Post by Judas D'arc on Jan 2, 2013 18:31:14 GMT -5
Judas told the others that it had been an uneventful week, but this had not been entirely true. He had neglected to mention that recent night when he had slipped away for a few hours ...
********
"You're sure you want this?" Shelley asked as they stood outside one of the small sandstone houses that made up the poor quarter of Nujel'm. For tonight, at least, she had shed the guise of "Evelyn Crowley, owner of the Emerald Trading Company," and reverted to the identity of the master rogue he had known for years. The two of them were not alone, nearby were the fat, bald merchant, Cubbins, and a tall, thick thug of a man who was neither recognizable nor had been introduced. "After everything?"
The bard shrugged noncommittally. "I despise loose ends."
"Git 'un wif it 'en," Cubbins interrupted in his typically blunt and unpleasant manner of speaking. "An 'our, 'e's gone."
Judas nodded, then slowly made his way inside of the small dwelling.
********
"You're here to kill me," he spoke in a panic, desperate blue eyes everywhere. Then in an instant, his demeanor shifted. "Please kill me?"
"I am not here to kill you, Garrott." The man before him was a pathetic sight indeed. He was bound to a chair by ropes, and the necklace crafted by Jolicia, Minalan, and Renthar, which prevented him from utilizing his body-swapping magicks, was still around his neck. However, in the weeks since the bard had last seen the demon worshiper, Shelley had somehow managed to return him to his true body -- sickly thin, with patches of red hair covering his skull, and thin lips incapable of anything but a mockery of a smile. "Nor speak of ... Claudia ... or any of it."
"Then what?"
"There were seven riddles," he explained. "You left them in the ashes of Jolicia's old house, and I wish to know their meaning ..."
Garrott remained silent as he consider for nearly a minute. "Very well, Judas. I'll tell you what you want to know, and in return, you -- "
"No."
"But I --" the body-swapping mage sputtered.
"No, Garrott," Judas shook his head. "No more bargains or games. You will answer me, and once we are done, you may ask me what you will. But I make no promises ..."
********
"The past is done. The future written. Today no longer cares."
This was a reference to the prophecy that foretold the coming of Celestia and either the victory or death of the demon, and the difficulty in interpreting these ancient words.
"When is the Samurai Empire not the Samurai Empire?"
This was a reference to the ancient Land of the Feudal Lords, the precursor to Tokuno, which was the first time and place that the demon had met defeat.
"A legacy falls to harrowing hands."
This was a reference to the only heir of Randall Reich, who fell to the dangers of Khaldun, and whose form was used by Khal Ankur to walk Sosaria.
"The right hand strikes while the left hand moves unnoticed."
This was a reference to two of the demon's servants, Khal Ankur and Garrott.
"Destiny died to dark-hair where Courage never fails."
This was a reference to the dark-haired vampire Dezera Blackwell, and her murder of the first Celestia in Serpent's Hold.
"He will have her."
This was a reference to the demon getting Alisiea's unborn child. Whether this still might come to pass was uncertain.
"Betrayal will come from the most expected."
This was a reference to Garrott's belief that by the end of it all, everyone would behave according to their true nature.
********
"What did you wish for me to do?" Judas asked, after they completed their discussion of the seven riddles.
"I want ..." Garrott stated, before his voice dropped to a whisper. "Please kill me ..."
"What?" The bard blinked in surprise.
The demon worshiper's eyes were filled with a clarity that Judas had rarely seen him capable of. "It's Shelley, and what she's planned for me -- "
But before the body-swapping mage could finish, she had entered the small home, flanked by both Cubbins and the third man. "We're ready, so it's time you finished up here."
"Very well," Judas nodded, watching as the fat merchant and the other individual dragged their prisoner outside. As they moved him, Garrott made no sounds or gestures of protest, and kept his gazed fixed to the ground. Once they were out of sight, Judas slowly turned to his employer. "What -- what exactly are your intentions for him?"
"Nothing you've need to concern yourself with." Shelley's lips parted into the shape of a small smile. "Nothing at all."
********
"You're sure you want this?" Shelley asked as they stood outside one of the small sandstone houses that made up the poor quarter of Nujel'm. For tonight, at least, she had shed the guise of "Evelyn Crowley, owner of the Emerald Trading Company," and reverted to the identity of the master rogue he had known for years. The two of them were not alone, nearby were the fat, bald merchant, Cubbins, and a tall, thick thug of a man who was neither recognizable nor had been introduced. "After everything?"
The bard shrugged noncommittally. "I despise loose ends."
"Git 'un wif it 'en," Cubbins interrupted in his typically blunt and unpleasant manner of speaking. "An 'our, 'e's gone."
Judas nodded, then slowly made his way inside of the small dwelling.
********
"You're here to kill me," he spoke in a panic, desperate blue eyes everywhere. Then in an instant, his demeanor shifted. "Please kill me?"
"I am not here to kill you, Garrott." The man before him was a pathetic sight indeed. He was bound to a chair by ropes, and the necklace crafted by Jolicia, Minalan, and Renthar, which prevented him from utilizing his body-swapping magicks, was still around his neck. However, in the weeks since the bard had last seen the demon worshiper, Shelley had somehow managed to return him to his true body -- sickly thin, with patches of red hair covering his skull, and thin lips incapable of anything but a mockery of a smile. "Nor speak of ... Claudia ... or any of it."
"Then what?"
"There were seven riddles," he explained. "You left them in the ashes of Jolicia's old house, and I wish to know their meaning ..."
Garrott remained silent as he consider for nearly a minute. "Very well, Judas. I'll tell you what you want to know, and in return, you -- "
"No."
"But I --" the body-swapping mage sputtered.
"No, Garrott," Judas shook his head. "No more bargains or games. You will answer me, and once we are done, you may ask me what you will. But I make no promises ..."
********
"The past is done. The future written. Today no longer cares."
This was a reference to the prophecy that foretold the coming of Celestia and either the victory or death of the demon, and the difficulty in interpreting these ancient words.
"When is the Samurai Empire not the Samurai Empire?"
This was a reference to the ancient Land of the Feudal Lords, the precursor to Tokuno, which was the first time and place that the demon had met defeat.
"A legacy falls to harrowing hands."
This was a reference to the only heir of Randall Reich, who fell to the dangers of Khaldun, and whose form was used by Khal Ankur to walk Sosaria.
"The right hand strikes while the left hand moves unnoticed."
This was a reference to two of the demon's servants, Khal Ankur and Garrott.
"Destiny died to dark-hair where Courage never fails."
This was a reference to the dark-haired vampire Dezera Blackwell, and her murder of the first Celestia in Serpent's Hold.
"He will have her."
This was a reference to the demon getting Alisiea's unborn child. Whether this still might come to pass was uncertain.
"Betrayal will come from the most expected."
This was a reference to Garrott's belief that by the end of it all, everyone would behave according to their true nature.
********
"What did you wish for me to do?" Judas asked, after they completed their discussion of the seven riddles.
"I want ..." Garrott stated, before his voice dropped to a whisper. "Please kill me ..."
"What?" The bard blinked in surprise.
The demon worshiper's eyes were filled with a clarity that Judas had rarely seen him capable of. "It's Shelley, and what she's planned for me -- "
But before the body-swapping mage could finish, she had entered the small home, flanked by both Cubbins and the third man. "We're ready, so it's time you finished up here."
"Very well," Judas nodded, watching as the fat merchant and the other individual dragged their prisoner outside. As they moved him, Garrott made no sounds or gestures of protest, and kept his gazed fixed to the ground. Once they were out of sight, Judas slowly turned to his employer. "What -- what exactly are your intentions for him?"
"Nothing you've need to concern yourself with." Shelley's lips parted into the shape of a small smile. "Nothing at all."