by a master, and likely very valuable.

The old crone cackled with glee.

"That belong to girl name Darra. She was about your age when she die. She killed by men seeking war and death for Islay."

The old Hex gave Gavin a very pointed and direct look before returning her good eye to Syrawenn.

"Man come and find Darra. Burn her body during trial. Was tested by other men. Darra know Vaga, and Vaga help girl. Vaga sad to hear Darra dead."

The old woman began to rub one foot in the dirt, as if scratching an itch on her heel. She closed her good eye, leaving the milky one open, and turned to look upon Gavin once more.

"Is clear now? One curse already suffered. Curse of shame already done. Now curse of pain. Then curse of blood. Then you restore pact eh?"

[Gavin Tylvan]

True to his word, that had been the last question Gavin asked of Vaga, the tall man holding his breath unknowingly as Syrawenn opened the box. The story she told was peculiar, but he could not see how it related to their problem, the last bit about a sacrifice causing him to look up from the silver harp and at the old woman. He said nothing, merely observing Vaga, the healer seeming almost nervous of something. "So, you suffered through one curse. And we need to suffer other two. Or find someone who has already suffered through them and take something that belonged to them along as a token." He nodded and looked at Syrawenn, image of Milkhaire flashing through his mind. "Milkhaire suffered pain, he might have some token of his past."

[Syrawenn]

The jewel was a masterwork, it's fine lines holding Syrawenn's attention as she tried to follow them all through the weave. There was something tantalizing about trying to figure out the pattern of this pendant.

Until Vaga started talking.
A girl.
A body.
Burned.

The youngster shot a look at Gavin. Surely he caught the connection? Yet his words spoke of the contrary. A ball of ice formed in her stomach. Her mind wanted to shut down.

Shame.
Does that mean he gets to suffer the rest? Did he feel shame? I don't know if he did. He did what he felt was best. That ain't no shame. What is Vaga playing at? Who felt it? Who gets the next? Does it still have to be done or was it done already without us knowing, just like with this one?

"How the fuck do they pretend we have a choice if stuff already happens without our knowledge?" She mumbled, dropping the pendant in the box.

No.
He is not going to be the sacrifice. No friggin way is he going to be the sacrifice. The dreams were wrong. This is wrong. Everything is wrong. I don't think he was ashamed. He don't feel it. Can't be him.

She could not stop her mind from turning. A sheer panick was swallowing whatever logical conclusions she might follow up on. All the girl could do was think back when Gavin gave his solution.

Pain, sacrifice. If this is true, then I already was the sacrifice. Dad sure saw to that. She touched the scarf around her neck, hiding the scar that should have been her death. So will that count? Can it be so simple that I put in my goddamn scarf an be done with it? But is that really the sacrifice? Crap, I don't want people to stare. Just wanna forget.
Can't forget.
Is that shame? Or sacrifice? Which is which? It WON'T be him! Not if I can help it! I can't do this alone! Please don't let me loose him now!

Syrawenn was not aware of her face drawing pale, caught up in her fears. "Tokens from the past." She muttered again. "If that is it, I'll throw in my scarf. I will, if that is what we need." It was hard to speak the words, for it would force her to accept that part of her history instead of conveniently skipping over it. Yet anything was better than what she feared might happen.

But still...no shame, so it can't be him. He did the right thing. He did. No shame there. Was it the girl herself?

[Vanadius]

OOC: Edited by Turelie

The old woman sighed deeply and shook her head. Perhaps she had been wrong about these two. Or perhaps some scars were hidden so deeply, that they could not be seen for what they were. Either way she could see that neither were yet prepared to surrender to the hidden laws that governed the world of the spirits.

"Not tokens, youngling. Power is in the Gods. Curses is in the heart. Here is only memories."

She gently closed the box and pushed it towards Syrawenn and Gavin. It was theirs to keep, if they would have it.

"If you would break the old pact and not restore, no more can Vaga say what is the right way of things. No rules. No rituals. You like the first ones. You learn what is right, and what is care, and you live. You live and lay the patterns and others will follow."

[Gavin Tylvan]

"I think I understand, though it is a great burden that is placed upon us if that is so." He shrugged and rose, placing the bowl he had eaten from gently upon the table and moved to stand next to Syrawenn. "Seeing how nobody else is willing to try I guess our choices and our values will have to do. What matters is not just whether Dort survives, but also how it will continue to exist. A balance needs to be made, and that is what worries me the most." Another shrug and he turned to the emerald eyed girl beside him. "If I learned anything in the past yahren than it is to not overthink my actions. If I do that nothing will ever get done and that is as bad as reacting too hastily." He smiled at Vaga, but did not reach for the box, letting Syrawenn pick it up. "Thank you for what little you gave us. I am sure it'll help in a way. It would have been too easy if we could simply know what needed to be done and then went to do it. Nothing was easy lately. Ready to go? There is more we need to do before we can seek out the Strom Lord."

[Syrawenn]

Why the fuck do I care?

The thought came out of nowhere, an old defense mechanism trying to keep the girl from feeling too much.

Why in blazes would I care about a city I don't know, about people I don't know? Why in friggin Nether don't we just get the flip outta here? It's not like anything I tried for this goddamn town ever worked out! Gods, avatars and wizards were put on this task. I mean, hello, they even tried to get me to change the past in order to save Dort!
WHY?

Screw them all.

Instinctively the girl picked up the box. Part of her was incapable of leaving something that was so clearly meant to be taken along. All those details in the past that she'd had to pick up on had left their traces in her behaviour.

I don't get this woman.

Gavin spoke of not overthinking things. It was ironic to hear that while she was turning her mind in weird knots.

Anger was chilling her inside. Too much was going on over her head again. There was no way anyone could hope to gain a grain of control over the proceedings and still they were trying.

Why?

Stop it.
Don't think.
Next step.
Monestary.

The girl saluted in a greeting and left the little house. Once outside she felt very much like screaming her lungs out. Yet that would get her all kinds of reactions she didn't feel like. The other option was to run a million laps. Yet that would get some attention as well.

Swallow and work it out later. Syrawenn decided, gritting her teeth. Until there was some clarity she would try not to feel too much.

[Turi]

OOC: Whew!

Skilled, locked, archived