Chapter 9: Vos
"And that is about it," Marko finished.
The others simply stared at the paladin, struck speechless by the tale he had just concluded. Kara sat off to the side, looking a bit too amused for Kari's liking. Then again, Marko likely had a similar reaction when he first heard the story of Uldyssian, the first nephalem to awaken to his power, or Kari hoped.
"Marko," Fara finally managed. "Are you suggesting a nephalem could destroy Sanctuary?"
"I suppose it could be construed as a suggestion," Marko replied with a shrug. "Though I thought my words were strong enough to constitute a statement?"
There was an audible breathing in by the others and even Kari felt a slight chill at the implications.
"And what of yourself?" Flavie asked. "Do you match this Uldyssian in power?"
"Well, he has been dead for several centuries, so there is no way to definitively know," Marko said. "On the other hand, I can think of ways to devastate Sanctuary beyond any hope of it sustaining life with my powers. The effort would as surely kill me as the rest of the world, but yes, it might well be within my power."
"That is not a comforting notion," Asheara said. "Even more disturbing is the fact that we are tapping into this very power."
"Oh, I am fairly certain you would burn yourself out long before you could draw on enough power to threaten the world. Well, Kari might survive long enough to pull it off."
That caused the others to glance over at Kari and the assassin sneered at Marko.
"Why thank you," she said caustically.
The paladin's smile remained calm despite the barb and continued with his explanation.
"The truth is the truth. Still, there is a bright side to all this. Remember that Uldyssian was able to best Diablo alone and his army of nephalem, ragtag though it was, held the line against the demonic legions. That suggests a properly trained force of nephalem could actually win a war with the legions of Hell, or even Heaven if the need ever arose. That is key to ensuring humanity's freedom."
"Freedom won via force of arms," Kari noted.
"When the other side has no desire to allow your freedom, it is often the only way," Marko stated.
"I do not disagree," Kari said. "I wonder however whether you judge the angels too harshly. Three of them voted in humanity's favor."
"That they did," said Marko. "On the other hand, the only one that did not stand by and let humanity suffer at the hands of the Prime Evils was Tyrael. When the other angels have more to offer than pretty words, I will consider revising my opinion of them. And mark my words, there will be some kind of reckoning with Imperious. That archangel's pride will never allow him to acknowledge humans as equals."
None voiced any objection to such characterization as Marko's conclusion was quite fitting based on what they had so far learned.
"There will be those tempted to use such powers for their own ends," Fara pointed out.
"Undoubtedly," Marko agreed. "That is why I chose all of you as my first recruits. The most worldly one here is our good friend Greiz, but he has seen the horrors that the demons would inflict upon us and even has enough foresight to look beyond his personal enrichment."
"I suppose I should take that as a compliment," Greiz said with a wirily smile.
"The necromancers will also act as a check against the admission of unprepared students, and I hope the assassins will act as a check against those whose resolves weaken after they have acquired power."
"We would do so even without you requesting our assistance," Kari said.
Marko chuckled, noting his lover's choice of words. She still saw herself as a Viz-Jaq'taar, which was in many respects a good thing. Having one of their own in command of the Legio should help calm their suspicions somewhat while Kari herself would remain true to her original missions of rooting out corruption.
"Watchers for the watchers," Fara commented. "An age old problem of accountability."
Marko nodded in agreement. "It is one reason why I am not suggesting an outright merger of the various orders, only permission to draw suitable recruits from their ranks. It will be a fine balance, built upon the ability of each order to trust the other. To maintain the trust will require that the orders be able to hold the Legio accountable, but also for the orders themselves to be held accountable by the Legio."
"Somehow I do not think it will be the members of this coalition that you will need to worry the most about," said Flavie. "There are other powers in this world, political and magical both, that would see your Legio as a threat to their standing."
"True enough," said Marko. "We have at least established an understanding with Hakkan, whereas Khanduras is little more than a collection of villages and towns without any centralizing authority. The Legio may well become that center for lack of an alternative, though Westmarch may be wary of such a development after Leoric's foolish invasion."
"You do have support from Jehryn," Greiz pointed out. "And ultimately, you are the last of the Companions. Your word would carry great weight."
Marko chuckled. "Less than you might think, my friend. Westmarch was spared much of the destruction caused by Diablo's passing, if only because the Lord of Terror traveled east. The demons that appeared in his wake had not pushed west far enough to really threaten Westmarch. Its king lacks a certain sense of, urgency, when it comes to otherworldly threats and is still focused mainly on more earthly concerns."
"Then he is a fool," Asheara stated.
"Maybe, but his control of Bastion's Keep needs to be resolved. That is the last stronghold of mankind in the Arreat Plateau that can serve as a base for operations in the area."
"From what I have heard, Bastion's Keep is manned by the dredges of the king's army," Greiz said. "He barely provides enough funds to keep the walls from crumbling. Taking it would not be difficult."
"It would however elicit a negative reaction," Kari said. "On the other hand, if the Legio offered to take over the upkeep of the fortress, he may be amenable to an arrangement."
"Well, we shall see how amenable the king is later," said Marko. "First we must reach the Keep. It will be our last stop before we, test, your mastery of your new powers."
It was in a somber mood that the conversation ended, as the party was once more reminded of the other task Marko had selected them for. The others felt a disturbing dread creeping up, but only Kari could pinpoint the source. After all, only she had been tested by Cerberus and learned of the uncertain fate that awaited her love.
"Is there a problem?"
Marko glanced back over at Zayl and frowned. "I do not know. I just feel as if someone was watching me."
The necromancer looked about and saw nothing out of the ordinary, at first.
"One of the sorceresses. Annetta, I believe. She was one of those that did not pass Cerberus' test."
"Ah. Does she look like she wants to murder me?"
"I sense no overt hostility, though she does not seem especially pleased with you."
"Not an entirely new development."
Regardless of whether they passed or failed the trial, all of the sorceresses had been shaken by their experience. There was an undeniable sense of resentment on their part for having been forced to confront such stark realities beyond even their wildest fears. That resentment manifested in slightly different ways. For Reka, she became ever more persistent in seeking Marko's attention. Others reacted in the opposite manner, outright avoiding Marko whenever possible. Annetta however was something in between, observing Marko but never directly approaching him, as if she were stalking him. Having hunted so many things in his own past, it was a pattern Marko recognized easily.
"What were the circumstances of Annetta's failure?" Marko asked.
Zayl paused a moment to formulate the worlds. "She was unable to accept a greater power than those she believed in."
Marko frowned. "She still believes in the purity of her elemental magics?"
"The specifics, you should ask your sister," Zayl said. "I only know the generalities of her test."
The paladin nodded. "That I will. But there are more pressing matters. Shall we?"
The necromancer followed and the two emerged on the surface. This was the second training session the group would hold above ground albeit this time Marko was also attending. There was a definite amusement on his part when Marko surveyed the aftermath of the last session. Today promised to at least match that level of mayhem.
"At this point none of you would be able to defeat me in a one-on-one fight," Marko said. "Eventually that will change, but we do not have eventually. Thus today we shall see if all of you together can best me."
"Pretty sure of yourself there," Flavie said.
"You are free to try proving me wrong," Marko said with a grin.
"Oh we will," Asheara said. "Any rules?"
"Do not burn down the entire jungle or kill anyone," Marko said as he took out a timepiece. "Beyond that, no. I will give you fifteen minutes to prepare. After that, I suggest you fight as if your life depended on it. Doing otherwise will actually put you at greater risk of harm."
As Marko handed the timepiece to Zayl, the five withdrew from Marko's position and Kari immediately began issuing orders.
"Greiz, Fara, stay on Marko. Do not give him time to unleash any spells and try to drive him to me. Flavie, Asheara, hold unless Marko manages to draw away from the others. I will set traps to try to immobilize him. Once he is stuck, all of us will unload everything we have on him."
"No concern about accidentally killing him?" Flavie joked.
"If he dies from just this, then I will be sorely disappointed in him," was Kari's response.
The party dispersed to carry out their responsibilities with Fara and Greiz moving back to Marko's position. Asheara and Flavie both readied themselves though the rogue was the only one of the pair to melt into the undergrowth. Kari activated her shadow cloak even as she created a clone. Marko was probably expecting this but he had no way of knowing when Kari would strike. That would be their trump.
As the seconds ticked down, Marko drew Azurewrath and turned to face Fara.
"We have come a long way," Marko said.
"Indeed," Fara agreed. "Yet you are still the same brash young man I first met in Lut-Gholein."
Marko chuckled. "I must have done something right for you to take me under your wing."
"I saw a young man full of potential. I see now a man that has lived up to that potential and more."
To that Marko smiled faintly but spoke nothing more. His response came as the sands ran out.
The paladin was fast, closing the distance between himself and Fara almost instantaneously. Fara stood her ground however and blocked the first blow, then the second, before finally counterattacking on the third. The two were well matched when it came to swordsmanship but this duel would not remain so simple for long. A flash of light ignited between them as Fara threw a blast of energy at Marko. The other paladin brushed the energy aside without losing any ground, a feat that caused Fara to hesitate for a brief moment. Marko immediately took advantage of this apparent opening only to run into a salvo of bolts.
Flavie emptied her crossbow before dashing back into the undergrowth, having distracted Marko long enough for Fara to recover her footing. The rogue had to admit, a well-designed crossbow really was better than a bow at medium range if only because of the sheer number of bolts she could put out. Moving as quickly as she could while still remaining stealthy, Flavie repositioned herself to wait for another opportunity to snipe at Marko.
The duel was now turning into a three-way affair as Greiz joined in. Despite this Marko stubbornly stood his ground and refused to be pushed towards Kari's position. That determination was soon tested as Asheara unleashed a massive bombardment of fire and ice upon the paladin. The shield Marko erected prevented anything from touching him but it was quite clearly shrinking under the intensity of the attack. At the same time Fara and Greiz were forced back to avoid getting caught in the blasts. Greiz simply stood by waiting for another chance to dash in but Fara began focusing her own power, adding to the bombardment.
Without warning a narrow beam of light sliced through the barrage of magic. It cut cleanly through the undergrowth and narrowly missed the diving Flavie. Her quick reaction was likely all that saved her as the beam continued onward into the distance, clearing a hole through everything it touched. The momentary lapse in her attack quickly turned the tide as a solid wall of force slammed into Greiz and Fara, throwing them back. With only Asheara engaging Marko, the paladin's defenses were sufficient for him to prepare a counterattack. Just as Marko was about to bring down the full fury of his power upon the mage, a bolt of lightning smashed into the paladin without any warning. The boom that sounded seconds later was deafening and did even more to stun the party than the preceding flash. When their senses cleared enough to see what was going on, they found a large crater at the point of impact and two bodies tangled together.
It was at first hard to tell what was going on but as the dust settled the positioning of the two became more evident. Marko was on his knees looking remarkably untouched with Azurewrath raised against his opponent. Unfortunately for him, Kari had managed to lock the blade with one of her katars while the other was poised to slit his throat. The assassin was breathing heavily, having expended a great deal of her reserves to carry out the attack. The paladin was frustratingly composed and seemed unfazed despite his perilous situation. Then again, it was not as if Kari was really going to kill him.
"Impressive," he said. "That was a rather interesting application of holy lightning. I had never thought of actually riding along with it before."
Marko relaxed his grip on Azure wrath and retracted it with Kari doing the same with her weapons. Looking around, Marko surveyed the collateral damage.
"Well, the jungle does not seem too destroyed," Marko said.
"You seem rather more concerned about the aftermath than the immediate battle," Kari said.
The paladin cocked his head to the side. "In our line of work, we often forget that there is a life after the battle is won. In forgetting, we sow the seeds for future battles. Perpetuating a conflict is not a victory, it simply forestalls your eventual defeat."
Kari frowned. "Are you sure you are also conducting yourself in accordance with those ideals?"
"Well, it is an ideal. Reality often is not so cooperative." Sheathing his sword, Marko nodded to the others. "Let us return, all of you are likely quite tired from your exertions."
The paladin was right about that much, drawing on so much power had left every famished. As they headed back, Asheara and Greiz were already imagining the steak they would enjoy verbally, quickly causing the others' mouths to water. Whether they would have an opportunity for such feasts when they reached the druids was something only Marko knew and he had refrained from telling, smiling the entire time. The others let the paladin have his little fun, enjoying the luxuries while they could still be called upon. Their journey was not over yet after all.
"Will you not reconsider?" Reka asked once more.
Marko growled in irritation, but his response was mostly civil. "I am already committed to teaching my current students. Kara has gained sufficient mastery over her own powers to properly instruct you."
"And yet you are the one who was schooled by Anjira," Reka pointed out yet again. "You would be better suited to helping me bridge the two schools."
"A task for which I will not have time for," Marko stated. "The decision has been made."
Reka did not back down, instead regarding Marko behind a composed façade. "Did I offend you with my offer?"
"Offense is irrelevant," Marko said. "Those that travel with me do so because I require them for a task. I trust them to both be capable of and able to complete the task. As time is short, I cannot afford the diversion of integrating another person into my party."
"And yet the assassin is a new addition," Reka pointed out.
Marko wondered why the sorceress bothered bringing up a point likely to only harden his resistance, but the Zann Esu could be surprisingly deceptive when working toward their goals.
"She has already surpassed all of my other students," Marko stated. "The day that you or any of your sisters could challenge her will likely never come."
That elicited a flicker of irritation in Reka's eyes, indicating the sorceress' pride was as much at play as her desire to advance her order's goals. It was however a truth the Zann Esu would need to learn to live with. While Kari was not aware of it, tapping into her well of power was almost as natural as breathing for the assassin now. Combined with her control, the assassin would likely be able to defeat Marko himself if given a few more years to experiment and grow. Those were years they did not have however and Marko was done being distracted from the little time they did have.
"The matter is settled," Marko stated once more. "If you are unsatisfied with this arrangement, you are welcome to forgo Kara's instruction."
With that, Marko turned and made his leave, joining the others at the waypoint. Several other necromancers were present, all channeling power in preparation for a long range jump.
"We are ready," Kara said to her brother.
Smiling, Marko embraced her tightly in farewell. "It was good to see you one last time."
Kara made no protest, instead letting herself sink into Marko's embrace. She knew what was to come was inevitable, but she did not have to like it. When they parted, Kara did so reluctantly.
Walking over to Zayl, Marko extended a hand, which the necromancer took.
"It has been a pleasure, Marko Ramius."
"Same here. Look after my sister and the other students."
"You have my word."
With his farewells done, Marko joined the others on the waypoint.
"You sure this is going to work?" Greiz asked nervously.
"Long range jumps have been done before," Marko pointed out.
"Then why did we need to sail all the way here?" the spearman asked.
"To give me time to train all of you," Marko replied.
Greiz shut his mouth at that, though his jaw seemed to tighten in anticipation. The spearman's concerns were not unfounded as long jumps were somewhat risky. Marko trusted the necromancers, however, and in the worst case he could likely stabilize the jump so that they at least emerged safely. As his friends and family disappeared, Marko waved one last time.
The light was not bright enough to blind them, but it still took a few seconds to adjust. When their eyes could once more focus, the party found themselves standing in a clearing filled with green life. Several men and women downing animal pelts were waiting to greet them. Marko stepped forward and bowed slightly, a courtesy that was returned.
"Lord Ramius," one of the men greeted. "Welcome to Túr Dúlra. I am Boreas, speaker of Glór-an-Fháidha."
"Thank you for having me," Marko replied.
"Your message carried with it great urgency," the druid said. "You shed blood with and for our brothers and sisters at Arreat. The least we can do is listen to your words."
While Marko stepped forward to walk beside the druid elder, Kari positioned herself slightly behind. There were quite a few onlookers, though they remained at a respectful distance. Kari wondered which of Marko's reputation preceded him here. While she knew that a druid had fought at the paladin's side, he had joined the Companions after the fall of Diablo. As such, none of them save Marko knew much of the man.
As they passed several totems, Marko suddenly paused. Stepping closer to one in particular, he examined it for several moments before nodding.
"A fine rendition of the wolf," he said grinned playfully. "Almost as handsome as he was."
"Lupus never could keep his pride in check," Boreas said, though his smile indicated there was no bite in his words.
"He at least took responsibility," Marko said, before bowing his head once.
His respects paid, Marko resumed his stride alongside the speaker.
"Do you wish for some time to rest?" Boreas asked. "Or would you prefer to begin discussions now?"
"Now," Marko said. "I cannot tally long unfortunately, and my proposal is, relatively modest."
"The word 'modest' does not seem quite accurate," Boreas said, "considering your deeds before reaching us, both this time and last."
"I do what I must," Marko replied. "All of us do. Which is why I ask to address all of your brothers and sisters, not just the elders."
Boreas cocked his head to the side. "I have no objection, but I would like to know why."
"Your people do not have a strict hierarchy," Marko stated. "While convincing your elders of my cause would be beneficial, the ultimate choice lies with each individual. That is the way of your people."
Boreas smiled wirily. "You know us well, Ramius. And we have been fortunate to come to know you as well. The people await your message."
The group emerged out to a large clearing and Kari gasped at the sight. Hundreds of druids were present, seated in a naturally shaped auditorium. Conversations quickly died away as the men and women noticed Marko's arrival and stood in greeting. There was no applause or cheers, simply silent anticipation.
Mark stepped forward and positioned himself at the center of the stage. When he spoke, his voice was clear and somehow carried to the furthest reaches of the auditorium.
"Please, be seated," Marko said, and one by one the druids accepted his offer. The paladin surveyed the masses, smiling slightly in the process. These people would likely be very receptive to his proposal, if only because they were not self-absorbed in their own affairs.
"Five years ago, I led the Companions of Order in the hunt for the Three," Marko began. "We ultimately succeeded in the hunt, but our victory over the Prime Evils was overshadowed by the defeat Sanctuary itself suffered in the loss of the Worldstone. I need not explain what that means to you, brothers and sisters to the children of Bul-Kathos, or the threat that looms in humanity's future. But even in our defeat, we learned an important lesson. A handful of humans could best the Prime Evils by pooling their talents and powers together. It then becomes a logical conclusion that humanity, working together, can best the entirety of Hell's legions."
Though silence greeted his words, Marko knew he had their full and undivided attention. The eyes of the listening druids almost shone in anticipation.
"I come before you with an invitation," Marko said. "With the loss of the Worldstone shielding Sanctuary, it is only a matter of time before the demons launch an invasion of Sanctuary. Humanity will need an army to face this threat, one that is not divided by petty political and cultural differences, one practiced in working together, and one whose soldiers wield power able to match the mightiest of demon lords. To this end, I am here to extend an invitation to those who wish to be part of that army, who are willing to discard comfort and complacency and dedicate their lives to the defense of mankind."
The invitation was delivered and Marko fell silent, watching the crowds. Then, near the front, a single woman stood. She said nothing, simply looking Marko in the eyes. Next to her, a man rose to his feet. More followed, and soon no man or woman remained seated in the auditorium. Marko smiled again as he surveyed this sight.
"I thank you," he said, and this time a thunderous cheer swept through the masses.
A surprising amount of alcohol flowed that night and Marko managed to intoxicate himself almost before Kari realized he had gotten his hands on drink.
"Once more!" Marko shouted before downing another glass.
The druid sitting across from him started raising his own glass, but his hold was shaky and before he could bring it up to his mouth the man shuddered and slumped over. Cheers erupted as Marko stood, raising his arms in proclamation of his victory before nearly toppling over as well.
"Bring on the next challenger!" he shouted.
The woman who seated herself across from Marko was no druid. In fact when Marko's vision focused enough for him to see clearly, he blanched.
"Asheara."
"Now it's hardly fair for you to have all the fun for yourself," the mage said with a wide grin.
The mug in her hands suggested she was already warmed up as another set of glasses were brought over.
"So what's the poison of the night?" Asheara asked cheerfully as she sniffed one of the glasses.
"Something they call vodka," Marko said, his speech surprisingly crisp for someone who should have succumbed to his overindulgence about a dozen glasses back. "Made from potatoes apparently. Tastes like, nothing."
"Nothing?"
"You'll find out. In fact, ladies first."
Asheara chuckled. "Trying to get a leg up on me, Marko?"
"If you wanted to fight fair, you should have been first in line," the paladin retorted.
"True enough," Asheara said and took a shot of the first glass. "Hmm, you're right, it really doesn't taste like anything."
The onlookers chuckled at the comment.
"Nice warm, fuzzy feeling going down however," Asheara added, earning her a few claps.
"Let's see how long that feeling stays warm and fuzzy," Marko replied, downing a shot of his own.
"Oh, are you hurting, Marko?" Another shot. "You poor dear, maybe you should go and sleep it off like a good boy."
"Is that how you see me?" The empty glass slammed down on the table. "I obviously need to teach you a lesson or two."
Another empty glass. "Bring it on, Mr. Knight in Shiny Armor."
"I never knew Marko could hold his alcohol so well," Fara said whimsically as she, Flavie, and Kari watched the match.
"Neither did I," Flavie said. "Not that we had much strong drink available when I first met Marko. Though, come to think of it, more of Warriv's caravan started getting drunk after Marko and Kaho showed up."
"You cannot seriously be suggesting Marko knows how to brew strong drink," Kari said.
Flavie shook her head. "No, not Marko, but Kaho knew way more about potions and concoctions than even Akara. She also seemed more partial to strong drink than any of the others save Kalos."
"I find that somewhat hard to imagine," Kari said.
"That is because she understood the concept of moderation," Flavie said. "It was rather amusing watching Kalos pester Kaho to brew something between skirmishes."
Kari chuckled and glanced back at the two. Marko appeared to be teetering on the edge of blacking out but somehow still managed to down another glass. Perhaps the more surprising aspect was Asheara's hand was visibly wobbling as she raised her own.
"How strong is this vodka?" Kari asked.
Fara shrugged. "I have heard of it before, but never had the chance to sample it. My understanding is that it is nearly half alcohol."
"Bloody, Marko is going to end up poisoning himself," Kari said in resignation.
"Well look at it this way," Flaive said. "He'll have all of tomorrow to regret his indulgence."
"I suppose so," Kari muttered.
A thud sounded and the women looked over, expecting to see the paladin flat on his face or sprawled on the ground. Instead to their considerable surprise, it was Asheara who had succumbed and Marko was somehow standing, celebrating his latest victory.
"How did he manage that!?" Flavie said in astonishment.
"I have an idea," Kari said, "but I think it is time Marko be put to bed."
Marko was busy celebrating his latest victory to the cheers of the onlookers when Kari stepped into the circle and took a seat. The cries subsided quickly and when Marko turned to face his latest challenger, his face blanched.
"Kari."
"Having fun are we, dearest?" she asked with a wide smile.
Despite the genial mood projected by the assassin, Marko felt a chill run down his spine. It was as if Kari was viewing him through the eyes of a hunter deciding the best way to execute a kill. He hardly needed to be so reminded of his fiancée's ferocity, especially when it came to her tolerance of his vices.
"And are you here to interrupt my fun?" Marko asked as he took a seat.
"Perish the thought," Kari said and picked up the glass. "Or rather, it will be up to you how much longer you can endure this, 'fun,' as you call it."
As Kari poured herself a glass of vodka, the cheers started up again. Marko on the other hand was looking considerably more lucid than any man so inebriated should be. As Kari downed her first cup, she adjusted her internals to efficiently purge the alcohol almost as quickly as it entered her system. The grimness with which Marko lifted his own cup told her he knew exactly what she had done. He also recognized that her mastery over this technique far surpassed his. However, there was no way his pride would allow him to go down without a fight.
"So far you've managed to outdrink a dozen druids and two mercenary captains," Kari said before taking her turn. "Quite the achievement."
"One would think the hangover I will suffer tomorrow would be punishment enough for you," Marko retorted.
"Ah? So you think sharing a drink with your future wife is a punishment? Not very gentlemanly of you, Marko."
Laughs from around the table cheered Kari on and Marko raised his cup to acknowledge the hit.
"Drinking with you is always a pleasure, but once I keel over, there will be many who will wish to challenge you in my stead," Marko said. "Letting others share your fine company is certainly a loss for me."
The howls and laughter grew along with the banter and Kari smiled at the counter.
"Then it had best be you carrying me off to bed instead of you being dragged back to sprawl about on the floor."
Marko barked a laugh. "Do you hear that! If I am to lose, it will be cold hard floor that will greet me in the morrow! Unless someone here cares to share the comforts of their sheets with a wounded warrior!?"
Kari scowled mockingly at Marko's jest. Perhaps that was not the best way to poke at the man.
"I suppose it depends on who wishes to clean up after the mess you make upon waking up," Kari said smoothly, hiding the grin with her raised cup.
Marko's face froze as another round of laughter serenaded Kari's wit. The night promised to be most entertaining, Kari reflected.
"Here," Kari said quietly as she handed a mug of chilled cider to the mage.
Asheara clumsily took hold of it and applied it to her forehead before taking a sip.
"Ugh, what the hell is this."
"Bitter cider," Kari said. "Helps with hangovers, so drink up."
"I think letting my head split apart would be easier," the mage said but continued taking sips gingerly.
"At least you fare better than Greiz," Fara said.
The former mercenary captain was conspicuously absent from the dining area, apparently still busy emptying his stomach.
"What I want to know is how you and Marko are out and about with nary a red eye," Flavie said, "especially after you basically doubled the number of bottles Marko ended up drinking before knocking him out."
Kari chuckled. "We assassins have the ability to purge our bodies of poisons, toxins, and the like. It works just as well on alcohol. Marko also likely learned it, along with all the other tricks he might have picked up."
"That bastard cheated," Asheara said, her words still slightly slurring.
"All is fair in love and war," Fara said with a chuckle of her own. "Still, I suggest you not indulge yourself so excessively tonight. Being on a rocking ship with a hangover will likely be even more unpleasant."
Asheara groaned at the warning and slumped down on the table.
"How long will it take to travel to Xiansai?" Flavie asked.
"A few days at most," Kari said. "Assuming no pirates attempt to waylay us of course."
"That would end remarkably poorly for any that do," Fara said.
Kari nodded in agreement. Since the start of the journey, the power of herself and her companies had grown prodigiously. Now the assassin doubted anything short of an army would be enough to defeat them on the field of battle.
Before the conversation could continue, Marko returned with a noticeably paler but at least standing Greiz following behind. The gaunt of the two men were quite the contrast, but as Asheara had pointed out, Marko had cheated.
"All of us mostly here today?" Marko asked cheerfully.
"Bugger off," Asheara replied.
The paladin chuckled. "Well, I know some of you are still recovering, but I thought we might pay a visit to the Tree before we leave tomorrow."
The statement only drew questioning looks from the women.
"Glór-an-Fháidha is a massive and ancient oak," Marko elaborated, "a centerpiece of druid culture and the greatest repository of knowledge regarding the natural world. Since we are here, we might as well take advantage of the opportunity."
"Sounds fair," said Kari. "Any etiquette or protocol involved?"
"Besides behaving with civility? Not really. So no throwing up, Asheara."
"I'll make sure you're in the way if I do," Asheara retorted.
The group made their way through the settlement, some with heavier feet than others. The walk seemed to do even them some good however as they passed the verdant life covering the buildings. Branches sprawled out, their leaves leaking rays of sunlight upon those below. The warmth they brought was quite a comfort compared to the somewhat chilly air of the morning.
The group crossed a large brown bear seated by the road, steam still rising from its fur. Kari managed to peek behind it to see even more steam rising, perhaps indicative of a hot spring. Had there been more time Kari would have jumped at the opportunity to enjoy a dip. Then again, Xiansai would offer many more chances for such indulgence once they arrived.
The trail leading to Glór-an-Fháidha took the group outside the settlement and into a ravine of some sort. Long before they reached the base however all could see the oak's branches. Life blossomed under them as birds flittered about. The closer they got the larger the animals seemed to become however and Kari was almost certain one of the great eagles perched high above could have easily swooped down and plucked any of them with ease.
As they came upon the roots the party was greeted by a pack of wolves, each towering above any mortal man and covered with a fine coat of reddish fur. One of the wolves stepped forward and sniffed at Marko. The paladin reached out, placing a hand on the wolf's head before bowing his own. The wolf closed its eyes for a moment before raising its head and stepping aside to let the party pass.
"Guardians of the tree?" Flavie queried.
"Hardly," a gruff voice said from behind the wolves. "They just like to laze about under its branches."
Boreas emerged, patting one of the wolves as he stepped forth.
"And eat anyone they deem a threat," Marko said with a grin.
"Assuming they're awake."
One of the wolves whacked Boreas with its bushy tail and the druid smiled good naturedly at the reprimand.
"Are there other animals like this?" Flavie asked in wonderment as she stepped up to face one of the wolves.
"There is a large bear that wanders about," Boreas answered, "although it is usually more active at night."
Reaching out gingerly, Flavie stroked the head of one of the wolves. As she scratched the base of its ears, they twitched but the wolf made no move to pull away. Apparently it was enjoying the attention. Kari on the other hand was more interested in the large tail. The red fur seemed to almost shine before ending in a white fluff at the tip.
"They have remarkable coats," Kari noted. "And fine tails."
A few more ears perked, eliciting another smile from Boreas. "As you can see, they take great pride in their appearances. Hardly dignified for beasts of the wild though."
This earned the druid another thwack with a tail, causing the others to laugh at the sight.
"The first time I appeared, there were a few pups about," Marko said.
"Probably playing in the forest," Boreas said. "But come, you are here to see Glór-an-Fháidha, are you not?"
"That we are," Marko said.
The party continued climbing, making their way up a path that seemed to have been naturally carved into the rocky hill. The incline was surprisingly gentle and it soon became apparent that they were literally walking around the entire hill on an ever upward direction. Despite the time it took, none of the party was feeling in the least bit winded or tired when they finally reached the roots of the massive oak.
"Wow," Asheara said, summing up nicely the reaction of the other first timers.
Kari had to admit, the tree was quite impressive. Its branches and leaves cast a shadow that stretched across the entire hill yet allowed in rays of sunlight that kept the air pleasantly warm. She could sense flows of energy pulsing throughout the tree, at least some of the warmth coming from them.
"Many come to commune with Glór-an-Fháidha, to better connect with the world that birthed us," Boreas said. "Even those untrained can hear its voice, if they listen carefully enough."
Focusing, Kari tried to do just that. For a few moments there was nothing but the gentle rustle of the leaves, but then she realized that that very rustle was what Boreas meant. There was a pattern to them, a chorus that sung above them. She closed her eyes and let her senses drown in them, luxuriating in the serenity they brought. And then, a note of discord struck. Her eyes snapping open, Kari saw several of the others also reacting. Boreas and Marko were no surprise and Flavie had spent enough time in the wilds to have an instinctive connection to the Earth. Asheara's previous knowledge of magic probably explained how she had sensed it too, though Fara and Greiz seemed to react more to the others than to the oak.
Their reaction was swift and Marko was right behind Boreas as the druid tore down the hill, foregoing the path as he slid down the incline. The others followed quickly and it was then that they heard a howl of distress in the distance. Something had startled the wolves, something big enough to ripple through to Glór-an-Fháidha.
More druids appeared, all converging on the source of the cry. By the time scene came into view, the area was already a blood bath.
"Demon!" Boreas cried out.
A massive bear, its form badly mauled yet still fighting was locked in a duel with what Boreas had declared a creature of the Burning Hells. Its red leathery skin, massive claws and fangs, and burning back certainly suggested the druid was right. To the side one of the large reddish wolves lay still, bleeding profusely as a group of smaller pups whined fearfully around it. From all appearances it had fallen trying to defend its young, a task that the bear had taken up but was on the verge of suffering a similar fate.
With a thunderous cry Marko charged forth and slammed into the demon, tearing it off the bear. The two tumbled aside but both recovered at the same time, lashing out as they did. The creature's claws slammed into Marko's armor, throwing the paladin back but not before he got off a burst of holy energy. They burned away at the hellspawn, causing it to shriek in pain.
"Support him!" Kari ordered.
Before she could follow her own words a burst of fire erupted amongst their ranks. Raising her barrier instinctively, Kari avoided the worst of the inferno until it died out. Her comrades had been likewise lucky but several of the druids were down, badly burned and quite possibly dead.
Looking for the source, Kari caught sight of a small form some distance behind the demon. Recognition stun her for a brief moment but the glow of another incoming fireball quickly snapped her out of it. Kari was too away to intervene, but Flavie reacted immediately and let loose a pair of bolts. The sorceress was forced to duck, interrupting her spell.
"That's one of the delegates!" Fara cried out. "What is she doing!?"
"Trying to kill us by the looks of it," Kari shouted back. "Take her down!"
The others were already moving to flank and Kari spared just a moment to check on Marko. The paladin was still locked in a duel with the demon but seemed to be holding his own. Turning back, the assassin was just in time to see a ring of file erupt from the sorceress. The black soot obscured the area for several moments before being swept aside as another creature burst forth.
"She's summoning demons!" Flavie cried.
"Keep her and her pets stalled, I'll move to flank!" Kari said.
Vanishing even as a shadow master coalesced, Kari maneuvered to get closer to the sorceress. If her memory was right, she was one of those that failed the necromancers' test. Little wonder considering she was obviously in league with the Burning Hells, though the assassin was somewhat surprised the priests of Rathma had not detected such corruption.
With another demon raised, the sorceress was momentarily free to resume her bombardment. To her shock however, Fara and Greiz charged in to directly challenge the demon and worked in concert, flanking and striking from opposite sides to keep the beast distracted. This left Asheara and Flavie to unload on the sorceress and her defenses were obviously straining from the effort.
The renegade was not out of tricks yet however and suddenly unleashed a massive fireball. Her target was however none of the combatants, instead searing a path to the wolf pups still huddling by their dead guardian. Kari cursed as she watched helplessly at the unfolding tragedy. Suddenly, a mass of brown fur imposed itself before the pups and took the ball of fire head on. The bear roared in pain as its flesh melted away but it stood its ground, shielding the young. As the flames burned out, it finally fell, having bought the pups their lives with its own.
Seeing the creature's noble sacrifice, Kari grimly set out to avenge it. The sorceress' gambit had drawn the others' attention but the assassin had kept moving and was now almost behind the renegade. As she was about to strike however, the sorceress spun around and let loose a burst of lightning. Her cloak shattered as Kari raised her barrier, barely stopping from being fried. The assassin threw a trio of grenades at her target, more as a distraction than with any hope of actually downing the woman. They served their role admirably however as the concussive force seemed to momentarily stun the sorceress. That moment was all Kari needed to close the distance. She thrust her katars, easily piercing the sorceress' shield and felt the blades cut deep.
To her surprise, the sorceress seemed to completely ignore the wound before reaching out to grab Kari. Her grip was like steel and Kari felt the buildup of energy in those hands. The sorceress intended to pour as much power at point blank as she could and Kari was almost certain she would not survive the resulting blast. Suddenly something jerked the sorceress' arm and both women looked aside to see one of the pups sinking its fangs. It growled as it tore, rending flesh and bone just enough for that arm's grip to loosen.
Suddenly, Kari pulled herself in and smashed her head against the sorceress' skull. The assassin barely felt the impact having brought her shield up once more, while the sorceress fell back from the blow. Her other hand loosened and Kari slipped out, jamming a katar through the woman's head. The renegade's hands were still glowing however and Kari grabbed the pup, more the size of a full grown wolf had it been a normal one, and threw both of them away. The explosion erupted a moment later, its force tossing Kari and the pup even further than the assassin's leap would have taken them. They landed with a thud and Kari pulled herself up as quickly as possible. The pup whined at her but seemed to be mostly unscathed save for the slightly singed tail.
Looking about, Kari saw the thoroughly eviscerated corpse of one demon while Marko and the others busily visited the same treatment on the second. With so many opponents the hellspawn was quickly overwhelmed and the paladin delivered the final blow with a clean sweep of Azurewrath.
As Kari looked about, she surveyed the carnage that had been wrought. Dozens of druids were wounded or dead outright along with two of the mighty guardians of Glór-an-Fháidha. The pup whined again and Kari turned to face it once more, caressing its head reassuringly. The others had also survived, so at least some good had been salvaged. But as she looked out at the burnt husk of the sorceress, Kari could not help but feel a sense of foreboding. This would not be the last time they faced the forces of Hell and Kari was certain that any future challenge would be even greater.
End of Chapter 9
This chapter took a while to get out just because it was mostly written before I decided I needed to insert a couple of points of foreshadowing. So far Marko hasn't seen significant opposition to his plans, but that felt rather unlikely so I decided to start injecting some. Of course that played merry hell with the structure of the chapter so it took a while to fix the flow. I think we're about four chapters until the end. It's been a long slog, but I'm almost done. Whether I finish this before Blizzard releases the next expansion, well, who knows.
Z98
