Side Trek

[Steerpike]

Burnbright straightens her shoulders when Nissa compliments her, her mind turning back to the fight with the lizard. "I was kind of scared. Seems like I'm always kind of scared in fights, except when I'm fighting stupid boys from Srilkind." As Nissa goes on, Burnbright considers her words. "I don't know if Brynhild will ever talk to me like she does you, or reach out for me like she does to Baldhart. But I think I know what she expects. I'll just do my best to live up to those expectations."

Dalla walks near, listening but remaining silent.

As the group arrives at the farm, Bressel scans the area for any movement. There is none in and around the farm - everything is quiet now, though the whole place smells of smoke and ash. As the party moves forward, however, Bressel spots movement coming down the road from behind them. Two figures, one of which is clearly Mauve. The other looks very lizard-like and lopes along nervously at Mauve's side.

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

Nissa

"I'd worry more if you weren't scared. A brave warrior doesn't show fear. One who lacks fear is a reckless fool. I was scared in that last battle. I feared there weren't enough of us to protect you. You, Dalla and even Branwen gave me a pleasant surprise back there!"

When I look back I see another surprise, though hardly a pleasant one. Why would Mauve bring the runaway back? If she didn't want to kill it, why track it? If she wants it to live, why bring it here?

 

[Nihal]

I can see heads turning to me. "Peace," I say even if they can't hear me yet, raising a hand in the process.

"No sudden movements now. Keep quiet and close to me," I glance at the lizard.

 

[Steerpike]

Burnbright seems pleased at Nissa's comments, and is about to response when Mauve and the small lizard come into view.

The lizard sees the groups and moves a step closer to Mauve, then, seemingly to realize what it has done, it moves a step away once more. The creature casts its eyes around wildly, as though looking for an escape, but then gives Mauve a wary glance and makes no move to run.

Branwen's features set in a grim expression that is somewhat comical on such a young child. Burnbright hefts her spear, but says nothing. Dalla moves a step closer to Bressel, putting the large man between herself and the approaching lizard. "Gods," she says, "what is she doing with that?"

 

[Nihal]

Each head turn makes the air thicker with tension. This is not the reaction I hoped for, though hardly unexpected. I open and close my tingling hands in turns as we walk, raising one of them to stop the lizard before we come too close.

"You will wait here until I say it is safe to come closer," I turn him, giving my full attention. "Do not think in running away, Skivver. Remember my spell, remember my words. Running away would make me extremely upset." I use the same sweet voice I've been using with him, words flowing like a summer breeze, yet I flash him a grin full of teeth as I conclude my last sentence. I hold his gaze only long enough to make sure he won't run right away then turn to the others, covering the remaining distance.

"I know, I know," I apologize, hoping to keep my voice is low enough so the lizard can't hear it. "But he had some very interesting things to say after surrendering. I could not bring myself to do it without talking to you first. That would be unwise." Cocking my head to the side I ask, "Are there black elves?"

"They came from the south, he said, with an artifact that feeds from children's souls," I blurt before anyone could answer my question. It wasn't really a question. "They chased away, imprisoned or killed those lizard's leader, took his place and forced them to raid settlements and caravans to abduct the children. He knows the elves numbers, what they are doing and might know their exact location too, besides knowing to navigate the mountain better than any of us."

I shrug my shoulders theatrically. "It is up to you to decide what should be done."

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

Nissa

Souls?

Brynhild, is there an artifact with this much power over the innocent? Can we free the souls by destroying the artifact? What agreement have you made with the other gods? Surely my presence in the world pales in comparison to mortals meddling with souls against the will of gods!

"I'm not big on sparing those who prey on children, but if it's mercy he wants, he's earning it. What are the odds he can get his fellow lizards to turn on the black elves, or at least get those not in a black elf's presence to let us pass?"

I look at… Skivver. I turn to Mauve.

"Does Skivver understand all of us, or does magic allow only the two of you to communicate?"

 

[Nihal]

I chew my lips, keeping a smug grin out of my face. "This is what I am hoping for. He is unhappy with his new masters, I am sure of that. We can make other uses of him besides this, throwing pursuers out of our trail.

He is not what I would call fluent, but he understands our language and express himself well enough."

I evaluate the others' reactions then wave at the lizard, commanding him to come closer.

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

Nissa

"I'm not happy with his masters either. This artifact…"

Is there a valkyrie here besides me? It's bad enough children are murdered, but their souls… there must be something we can do. How many of these artifacts exist?

I fly over the lizard, letting my sword clatter to the ground to call attention to the fact I'm disarming myself. I hover before Skivver, and say, "We know people were taken." I point to where Baldhart and the others are. "At this point I can only assume they are children. Let's move as we talk. We have innocent lives to save—or souls, if it's too late for saving lives. I don't want to delay our attack."

If the lizard is moving with us, I hover beside him and speak (intent on retrieving my sword as we move).

"I'll be honest and say that I have no qualms about killing your friends, or you, considering what you had in mind for them." I point to the girls. "My reason for agreeing to spare you and your kin is that an artifact that feeds off souls should not be, and I'm willing to do whatever it takes to crush the elves who wield it. When we enter the lair, you need to call your friends to our side. I can't guarantee the dark elves won't kill them, but we'll bring plenty of bigger, scarier targets for them to consider." I motion toward Bressel. He's not as scary looking as Mauve, but he's huge.

"How many dark elves are in there? What kind of a threat are they—fighters? Archers? Magic users?"

 

[Nihal]

"You are frightening the poor thing," I censure her with the trace of a smile on my lips, then answer one of her questions, "He said they were ten while he raised eight fingers. Talk slowly and ask simple questions so he can follow you."

 

[SeverinR]

"You have saw my sword in battle, I will cut in two if you give me even a hint of a reason." Bressel swings through the air to punctuate his words.
"keep up." He calls aloud, not specifically to the lizard, "Black elves? Evil elves? Elves more dark then Aliron, that might be scary." He chuckles.

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

Nissa

I see Bressel and I are on the page when it comes to sparing Skivver's life, but not his feelings.

"Meddling with the souls of the innocent... I can't take this lightly. If Skivver can get the lizards on our side, they should not be harmed. Not because they deserve mercy--they don't, but having the lizards with us is our best hope of killing the elves efficiently. I hope none of you will show mercy to any elf who uses this artifact. To kill children and deny them eternal rest, if the artifact can truly do such a thing... there is no greater evil.

"I want that artifact. It's not just the captives I want to save... it's those killed by the artifact I fear for most."

Surely the souls can be saved, but are they with the artifact or with Aeron? Or do they simply die? I can't believe it's possible for a mortal to deny a dead innocent eternal rest with his or her god or goddess. I don't want to believe it, but... I do believe it. Brynhild, I'm a valkyrie! There must be something I can do for these souls, with this body or without it...

((PM to SP))

 

[Keitsumah]

Keitsumah

I look at the lizard with some surprise, but Mauve is a druid like me after all. It just never occurred to me you could use that spell on one of them. Unless she somehow managed to just talk it into coming.

Batos makes no shallow hints at what he wants to do to the creature and snaps his jaws, a deadly growl throbbing in his chest. "Be happy you are with us, Skivver. At least we will not kill you on a mere whim like your previous masters." I say slowly, as Mauve had instructed us. Batos keeps an angry eye on the creature, but I realize that besides Nissa, Skivver could also ride Batos's back. The small lizards don't seem to be built for fights against larger creatures. Maybe we could get the other lizards to turn on their masters and swarm them if they saw how strong Skivver seemed to be on the back of a half-Warg.

A smile quirks my mouth and i tap my chin in thought, but it is silly, and i quickly dismiss it. The souls of children are at stake here, and when i hear that both Batos and i go rigid. I pick a choice curse in elvish, one of the few words i do know, and Batos's growl grows louder. But this time he moves away from the lizard and circles around Burnbright protectively. "If they dare attack any of those we are responsible for, they will be biting off more than they can chew." i say darkly.

 

[Steerpike]

Skivver lets out a yip when Nissa approaches, casting another wild glance side to side before deciding to crouch next to Mauve. He huddles beside her while Nissa speaks, then nods vigorously when she does so.

"No scare Skivver. You listen to witch, or witch cast spell tear up you body from far away." He cocks a head up to Mauve. "That what you do, yes?" He looks at Nissa again and raises a taloned finger toward her, then turns back to Mauve. "You make harpy head hurt. Smash harpy head like...like apple. Use magic to kill who scare Skivver?"

Despite the creature's words, he still looks quite scared, even more so when Bressel begins swinging his sword. He clutches at Mauve again, doing his best to ingratiate himself to her by reinforcing her words when she speaks. "Skivver say ten black elfs? If Skivver say ten, then there ten black elfs. They fight witch of Taint. Not nice. Skivver want them go back south."

At talk of the artifact, his reptilian eyes widen somehow, and he nods his head again. "Knife eat children spirit. Make black elf strong."

The lizard continues babbling after a fashion until Batos growls, at which point the lizard stands stock still and clacks its mouth shut. As the party continues, Skivver follows along, always positioning himself so that Mauve is between him and Batos, and if possible also between him and Bressel.

Dalla and Burnbright remain silent as the party moves, and Branwen drifts slowly back toward Mauve and her captive lizard as you all walk, her curious glance moving between the lizard and the other party members.

 

[Ireth]

Cadell

I shake my head in disapproval of the lizard's words. "There'll be no head-smashing, Skivver. The harpy is our friend."

My skin crawls at the mention of more black-elves. Looking steadily at the lizard, I echo his words. "They fight the witch of the Taint? Fight for her, or against her?" This business with Aslaug and Aeron grows knottier by the moment. "And who do you fight for?"

 

[Steerpike]

Skivver twists his head back to Mauve when Cadell speaks. "You friend harpy? You friend yellow elf? You friend Skivver too."

He looks back to Cadell "Skivver better friend. Skivver know where black elfs. Skivver know tunnels." He looks at Mauve again. "That right? Skivver best friend? You not smash Skivver head?"

Cadell's next words draw his attention again and he considers them for a moment, as though trying to think through the words to formulate a reply. "Black elfs want kill witch of Taint. Skivver follow Tarlack. Not care about witch or black elfs. Just mind businesses when black elfs take tunnels."

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

Nissa

"The black elves must work for Aeron," I say to Cadell.

I tell Skivver, "There will be head smashing, but it is the black elves whose heads will be smashed. How many of your people will be there, Skivver? Can you turn your people against the elves?

"Your people want them gone, don't they? Today you have that opportunity. I believe it is not just innocent humans whose lives we save. What happens to your people if you do not comply with the black elves?"

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

Baldhart

"Aw…" I see Nissa's getting friendly with a lizard guy. "…I wish I knew there was a truce with these things before I…"

Awkward.

"Nevermind. So listen… we saw a dark elf, I won't get into why he showed up, but he cast a darkness spell to get rid of us. Ankari stayed in the dark to chat and thinks that the people captured are still alive. We all agree the elves need to die. Real soon. So now we gotta go back up."

I start moving back up, but stop and turn to the lizard guy.

"Oh, and good news, Lizard Guy! Feelings are mixed when it comes to killing lizards. So… looks like we will not kill lizards. Problem solved, then."

Except for the six lizard guys we already killed. Half of which were my kills. I'll just keep that detail to myself.

 

[Nihal]

I press my lips in a thin line, all amusement gone as I watch their exchange. My hand hovers over Branwen for a moment, but I stop myself before patting her head. Bad idea. I let it fall back to my side, turning my attention to Baldhart.

"Could you f— not?" I snap at her. "Now you are here walk with us, not ahead, splitting again. Making a mistake once should be enough.

"And I handle Skivver. Ask your questions, but do not chide in." I direct a hard look to Cadell. "I decide whose head I smash or not, hold no pretentions of answering questions in my name.

"They are ten, Baldhart. The children are alive, and we should act carefully." Darkness, uh?

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

Baldhart

"Ten? Are they all magic? I won't run ahead, but I think we can move faster…" I crouch before Branwen, and say, "…if someone gets a piggyback ride!"

I offer to let Branwen sit on my shoulders, if she likes the idea.

It hits me that Mauve said the children are alive. "Children, you say? I don't know what all this talk is about who decides what heads get smashed, but there better be no question about smashing the dark elves' heads. If anyone wants to parley, go ahead, as long as your sole reason is to buy time for me to get close."

To Bressel I say, "It's against my goddess for me to use a bow, but your god encourages it. Have a bow ready. It's a long walk to the corridor where the dark elf was cowering in, or I'd've charged him before he could cast."

To Mauve I say, "I noticed the caster was moving his arms and lips a lot before his darkness spell went off… oh, and it's way bigger than yours, but anyway… is there any chance a magic user can't cast if he's gagged and bound? Masama and I don't use weapons, so if you know a better way to stop a caster than beating him to death, I'd love to hear it." Before Mauve can answer, I add, "Would grabbing his throat and repeatedly mashing his face against a wall of solid rock work? If I can stop spells while beating the caster to death, that's the way to go."

 

[SeverinR]

[before Baldhart meets up]
"Skizard, Maybe introductions should be made, Nissa is not a harpy, Branwen is a winged elf harpy. You should also call the witch by her name, Mauve. The commoners need not know what she is.
Calling someone something they are not, might make enemies you can't afford to make at this point. You will meet a very painful death, if you raise a claw to any in this group and your body will be left to the birds and insects to pick at after you die."
He walks on silently for a minute, then adds,
"Betray us, and the birds and insects will pick at you tied to a tree, while still alive."

[after Baldhart meets up]

"I will keep my bow ready, but I am better chopping off limbs then lofting pointy sticks at the enemy."
" Why waste time binding and gagging them, death guarantees they can't use magic?"
"I think I have heard if you silence the caster they can't cast, but I am not sure if it is a old wives tale."