Dakath sits up with a start and looks around to reaffirm where he is. His face has a look of concentration on it quickly followed by forced acceptance. He gets up from his sitting position and looks around at his current surroundings.
Taglio slumps too on the grass exhausted. He looks through his pack for some wine and is dismayed to find the supplies almost gone. "Dio! We are short of supplies, Si, and in much need of rest and healing." He changes his drenched shirt for a clean one (relatively) and takes a small vial from his back pack, dabbing small amounts around his face and chest.
The morning is dry, without a cloud in the sky, and indeed quite a bit warmer than it has been for the last weeks. Were it another circumstance, it might be deemed rather pleasant. However, the things even now haunting the tombs makes any such thoughts disappear quickly.
Auggie reiterates that he does not think he can commune with his god so close to these unholy places. However, he also says that Forte cannot be moved very far, and certainly cannot go anywhere on horseback. Ullar and Kyo feel they could perhaps carry him some miles on foot cautiously, as long as they allowed for rest breaks. Both are admirably strong men, and even carrying Forte's rather impressive weight does not appear to wear them down.
In such a manner, the questionable safety of the eastern burned homestead, Segenyev, is clearly beyond reach for those on foot today, though presumably the rest could ride there. To reach Sukiskayn would most likely take three to four days at hard marching, something that even the doughty men blanch at.
Auggie does not care in which direction you all travel, nor how far, as long as he cannot see, and does not have to think about, the mounds. Unfortunately, they are large and clearly visible even from miles away, and to get them out of the path of vision is going to probably take most of the day.
At Auggie's mention of moving Forte, Dakath addresses the Priest "Can he be moved a short distance?" he asks intently. When Auggie says yes, he nods, "We need to find a lake, it's mist enshrouded surrounded by several tall trees." As he relays this to the party his face is a mask of concentration, as if he is trying to recall something.
Xania looks at Dakath questioningly. Her face becomes shuttered once more and she moves to her horse to make ready to travel.
"We need to move Forte there," he looks around at the group. "Since no one else has any reasonable ideas regarding our next destination, I suggest you go with mine."
The initial confusion on his face vanishes and he even manages to grin, "Trust me on this."
Ullar shrugs. "How the heck do you know that there is a lake here? I don't see a lake, nor did Petr draw us one!"
After calming a little he continues, "However, I agree with you that a lake would be a perfect place to regain our strengths. Still.. I'm curious how you know about it..." Ullar adds, eyeing Dakath with some (misplaced) distrust.
Dakath begins to decide which way he's going to look for the lake. He finds Stenu and mounts him. "I suggest we scout out the surrounding area."
Tag responds, "I agree, mio amico, the faerie folk may be able to help us and they were supposedly near this lake on the map. Let us try to find them."
"That is what I think also, Dakath. I will go with you to scout the area," Rhune replies as she heads for her horse. "If we spot them I may be able to talk to them and tell them what has happened," she adds.
"If your purpose is to scout, then surely you should take off your noisy armor and walk. Otherwise, it would seem that you are visible and noisy to all you would surprise," Xania comments, her sarcastic frame of mind back.
Dakath looks down at Xania and smiles, he looks down at his armor (studded leather) and back up at her, "I'd feel safer keeping it on. Perhaps you'd like to ride with me? I have no idea how far away this lake is."
"I am not a good scout," Xania replies. "I should leave it to the experts. I'll ride back near Forte," she turns without meeting his gaze.
Dakath frowns and wonders if he has done anything wrong, he shakes his head and moves up front ready to scout ahead.
"Yes you are right, Xania," Rhune replies to the young mage secretly glad to have the old Xania back....she quickly dismounts and removes the chain mail armor and places it on her horse....taking her short bow, a quiver of arrows and long sword, "Okay Dakath, I am ready let's go," she says.
Amibar looks at Dakath quizzically. "Did the, umm, brothers tell you about this lake?" He shrugs as if to say it's no big deal. "Maybe we should rest a while, and I'll have Natasha take a sniff around and maybe find out about this lake, if it's close by..."
Dakath turns to Amibar, "I'd say I was gently prodded to find a lake. Bizarre," he says more to himself than anyone else.
Amibar gets the ferret out of his pack, pets her, and whispers in her ear. He puts her down, and she scurries off into the bushes.
Tag looks at the small man and his ferret with astonishment. "You can talk to this small creature and he understands? A rodent who can understand Italian? I must learn this trick, Si. The rats of Venezia could tell me much of value in my home."
Amibar looks up at Taglio. "I talk to her, yes, but not in Italian. I speak Natasha's tongue rather well, actually. I could, I think, speak with the very rats you mentioned. Maybe..."
"That's truly remarkable, mio amico. You are a truly amazing little fellow. What other skills do you have Amibar?" Tag asks.
Once outside the foul tomb and after making sure that Forte is indeed going to make it, Rhune slips off to the side slightly. Kneeling down she faces the north and after placing her hands over face and removing sits calmly her eyes closed as if she is praying.....She does this for a full five minutes. Once done she stands and walks back over to Asif and smiling at him, hugs him affectionately. "It is good to be out of there. The gods were with us this time," she utters to him, strangely at peace seemingly having accepted something. Turning to the others, "Perhaps we can make for the lake and faerie people. That isn't far from here I don't think and they might be able to help," she calls out.
"Help you maybe," Kyo snorts under his breath.
Within a few minutes, Amibar's little rodent has returned and briefly chitters in his ear. He looks up and tells the group that the lake is ten miles to the south and slightly east. Kyo can confirm that, as he was just there yesterday. It will be a hard walk for the men carrying Forte, but it is possible.
So the group mounts up, pulling along Forte and Ullar's warhorse, and Rhees' horse as well. Amibar finds someone to ride with and the whole slow posse moves forward. After only a few miles, you all can clearly see a strange foggy area to the south and east, though you cannot see any water. The lake must be quite small to not be visible even from the peaks of the small hills here.
After another few miles, Ullar and Kyo are forced to rest, their aching muscles demanding it. Dakath scouts about on Stenu while Rhune does the same, and they see what looks like the start of a stream less than a mile to the east. Figuring that it must flow into the lake, they go toward it. They see that it does indeed run directly toward the foggy area and return to report the news.
After a few minutes, Kyo and Ullar gather up their heavy burden once again and move on toward the stream, figuring it will be easier to keep on the path, and the rocky ground should lessen up so near a water source. It proves true, though the men's arms and shoulders are protesting no less. There is a brief moment of excitement when the sound of the approaching horses alerts a group of the long-beaked, blood-sucking birds you remember from the goblin cave. However, they fly away upon seeing the size of the group, looking for a more attractive food source.
Heading south for another few miles, the group abruptly comes upon the lake. It is not small, as they guessed, but appears to be an undetermined size. The mysterious mist, which does not appear to spread out to the surrounding hillocks, conceals the lake and it's dimensions. Kyo recognizes the area pretty quickly and seems quite bothered, looking about. Indeed, when Ullar calls for another break, Kyo does not seem interested, but complies nonetheless. Dakath and Rhune go out to scout about once again.
They see nothing but the continued shoreline of the lake. Returning, they see that the men have little left. They may be able to carry Forte somewhat longer, but not much.
Suddenly, a smallish man steps out from a few yards away. You all would swear that he was not there just a moment ago. Several other figures stand behind him. As he approaches, you recognize him as the elf that spoke to many of you in Sukiskayn a week or more ago. He speaks with the same placid expression he wore during that encounter, "At last you have come. We have waited long."
Ullar, tired of the long walk and still feeling his own wounds gently puts down Forte.
He eyes the stranger with caution, but feels too exhausted to start talking to him. Therefore he is glad that somebody else of the group starts the conversation. Kyo's change in attitude however is something Ullar doesn't notice.
Speaking in the same language (Italian), "We have come, yes. but we are not all well. Several of us have been injured and one is very bad... Can you help us, please?" Rhune asks politely.
Dakath can hardly contain his seemingly joy at meeting the small man. He reigns in his horse, "It is good to be here, we got a little distracted on our journey and one of our companions was seriously injured."
Dakath indicates Forte behind him and then smiles to the rest of the group.
The elven man nods his head at the two calmly, and appears about to respond when he is interrupted.
Kyo recognizes the fellow as well, not as happily as you all do.
Kyo let out a stifled scream. And began gibbering in his native tongue while pointing at the newcomer. The words soul an demon pepper the foreign language.
Tag goes over to the bewildered savage and puts a calming hand on his shoulder. He whispers softly, hoping the 'faeries' will not hear. "Calm yourself my friend, let our 'demon' deal with these demons, she will not betray us I promise you. What ever your grievance, hold it close to your heart, for now while we are vulnerable is not the time for revenge. We Venetians know revenge and you must sometimes wait like the Adriatic waiting to conquer the palace of the dogues. The sea is eternal, Si, she will wait and all know that this is her power."
Kyo hissed under his breath. "Don't trust them... bad nasty demons who try to take my soul."
Xania shakes her head at the new guy. "And, who are you? And how do you know who we are?" Xania asks.
Rhune looks over at Kyo and sighs deeply. Turning back to the man, "Don't let him bother you. He seems to have some notion that you will take his soul as he has the same idea of me. We have several in our party who are hurt, one very badly can you help us please?, Rhune asks the man politely.
The fellow looks at the two ladies and Dakath with a dreamy expression on his face. "We understand your anxiety. You have seen and done much, and do not know who you can trust. The woman felt much the same way, though she shared the blood with us, as you do," he indicates Rhune with this inflection. "She came to understand, as you will." His voice is hypnotic, and those listening find it difficult to believe that he does not speak the truth.
Ullar looks up to the man, even more cautiously! "Is he talking about Marika?" he wonders to himself. However, still feeling tired, he keeps quiet and listens.
He motions toward one of those silent figures standing casually behind him, and the figure steps back behind a rock, almost vanishing with his silence and speed. "Assistance shall be here in moments. Meanwhile, sit with us and contemplate the water." He then turns for some ten minutes and stares at the lake, joined by his companions. Nothing the party does at this point seems to distract him.
Rhune watches the water...seemingly under the spell of the little man...but those close to her will notice her deep purple eyes glittering and sparkling as they take in everything.
As the group begins to wonder what's next with this peculiar band, the boyish figure that departed before returns, and is accompanied by another of his race. You all notice as they come close that they are somewhat different than Rhune, as they have very pale, almost white skin, and deep green eyes. Their Latin bears no trace of a French accent, as Rhune's does.
The newcomer approaches Forte closely, and looking on you see that he is slightly stooped with age. His hair is silver, unlike the dark hair of the others here. He leans down and makes some gestures, speaking in elven, rapidly. Forte's eyes flutter as you see his grievous wound close remarkably. He then opens his eyes, though you all can see he still bears the largest extent of the injury. The elderly figure then walks down toward the misty lake and begins speaking to it reverentially.
Forte looks up and around at the party. "What happened?" he asks.
"You're safe...again," responds Ullar. "Thanks to them though," he adds, while nodding to the elves.
Forte looks over at the newcomers Ullar indicated, but his eyes seem to have a little trouble focusing.
"I'll inform you on everything that has happened later, if you don't mind. Let's just say that our encounter with the blobs were not really that good," Ullar says, the memory of the burning pain from the acid still fresh.
"Now that's an understatement," Forte grins weakly at Ullar.
Rhune watches him closely as he steps next to Forte and then notices the healing of the man, "Thank you," she says to him, when he is done.
Meanwhile, the spokesman speaks as if there had been no break between his last statement. "We are sorry that we were not there when the....(here an elvish word, those familiar with the language translate as soldier loosely) perished. By ancient tradition, we are not permitted to interfere with the actions of Loshad, nor he in ours. Similarly, we could not help at the barrows, as an ancient pact forbids us from entering there as well. We have regretted this only once, when the foul peoples and the humans warred there, and such a curse was laid upon them that they were forgotten, unsung, their memories left only to the water."
The elf looks up as the elder turns and begins walking toward you, "The waters have a remarkable effect on your people when properly prepared. Please enter them. When you return, you shall be cleansed in spirit and body." He stands patiently, waiting for you all to dive in. Turning to Rhune, he shakes his head and speaks in elvish, "I fear the waters no longer have such an effect on our people, and I suspect you would find the same to be true. The water serves...other purposes for us." Without changing his language, he turns to Amibar as well, "And you, little one, might find the effects of the water similarly ineffective. For some reason the people of the earth resist it's magicks."
"What exactly does the water do?" Xania asks, a trace of suspicion entering her voice.
The man looks placidly at Xania, "Assists, heals, cleanses. When properly prepared, it can do all these things, and more."
"Thank you. I will try anyway," Rhune replies as she heads for the water. Before slipping in she removes the cloak and slips in ducking completely under and then coming up quickly, her silver hair plastered to her neck and shoulders, as are the clothes she now wears.
As some of the group move into the water, the man speaks to the rest. "You have come for the woman, yes? I only regret that she is not among us any longer. Once she heard of our plight, she took it upon herself to attempt to help, and we have not seen her since. That was several days ago, and we have watched for her return ever since."
"What plight? Where did she go?" asks Ullar, his voice raised in tone. "You are talking about Marika, right? Where did she go? I, eh...we...must find her!"
The man gestures out over the water, and peering intently in that direction, Ullar would swear he sees something in the mist, perhaps a small island in the middle of the lake? "Our plight we shall talk about, as indeed it is most certain you are here to remedy it. We are pleased."
As the strange elf gestures toward the water, Forte suddenly makes his right hand into a fist, puts it over his eyes, and squeezes his eyes and nose very hard. After a few seconds, he looks up, blinking, and shouts, "This is it! The shore....the woman in the boat!" As the others look at him in surprise, he says, "From my vision. In the tomb." He pauses a few seconds before adding, "They watched her go away in a boat. Remember?!"
Ullar is showing some emotion, but quickly recovers. His plea to keep Forte alive made quite an impression on the ex-gladiator and he doesn't feel like showing so much of his inner-self again, so soon.
However, the thought that Marika was here and left makes his mind work as hell and he is anxious to get on Zephyr, his warhorse, and ride to whatever direction she went.