On Wings of Retribution {Nam}

[Nascent]

She had been on her way out of Matrons Hollow, having wrapped up a fairly standard investigation of a local 'faith healer' fraud -- this one, unfortunately, not a mage but using an enchanted amulet in the stead of real magic, having allowed the phony to pass the test of a fair number of Mordecai before finally being revealed in the presence of Kasna Vel Telshear. Even those magics that could elude the presence of an elite Mordecai, after all, would have no place before a Knight of the White Lily. For his heretical acts the man was put in stocks, his enchanted trinket shattered to pieces in front of him, and handed over to the local enforcement for summery execution. It had gone well, which was why she had been leaving the area.

However, a story she overheard whilst eating at an inn in the next town made the brown-haired swordswoman change her plans. Now, instead of leaving Matron's Hollow she was riding back into it, to Valdasta City nonetheless. In this haven-city was a boy, the son of a knight... and she had every intention of finding him at once.

Even as she rode in past the city gates, the setting sun gleaming on her armor, she was already making her intent clear to those she passed on the streets. "In the name of the Order of the Knights of the White Lily, I have come looking for a young man recently bereft of his father, slain by renegade magic-users. The lad's name is William Galahad," Her eyes swept across those who'd turned to look the moment she spoke up, which was pretty much everyone nearby and several who were barely within earshot. "And I would have words with him."

Silence fell for several long moments, the gate guards and people of Valdasta exchanging quiet but meaningful looks. Kasna quirked up an eyebrow, irked by the delay. She was used to being obeyed at once when she made a direct inquiry... but what she saw in their eyes wasn't defiance. It wasn't fear.

It was sadness. It was regret.

"My lady," One of the gate guards stepped forward, bowing his head out of respect. "Pardon us. Much of the city has been speaking of the lad you seek; we know where you may find him."

"Where? And why the cold response to my request?"

"It's just... sudden, m'lady. You see, his father's funeral pyre is to be made today, at a place just outside the southern wall called the Hill of Laments." The guard paused, solemn. "The departed, Sir Galahad, was a great, pious, noble man -- Valdasta owes him much. Many families in the city now go out out to mourn his loss."

Kasna's stern expression softened just slightly as the news was delivered to her. Hardened warrior as she was, she was not entirely immune to the emptiness and sorrow of loss. The thought of the funeral procession brought back bitter memories...

... memories of a little girl crying, tears burning hot on her cheeks as knights in silver-white armor lowered caskets containing only charred skeletons into the earth.

She was quiet for a moment, contemplative, before dismounting her horse and turning back to the guard. "I see. The situation is like that, then." Kasna paused again, thinking. "Can you direct me to where I might purchase a black cloak... and a flower?"

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S c e n e    M u s i c

It was no small funeral procession; the guard's description of Sir Galahad's touching many lives was not an understatement. Quietly joining those black-clad mourners in a black hooded cloak pulled up around her and over her head, the Adhara walked along towards the Hill of Laments. She could see it just over the heads of the people ahead of her, not too far in the distance. They had made every preparation to send the departed knight off into Angsar's embrace; wood for the pyre had been piled high, a priest quietly performing final sacraments over the body.

The boy would almost certainly be here somewhere. Kasna kept her eyes open; the family of so respected a man wouldn't be hard to spot, even with all these dozens of people about.

[Nam]

{Continue the song}

Utter silence. Not a soul spoke but wept silently they did. Will, though, had not shed a tear since the news had reached the village. He had already cried his share, now his father deserved a calm and graceful farewell. The boy stared steadily at the ground as the priest finished up with preparations. William looked up to his father. Ever since a very young age he admired his work and revered his commitment to the family and the safety of everyone who crossed his path. He was an honorable man and a warm father. Even now, the boy looked up to him from the wooden pyre which seemed to set him up on a pedestal for the world to see and praise. For his great deeds, he had paid the ultimate price, and his warmth would be repaid by that of the glorious and majestic flames.

Will clenched his hands. The time was approaching, and as it did, the more he started to realize he wasn't yet ready to watch his father burn up in fumes -riding the winds to heaven and leaving ashes to remember him by. His teeth clasped onto each other, and as the torch was lit his stomach churned. His lips trembled, his eyes closed and his face turned away. He needed to do something, he needed to stop this before it was too late. But before he could do anything someone else had already made a move. Will's eyes opened and gazed ahead.

"STOP!" his mother cried, unable to hold it in any longer. She rushed towards the priest and gripped his arm, impeding him from lighting the pyre. "Don't you think he has suffered enough!? Please! Don't do this to him! Leave him alone! STOP!" she cried. Everyone looked away in silence and the priest was reluctant to resist. He only stared miserably at the tortured soul of this widow woman. It was so unbearable that she couldn't hold her stature in front of her child. She wanted to keep a calm mind in front of Will, but she couldn't. Will bit his bottom lip as he observed with misty eyes. No! he thought. I promised I wouldn't cry!

Will walked towards his mother and rest his hands over her shoulder to catch her attention. She looked back. The boy's eyes were covered in shroud and darkness, and from those shadows a stream of tears finally flooded towards the ground. He looked up to reveal his tormented visage. "That's enough..." he spoke. His voice was broken and he shivered. His mother cringed and kneeled down sobbing, and embracing her adolescent child. The priest, now free, looked melancholicly at the pair and then turned to proceed with the ritual. Will looked, and as the man got closer to the pyre, he panicked. His hands clenched tighter, another step, his teeth grit; one more step, "STOP!"

Once again, the man in the black robe was halted by a voice -but this time, it was William. The boy left his mother and stepped forward towards the altar. He gave a sharp look at the priest, and the man would not dare intervene when the boy reached for the flaming torch and took it in his hands. He looked very carefully and firmly at the fire as it danced in the silver wind, he felt its warmth in his face. The priest submissively backed away quietly.

"W-what are you doing?" his mother asked. "Will? WILL! Don't do it! Will don't! STOP!" but despite her cries, the torch had already left the boys hands and he observed unexpressed as it did. "NOOO!" his mother cried, "Why Will!?" she clasped her hands on his shoulders and started fidgeting him wildly. "Why did you do it!? He's... He..." she stuttered, "He's your father!"

The gathered witnesses mourned heart-broken and mute. Will's eyes were slanted on the rising fire and watched as it ate away at everything in its path without remorse. "The mages," he finally uttered. His mother looked wide-eyed as he spoke. "They did this..." silence...

Once apon a time little Will feared the mages for all its worth. He was taught they were vile beings, better said, cursed beings. The monsters were only those who embraced it and manipulated it. But that fear had been ignited along with his father, and in its place left nothing but hatred and resentment. As his eyes fixated on the flames, as they shifted and changed shape and flared wildly, so did his judgement and his beliefs.

[Nascent]

"Yes, they did."

From the mournful watchers stepped forward a lone figure, concealed at first in a cloak of mourning black sackcloth. Those listening carefully could just make out the sound of armor plates shifting and clinking faintly, barely audible as the fire grew and spread. The woman's eyes traveled from the lonesome son to the conflagrant remains, lingering there before returning back to will.

"The unrepentant mages who committed this heinous act are sinners without hope of redemption, having not only failed to temper their unholy powers as Angsar requires but using them to unforgivable ends." She approached the grieving mother and son, holding out a single long-stemmed white lily to them as she drew back her hood. Kasna's silver-blue eyes looked down at Will, something difficult to describe expressing itself in them.

"My name is Kasna Vel Telshear, Knight of the White Lily. Rest assured, I do not intend to let Sir Galahad's murderers escape retribution. I will do all that is in my power to seek justice for this good man, I promise." Her eyes traveled to the pyre, its flames rising high now and sending smoke billowing heavenward. "It is my duty."

[Nam]

The flames burned and spread onto the pyre like a disease. Everything it touched began to crackle and cringe, slowly degrading into ashes, and as it spread it grew more ferocious and violent. In a way, it was like Will's fear; the flames were his fear permeating through his desires for vengeance and dissolving all his hope into despair. The more he thought about it the more the fire blazed, and the more it did, the more it burned. No matter how much he wished to be a knight, who was he kidding? He was a boy with a wooden sword, he'd only end up like his father.

William's ears seemed to perk up at the sudden sound of a woman's voice. His eyes rose from the ground and turned to meet with a hooded figure. He deduced that the person wore armor underneath the cloak, as every time she took a step, it bolstered with the subtle sound of cluttering metal. Will gazed as she extended her gloved hand to offer a white lily, the mourning color;  a form of euphemism dedicated to those who have passed on, expressing sincere love and respect. He could only wonder if the person hidden in the shadows of that hood was an associate of his father. Her voice was serious, rough, and cold. His mother accepted the lily in his behalf.

Then, the mysterious woman unveiled her face and identified herself. The first thing Will saw were her silver, hardened eyes and then the chocolate-brown hair that flanked her visage. Galahad's eyes widened and glanced at the lily in his mother's hands as if he just unraveled a complex puzzle. He wasn't familiar with her particular name, but he was aware of the Knights of the White Lily. Will's gaze dropped silently to the ground. "Thank you," he said, "Did you... work with him?"

[Nam]

Delete Post. Sorry. xP

[Nascent]

Kasna slowly shook her head. "No, I'm afraid I never met your father. I know he was a knight in service to Connlaoth and its people and, from everything I've seen and heard since arriving, a noble and virtuous man. I think I would have liked to fight at his side... but since I cannot, I will hunt his murderers to honor his memory."

She turned towards the pyre, bowing her head in silent prayer for a moment, then glanced back at Will. "I know you are in mourning, but time is important if we are to catch those responsible. When you are ready, meet me at the inn near the eastern gates and we will discuss our next move. I may well need your help to find the guilty and punish them."

Then, with a quiet nod of respect to the tear-streaked widow, Kasna turned and departed, the eyes of many following her as she headed back into Valdasta City.

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The inn Kasna had spoke of was one of the busier, and thus larger, in Valdasta; situated along the road in from the east gate meant it was along the city's chief trading route and was able to cater to a great many merchants and traveling artisans of all manner of trades. It was a place where food and drink flowed from the kitchens at a clipped pace and there was always someone asking about a room for the night. Lit by dozens of lanterns hanging from the ceiling, businessmen and investors sat drinking and hashing out deals at most of the tables while others were occupied by small groups or lone travelers simply enjoying their fare.

"Ay, can I help you lad?" A barmaid, bringing empty tankards back from the tables, asked when Will entered. "Are you with someone?"

[Nam]

The boy narrowed his eyes and peered over the crowd of countless merchants and travelers, looking for those silver penetrating eyes and that flow of chocolate-brown hair. It would be troublesome to spot her since most of her body was concealed within that hoodie, but he imagined -as a knight- she would be wearing some kind of metalic white armor, possibly with the logo of her faction over a shoulder or something. Suddenly, his field of vision was obstructed by the presence of a friendly barmaid asking whethe he required any asistence.

"Ahahaha, yeah, thanks!" He chuckled nervously. "I'm looking for a woman by the name of Kasna. Has she been through here yet?" Will asked whimsically, scratching the back of his head. He was requested to come by an inn near the eastern gates and this must have been it; although he could've been wrong. The place seemed like a common check point though. It was always so lively and full of all kinds of different people from -who knows where- meeting up to discuss complicated business topics which, frankly, William couldn't give two cents about.

He was interested though. She was a Knight of the White Lily and although a bit cold, he could still see her as she briskly walked away in that mournful evening. Her brown hair would cascade behind her in a gentle wave along with the cloak she wore. It was so... majestic!

[Nascent]

The barmaid's expression changed the moment Will said Kasna's name, going from easygoing and friendly to quite urgent and serious. "Oh, yes! You must be the one she was waiting for -- said it was important business, she did. Just stay right there; I'll drop these mugs off and take you right to her."

The barmaid was true to her word, leaving and returning shortly thereafter with her arms freed of empty tankards. She gestured for Will to follow and led him through the tavern area of the inn, around busy tables and up a large staircase towards the back of the first floor. Once they were on the second floor they were greeted by a long hallway set with doors on both sides.

"Very important customer, Lady Kasna. Not every day we house a Knight of the White Lily, nor one who rents three rooms at a time. That's quite a bit of money, that; mister Javrick -- that's the owner -- was absolutely thrilled when he saw all that gold." The barmaid chuckled quietly to herself as she approached one of the doors towards the center of the hall, proceeding to knock before calling: "Lady Kasna? There's a young man here to see you, matches the description you gave."

"Send him in; the door's unlocked."

Obliging, the barkeep opened the door and ushered William inside. The room was pretty standard fare for an inn: a simple bed in one corner, a large wooden chest in the other, a candle illuminating the room from atop a small dresser against the back wall. There was Kasna seated on the chest, sword in one hand and a whetstone in the other, sharpening her blade with the tell-take dry crackling sound of metal rubbing stone. On the bed was another sword, a short sword in a simple leather sheath, sitting next to a cloth-wrapped bundle. Pausing her ministrations on the sword's edge, Kasna pointed to the bed. "Sit."

Once will was seated Kasna quietly put her weapon and whetstone aside, leaning forward somewhat so that hey eyes were level with Will's. This was the first time he'd seen her in her armor; the sole candle that lit the room gleamed with bronze light upon its steel-silver surfaces, the blue fabric of her cape and outfit standing out strikingly even in the semi-dark. In her eyes he would see calm but purpose mixed with the candle light reflection.

"I'm glad you came so soon; I was worried perhaps you might be in grieving for longer, days perhaps. It is good that you have chosen action over emotion." She began, her tone perfectly level, almost emotionless. She folded her hands together, clearly giving him her full attention.

"I want you to tell me everything you know, Will. About your father, his work as a knight, any enemies he had. About when, were, and how he was killed. Anything and everything you think will be useful for finding the mages who killed him. Don't leave out anything, no matter how seemingly trivial or insignificant."