Spirits of the Earth

OOC: Tags @CounterfeitFish

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She could smell the sunset and the sweet winds of an on coming storm. The shadows beneath the trees grew deep, blanketing the thicket as she moved about collecting round stones. She should head back to the manor, before it got too dark. But she needed 3 more perfectly round stones, or the curse of the willow would remain unbroken, and she only had until the sunset or the curse would last forever!

It was growing harder to see, with daylight fading into purples, even the shadows blended all things. One more. She had found one more. But she still needed the two. She chewed on her lip and lowered herself down closer into the tall grasses, parting weeds and vines in hopes to find the last two, less she succumb to the most wicked of all curses!

Oh if only the mighty willow tree had not tricked her! Had she not learned he could speak, oh she would have been saved! She peered out towards the last rays of orange sunlit glinting through the tree branches over head and ducked down beneath a low laying limb and rummaged through more tall grass.

Another stone! But oh... this one had a crack! The tree had told her they must be perfect and round-
Suddenly her blood was zinging as she caught a sound. Her heart caught into her throat as she held her breath and turned to lean out over a tree in hopes to catch the sound again.
And it was confirmed! Her face lit up as she ran, bare foot, through the trees and out from the outter forests, running with heavy breaths towards her manor home.

That sound! That wonderful sound of horses drawing a carriage. It meant her Uncle was home!

Through the yard and past the gardens, the young woman went, hefting up her skirts as she neared the long stone steps that lead to the southern door. She wanted to be there to greet her Uncle when he first arrived, to wrap him up in a hug and know he had been missed.

She had passed through the kitchen, the old maid Glessa 'tsking' as the girl went as she called to her from over her shoulder as Narophyne made her way and pushed past the door.

"Girl! You've got tree bark in your hair! And... where are your shoes! Child!" She threw her wash cloth down in a huff. "Narophyn Telgve! Head right upstairs to get a bath!"

Narophyne laughed as she continued through the house and called back to Glessa, "Uncle's home! He's here! He's here!"

Glessa chewed on a breath. Her words anything but nice as she picked up a knife and went back to finishing up her work. By now, Narophyne had made it half way across the large house, smiling through heavy breaths as she continued to run until she was at the front window and cast the heavy curtains aside. Her pale eyes brightened at the sight. It WAS her Uncle! Uncle Viktus was home!

"Uncle!" Her arms couldn't wrap around him fast enough as the old man entered into the home. He was going bald, his hair already white and his face creasing with age. He could easily be mistaken as her grandfather, as he was ten years older than his sister (her mother).

Narophyne sighed happily when he hugged her back. He smelled of peat moss and tobacco. He must have smoked his pipe in the carriage.

"Uncle Viktus, I'm so glad you're back!"

The man laughed and pulled himself away, dropping down to be closer to he height and ruffled her hair in affection.

"Miss me, did you, Narophyne?"

Naro shook her head. "You know I have! I always do." She was bouncing, not unlike a child, as she doted on his every moves and words, helping him remove his coat while the maids stepped back and let her fuss. She was always this way, and they would always exchange glances about it.

As they were talking, Naro couldn't help herself but lament about his absence.
"It's been nearly a month this time."
"Has it?"
"Yes."
She always knew the precise time. Once she became a teenager, she found herself counting the days, making a calendar from stone...
Which is what prompted her little adventure in the woods, one she had nearly forgotten until the pair were making their way up the grand staircase and from her pockets, the round stones fell.

Gasping, Naro dropped to her feet to scoop them up. It was only then her Uncle realized...
"Naro, are you not wearing any shoes?" He cut a glance at the maids. Glessa only held her chin up, not dignifying that with a response. She was over twenty years old! She should have been married off! Not kept inside like a child.

But Naro never minded, and pretended like she didn't hear the maids speak of it. But part of her too, had wondered.....
But that's all she ever did. Wonder. And as they moved up the stairs, she found her mind going back to the stories in the woods about the Willow tree. She squeezed the rocks in her hand.
She didn't finish before sunset. She peered out the window. There was an hour, probably less, of daylight. She wouldn't complete her quest. She couldn't rid the curse.

Part of her wanted to pull away from her Uncle and race back out to the trees to dig up the last few stones. But the part of her that longed for that paternal interaction, kept her cemented at Uncle Viktus's side. At this thought, she squeezed another hug against his arm and snuggled into his side.

But then her Uncle paused and stepped away.

"Now, now, Narophyne, please." His voice was stern. She peered up at him. Was he going to scold her? "I am a tired old man and my journey has been long." Oh! How selfish of her. She bit her lip and gave a stiff nod. "If you'll excuse me, I'd like to retire early."

She smiled. Even though it hurt and gave his hand a squeeze before nodding.

"Oh of course. You must be so tired! You traveled far and have been away so long-"
"Good. I'm glad you understand." And he motioned with his hand down the hall. "You should clean up and get to bed. We will be busy very soon."

Naro's eyes brightened as she grabbed onto her Uncle's arm again.
"Busy? Soon? We have plans?" The excitement could not be contained, nor could temper from the brisk reply.
"Please, Naro! We can worry about this later. I am tired." He had pulled away from her and was now standing in front of the open door to his study. A detail of which was not lost upon Naro.

"Are you not going to sleep? Were you going into your stud-"

"Naro, please!" his voice was firm, sharp, and the young woman shrunk away. "Too many questions."

And found herself repeating, "Yes, you do not like too many questions." She bit her lip and cast her gaze to the ground.

Viktus sighed and stared at this niece for a long moment before stating simply, "Please, go bathe and head to bed."

She nodded, careful to not even swallow until her Uncle's back was turned and the door- closed. For a long moment, she simply stood there, eyes down cast and tracing over the light casting out from beneath his door.

The sound of the maids brought her out of her stare, and she quietly retreated, bathed and turned in for the night.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She tossed and turned fitfully for a good few hours, laying there and staring out into her room. Her mind was an endless race, going over the endless possibilities as to why her Uncle was so tired and what stories she could create about where he had been. She eventually slipped away into slumber, only to be suddenly yanked awake, and a cold hand shoved over her mouth, prohibiting a scream.

It was dark, her eyes, still sleep fogged as she struggled beneath a man's grasp. She heard him grunt and curse, commanding her to be still. She shook her head, struggling before knocking her head into the man and nearly knocking off the heavy cloak covering his head. He cursed again, and forced her down onto the bed with all his might, hissing out into the darkness for some help.

A flash of lighting- Right, the storm. Naro stilled for but a moment, until she saw the second man coming forward in the shadow of thunder. And the three struggled for a bit against a second flash of lighting until one of the men raised a sword...
And everything went dark.



She awoke suddenly, and jerked against the ropes that bound her form. Ropes!? When did she get bound? Did those men tie her up? As her mind rushed to figure out just what had happened, a sharp pain jolted across her temples as she hissed through her teeth. Oh, what an awful headache! And it was then she realized she must have been hit over the head, for the throbbing pain could only be deduced as such (that, and well, she had blacked out!)


She didn't have much time to take stock of the room she was in before she was pulled into the most horrific night of her life.
For years to come, she would never be able to rid herself of what was to come. Her life would never be the same, and the unbridled fear she felt as she was strapped down to a stone board, hooded men standing all around her, chanting and odd, sweet smelling smoke filled the room.

She struggled  as she was secured into place, begging for them to release her- to let her go. But none of them responded, simply tightened her down and left her to struggle. And then the men all stepped away, and she, continued to fight her bonds when a single cloaked figure approached.

An uneasy feeling crept over her, her heart hammering within her chest as a old worn book was opened and all the men around her grew silent. Her eyes snapped this way, then that, seeking desperately for some sort of an answer.

"Please..." she shook her wrists, struggled at her waste. "Please!" she was nearly sobbing. "Please, let me go! I haven't done anything wrong! Truly! Please!" Her eyes glittered with tears, as a pot of smoking ash was placed beside her, and a man reached his hand into the pot and placed the warmed ash against her chest, and moved, very slowly down her night shift and suddenly she felt very naked, very exposed, even though she was clothed.

She shivered, goosebumps prickling up her form. She swallowed away the hard lump in her throat when the man's hand stopped just above her navel and retracted from her gown. She peered down. Her entire chest had been smeared with the cooling ash. She peered up at the man, and a magical blade flashed into existence.

"Please, no!" she flinched, fighting much more furiously against her bonds. "I haven't done anything! Please don't do this! Please don't hurt me!"

And then he cut, and cut again- tossing the same warm ash into the air and slicing through it-

And with each cut she flinched. By the third one, she felt it, the blade, as if it were hot, like molten lava, cutting across her chest and oh it BURNED. She wailed out in such intense pain and writhed against her restrictions, begging them again and again to stop. But it continued, more ash spilling over her form, tossed into the air and more cuts slashed through it- and those cuts... those cuts were going into her. Even though the blade did not once touch her direct flesh- they were cutting her!

She continued to cry out again and again, but the ritual was going, and things were happening faster.. or was it slower? She could not tell, as she watched the glittering magic blade cut the ash in the air again and again, slicing her but now, she saw-...
Cutting.. it.

If it was possible, whatever the men were doing to the ash and air with that peculiar knife...
They were cutting open the very air, the very existence before her! A strange wind current rolled from the gash, melting and roiling with the fog of the ash.
And then another sharp cut came through it and...
She felt the blow and it rolled with the winds of the air and...
Her entire body was filled with such intense jolt of pain she felt as if her entire skin was on fire, her blood broiling but cold- OH! Oh, so cold and her eyes, she could not see! The world had gone to white, her insides near bursting as if being filled with a thousand snakes.

"Cut! Keep cutting!"

A voice. A familiar voice. Was that....

"Uncle.. Uncle Viktus!" Her voice came out ragged, barely her own as she dizzingly was regaining her sight. She saw a hooded man move closer, but her vision faded back, another cut had her yowling as more stinging winds were driven into her body.

She couldn't take it. She was going to die. They were trying to kill her!

"Please!" her words were sucked clean out of her, the cuts being demanded now by the voice and the strikes lashed out again and again.

"Cut the Gleem. Rip it open! Pour the pure chaos into her soul!"
It was at the pique of her pain that she roared back into her vision, her entire body jerking and nearly tearing from her confines. And she saw his face, no longer hoping, dreaming the voice was his...

"Uncle!" she pleaded, tears nearly drowning her renewed sight. And they caught eyes for a moment, before his expression turned to a scowl and he drew out his own knife and slammed it- hard, deep into her chest.

Narophyne's mouth fell open, voice lost to the pain. She got past the point she could even do that anymore, the strangeness of these attacks had stolen it from her. But she could feel him, barely see him, but FEEL that he was there. Her Uncle Viktus twisted, muttering words unknown to her before pulling the blade through her body- up from her chest to throat, where she bubbled and caught on the broiling sensation that came with it before he tore the knife down to her navel and held up something, a strange symbol.


And then the world went black.








Cold. Everything was cold. And quiet....


Too quiet.

She stirred, pain jolting and coursing through her very being as every ounce of her body tingled into zinging sensations of life. She could barely move, struggled to see the faint moonlight high above. It was so far away, and she...
Naro peered around her, trembling as her hands groped at the close walls all around her. Was she inside a well? Some sort of ditch?

She moved to her knees to push herself up from the ground when an immense pain tore through her chest. Gasping, Naro gripped at her chest, hoping it would stop- only to find herself gripping nothing... Then a flap... and she realized, with horror...

Her chest was completely cut open. And she wasn't in a well nor a ditch-
But in a pit of ash and bone.


Before she could even register what was going on, a howling swirl of sound, light and smoke burst out from her chest, rocketing up from the depths and blasting out through the hole above.


Through the nearby forests did they see.. the light bursting in a howl. And those sensitive to it could even feel...

"Chaos..." Uncle Viktus breathed deeply, the sensation causing him to shiver. "That my brothers, is the raw power of chaos." He closed his fist and brought it towards his chest, shaking, as if capturing the very feeling itself.

The men moved. They didn't have much time. If the host was still alive after such a display of raw power, they needed to move to be sure she stayed that way...
Lest they lose yet another vessel again.

Fire. Fire everywhere. Only a couple of years after Krenth had joined the inner circle, and his home had been set ablaze. All the initates were dead except for Krask-he was a clever one, goblin-raised- and Oernt had fallen. The magi twins had teleported miles away as soon as the raid started, leaving only Brother Althrin and himself. Now, he ran. He ran from the blaze. He ran from the dying initiates, begging him to save them, not realizing that he simply did not care about them anymore.

He ran, and he ran, and he kept running with Althrin until they could no longer see the flaming ruins of their hideout. After hours of fleeing, Krenth eventually had to stop. He turned to Althrin, calling the man over. He needed something. "Brother Althrin. I need you to find the magi. I know you do not care for magic, but without them our strength is limited. No, do not speak, go. GO!" The smaller priest nodded towards Krenth, then began to run west. "Incompetent fool...and to think I believed he was powerful before..." This was true. During his first couple of years in the cult, Krenth believed that Althrin was very powerful. However, upon being accepted into the inner circle, he soon learned that Althrin was much weaker than he believed. In fact, it seemed like Althrin wanted to use Krenth as a way to take out any potential enemies. While he is not above killing, he hated being used as a weapon. However, that is not important right now.

Krenth had started to wander, searching for something. Perhaps it was a site for a new home, or perhaps it was just for the hell of it. However, he soon felt something...odd...emanate from a mile or two away. It was something he had only felt once before, during his initiation. Could it be possible? He felt the slightest hint of his god's power, or something very similar.

This was it. He didn't know what was causing such a surge of energy, but he knew it had to be powerful. After all, even though it was faint, it must have been huge at the center in order to be felt from such a distance. He knew this feeling, and yet it felt...different. While it was chaos, it felt unnatural, even to him. The people who had caused this were playing with magics unknown even to him.

Krenth had just begun to walk into the forest when he saw it. A sudden blast of light and sound, echoing from within the forest. Krenth knew he did not have much time before people investigated, and he had to be there first. So, he broke into a sprint, heading towards the source of the light.

Narophne was too startled to scream, the raw burst of light forcing her mute. What was going on? She scrambled to comprehend while scrambling to close shut her open wound.

The light faltered, the noise groaning inside her chest. She ground her teeth, hands shaking as she groped at the walls. There had to be a way out... but when she tried to grab at any protruding bones or rock, she found herself unable to keep purchase and slipped back down into the shadows.

Her chest still hummed, fingers shaking as she tried to keep her wound closed. What was going on? What was happening to her and how was she even alive!? Her eyes welled up with tears.

"What.. what is this?" She sobbed, desperation clinging to her with an anxious chill.

Krenth soon made his way to where he believed the source of the light was, though he saw little more than a pit of of ash, bone, and dirt. He was about to move on when he noticed that there seemed to be a fresh body inside the pit.

As he examined the body, he noticed that it seemed to be moving, soon realizing that this woman was actually still alive. And, for some reason, the energy of his god was emanating from her, which was incredibly odd. Why would his god choose this woman, someone who was barely clinging to life as it is? Or, barring that, why would someone perform such a powerful ritual on someone who seemed so...weak?

Krenth pushed his questions aside for now, knowing that if she was as weak as he thought she was, her wound would surely kill her. He spent but a moment considering whether or not this would be a trap, then unsheathed a wicked-looking mace from within his robes. He called out in a deep, cold voice to the injured girl.

"You there. Who did this to you?" He kept his statement short, not wanting to reveal anything should there be any hidden listeners.

The voice came as a sharp hiss; Naro nearly jumping from her skin. She clutched at her wound and scrambled to yank at her tattered clothing as she pressed herself fearfully against the wall as she peered up. She stared at him, a stranger. What could she say? It all sounded crazy. But even as her lips opened, the voices spoke for her.  The cult was on it's way. And only her eyes held the answers of fear.

Krenth looked down upon the girl, examining her injuries now that he could see her properly. He looked somewhat detached, though on the inside he was wholly invested in the situation. Weak or not, this woman had an aura of his god emanating from her, so this warranted some further investigation. He slowly made his way into the pit, briefly whispering a prayer to Yxdes.

"Dark Lord, grant me your strength...I must heal the-" Before Krenth finished his prayer, he stopped for a moment to think. If someone injured this person, they surely wouldn't appreciate him healing her. So, he cleared away the dark energy that was forming in his hands. If she was paying attention Naro would see that although he did not cast any spells, the eldritch symbol within his left eye glowed brightly, illuminating his face. He called out to anyone who may be listening, waiting for a response from someone, anyone.

"Who did this to this woman? Show yourselves, lest you incur the wrath of the god of madness, Yxdes." Krenth seemed to not care that she had a gaping wound in her chest anymore, knowing that if she was going tocdie soon it already would have happened. However, he kept his guard up just in case.

The cult wasn't something she was familiar, but as her mind hummed over the memories, she began to recall that symbol, and at the mention of his God...

No... it couldn't be... was this person, who appeared as an apparent rescuer, truly be in the same side as Uncle Viktus. She flinched back at his words, pressing herself as far away from him as she could.  But the pit was hardly wide enough for that and she feared the worst.

"Please..." she pleaded, eyes desperate and tear filled. "Please don't draw them here."

But it may have been too late. There was a sudden silence before a distinctively cold laugh from her Uncle was heard.

"Yxdes?" His shadow face appeared over head. "Wpuld you really threaten me with my own God?"

Krenth watched the woman back away from him, scoffing at her weakness. His cold, mocking tone soon changed to one of slight anger as she asked him to not bring them here. "Do not presume to command me, girl. I work for myself now, and I have no qualms with letting you die here."

The worst thing is, he meant it. Yes, this...could she even be called human? Surely she is but a step away from being a corpse. No matter, though. This woman radiated dark energy, and although it grabbed his interest, if she proved to be useless he would not be above leaving her, or even killing her himself. "Who are you speaking of?" However, he then heard the voice.

Looking up and out of the pit, he drew his mace once more, a cloud of dark power coalescing within his right hand. Soon though, he dispelled the energy and sheathed his mace, letting out a cruel laugh. "Hahaha...apologies, but to think...to think that there were more followers, and I never even knew of them? It has a strange humor to it...so, I am assuming you are the one who cut this woman open?"

While someone else would find it...mad...to trust a complete stranger so quickly, Krenth did anyways. While it was possible for Viktus to be lying, not many people even knew of Yxdes, which vouched for him at least a bit. "I must ask, this woman emanates the aura of our god. I know not of the magics that caused this, but I can take a guess. What have you done to her?"

Viktus may have smiled at the man, but there was disdain in his eyes. Another fellow follower? It seemed too... convenient. And if he was with Narophne... he was too close to their power source and by the way he spoke.
He knew not of their ritual.

Good. He had to keep it that way. All that power? It was his.

"A follower of  Yxdes? So the Lord of chaos brought you to us? Come, leave the girl and we can speak."

Krenth returned the smile, though it was just as hollow as the other man's. He had spent enough time among his own cult-and Brother Althrin-to tell when someone has ulterior motives. At this time, though, he could not tell what they were. He could take guesses, but nothing compared to pure, solid proof.

For the time being, he remained silent. He took a look at the girl, telling her one thing before he left. "Say nothing, to nobody. Breathe even a word of our presence, and I will not hesitate to kill you." His voice was a low hiss, filled with malice. While he preferred not to kill people when not needed, he had no qualms slaying those who came between him and his goals, or the goals of Yxdes. She looked stable enough to survive, if a bit bloody, so he did not care about leaving as much.

He followed Viktus, looking over the man. He looked aged, even old. However, he knew looks can and will deceive, especially with one like him. "I fled the razing of my temple. Whether or not I was brought to you, only our Dark Lord knows. Now, what did you wish to speak of?"

The words sent chills down to her bone. She was visibly shaking as she clutched her open flesh as closed as she could. It felt as if her entire heart was going to fall clean out. Tears rolled down her cheeks as the man scrambled away, and she slumped to the ground, not understanding how her situation could have continued to get worse.


Once out in the open, Viktus took a step back and examined the man who proclaimed to be another follower.

"So you can confirm you are a believer, a follower of Yxdes?" He seemed skeptical, lips pressed thinly as the patience he exuded.

Krenth scowled, angered by the gall of this man. He dared to assume that he was not a follower? What a pathetic, thrice-cursed, piece of-no, keep it together, Krenth. It would not do to make an enemy of this man, at least not until he learned more about the situation at hand.

Pinching the bridge of his nose as if he had a headache"the tall man sighed. He rose his head to the sky, murmuring a prayer to his lord. "God of Chaos, grant me not only your strength, but the patience to deal with this man..." Dark energy gathered within his hand, forming itself into a spear of power.

He searched for something, eventually finding a rabbit on the ground. He threw the spear at the rabbit, impaling it and pinning the corpse to the ground. Soon after it died, the spear vanished, leaving only a hole behind. Krenth turned back to face Viktus, an irritated look on his face. "Does that prove it enough? Or would you like a further demonstration?"

Viktus and the men remained quiet at the display, Viktus only grunting a nod.

"I see you weild his power strongly. " which meant he'd be harder to kill. Atleast it seemed this stranger had no idea about who or what Naro was to their cause. Good.  He could use that ignorance against him.

"What brings you to Connlaoth? Are you a native?" Which he doubted, his frown already in place.

Krenth scowled, noticing the rest of the cultists. He did not know how he hadn't seen them before, but now that he has, there was no point crying about the past. He scanned the bystanders, doing his best to find any and all flaws with them, in case he had to run or fight. He sensed something odd about Viktus, something he did not like.

"I was born here, and I follow Yxdes. My power is strong enough to do what needs to be done.That is all you need to know about me. Now, my turn. You dodge and weave around my questions, giving me more of your own. My patience is wearing thin. I advise you do not break it. What have you done to that girl? You clearly have something planned for her, otherwise you would not bring your friends-OUR friends, as we are all allies-with you." He gestured to the people with Viktus, indicating who he was talking about.

"Even I could feel the energy coming off of her, so surely she has something to do with all of us. I will get the information I need peacefully, or I could extract it from you." He spoke not as a threat, but simply as a fact. He knew many ways to torture someone, to ruin their mind and body. Initiate Krask, though he was lower in their order, had taught Krenth a few things he picked up from his goblin family. "As I have said before, I do not want to fight, but I will not hesitate to do so if I must."

"We are not here for you nor can we claim we're on the same side." Viktus informed. "It is unusual to find another as worshippers to the great Yxdes, but the moment proves it is only that. The girl is none of your concern, a simple ritual and mistake.  We are not here to share ourselves and I doubt you want to pick a fight here, and in these lands. If your make peace of your leave, we shall not pursue." Which was more than fair. Narophne, alive, was worth more than any single worshiper's life, as far as he was concerned.

Krenth listened to Viktus's speech, scoffing when he finished talking. "I take orders from nobody but Yxdes. You are not the Dark Lord. If you all think you can fight me, I welcome you to try. Who do you think the dark lord values more? One whose strength is great, like myself, or a washed up old man and his gang of imbeciles?"
True to his word, Krenth gave off an aura of incredible magical power. Perhaps not the most powerful person ever, but he was pretty damn strong. Krenth spit on the ground, thoroughly angered by this man. He began to walk back towards the bone pit, muttering curses the entire time. "Thrice-blasted fools....wouldn't know power if it slapped them in the face..." Despite his calm, arrogant demeanor from before, Krenth was not a man you wanted to piss off. He was spiteful, cruel, and would go to any length for revenge.

While he was walking away, anybody who was paying attention could hear at least his last line. "...If I can't get proper answers from them, I shall get them from the girl..."

Narophne trembled, eyes blinking back tears as she listened to the men above. Did she simply wait for them to return and do more ungodly things to her? Or did she take this time to make her escape?

She clutched her wound closed, eyeing the walls for a moment before deciding she had little choice. She might not get another chance to make an escape.

Digging her hands into the rocky walls of the pit, she hefted herself up, fingers digging in deep for purchase. She shivered everytime she scraped her open chest against a sharp rock or protruding bone or root, still rattled by the idea she wasn't simply bleeding out.

It took her entirely too long and with entirely too much strength to finally make it to the top, and when she did, she collapsed to her knees and sucked in air as if she just survived being drowned.

But a nearby sound of someone approaching alerted her she didn't have the luxury to catch her breath. She spared one glance over her shoulder to see the shadow of someone approaching before she clutched her wound closed again and ran bare foot out into the denser woods.

Krenth was far from happy. Now, he had just escaped his temple while it was being burned to the ground. Then, when he found a potential ally, when really it was just some old weakling. Now, his one mortal source of answers was running away!

"Dark Lord, why must you test me like this? If I must prove myself once more, then so be it..." He broke into a sprint, intent on catching this girl. He knew not what made him do this, but now that he had a task, he was going to complete it.

While chasing after Naro, Krenth turned and shouted to Viktus. "The girl is getting away! Even if we are not allies"she cannot be allowed to reveal what has happened here!" With those words, he continued to run.

She could hear them. They were intent to pursue her. She ran faster, ignoring the pain when her soft feet ran over sharp underbrush and rocks.  She couldn't be caught, she couldn't. Who knew what fresh horrors awaited her. They had already done something-

Narophne clutched her skin closed tighter, knuckles pure white. As she continued to run, the forest began to go down. And the further she went, the steeper it was getting until she paused at the dark edge of a cliff lined with line trees, heart hammering inside her chest and the last lights of the dying day cut through the canopy in the colors of unnatural blood.

Her heart was bear hammering inside her ears..she felt the men were getting closer...
What could she do? The cliffside went straight down and the height... was dizzying.

She heard movement, turned sharply and clung to the trunk of a thick pine tree.
"Don't.. don't come any closer or I'll...!" Or she'll what?
She was trembling and afraid. "Don't make me jump!" She warned, daring to take a step back, hoping her ending her life was enough deterrent.

"Why must I be surrounded by imbeciles? Girl, come here, NOW." He continued to chase her, though he stopped once he noticed her precarious situation. About five meters away, Krenth lingered. He thought about pinning her to the ground and seizing her through force, but he noticed two problems with that. Firstly, Viktus most likely would not be happy about that, and he did not need a fight if the girl would be in the way. Secondly, she would never trust him, thus cutting him off from the one thing he sought: answers. He could make guesses and theories, but he would never have confirmation if she died.

He decided that if violence and threats of violence would not work, he would try persuasion. He prayed to his god once more, enveloping his hand in dark energy. "Yxdes, if you are testing me, then give me the chance to pass! Let me heal the injured, so I may carry on your dark will..." His vision snapped to the girl, the dark energy remaining. "You. Girl. I mean you no harm, not now. I seek only answers, and the others have refused to provide them. I can heal you, get you away from these...these wretches. But, I cannot do that if you go jumping off of cliffs!" He was telling the truth. If she obliged, his plan was to heal her and leave, as long as Viktus and his cronies did not interfere. "Your time before they arrive is limited. Make your choice, and quickly!"

Her head was in a whirl, heart thumping inside her ears as she shook her head. She wanted free of those men, of her Uncle that betrayed her. But she also feared this man, whose very presence sent chills to her bone.

"You're just like them!" She shouted back.  "You both speak to the same God! The same God they offered up me." Angered tears clung to her eyes, fist shaking as she held onto her open flap of skin, still fearful with each shake her insides might fall clean out.

"My body is not yours! Not theirs. I will not be some tool to your God!" She dared a step back, eyes burning, desperate and wild.

Krenth began to pace back and forth, murmuring obscenities to himself. He was running out of options, but he was slowly gaining answers, the one thing he sought. Though, now the girl was threatening to jump off of a damned cliff! Taking a deep breath, he regained his composure, at least most of it.

"I am not like them. We may worship the same god, but we are far from the same." He took a brief moment to consider his next words, knowing that the situation was incredibly delicate. What was taking Viktus so long? No matter, it was better without him here.

"What would you rather have happen? Would you rather get captured by those...pathetic people, or would you rather escape? You could jump off, but even I don't know what they can do. Weak or not, for all I know they could resurrect you after they find your corpse. I, for one, do not plan on doing so."

His voice had lowered, but it still kept the same cold tone. To be fair, everything he said was true. He saw no need to kill or torture this woman, and at the moment she held at least some value to him. However, he seemed...not oblivious to her obvious anger and fear, moreso that he didn't really care. He picked up upon it all, but he thought coldly. If he had to be nice, he would. If he had to beat the shit out of someone, he would.

Her eyes wavered, thinking over all he said. He had a point and so far was the only one willing to help her in this insane moment. She still couldn't believe this was even happening.  Like this was all just a bad dream.

The rumble of an approaching storm sent winds that wrestled the trees and began to toss her long hair wildly about her face, long strands still sticking against her form by mud or sweat.

She set her jaw, hesitating still as her eyes searched his.
"Maybe.. we could help each other," she proposed slowly, careful and still unsure. "I don't know what they've done to me." She winced, still clutching on desperately to her open skin. "Can you... can you fix.. this?" Her eyes pleaded, desperate.

"FINALLY, someone sees things as I do. Yes, girl. I can be of assistance. I too do not know what they have done, but it appears to have been magical in some way. That, or someone did a very poor job of trying to kill you. That wound. It looks like it shouldn't be too hard to heal."

In stark contrast to his earlier behavior, Krenth seemed much more mild now that he had gotten what he wanted. He still didn't seem like the nicest fellow, but at least he wasn't threatening anybody. He began to walk towards Naro, extending the hand covered in dark energy.

"Now, this is going to be far from pleasant. However, it shall heal the hole in your body, at least until we can find someone who can do it properly. I suggest you brace yourself." He continued to approach, and would begin the healing process if he successfully made it to Naro. "Some compare this to the feeling of...maggots crawling through you. I for one haven't had the chance to feel it, so I cannot confirm whether or not they are telling the truth. You can in a few moments, though."

Her eyes read like an open book. Although she visibly cringed at his description of the sensations of his heal, she found herself taking a few more bold steps towards him, her hand reaching out towards his, which were licking with tendrils of moving, dark energies. She only contemplated her answer during a brief pause before her eyes returned to his and she took another step and placed her hand into his.

And the sensation that over came her next made her tense, gripping his hand with sudden ferocity as her insides felt as if the were moving, like boiling without the heat and she felt her legs growing weaker at the very sensation until a sudden harsh pain wracked her body as an unseen magical force cut clean into her belly and she cried out in pain.

Laughter from Viktus as he triumphantly clutched onto a thick,sacred spell book and had a twisted piece of silvery power wrapped around his wrist, the other end leading across the woods was secured around a glittering, sharp harpoon looking spear of magic that was solid, and had cut clean until Naro's body and was hooked firmly inside her gut.

Narophne's face twisted into such pain and then panic at the realization her Uncle had returned that she gripped onto his hand with all of her being, her eyes pleading, body yielding for his help- and then she was yanked away from him with such a force she hadn't a clue as to which way was up, but a second later Uncle Viktus was cackling as he held her tight, within his arm.

She hadn't even the time to realize her wound had closed, nor the sensations of the heal had vanquished along with something else she hadn't even realized could be lost- for the vessel that she was destined to become had indeed been fulfilled, and the raw chaotic magic of Yxdes lurched from her form the moment she accepted giving her fate to Krenth, and their hands touched, that raw power was siphoned to him with a curdling urgency that Krenth might not know what had hit him!

But soon Narophne would be finding out what had hit her, as she looked down at the very solid magical hook that pierced clean into her belly... and unlike the open wound, which somehow never bled, she could feel the hot blood pouring out from the wound and quickly staining her already blood stained and tattered clothes.

"It was never anything personal," Viktus commented. Whether it was to Krenth or Naro, was never understood. Perhaps to both. "We just would like to remain a private sect. Yxdes will is here and you will not ruin that for us. Perhaps in another life or time we could have been friends. "

And he smiled simply before he, and the other mages he had in tow, stepped forward and began a chant that lit the woods in a circle of fire around Krenth, aiming to seal him to that spot- and at worse, kill him.

Viktus turned towards his men.
"Summon the dark beast. We must leave with haste."

Krenth stood there as his healing spell took effect, the flesh knitting back together and the organs repairing themselves. However, not all was well. The moment their hands connected, Krenth fell to one knee, their hands locked in a death grip. That was, until she was torn away by Viktus. Krenth remained in his position, crying out in pure agony as the combined effects of his spell and the transfer of energy wreaked havoc upon his mind.

He felt the tides of chaos flow through him, assailing both his mind and soul. A lesser man would have been ripped apart by the sheer power. And yet, just like his initiation, Krenth withstood. He slowly rose from his position, turning to face Naro and Viktus. He radiated an aura of not anger, not of irritation, but of pure, cold fury. Krenth truly, wholly hated Viktus. He swore then and there that Viktus would die by his hand, no matter what he had to do to accomplish it.

Krenth felt powerful. Unbridled chaos was flowing through him, empowering him, strengthening him. He raised his left hand, the same dark energy flowing off of it like water, blackening the ground below. Whatever this girl did, whatever had been given to him...it made him more powerful. "No. I don't think we would. You are going nowhere."

The tall man conjured a spear of energy, which was now covered in black flames. He threw it at one of the mages, piercing their heart. The poor mage died almost instantly, having been burnt up from the inside. Krenth conjured two more spears, incinerating a couple more mages.

He raised his voice, the wind blowing his robes in the classic 'I'm evil and I'm coming for you' way.  "You! Know this! I do not fear you, nor whatever creature you send to fight me! Today, you shall die!" Krenth created one more spear, sending it through the throat of a fourth mage. When angered, this man showed no mercy, took no quarter.

Viktus stood in cold, unbridled fear, his eyes widening so much they actually hurt. He could sense it- and not sense it within the girl...
That tickling, prickling surge of power...

Viktus growled and gave Narophne a rough shake, the magical spear still piercing her clean through the middle.
"What have you done?"

Could she have possibly known how to give this Yxdes follower that power she held? The one they siphoned from the very chaotic energies in these very woods? She had survived.. and for what? For the ritual to finally yield a gift that would be simply given to another!? No. Viktus would not allow this man to simply benefit from his trials.

"I've waited too long for this to work," Viktus growled, his voice of warning. He pulled Naro closer to his body, feeling her tremble, hearing her cry.

"Try those powers again," Viktus began, a cool, twinkling blade appearing of chaotic magics from his hand and pressed coldly to Naro's throat. "And I'll kill her."

Krenth made eye contact with Viktus, the symbol within burning bright even still. Those eyes held no fear, no remorse, nothing that would hold him back from killing everyone here. And yet, he paused. The girl seemed important, important enough for Viktus to use her as a hostage. Why let her die if she could be of further use?

"Is that so? Go ahead. Do it. Kill the girl. But, know this. With her dead...you have nothing stopping my wrath. You are weak. Pathetic. Wretched, vile scum that does not deserve to even be in my presence, much less making threats. So, what do you think would happen first? You killing the girl....or my spear embedding itself in your skull?"

All the while, Krenth did not break eye contact. Just like before, everything he said was true. Unlike Viktus, Krenth had no use for lies or hollow threats. He meant every word that left his mouth.

"When I first met you, I knew I was stronger. You...you are insignificant. Worthless. I ask once more...which of us do you believe our god values more? Do you want to find out?" Though it held no magical power, Krenth's cold gaze seemed to bore right through Viktus, looking into his being, his very soul.

Did he know he'd be calling his bluff? Either way it have him enough time to draw whatever power he had left (which had been reserved to summon the beast) and redirecting it into a much easier escape plan.

His smile was coy, cold as his lips curled and he held Naro closer.

"Child, these are family matters. You may address Yxdes on your own." And with a muttering of ancient words, both he and Naro vanished from sight.

Krenth seethed with rage as he watched Viktus disappear, shouting into the sky. He began to walk towards one of the remaining mages, brandishing his mace. The tall man swept the mage's legs out from under him, then proceeded to bash in his skull. "Pathetic."

Krenth then walked towards the final mage, going through a similar process. However, unlike with the others, Krenth did not kill him. Krenth kneeled down, placing his hand around the man's throat. Not enough to cut off oxygen, but enough to make his message clear: 'You are at my mercy.'

"Where. Did. He. Go?"

His robes darkened. Had he soiled himself? It would see how easily it was that Krenth killed the others that his days were numbered.

"H-home," he sputtered through a choke. "He might believe his sanctuary compromised. So he probably would g-go home."



Viktus and Naro appeared just as the mage predicted- outside in the fields of...

"We're home," Narophne whispered in disbelief, and then her Uncle was dragging her along as she cried out in pain.

He clamped a sweaty hand over her mouth and gave her a threatening shake.
" I'll let the magics kill you if you don't shut up."

Stunned into silence, she couldn't help but whimper as the pair disappeared inside.

Krenth smiled, removing his hand from the man's throat. However, he then set his mace down. "Very well. Perhaps our god will show mercy to you." He placed a hand on both sides of the man's head, fingers digging into the flesh. He began to essentially overload the man with dark energy, eventually causing the skull to explode. Krenth stood up, wiping a bit of bone off of his robes. He would have to wash them soon, as they were now covered in blood. He retrieved his mace, placing it back into the sheath on his hip. "I am coming for you...and nothing can stop me."

Krenth began to walk towards the home of Viktus and Naro, determination burning within his eyes. As he walked, he spent a moment to ponder his current situation. What kept him here, trying to save this girl? She seemed to have no more significance, outside of a hostage for Viktus. However, Krenth quickly banished those thoughts from his mind. Yxdes brought him here for a reason, even if the details were not clear yet. So, he increased his pace, now running towards where Viktus was hiding.

After a little while of walking, Krenth came across a large manor, presumably the place he sought. He ignored the beautiful gardens, the detailed work of the house itself. It was meaningless to him. He could not see Viktus, nor Naro, so he continued his search. "Where are you hiding? Come out and face me, scum!"
---------
OOC: I wasn't sure if you wanted something to happen before Krenth entered the house, so I left it vague on purpose. If not, we can just say he walked inside before calling out to Viktus.

The storm was nearly upon them now, lightning flashing as the winds would whip around Krenth wildly. Then came the rain, a few drops at first- but then it poured.

Inside, Viktus barely caught the calls from Krenth outside on the lawn. Although he noted Naro heard it too. He growled and continued to shove her forward.

"Keep moving. To the basement, girl! Quickly!" He growled, then barked his command when he was nearly tripping over Naro who of course was dragging her feet.

Her eyes were blinded by tears as she stumbled, Viktus pushing her all the while down the cold stone steps that wrapped around and lead then deep underground.

The air was damp, musty and it was dark, the pair barely able to see as he fumbled on the shelf of his wine cellar until his fingers found the trap door release and the wall slid open. The pair dipped into darkness, the hidden door closing at their heels.

Krenth seemed to not care about the rain, only scowling slightly as his robes were soaked. He would have to check his mace for rust after this. He came up to the set of doors, throwing them open. He searched through the room, going down into the basement after finding nothing.

He coughed slightly upon entering the dusty basement, then cleared his throat. After a minute or two of searching, he found a patch free of dust or dirt, with a handprint over what appeared to be...a false lever? Tricky bastard. Yanking on the lever, Krenth entered the secret passage. He called out once more, now seeking to mock Viktus.

"You are running out of tricks, old fool! You cannot run for much longer!"

Viktus had already made it to the deepest parts of the basement when Krenth's voice rang out. Viktus scowled and shoved Narophne onto the ground.

"One word from you and you're dead," he promised. He eyed her form before throwing his heavy spell book across a nearby table and summoning a subtle floating, cool flame so he could read. Time wasn't on his side, and it felt as though there were too many pages to sift through as he cursed.

"Where the hell is it," he growled, and once it seemed he found the page he punched the pages down harshly before looking to Naro.

"On the table girl. Now."

She did as she was told and Viktus shoved her down roughly., having no patience for how she trembled and fumbled.

Viktus was attempting to mutter a spell when Narophne's chest began to glow, exactly where the open wound had once been.

"Please... Uncle Viktus..please don't do this," she squirmed beneath him, but his grip came harder and his words, much faster.

And she began to feel a strange pulling within her body just as her eyes rolled back into her head, body convulsing at the sudden awakening within.

Viktus's eyes widened as he cackled, "it's working! Sweet Yxdes, pour your power into thee! Grant me this vessel for this abundance of your power! Bless that I may defeat the man who tries to ruin this fate!"

Krenth continued to walk down the hallway, listening closely for Viktus and Naro. Far away, he could hear the older man talking, presumably to Naro. However, what he had to say to the girl was unimportant. He could see a small light further ahead, and began to run towards it. However, once Krenth could hear what Viktus was saying, it stopped even him. Krenth recognized those words, those ancient phrases. He was doing things that even Krenth had never attempted before! Surely this man had a death wish!

Krenth pressed on, summoning another spear as he walked. He began to chant words in an ancient language, words known only by those who followed Yxdes, and the Dark God himself. Roughly translated, they meant "I am the bringer of death. I enact the will of Yxdes. May all who oppose me and my god fall beneath his strength."

He soon made it to where Viktus was enacting his ritual, readying his spear. However, before he did, he noticed the girl. She clearly was the focus of this ritual, evidenced by her glowing chest. He had to end this quickly, before Viktus could complete the spell.

"You shall defeat nothing. You will die. This I swear." The man slowly advanced into the room, daring Viktus to try and attack. However, he did not strike, not yet. He did not know what traps or precautions the older man had set, so he decided to go with the simple route. Get in close, and bash in his skull.

Viktus laughed. He could see it, even feel that drawing pull of darkness, of chaos moving, flowing, growing within this child. His laughter came louder as the chaotic pulse growing within Narophne became stronger.

"Yessss," the words purred, growled from his lips as he shook being so near to this surmounting power- but then he sensed it. That other wretched follower. How dare he show up inside his home to steal what was rightfully his!

"You're too late! You will never have her! You feel this power? " His eyes narrowed with power drunken poison. "After so, so many years... is mine!"

Viktus wasted no time, and grasped at the overflowing tendrils of chaotic power that was just emanating from Narophne's form. And he laughed.
"Such, such power!" He howled, and curled that wicked darkness around his fist and turned to whip that energy in one clean cut bolt at Krenth.

The tall priest watched as Naro emanated the same energy as before. Chaos itself. Even Krenth could not repress a small look of surprise as he at last figured out what was going on. This girl...she must be a receptacle of some sort, someone designed to hold the raw power of Yxdes. He wished he could have spent weeks studying this place, this woman. However, his thoughts were interrupted by Viktus attacking him.

Krenth dodged the attack not with ease, but without too much trouble. Viktus's attack was slow, sloppy, untrained. At least, to Krenth. Despite that fact, even he could tell that Viktus had become much more powerful than before. Krenth could not afford to make mistakes or take shortcuts. Powerful or not, Krenth was only human.

He knew he had to act quickly, to defeat this man as soon as possible. Not only would he prove a decent threat, but he could not risk his healing spell wearing off. Now that he was empowered, he was sure he could permanently heal the wound, but it would soon reopen if he could not make it in time.

"Clearly you have never held such power before. You are like a child who picked up his father's blade." Krenth's words were true to him, though Viktus's skill was impressive. He threw his spear at Viktus's chest while swinging his mace at his legs, aiming to at least cripple the enemy if he could not kill him. The outcome of this attack, however, was up to fate.

Krenth's words couldn't describe Vikitus's attacks more accurately. For Krenth was right. Up until this point Viktus had only been able to weild meager spells from the book. Now that this tangeable, raw force was at his disposal, he was like a child, and blindly flung another powerful bolt at the spear that dared for his chest, only to be reminded he was human, and a much older human, when Krenth's mace connected with his legs.

Viktud howled out in pain as he dropped to his knees.

Krenth smirked as he saw the old man fall so easily. It seems like he was right. He spent no time gloating, not willing to risk Viktus recovering. He struck twice more, once at the man's ribs and once at his head. Though it would be difficult, there was a slim chance for Viktus to dodge these blows. As he attacked, Krenth's smirk grew larger and larger. He enjoyed inflicting pain upon this wretch, one who thought he could kill Krenth. He said one thing, his voice barely more than a whisper. "This is what happens when you cross me."

The man was feeble, the blows rendering more useless with each hit, and once the mace swung at his head- he fell over, flat on his face. Either dead... or nearly to it.

The Dark Priest watched as this lesser man fell to the ground, dead. Or, at least seemingly dead. Krenth wasn't going to take any chances. The tall man continued to swing at the body of Viktus, specifically the head. He swung, and swung, and kept swinging until his head was little more than a smear on the ground. Then, just to add insult to injury, Krenth used the sleeve of Viktus's robe to wipe off his mace, removing the blood and gore. Nodding once with satisfaction, he turned his attention to the girl.

She seemed to be losing blood at a rapid pace, as evidenced by the wound in her stomach. This could not do. He repeated his prayer from earlier, eye twitching as the force of tapping into such dark magics chipped away at his mind. However, he had been careful not to overuse his power, so he knew he had plenty of time before he was permanently damaged.

He placed his left hand over the injury, which promptly began to seal itself, leaving only the faintest of scars. He then shook Naro, but only enough to try and rouse her. He could not damage the person he just went through all the effort of saving. "Awaken, girl! I do not have time to stand here while you sleep all night."

Had she been awake, the sensation would have made her skin crawl, but as it were- she remained limp and motionless as the wound sealed itself together with the very dark magics that left death take the room. 

And her pulse was weak at first, and gradually grew stronger as the healing powers flowed more deeply within her body, awakening her energies when she suddenly shook awake, eyes so wide and skin so pale- she nearly looked like death herself.

She sat up suddenly and looked around, eyes adjusting as she began to realize where she was and recall what had happened...
And her eyes fell upon the smear on the ground and her jaw fell open.
if it was possible, she turned an even whiter shade of pale.

Krenth removed his hands from Naro, but did not dispel the magic. He would have to heal her once more in about ten minutes, but there was no need to harm himself before he was forced to do so. He followed her gaze, giving a small chuckle once he saw her reaction.

"Neither he nor his lackeys will be any trouble. Not anymore. Especially not him. If you can walk, I suggest you do so now. We should leave this place, and I have no desire to carry you." He sheathed his mace, having no need for it anymore. Not yet, at least. The glow within his eye had faded slightly, though it still gave off some light. His power remained, kept under control until he needed it.

"All of his time and preparation...all for nothing. What a waste. He could have been a decent ally, if he had not opposed me." He was silent for a moment, before shaking his head slightly. "No, I am sure we would have come to blows eventually." His voice was low, mostly talking to himself.

Narophne had no idea what to do or say. The wine cellar was a mess, her Uncle a fresh bloodied stain upon the floor. Her life was over. And this man simply asked her to follow.

She shook her head slowly, in disbelief, not disobedience.

"This... this was my home..."

Krenth watched Naro, his smirk slowly going away, replaced with his normal neutral expression. He gestured for her to follow before quickly searching through the room. He soon found the book that Viktus had used, giving it a quick search. The knowledge within was of no use to him, so it was worthless. Half the spells and incantations he already knew, and he had no desire to sell it or give it away. So, he destroyed it.

He sent a spear through the book, incinerating the pages. All that was left of the tome was a pile of ash and covers. "I do not need the information within. My temple is in shambles, so I cannot teach it to others. None shall know what is within, except for the Mad God."

Krenth just now seemed to register what Naro said, turning back to face her. "A home where you were presumably tortured and became the subject of a dark ritual. Do you truly wish to return to it?"

Naro winced and dropped her gaze, ashamed.
"It... it wasn't always like that," she whispered. Infact, it had never been like that until the other night. She shivered at the memories, her head spinning.  "I.. I never would have guessed my Uncle that he," she swallowed thickly.  "That he was evil. "

She grew quiet, not sure what else to say except-
"So what's to become of me?" Her eyes were curious, scared, imploring.

"He is nothing, now. Nothing but a corpse." Krenth stood completely still, about two feet away from Naro. Far enough to not invade her space, but he could also keep an eye on her.

"I am unsure. I cannot commune with Yxdes now, not without the proper materials and preparation. I was sent here for a reason, though I cannot tell what it is. For now, however, I shall keep you safe until my path becomes clearer. You still contain some power, and I am sure other followers may try and seize it from you. I shall prevent that."

Krenth said all of this in a flat, monotone voice. He simply stated the information he knew, and his interpretation of it. If he had to act as this girl's bodyguard, he would do so. Not out of pity or kindness, but because his god commanded it.

She paused, turning around to peer back at the aftermath, to where the crumpled pile of ash was that used to be her Uncle's book. She supposed no one could use that against her now- if even the ritual secrets had been contained within- that she did not know.

She turned away to face Krenth again and tried to search his face for something.  Anything. But he was a blank slate, a hard shield of indifference guarding whatever lurk beneath. But she found herself staring not at his realistic green eye but the odd, obscure black one.

Did he lose that eye? Or was he born that way?

She returned to try and search for the human within, staring back into his green eye now as she whispered softly, but in earnest as she reached for his hand, "Thank you."

Naro would find nothing upon inspecting his altered eye, but there were hints of something in the other one. Eyes are the window to the soul, they say, and that remains true, even for Krenth. Within there was a fiery determination, often found in those who had endured many hardships and had withstood them. An iron-bound will, one who never faltered or gave up when facing adversity. Though, upon realizing he was being watched, Krenth looked away. He was not one to share his innermost secrets, not for anybody but Yxdes.

He took the girl's hand in his own, the magic covering it shifting and flowing away to avoid her. He did not need to waste his powers when she was uninjured. "I do what I must." He paused for a moment, and his gaze softened. It was just the smallest bit, gone in the blink of an eye. However, it still happened. "You are welcome."

As they moved to leave, the long, winding stone stairs felt infinite and her legs, like lead. She thought back to what he said, and couldn't help but ask,"So you too, do not follow Ansgar, but this other God, Yxdes." It felt strange to speak this foreign God's name.
"What purpose could he have with me? What... things do you know have been done?" She didn't understand any of this and faltered as she followed behind him, gripping onto his arm for purchase. Tensing, she drew back and downcast her gaze.

"I'm sorry. " she was probably being such a nuisance. But like him... she needed answers.

He was silent for a bit, pondering her question. It did not take him long to answer, though. "Yes. I follow the Mad God. His goals are unknown to me, though they become clearer as time passes. As initiates, we were told what to do, but not why. By the time I rose in the ranks, the temple had been razed, burnt to the ground."

He thought some more, then added on a bit more information. "I follow Yxdes because unlike Ansgar, he provided for me. I could pray and pray for days to Ansgar and get nothing. Yxdes was not like that."

His grip on her tightened just slightly as she stumbled, though not painfully. It was more to prevent her from falling, if she was unable to do so herself. "Do not apologize when there is no need." He continued walking, though it was slower than normal. The man's long stride could have easily outpace her, but he made sure to not do so.

It took so long to make it back to the main floor of the estate. It was still dark, and the storm was winding, drifting off in the distance.

She thought about all he said and all that had happened. And she wanted to speak, but knew not what. And then it all came to a head, as she suddenly doubled over and vomited on the ground.

In an instant, Krenth was there, magic at the ready. He did not know what caused this, if anything. However, he was there to help."Are you okay?" He was quick and to the point. No point wasting time when there was none to waste.

She shook a moment and turned away, fighting it off but the smell of her own vomit made her do it again. Another moment and she was finally able to compose herself, trembling slightly before she wiped her lips off on the back of her hand.

"I.. I'm sorry I just... everything that has happened I.... " It was the only way she could cope, her body near bursting with acidic anxiety that even he might be able to sense it. She groaned and attempted to right herself but wasnt able to as she shook her head.
"I'm sorry I just...  I need a minute. "

Krenth stood back up, now knowing that it was Naro, not some unseen attacker. He backed away slightly, but no more than a couple of feet. He examined the girl as she dealt with her issues, and even he could tell that she wasn't doing well.

He consulted his limited knowledge of herbs, but could not think of anything that could be of assistance. He mostly knew of the poisonous variety, and his healing spells could not heal an upset mind.

So, he waited. "Very well. Take the time that you need, and inform me when you can continue." After that, he stood there in silence, his face remaining as a stony mask of neutrality.

"I'm.. I'm sorry I'm being such a bother I... this is all very much new to me and I... until just the other day I had barely ever left this estate." She didnt know why she told him. And supposed she just needed to tell someone and Krenth, it seemed, was going to be stuck with her.
"Since were in my home, ought I prepare for travel?" Though the only travel she knew of was to fancy places, like the city.
"Oh, and look at me I'm just rambling and I bet you're anxious to leave and oh," her eyes widened. "I don't believe I've caught your name."
Color began to return to her face, atleast enough to heat her cheeks as she peered sheepishly over at him.
"I am Narophne Telgve." She tried for a smile, but it was forced and strained and the poor young woman obviously showed it.

"Your apologies are unnecessary. There is no reason for you to say sorry." Krenth, surprisingly, was a pretty good guy to vent to. He doesn't offer comforting words or gestures, but he is a good person if you just need something off your chest. But, that isn't important.

In response to Naro's question, he nodded. "Take what food, clothes, and weapons you can find and fit into a pack." He knew they would probably have to travel light. There was no time to find a horse and cart, or try and fill up twenty bags of stuff.

"Krenth Sarthin." He did not return the smile, nor attempt to do so. It was odd. He had not been outright rude or mean to her since her rescue, but at no point had he been very pleasant. Even in his sect of his religion, half the time you had to worry about a knife in your throat while you slept. He had never been able to afford to show weakness or emotions, so over time he learned to cut everybody off, to hide everything behind that mask. Perhaps that could change in time, though.

Naro opened her lips to speak, then closed them, then opened them again before informing him, "I'm not so well versed on weapons. I could.. could show you to the armory and perhaps you could select what items you see fit?"
She knew her selections would be useless and to pack a small bag? Or dear... not many dresses would fit into a sack.

"Very well. Do what you must, as long as we can keep moving." Krenth seemed slightly interested, curious as to what weapons are in here. He didn't know exactly what was contained within the mansion, but he planned to simply grab what could be of use and not slow them down. Plus, the less that was left for any foes, the better.

Naro nodded and motioned for him to follow. It was so strange, this chance occurence. She had surely thought herself as dead. But somehow she had lived and this strange man was to thank for it. She supposed the least she could do was help but... part of her was a bit apprehensive of just leaving home.

They passed by a series of paintings along the wall, most of Viktus, in his youth, and others perhaps his parents. Then Narophne stopped before a tall door with a ornate knob and a-

"Oh no. I forgot it needs the key."

Just a minor inconvenience.  She knew where the spare was kept and moved past it to the second door down. A study. Viktus's most likely. Naro seemed to know her way around as she slipped behind the desk and began to search through a drawer.

He began following Naro, eyes scanning the room for anything of interest. As he passed by the paintings, he began to examine them, though he did not stop walking. So this is what the old man was like when he was younger. Fascinating.

In response to her statement, Krenth nodded. As he entered the study, he stood near the doorway while Naro rummaged through the desk. Though he kept most of his attention on Naro, he could not help but scan the area. He spent a moment looking around the room, then returned his gaze to the girl behind the desk.

While he waited, he began to think of something. This manor was surprisingly quiet despite the size of it. Surely there would have been a lone servant or wandering family member, and yet he had seen nobody. "Narophne. It is extraordinarily quiet in this house, is it not? If this is your home, and I doubt you lived alone, surely we should have come across someone by now."

Narophne had found the key and was closing the drawer when she heard his statement. She blinked and looked around, listening and realized and agreed the same.

"You're right.  There should be workers here. Servants and maids. " She frowned, drawing closer to his side as she peered down the hallway.

She hoped nothing had happened to them.

"Maybe.. maybe Viktus sent them home, gave them the night off," she said softly, but an unsettled feeling began to knot in her belly. She clenched the key. They had to stay focused. Yes.. servants must have just been sent home so as not to make a fuss when Naro had been taken that night.

She slipped past Krenth but didn't move too far in front of him.  She approached the armory door, slipped the key into the knock and pushed the door open.

The door groaned open, revealing a decent sized room with hunting rifles along the wall, swords and maces, daggers and bows. All at their disposal.

"I... I hope something here might be useful?" And awkwardly she bumped into an end table, an iron lamp rattling loudly onto the ground. She grit her teeth and moved to right it, peering over her shoulder, curious if anyone was even home to hear it.

Scoffing at her statement, he shook his head just a bit and followed her to the armory. "I doubt it is as benign as you think. However, their fate is of no great importance, not right now."

He entered the armory, taking a look around. He immediately knew the hunting rifles would not work. They were long and bulky, difficult to conceal if they had to be stealthy. He paused at the swords, but shook his head. No, those would not work. Naro most likely had not had any formal training with the weapons, though he could be wrong. Upon finding the maces, he smiled slightly. These would work. He grabbed one of the weapons before moving on to the daggers. He snatched one with a mid-sized blade, about seven inches. Finally, he found the bows. Those too he rejected, mostly for the same reason as the rifles. He did not know how to use them, and he doubted the girl could do so in her current state.

Krenth walked back over to Naro, ignoring the fact that she had knocked over the lantern. If someone heard the two, then he could easily take care of them should they prove to be hostile. He held out the two weapons to her, motioning for her to take them. "If you know how to wield a sword, take one instead of the mace. However, these will be easiest for you to use without any prior training. Hit them with the mace until they die, and stab them with the dagger if you have no other weapons." Simple arms with simple instructions. Perfect for those who knew little about combat.

Naro stared at Krenth, eyes wide.
"You... you expect me to.. me to fight?"

The tall man sighed, closing his eyes for a moment. "Should I become incapacitated or killed, you will have to defend yourself. It is not likely to happen, but you must be prepared if it does. You do not have to fight unless I cannot." He did not move from where he was, still holding out the weapons to Narophne.

Narophne blinked, still staring hesitantly at the weapons. After all she had gone through, she still flinched at the idea of violence. At the idea she would be in charge of any such violence.

"I.. I dont think I could if it came down to it," she admitted, frowning as she dropped her gaze. "I... my life had always been simple. I rarely left these halls, this place."

She peered up at him, a bit deflated but forcing out some hope when she asked,"Is there really no other choice?"

Sighing once more, Krenth went back and put the mace away. However, he did not get rid of the dagger. He was going to give it one more try, not willing to give up so easily. "Your life has changed, then. Changed drastically. Whether you like it or not, you will need some way to defend yourself. Your life has changed, and so you must as well."

He paused for a moment before placing a hand up to his temple. Though it wasn't her fault, this girl still irritated him somewhat. She most likely would for as long as he knew her, though he would continue to be her guard until his god said otherwise. "If you are going to be this stubborn, I can hold on to this for now. But keep my words in mind, Narophne Telgve. Things are changing, shifting, and you will have to do the same. If not now, soon."

She looked at him, taking in what he said but the heart of a fighter, of a defender, was not there. Perhaps she was too naive, too immature even after all she endured...

Ir perhaps it was because that was all she knew; to bury herself away inside, to pretend her life away. She lowered her gaze as she considered his words.

"If the occasion called for it- what if I choked? I've never held a knife before, barely even inside a kitchen... what if they take the knife from me? What if they have a sword? Or arrows or end up being someone else I knew?"  That I had loved?

"Then you pray to whatever god you worship that you may survive. As Yxdes commands, I shall protect you with my life. I cannot force you to make a choice, but you cannot hide from it for much longer. Either you must accept what has happened, what is going to happen, or you will be taken advantage of by the next Viktus."

He stared directly at Naro as he spoke, not moving a muscle, not even blinking. His words, though they were harsh, were true. He was not going to sugarcoat any of this, nor would he have done so before.

She felt unsettled by his gaze, feeling lacking while being schooled. And even though she knew he was right...
"Perhaps... when I am ready... you could teach me to use the knife?" Even still, she felt guilty.

"And your God.. why is it that you chose to protect me, but my Uncle he..."

"I shall teach you what I know, when you are able to learn. I am not an expert at combat, but I have received basic training with most weapons." He tucked the dagger into a pouch on his belt, just barely large enough to fit the weapon.

He was silent for a good minute after her question, his gaze leaving her for a brief span of time. After taking the time to think and consider his words, he looked back at Naro. "Yxdes is the god of Chaos and Madness, though some know of him as the Lord of Shadows. His will is ever-changing, as is his temperament. One moment he could be benevolent and kind, and the next he could reduce you to a pile of dust. Perhaps it is the power you contain, perhaps the Dark Lord views you favorably. As for your uncle, he was weak. Unworthy. I am not, so Yxdes most likely saw no reason to let him live." Unlike the rest of the time, Krenth spoke with just the slightest hint of uncertainty in his voice.

Despite being a follower of the Mad God, he knew little about how he acted, how he viewed others. Often times Yxdes would only speak through signs or omens, rarely speaking even when summoned. "Though my vision grows clearer each day, it still remains murky, clouded."

Lord of Madness? Her face could be read like a book. That didn't sound like a God to her. More like a demon, dark and twisted.  So this God her Uncle followed? He had claimed it was why he did unto her and... she cringed, recalling his admittance to killing the others. Out of habit, Narophne moved to press a hand to her chest, as if the open wound she endured was still there and that ghostly fear of her insides possibly spilling out had returned.

And this man... he followed this God. So many things seemed ominous and his mere presence screamed of warning. He was tall, dark and....
She blushed a little even as she studied his face.  And what had happened to his eye? Or in his life that made him follow such an unscrupulous God?

She suddenly felt very uncomfortable, near naked in her tattered night shift when she finally dropped her gaze. It wasn't polite to stare.

Krenth had mentioned she had power. That, she still did not understand as she chewed on a fingernail and looked about the armory, feeling weak, foolish and vulnerable.

As he stood there, he began to examine Naro. It was quite obvious that she feared him, or at least the god he worshipped. "The world is a terrible place, girl, filled with murderers, thieves....and people like myself. It is far from sunshine and rainbows, no matter how much one could wish that it was."

Upon noticing her press a hand to her chest, Krenth remembered something important. He had to renew his healing spell, lest the wound return. "Narophne, I suggest you prepare yourself. My healing abilities, though they can patch up most wounds, are only temporary. I must re-cast the spell upon you, unless you want your chest to rip open again."

He held out his left hand, offering to heal her. Though her cooperation was preferred, it was by no means necessary. However, he paused once he realized what he had done. Normally he would have healed her immediately, without warning, regardless of her feelings. And yet, he did not. What was it about this girl? It was....odd, to say the least.

"I see no further use for this room if you will not take a weapon. Once the spell has been renewed, we must move on. Clothes and supplies." His voice was stern, though not commanding or unfriendly. He would wait for her to be ready, get the things they needed, then leave this place. After that, he did not know what would happen next. Perhaps they could return to the ruins of his temple, or maybe search for any of the cultists in his sect who survived the fire.

At the realization her wound could open again, she visibly winced and squirmed, as if it had happened and wasn't just a thought. She closed her eyes in attempts to push down those thoughts before she reopened them and peered down at his hand, taking it suddenly before she nervously said,"And it'll feel uncomfortable, like worms crawling under my skin." She tried to smile at her own joke but there was still tribulations that kept the smile from taking a proper shape. She closed her eyes and gave a nod.

"I'm... I'm ready. " she said, closing her eyes tighter and gripping his hand in anticipation. But the anxiety of it all was looping up her belly and twisting her nerves into knots.

Despite himself, he could not help but give a small smile at her joke. It quickly went away, though. As she took his hand, the feeling from before would return, albeit at a lesser intensity, as there was no gaping wound to heal this time. However, it still probably sucked to experience. His eye twitched again as he felt the backlash of his spell, then proceeding to let go of Naro's hand. The moment he released her, the feeling would vanish.

"That should keep you on your feet, for now." Taking one final look around the room, the man walked over to the door, waiting there.

She was already prepared for the worst and when the sensation actually hit her, her face scrunched and toes dug into the ground, for she still wore no shoes as her knees drew together as she shuddered at the odd flittering crawl flooding her body.

And then it was over, and she remained there, tense with eyes closed before he pulled away and she, waivered a bit from the disconnect before finally opening her eyes.

"How.. how often will I... will I need to... to be healed?" She asked quietly .

He was silent for a moment, taking a bit of time to think. "I would prefer every ten minutes, though if you wish to push your luck, I believe it is possible for it to last for twenty. You will not suffer any ill effects from your wounds reopening, at least not from the spell itself ending. However, it is an inconvenience that I wish to avoid whenever possible. Now come girl, we must continue. You will freeze if you go out in just....that." By 'that', he was referring to the tattered remains of what used to be her clothes.

"Every.. every ten minutes?" She looked appalled. "That... really that often?"
She placed a hand over her chest, the sensation still ghosting within her. But then at his comment about her attire, her face turned beet red.

"OH, I! I should go change!" She stammered."My room is just upstairs . I'll.. I'll go do just that. " And she hurried off down to the end of the hall that opened out into a large foyer with a wide, welcoming staircase that she began to ascend.

She paused a few steps up and peered down at Krenth from over the banister. "Do you need anything yourself? More clothes or travel gear?"

"Yes, every ten minutes. I never said it would be pleasant. Perhaps we should seek out a healer soon..." He returned to his thoughts, growing silent once more. However, his attention returned to Naro once she spoke again.

Following her into the hallway, he stopped once she did. He thought it over for a moment, eventually shaking his head. "No. I have what I need with me, and I doubt anybody but your uncle has robes similar to mine." His face turned to one of minor displeasure at the thought of scavenging Viktus's old clothes. "I will be fine."

She nodded and continued up the grand staircase, thinking over his statement about the healer.
"Could.. could a healer cure this? I mean, so that you wouldn't have to keep troubling yourself for me?"

"Hm. It is possible, yes. As for myself, I am not troubled by this. As I have said before, I shall do what I must, if it keeps you alive and unharmed. The day my initiation was completed, I swore myself to Yxdes, swore to carry out his will. If he commands me to guard you, I shall do so."

After a little bit of walking, Krenth spoke once more. "What was Viktus like, before we met? Surely one such as him could not hide his ways for long. Someone must have figured him out, whether it be by accident or otherwise."

By the time he posed the question,  they were already at the top of the stairs. She looked at him curiously before shaking her head.

"I.. I wouldn't know. I.." and she felt embarrassed for it, but admitted," He was never like this. He was always kind to me,  sharing stories about my parents and I-" she winced at the realization... it was a lie. Not all of it but the tales he would tell her and when she found out he had murdered them.. what could she believe?

"He.. he wasn't home alot," she quickly added, averting his gaze as she walked down the hall, past more paintings hung in ornate frames.

"Interesting. It seems he could be quite deceptive, then." He returned to silence once more, the mask of neutrality replacing his earlier expression. While he walked, he kept track of the passage of time, down to the second. To make a mistake now would be dangerous and time-consuming, although not deadly.

Her room was nearly at the end of the hall, a painting of what could be presumed of Narophne in her youth hung beside the double doors, which were already open and welcoming with their majestic grace. Her bed faired the same, constructed of intricately carved mahogany framed by pastel pink and rose fabric that housed an elaborate embroidered scene. Some knight and princess riding a white horse together across a green landscape and a castle off in the distance.

Narophne passed the bed, heading towards a large wardrobe and flung the doors open, pretty dresses hung inside, each one a pleasing color. She stared at them thoughtfully before asking, "How much ought I to pack?"
She supposed Her luggage bag would decide that and she moved to bend over to the drawers below and retrieved a large garment bag that could house an even number of under clothes and dress.

Krenth took a moment to examine the painting before following Naro once more. Upon entering the room, he grimaced at the sheer amount of pink and rose in this room. While others may have found it beautiful and elegant, he saw it as pointless and wasteful. The time spent painting this room could have been put towards other, more practical things. However, it was too late now, so he continued walking.

Upon hearing her question, Krenth turned to face Narophne. "Pack lightly. We cannot be slowed down by a dozen different dresses and the like. Choose one set of your finer clothes, and the rest must be functional. The exact number is up to you, but use common sense.' Having answered her question, he returned to silence. After this, he planned to search for rations, then they would depart. At least, if there were no setbacks.

Choose just one? And clothes easy for travel? She wished she hadn't been so sheltered for most of her life. It was embarrassing that she wasn't even sure what to choose. She at least knew what gown she wanted- a regal green dress adorned with dark lace and subtle gems- one her mother bought for her to wear at her first ball. Narophne had only worn it once.... And it had been sometime since she had ever been to a ball.

She realized she was clutching onto the dress and moved to place it over her bed, trying her best not to linger over the memories. As far as simpler gowns, she wore day dresses all of the time.  She supposed she could grab a pair of those. They were much simpler but still elegant, fashionable and the soft colors complimented her pale complexion.

She then went out to fetch some undergarments, stockings and then shoes, where they now were laid upon the bed neatly. Narophne found herself lost in thought, in the few memories that dared her to remain.

"Will these suffice?" She nervously chewed on her lip before turning to fetch her traveling coat and shoes.  And she'd surely need her hair brush, and... her hand paused over a pearl necklace her mother had given to her, one that held a single emerald hanging from the center to condiment the dress. She recalled how happy she had been to receive the gift and found herself frozen in place, stuck on the memories.

He examined the pile of folded clothes, eventually nodding his head. "Yes, these will do." Her pale skin may draw a few eyes, but it wouldn't be too bad. HE was most likely going to be the most noticeable one out of the pair, but it would not matter. He refused to change his outfit, unless he could recover something that was identical to it. If someone did inquire about his appearance, he could easily deal with them, whether it be through words or violence.

His thoughts were interrupted once he realized Naro had stopped. Krenth faced her once more, taking note of the necklace. It must have been very expensive, probably more than Krenth has ever had in his life. However, the value of it was unimportant, at least to the dark priest. He no longer cared for material wealth, only caring about what he needed to survive. The man tapped her once on the shoulder, seeking to get her attention. "What are you waiting for? Take the necklace if you wish, I will not stop you." Surely it was just a necklace, right? A simple collection of precious stones, nothing more.

She flinched, nearly jumping at his touch and turned to him.
"OH but I... I did not think.. I mean that is to say... i.. wouldn't think it wise or necessary..."
She turned to the necklace, part of her actually fearful to let it go.

But.. it would seem a silly thing to bring when on the run...
Even still.. she tried to look away, but it felt like it's very presence was burning her.

Sighing, Krenth backed up a bit. "Bring it with you. Even I can tell you want to take it, and it is small enough that it can't slow us down." He started walking back towards the door, stopping once he reached it. "Collect your things,then we should move on. We have weapons and clothing, all we require now is food and water."

She could have cried at his mere suggestion to bring it, but instead choked back any emotion and said,"I ought to hurry up and change. " It wouldn't do for her to travel as she was; bare foot and in a tattered night dress. She moved towards the changing screen, quickly procuring a change of clothes- a simple yellow dress.

She wasn't even behind the dressing screen for a moment when a noise was heard down the hall.

Nodding once more, he returned to his silent watch of the area. While he waited, he started to think about what had happened today. So far he had met another follower of Yxdes, rescued his niece who transferred raw chaos to him, killed Viktus, and now he was here. A crazy day, to say the least.

His thoughts were interrupted once more as he heard a noise in the hall. His eyes narrowed slightly and he drew his mace, expecting the worst. Not wanting to leave Naro unguarded, he only took a few steps out of her room. "Who goes there? Show yourself, now."

Naro had began to tug at the string that bound her dress when she tensed at Krenth's words.  She clutched onto the strings to hold her garment together and peaked from behind the screen.

"Is... is someone out in the hall?" She asked lowly, eyes on Krenth and the door. She grew quiet- but so did the hall.

He spent just a moment to turn back to Naro, then returning to the hall. He wanted to investigate, and yet that would leave her unguarded. If someone was there and she went with him, she would possibly be in more danger. "I am unsure. I heard a sound, and yet it has faded...finish dressing yourself. I cannot risk an enemy being here." He did not move from where he was, but he continued to watch the hall for something, anything that would give away a foe.

Narophne nervously chewed on her lip, disappearing behind the screen. She was rushing, scrambling to get her limbs out of her torn garment when the explosive firing of a rifle made her screen.

She dropped to the ground, half dressed and clutching the dressing screen when she heard a voice,"Step away from the child."

That voice ! It was Glessa. The old maid had stepped out from where she had been hiding down the hall to shoot at Krenth.

Krenth raised a hand to his right cheek, tracing a long line upon it. There was blood upon his fingers, most likely from the bullet wound that was now there. He was lucky that he was not another inch to the right, or he would be dead. Quickly ducking into the room, he began a quick prayer to Yxdes.

His voice was low, barely more than a whisper. He spoke quickly, knowing that time was especially limited now that there was someone in the hallway. "Dark Lord, shield myself and my allies from harm..." His hands were covered in the same energy as before, though it seemed to have a slight smoky quality to it. He did not cast his spell, not yet. There was still a chance to resolve this without another death.

"You too, work for Viktus, old crone? If so, know this! I shall protect this girl, and I do not care who I must kill to do so!" In his mind, he viewed Glessa as another foe, though there was a chance that she was just some old maid with a gun, trying to be a hero. It was that small chance that stayed his hand, stopped him from trying to kill her on the spot.

"That makes two of us protecting Naro and I've known her since she was a little girl. And I certainly do not know you and will not let this poor child fall prey to some ruffian!" Guns were awkward and not so easily fired in excess but she took the time to reload the thing as quickly as she could while remaining partially hidden down the hall.

"Narophne! If you can hear me girl and are able, come to me this instant!"

Naro held her breath. Oh no... she had to act fast. She couldn't let this escalate anymore than it already had and to her, Glessa was still innocent and had no reason to harm her.

Glessa was slowly walking down the hall, gun at the ready when she spoke again.
"I have no problems peppering a man who is trying to steal my charge!"

Naro heard her getting closer and when she noticed Krenth too, was preparing his magics, she dashed out from behind the changing screen and across the room, barely holding onto her clothing as she shouted, "Please, Glessa, don't shoot!" And as she approached the door the woman dared to step in and immediately widened her eyes at the state of a half naked and very desperate looking Narophne.

She wasted no time aiming the gun at Krenth and fired.
"You cad! How dare you take advantage of such a woman! I'll fill you full of holes!"

He scowled, unable to see the maid but assuming that she would approach. While he could have spoken, the majority of his attention was focused on keeping his spell ready. He heard the old lady walk down the hall, and prepared himself for a fight. While he preferred to not have to resort to violence, it was seeming more and more likely as she talked.

The moment she shot at Krenth, a large wall made of the aforementioned shadowy energy appeared in front of him. Though it appeared to be made of jet-black smoke, it stopped the bullet as easily as if it was made of solid metal. In fact, nothing could go through it, at least not until it was broken.

Because he had finally cast the spell, it did not take as much energy to maintain as it did to keep it on hold. Knowing that, Krenth was able to speak without having to worry about the spell failing. "I have done no such thing. As for your threats...you will do nothing. I welcome you to try, but Narophne can tell you what happened the last time someone tried to kill me."

Though the wall was not massive, it was large enough to separate himself from the angered maid and Naro. He did not attack, not wanting to waste his energy killing the maid. It did not show, but his actions were finally starting to take their toll upon his mind and body. He could theoretically go on for hours, but the continued casting of spells and fighting had drained a good chunk of his...well, energy. He was only human, and empowered or not, humans need rest every now and then. So, he attempted to negotiate. "If you would lower your weapon, perhaps we could speak like civilized people!" After a brief pause, he added one final thing. "Or, you could suffer the same fate as that fool, Viktus!"

Glessa wasn't about to believe him.  The proof was right there and the old woman was seeing red. But the power before her was something she couldn't argue with. But she still held her gun.

But then he talked about Viktus and she demanded with heat, "What have you done?"

Narophne had finally managed to collect herself and fix her clothes before she approached Glessa and grabbed onto the gun, lowering it.

"Glessa, please! This man isn't here to harm me. In fact he saved me."

Glessa never once took her eyes off the man but knew her weapon was useless now unless she were to reload. But she had a job to do and she turned to grab Narophne by the arm.

"The child comes with me!" And she began to drag her from the room.

Still from behind the wall, Krenth spoke. "He sought to end my life after I discovered what he was doing. He had funneled the power of my god into her, most likely to strengthen himself. I received that power instead, and slew him with it. If you doubt my words, ask the girl. Or, enter the basement and see his corpse for yourself."

Though it was blurry and unfocused, Krenth could see through the wall. Upon noticing that Narophne had mafe Glessa lower the gun, he too lowered his wall. He wasn't as worried about being shot, knowing that the old lady would probably have to reload, which would allow him to kill her. However, her death was not necessary, not at the moment.

"She speaks the truth. She most likely would have been killed by Viktus, or suffer a fate worse than death." Upon noticing her grab Naro's arm, he conjured a spear of energy once her back was turned. However, after a moment of thought, he dispelled it. His job would be infinitely more difficult if Naro hated him for killing the maid. So, he simply walked up behind her, placing a hand on the elder woman's shoulder. "I cannot allow that. Your cooperation is preferable, but by no means required." He did not harm either of them, but instead he sought to hold Glessa where she was. His voice remained calm and even, but he was not going to let her take Naro. "I suggest you release Narophne. Now."

Glessa let out a shriek and pulled away from Krenth 's touch, yanking Naro behind her.
"I will do no such thing! If what you say is true and Viktus is dead, the girl is to remain in my care while we figure out the estate. Whether you helped her or not is inconsequential. The young lady belongs here and will be seen to with inheritance and with any other family that may remain. "

He brought his right hand up to his head, massaging the temple. He was surrounded by imbeciles. First it was Viktus, now it was Glessa. Narophne was the only one whose presence he didn't despise, and even she was still a bit of an annoyance.

"The one time I try and help somebody, I end up getting shot at...woman, this estate is meaningless compared to the greater problem at hand! It may not show now, but this girl has a massive wound that will reopen in about..." Pausing, he estimated the time he had left before he had to recast the spell. "...eleven minutes, possibly less. I can keep it shut, but I must renew the spell often. I do not plan on driving myself to insanity because of your stubbornness! Now...unless you know healing magic, which I doubt you do, I suggest that you move out. Of. My. Way." As he spoke, he stared directly at Glessa, and it was clear that he was through with her defiance. If she would not listen to reason or threats, then he may have to subdue her.

Glessa had years on him and could hold onto her will better than most.

"Impossible.  I can not let you have her. I will see to it she is taken to a healer but that is all I can allow."

Narophne paled ar Krenth's statement and gripped onto Glessa.
"Glessa, please... this man has helped me a great deal and a-"

Glessa cut her off.

"Narophne, you've rarely left this house. I understand he helped you but that's where this is to end. You're a Telgve. And i must do what is right. "

What was it with this woman? Has she no fear, no sense of self-preservation? Even Viktus, a man who had cut open his own niece for power, was terrified of Krenth. The tall man paused, slightly impressed. Obstacle or not, she had earned a modicum of respect from the dark priest. Few were willing to stand up to him, especially when face-to-face.

"She is an adult, yes? If so, let her act like one. Even after what she has gone through, Narophne refused to even carry a dagger. I thought this was because of weakness...but now I know the true reason. You treat her like a child. Let her make her own decisions."

Krenth was rarely this...good, but even he could tell that there was a problem. Though Glessa brought up a decent point, she would most likely try and get Krenth to leave, which he could not allow to happen.

Glessa cut a look at the man.
"You sir, obviously do not understand the nobility.  As a woman she has few choices now that her Uncle is gone and much must be done to prepare a funeral.  She can't just simply take up and leave. There's inheritance and the estate and the question of her living situation now that the patriarch is dead. I do not know where you come from, but not being a man gives this young lady limited options for which she is not prepared. So you would do well to let her thank you and then leave."

Though he felt himself growing more and more angry with this woman, he pushed it down. He did not need to look like a fool in front of the person he was trying to negotiate with. He was silent for a minute or two, considering his options. Eventually, he spoke once more. "I can tell I cannot change your mind. However, nothing that you say shall make me go away. Do what you must, but for the time being, I will not leave this place." He returned to silence, waiting for the maid's response. If he could not reason with the woman, he would simply remain as Naro's guard until he could speak with Yxdes. Hopefully he could gain some answers, or at least new orders from the Dark Lord.

All of their bantering sunk in, and although Narophne obeyed Glessa much like a mother, she was also realizing the truth in Krenth 's words. She wasn't a child. And she realized the truth in Glessa's statement. She was a Telgve and Glessa, just am employee, a family hire.

"Please.. I do not wish there to be any more death in this house. We have all suffered from the events of the day." She squeezed Glessa 's shoulder.

"With the death of my uncle, I have to consider the estate.  But as Mr. Sarinth pointed out, I am not a child." Her eyes implored Glessa. Narophne never once dare speak against her but.. so much had changed and she couldn't stand more violence or even death.

"Please, Glessa. Put away the gun and let us allow Mr. Sarinth to stay on as a guest while I figure out what sort of strange magics my uncle may have inflicted upon me." Her eyes continued to implore.

Glessa's eyes remained hard but she gave a curt nod to Krenth.
"Very well. Let us make peace for the good of our host." She bowed slightly to Narophne. "Shall I prepare him a room. "

"Yes, please."

Glessa nodded and sighed, turning towards Krenth. "Mr. Sarinth, is there anything else I can do to help accommodate you during your brief stay?"

While the two spoke, Krenth was still silent. That was, until Glessa addressed him. In response to her question, he shook his head. "No. All I require is to be undisturbed." He was tired, and he did not want to deal with anybody bothering him.

Despite that fact, he knew he could not rest for long. He could sleep for a few hours, but the priest still needed to figure out exactly what Viktus had done. He could easily piece the facts together, but that would take time.

"In the morning, we can form a plan, perhaps investigate further into what Viktus has done. However, at the moment...I must rest." Having said what needed to be said, he began to wait for the old maid to respond.

"Very well, I shall show you to our guest wing. Please follow me." She made brief eye contact with Narophne before moving down the hall.

Narophne suddenly took Krenth's arm and moved along with him.
"It would be rude of me if I didn't make sure you were comfortable for the night. After all that happened, " She grit her teeth, absent mindedly squeezing his arm.

Krenth simply nodded in response to Glessa's statement. He began to follow the maid, when suddenly Narophne latched onto his arm. He looked down at her for a moment, but paid it no mind. "If you must." He continued to walk, looking down once more when she squeezed his arm. He found this behavior to be a bit odd, but if Naro saw it as necessary, then he would deal with it.

They passed several empty rooms before Glessa stopped before a large one. If Narophne noticed she chose one so far away from her own room, she made no such comment but her hold on Krenth lasted longer than she'd like as she slipped her hands away with a blush.

"I hope the room is to your liking. We- I- rarely get to entertain guests." She supposed that was what he was now, a guest. Even still, she felt awkward for it and stepped aside so allow Krenth his space.

Glessa had stepped into the room, simply standing with her nose turned up.
"Is there anything you or our guest would need prior to retiring for the night?" Glessa asked.

"I could use a drawn bath," Narophne admitted and turned to Krenth. "Would you like to do the same?"

Though Krenth did notice the other empty rooms, he did not pay much attention to them. If he had to be in a specific room, then so be it. His face was still that unreadable, stony mask, even when Naro let go of him.

"It will do. I have dealt with worse things before." He too walked into the room, taking a quick look at it before his gaze returned to Naro and Glessa. He hadn't thought about it before, but the day's events had wreaked havoc upon his appearance. His clothes were damp, covered in dirt and blood, and he still had bits of bone and flesh on him. So, he nodded. "Yes. That would be appreciated."

Glessa motioned to a partitioned room in the back.
"Your bath is in the back. I will have your waters warmed and inform you once they're ready. "

She turned to Narophne and cleared her throat. 
"You ought to return to your own room.  You've had quite the day."

Narophne nodded and turned to Krenth and afforded him a small smile.

"I suppose I'll see you in the morning. "

Once she stepped away, Glessa was questioning her incessantly about the stranger until Narophne had to wave her off. She was too exhausted for this and was looking forward to a much needed bath and some rest.

Moments later, Glessa informed Krenth his waters were ready and left a fresh pair of towels at the foot of his bed.  She did not linger and went to check on Narophne, who was already asleep before her bath waters had even been drawn.

"Thank you." Though he was still a bit annoyed with Glessa, he was polite. No need to be rude when he didn't have to be, y'know? His gaze went to Narophne when she spoke, and he inclined his head in acknowledgement. "Indeed." 

He thanked Glessa once more when she told him about the water, then waited until she left. A minute or two after the maid left him, he began getting ready for the bath. He set his mace on the bed, though he would eventually take it with him when he entered the partitioned room. The tall man removed his robes, and revealed an odd thing. Despite his strength in battle, he was rather thin. Not malnourished, but he lacked the muscle mass that you would expect a warrior to have. Strange.

Krenth grabbed the towels and mace before entering the bath. He let out a sigh of relief when he entered the water itself, closing his eyes. It had been too long since he could properly relax. Despite that, he could never fully let his guard down, especially not after what happened today. Though, for the time being, he was willing to enjoy this short period of rest.

After removing all the dirt, grime, and blood from himself, Krenth stepped out of the bath, dried off, then donned his clothes once more. His robes still had blood stains on them, but they were the only pair he had left, so they would do. Plus, they were finally dry, so that's good. Having done what he needed to do, the priest finally lied down and began to sleep. Mace nearby, of course.

Once the pair were settled in enough, Glessa slipped into the basement to assess the damage. She frowned at Viktus's body and the smashed in remains of his face.

"Foolish egoist," She growled beneath her breath. His body was too damaged for her to raise him from the dead. And upon noticing the burned remains of what she presumed were his book of spells, she sighed irritability.

"Never leave a man to do a woman's job."
And She disappeared into the shadows of the house.


Narophne was trying to sleep, but it was fitful and she was waking up every hour, afraid any second her wound may reoprn. But as each hour ticked by, her wound remained closed, nothing but a pink scar.

Unable to sleep, she crept out of bed into the hall, finding herself down towards Krenth's room. She hesitated at the closed door. No, she had no reason to wake him. She closed her robe together much tighter after rechecked to confirm the wound was still closed.

Maybe she would no longer need his healing?
But then she heard a noise and turned curiously around, but there was nothing down the hall. She realized a nearby window had been left over and she walked over to it with interest.

As Krenth slept, he began to dream. At first he saw nothing, then the emptiness was replaced with a barren field, completely devoid of plant life. The trees were gnarled and leafless, the grass dry and withered. However, he saw the occasional animal or person, similarly old and dying. Though, the appearance of all the life that remained was constantly shifting, never staying the same for more than five seconds.

Though one would normally be at least unsettled by this dream, Krenth did not care. Every time he slept, he saw this. The same withered field, the same shifting people and animals. Though, for a moment, Krenth thought he saw someone take the form of Viktus for a split second, before they shifted to someone else. Fascinating. Perhaps this was the afterlife for those who worshipped Yxdes? Or, maybe this was just some demented dream conjured up by his mind. Before he could think of it any further, he awoke to a sound nearby. Grabbing his mace from near the bed, he got out.

Though the sound could have just been one of the servants, Krenth still wanted to investigate. After tonight's events, he wasn't going to take any chances. Krenth slowly opened the door, surprisingly quiet about it.

He noticed Narophne in the hall, sheathing his mace. It was most likely just her being loud. Krenth began to walk towards the girl. "Narophne. You are still awake. Shouldn't you be asleep?"

The cool breeze of the night felt good against her face as she stood beside the window, looking out into the dark lawn that lead to the deeper woods of the estate. She recalled the rock game she played before her Uncle had returned and her life changed forever. She squeezed her hand as if squeezing it around one of those smooth rocks she had found. If only this curse could be so simple to break...

Krenth's door opening startled her from her thoughts as she turned to him as he sheathed his weapon.

"I'm sorry if I woke you. I couldn't sleep."

Krenth sighed, still a bit tired. However, he knew he could not fall back asleep again. Not after he had been woken up. So, he figured he might as well converse with Narophne for a little while.

"It is fine. I cannot fault you for simply making a sound." He finished approaching Naro, stopping at about two feet away. Just like before. He was about to speak again, when he realized something. He had to renew his spell! He cursed at himself for being so forgetful, facing Naro. However, before he started praying, he noticed something.

Her wound seemed to be fully healed. There was probably a scar, but it wasn't the gaping hole that it was before. Even now, it still surprised him how much his powers had grown. "Tell me...your injuries haven't been troubling you, have they? It has surely been hours since I have renewed the healing spell, and yet you seem fine."

She was surprised when he simply brushed it off. Her uncle would have berated her. But then his attentions fell to her wound and she instinctively clutched her robe.

"It... it is fine, actually, barely a scar." She spoke in a whisper, afraid if she were too loud this fate might change.

"Fascinating...I have grown powerful. Even before, I did not realize I was this strong...perhaps this is why Viktus had performed that ritual upon you. I can certainly see the appeal. Such power at one's fingertips..."

He looked at Narophne once more, his face still unreadable. Even though Viktus and Krenth had both been empowered, there was a crucial difference between them: skill. Powerful or not, if you don't know how to use it properly, you may as well have never had it in the first place.

"If there is no wound, then I suppose I will no longer need to cast the spell. That is good. Now, I can devote my time to finding out exactly what has been hidden here. And, protecting you, of course." Although Viktus was dead, Krenth still felt somewhat uneasy. He didn't know why, but he doubted things would be this simple. They never were.

Fascinating? His words made her tense, a knot forming on her gut. Was that true? What Uncle Viktus had done to her...
And Krenth seemed intrigued where as she? Uncomfortable.

Perhaps her unease was palpable, at least as they stood there beside the open window she could feel it and the night winds hardly calmed it.

Off in the distance she heard a purr of thunder and peered off towards the clouds moving across the night skies.

"Do you think we can find answers?" She asked softly, a hand still holding her robe closed.

Krenth noticed her unease, but he did not know what he could do about it. He was not one for comforting words or gestures, nor was he able to do anything with his magic to help. So, he did nothing instead. If he could not do something, there would be no point in trying. However, he did approach the window, looking out of it as well.

His gaze momentarily switched to Narophne when she spoke, then went back to the window. His voice was nearly as quiet as hers, though it was still audible. "I believe so. Before, our main issues were your injuries and a lack of time. Now, both of those have been dealt with. Once I can gather the proper materials, I can get the answers that we need." He was silent for a moment, before turning back to Naro. "Tell me, does this place have a garden of some sort? Or, do you know anything of the local plant life?" If he was lucky, he could get some of the required herbs here, or maybe in the forest.

Of course, he would need to speak with Yxdes as soon as he could. However, without the proper materials, the ritual would be useless. Perhaps he could seek out the mage twins, who would hopefully be able to assist him. Rolen and Relia were usually helpful, though a bit difficult to contact.

At his inquiry, her face seemed to light up.
"OH, we have both! A beautiful garden on the western lawn and woods all along the property. It's one of my favorite places to be-" She recalled just why the woods were her favorite place as her voice trailed off and her face fell.
She cleared her throat before continuing, "I might be able to help. We have many books at the library and..." Her nose scrunched in thought before she looked at Krenth again,  curious.
"Will the gardens help with answers?"

"That is good. To answer your question, maybe. Depending on what is contained within. The plants themselves will not give us answers, but instead the ritual I use them in will." He was silent once more, trying to remember exactly what he needed.

"I require...nightshade, a bit of blood and bone, something I can write with, and of course the proper incantations." Though he was telling Naro what some would consider great secrets, he was not especially worried. He doubted that she would be able to do anything with it, even if she had all of the necessary components.

"I will be sure to visit the library when I get the chance. Thank you for the information, Narophne."

She nodded.
"I've seen nightshade grow in the woods." But at the mentioned of needing bone and blood she frowned.
"I'm.. sure I can get you something to write with but... do you really need blood and bone?"

"Yes. They are necessary for the ritual. Key parts, in fact. However, they will be easy to collect. I can harvest them from Viktus, as long as that maid of yours hasn't found him yet. I would hate to have to search half the manor because she wanted to bury him early."

He doubted that the old woman would find Viktus, though. It was a secret passage, after all. "The most difficult part should be collecting the nightshade, then. However, even that shouldn't take too long, as long as nothing goes wrong."

Narophne wasn't sure how she ought to feel. Although Viktus was a wicked man. He.. had still been her uncle. And the idea of rituals still had her uneasy. The last one (and only one) she had ever experienced had been on her.

"I suppose we can wait until morning to find the plant." She presumed he wouldn't be up for hunting thr plant at night. But.. she also didn't want to go 'harvesting ' the blood and bones with Krenth that evening, or even at all.

Her gaze dropped to the ground as she chewed a bit on her lower lip.

"Very well." He returned to silence, his old friend. He now had a plan, which meant he no longer had to wait. Because of that, he figured he should probably go get the two ingredients from Viktus now, if he wasn't going to go back to sleep. His mind made up, he spoke to Narophne once more.

"I cannot sleep. I am going to get the blood and bone from Viktus. Follow me if you wish, but I suggest that you try and get some more sleep. You surely must be exhausted after what has happened." He thought for another moment, before speaking again. "If you want, I could accompany you back to your room, before I begin gathering what I need."

He figured it could have been a possibility, so he asked. It would be a short detour, so he didn't mind offering.

It was true, she felt utterly exhausted. However,  she wasn't sure if she could sleep. But having Krenth escort her down the hall felt silly.

"You do not need to inconvenience yourself. I can see myself to my room." She nodded to him. She supposed this is where the two ought to part ways.

"But do you really have to-" She stopped herself midsentence. Was it foolish to care what happened to her uncle's corpse? Even still... she couldn't help but be unsettled.  "Never mind I... I ought to head to bed "

"Very well." He turned to leave, but stopped when he heard her speak again. He slowly smiled, the first true one that he had given since he met Narophne. However, this was no ordinary smile. Although his tone remained the same as before, this smile was filled with what could only be described as...well, evil.

"I do not have to use his body. However, it seems fitting that after his attempts to kill me, Viktus ended up helping me instead." He turned back to the hall, then resumed walking. Down the halls, through the shadowy corridors, heading towards the basement. Now, without Narophne to worry about,  Krenth was able to go as fast as he wanted.

He was surprisingly speedy, too. Even with just a brisk walk, it didn't take him that long to reach the basement. There, he began to search for the passage. He found the lever and opened the door, once more heading through the secret tunnel. Soon, he would have everything he needed. Soon.

She wasn't sure how to feel about that smile but it unsettled her and long after he had left, she had yet to return to her room. Instead,  she made her way to the library where she lit a candle and stared at the wall of books.


*******

As Krenth ventured back into the basement he would soon realize he wasn't alone, for a figure holding a lantern approached.  It was Glessa. And she was frowning.

"What brings you back here, Mr. Sarthin?" She asked,  most displeased.

Krenth whipped around to face the old maid, a hand on his mace. He mentally chastised himself for not noticing her earlier. He narrowed his eyes at the maid, similarly displeased.

"My actions are none of your concern, Glessa. But, if you must know, I am here to collect something." He turned back into the passage and began walking once more. However, his hand did not leave his weapon.

He was wise to leave out just what. Glessa may have intervened. She also noted he was alone. Good. That meant so was Naro.

"Be mindful here in the dark." She wouldn't want her snooping 'guest' to get hurt. She then continued on her way and he'd hear the secret door closing on her way out.

"And yourself." He didn't like the way Glessa wad acting, and he especially didn't like how the door had shut behind him. He was sure he could get out, but he did not want to search for another path if the secret door was sealed.

He continued walking, drawing the dagger he had tucked away from before. He checked the sharpness of the edge, confirming that it could probably slice off flesh. For the bone, he could easily just hit the old man's arm until part of it came off.

He eventually made it to the chamber where Viktus had been killed, and began searching for the dead man's corpse. Upon locating it, he removed a small, empty vial from the pouches on his belt. He sliced off a long strip of flesh, collecting the blood that soon came out. Stoppering the vial, Krenth traded the dagger for his mace, then began to swing at the elbow of the same arm. It would probably take a bit, but eventually he would be able to take whatever part fell off. But, that would happen soon. For now, he just kept swinging.

Glessa allowed Krenth his freedom.. for now. Unlike Viktus, she could see the great potential in him. And from the scope of things, great power as well.

He would prove useful. More useful than Viktus, who was a smattered, dead wreck. But she still had Naro...

She held her lantern before her as she made her way down the hall, pausing before the library where she spotted Narophne 's small forms, slumped over and asleep on the settee.  Her smile was small, cold and tight as she moved to cover the child with a blanket after deciding not to wake her. No, let the child rest.

Krenth eventually managed to remove Viktus' arm at the elbow, taking the severed end of it. This would be enough bone for the ritual. He sheathed his mace, then exited the secret chamber. He decided to head back to his room instead of searching for the nightshade. Only Narophne knew where it grew, and Krenth needed to prepare himself for the ritual.

He made his way back to his room, weaving through the shadowed halls. Krenth did not bother concealing Viktus' arm, believing that everyone was either asleep or elsewhere. Finally reaching his room, the tall man entered. Placing the vial of blood and the arm next to him, Krenth sat down upon the bed. He began to speak, a low chanting breaking the silence. Unlike the rest of his spells and abilities, this incantation was designed to shield his mind, to prevent the incoming forces from breaking it like a twig. If he was going to speak directly to Yxdes soon, he would need it.

If he thought he was alone he was sorely mistaken.  Glessa had seen him passing with the detached arm. How vulgar.   She wasted little time in listening in through his door when she heard the familiar chanting to their God. Glessa scowled but steeled herself.  Patience was a virtue and it got her this far. Let the chaos mage play. If Yxdes so willed it, perhaps he had a point to play here. But she would not let him leave with the girl. It seemed he still knew very little of her importance and her ability, her boon to their powers.

She just had to wait a little longer.  Yxdes never showed his intentions so direct. Everything had a purpose.

Glessa moved to slip away to the servants quarters,  leaving the two to their own devices. Narophne was asleep and the chaos mage was... distracted. She should take care of her own chances to rest.


And she was... well, mostly right about Narophne. She remained in a dead sleep...
For at least an hour. But Narophne awoke along with the gentle chiming of the hour on the study's grandfather clock. It was followed by a flash of lightning that lit up the room,casting eerie shadows with a menacing face. She swore she saw her uncle and screamed ' just as a loud clap of thunder shook the building.

Krenth did in fact believe he was alone. He continued to chant for the hour that Narophne was asleep for, and it would have gone on for much longer if he hadn't been interrupted.

"Nal'stros varakath sla-" His arcane chanting was interrupted by a sudden boom from the storm, a flash of lightning illuminating his room. And, of course, Narophne's scream. Krenth stopped chanting, cursing once more. Krenth grabbed his mace and fully sprinted out of his room, expecting the worst. The spell wasn't finished, but it didn't matter.

"Narophne!" Krenth's voice echoed through the halls as he ran towards the library. It was tinged with anger, ready to kill anybody who dared to harm the one he had to protect. He did not know who it wad, nor did he especially care. He had a job to do, and nothing short of death would stop him.

But all he'd find was a terrified girl in a large, empty room. His presence didn't even register as tears threatened to fall. But at the next flash of lightning,  she saw nothing. Nothing was there at all.

Krenth took a look around the room, searching for anything that may be lurking in the shadows. However, all he found was Narophne. His anger began to fade away as he realized there was nothing here, and he sheathed his mace. There was no threat, so he no longer needed his weapon. Not at the moment.

Krenth finally approached Narophne, noting her terror at seemingly nothing. He gave her a small tap on the shoulder, mainly to get her attention. "Narophne. What has happened? You look like you have seen ghosts, and yet nothing is here." He seemed slightly annoyed, believing he came all the way over here for nothing. He would have to start the spell over, which meant he had done nothing but waste time for an hour. He said nothing after his inquiry, waiting for an answer.

She clutched her robe, still staring at the empty spot the 'ghost had been. For the life of her she truly believed he had simply come back.

:"I'm sorry," She began, drawing in a shaky breath as she blinked back tears.  "I.. maybe I did see a ghost." She dropped her gaze, eyes shielded by pale lashes. "I .. I thought I saw my uncle."

In response to her answer, he shook his head. He was still annoyed, but he would rather get back to what he was doing before than make this a big deal.

"Viktus is dead, limbless, and missing a good portion of his blood. He is not here. If there is a ghost, I doubt it can do much." He couldn't know for sure exactly what Naro saw, but he believed it was most likely just nothing.

"Whatever it was, it seems to have vanished. However..." Krenth thought for a moment, considering what to do next. If something actually did appear, he couldn't risk it attacking Narophne. So, he decided he would perform his spells here, where he could keep an eye on her.

"I shall remain here, in case there truly was something that appeared. However, I must ask that I am undisturbed. This is a very...delicate spell, and I am lucky nothing went wrong last time." If something were to go awry, then it could cause horrible things to happen to the priest.

Narophne didn't know she had been holding her breath until he finished speaking. She nodded when he spoke about staying in the study. She adjusted the way she sat and apologized.
"I must have just mistook the shadows. I am sorry to have worried you." She chewed on her lower lip and motioned towards a chaise.

"You could sit here if you wish. Or if you'd prefer the settee there's more than enough room if you don't mind that I'll read."
She wasn't sure she could just go back to sleep after that.

"You are fine. No real harm was done, so there is no need to apologize." Looking over at the chaise, Krenth nodded and walked towards it. He took a seat, still looking at Narophne. "Do what you must, I shall not bother you. Now, I must return to my spells."

Krenth closed his eyes and took a deep breath, then began his incantation once more. Dark energy began to flow and swirl around him, his words flowing and melding together as he reinforced his mind. If anybody untrained in the language of Yxdes tried to discern what he was saying, they would hear nothing but gibberish.

Despite having gone through what she had, to hear Krenth's strange words along with the strange dark magical glow spiraling around him... she was dumbfounded.  She simply held onto her book... and .. stared. There was something beautiful about the way the darkness spiraled, like Krenth was weaving the midnight sky. But the strange words were unnerving and Narophne wondered what the man was saying.

The description could not be more accurate. Unlike most of his spells, this one was more beautiful than menacing. Strangely enough, the dark aura seemed to be centered on the chaise, never crossing the edge of it. However, Krenth's low chanting was still just as...alien as before.

Krenth seemed totally unaware of his surroundings, wholly devoted to the spell he was casting. Even with the storm that was outside, he didn't move a muscle. Few things could disturb him now, though there was still the chance that one could snap him out of this spell.

Narophne realized she was staring. How very rude of her. She tried to tear herself away from simply watching Krenth... and failed miserably when she went to the desk to procure a book and.. kinda sorta knocked over a large pile of them, rather loudly onto the floor.

Even with the loud crash from the books, Krenth barely moved. There was a slight twitch, and nothing more. It would take much more than a few books falling to break the priest's concentration. He continued to chant, the words increasing slightly in pace. There was still a lot of time before the spell would be finished, though.

Narophne cringed at the loud noise and turned to Krenth, apologizing profusely when she stopped, blinked, and realized the man hadn't even moved.

"Krenth?"
The realization dawned on her a moment later as she slapped her hands over her mouth before whispering another apology and slinking her way back to the settee.

At the sound of her voice, Krenth inclined his head just the slightest bit. He didn't register what she said, but he doubted it was very important. His chanting continued for quite some time, the pace gradually increasing as the minutes went by.

After a while, his chanting seemed to slow down, as did the swirling energy around him. He was about halfway through his spell, but there was still some time before it was over.

Narophne tried her best not to be in the way. But she couldn't sleep nor focus on her book and began to get antsy. At one point she yelped over a paper cut from her book, apologizing to Krenth. Then the lighting was straining her eyes so she lit more candles and not even five minutes later,  knocked one over, burned her hand a little on hot wax and had to put out a small fire. Frazzled, she hoped she hadn't interrupted Krenth. And then the manor cat showed up, and began to knock things over on the shelf.

Panicked, Naro ran over to the feline and it kept alluding her, stepping up higher onto the book shelves or simply jumping away. At one point,  when Naro decided to give up, the cat spotted a moth it wanted to chase and Narophne paled as the damn cat jumped clean onto the chandelier above Krenth!

Cats. Krenth heavily disliked cats. He never knew why, but they were always irritating to him. Luckily for both him and the feline, his attention was held by his spell. However, with each and every thing that occurred, Krenth's concentration began to waver. His chanting slowed even further as he took care to not mispronounce the words, but it was clear that one more good distraction would most likely stop him.

The dark aura began to clear away somewhat, the flowing energy losing some of its substance. However, Krenth was not going to go down that easily. His spell was nearly finished, and he wasn't going to let something as simple as this stop him.

THe moth fluttered beneath the unlit chandelier, it's shadows a contrast to the small flicker of light from the candle resting upon the desk. The dancing flames reflected subtly on the brass of the chandelier, and perhaps it is what mesmerized the moth when the cat had chased it from it's initial path. It danced above Krenth's head and Narophne watched as she held her breath, not sure what to do and if the cat were silly enough to try to leap down ontop of Krenth and ruin his concentration.

If only she could...
Oh, she spotted the desk chair and pulled it over as quietly as she could behind the chaise lounger where Krenth remained seemingly oblivious to the antics going on around him. However, once upon it she sighed as she was not tall enough to do much of anything and spotted the tall, towering book shelf ladder and got an idea. If she could somehow coax the cat....

Climbing up onto the ladder, she was finally at height with the chandelier. The only problem was she wasn't  as close to the chandelier as she'd like and tried to lean out over to see if she couldn't grab the chandelier or gain the cat's attention. But the little orange ruffian wasn't impressed and pawed at the moth with no success.

Narophone glared at the damn cat and huffed.
"Come on, Lucy. Come down here.." she cooed, the cat finally turning it's attention to her. Her eyes lit up. "Yes! That's a good Lucy, now come now.. come this way. Come and-" And then the moth suddenly fluttered her way... directly into her face. Not having expected that at all she screamed like a loon, startling the moth that goaded the  cat which set it rocketing into her, that sent the chandelier swinging, her ladder shifting and Narophone was suddenly falling off the book shelf ladder as she continued to scream, books and other paraphernalia raining down along with her.

While all of this went on, Krenth continued the casting of his spell. Things were going mostly well, and there would have only been a few minutes left before it was finished. However, Narophne suddenly fell from her precarious position on the ladder, startling the priest.

Krenth's eyes snapped open, the tall man rising from his position on the chaise. He moved very quickly, catching the falling woman moments before she would have connected with the ground. However, at that moment the effects of his concentration being broken hit him. Krenth half-tossed Naro onto the chaise, the dark energy shooting into his head.

Krenth fell to the ground, crying out in agony as his spell backfired and battered at his mind. This was truly the worst pain Krenth had ever felt, worse than his initiation into the cult of Yxdes, worse than when Naro increased his magical power. Krenth's eyes were still open, but something had changed within them. His one normal eye was now the same as the other, a pure-black void with the same symbol burning within.

As he lay on the ground in pain, Krenth looked...weak. For the first time in years, he lacked the menacing aura he kept with him. He was on the ground for what felt like hours(though it was more like five minutes), clutching his head as the failed spell warped his psyche even further.

Soon, his pained shouts ceased, but Krenth did not move from where he was.

Narophne didn't know what happened the moment she fell into his arms and was yelping a moment later when she was tossed unceremoniously onto the chaise. She sat there a moment, stunned before sitting up suddenly at his screams. A moment later she dropped down beside him, panicked as she reached for him, "K-Krenth!" Was he okay!? He looked... and then she spotted the black pitch color of both his eyes and she felt a chilling knot tighten within her belly.

Although he didn't make a sound, the pain of his failed spell remained. He felt his mind being ripped apart by his own energy, and yet he could do nothing. Surely, he would have died or gone insane if Narophne had not been there.

He did not know when the pain would end, if it ever would. However, as Narophne made contact with the priest, he felt the forces assaulting his mind begin to fade away. However, he did not move, nor was he able to do so. Not now, not after what happened. He didn't know if the pain was truly going away, or if this was death.
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OOC STUFF: Didn't know if there was a specific way you wanted the chaos energy to be absorbed by Naro, so I didn't mention exactly how it happened, just that she made contact with him.

When she touched him, a strangeness bloomed. Out from the small part Naro had touched, black tendrils that glowed softly with a purplish light budded out around her fingertips,  sparkling like starlight as they began to shift, stretch and grow.

Down along her fingers and hand, the slender black sparkling light dipped down and spiraled up and around her arm before branching out before her form then diving down and around her body like a sideways curling eight.

Narophne was too entranced to do much else in the moment,  having never witnessed the raw curling form of chaos with her own eyes. And just as she found herself being held captive by the dark light,  she found her body expanding with breath as she leaned back to exhale. And in that motion she felt the tickling sensation as if her skin were made of buttons and being plucked open at a seam. She felt the familiar openness of her skin as the gaping hole from her body from earlier came undone.

Her eyes widened. She wished to scream but could not, voice and senses were denied her as the binding curl of black lights tore open from its endless spiral and curled up and around the back of her form. And before Naro new what was happening,  her pale eyes rolled back inside her head, her body dropped limply. But just as swiftly her draping body rose,  floating admit the spiral of light the curled up like a wicked serpent that twisted within itself. And just as it seemed the gnarling tendrils might explode, they shot down suddenly, diving fiercely into the open chest of Narophne. And in a raw surge of power, a blinding darkness clapped out with a noise more violent than thunder.

Then nothing. Nothing at all as all of the darkness had disappeared inside the young woman's form before she fell uselessly and colorlessly to the ground. And as she lay, the open wound slowly began to knit itself back together as if the flesh had never been marred.

While all of this went on, Krenth felt his pain fade away and eventually disappear entirely. He remained as he was for a few moments, unsure if it was truly over. However, his attention was caught by Narophne.

As the dark energy flowed into her, he couldn't do anything but watch in amazement. He had been putting the pieces together the entire time, but now he had solid proof. She was a vessel, meant to hold the energy used by his god and his worshippers. And, judging by what happened earlier, give that energy to someone else. This was truly amazing.

He covered his now-black eyes as he was assaulted with darkness and sound, but soon realized it wasn't hurting him. Krenth slowly stood up, still wary of the situation. However, Narophne was the priority right now. He walked over to the girl, kneeling down next to her. He placed a hand on her shoulder, gently shaking it. He could find out why she interrupted his spell later. Right now, he had to make sure she was alright.

"Narophne. Are you injured?" She seemed okay(mostly), but he had to be sure. It was a lot of energy that she took into herself. He would have attempted to heal her, but he could tell that his spells were starting to affect him permanently. He couldn't use them recklessly, otherwise he would suffer permanent side effects, things that even Naro could not deal with.

Narophne remained unphased by his gesture,  her eyes closed but moving beneath closed lids.  By then, the open wound had fully sealed and she looked as if just resting... stuck inside a dream.

Krenth noticed that her wound had fully closed. However, he still looked over it, just to be sure. Upon confirming that it was truly shut, he turned his attention back to Naro, not just her scar. She seemed like she was asleep, and her eyes were moving, albeit shut. He couldn't think of what to do now, and it infuriated him. Almost the entire time he was here, he knew what to do, and how to do it. Now, though? He knew nothing.

He began to pace around the library, waiting for Narophne to awaken. If he could not rouse her himself, he would just have to wait until she woke up, or he knew what to do.

How much time had truly passed? It must've felt like hours as she lay still.  But after so much time,  she gently and quietly began to stir.

To the priest, it did feel like hours had gone by. All of that time, alone with nothing but his thoughts. Twice now, his spell had been ruined, and the second one almost cost him his life, or at least his sanity. This was starting to become more trouble than it was worth, though Krenth wasn't going to give up. Even if he had to lock himself in the basement for the entire day, he would eventually speak with his god.

His thoughts were interrupted by Narophne quietly stirring. The priest approached the pale girl, kneeling down. He shook her once more, hoping to truly awaken her.  "Wake up, Narophne. I must know what has happened!"

When Krenth shook her she jerked awake, gasping slightly and drawing away from him.
"Wh.. what.. what happened ?" She stammered, eyes wide as she peered into his eyes,  concern and confusion evident on her delicate features.

Krenth's eyes were unreadable, especially now that he had been corrupted even further. However, he could tell how Naro was feeling, to a degree. He backed up a bit, still looking at the girl in front of him.

"My spell failed. I was going to die here, in this very room. I knew it, I felt the spell backfire. And yet, when you touched me...it was like you took the power into yourself. You saved my life, Narophne Telgve. For that, I am in your debt."

The tall man paused, still trying to figure out exactly what happened. "And yet, just as you saved my life, you nearly ended it..." Oh yeah, she almost killed him. Inadvertently, yes, but it still could have happened. Anger began to spread across his face, and vanish just as quickly as it appeared. He had to remain calm, collected. Now was not a time of emotion. "What were you thinking? What exactly caused you to disrupt my spell?"

Confusion twisted on her delicate features as she peered down at herself then back to him.

"I... saved you?" At the speak of the siphoning of power, she tilted her head curiously,  her expression crinkled as she tried to remember what happened.

But then she felt his anger before she saw it and the next question was pressed. Her gaze instantly dropped , and her heart and belly sank at the recollection, but for the life of her no words could come out except for a trembling apology.

"I... I was only trying to help.. hoping... you weren't going to be disturbed." All the good that did her! Apparently her attempt to help nearly had him killed.  Perhaps she should have left him alone. To.. do do what he must in peace. She swallowed the knot in her throat but kept her eyes downcast,  too heavy with guilt to look him in the eyes. And she didn't want to have him see her crying again,  because she could feel hot tears as they began to blur her vision as she stared at the floor, pale hair covering her face in a limp veil.

As she lowered her head, Krenth let out a loud sigh. He was still angry, incredibly so. However, even he could tell how upset Narophne was. He was barely able to keep himself in check after what happened, but he was able to do it. Sighing once more, the priest finally spoke.

"Your....assistance...is appreciated. However...I must ask that you consider the consequences of your actions BEFORE you go through with them. What happened was an accident, yes, but it was nearly a fatal one." Having said what he wanted, the man stood up and returned to the chaise.

Closing his eyes, Krenth began to meditate. He decided he wouldn't try his spells until he was properly secluded, so he would try and relax for the moment. After a few moments, he sighed for a third time and opened one eye. Looking at Narophne, he couldn't help but feel slightly bad for her. "If it means anything....I forgive you. However, mind your actions in the future. Accident or not, my forgiveness can only extend so far." His voice was mostly level, though there were hints of irritation and sadness.

Maybe he was just getting soft, but he couldn't help but feel bad for Narophne. It was an accident, after all.

Her emotions were already fractured as she could feel the tears already breaking through and rolling hotly down her cheeks.  She tensed and dropped her gaze further,  shoulders slumping forward as she moved uneasily on the chaise .  Any words or noises in reply were croaky and weak at best when something bumped her arm and caused her to yelp and jerk back.

It was Lucy. The cat was rubbing against her legs and peering up at her with curious blue eyes. Then it moved and proceeded to approach Krenth, who it sniffed towards as its ears pressed back with uncertainty.

She looked away as the cat approached the priest and took a moment to quickly wipe away her tears.

"Perhaps I should return to my room.."
She wasn't sure she could truly sleep after all that occurred,  as her heart was still hammering anxiously inside her chest .

One of his eyes snapped open as Narophne yelled, though it soon closed once more as he saw it was just a cat. The priest picked up the cat by the scruff and tossed her away. It wasn't exactly mean or painful, but it was far from gentle. Having removed the annoyance, Krenth returned to his meditation.

"Very well. Should you need me, I will be here. I cannot sleep, and I lack the time or space to do my spells. Goodnight, Narophne Telgve." Krenth did not even open his eyes as he spoke. It was clear that although he was no longer angry, he was still irritated by Naro.

The cat was the first to exit the room- and with haste! Narophne only managed to mutter a soft 'Goodnight' before she too, disappeared out the door and down the hall towards her room. Once outside, she released a long breath and brushed away more tears. She needed to rest- and the priest needed his space. But after everything that had happened today...

Her mind was in a whirl and she didn't remember the journey back to her room. Once inside, she shakily lit a candle and fumbled to shift it closer to the center of the table- fearful she might bump it over. She tried to smooth one hand over the other to stop the shaking, but...

It was just too much. It had all been too much, and soon Naro found herself sobbing uncontrollably so.

A moment later, she realized she wasn't alone when the old maid returned, moving steadily before sitting beside her on the bed and taking her into her arms. It only caused Naro to cry louder as the old woman simply held her, soothing her and stroking her head. Whatever words she spoke, Naro did not know. She needed to cry. And cry she did.

The priest mumbled a goodnight in return, then began to chant those odd, unspeakable words from before. However, it was clear that this was no spell- only a mantra of sorts, something to focus the mind and calm the soul.

Krenth was furious, at Narophne and himself. He was getting soft, showing forgiveness where it was not deserved, making exceptions in situations he never would have made in the past. Everything seemed to be working against him, as if the world itself hated the man. However, he would not let these setbacks affect him too badly. He was Krenth Sarthin, blessed priest of Yxdes, and he could not fail. Not now, after everything he has done, all that he has worked for.

It must've been an endless night, for Naro eventually found sleep but stirred barely an hour later, alone and gasping awake from a nightmare. She thought she saw something, but as her eyes adjusted to the dark.. it was nothing.

Still, she trembled and slipped out of the bed, finding her feet leading her towards Krenth and she froze before ever reaching where he might be. She chewed on her lip. What was wrong with her? She should be sleeping...
Hadn't she disturbed the man enough?

After such a long time, even the significantly long chants and mantras would have been over for quite a while. Instead of hearing his low, whispery words from outside the library, there would have been naught but silence. Deep, endless silence...

Suddenly, the door was thrown open, and Krenth walked out of the once-pleasant room. He was holding his head in one of his hands, sighing. It was clear to any onlooker that he was utterly exhausted, his energy drained and sapped beyond belief. He looked tired, so very tired...that was, until he spotted Naro. In an instant, his neutral expression returned, albeit with a tinge of irritation. He nodded in acknowledgment, his now-darkened eyes unreadable.

"Narophne. Did you need something from me, or may I attempt to get what little sleep I can for this night?" Was he being cruel? Certainly. Did he care? Nope, not in the slightest.

Narophne flinched. She should have stayed in bed.  But she was already there, and instantly dropped her gaze to her feet.

"I'm sorry. I just happened to be walking down the hall.." she went on, fidgeting with her hair. "Because..Because I couldn't sleep. "

Although even youthful as she may be, the young woman looked incredibly exhausted and on edge, peering over her shoulder worriedly,  as if she thought she was being followed.

Maybe, maybe she should have. Krenth was tired, angry and armed- a dangerous combination, had she been anybody else. Instead of violence, however, he would simply respond with his next best weapon: harsh words. "You could not sleep, you say? That sounds like an issue for you, not me." Krenth knew of Naro's plight, what she was going through, and yet he did not care. She would adapt on her own, or circumstances would FORCE her to adapt. It was that simple.

Krenth peered over Naro's shoulder, mildly interested about what she was trying to find. "What is it, girl? You are acting like you have seen a ghost- just what is it that you keep looking at?"

She avoided his gaze, dropping it to the floor as she nervously rubbed at a shoulder.

"It.. it's nothing," She hastily replied. "I hadn't intended to disturb you. You should rest. " Show bowed her head towards him and moved to continue walking down the hall, but spared a subtle glance over her shoulder-just incase it wasn't a dream.

Krenth narrowed his eyes, focusing his gaze on the shadowy area behind Narophne. Just what was she looking at? Or, what was she looking for? That was what Krenth wanted to know...

"As should you. Especially after today's events, your mind and body need rest. You should sleep as soon as you are able." Although he was upset with her, Krenth could not deny that Naro's safety(and, to an extent, her wellbeing) was a high priority. So, it would not do for her to be wandering the halls all night.

"I am going to retire to..." Krenth chuckled, though it lacked any humour. "I nearly said my quarters. I shall retire to the room I have been granted. I suggest you do the same- who knows, maybe that foolish maid can sing you a lullaby, if sleeping is so difficult."

He laughed once more, then started to make his way to his room, turning his back on Naro.

Krenth would not be able to begin to understand the extent of Narophne's imagination. For most of her adult life, it was all she had, aside from the few times Glessa was almost maternal with her.  In truth, Narophne did view the maid more like family, and she did consider seeking her out to  comfort her on this night.  She wasn't sure she could sleep,  and she wasn't sure Glessa would still be awake either.

When Krenth turned his back to her she frowned. He was probably right that she should sleep. But there was no way she'd be able to at this hour. The sun would rise in a few short hours, and Narophne barely slept through the hours when the sun was up.

She too, turned away from Krenth and ventured the halls towards the pantry, hoping some sort of food or drink would settle her nerves.  She hadn't made it past the bottom of the Grand staircase when she spotted something move and nearly knocked over an heirloom vase.

Glessa stepped out to catch it and gave the young woman a stern glance.
"Narophne, child,  why on earth are you still awake?"

But her answer came when she suddenly through her arms around the older woman, her very scent calming her as she fought back tears.

"Oh,Glessa, I can hardly sleep after all that's happened!"

The older woman's face wrinkled into a frown. She tipped Narophne's chin up with a finger and spotted the tears. She produced a kerchief and fussed over the girl and ushered her into the kitchen where she sat the girl down at the counter and fetched her a fresh glass of milk and some Raspberry tarts that had been left over from a few nights ago.

Narophne hadn't touched much of the tart but finished her glass of milk while talking softly with the old woman until it seemed her nerves began to calm and her eyelids grew heavy. And before the girl knew it...she had drifted off into a very heavy sleep.