Ch. 28

The Sound of Whispers

It was a beautiful autumnal morning that dawned over the lands of Vabbi. In the desert lands of the Kourna, the coming of autumn offered little reprieve from the blazing sun. However in these northeastern lands, the season brought cooling winds that blew eastward out of the mountains and into the lush valleys of the wealthy province. As the summer foliage prepared itself for the coming of winter, new flowers bloomed on the vegetation that thrived in the autumn breezes. Fuzzy seedlings danced on the breeze, floating above the golden leaves that were spread by the few deciduous trees that were native to the province. In a land that knew no snows, and only mild winters, autumn ushered in a time of great beauty in Vabbi, and it was a season filled with more colors than any other.

Tahlkora stood on the balcony of her small suite as she breathed in the air of her native land. It had been months since she had first set out to investigate Kourna's tampering with the Elon's cataracts and in the end she'd gotten tangled up in far more than she'd bargained for, yet the young healer wouldn't have traded her new path for anything in the world. The things she'd seen, experienced, and been a part of in just the last few months had been nothing short of spectacular. Compared to an upbringing that had encouraged beauty and pleasure and entertainment, Tahlkora felt that she had finally found a purpose. This was important work, and she was part of something that would change the course of history. The girl's thoughts were abruptly broken when a happy call drew her attention down and her gaze fell upon the gleeful smile of Alendra Soleer.

"Morning Tahl!" the paragon called, "Looks like we're the first ones up."

The castellan stood in the courtyard of the inn they had found lodgings in the previous night. Prices had been surprisingly reasonable, and Rakiv had authorized the use of guild funds to get everyone their own room. Sleeping on proper beds had been bliss after months of sleeping on cots underground. Part of Tahlkora had somewhat missed the subterranean sounds she had grown accustomed to, such as the chirp of crickets and the soft babble of flowing water. But a mattress of goose down and soft silken sheets had quickly pushed aside such misgivings, and the healer had slept like a newborn babe.

"Mmm, guess so," the girl smiled as she stretched lightly, "Any ideas for breakfast?"

"I was just about to head out to market and bring something back for the group," Alendra smiled, "Care to come with?"

"I'll be right down!" Tahlkora called as she rushed back into her room to dress.

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A soft and downy towel flew across the room to drape over the headboard of the single bed that occupied the far southern wall of the room. Kydar gave a shake of his head, flinging what little moisture remained in his braids to all sides as he stepped out of the bathroom. The scribe pushed his hair back over his head and gave a satisfied sigh as he tied the fasteners of his trousers and padded quietly across the room. A proper bed did wonders for a man weary from battle and travel, and the elementalist gave a small exclamation as he flopped backwards onto the bed and stretched out across the coverlets. It had been an odd night for Kydar, as despite his comfort in a warm bed he had found himself continuously waking from even the deepest of sleeps. New thoughts nagged at him, emerging from the depths of subconscious and demanding that he make note of them before he could return to sleep.

The scribe reached for his notebook on the night stand and flipped through its pages, perusing his meticulous notes. The book contained all that he had recorded thus far, from the excavation of Fahranur, to the storming of Gandara and even to the slaying of the Hunger only hours ago. The book was but a summary of his adventures thus far, and he carried many more scrolls that contained details of their trials. Such records would likely be needed, he assumed, if the guild hoped to convince the Merchant Princes to join their struggle. However, even though he'd updated his notes repeatedly throughout the night, the scribe's mind refused to stop turning. Kydar knew, of course, that it was not notes or duty that troubled him. The source of his confusion was far more obvious, and he was doing his absolute best to ignore it.

"Kydar?" a voice broke through his reverie and was accompanied by a small knock at his door.

The scribe sat up and blinked as he instinctively cast about for a shirt, before remembering that his tunic had been shredded days ago, and he'd been forced to make do with little more than his leather vest. With a sigh the elementalist rose from his bed and strode to the door where he turned back the deadbolt and opened the door.

"Oh, good morning Ani," he blinked in mild surprise.

The younger elementalist smiled cheerfully up at him and then gave a small giggle at him.

"Still haven't quite found a tailor I see," she commented.

"I was waiting 'till we got back to civilization," he chuckled, "Only to find there's not a single tailor in all of Wehan. You'd think a rich little hamlet like this would have a seamstress or something."

The scribe chuckled lightly as he stepped back and beckoned for the younger mage to enter. Anicara laughed as well as she stepped inside, her heels clicking against the wood floor as she strode into the room. The girl wrinkled her nose at the curtains that kept the room shrouded in a pale gloom, and shook her head as she strode across the room.

"How can you sit in the dark like this when it's so pretty outside?" she asked as she seized the curtains and flung them aside.

"Aah!" Kydar exclaimed as the sudden burst of sunlight nearly blinded him, "Cause it's really bright out!" he protested.

"This coming from our resident fire man," the girl chuckled lightly as she tied back the curtains and pushed open the doors to his balcony.

The young hydromancer took a deep breath as the fresh morning air spilled into the room and she enjoyed the faint breeze that wafted through the doors. Kydar shook his head and gave a small chuckle of his own as he retrieved his towel from the headboard and set to rubbing it through his braids, which refused to completely dry.

"Well I hope you didn't just come over here to blind me with the sun," he responded to her as he sat in the small armchair that stood beside his nightstand.

"Oh I didn't," Anicara responded, "I uh, I actually wanted to talk to you, about that 'homework' thing you gave me."

"Aaah," the scribe said as he leaned forward, placing his elbows on his knees, "Well have a seat then. I believe I asked you to come up with all the times that 'holding on' has paid off, right?"

"Yes, Master Raelesin," she nodded as she settled on the bed and folded her feet under her while she smoothed out her skirts over her legs.

"Augh, I wish you wouldn't call me that," Kydar sighed as he shook his head.

"Well what am I supposed to call you!" she exclaimed, "I've never had a teacher before, but I know you can't just call your teacher by their first name! Professor Raelesin? Sir Raelesin? You know, Sousuke told me that in Cantha they call their teachers Sifu or Sensei."

"Ugh, definitely not sensei," Kydar shook his head, "And I'm not an actual professor, nor have I ever been knighted. So I guess 'master' will have to do if you insist."

"I dunno, I kind of like the sound of 'sensei' now," she teased with a giggle.

"How about we just move on with the lesson," Kydar chuckled in an attempt to change the subject, "You have some examples for me, correct?"

"That I do," she smiled and nodded as she too turned her attention to the lesson, "And I think the most obvious example was… my captivity."

"When you were held by the pirates," Kydar nodded to her.

"Yes," she said as she paused for thought and then breathed out a small sigh, "It was… terrible. Really, truly… and there were a lot of times that I just wanted to give up… just wanted to die so it could be over…"

"What kept you going?" Kydar asked softly.

"Well they wouldn't let me die," she chuckled a little wryly as she looked up at him, "So that made things difficult."

"Well yes there's that," Kydar smiled lightly, "But no one stays alive without the will to survive. There is many a tragic tale of a man or woman who, having lost all that they love and in spite of being surrounded by care and plenty, simply lost the will to survive and wasted away into nothing. A patient may be long looked after by a physician, but if he or she loses the will to live, there is little that the doctor may do for them. Even if they tormented you yet refused to bring you to death's door, you still chose to eat and to drink, actions driven by instinct, the instinct to survive."

"Never mind that I usually ended up vomiting from whatever new curse they put on me…" the hydromancer murmured softly as her blue painted fingernails curled against her knees.

"Indeed," Kydar nodded slowly, "In spite of all that they did to you, you held on. You endured, you persevered. And not only that, you escaped and took out their ship and then survived the waves that pushed you to shore. My question is… why did you hold on?"

The girl was quiet for a long time before she looked up at Kydar in confusion. The older elementalist only stared back, before giving a small chuckle to his student. The expression on Anicara's face made it clear that she had no clue what he was talking about, and the scribe finally leaned back as he raised one hand to her.

"A couple days ago you asked me why I always wear gloves," the scribe said as he began to unwind the bandages around his fingers, "It's a bit of a story, but perhaps you would like to hear it?"

Anicara only nodded eagerly as she shifted on the bed and leaned forward a bit, staring at the white swathed digits of the elementalist's fingers. Kydar chuckled as he tugged the bandages aside, unwrapping the lengths of cloth from his hands as he began to explain.

"When I was younger, perhaps only a year older than you are now," he began, "I was already at the top of my class at the Academy. Due to my achievements the dean of the College of Historical Records decided that my education would be better served if I entered into an apprenticeship under one of their top professors. It was thus that I met my master and mentor, a woman named Delilah Blackthorne."

The scribe continued to unwind the bandages, starting from the base of his palm and working his way up his hand. Anicara watched with mild fascination as he worked the cloth away and nodded as she listened to his tale.

"Delilah held doctorates in Occultism, Mysticism and Ancient History and was the Chief Professorial Field Recorder for a school within the College of Historical Records, an academic cabal called the Department of Intrigue," Kydar explained and then laughed, "Those are a lot of fancy words to say that she was basically a spy. Due to the secretive nature of cults, sects and the like, the Academy founded the Department of Intrigue in order to send spies into these groups to close the various holes found in many historical records. Delilah's job was to infiltrate a cult or sect, learn their secrets and bring them back to the Academy for recording and archiving."

"Whoa," Anicara blinked, "Isn't that dangerous though? I mean, culty people don't usually like having their secrets stolen."

"No," Kydar laughed lightly, "No they don't. And I soon learned that danger was a daily part of our job. Delilah was a Mesmer, and thus was a natural manipulator, but she was also a deadly Assassin. It didn't take long for me to see that the woman was as deadly as she was smart and beautiful, and she expected me to have all these qualities as well."

The scribe paused as he reached the fingers of one hand and then set to undoing wraps of his other palm. The act resulted in a huff of frustration from Anicara as her curiosity only mounted and Kydar only smirked at her before continuing his tale.

"Which brings me to my actual story," he chuckled, "When I was sixteen or so, I went on my second mission with Delilah. Our job was to infiltrate a secretive sect in Tyria, known as the Cult of Verata. Delilah and I got in well enough, and found all the information we needed. But we were found out… which was my fault really, I was not yet used to such subterfuge and I bungled our story. During our ensuing flight from the cult, we were close to being caught and overwhelmed… and rather than allow us both to be captured, I stopped to fight so that Delilah could escape."

"You stopped to try and hold off an entire cult on your own?" Anicara blinked in surprise, "How on earth did you do that!"

"Oh I just set a few fires here and there," the older elementalist chuckled, "Blew up the right stuff and pretty soon I had their whole little creepy 'temple' in flames. Delilah got away, but I was taken prisoner. And as you can imagine… they weren't too kind to me."

"I'm kind of surprised they didn't kill you…" Anicara put in.

"Oh no, no," Kydar laughed lightly, "No the Cult of Verata was a death cult, and believed that dying was more of an honor than anything else. So they kept me alive to make me suffer. One of them in particular, a man named Samira Dhulnarim was quite furious with my actions, and spent days devising and implementing new ways to make me pay for destroying their shrine."

Anicara winced a touch sympathetically as the scribe finally pulled the bandages from his fingers and dropped them to the floor. The hydromancer's eyes widened for a moment and she placed a hand to her lips in horrified surprise. Kydar's fingers were a splotchy mess of old scars, where his flesh had been marred as if by brands and hot irons. He had almost no finger prints to speak of, and in many places it seemed as though the skin had been made to melt, resulting in odd undulations on his skin.

"Samira felt that it would be poetic if I suffered the same fate as their shrine," Kydar chuckled as he wiggled the scarred digits, "As I had set fire to their home, so he set fire to my hands. Sometimes he used hot pokers, other times he simply set my fingers aflame and listened to me scream. The other cult officers asked me questions, tried to get me to talk, but Samira just wanted vengeance. He'd burn me and then have me healed, so that the next day he could do it all over again. I spent months in their dungeon, but as you well know…"

"It felt like an eternity…" Anicara nodded, remembering her own ordeals.

"Mhm," Kydar nodded, "I told them nothing of course, but it wouldn't have stopped the pain even if I had. And my silence only seemed to infuriate them more. But I held on. I held on partly to spite them, but also because I had faith."

"Faith in what?" Anicara tilted her head curiously.

"Well for one, I spent quite a bit of time praying," Kydar chuckled, "A lot of time praying, crying out to Lyssa or Dwayna or whoever was listening to help me. There were days when I was sure they meant to kill me, but something always stayed their hand. But I also had faith in my mentor."

"Professor Blackthorne," Anicara identified.

"The same," Kydar confirmed with a nod, "I had faith in her, because I knew that even though I'd messed up she wouldn't leave me a moment longer than she had to. I believed, without a doubt, that she would come for me and probably bring half an army with her," the scribe paused and then chuckled, "I was wrong about the half an army part, but she did come."

"By herself?" Anicara blinked in surprise.

"All by herself," Kydar said, "It began in the middle of the night, when an alarm went up somewhere in the dungeons and people started rushing around. Samira came into my cell and shut the door behind him and started demanding to know how I'd done it, how I'd led another Academy spy to them. I was pretty delirious by then from infection, and had no idea what he was talking about… but I did recognize the sound of screaming echoing through the dungeon."

Anicara leaned further forward, listening with rapt attention as the scribe related the tale of the daring rescue, her blue eyes wide with fascination and excitement.

"A lot more people came in, two officers and a handful of cultists, all fully armed and facing the door… waiting for something to come in after them," Kydar continued, "Samira ordered them to stand ready and kill anything that came through the door. But when that door finally opened… no one was quite prepared for what came through."

The scribe chuckled as he interlaced his fingers and steepled them over his nose. Scarred though the digits were, they retained their full range of dexterity and motion, and Anicara now recognized that unless one saw them up close, they might actually pass for normal fingers. She could not imagine how much healing had gone into undoing the damage that had been done to her mentor's hands, but every mark was a testament to the great pain he had endured.

"I had always known that Delilah carried a pair of Sai daggers on her, but until that night I had never once seen her use them," Kydar said slowly, "When the door opened she was covered in blood, and chanting what sounded like several spells under her breath. The first line of cultists fell screaming, battling conjured phantasms and nightmares that the women beset them with. The next group tasted her blades. I had never seen anyone move that quickly or gracefully. Her Sais sang as she pierced hearts, punctured lungs and slashed throats. Samira and his fellow officers were screaming spells, but not a single one ever landed on her. It was over in seconds… and all I remember is Samira choking and bleeding at my feet while Delilah cut me free of my bonds."

"Whoa…" Anicara exclaimed softly.

"That's what I said," Kydar laughed a little, "We ran, and even once we were safe and found a proper healer, it took the better part of a year for my hands to fully heal. Still, I consider it to be an experience that taught me the greatest lessons I ever learned."

"What did you learn?" Anicara asked quietly.

"Well first of all, always keep your story straight," Kydar laughed as he dug into his pack for fresh bandages, "But secondly, it was that faith can carry you a long way. I believe that it was Lyssa who saw to it that my life was spared, even when my tormentors considered killing me. And I believe that my goddess also guided Delilah to me. I think that my faith in my friend also helped me through, and I spent most of my time in that dungeon believing that she was still looking for me. And you know what the weird thing is?"

"What's that?" Anicara questioned.

"The weird thing is that I had just about given up on that last day," Kydar answered, "I had finally gotten to the point where… I just couldn't take it anymore. The torture never stopped, and every day it seemed less and less likely that anyone was coming to save me. Had that rescue come even a day later… I might have completely given up hope."

The scribe leaned forward as he began winding the bandages around his fingers again, an action he performed with a deftness born of practice. His bright hazel eyes stared into Anicara's blues, and the hydromancer blinked a little under the intensity of his gaze.

"And that is what I'm trying to teach you Anicara," Kydar said, "I'm trying to teach you that there is power in faith, power greater than any magic you can ever wield. I'm trying to teach you that believing will give you the strength to overcome the insurmountable, to face the horrors of the earth and to cast down demons. I believe that whether you are subjected to the evils of men, or faced with the full might of a force of nature unleashed… you just have to hold on. Fight back, push back, as hard as you can, for as long as you can and just when you can't hold on any longer… salvation may come in the guise that you least expected."

Anicara stared back as he spoke, allowing his words to sink in as she listened carefully. Finally she tilted her head and blinked curiously at him as she watched him rebind his hands.

"Kydar… why do you believe so much?" she asked carefully, "I mean… most people believe in the gods but… it's not like they actually watch us or anything right? They're just there to sorta… keep the world from falling apart aren't they? It's not like they actually hear us or anything, right?"

Kydar was quiet for a moment as he pulled the wraps tight around his hands and then looked up at the girl. Again the younger elementalist found herself entranced yet discomforted by the intensity of his bright eyes, until her mentor gave a small smile.

"I believe that they do watch us Ani," Kydar said to her, "And I believe they hear us too. But I'm afraid that's a story for another time, cause right now I am starving."

Anicara laughed lightly as she nodded in agreement, and then flushed as she felt her stomach turn and give an audible growl. Kydar laughed as well as he rose to his feet and retrieved his leather vest from the foot of the bed. The elementalist hopped into his boots as he beckoned to the younger mage and gave her a smile.

"C'mon kiddo," he said, "Let's see what they've got for food around here."

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Laughter rang through the dining hall of the inn, where the emissaries of Dormant Vengeance broke their fast. Alendra and Tahlkora had returned victorious with a large assortment of fruits, breads and cheeses. Though Koss had complained over the lack of meat, even he was too elated by the sight of proper food to grumble for long. By the time Kydar and Anicara came down most of the group had finished eating, and now sat enjoying the good spirits brought on by properly filled bellies.

"And then… and then I said…" Melonni was relating between bouts of laughter, "General Morgahn, your mother is like the Crystal Desert. Wide, dry, and men go there to die!"

Another uproar of laughter erupted from the group, causing several members to gasp for breath between fits of giggles. Even Anorah very nearly spit out her orange slice as she coughed and chuckled with amusement. Melonni herself was in hysterics as she recalled the incident and slapped her leg.

"Ha..haha… aah you should have seen his face!" she exclaimed with hilarity.

"Did… did he go all…" Alendra giggled as she composed herself long enough to imitate the elder general of Kourna, " 'Now see here miss. That is most uncalled for!'" the paragon imitated in the gruffest voice she could muster.

"No, no he… hah!" Melonni gasped as she waved a hand and pulled herself together for a moment as well, "He said, 'I will have you to know, young lady, that my father dying in my mother's bed was purely a coincidence!'"

Still more laughter came from the group as several people pounded the table or waved their hands for mercy from Melonni's story. The dervish herself was beyond speaking, however, and in the midst of her laughter tipped over in her chair and crashed to the ground. The hysterics redoubled and Kydar and Anicara could only chuckle lightly at the ensuing antics as they approached the grand table.

"Well I see we're in good spirits this morning," the scribe observed as he took a seat at the table and reached for the fruit basket.

"I should say so shipmate," Margrid chuckled from across the table as she chucked a wheel of cheese toward the elementalist, "I'm guessin' that killin' a greater demon 'as a tendancy ta put a body in a celebratin' mood."

"Clean sheets and warm beds could also have something to do with it," Koss put in as he rolled a thick slice of cheese between two pieces of bread.

"I imagine that they do," Kydar agreed, "And while I hate to put a damper on the mood, have we got any word on what our next move is?"

"Your timing is impeccable, Scribe Raelesin," a silky smooth voice spoke from behind him, "For I have just been seeing to that very affair."

The scribe jumped a little in his seat and then gave an aggravated growl under his breath as he turned to look up into the pale eyes of the Apprentice of Whispers. The beautiful necromancer looked down at him with an amused smile as the scribe snarled up at her.

"I wish you wouldn't do that," Kydar snapped.

"Apologies, First Officer," the woman said with a tip of her head, "But perhaps it will please you to know that I contacted the Whispers' man here in Wehan and received a letter from the contact that we were meant to meet."

"Lemme see," Rakiv said from the opposite end of the table.

The ranger leaned back in her chair with her feet propped up on the table, one hand clutching an apple while the other wielded a knife with which she cut slices from the fruit. The Apprentice gave a nod and strode across the room to present the parchment to the guildmistress, who speared the page on her knife and held it up for reading.

"Says here that they'll be waiting for us in the Yatendi Canyons, as instructed by the Master of Whispers," Rakiv nodded as her violet eyes browsed the note, "It's asking us to come quickly. Apparently there's a lot that needs to be discussed."

"Oh good," Alendra sighed a little boredly, "Another date with a man in a red hood. You girls remember when normal guys used to leave love notes in your lockers?"

There was a quiet pause as the other females looked around at each other with slightly puzzled looks.

"Nope," Anicara chuckled sheepishly.

"Nuh uh," Margrid shook her head.

"No not really," the Apprentice put in with an amused little smile.

"I cannot say that I do…" Anorah offered.

"Ugh, well Rakiv, Melonni, Tahlk," Alendra turned to the other girls, "Do you remember that?"

"I got a love note once," Rakiv said, "Found out who it was, a boy from the dervish school in Gandara. When I asked him about it, he made fun of me in front of all his friends. So I knocked his front tooth out."

The ranger earned several stares from her party, and the Apprentice laughed lightly and offered mild applause.

"Why am I not surprised… not even a little bit?" Kydar sighed.

"What?" Rakiv blinked in confusion, "How was I supposed to know he had shallow gums?"

"Okay did anyone at this table have a normal childhood besides me!" Alendra exclaimed.

"How is that not normal!" Rakiv responded with mounting confusion.

"Maybe we should get back to the matter at hand?" Tahlkora laughed a little, redirecting the conversation, "That letter sounded a little urgent."

"I agree with you short stuff," Koss nodded as he winked at Tahlkora with his good eye, "Best we go find this contact and get a move on. Balthazar only knows when Varesh's invasion is coming."

"Does that note say where they'll be in Yatendi?" Kydar asked.

"Just south of the Terraces," Rakiv answered, "Along the road to the ford."

"Ah, so we have only to head for the river crossing," Tahlkora said and then tilted her head, "That… takes us awful close to Jahai though."

"The mountains should give us plenty of cover," Kydar reassured the young monk, "Besides, it's not like they can start shooting arrows down into the valley without causing an act of war. If Varesh wants to invade, she won't show her hand that quickly. We should be fine."

"Mmm, good point," Tahlkora answered.

"Alright then," Rakiv said as she swung her feet down off the table, "Everybody pack up, take what food you want with you, and let's move out."

There were general murmurs of affirmation all around as chairs were pushed out and the group rose from the table. A few of the guildswomen excused themselves to their room to retrieve their things while the others headed for the doors to the inn. Kydar checked his pack to ensure he'd kept hold of all his scrolls and made for the door as well. As he reached it he nearly collided with the much shorter figure of Rakiv Maelstrom, who blinked in surprise as the scribe nearly ran her over.

"Oh! Uh sorry!" Kydar jumped back.

"No, no it's uh… my fault," Rakiv chuckled lightly at him.

An awkward silence followed as each tried to avoid the other's gaze. Rakiv opened her mouth to speak, but the words died on her lips as she felt her face color with inexplicable embarrassment. Kydar finally broke the silence by making a quick grab for the door handle and pulling it open as he gestured her through.

"After you guildmistress," he said quickly.

"Hrm, yes… thank you First Officer," Rakiv responded stiffly as she marched through.

Kydar smiled as the red-head strode out of the inn, then gave a groan as he smacked a cloth wrapped palm to his forehead once the ranger was out of earshot. A hearty laugh came from behind him and Kydar turned as Margrid the Sly patted his shoulder.

"Smooth move bookworm," the corsair grinned at him, "I've a hunch that if'n ye keep this up, ye'll bed her yet!"

"What!" Kydar exclaimed, "No wait, it's not like… what do you know!"

"Jus' enough ye lovesick turtledove," Margrid laughed as she stepped past him and out the door, "Jus' enough."

Had he been able, Kydar might have turned a bright shade of red. Instead he only gave another groan of further embarrassment and shook his head. If things kept up this way, it was going to be a long trip to the Chantry.

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By the time the party was on the road, the sun was already high in the sky and ascending toward its noonday apex. But despite the sun's powerful glare, the party found the going to be rather pleasant. The valleys of Vabbi were cool and breezy, a far cry from the hot and dusty lowlands of Kourna. The chirping of birds filled the air as brightly winged fowl soared and zipped overhead. The steady crunch of boots on dirt marked the time of their march as the ambassadors made their way through rocky basin of the Yatendi Canyons.

Only a stone's throw from the high mountain peaks of the Bahankor Range, Yatendi was something of a buffer zone between the arid deserts to the southwest, and the lush valleys to the northeast. Vabbi had its share of deserts to be sure, but where Istan was dense jungle and Kourna was dry desert, Vabbi was a happy medium between the two. Shady trees threw their spread wide over grassy patches, and fields of reeds frolicked along the banks of the mighty river. Here the Elon flowed along the natural path that it had run through for centuries, and all the land of Vabbi prospered from its life giving waters. Thus the scent of freshwater began to fill the air as the guild made their way south and west, away from the Wehan Terraces and towards the Elon River Crossing to the north of Jahai. The sun had finally reached its noon position and reigned proudly in the clear blue sky when the Apprentice called them to a stop.

"I believe we are here," the necromancer announced.

"Here?" Koss blinked, "There's nothing here. How can you tell?"

"By the singing, Commander," the Apprentice smiled at him, "Listen."

All ears turned to the wind as they strained to hear what the Apprentice had heard. They stood in silence for several moments, before a soft lilting sound reached them on the wind. Several puzzled glances were exchanged between the guild members. Kydar however gave a smile of recognition and reached out to tap Tahlkora's shoulder.

"I know this song!" he proclaimed excitedly.

"I think I do too," the teenager replied, "It's the Ode for Beauty hymn isn't it?"

"A song for the trees, painted in green…" Kydar recited slowly as he tried to match the words of the voice that came to them, "A verse for the land, adorned by your hand."

"A cry to the skies, in brilliant blue," Tahlkora began to sing as well, "And praise for the sun and its radiant hues."

The voice began to draw closer though it was difficult to ascertain its source, as the beautiful sound echoed off the walls of the canyon. A scuttle of rocks alerted them to the presence of the singer, and all eyes turned to a small rocky path that led down out of the mountains. A young woman swathed in temple cloths of violet and white descended to them, her staff clicking against the stones as she carefully descended towards them and continued to sing.

"Beautiful workings all placed by your hand," the priestess sang as she made her way towards them, "And markers of mysteries we do not understand. Open our eyes goddess, show us your love. And may we behold the beauty of the divine ones, Lyssa."

The priestess came to a halt before the group and looked up at them through her veil. The guild stared at her curiously as the priestess inspected them for a moment, before she looked to the Apprentice of Whispers and spoke.

"Listen to the winds, there are secrets in the shadow," the priestess addressed her.

"Pay heed to the water," the Apprentice responded, "For it speaks with the sound of whispers."

"I likes my pass phrase better," Margrid chuckled lightly Rakiv, who only smiled lightly and shook her head.

"Well met Whisper," the priestess said as she reached to her face to unbind her veil, "My apologies for the strangeness of our meeting."

"I am no Whisper, your grace," the Apprentice responded, "But well met nonetheless."

"You're our contact from the Chantry?" Rakiv interrupted.

"I am," the priestess nodded with a smile, "I had thought to meet you in Wehan, but I was warned in a dream to stay far from that place. My fears were confirmed when I received word from the Master of Whispers, telling me of Kournan spies who are making their way through Vabbi."

"They just don't quit do they," Rakiv sighed and shook her head, "Well it's good to meet a friendly face."

"That it is," the priestess nodded, and then smiled broadly as she looked past the ranger, "Even better when those faces are familiar ones."

"Kehanni?" Tahlkora asked, "Oh great goddess it is good to see you!"

The young monk flung herself at the slightly taller priestess, catching her in a hug that made the young woman laugh as she embraced the girl in return.

"As it is good to see you Tahlkora," she said with a little laugh, "It seems so long since you last sat in the pews at temple. Still the excitable one I see."

"Yes well, what would the world be without excitement?" Tahlkora laughed as she pulled away from the older woman.

"It would be a poorer world indeed," she laughed lightly and then turned to look past the monk, "Now Kydar Raelesin, I know you're not going to stand back there and pretend you don't recognize me."

"I wasn't!" the scribe protested, "I was just waiting for Tahlkora to get all her hugging out of the way first," he laughed as he stepped forward.

"Well come here then!" the priestess laughed as she stepped forward to embrace him, "My goddess, you've gotten tall!"

"Hah!" Kydar grinned down at her, "And you used to make so much fun of me for being shorter than you."

"Yes well it seems the last laugh will be yours," she responded with a smile.

"Wait, you two know each other?" Tahlkora questioned.

"Kehanni and I go way back," Kydar chuckled, "We used to play together whenever my parents took me to temple. I can still remember Father Dheren crying for us to stop running in the halls."

"It is a cry that echoes in the halls of the Basilica even to this day," Kehanni laughed, "But we will catch up later. For the moment there is the business of your mission to consider."

"Well as you can see," Rakiv took over the conversation again, "We made it to Vabbi. Disciple said the Master would give us directions from here."

"And he so he shall," Kehanni nodded to the ranger, "I am to guide you across the Elon to the Chantry of Secrets. We will take the low road through the valley to the water's edge. It would not do for the eyes of Jahai to see flowing red hair wandering through Yatendi."

"No I guess it wouldn't," Rakiv chuckled lightly, "Well then lead on Kehanni. The Master will probably want to know that we killed another demon on our way here."

"You slew another?" the Kehanni's eyes widened as she smiled brightly, "Hah! I knew that you would. The Master did not believe me!"

"Another one of your visions?" Kydar asked.

"When the Master told me to wait for you, I told him I had foreseen your coming," the priestess nodded, "But I told him I saw you traveling with the blood of two demons in your wake, not one. He told me to stop playing 'soothsayer' and be on my way."

"Sounds like the Master alright," Rakiv sighed.

"Indeed, he is a rather brusque man, but I believe his intentions are… reasonably honorable," Kehanni chuckled a little, "Come, and let us be on our way. There is yet much ground to cover before we reach the Chantry."

Thus saying the holy woman turned from them and began to hum to herself as she strode forward down the rocky path that led through the towering canyons. Rakiv noted that the song she sang seemed to follow the beat of the many small bells that jingled on her sandals. Every step the priestess made was accompanied by a soft musical jingle that complimented the song she sang as she walked. Alendra made note of the jingling as well, and eventually succumbed to her curiosity.

"I've never seen clerics that wear bells before," the paragon spoke up, "Normally it's just paints, tattoos and robes."

"Ah, you noticed my bells," the priestess responded as her staff clicked against the stones in time to her jingling steps, "It is a tradition not often practiced outside of Vabbi. It is a reference to a passage of scripture that commands us to carry beauty with us."

" 'May your song go before me, and be with me all my days. May it echo o're the hills and ring from the highest mountains. May the words of my mouth and the steps of my feet send forth your music, that all who hear might know the beauty you have made,'" the Apprentice broke in with a recitation of the verse, "That is the one you are referring to, yes?" the necromancer asked.

"The Verses of Lyssa, Canto 4, stanzas 8 and 9," Rakiv identified as she turned towards the tall dark woman, "Apprentice if you could resist ironically quoting scripture every chance you get, I'd consider it a personal favor."

"But of course guildmistress," the necromancer answered with the smallest hint of a smile, "As you say."

"I see you are not the only scholar in your group Kydar," Kehanni laughed lightly as she nodded, "Yes that is indeed the passage of which I speak. We clerics of the Basilica wear bells on our feet to carry Her music with us wherever we go."

"Huh, that's kind of cool," Alendra said with a nod of understanding, "I wonder if any other temples do stuff like that," the paragon paused before turning the dervish behind her, "Hey Anorah. Do the Zaishen do any unusual stuff you wouldn't find at most other temples of Balthazar?"

"Each year on the Day of Reckoning, that marks the day that the war began in the Fissure of Woe," Anorah answered, "We Zaishen take turns beating one another with large shoots of bamboo, to remind ourselves that even against great pain we are to stand strong and firm."

There was a short silence that followed as the group processed the information. Kydar personally found himself wondering how poor Sousuke fared on Days of Reckoning, but decided against asking.

"Is everything you guys do so… intense?" Alendra sighed to the dervish.

"We serve the god of war," Anorah arched an eyebrow beneath her hood, "You expect us to be soft?"

"I guess not…" the paragon responded.

Again the group fell silent, save for a small chuckle from the Apprentice of Whispers. The necromancer quickly stifled her mirth when Rakiv shot the woman a disapproving glance, and the tall woman only offered a helpless smile in return. Finally Kydar picked up his pace to stride up next to Kehanni to strike up a new conversation.

"So you're a Whisper now?" the scribe asked the priestess.

"An agent of sorts," Kehanni answered, "I am not officially a member of their order. My loyalty will always lie first to Lyssa herself. However the Master and I have a mutually beneficial relationship. In return for me being his woman inside the Basilica, he provides me with resources and manpower whenever I require them for my missionary work."

"What sort of work?" Kydar asked.

"I mostly tend to the poor and the destitute," Kehanni nodded, "Vabbi is a wealthy land, so much so that its poor often go overlooked. While poverty is not rampant here, very few citizens are even aware of the men and women who starve in the dark allies of their cities. I try my best to reach out to these forgotten souls and bring as much attention to them as I can."

"Hey, a fellow do-gooder," Melonni chuckled, "I used to do similar work back in Kourna. You ever spent a night in prison for your efforts?"

"I have come close, on the few occasions that someone dared try to imprison a cleric," Kehanni responded, "But the Master saw to it that I was well protected."

"Man, that guy just has connections all over the place," Kydar shook his head.

"More than you know," Kehanni nodded, "But come now Kydar, we have been walking all this way and you've told me almost nothing of yourself. As though it hasn't been nigh on six years since I saw you last."

"Really? Felt closer to seven," Kydar smiled and then gave a shrug, "I'm doing well, all things considered. Let's see last time we talked… I was still an Apprenticed Scribinal Student yeah?"

"Something like that," Kehanni laughed, "I never could make out the meaning of your titles."

"Neither can we!" Anicara spoke up with a giggle.

"Yeah, yeah whatever!" Kydar waved them off with a shake of his head, "Well I've had a few promotions since then. I'll spare you the title and just say that I was sent here to cover an excavation story for the Academy. One thing led to another and now I find I'm their official war correspondent here in Elona."

"My my, that is quite a jump," Kehanni smiled, "Your parents must be so proud."

"I assume so," Kydar chuckled lightly, "I haven't gotten any of their letters. Kind of hard to get mail when you live in a resistance hideout."

"I imagine so," Kehanni nodded and then smiled, "Well they seemed quite pleased with your work… at least, when I last saw them. They attended temple during Car ne'Val, and spoke very highly of your work. Of course that was just as the war was beginning."

"Mm, I'm sure my mom's none too pleased that I'm in the middle of all this," Kydar chuckled, "You know how she worries."

"Half of Kodash knows how she worries," Kehanni laughed lightly as she looked up at him, "So how is Tatsuki? Have you heard from her?"

"Uh yeah, yeah I got one of her letters just before I left Istan for Kourna," Kydar answered as he looked down at the priestess, "She's doing well, last I read. She said she earned her Summoner's Mark and had graduated to single study. She holds the title of Quan Yun Kun now."

"Oh good for Suki!" Kehanni exclaimed excitedly, "I'm so glad to hear she's doing so well!"

"Yeah well, she always was insanely smart so I can't say I'm surprised," Kydar chuckled.

"Quan Yun Kun…" Anorah spoke up, "That is a Shing Jea title is it not? It means At the Master's Feet, yes?"

"Yeah, yeah it does," Kydar nodded to the dervish, "It's given to students at Shing Jea Monastery who excel to the point that they require intensive training because they are so far beyond their classmates."

"Only a handful of students ever achieve that honor…" Anorah nodded slowly, "Your friend must be gifted indeed."

"Sister, actually," Kydar corrected lightly, "And yeah, she is."

Rakiv raised an eyebrow in mild surprise and turned to Anicara. The water mage returned the ranger's surprised gaze and gave a small shrug in response. Rakiv nodded slowly and gave a small smile. She now knew what her next move would be in their 'life story game'. The party continued to chat easily as they made their way through the rocky canyons and eventually to a large bridge that spanned the river Elon. Many in the group noted that the river's waters were calm here, almost placid in their gentle flow. Unlike the changing flood plains and violent cataracts to the south, here the Elon was at peace. It lay in a river bed that it had carved out through centuries of work, and reclined serene in its cushions of silt and earth. The party crossed the bridge and Kehanni turned their path to follow the river bank as it curved its way north. Behind them the mighty fortress of Jahai loomed amongst the mountain peaks, its gilded towers gleaming in the afternoon light. Rakiv was almost certain she could feel the eyes of Kournan spotters upon them, but at their distance from the walls she could discern no movement upon the battlements.

The priestess soon took up a new song as they journeyed northwards, her bells chiming with every step as she led them up stream. Every once in awhile she drifted into a hymn that some in the group knew, causing the party members to join in when they could. The singing eventually became a game and Kehanni began sampling a variety of tunes to see if anyone could guess which song she was singing.

"Canto Number 5!" Melonni cried out, "I'm telling you it's Canto Number 5!"

"Calm yer boots ye dusty tree hugger," Margrid shook her head, "It's Briney as She Be. 'Tis the oldest sailin' song in the book… or at least it would be if'n pirates wrote books… or kept books… or even read books for that matter."

"It's Canto Number 5!" Melonni insisted, "Listen it goes… 'Seek we now your glorious haven, ala-lala-ala-la-la!'"

"Yer off yer anchor," Margrid replied, "The words be… 'E're I lay with salty maiden, yar-har-har-yar-har-har-har!'"

"Actually you're both right," Kydar laughed, "When Lyssan missionaries tried to bring their faith to the corsairs, the pirates loved the festivals and holy days, but hated the songs. In 1163 D.R., Commandant Ulsen the Red commissioned his best musicians to rewrite the lyrics to several Lyssan hymns to make them more piratey. Briney as She Be was one of the first songs they came up with, and it's an exact copy of the tune from Canto Number 5."

"Listen 'ere ye be spectacled scroll jockey," Margrid began.

"Oh that one doesn't even make sense, I don't wear glasses!" Kydar protested.

"If'n I wanted to get me some learnin'," Margrid continued without pausing to listen to his complaint, "I'd have gone ta school with all the other nice little boys n' girls. But did I? No!"

"Well you're far too smart and educated to have never gone to school," Kydar put in even as the corsair captain talked over him.

"Cause I weren't gonna take no part in 'avein a mountain o' useless facts stuffed in me head by some dry loined spinster!" Margrid exclaimed.

"Okay that one was just a little too descriptive," the scribe sighed.

"So next time yer wantin' ta give a history lesson…" the corsair went on.

"We're here," Kehanni announced.

The party came to a halt as they looked around. They stood in a rocky canyon, surrounded by high cliff walls that cast deep shadows over them. A trail ran from north to south, but Kehanni no longer faced the path and instead appeared to be staring at a pile of boulders against the canyon wall.

"What's here?" Alendra asked curiously.

"The Chantry of Secrets, of course," the Apprentice chuckled lightly.

"I… I see rocks," Anicara stated, "Anybody else just see rocks?"

"I see rocks," Koss nodded, "I can tell from having lived underground, and thus having seen a lot of rocks in my day."

"You depend too much on your eyes," Kehanni laughed lightly, "Come, and walk with me on paths unseen."

The priestess stepped toward the pile of rocks and with a quick turn she slipped between the boulders and disappeared. Several people blinked in confusion, but Rakiv stepped forward to examine the boulders before shifting to one side and striding in as well. It was the kind of thing you didn't see until you saw it. The shadow of the canyons and the angle of the rocks made it seem as though the canyon wall was nothing more than a towering rock face that had suffered a small land slide. But once up on the pile of boulders, it became clear that there was indeed a passage through.

The entrance was small enough that it only fit one person at a time, and yet wide enough that even a tall man could stride through without scooting or ducking. Rakiv passed through the well hidden breach and found herself standing in a wide stone corridor that had been carved out of the living rock. Torches lit the way forward and she strode across the leveled ground, her leather soles making little sound as she followed the chiming of bells that echoed ahead of her. Eventually the tunnel curved and Rakiv broke once more into broad daylight, and her violet eyes widened slightly in surprise.

"Welcome, Guildmistress Maelstrom," Kehanni greeted, "To the Chantry of Secrets."