Exalted: Shards of Hope - Chapter 1:2 - The Hunter's Wood

[Travis Kincaid]

Callum took a step back, stunned at the effect his shot had on the creature. "Damn you to the darkest pit of the underworld," he muttered as he reached back into his quiver. His fingers grasped three arrows and as one he put them to string and pulled back, this day would nto be lost for his stupid mistake. Relying on experience and the speed of the Unconquered Sun Callum released, drew, released and repeated once more firing each of the three arrows toward the great beast's head.

Quote:

Split actions (3) Spending a willpower on the 3rd action

Targetting the newly reformed eye

Arrow 1 - Attack 12-3 = 9 dice -> 9,4,9,5,8,9,7,1,5 = 5 successes

Targetting the third remaining eye

Arrow 2 - Attack 12-4 = 8 dice -> 2,10,5,6,5,1,10,3 = 4 successes

Arrow 3 - Attack 12-5 = 7 dice -> 6,8,6,7,5,6,4 = 3 successes

each attack does 6L + carryover

[SalmonMax]

Mei-Ying looks sharply at Callum, but nods when she sees the other solar has compensated for this new tidbit...one she mentally slaps her own forehead for not having foreseen. It only made sense that essence attacks on an orifice that consumed essence wouldn't work. Still, essence-enhanced attacked seemed to operate just fine!

Then she realized with dawning concern that when this thing finally went...

Uh oh.

"Rysha!" she calls up, the twisting vortices of her mandala anima gyrating wildly around her in consternation, "Strike, then JUMP! It's consumed a huge amount of Essence! When it dies, it won't be able to contain it any more! It could explode! I will catch you!"

She twists her hands in a complex gesture invoking the scouring sandstorms of the South and the chill blizzards of the North. Heat and cold swirl, pushing, speeding, erupting into a column of savagely rotating air that will carry the sorceress up and at speed...to pluck Rysha from the air, pick up her allies, and get enough distance from the beast to avoid annihilation in its death throes...should that be needed.

And if not, it would still help Rysha get down when the brute fell.

[Rysha]

Rysha. Mei Ying's voice caught at the slender warrior's mind, drew her back from the edge of something vast and gloriously bright, brought sanity back into her eyes as she looked down at the long fall below and the set her teeth. "This," she murmured to herself, "is going to be fun." Her hammer spun in her hand, driving through that paper thin eye in a savage blow that sank the head nearly to the hilt in the void beyond, and then her powerful legs kicked off the creature's head and she let herself fall with an implicit trust she couldn't have explained that the sorceress would be there to catch her. Die, monster. Die and burn.

Quote:

Attack: Hammer - 10, 8, 2, 10, 8, 1, 3, 10, 10, 7, 5, 10, 4

13 successes, base damage 28B before soak (piercing, overwhelming 4)

Reserving my charm for Seven Shadow Evasion as needed.

[Dave ST]

The citizens of Heckran’s Ferry all slowly stepped form their homes. Farmers dropped their tools or halted the oxen that tilled their fields. Awe, amazement and fear were the expressions of choice this day the oppressed mortals of creation gazed in wonderment at the sight they beheld over the horizon of trees.

They gathered together watching as the mighty Keeper of the Wood rose angrily up from its slumber and was now engaged in mortal combat with something the likes of which those simple had never seen. Brilliant bonfire auras rose up and cast even the sun-drenched sky ablaze with a power far greater than their Dragon Blooded oppressors could ever hope to display.

“Anathema!” A cry rose from the assembled mass. “It must be those strangers, we must inform a legion or they’ll hang us all!”

“No!” Heads spun around. In the back of the crowd of citizens was Elsbeth. The pretty, young and cursed oracle of Heckran’s Ferry. ”They fight for us! To free us from the Keeper’s blight. Now, like in ages past the immortal souls of the Unconquered Sun’s Chosen strive to preserve Creation and keep its people safe! They are our allies! They are hope.”

“They are fools and so are you Elsbeth! The Keeper is too powerful.” The elderly farmer retorted, apparently trying to rally the mob to his cause. “They’ll be slaughtered, and we’ll be accused of harboring them, you’ve brought doom upon us all! We must send a messenger to a legion!”

Elsbeth straightened her dress and brushed away some dust. “Do you not think they already know? Look as they battle, it can be seen for miles. They may fall, but they’ll come back. They always come back to the people when we need them most. They are immortal, and what they may not accomplish today they’ll return to complete tomorrow, or the next… for all eternity if they must until it is set right!” Her star spangled eyes locked on to the farmers own, her voice was matter of fact and her next comment halted any further argument. “As long one remains… they are legion.”

*****

“Callum!” Pelleps Ahroun’s voice cried out over the whirling wind and explosions of Essence. “We need to shatter the eyes, all of them! She can’t hold out much longer, she’s almost over whelmed as it is!” But the girls got spunk, I’ll give her that. Arrows soared through the air, each fired with mastery precision and each hungered for the blood of the defiled Keeper. Streaking wolves and essence burnt panthers formed from the shafts and charged forth in a rabid display of might and feral hunger. They would feast on the unclean.

Eyes shattered all around Rysha and she barely managed to cover her face as the pack of arrows exploded upon the surface of The Keepers face. Shards of calcified essence lacerated her from all sides tearing into flesh and sending searing pain through her body.

It only served to piss her off more.

With the force of a thousand falling mountains her hammer shattered the thin veil of the reformed eyes. All eight vortices were open now and the Keepers howls resonated through the land. Its body wavered and convulsed as streams of stolen essence poured forth and returned to the land. Hungrily the selkys that were a part of the Keepers body gabbed and gnashed out trying to snare what little motes they could to sustain their brood.

In a final desperate attack several lunged directly at Rysha. She slid back, like a shadow over water she comfortable dodge with such grace and speed that her form could not keep up with itself. Several images, shadows of herself were left behind as she moved all struggling to catch up with her. Six of the worms collided into the spot where only one of her seven shadows remained. Missing their target their own fangs bared and poised fo a kill the beasts tore clean into the forehead of their massive progenitor sending a spray of gore in all directions.

The Kepper threw its head back as if looking straight up into the heavens and the sun, cursing the Unconquered Sun and those he had Chosen to carry out his wrath. As it rose up Rysha leapt backward into an elegant flip, her hammer fell to the soil below. Gripping her blade with both hands she lunged it into the behemoths chin letting the weight of her fall be broken by the resistance of the creature’s flesh. Like a dashing pirate shredding a sail with her dagger she split the great beast open nearly a hundred feet down before kicking off into another back flip, soaring down into the vortex of wind her comrade had prepared for her.

Much blood was shed that day. Gore was strewn about, and Rysha was covered from head to toe in slime, blood, and viscera… it wasn’t until the cyclonic spinning of the vortex that nausea decided to rear it’s ugly head.

Convulsing and roaring in pain The Keeper’s body swelled and bloated out in several places, like bubbling sores about to erupt. One by one the selkys on its body either retreated back into the flesh of the beast or simple exploded in a vile display of death throes. Beams of essence streaked from the soars and bubbling wounds, the giant slash down its underside launched a plane of pure white essence that announced that the Dragon Lines the creature had attached itself to were no longer under its control

The companions looked on until a little essence bulb seemed to click on in their shards.

Callum: “I think…”

Quinn: “It’s gonna…”

Mei-Ying: “Explode!”

Peleps Ahroun: “It better not! These pants are pure An-Teng silk!”

The massive detonation of The Keeper of The Blight was seen for miles. Brilliantly the essence was released in a super nova of white, harmless essence. The Exalts were thrown back and all went black.

Mei-Ying was the first to awaken, she noticed all her companions thrown about and all unconscious. The massive Quinn cast his shadow over her and she moved from beneath where he had thrown himself atop her to protect her from the blast. Her eyes gathered their focus and her senses all returned slowly. An odd feeling caught her attention as her hand smoothly drug its way across the soil…

It was grass.

[SalmonMax]

Mei-Ying blinks woozily at her hand and at the verdant tuft she's gripped...then breaks into a wide grin. The life had returned to the land. The dragon line was whole again. They'd won.

Her grin fades though as she wonders what cost victory was had at.

She grabs Quinn's arm and hauls herself dizzily up, though can't quite stand yet. Her ears are still ringing from the blast, and it feels as if the earth is tilting unpredictably under her.

"Callum! Rysha!" she calls, then shakes Quinn to try to awaken him.

Hu flaps down from the trees, having watched from a safer distance, though even he was missing a feather or two. Mei gestures at the hole where the monster had erupted from. "Find the others, Hu!"

The snowy owl hoots and veers off, its flight perfectly silent in the now too-silent air after the holocaust. He lands beside the splayed raven-black hair of Rysha...and hoots into her ear.

Meanwhile Mei has risen to her feet and is stumbling towards where Callum fell.

[Travis Kincaid]

Callum lay on his back. Under him he could feel soft grass and above him warm breeze and the shining light of the Unconquered Sun. All around him he felt the slime and ichor of one, now very dead, Keeper of the Blight. It coated him like placental fluid on a newly born babe. It also smelled awful.

He didn't bother moving, that hurt at the moment and he had learned to leave it be immediately after regaining consciousness. He didn't open his eyes, mostly because that involved movement, however minute, but also because the aforementioned slime and ichor was still covering him. This has got to be the least-proud proud moment in my life, he thought.

After a minute he decided to try and hear. As soon as he reached that decision he realized that his ears were still ringing from the explosion. Well that explains that. He wiggled his little finger on his right hand; though painful it was less so than just a few minutes before. Progress!

As he lay there feeling rather pleased with himself despite feeling more vile than ever before in his life he thought that he could hear something cutting through the buzzing in his ears. It sounded vaugely like Mei. Fuzzy sound filtered through, "Callum!?"

Yup, that's Mei. Deciding to man-up Callum tried to pull himself into a sitting position. After a second of pain he thought better of it and lay still once more. Nearby he could now hear, through the buzzing anyway, the soft whine and panting of Eilein. Callum moved his hand, despite the minor agony, and cleared the gunk from his eyes then opened them. He rolled his head to his left and saw one shaggy she-wolf staring back at him, coated in an arrar of, no doubt foul smelling, slime. "Hey girl," he croaked and then winced at the foul tasting slime that dripped past his lips and into his mouth.

Spitting the slime from his mouth Callum was confronted with a moment of pure clarity of thought, I don't get paid enough for this ...

[Rysha]

Rysha stirs slowly, her long dark hair smeared with unmentionable slime, her armor spattered with it, and for a long moment she struggles down the rebellion of her stomach, reminding herself of the sickening rot of death that can fill an arena in the third string of a match. The reminder, black as it is, helps. Enough, anyway.

"I'm awake." The damned owl hooting in her ear sits back, satisfied by her sluggish motion, and after a moment she forces slime-encrusted violet eyes open to give him a toxic glare that matches the ringing in her skull. "You look cheerful. Stop that, at once."

When Hu responds with a self-satisfied hoot, she has to concede the point that she isn't really in a state to do much about it. Even dragging herself up to a sitting position and turning her head to search for Mei feels like lifting a bull tyrant lizard, but she forces herself to it. Her voice, raw and shaking a little with exhaustion, still rings with a certain intimidating power as her anima cloaks her in the visage of an unconquerable warrior. "Mei-Ying!"

[Travis Kincaid]

Originally Posted By: Rysha

"Mei-Ying!"

Callum winces, "Not so loud damnit!" he croaks, allowing more of the foul tasting ichor to drip into his mouth. Raising a hand he waves it about limply. Noting that the pain is subsiding Callum rolls onto his belly and pushes himself up gathering his legs beneath him. "Uuunnnngghh, nothing is ever easy."

Still in a crouch he cleans his hands on the fresh grass and locates his herb bag. Removing a few sprigs of a plant known to reduce pain and popped then into his mouth, crewing enthusiastically.

He looked over at Eilien again and couldn't help but laugh. Wet dogs were seldom noted for being particularly attrative and Eilien was positively covered in slime. He burst out laughing and fell into a seated position as he noted Rysha sitting up a ways away.

In response to his laughter the she-wolf stood walked near to him and before he do utter more than a hasty "Uh-oh." shooker herslef violently spraying slime and gore around the area.

[SalmonMax]

"I'm over here, Rysha, I'm all right. Hold on, I'll be right there..."

She leans over a little on reaching Callum and gets as far as, "Are you all..." before nastiness patters over her nice dress when the wolf shakes herself off.

"...right?"

Mei finds a clean spot on her sleeve and wipes her mouth with it, grimacing.

"That's why I got an owl."

[Rysha]

"River." Rysha starts to push herself fully upright, thinks better of it, and slumps back to the ground for a moment. "I need a river. And sandsoap." Shaking her head slowly, she spares the owl floating unstained overhead a thoroughly dirty look before looking back toward Mei-Ying and mustering a weary smile. "And you need a washerwoman or two."

[Dave ST]

Quinn finally manages to sit upright. Even sitting he's nearly as tall as Mei-Ying. Covered in slime and gore from head to toe he holds his head and tried to regain his focus. "Woah, any get the designation number of that Warstrider? Man..."

Shuffling underbrush and and the sliding of a sword back into it's scabbard announced Peleps Ahroun's casual stride back into the clearing, just a few steps from Rysha. Somehow he'd managed to remain almost spotless despite being at ground zero of the blast like all the other Exalts, his silk pants were torn and shredded in several spots. "Oh, man." He complained, taking the silk in one hand to inspect a rather large tear. With a sigh he let it go and regained his posture, looking to the other Exalts as they gathered their wits. "Whelp...," he started confidently. "Looks like we killed your worm for ya. Don't mention it, really. It was nothing."

Quinn rolled his eye and shook his head.

[Travis Kincaid]

Callum looks over the Peleps and rolls his eyes, "Sounds like he's trying to say he's glad to have survived. I can't blame him, his view must have been obscured by the tree he was cowering behind to avoid all the slime the rest of us are bathed in." Callum gathered a healthy handfull of the goo and hurled it at Peleps.

[SalmonMax]

"Such a creature," Mei-Ying says to herself as she surveys the now renewed land.

"I know it had to be destroyed, but it's too bad we couldn't have learned more about it first. It may well have been the only one of its kind. Twisted by the Wyld, perhaps, or...well, I suppose we may never know."

She goes over to help Rysha to her feet.

"We all do. But it will be awhile before we can show our faces back in the tow..."

The sorceress pauses at that, then asks in a voice laced with concern, "Callum? How far are we from the town?"

[Travis Kincaid]

"Far enough that I would rather camp here tonight." Callum considers the gelatenous soup covering him and the others, "Or rather at the nearest convenient stream or lake."

[SalmonMax]

"Yes but..." she gestures at the sky where essence burns in towering animas. "We made quite a show. Do you think they could see?"

[Guest Peleps_Ahroun]

The handful of goo hit Peleps Ahroun square in the chest with a squishy 'plop' sound when it splattered. Wiping some of the fallout from his eye he grins, irritated. "That's... that's really funny. What are you twelve? Hurling monster entrails is how you get your kicks eh?" The black jade amulet around his neck shimmers briefly and seconds later the goo and slime dissipate into a masculine scented mist leaving him clean.

Quote:

"I know it had to be destroyed, but it's too bad we couldn't have learned more about it first. It may well have been the only one of its kind. Twisted by the Wyld, perhaps, or...well, I suppose we may never know."

"That was one of Cynis Labara's little toys." Peleps Ahroun says while adjusting his vest and straightening the long curved scimitar hanging at his waist. "She was using it to kill the crops of the farmers in the area so that she could put the pinch on them come tax season. She delights in tormenting mortals and over all is a really bleak crevice stain on the undergarments of us Exalted." He cocked his head to one side as if confused. His acting is hideous and it was obvious he was just adding the last part to further run her reputation through the mud. "Did I mention that she's Akuma, I sometimes forget that part."

Quote:

It doesn't escape anyone present that Peleps Ahroun seems awfully well informed.

[SalmonMax]

"I see," Mei-Ying says, watching Peleps closely.

"And now we're to go and fight her as well? Was this what was intended all along when set to this task?"

[Guest Peleps_Ahroun]

The handsome Prince of the Earth simply shrugs. "Got me. Nobody really set you to anything. Your friend the blonde (Elsbeth) mentioned trouble in the Wood and up you went to begin thwarting. Aside from "Sleeps-With-Daiklaves" over here getting on Father Oak's bad side I don't recall anyone setting you to any task." He thumbs in Rysha's direction.

He walks closer to Mei-Ying, practically violating her personal space, he's perfect like any Exalt should be, and after his display on the battlefield he is no less than Exalted. His words are spoken as if they're only meant for her. He moves close but not too close, knowing a man like him, forward and attractive, can put a poor scholar like Mei-Ying off guard with just the brush of his warm breath. "You won't have to go to her. You guys were loud enough and shot off enough fireworks to bring the local Imperial Legion to you. You sure do have lovely eyes, anyone ever told you that?"

Before Mei-Ying can reply, or point out that he is partially at fault for the fireworks display, he backs up a step, spins on his heels and continues to speak. "So, before they come and wipe you all out for being twisted Anathema and all that," he waves his hand about with his wrist limp. "Just pay us for our time and we'll be on our way. We've got eccence expenditure, battling on our day off, expedient travel time - we had to run from there to here, sprinting is hard work you know." He hit chest a few times, faking a cough. "Asthmatic, you know."

Quinn does nothing but roll his eyes and bury his face.

"So all in all, I'd say you guys owe us about," His eyes light up as if he suddenly remembers something. Extending his index finger in the traditional eureka spirit he adds. "Oh, and one pair of silk pants, imported from An-Teng. Three thousand silver dinars should just about cover it." Peleps Ahroun crosses his arms and taps his foot while looking around to see which of them carries the checkbook.

Quote:

Again, awfully well informed, and incredibly expensive apparently. You guys didn't think I posted the currency for the hell of it did ya?

[Rysha]

Stepping around Mei-Ying and into Ahroun's personal space in turn, Rysha fixes the man with a pair of violet eyes that suggest she is entirely unamused. "Two things. First, you very much want to take a step back from Mei-Ying. Second, if you wanted the price of a small estate for your assistance, you should have said so before rendering it. I seem to recall that as being the proper practice among mercenaries." Her anima still gleams around her, a shimmering veil of golden light, and it gives the weight of her gaze a dangerous intensity as she locks eyes with him. "To provide what appears charity and then demand payment is less than I would have expected from one who bears the blood of the Dragons. I, for one, would not pay a bent dinar under such a bargain."

[SalmonMax]

Mei stands still, trying to keep up with the quick changes of events in the midst of being befuddled and confused. Rysha's breaking of Ahroun's spell snaps her out of it, and she shakes her head, trying to clear her thoughts.

"He knows perfectly well we don't have anything like that much money," she says to Rysha. "He wants something else."

The scholar takes a deep, calming breath and rubs her temples. "You did help us. If there's something you want, just say so."

[Guest Peleps_Ahroun]

"Mercenary?!? My dear, sweet woman, you wound me." He clutches his heart with both hands. The explosion must have left him a bit dizzy as he replies to the lovely Exalt; it's obvious that in his current state that vertigo must be rendering his vision unable to reach higher than her chest. "I am a business man. One who just happened to save your lives."

"Boss," Quinn speaks up, looking to the sky and tapping his wrist upon which the collected party notices that he wears incredibly thick iron bands, each with a few links of a chain dangling from them. Broken manacles apparently. "We should really be going. Ladies, gentleman, sincerely it was a pleasure making all your acquaintances. We really should do it again some time. Forgive him Rysha, he smokes and drinks...a lot." The gentle giant is sure to stress that last part.

Quote:

The scholar takes a deep, calming breath and rubs her temples. "You did help us. If there's something you want, just say so."

"Yes, I'd like my coin. However, considering how... forceful of a negotiator your friend here is I'm willing to lower the price to 2,000 dinars." He raises a finger before protests begin, like he's about to do them all another grand favor. "And, because I like all of you that's not including my the usual 20% fee for dematerializeing a spirit."

He looks to Quinn and does something with his eyes, a signal perhaps, a code or a silent order. "Go on, I'm not letting these welshers out of my sight until I get my coin." His own radiant violet eyes lock on to Rysha's. "And you are down right ravishing when you get indignant. Anyone ever told you that?"

Without any more protest, Quinn silently walks away, his grimcleaver clicking into place in the mount on his back.

[Rysha]

"Nobody's mentioned it." Rysha looks him in the eye for a long moment, gauging him, then curves a taut smile. "We aren't going to pay for services freely given. But we might be willing to part with a thousand dinars, by letter of credit, in exchange for some useful information this Labara. Call it a better price than you would have expected for information, between friends."

[Guest Peleps_Ahroun]

Originally Posted By: Rysha

"Nobody's mentioned it."

"That, my flower, is certainly a shame." He smiles and gives Rysha a flirtatious wink while he lays it on thick enough to cause the assembled Exalts that are not involved to wretch.

He pauses to consider Rysha's offer, crossing his arms and even strokes his chin for the sake of suspense. "Well, certainly a lot less than a man of obvious perfection is worth, but what the hell, you guys seem alright." He looks at the collected Exalts, taking a bit longer for the ladies. "Whatever you decide it should be decided elsewhere. This is no place to devise strategies or traffic information. Besides, you all could use a bath." He chuckles and rubs his amulet.

[Travis Kincaid]

Callum rises to his feet in the background his bow still in his hand, he shakes his head and turns, walking into the forest Eilein trailing behind him. "I'd sooner throw the money down a well. You'll get no such bountry from me mercenary, and I will strongly object should you attempt to extort the villages likewise." Without looking back Callum begins to fade into the trees and underbrush, moving silently through the woods as naturally as breathing.

[Guest Peleps_Ahroun]

Originally Posted By: Callum Uallas

"You'll get no such bountry from me mercenary."

"Business man!" Peleps Ahroun corrects the valiant archer and woodsman in an almost comedic dispaly by raising one finger as if to punctuate his point, as if anyone is buying it.

[SalmonMax]

Mei Ying sighs and says, "Excuse us for a moment, Peleps. Rysha, come on..."

She gestures towards where Callum stalked away, then hurries after him.

"Callum wait!"

[Travis Kincaid]

Already well into the woods Mei-Ying's voice filters through the leaves like a subtle breeze. Eilein looks up and Callum and backs a comment, "No I'm not being petty, I'm removing myself from the vicity of that arrogant mellon head before I do something either stupid or childish," he replies.

Raising his voice so that Mei will hear behind him Callum calls out. "I'll not wait around to listen to the demands of an arrogant fool such as he. That behavior is beneath an exalted and I will not subject myself to it."

[SalmonMax]

Mei trots up behind Callum and says, "I know...I know...it's offensive. But he and his friend DID help us, you know. In fact, they were specifically protecting me. So if I seem a bit forgiving, maybe that's why."

"Besides, I think he's probably right. All that essence, and the explosion...there's no way they wouldn't have seen that back at town. We need to work out our next steps carefully. We obviously can't stay here anymore."

[Travis Kincaid]

Callum stops and shakes his head, "Forgiving, sure, but if he wanted money for his help, well he'll not get any from me, it was freely given and freely accepted, I'll not pay him out of some sense of obligation. Certainly not the amounts he's speaking of. I've no intent to go back to the village. Our work here is done and already I can feel the pull of my solar essence calling for us to move on."

He sighs and looks Mei in the eyes, "I would prefer not to part ways with you but I cannot condone this man who uses his god-given power for profit."

[SalmonMax]

Mei's mouth falls open in a dismayed little 'O.'

"You'd...actually..." She doesn't finish the sentence, but looks away, clearly shaken.

"I'm not talking about condoning him, or even paying him if it means that much to you," Mei-Ying says after a moment to pull herself together. "I just...thought...that there was more to talk about. Then you started leaving and..."

Hu lands on her shoulder and fluffs his feathers, giving Callum a look of avian reproach.

With some effort, Mei-Ying forces herself to look at Callum and search his face for some sign of what his intentions are. "Rysha and I will discuss our next move," she finally says carefully. "We'd be honored if you'd join us. But...it's your choice. Do what you will."

The last sentence comes out in a rush. It has to, because she says it while turning away and going back into the clearing fast enough that Hu has to crouch and half-spread his wings to keep his balance and hold on.

[Travis Kincaid]

Eilein barked at Callum as Mei walked away, "What? ... I didn't ... no, that's not what I meant and you know it ... FINE!!"

Turning back Callum jogged to catch up with Mei, "Mei, wait, listen. I didn't mean that I wanted you ... or Rysha, to leave. It just does not sit well with me that he expects payment for help freely given. Especially given that he must well know we could not afford his asking price. I don't trust him."

Behind him Eilein barked again, "I was getting to that!" Callum rolls his eyes. "And ... I'm sorry, I didn't mean to imply that I wanted to part ways with you ..." He trails off into an awkward silence.

[Rysha]

"Will the two of you stop that?" The clean, sharp edge of Rysha's irritation cut the moment's silence cleaner than a blade, and the two turned to find themselves face to face with a girl whose youth was no mask for the gleaming heat in her violet eyes. Caught in the taut emotion of the moment, neither had seen her slip from the trees; now, the wind caught in her dark, slime-stained hair and the guttering golden blaze of her anima cast her face with a power and ferocious wisdom beyond her years. "The man's an ass, and we all know it, but I for one would like to live through the firestorm that's about to land on our heads. Principle is a wonderful thing, Callum, but it won't wash blood out of the sand or stuff your guts back in. Now, you've stood on principle and Mei's offered to let you walk; I'm telling you that it's not going to happen. We need each other, unless you both fancy going back to burrowing in holes and hoping nobody finds us?"

She looks from one to the other for a long, lingering moment, and the steel in her voice is as hard as orichalcum. "We are the Chosen of the Sun, if the demonstration back there didn't make that clear to both of you. And we're not going to do the world a damn bit of good if we get ourselves killed by some vicious backwater Dragon-blooded and her troops. So are the two of you ready to go back there, get the information we need whether we pay for it or not, and get on with the buisiness of surviving? Because you two are the closest thing in this world I've got to friends, and I'm not about to let either of you do anything as stupid as running out."

[Travis Kincaid]

"There is more to life than survival. You are both more than just freinds. You are comrades in arms," Callum says quietly.

"And, I think, loved ones perhaps," he says turning to look once more at Mei. "Call me stubborn if you will, or stupid, but I will not debase myself by associating further with an Exalted who knows nothing of the duty of the strong."

[Guest Peleps_Ahroun]

With his brow cocked Peleps Ahroun watched the Exalts have thier private meeting, his blank expression displayed a complete lack of understanding as to what the problem could be. Geez, talk about testy, talk about a recluse. I swear, The big U.C. will drop in shard in anyone these days. Ladies aren't so bad I guess... problem is how to get them away from 'dad'. Hehe.. "Hey!" He finally shouts from several feet away.

"Look, I'm glad you're all endeavoring to pull the firewand out of Crispy's behind there but uh... we need to go. I know a place a few miles north of here that should be safe from the legion at least for a few weeks." He rubs his Immaculate amulet hiw his thumb like a coin he's anxious to spend, waiting for a reply.

[SalmonMax]

Mei-Ying's face flushes at Callum's words and she takes a breath...then turns to look at Peleps for a moment before looking back.

"There's more to this than meets the eye," she says, each word measured carefully as if she's afraid of spilling. "His name seems familiar to me...I'm not sure why. And...something about how all this took place makes me think...or feel...that there's an underlying pattern."

She meets Callum's eyes. "If you truly cannot bear the idea, then we will leave together, without him. But...there may be layers here that even he is unaware of. Perhaps we can help him? I don't mean with payment. If he's lost his way, maybe we can show him back to it. Help him find redemption of sorts, from what he has become."

[Rysha]

"The duty of the strong?" Rysha's eyes flash, and the quiet ice in her voice is laced with her distaste. "The first duty of the strong, if they really want to do good, is to not get themselves killed doing something stupid. Because if we do that, then we aren't around to do anyone else any good later." She visibly reins in her temper, crooking a wry smile, and holds up a hand. "Mei... I'll follow you anywhere, you know that. But I think our place, at least for now, is Ahroun would lead us. If we find his company, or Cripsy's..." she breathes a snort out around the word "unhelpful, then we'll begin finding our own way again. But for now, I'd rather take my chances with the side-dealers than the claw-strider in the arena."

[Travis Kincaid]

Callum's head swiveled round to Rysha, his eyes betray a spark of anger within but he says nothing for a moment. Finally he says slowly, "So be it, but I will suffer no extortion for help freely given."

[SalmonMax]

"We will not be extorted," Mei agrees quickly. "But we can't ignore a debt either. Whether we like it or not, Ahroun did help us. Now, I'm not saying his demand is reasonable. I'm just saying that at the very least we should do something for him...there IS a debt, and his shamelessness doesn't change that."

She looks between Rysha and Callum and smiles a gentle smile that could melt the sun, then reaches out with a hand for each to take one of theirs.

"We are a Circle, ordained by Heaven. More may join us, but if one should leave before their destiny is fulfilled, we are not complete. No matter what happens, no matter what arguments or discord may arise, we have to believe in ourselves and in each other, as much as we believe in anything else we hold dear."

She nods, then says, "Lets stay with Ahroun at least a little while longer, and see what his game really is. If it's nothing more than a con, we'll leave him in his disgrace. Agreed?"

[Ledaal Akryruh]

Akryruh trotted stiffly into the area the circle had used for its impromptu debate, his sword in hand. Aside from the fact that the peasant’s garb he had worn to hide his gleaming armor was reduced to little more than rags, he appeared to have stepped fresh from bathing and dressing in new, clean clothes [or rags]. He took the scene in with a glance while sheathing the golden blade. “He’s a Pelleps, the chance of it not being a con is only slightly higher than the chance of water not getting you wet if it comes in contact with you.” Akryruh gave Ahroun an appraising look before turning back to the group. “Of course that doesn’t mean that we are the victim in the con, we may merely be a pawn he’s using to con someone else or he may have selected us as allies for his con job and maybe be appraising us while we argue and give the Wild Hunt more time to get here.”

Akryruh turned towards Ahroun. “If money’s all that you love then we’ll see to it that you get your just reward, however since no businessman who’s not a *swindler* agrees to high pressure contracts, perhaps we should cease such talk for some place more agreeable to such leisurely activity.” He dropped his voice not in a menacing way but merely to give the illusion of privacy, he had no doubt that Callum at least would hear, if not the others. “I don’t know what you’re up to but it does you no good to insult any of us. Do so at the peril of whatever good will you are seeking to cultivate.”

Akryruh turned back towards the circle. “Rysha’s very right, considering the pure height of that worm I’ve no doubt we were visible for tens of miles, factor in the explosion, perhaps hundreds. We need to move if we’re going to live. And we need to find Sovanya, I haven’t seen her since we were overwhelmed by the Selkies. I was trying to look for her, but wanted to see what was causing the ruckus over here.” He turned and took a few steps to resume looking for his sister but stopped and turned back towards them, a look of worry crossing his face. “Rysha, since Father Oak gave you this charge, do we need to appear before him, or will he simply be happy that the problem is dealt with?”

[Guest Peleps_Ahroun]

"Finally, a gentleman and a scholar." Peleps Ahroun's eyes lit with joy as Ledaal Akryruh negotiated what sounded like a bargin in favor of the Shady Prince. "You all should listen to this guy more... he's going places. I know it."

Like old school pals Peleps Ahroun threw his arm around Ledaal Akryruh "Insults? Bah... no offense meant. Really I meant that in the nicest possible way." His eyes comedically rolled and darted from side to side with a slight grin. Not even he was believing his bullshit anymore it seemed. "Now, come, a safe house has been prep... preeeviously used by me in the past when I'm escaping some enraged farmer or another in these parts." He shakes his head unbelievingly. "They get so worked up about fooling around with thier daughters. Man."

He led them away from the clearing, addressing all the exalts, but the comment was more for Rysha than anyone else. "The place is still in Father Oaks domain, no worries my gorgeous Desert Rose, he'll know where to find you. And I'm sure he's more pleased than Cesus Negezzar at a buffet right now."