"This is clearly a set-up." Garrett growled at the man before him. "Think about it."
They were near the coast just outside Kirkwall, and while the sun was up, there was a chill in the air, promising the cold rain that frequented Kirkwall during its short summer. The vegetation, while sparse so close to the sea, was shifting into orange and yellow, the short autumn and winter barely leaving enough time to shed the leaves before it was time to grow them again. All of that reminded Garrett that the time they had to collect fifty sovereigns for their trip was running out...making his current task all the more essential.
I can't let this money slip out of my hands. Garrett resolved there and then not to give an inch, he would get the job done. I have many allies at my back, they'd be fools to force the issue. They had reached the coast via one of the many tunnels in Darktown, a tunnel Garrett figured he'd have to tell Aveline about next time he met her. It's frustrating that I can't bring her with me on these excursions, but it's too much in the twilight of what's legal...damn, I could use her sword and counsel though. He felt himself missing her, despite having met her at their last dinner...unfortunately his mother had largely monopolized the conversation with the Guardswoman.
Still, Garrett had a strong complement at his back. For one thing was sure when the one hiring you claimed it was an easy job while offering a whole fifteen sovereigns...and that was that it wouldn't be easy. Garrett had been somewhat surprised at finding his hirer to be a Chantry priest, but her cold eyes had ruined her inflamed speech of caring for your fellow man, of doing what she was doing out of the kindness of her heart. A poor schemer if I ever saw one. Still, Garrett needed the money, and he couldn't well argue against helping the poor Kossith mage once he'd laid eyes on him. Whatever Petrice's plan was, Garrett actually felt sympathy for the wretched creature with its neck and wrists collared in bronze, eyes sealed with steel stitched into its skull and mouth stitched shut with copper thread...the poor man needed to be let free, to have his binds cut.
Conscious of the danger of transporting anything – never mind a Kossith mage – through Darktown, Garrett had therefore called out for his allies, however much it stung to hand a sovereign to both Isabela and Fenris while Merrill gladly took the four silver offered. The elf mage was standing with Anders and Bethany, the trio of mages forming a protective formation around the much larger Qunari, as they had throughout the journey, all of them extremely sympathetic to the poor wretch and conscious of what would have happened to them, had they been born among the Qunari. Fenris, though less eager to help, seemingly finding something amusing with their task, was standing to Garrett's right while Carver was at his left, the trio forming a spearhead of steel aimed straight at those barring their path.
A little to Garrett's right side but far back, Varric stood with Maric, the dog sat on his haunches, though his calm was feigned, at a moment's notice he could charge in...if he'd be faster than Bianca in Varric's hands was debatable though. Isabela on the other hand, stood alone to the far left side, seemingly harmless, which would surely result in a knife in the back for anyone taking their eyes off her, if it came to blows.
Garrett doubted it though.
Before him, the Qunari warriors were nine in numbers, their tattooed bodies merely dressed in leather trousers – if they felt the chill in the wind, they didn't show it – as some hefted the huge javelins they were so fond of while others only wore a swords. They were then, if one ignored the Kossith mage that so far hadn't done anything but meekly follow Garrett...equally matched in numbers. But while the Qunari were doubtlessly large and impressive, Garrett didn't feel all that intimidated, he had the mages, he had the equipment, he had a crossbow ready to end an enemy right there and then...and surely the Qunari were aware of that?
Their leader, a hulking brute of a Qunari with his horns slightly curled at the tips, made no motion of understanding that though. His eyes was steady and unnerving like any Qunari's...far too calm, yet with a nascent fire deep within...and fixed upon Garrett's. "The circumstances are irrelevant, the Arvaraad have been given a task, it must be completed."
As flexible as a Bronto... Garrett sighed, though his annoyance now held an undercurrent of worry. He did not want a fight, he wanted the Qunari to step down...and surely they would have, had they been people acting with a sense that wasn't completely alien to Garrett. If it comes to blows, even if we beat them without loss...the Arishok will have our heads. The thought made a bead of sweat run down his back, his confidence wilting under the steady gaze of the Qunari leader.
"A task to continue the enslavement of another person!" Anders called back, his eyes glowing malevolently.
Raising a hand to command silence, eyes wide with fear of the thought of Anders not obeying, Garrett forced himself to turn back to the Qunari officer, to look calm. "You said a tip guided you to the tracks that led you here...how could tracks lead you here if we just got here? We weren't here to make the tracks...ergo someone else made them with this mage." What's Petrice up to? Is she mad? Knew this was a bad idea... "Why do you think they'd do that, if not to make us meet and force a confrontation?"
"What others do is not my concern, the Saarebas is." The Qunari gestured at the Kossith mage with an ornate mace in his hand. "It has been left without its Arvaraad. It might be tainted, that taint must be destroyed."
"It?" Merrill echoed, voice small, yet holding a hint of defiance.
Garrett ignored all but the Qunari though, frowning in irritation. How can anyone be so blind and unable to grasp the bigger picture...? "You're not touching him, he's under my protection."
"The only reason we're speaking is because the Arishok has claimed you possess some sense in a city devoid of it." The Qunari replied, eyes narrowing, the fire in his eyes growing. "So understand this, I am Arvaraad, I contain the Saarebas, that is what I am...you cannot stop that, just as you cannot stop the changing of the seasons."
"You are not a season, you're flesh and blood." Garrett let the words hang there for a moment, narrowing his eyes in turn. "And I can stop you if you force me."
He felt surprisingly confident of that. He had managed to trade in his old armour of plate and cloth to a Coterie man who appreciated the idea of good protection while being silent, and instead Garrett had bought a suit of thick steel chainmail that covered every inch of him below his chin. The coif to it wasn't much protection for his head without some additional protection, granted, but if there was money over once it was time for the expedition, Garrett had his eyes out for a great-helm of steel that came surprisingly cheap from a smith that despised steel over other materials and sold such arms and armour cheaply to make room for better stuff. Wade is an odd man...
Not only that, but Garrett had sold his old buckler and replaced it with a round shield from one of the slavers, the larger protection a welcome change, though the shape wasn't one he preferred. His old broadsword that had come from Ferelden with him had been sold, the weapon had never been of great quality and the wear and tear had rendered it fit for nothing but scrap metal to be frank. Still, Garrett had sold it to a foolish elf...elves weren't allowed to carry such weapons, and though Kirkwall didn't enforce those rules, its existence would give others an excuse to beat up the man...but Garrett wasn't about to try and point that out to yet another moronic elf.
Instead he carried the falchion he'd taken from the slavers on his hip, a brutal cleaver of a weapon, but one that would make short work of flesh and bone...even that of a Kossith.
"You can stop me, but you cannot stop who I am, those are two different entities." The Qunari leader patiently replied, as if he was speaking to a child. "Relinquish the Saarebas and leave."
Impossible... "I understand the difference perfectly, it doesn't change the fact that you cannot enforce your rule on this Saarebas." Garrett grunted, resting a hand on the pommel of his sword, making those behind him tense while those in front of him remained calm. "I took a contract, I will honour that contract, no matter what...as such, it's you who must leave."
"Honour demands that you stay?" The Qunari seemed puzzled, but only for a moment before he straightened. "Our natures are in conflict, what must be, must be." He raised the ornate mace, the thing glowing yellow. A grunt, and Garrett looked back in time to see the Kossith mage fall to his knees, the plates over his eyes glowing yellow. "Saarebas, show that you still honour the Qun."
A nod...and the mage bowed down, head touching the sand, the man suddenly speaking, though it was a parched whisper. "I submit to you, Arvaraad...the truth has not left me."
Turning his head back, Garrett found a glimmer of satisfaction in the eyes of the Qunari leader even as Anders called out in rage. "A forced submission is no submission at all! You're torturing him!"
"I put it back under Arvaraad control, out of a foreign one..." The Arvaraad snorted, a hint of disgust in his tone. Petrice, she...damn, she must have done something, enforced the mage's silence. The eyes regarding Garrett were cold. "Now, you see, the Saarebas submit to the Qun, it is not under your charge, you have no right." Damn, I should agree, there's too many unknowns here, Petrice is playing me, the danger is too great...both now and later if I force things.
And if I don't, we won't get enough money for the expedition, we'll remain in danger... Garrett grimaced, then looked back up to the Qunari. "It does not matter, you forced his submission, you intend to kill him, but he's my responsibility."
"Not anymore." The Qunari narrowed his eyes.
"I was charged with taking him to safety, away from your kind. I will do that." Garrett growled back, trying to sound more confident than he was. Come on, step down you fool... "Surely, the Arishok knows I honour my deals? You should respect that."
"I do." The Qunari nodded, stoic as a rock. "But I cannot let you pass." He reached for his sword-
"What are you doing!?" Panic welling up in him, Garrett grabbed the Qunari's elbow, stopping him from drawing his blade as both groups tensed, weapons at the ready. We can't actually fight! The Arishok...Maker, stop being an idiot! "Don't be a fool! You'd throw your life away!"
"I am Arvaraad, not stopping you would be not being Arvaraad, and that is not living." The Qunari replied, his grip still on the sword, though he did not attempt to draw it. "Release the Saarebas and keep the life you hold so precious." There was enough scorn in his voice that anyone else would have spat at Garrett, but the Qunari simply looked at him, eyes hard. "Or act with honour, and live or die as the person you are meant to be."
Are all Qunari mad!? Garrett stared at the Kossith in horror. "That doesn't make sense!" Garrett shook his head, released the Qunari's elbow and gestured back at his group with his sword hand. "Look, you're all skilled warriors, I'm sure, but you're outmatched here. My group is better armed and armoured, I have a crossbow ready to shoot aimed straight at your heart! You will die if you try anything." The Qunari glared down at him, not intimidated, despite seeing the truth with his own eyes. Maker, back down you fool... "Hell, if you try anything, I have three mages that would-"
"Saarebas!?" The Qunari's eyes opened wide, gaze moving up to the elf and the pair of humans surrounding the Kossith still touching the ground with his forehead. There was horror in the Qunari's eyes, horror and anger. "Bas Saarebas!"
The Qunari's sword came out of its sheath swinging.
Maker! Jumping back and bending backwards, Garrett's vision filled with the sword's black blade as it nearly took his head off, sweeping through the air where his head has been a moment before.
As he straightened and took another step back, he didn't have time to see the skirmish explode into action as his enemy came at him again. The Qunari raised his sword high over his shoulder...and then stumbled as Bianca's kiss struck him square in the chest, the fletching of the bolt barely protruding from between a pair of ribs. Grunting, the Qunari kept going though, his charge slowing, his swing even slower as it swept from his right shoulder and diagonally down.
Garrett ducked and deftly stepped to the left, letting the Qunari's swing miss with a good couple of inches to spare as his right hand darted down and drew his falchion in a diagonal swing up while he took a swift step forward.
The sword took the Qunari just under the temple, the heavy blade smashing bone and flesh, hacking the man's right horn off along with a quarter of his skull.
As the Qunari fell face first to the ground, pieces of his brain and skull striking Garrett's chest, Garrett tried to take stock of the situation, insistently suppressing his panic of what had just happened as he tried to focus on what now had to be done.
Varric cried out in anger, his coat pinned to a tree by a javelin taller than he was. But as the responsible Qunari advanced with drawn sword, Maric barrelled into him, knocking him onto his back. The Qunari threw off the hound and rolled onto one knee, his chest bleeding from multiple claws even as Maric came at him again, teeth ripping a tear in the man's thigh before darting away from a wide swing of his foe's sword.
A Qunari charged at Carver, javelin in his right hand raised for a throw at point blank range. Instead a beam of white struck his shoulder, encasing it and most of the Qunari's arm in ice and drawing a groan from the warrior. A groan turning into a howl as Carver's sword came down, shattering ice and flesh alike and sending the Qunari's arm to the ground before with a growl the man kept moving the sword, swinging it counter-clockwise over his head and then down, smashing the blade deep into the Qunari's gut, felling him even as Carver continued the swing, bloodied blade ready to meet his next foe with a clash of steel against steel. The new Qunari pricked Carver as their blades met, but not enough to penetrate the hardened leather, and Garrett's brother swiftly drove his foe backwards with a flurry of blows as they duelled.
Fenris had shattered the javelin of a Qunari forced to use it to parry the elf's massive war-hammer, but somehow the Qunari had managed to draw his sword swiftly enough to parry the next blow, though it drove him back several steps. Then a second Qunari came at Fenris, blade swinging down...only to be parried by the tip of the elf's hammer even as Fenris' foot kicked out, sending his first opponent stumbling before the end of the shaft to his hammer struck out, striking his second opponent right between the legs.
Two more Qunari were charging down the centre, past the busy Carver and Fenris as they made a beeline for the mages...yet finding Garrett in the way as they raised their javelins. Damn. Garrett ducked low, his shield up...and found one javelin strike the ground next to his left foot as the other bounced off the metal rim of his shield with a loud ring.
Then there was a flash of white light, the crack of a thunderbolt...and the rightmost Qunari was flying backwards, his chest bursting in an explosion of gore as Merrill's lightning bolt struck true.
A scream of agony, and Garrett glanced to his left in time to see Isabela drop onto her side, a javelin stuck in her thigh, making blood pour into the sand even as the responsible Qunari charged in with drawn sword.
There was no time to help though. Looking back, Garrett was just in time to parry the swing of the remaining Qunari facing him with his shield, the force of the impact making itself felt all the way to his shoulder. His foe snarled, gripped his sword with both hands and brought it down upon Garret's head as the human raised his shield.
Pain!
Despite the shield taking the damage, Garrett was driven to one knee by the sheer force of impact as his arm and shield smashed into his head. Growling back, he slashed blindly...and the Qunari cried out as he raised his right leg, the limb spurting blood as its foot remained on the ground. Grunting, Garrett rose back to his feet with a quick thrust, his blade entering and exiting his foe's chest in a silvery blur...and the Qunari fell onto his back, blood bubbling from his mouth as he weakly clutched at his leg.
Whirling about, Garrett moved to charge at Isabela's Qunari as Anders and Bethany both hurled a bolt of icy energy at him, the former while running for the rapidly paling pirate. The Qunari was far more nimble than his size suggested though, jumping over the first bolt before rolling under the next...only to stumble as a brown root grew out of the ground, grabbing a hold of his ankle...but it only held him for a moment as he hacked the root off with a single slash of his sword.
By then, Anders had reached Isabela, left hand glowing green as he held it over her leg while his right, glowing blue, pointed a finger at Garrett.
Suddenly, he was moving faster, time was moving as it usually was, yet his limbs all moved faster than they should, as if had become part hummingbird.
Before him, the Qunari turned to face the threat even as Isabela's throwing knife sliced his right shoulder open.
An opening! Garrett swung at the wounded shoulder, his foe parried, yet the blow still connected, slicing open yet more flesh and making blood pour down. Reversing his swing, Garrett made a feint for the Qunari's left, only to hold his swing back and instead drive the pommel of his sword straight forward, under his foe's parry to smash into a rib with a loud crunch.
Growling, the Qunari raised his wounded arm and grabbed a hold of his shield. Wrenching it down, his sword moved in a thrust for Garret's chest. His movements slowing, yet still swift, Garrett twisted on the spot, making the blade simply slide across his chainmail as his sword slashed down in a backhand swing.
The Qunari cried out, left leg giving out under him as the falchion cut down to the bone. As his foe's grip on his shield weakened, Garrett wrenched it free and moved it to the right, shoving aside his foe's weapon arm before he twisted his entire body to the left along with his arms, shield smashing the Qunari's head sideways before his falchion smashed deep into his skull.
His body now moving at its usual speed, Garrett wrenched the blade free from the Qunari, letting the body hit the floor as he glanced up, finding the javelin out of Isabela as Anders quickly tended to her. Judging by her pale smile, she would live. At least the javelin didn't get aimed at Bethany, Carver or Maric this way.
Garrett spun at the thought, but found his worry unfounded. Bethany was safe next to Merrill and Maric finally got the chance to sink his teeth into his Qunari's throat when the warrior lost a hold of his sword due to Varric's crossbow sinking a bolt into the warrior's shoulder. As for Carver...
The man had struck the head off the Qunari he was fighting, and now he was charging into Fenris' duel, engaging an already weary-looking Qunari even as the elf tripped up his own foe with nimble feet before shattering his ribcage with a single swing from his war-hammer.
Carver's foe swung low as Carver swung high, but Garrett's brother was one step ahead with his blow as he jumped over the Qunari's swing whilst his own slash made a deep gash across the chest of his foe. Roaring, the Qunari's reverse swing whipped up at Carver's face...only for it too to miss as Carver ducked low and thrust out, his blade drawing blood from the Qunari's stomach this time. The Qunari turned his missed reverse swing into a thrust...and Carver gripped his own blade with his right hand as he parried the thrust and drove it upwards, before he took a step forward and pushed the blade down like one would a quarterstaff, pressing the blade against the side of the Qunari's neck.
The Qunari's eyes widened...and then dimmed as Carver pulled the blade towards him, making arterial blood gush out.
A shove of Carver's shoulder, and the Qunari fell to the ground, dead with the rest.
Silence.
The repercussions of what had just happened sinking in.
With a grunt of effort, Varric pulled the javelin that had pinned him free, frowning at the hole in his coat even as he grumbled. "Damn, was it something you said?"
"We are so dead..." Bethany whimpered, staring at the corpses around her in horror.
Then Bethany and Garrett both shot Merrill a glare as the elf fidgeted where she stood. "Is it just me...or won't the Arishok be upset with this?"
"No, of course not, he loves having his people killed." Anders grunted in sarcasm, the mage still bent over Isabela, glowing hands over her rapidly healing thigh, making the pirate smirk, despite remaining pale. Huh, you're tougher than you look.
"Clearly..." Isabela grunted, shifting where she sat and getting a glare from Anders for doing so...though she ignored it as she looked to Garrett. "...we should bury the dead and never speak about this again. Qunari carry grudges as well as any dwarf." Not a bad idea, I'm surprised you'd vote for the cautious approach...but maybe even you can know sense?
"Hey now, Orzammar dwarf, if you please." Varric grunted, the dwarf now holding out his cloak in front of him, scrutinizing the damage. "As for the bury idea...yeah, why not? I hate to be the one making the Qunari riot and put half the town in flames, that would put a dampner on my mood."
Garrett opened his mouth to agree, but it was Fenris who spoke first, the elf's tone disapproving as he cleaned his hammer with a rag. "That would be a mistake. The Arishok will know that he's lost people, he will launch an investigation, and he will never stop it...we'd spend the rest of our lives looking over our shoulders. If he doesn't catch us, that is, that would be...unpleasant." The others grimaced at the coolly uttered word. "Better to come clean." That's madness...
"You...want us to march into the den of the lion...and then tell it you killed its cubs?" Carver stared at the elf with the incredulity Garrett felt, then rolled his eyes. "Sure, you go right ahead, I'll be right behind you."
"Their deaths will mean little if the situation is explained as it transpired. Qunari value lives differently than we do." Fenris argued, making Garrett nod in agreement – given his recent exchange, how could he not? "As long as someone acts with honour, as their task required, no blame can be laid on them." He turned, regarding Garrett with a serious frown...then tilted his head to the side. "I think." Garrett's eyes bulged.
"You think?" Varric echoed the words that had nearly exploded from Garrett's mouth. "That's a pretty big risk to take, you know."
"It is better than to be hunted by a merciless and tireless foe who will rest at nothing until honour has been sated...none will be spared." Fenris growled, still holding Garrett's gaze, as if challenging him.
"Well..." Isabela muttered, voice small, though that was likely due to blood-loss rather than fear, she was too much a fool to fear anything, after all. "...I still vote for the burying idea."
"I'd hate to perform suicide by Qunari." Varric grunted in agreement. "It's better to take our chances." Chances everyone would have to take. Garrett glanced at Carver, then Bethany.
"Yeah, sorry, I vote for a dirt nap for these guys." Carver nodded. "I might be brave, but I'm not suicidal."
"I'll have to go..." Garrett whispered the words, their significance filling him with dread.
"How do Qunari bury their dead?" Merrill asked, a curious question...but not one concerning Garrett at the moment.
I'll have to...Maker... Garrett looked to Bethany, then Carver...and the former noticed his look and grimaced, silently shaking her head even as Fenris grunted. "They don't, now shut up."
"Let's just bury them, forget about this." Bethany said, and though she spoke to all, her gaze was glued to Garrett.
Who shook his head, then cleared his throat. "No, I'll go."
Silence, everyone staring at him.
"You'll...what?" Varric asked, staring at him as if he'd gone mad. Maybe I have?
"As Fenris says, if we hide this he'll continue to hound us. If we come clean, he might show mercy...and I've earned some respect from him, perhaps enough to persuade him that this all was an accident?" Plus it'll keep the rest of the family safe if things go poorly. I can't send anyone else either, they might tell of my family's involvement...no, it has to be me. He swallowed. "I think it's the best option."
Again, silence.
Isabela seemed deep in thought, looking down at her boots. Carver was frowning in disapproval, Bethany looked close to tears...and Merrill stared at him with conflicted eyes. Fenris was nodding in approval...though had already turned to pilfer the pockets of the nearest Qunari. Varric's eyes were grim though. "I don't like it, Hawke, I'd prefer you alive."
"If it goes poorly, I hope you can continue your relationship with my siblings. Perhaps it will still work out." Garrett replied, feeling his breath hitch at his implication. I...don't want to die, if I was sure this would save my family, then yes, but for this...damn these difficult situations. "However, I doubt that'll happen, I'm still a Kirkwall citizen."
"That's a poor shield if I've ever heard of one." Isabela snorted, making Garrett grimace, remembering Javaris. Thank you for that...
Bethany opened her mouth to protest...and then slammed it shut as Garrett held up a hand. "I'll go, that's final." Lowering his hand, he offered a little smile. "I'll pinkie-promise on it, if you like."
"Pinkie what?" Isabela chuckled, making Bethany blush as she shook her head, glancingto see if anyone was looking...and then shot him a quick nod while biting her bottom lip.
"Good, you've settled that." Anders grunted, sounding irritated as he strode away from Isabela, marching up to the still kneeling Saarebas. "Now, what of him?" Kneeling down next to the Kossith, Anders put a hand on the man's shoulder, voice low. "Hey...you don't need to kneel any more, you're free."
The Qunari raised his head, and despite the plaits covering his eyes, Garrett felt his eyes on him. His voice was a dry whisper. "Free? I am free to be, or not. I choose to be, to follow the Qun."
"I...what?" Anders took a step back, arm dropping limp at his side as the Kossith rose. "I meant you're free to go where you want..."
"I am free to obey." Was the rasped answer, every word no doubt painful for the creature whose lips bled from the stitches holding them together. "The Qun is clear, Saarebas outside their Karataam, without an Arvaraad, cannot be allowed to live, in risk of tainted magic."
"B-but you know you're not tainted!" Anders exploded, the human moving to stand in front of the Qunari. "What was the point of all this, if not to set you free!?"
The Kossith cocked his head to the side, looking over at Garrett. "I knew Arvaraad would find me...that they'd see me die with honour. Now...you must tell the Arishok I did...that I followed...the Qun."
Garrett, torn between fear of what he would have to do, and anger with the Qunari mage, moved to stand next to Anders, scowling. "Why didn't you say anything!? You've not said a word since we left and now you decide to speak!? I...what's wrong with you!?"
"Your chantry woman used runes in leather, within my collar, to silence me." The Qunari calmly regarded Garrett. "I could not speak until Arvaraad came." A long gasp of breath. "And I could not disobey, a Sareebas must not act on own volition, it must...obey."
"That's...madness." Garrett grunted, shaking his head. "Your want to die and we won't help you! That means you are acting on your own volition!"
"I act as the Qun demands, not my choice."
"But you said you're free to act! You don't have to obey the Qun!"
"If I do not, I'm no Sareebas, and if I'm no Sareebas, I'm not alive." The Qunari replied, making Anders and Garrett groaned aloud as one. It's the Arvaraadall over again... "My choice was made long ago, the Qun dictates, I follow."
"No, this is ridiculous." Garrett prodded the Qunari's chest with a finger. "There's no foul magic in you! You are not tainted! You have no reason to kill yourself! I will not just stand by and watch a mage kill himself for being a mage!"
"You have no choice..." The Qunari took a deep breath, utterly calm as he inclined his head in a curt nod. "...basvaarad."
And before Garrett's eyes, the Sareebas caught on fire, so intense he and Anders had to take a step back.
By Andraste...
A grunt...and the Qunari's fire went out as he fell to his knees...knees shattering into ash, making the rest of his body break apart as it struck the ground.
Silence.
Everyone staring at the pile of ash that had been a person just a moment ago. No, not a person...not even to himself. The thought frightened Garrett for some reason. The Qunari aren't people...not in the usual sense...
Finally, Merrill spoke up. "That's...not right, is it? Doesn't feel right..."
"No...no it's not." Garrett shook his head.
8
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8
Thank you to Abydos Jackson for hanging in there.