Ch. 29
In Golden Day
Rakiv stood for a moment and merely looked on in awe. She had expected the Chantry to be some sort of church, or perhaps a large temple. Instead she found herself staring down into a humble township that was neatly nestled in a basin surrounded by bright, golden cliffs. A small market bustled near the center of the little town and various stone buildings stood around the center square, housing shops, libraries, archives and even a small school. A trio of children dashed up to Kehanni, laughing and giggling as they tossed a ball to her and then scattered with excited squeals.
"Oh come back here you little rascals! I am not going to be 'it'!" the priestess cried and then gave a small laugh, "Pardon me guildmistress. I will meet you in the center of town. For the moment, please have a look around."
"Yeah… yeah I think I will," Rakiv nodded, though didn't look at the other woman as she continued to stare at the Chantry in surprise and interest.
Kehanni smiled and took her leave, her bells jingling as she swiftly strode across the dusty ground. For several long moments, Rakiv continued to stare at the town and the wonders that it held. It was not so much the existence of the town itself that had caught her interest, but the large statues that watched over it. Five mighty sculptures stood tall over the town, each one bearing the visage of one of the divines. To her right a small chapel stood at the feet of a massive statue of Balthazar, lord of War and Fire. The war god's fists held tightly to a massive red sword and wore a battle cloak over his broad, imposing shoulders. The statue also cast a fair amount of light of its own as eternal flames licked over the stone cloak and rose from its eyes. The ranger strode past the chapel and continued on as she turned her eyes to her left and beheld another small sanctuary.
Behind it, with its wings spread wide, floated a statue of Dwayna. The goddess of Life and Air cast her gaze to the heavens and blue light swirled around her coiled robes and sashes. Rakiv paused to stare for only a little while, before stepping out of the statue's shadow and moving on. As she descended into the valley the road took a sudden curve as it shied away from the doorstep of yet another chapel. Wisps of frost and mist flowed around the small building and spilled over its threshold, an endless fog that emanated from the feet of the statue of Grenth. Rakiv stared up into the cold open sockets of the mask of the god of Ice and Death, and the lord of the underworld stared back. It was to this statue that the ranger gave a slow nod of grudging respect, before she turned to follow the path further down the slight incline.
The dirt of the path turned to cobblestones as she strode into the town itself and cast her gaze about at the business of the place. She had expected a secret headquarters or some kind of hardened facility, populated only by silent men and women. But here she found families and lively citizens, a mother that ushered her children through the street and a fishmonger that called out from his stand while a butcher racked large slabs of meat in his stall. Past these surprising sights the ranger strode until she stopped at the feet of the fourth chapel. The branches of a great tree swayed easily in the breeze as they shaded the small sanctuary. Amongst the boughs however, Rakiv could make out the visage of the goddess Melandru, patron of Nature and the Earth.
The goddess smiled down kindly as she spread her leaves to offer shade and comfort to all beneath her spread. Rakiv felt her knees tremble for a moment as an old instinct very nearly overcame her. Years of practice had taught her to kneel before the statue of her patron goddess, to offer prayer and supplication every time she wandered into the deity's presence, but a stubborn will within her bade her to stand her ground. Rakiv's bright violet eyes stared up at the goddess, and her brow furrowed for a moment as Melandru only smiled unmovingly in return. Again she thought to kneel, to speak to the Earth Mother and seek reconciliation. The soft soles of her boots padded across the cobblestones as she took a tentative step forward, and then another. For a third time, her knee sought the practiced form of bending, and just as she leaned forward a savage bark roared in her ears. The ranger recoiled in mild shock then spun around as a hand landed on her shoulder.
"Hey," Kydar said hesitantly, "You uh… you okay?"
"Yeah," Rakiv answered quickly as she stepped backwards, "Yeah I'm fine. Just fine. Is everybody here?"
"Yeah, they're back there in the square," Kydar nodded and then lifted a hand to rub the back of his neck, "Ya know Raki… I been meaning to ask you…"
"We should get back to them," Rakiv interrupted as she suddenly averted her eyes from his, "We still need to see the Master and get this business with the princes sorted out. C'mon."
Kydar blinked as the woman brushed past him and strode away toward the town square. The elementalist opened his mouth to object, but the words died on his lips and he found himself silent until she was well out of earshot.
" 'Hey Rakiv, wanted to ask you about that kiss,'" he muttered to himself, " 'Just wanted to know what kind of girl kisses a guy and then runs off into the night. Was it something I said or what?'" He shook his head and then groaned, "Gods I'm a dork…"
With these laments on his mind, the scribe moved to follow the ranger who had already made her way back toward the group. The representatives of Dormant Vengeance stood in a semi-circle in the town square, chatting lightly as they waited for further instructions.
"Ah, there she is!" Alendra pointed out as Rakiv approached, "Did you find the Master?"
"Not yet," the guildmistress responded, "Waiting on Kehanni to get back from chasing some kids."
"Well it seems we've no need for that," Kydar put in as he too made his way to them, "It looks like the Master just found us."
All eyes turned to the opposite end of the square where the double doors of the fifth and final chapel opened up, allowing several men in red robes to stride out. Amongst them was a man who wore neither hood nor mask and who strode with all the silent determination of a jungle Lynx. As one of his attendants whispered in his ear, the man lifted his eyes and gave a gesture to his followers before moving to stride across the town square. The red cloaked men and women behind him quickly scattered and the Master regarded the group with dark eyes as he approached them.
"Guildmistress Maelstrom," the Master of Whispers spoke as coolly as ever, "Welcome to the Chantry of Secrets. Word has reached me of your deeds. It seems your First Officer proved to be a capable guildmaster after all."
"Yeah, he did pretty damn good," Rakiv answered, giving a small frown, "Maybe now you'll stop underestimating my guild."
"I assure you, Maelstrom," the Master nodded as he clasped his hands behind his back, "My assessment of your guild's ability has risen much higher indeed. It is no mean feat to destroy a demon of the Drought's caliber."
"Then allow us to raise your bar higher still," Rakiv offered as she put one hand on her hip, "We also killed the Hunger on our way into Vabbi."
At this the Master's eyebrows raised in mild surprise. He took a moment to survey the group behind the red haired ranger, before giving a slow nod as he saw the truth of her words in their eyes. He turned his gaze back to Rakiv and opened his mouth to speak, before he was interrupted by a disconcerting giggle.
"Hmhmhm… oh my but this is a treat," the Apprentice of Whispers smirked as she spoke up from behind the rest of the group, "Take a good look my friends. It is not often that one is able to genuinely surprise the 'all-knowing' Master of Whispers."
"I was not aware of the death of the Hunger, I admit this freely," the Master nodded before he raised a hand and made a gesture to Anicara, "You may release that thing, child. It has been too long since it was last brought to heel."
"Oh uhm… okay…" Anicara agreed as she slowly closed her eyes.
"Ah, not so fast," Rakiv interrupted, stopping Ani though she didn't take her bright gaze off of the man before her, "I brought you back your vassal here, but you and I still need to talk, Master. See we've killed two demons for you now, and we've only been paid for one."
"You did not slay those demons for me child," the Master narrowed his eyes back at the guildmistress, "The demons are as much a threat to you as they are to me."
"Doesn't change the fact that this whole mysticism and demonology thing is your job," the ranger answered with a casual shrug, "All I'm after is Varesh. Now our deal was, we kill the Drought and you help us get to Vabbi so we can continue our fight against the Warmarshal. But now that the Hunger is dead, I'm thinking we're owed more compensation."
"I'd agree with that," Koss put in, "That thing was a bitch to bring down."
"Aye, an' don' be fergettin' that these Murmurs didn't actually help us get through," Margrid added, "We 'ad ta wander 'bout unnerground by ourselves cause his boys got themselves jumped by Kournans."
"True, Margrid," Rakiv nodded to her fellow ranger before looking back to the Whisper, "Very true. So Master, it seems that one way or another, you've accounts with us that need to be settled."
The Master of Whispers clicked his tongue disapprovingly as he stared hard at Rakiv. The ranger did not blink as she returned the gaze and something in her eyes began to harden the longer she stared at the man. Finally the Master gave a slight nod of his head in agreement.
"Very well," he allowed, "I will compensate you for a demon and a half, with the hopes that once this 'debt' is settled, you and I can engage as civil allies united against a common enemy."
"Sure thing," Rakiv allowed, "If nothing else, you red coats are good for intel."
"Very well, name your price," the Master invited with a small gesture.
"Kydar said that when he fought the Drought, your Apprentice here used some kind of light beam thing to defeat it," Rakiv answered without hesitation, "I want that."
"You want a beam of light?" the Master questioned, raising an eyebrow at her.
"I want whatever secret power it is that you guys use to smack these demons back to Torment," Rakiv snapped at him, "You give me that, and we're square for the Hunger."
The Master nodded slowly as he considered the request and then released a small sigh.
"What you ask for is not something I can easily give you," he explained, "For it is something that even we do not yet fully understand. However I will impart what I can to you and we will see if you are satisfied."
"Fine, where do we go?" Rakiv asked with a small quirk of her brow.
"We will…" the Master began.
He was interrupted by the sound of rapid jingling approaching, and turned his attention to a somewhat breathless Kehanni. The priestess smiled even as she panted lightly and came to a stop amidst the group.
"Oh, I see you've already found each other," the woman chuckled lightly and she bowed to the group, "Pardon me all. I was instructing a few of the children on the finer points of tag-ball."
"Ooo, tag-ball! I haven't played that in ages!" Anicara giggled a little.
"It's quite alright Kehanni," the Master nodded, "Our children enjoy your visits. It is good for them to remain lighthearted while they can."
"Thank you sir, but important work remains at hand," Kehanni responded.
"Indeed it does, and we shall see to it," the Master agreed as he turned away from them, "But for the moment I must see to it that my… allies, feel that I have lived up to my end of our bargin."
"I uhm… I think I'm gonna go help those kids Kehanni was teaching," Anicara said as she edged away from the group, "I'm sure they could use a little more instruction on…"
"Noooope, this is not playtime young lady," Kydar interrupted her as he caught the young elementalist by the shoulder. "This is work time now. Here, take these," he directed as he pressed a small notebook and a charcoal stick into the girl's hands.
"What are these for?" the hydromancer blinked at the objects then back at him.
"Notes," Kydar explained, "You're going to start taking them. I want you to write down everything we learn about this light magic thing that Rakiv wants. And I expect the report to be thorough."
"Awww, but…!" Anicara began to complain.
"You wanted to be an apprentice, well this is an apprenticeship," Kydar chuckled, "It's not all incantations and spell flinging. Now scribble down your name and get ready to start writing."
The girl grumbled unhappily about a certain dark-skinned meany-head that was forcing her to do a lot of writing, but otherwise kept silent. Rakiv only chuckled lightly and shook her head before turning her attention to the Master of Whispers and giving him a nod.
"Lead on Whisper," she addressed him.
"Follow me guildsmen," the Master of Whispers responded, "And I will show you the nature of that which you seek."
Though a few curious glances passed between them, the men and women of Dormant Vengeance did as instructed and fell in behind the Whisper. As the Master led them across the square, Rakiv raised her eyes ahead of them and balked as she beheld their destination. The final chapel in the Chantry lay before them, and above it hovered the statue of the twin goddess Lyssa. A depiction of whimsical beauty wound with one of chaotic scorn, in the form of two lovely women holding one another in an eternal embrace. Two pairs of eyes glittered down at them through the haze of magical sparkles that floated around the statue. Deep within her being Rakiv felt the rumblings of a savage growl begin and she finally stopped in her tracks before the chapel's threshold as the others continued forward.
"Kydar…?" she spoke, though the sound came out as almost a croak.
At the odd call, Kydar paused before the doors and turned to face his guildmistress. Even after a few moments, the woman did not look at him, her violet eyes remaining turned up at the visage of the two divine females that stared back at her.
"Something wrong Raki…?" Kydar asked.
Rakiv blinked as she lowered her eyes and looked at Kydar as though she had not expected him to be there. She took a step backwards and Kydar's brow furrowed as he identified an expression of wrath and fear in the slight distortion of her features. The scribe stepped forward and reached for her, but in the moment that he did the expression disappeared from Rakiv's face and she shook her head.
"Take point on this one," she ordered him, "You're better with these hocus pocus things anyway. Butter and I are going to go do a bit of scouting. I've never been to Vabbi before, and I'd like to get a lay of the land."
"Isn't that why you have Tahlkora and I with you?" Kydar questioned, arching an eyebrow at her.
"Yeah but I'm also worried about those spies that Kehanni mentioned," Rakiv answered, "We sure as hell weren't followed out of those caves after they collapsed, so whoever they are they must have picked up our trail by coming from Jahai. I just wanna make sure our tracks are covered. You can handle this right?"
"Well… yeah I can but…" Kydar began.
"Good," Rakiv nodded, "Don't let the Master weasel out of this either. Bring me that demon-slaying thing and make sure it works. Also talk to him about the Apprentice."
"What about her?" Kydar again arched an eyebrow slowly.
"I've decided I want to keep her. She knows a lot and we need that kind of edge, since the Whispers haven't been exactly forthcoming," the ranger said, "Secure her but keep her under close watch until I get back. I don't want her messing with anyone's head until I deal with her. Understood?"
"Yeah I…" Kydar began, and then straightened and cleared his throat under Rakiv's hard stare, "Yes Guildmistress, I understand. Will that be all?"
"That will be all First Officer," the ranger replied curtly as she turned on her heel, "See that it's done."
"Yes… Guildmistress," Kydar said slowly.
The ranger strode away from him, her long crimson tresses wafting in the breeze behind her as she gave a sharp whistle for her crocodile partner. Kydar watched her go as the knot in his stomach redoubled and tightened. The ranger was clearly in no mood for talk, and the scribe began to wonder how long it would be before he would regain her confidence.
"Gods I hope I'm not that bad a kisser…" he muttered as he turned and strode up the steps of the chapel.
The shrine was little more than a construct of stone masonry, roofed with clay shingles and set with a single door. The structure housed a single room, with an altar at the far end and a small pool of water in the center. Kydar stepped in out of the sun and squinted as his eyes adjusted to the half light inside the shrine. No torches had been lit inside the building, and the only illumination was the sunlight that streamed through the door.
"Scribe Raelesin," the Master spoke from within the room, "Would you please close the door?"
Kydar responded with a puzzled glance, but did as he was asked. The elementalist reached for the door handle and gave it a firm tug to pull the heavy wooden door shut. The barrier creaked on its hinges as it turned slowly inward and then slammed with a heavy boom. The room was immediately plunged into darkness and all within stood in curious silence.
"Apprentice, if you please," the Master spoke out of the dark.
For a moment all anyone could hear was the click of the Apprentice's heeled boots against the smooth stone floor. And then suddenly, there was light. After blinking for a moment, all eyes turned to the center of the room where the Apprentice stood in the pool of water over a pedestal that sat in the pool's center. Atop the pedestal was a curious artifact upon which the Apprentice had placed a silver signet ring. The artifact appeared to be a great oil lamp, carved entirely out of the purest white marble. Whorls of sterling silver accented its surface and a silver spire stood atop the device. Upon this spire the Apprentice had placed the silver ring, and no sooner than she had done so a tiny tongue of white fire had flickered to life on the stone 'wick' of the lamp. Despite the size of the miniscule, barely breathing flame it managed to cast a surprising amount of brilliance across the room. The guildsmen squinted against the light as their eyes grew accustomed to the illumination that brightened the entire chapel.
"We found it only a few months ago," the Master spoke, "Beneath the tomb of an ancient titan, named Saevio Proelium. The titan was sealed away by our order in ancient times, and when we discovered his seal, we learned that he had very nearly broken through. During our efforts to repair the tomb, we found this… a stone oil lamp and a silver ring. At first it seemed of little consequence, but upon closer inspection we found something very interesting. Scribe Raelesin, you are an authority on ancient languages are you not?"
"A few, yeah," Kydar confirmed with a nod.
"Then can you make out the inscription on the base of the lamp?" the Master asked, gesturing to the artifact.
Kydar arched an eyebrow in curiosity but strode forward across the room and stopped at the edge of the pool. The Apprentice of Whispers regarded him with a half-smile and gave a tip of her head as she oblidgingly stepped away from the stand. Kydar gave her a curt nod of thanks and hunkered down at the pool's edge as he squinted at the lamp from a slight distance. Along the wide base of the artifact he could make out carefully carved gold inlay, that swooped and whorled in characters that belonged to a language he did not know. Yet even still, a character here and there seemed familiar and he studied it closely.
"Mrrm… this is… old," he blinked slowly as he stared at the inlay, "That character there looks like a form of the ancient elonian 'tha' symbol, and that one there looks like a Krytan character…" the scribe blinked as he examined the inscription further and then pointed, "Wait… wait, wait I know this… I've seen this before… on a pillar we found in the Sanctuary. I thought it was just some kind of culty gibberish but… what is this?"
"It is a language that pre-dates all the tongues of the world," the Master explained with a slow nod, "Spoken before man set foot on the face of the earth. We know it as the first language, one that is so old that its speakers have long since been… forgotten."
"So… you don't know what it says?" Melonni asked curiously.
"Oh we most certainly know what it says," the Master shook his head, "It took weeks to translate, but we finally understood its meaning."
"And what does it say… exactly?" Alendra chimed in, her own curiosity quickly rising.
"It says," the Master began, "In Golden Day, in Fallen Night, May demons burn within my sight. Against the Dark God's maddened might, May I stand firm and Bring the Light."
As he spoke the words the stone lamp began to hum lightly and the ring rattled on its perch as the flame within the lamp suddenly rose higher. The tiny tongue changed into a flickering flame of white brilliance that crackled and snapped as it spit small white embers into the pool around it.
"These words were the oath of an elite sect of warriors, known as the Lightbringers," the Master of Whispers explained, "We believe that there were once hundreds, perhaps even thousands of lamps and rings just like this one, but that they were all lost to the wastings of time."
"Who made them…?" Tahlkora spoke, her voice barely a whisper as though she feared to disturb the magical item in the center of the room.
"We do not yet know for certain, though we have our suspicions," the Master answered, "All we can say is that they were not made by the hands of men. This artifact dates to the days before the Exodus. We believe that the Lightbringers were those mortal creatures who joined the armies of the Five to fight against Abaddon's Margonite forces before he and his minions were cast into torment. The tales say that these rings could transform a man into a living beacon of light and empower his allies with the strength to strike down demons. Admittedly, for all our study we were unable to unlock its powers. However, the Apprentice discovered a bit of a work around, a means by which to coax just enough power out of it to fight the Drought."
"Apprentice?" Kydar asked, "What do you know about this… object?"
"In all honesty, only a smidgen more than these Whispers do," the Apprentice of Whispers responded smoothly, "I know only that the ring and lamp are a single unit. The lamp is a fount of power, and when the ring is joined with it, they charge one another. As the flame in the lamp grows, so does the amount of power in the signet. The signet itself is but the conduit of the lamp's power, the means by which the light of this lamp is projected into a weaponized form. When we found it, the ring had but a single charge left in it. I managed to convince the ring that I was a member of its order just long enough to project that blast of light you saw when we fought the Drought."
"So it only works if you're a member of its club?" Koss asked with a small snort, "That's awful snobby of it."
"How does one become a member of this Order then?" Kydar inquired as he rose to his feet again.
"In truth… we do not know," the Master said, "Though indeed we have tried. I selected my best men to swear the oath written upon the lamp. I dubbed them in the 'Lightbringer Chapter', in the hope that the ritual would invoke the ring's power. But it does not appear to be a matter of one's desire to join with the ring. The lamp and ring decide whether or not one is worthy to join their ranks, and it seems that they have yet to select a bearer."
Again the ring rattled on its pedestal as the flame jumped higher still, turning into a blaze of white light that cast even greater light across the room. The group shielded their eyes against the brilliance and the Apprentice waded forward through the pool towards the lamp. The woman squinted as she reached through the flames and carefully plucked the ring from its perch. No sooner than she had removed the ring, the fire died and the room was plunged into darkness once more. A creak of sliding stone sounded through the room as the Master pushed on a lever to open a wide skylight in the ceiling. Sunlight streamed into the room and the party found themselves rubbing their eyes at the sudden changes from light to darkness and back again.
"The charge is complete," the Apprentice said, "But the ring remains useless to us unless we find a member of the order. I do not think I will be able to deceive the artifact a second time."
"Nor would it be wise to try," the Master said, "But your guildmistress asked for the power to slay demons. In that capacity, this is all I can offer her. Take it that she might be satisfied."
"Tell you the truth Whisper," Kydar said as he reached forward to take the ring from the Apprentice, "I don't think she wants this for her. I think she wants it for us."
"A curious conclusion Scribe Raelesin," the Master of Whispers said, "Perhaps the truth of the matter may yet be revealed to you. But I believe that with this, I am no longer beholden to you."
"Not just yet, there's still one more thing," Kydar said, and sighed as he closed his eyes, "We want… the Apprentice of Whispers."
Several heads whipped around towards Kydar, who kept his eyes closed to avoid eye contact with his guildmates. A round of protests immediately erupted from the group, as several expressed that they were still not comfortable with traveling in the company of Whispers and their creepy servants. The protests continued until Kydar finally raised his hands and waved for silence.
"I know, alright! I know!" he exclaimed, "But this comes straight from Rakiv. She feels that you red coats haven't been 'exactly forthcoming' with your info, and she wants to keep the Apprentice."
"We have told you exactly what you needed to know, when you needed to know it Scribe Raelesin," the Master responded coolly.
"Yeah well some of us like to have a little warning before we have to fight a mountain sized demon with a dozen stone arms in the middle of a raging river," Kydar snapped at him, "Your info always comes when it's too late to do anything but charge right in and hope for the best. And as much as the tall chick here creeps me out, Rakiv's right about one thing. Most of what we've learned about these demons and crap has come from her, not from you. Thus far, your order has proven to be wholly undependable as allies, so I can't blame the guildmistress for wanting someone on our team who's willing to share some information. Give us the Apprentice, free and clear, and we're square. Deal?"
The Master of Whispers was silent for a moment before he turned his gaze down to the woman in question. The Apprentice of Whispers looked up at him and a slow smile of mocking amusement spread across her face. The Master glared at her, but the woman only smiled back, her pale eyes boring into his as if daring him to deny the guild their request.
"You know not what you ask for, Scribe Raelesin," the Master warned.
"Maybe not," Kydar replied, "But it's my job to figure this kind of stuff out. So do we have a deal, or not?"
The Master of Whispers clenched his jaw as he considered the proposition for a moment and then turned his gaze to Anicara.
"Child, are you certain you still hold this cretin's leash?" he asked.
"Uhm… yeah, I still don't understand what's really going on… but I've still got that magic you gave me," Anicara nodded.
"Very well," the Master said as he raised a hand, "Hear me now Jedasros. I release you of your oaths. Your bond is now to this girl. Have a care, for her life is yours and without her you cannot be sustained. You are hers now, to do with as she wills."
As he spoke a green pentacle inscribed itself across his palm and then flashed brightly before fading into acrid smoke. The Apprentice trembled lightly beneath the spell and then took a deep breath and released it as a sigh. A small giggle crossed her lips as she strode out of the pool and stepped up to Anicara. The young elementalist looked up at the tall woman who stared down at her with a broad smile, and then blinked when the Apprentice fell to one knee before her.
"Fate is a curious mistress," the Apprentice chuckled lightly, "And I am most interested to see where she will take us. It seems that I am now completely in your thrall Commander Nyrin. Do with me as you will."
"Oh uhm… okay uh… rise, I guess," Anicara chuckled a little nervously.
The Apprentice did as commanded and smiled down at the elementalist again. Anicara shifted uncomfortably under her gaze and finally looked to Kydar. The scribe gave a nod of approval and then turned his attention to the Master.
"Then it seems we're done here," he said, "Thanks for your help and the uh… gifts," he said as he gestured to the Apprentice and rolled the ring between his fingers, "For now though, we'd best be going. We have some Princes to petition."
"A matter that I believe Kehanni can aid you with," the Master nodded to him, "I bid you farewell guildsmen, and good luck. We will be watching."
"I'm sure you will," Kydar replied, "Alright guys, let's move out. Rakiv's out scouting or something so we should see if we can find her."
There were general nods of agreement as the guildsmen turned and began to make their way towards the door. As they filed out into the sunlight Kydar trotted towards the head of the group, and then slowed as he caught the shoulder of the group's resident paragon.
"Alendra, hey do me a favor," Kydar said as he held up the signet ring, "Hold onto this for me would ya?"
The paragon blinked as she looked at the silver signet and then turned her eyes back to Kydar in confusion.
"What for?" the paragon asked curiously.
"I'm carrying all kinds of crap as it is," Kydar chuckled, "Seriously my bag is just stuffed full of books and notes and stuff, and this ring here seems kind of important. Besides it's sort of a tactics thing, since it's our tactic for killing demons, and I figured that's your department right?"
"Yeah… yeah I guess," Alendra nodded slowly and then cleared her throat, "Hrm, yes I think I can take care of it for you."
"Great," Kydar said with a nod and a smile, "Just wanted to make sure somebody had it who could keep track of it. I'd kick myself if I lost that thing," he laughed lightly.
"Well I'll take good care of it," Alendra chuckled and nodded, "You can count on me."
"Hey," Margrid broke in from the rear of the group, "If we're searchin' fer the guildmissus, anybody have any idea which way we ought ta be lookin'?"
"Let's ask the gate guards," Kehanni advised, "They will likely know where she has gone. Once we find her we can talk about your plan to see the Princes. Simply approaching our rulers is no easy feat, but I think I may have an idea that will help."
"Great," Kydar nodded, "Then let's get moving. If I know Rakiv, she's going to want to cover as much ground today as possible."
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Gold sand filtered between the ranger's fingers as she raised a handful of earth to her nose. She took a quick sniff as she rolled the grains between her digits, her eyes narrowing with focus as she inspected the soil. The earth was different here somehow, and not just in color and texture. There was a certain feel to the earth beneath one's feet, a feeling of which any good ranger was acutely aware. Rakiv had noted that the soil of Istan had felt ancient and old, bearing memories and history in its every root and fiber. The sands of Kourna had been rough and harsh, every grain telling a tale of hardship and struggle. But the earth here seemed… content. The sand spilled almost lazily from her gloves, and pooled in soft apathetic mounds. The sense of being at ease was pervasive, and even the trees here swayed back and forth as though they had not a care in the world. The red-head rose to her feet and dusted her hands as she turned her eyes away from the dirt and out to the view around her.
A spectacular vista surrounded her as the land sprawled out in all directions around her. The guildmistress had mounted one of the many tall bluffs surrounding the Chantry, and from her perch her view stretched far and wide. The river Elon ran away to the northeast, until it was obscured by the mountain walls of the lowlands to the north. To the southwest she could make out the globed spires of Jahai, mighty fortress capital of Kourna. On all sides golden sands and bronzed cliffs marked the landscape, creating deep canyons that eventually gave way to the verdant green of wide valleys.
"Pretty," Rakiv admitted.
A croak of agreement came from nearby, where her crocodile lazed upon the cliffside where he could soak up the most sun. The animal flapped its tail in confirmation, before raising its head and giving a low snort in the direction of his human companion. Rakiv stared at him for a moment before giving a nod and a shrug.
"Yeah I know," she answered, "But credit where credit is due right? I don't have to like Her to recognize She does good work… some of the time."
The crocodile chuffled lightly as he began to settle, and then raised his head again to sniff the air. The animal's alarm alerted Rakiv to an approaching presence and she half turned her head as a figure in a red coat fairly materialized behind her.
"Guildmistress Maelstrom," the Whisper agent said with a salute, "You asked to be alerted once your party was prepared to leave. They stand at the Chantry gate now, and they are searching for you."
"Thank you," Rakiv nodded, "I will be with them shortly."
Without further words the agent vanished back to whence he had come, and Rakiv breathed out a long sigh. She stepped up to the cliff side and looked down at Butter as she gave a small chuckle.
"Well, here we are, right under the goddess' eyes," she said slowly, "This is gonna be a long leg of the trip. Hope we can get it over with. I miss my cave already."
The crocodile gave a snort at her cynicism and croaked in protest. Rakiv looked at him and then finally laughed and sighed as she shook her head.
"Okay fine, not really. But still… I just…" she began and then paused as she shook her head, "Let's go, the others are waiting for us."
The ranger stared down into the canyon below, where she could make out the forms of her guildsmen milling about with a handful of red coated men and women. With a deep breath Rakiv closed her eyes… and tipped forward off the cliff wall. She fell with a wild whoop that was lost to a rush of wind as she plummeted. In mid fall she flipped and planted her feet against the cliff wall, her boots sliding over the sand stone as the fingers of one hand gripped at the surface to slow her fall. She struck a ledge and vaulted over it with astounding grace, falling several more feet before striking another outcropping. A series of flips and jumps punctuated her rapid descent, and finally she pushed away from the cliff wall. The ranger spun end over end as she soared for a moment, and then finally struck the ground in a cloud of dust and sand. There were a handful of surprised gasps and some coughing as the guildsmen waved away the dust cloud, and Rakiv chuckled as she rose to her feet.
"He pay up?" Rakiv asked.
"Well he gave us a useless bit o' shine, if'n that's what ye wanted," Margrid chuckled lightly.
"Oh come now captain," the Apprentice smiled at the shorter corsair, "Nothing is truly useless. You need only know how to make use of it."
"I see we got both things that I asked for then," Rakiv chuckled lightly and then turned to give a nod, "Good job First Officer."
"Yeah… thanks," Kydar answered as he returned her gaze, a glance that expressed his displeasure with the current turn of events, "Guildmistress I move we have a guild meeting at your earliest convenience."
"Noted," Rakiv answered curtly, "We'll do it when we find an inn or make camp… whichever one comes first. For now I wanna get a move on, the sooner we get to your Princes the better."
"Actually, that is something I have been meaning to speak to you about," Kehanni answered, "I spoke to the Master about the matter, but he said you would likely take this news best if it came from my lips rather than his."
"So it's bad news then," Rakiv sighed and shook her head, "Is it something we have to deal with right now? Or can we walk and talk?"
"Walk and talk will be fine," Kehanni agreed, "We will need to cover much ground to solve this problem in any case."
"Good," Rakiv nodded as she looked up, "Everyone ready to get a move on?"
There were no objections and several nods.
"Alright, Dormant Vengeance move out," she commanded, "Kehanni you're up front with me. Let's hear this problem of yours."
With a few farewells to the Whispers at the gate, the party began their march north and east towards the faint, distant babble of the Elon. As they walked Kehanni began to relate the nature of the problem to Rakiv, and as they listened the guild felt its spirits begin to fall.
"Wait, wait, wait…" Rakiv interrupted after a moment, "So they're not seeing anyone?"
"I am afraid not guildmistress," Kehanni shook her head, "These are difficult times you see? There are many things that require the Princes attention, things that they refuse to acknowledge. Along with the plight of the workers in the Vehjin mines, Kourna has petitioned the Princes with a host of issues, from tarrifs on trade goods, to requesting support in this provincial war. The Princes held council for months, before finally deciding that these were not problems that needed fixing, and thus closed their courts to all comers."
"What!" Kydar exclaimed, "But they can't do that! Where the hell is our leadership going to come from if they don't do something about all this?"
"The Princes claim that they are providing leadership," Kehanni sighed, "Each has said this in their own way. Ahmtur, who is called The Mighty, believes that his efforts are best focused towards our northern border, where rumor stirs of a new alliance between the harpy flights and the heket tribes. He has zealously defended that boarder all his life, as have his fathers before him. All other issues that are not directly related to military work, he considers to be a part of the other princes duties."
"Well how about Bokka then?" Kydar asked, "I mean… he's generally pretty useless, but even he doesn't let things get in the way of his bottom line. Shouldn't he be doing something about the mines or the trade? If Istan falls to Kourna, it'll kill his shipping lanes!"
"Bokka has decided to withdraw from all conflict on the matter," Kehanni shook her head, "His solution to the problems in the mines was to simply throw money at the problem. Pay the workers more to labor under more dangerous conditions. It worked for about a week, but soon no amount of coin could convince the miners to venture back into the mines. As for the trade… well he believes that he holds more than enough wealth as it is, and that if Kourna or Istan really wanted his support they'd offer him better terms. He closed his court out of frustration a month ago, claiming that he'd rather be feasting anyway."
"What of the third?" Tahlkora spoke up curiously, "Has Prince Mehtu done nothing about this unrest? Surely he would realize that war between Kourna and Istan will eventually spill over to Vabbi?"
"It was Mehtu who bade the other princes to ignore the war in the first place," Kehanni answered, "He claimed that a man who steps into another man's quarrel earns only a rebuke. He advised the others to consider this war none of their affair, and that Istan and Kourna would settle their differences on their own."
"Huh, and here I thought Mehtu was called 'The Wise' for a reason," Kydar snorted.
"He is!" Tahlkora answered quickly, before pausing to chew her lip, "He is likely just… misinformed. They all are. Surely once we tell them of the demons they will realize that they must act."
"Well we can't tell them that if we can't even get into their courts," Rakiv sighed as she ran a hand through her long red tresses,"We could always break in I guess. I'm pretty sneaky and I'm sure Marg knows her way around a lock."
"We might get away with that once, and only at some where soft like Makuun or Chokin," Kydar shook his head, "But there's no way we'd pull that off at Dzagon."
"I… take it those are the princes' fortresses?" Rakiv asked.
"Resplendant Makuun is the dwelling of Bokka, the self-proclaimed 'Magnificent'," Kydar said, "It is also known as the Pleasure City of Makuun. You'll understand why once you see it."
"The Holdings of Chokin is the home of Mehtu the Wise," Tahlkora clarified, "It's… kind of a really big library, to tell the truth. But it's still a palace. The guard are vigilant and well trained, as many a harpy flight has tried to set fire to the palace in the past."
"And Ahmtur the Mighty dwells in the mighty Citidel of Dzagon," Kydar finished, "It is a fortress even greater than Jahai. It's walls bar passage out of the Wilderness of Bahdza to the east and the wilds of Dzalana to the north. It's the seat of military power in Vabbi, and in all the years that it has stood it has never been overtaken."
"So Dzagon would be the hardest to break into eh?" Koss theorizied, "And even if we did, we'd need a pretty good exit strategy."
"Actually," Kehanni spoke up as she raised her hands, "There is an easier way... though it is by no means simple."
"I unno 'bout that holy girl," Margrid chuckled, "Breakin' inta a palace sounds pretty easy with a proper crew."
"Please, hear me out," Kehanni said softly, "The Princes have closed their courts, but there is at least one event that will draw them out of their palaces, one that even Ahmtur would not miss. Truth be told you have arrived at a most fortuitous time, as in three days time all of Vabbi will be celebrating the Festival of Lyss."
"The who of what now?" Anicara asked with a touch of confusion.
"Holy crap, it's already Festival time!" Kydar exclaimed, "Man, time flies when you're fighting a war!"
"Could someone explain this Festival to those of us who are not Vabbians?" Rakiv chuckled lightly.
"The Festival is our most high, holy time of the year," Kehanni explained, "It is a grand event of beauty, artistry, worship and indeed a great deal of revelry. It spans three days in which all of Vabbi worships and adores all that the goddess Lyssa has given unto us."
"And the Princes will come out of their palaces for this festival?" Melonni chimed in, "Why wouldn't they just observe it from their palaces?"
"Because the Festival is a time of community and exuberance," Kehanni chuckled lightly, "The Princes come down to be among the people and join them in their revelry. Parties are held all over the land during the festival, but the Princes themselves each host a party on every night of the Festival. You will not be able to approach all the Princes at once, but on each night at least one of the Princes will leave his palace to join the grand party he is throwing."
"Break this down for us then," Rakiv said, "And somebody take notes. Who can we expect to be where, and when can we expect them to be there?"
"That's you kid," Kydar chuckled as he nudged Anicara, "Start scribbling."
"I think I can help you guildmistress," Tahlkora said, "The Festival nights are three different events. The first night is the Dance of Lyss. It is a grand ball held in the Grand Forum of Vab, hosted by Prince Mehtu the Wise. Everyone dresses up in their fanciest wear and they don wonderful masks. It's a big to-do and it's lots of fun. I went once… uh, as a serving girl, and everyone looked really pretty."
"Ooo, that sounds fun," Alendra smiled brightly, "I'd totally be up for a big dance!"
"The second night is the Feast of Lyss," Tahlkora continued, "Which is held in the Gardens of Sebhorin, Vabbi's most wonderful botanical gardens. Prince Ahmtur hosts the Feast there, and it's usually a pretty wild affair. More food and drink than you can imagine or shake a stick at. People regularly pass out at the Feast and must be carted away come the morning," she giggled lightly.
"I'm liking this idea more and more," Koss chuckled as he wiped an arm against his watering mouth.
"Finally, the third night is even wilder," Tahlkora said, "It's called the Works of Lyss, and it's held in Resplendant Makuun. The Works of Lyss is all about performance and art, and the streets are filled with street performers, acrobats, magicians and entertainers of every kind."
"I hear it's also the best night to find yourself a bit of companionship," Kydar chuckled, "People tend to want to make the most of the final night."
"Ugh, I cannot tell you how often I've heard that line…" Tahlkora sighed, "Uhm, while working there, of course. But the higher classes of Vabbi usually use this night to attend musicals, concerts and plays in the great theatre houses of Makuun. Some performing troupes train all year to put on a single show for this night. The luckiest of these troupes are invited to put on their show for Bokka himself, and the prince makes his way between the various play houses in order to see as many shows as he can cram into a single night."
"Alright, so we have to go to three parties in three nights and see if we can get ahold of these Princes then," Rakiv said, and then chuckled, "A lot easier than breaking in I think."
"Less opportunity fer snatchin' a few shinies though…" Margrid muttered under her breath.
"So why's this not simple Kehanni?" Rakiv asked curiously.
"Well… no one gets into the Princes' parties without an invitation," the priestess said slowly, "Even the serving staff must be approved by the royal wait staff before they may enter the party. To get in, you must either be sent an invitation or know someone who is in good enough standing with the Princes that they will let you enter."
"Ya know… it's always something isn't it?" Melonni sighed, "So does that put us back at breaking and entering?"
"Hold on… how do you get one of these invitations?" Rakiv inquired, "Do you just have to be special or something? Is there someone you have to sleep with?"
"Oh, no, no," Kehanni laughed lightly as she shook her head, "Nothing like that. Invitations are often given to friends or business partners of the princes. Noble houses are often given invitations as well. I actually managed to receive one myself this year, as thanks from Prince Mehtu for a bit of charity work I did on his lands."
"So let me get this straight…" Anicara said as she raised her eyes from her notebook, "We have three days to catch the Princes' attention, so they will invite us to their party, so that we can talk to them and hope that they'll listen to our warning?"
"Well it sounds like the alternative is trying to sneak past several groups of palatial guards," Alendra put in, "And then hope that the Princes won't just have us beheaded for infiltrating their palaces. If those are our options, I vote for trying to get an invite."
"Yeah, but getting one is still going to be a problem," Anicara replied.
"Actually…" Kydar suddenly spoke up, "I might be able to help us there."
"You can get an invitation for us?" Rakiv asked with an arched eyebrow, "All ten of us?"
"Maybe…" Kydar said thoughtfully, "I'd have to, uh, call in a favor but… it's worth a shot. If it doesn't work out, we can try something else I guess."
"Well do we have any other options Kehanni?" Rakiv asked as she turned back to the priestess.
"I'm afraid not," Kehanni answered with a soft shake of her head, "If you wish to see the Princes, this is your chance."
Rakiv sighed and clicked her tongue thoughtfully. Inwardly she lamented over the constant obstacles that continuously barred their path. It was always something, nothing could ever be straightforward or simple. Again the ranger ran a hand through her hair and gave a small sigh as she nodded in resignation.
"Then we'll try Kydar's contact first," the ranger agreed, "If that doesn't work out, we still have two days to try and figure out how to get into those parties. But that leaves the question as to where we're headed right now. Thoughts, First Officer?"
"Uh…" Kydar began, balking once more at the use of his guild title, "Well we need to head for the Forum I guess. My contact lives just west of the Kodash Bazzar, it's our biggest market city and if my thing doesn't work out, Kodash will still be our best bet to find a workaround."
"So we're heading…?" Rakiv asked with an arched eyebrow.
"North still," Kydar said, "Fastest way is to follow the Elon into Vehtendi Valley Then we can go straight north through the highlands, which is kind of rough going, or we can take the longer, easier way around to the Bazzar itself. Either way it's up to you Raki."
"Hmm… well we'll cross that bridge when we come to it," Rakiv nodded.
"If you don't mind, guildmistress," Kehanni said, "I will travel with you as far as Vehtendi, but then I must leave you and return to the Basilica. My order has much to do in preparation for the festival."
"No problem here Kehanni," Rakiv responded with a light chuckle, "But we need to pick up the pace. I want to be as far north as possible before night fall."
"Alright, you heard the guildmistress!" Alendra called as she pumped her fist in the air, "Double-time it men! Aaand march! Left! Left! Left-right-left!"
At the paragon's cheerful goading, the party fell into a rapid march northward, their boots and sandals tromping across golden sands as they followed the river's flow.