Anneleigh left the observation spot and made her way along the known trails, watching for signs of the courier or his dark package. Before too long she found his resting space, undeniably death touched and impossible to miss. As she approached the courier, she thought he saw the hint of a smile on his face.
She came up and stood just outside the
perimeter of the planar reach. The
courier watched her for a few moments, panting with exhaustion, sometimes
grimacing in pain. After a few minutes
of silent observations, on both the part of the courier and Anneleigh, he
finally spoke.
“Well, take it if you will. As you can see, I cannot put up a fight to
protect it. I die either way,” he spat a
mouthful of deep red blood, “I cannot complete the transaction, and my
employers will not be pleased when they find out. You may do me a favor and take this package
from me.”
“And why would I do you, a petty thief, a
favor?” Anneleigh asked with
frustration.
To her surprise, the courier laughed; It
quickly morphed into a cough. “Because
you are a guardian and you have some morals left to you. You will not watch me die, only to retrieve
the package. You will take it from me,
as I offer it to you now, and allow me the change to keep my life. It’s in your nature to be generous, in your
nature to be forgiving.”
Anneleigh scowled, entered the death
touched area, and snatched the package.
“Leave then, and do not return to Iron Pine Peak.” She shouted, a little
more violently than she had planned.
The moment she touched the package she felt
the death energy pulse through her. Looking
down at her hands she found she was radiating a faint purple glow. The ground around her own feet began to take
on the planar aspects, while at the same time it faded from the courier. Remembering what the spotter said, she
hoisted the package under her arm and began to run towards the Chancel of
Labors. The nearer she came to the
forge, the more planar energy she could feel leaving her body, almost as if the
remnant knew it was to be destroyed and sought to complete its task before its
destruction.
She pushed through the crowd of smithies
who worked the forge and tossed the package into the fire. The forge was rocked by a small explosion as
the Remnant was consumed, the fires taking on an evil cast before quickly
fading into warmer tones.
The moment it left her fingertips Anneleigh
felt a lightness that she associated with the original shattering of Aedraxis,
and with her time spent with the Vigil. Looking
around her cautiously, she realized that she was not gone from Telara, as she
had been on the previous occasion, as the smithies and vendors of the forge
looked at her with admiration as they cheered and applauded.
A bearded man approached her and directed
her away from the forge to a cooling area of the workspace.
“It is good you brought that Remnant here
so quickly.” He said to her with a smile.
“Who are you?” Anneleigh asked, before
realizing this could be considered rude.
“I am the Lord-Protector Nerval, and our
forge here in the Chancel of Labors is one of the only places in Telara where
such powerful artifacts can be properly destroyed.”
Anneleigh nodded.
“You are a lucky woman. That remnat of Aedraxis was killing you as
certainly as any blade. There is no way
any mortal being can carry a burden like that for very long without loosing
themselves on some level, be it body or soul.”
“I know,” Anneleigh said, “The courier
charged with its delivery to...” she paused, unsure on the remnants
destination, and equally unsure Kain would thank her for sharing details about
their mission to an outsider. “...to his
employer,” She continued lamely, “practically begged me to take it off his
hands. He was dying on the path not far
from here.”
To her surprise Nerval nodded. “It is amazing that Marshal Kain has survived
as long as he has, but we can help him finally destroy this evil once and for
all.”
Unsure if she should accept his help on
behalf of Kain, or simply bring the offer to him, Anneleigh simply smiled. “I’m sure the offer will be greatly
appreciated when the time is right.”
“Where is the large remnant of Aedraxis?”
he asked her, peering around her as if she held it behind her back to tease
him.
“It is burned in the forges of the
Chancel. They are able to destroy the
energy that consumes the remnants, destroying the evil and preserving pieces as
harmless historical artifacts.”
“You did WHAT?!” Kain roared.
He seemed to grow in size and stature, his anger towering over her. “I gave you an order, Anneleigh. How dare you question my will! My orders came from the gods themselves!”
“The courier died in possession of the
object, I nearly died simply bringing it down the path to the forge. It was unstable and needed immediate
disposal. If it is a puzzle you are
building, you can cleanse the objects and then build your relic.” Anneleigh backed away. She knew the moment she made the suggestion
she had gone too far.
“What have you done?! “ He shouted, “You
call yourself an Ascended?!
Blasphemy!” Anneleigh retreated
further as the deathtouched energy that had followed her to the forge began to
emanate from Kain. “You will pay for
this insolence!”
He punched his open palm into the air
before her and, though she was several paces back, she was propelled by the
force into the nearby prayer alter, flying backwards as if she had been
physically struck. Slowly the death
touched energy began to recede and his breathing seemed to slow.
“Be gone from my sight before I finish what
I started and end your life!” He said to her with a calm voice.
“Get out of here while you still can!”
shouted chief Nizmak from his prison.
“This man is completely insane!”
“This burden is taking its toll...” Kain
said to the observers who watched with fear in their eyes, “I’m sure that once
we gather all the shards I’ll be strong enough to control this power.”
Anneleigh frowned, but did not wish to
invite his fury again. She hurried into
the lodge, sat at a small table and covered her face with her hands, trying to
make sense of his transformation.
“Please, madam, may I speak with you?” said
a woman’s voice beside her.
Anneleigh opened her eyes and found Dame
Levitia Volya standing next to her table, behind her stood several others. Without a word, Anneleigh nodded and motioned
to the empty seats at the small table.
Volya and the others sat, and became still before she continued.
“I just saw what happened with you and
Marshal Kain, and I am worried. This
mission of his... None of us doubt his divine duty, but it has taken its
toll. We worry about what is happening.”
A smaller woman to Anneleigh’s left
nodded. “I have served the Marshal for
years – I started out a green private and have risen to officer under his
command. I owe him my life many times
over.” He paused as if unsure she should
continue. Volya nodded her support. “He has never been a soft man, but he has
always been fair to us. Lately though...
he has become quick to lash out over the slightest infraction. The men are beginning to fear him as much as
respect him.”
Anneleigh put her hand on the woman’s
clenched fists and turned to look at the man to her right. “And you, soldier, what is your experience?”
“He is troubled, it is true, my lady. You don’t have to ask me – I saw what transpired
between the two of you. That is not the
man I have served all these years.
Frederic belongs on the battlefield, no on this divine mission of his. The Vigil forgive me for saying this, but the
gods misuse him. I would follow him into
hell, and I fear we just yet might.”
Anneleigh peered silently at the final
soldier at the table.
“It has always been dangerous to be the
Marshal’s enemy and difficult to be his friend, but the distance between friend
and foe is much shorter than it once was.”
“Lady Nal’mora Quinim has been asking us
questions,” Volya continued, “but none
of us want to speak to her. She’s no
soldier – she wouldn’t understand the stresses of war, but the men trust
you. Perhaps you can relay to her our
concerns in a way that doesn’t betray our loyalties.”
“I will try.” Anneleigh said as she and
Volya stood to go to the Lady Quinim.
Lady Quinim listened silently as Anneleigh
recounted the concerns of the guard and her own experiences.
“None of this bodes well.” She said when
Anneleigh had finished speaking. “Kain
is one of our greatest generals, but there seems to be a spreading stain on his
spirit. I fear we might have to soon
recall him from his command. I only hope
we are not too late.” She nodded to
Anneleigh, as if her confession were the deciding factor. “Yes, that clinches it – Marshal Kain’s
obsession cannot continue. I know that
Cyril honors the battlefield prowess shown by Frederic Kain during the
Mathosian War and in the time since, but past glories will not blind me to the
obvious truth.”
Anneleigh nodded.
“I need you to speak with Cyril. Tell him what you told me, what happened here
this day. He will listen to you. I will remain here, watching Kain and praying
we are not too late.”
Anneleigh made her way quickly to the
porticulum and to The Sanctum of the Vigil.
Once there Cyril, Borrin, and Shyla greeted her as an old friend, but
their expressions changed to concern the moment they saw her face.
As Lady Quinim moments before, the trio
listened in silence while Anneleigh recounted the events. It was Cyril who spoke first.
“This is disturbing news, Anneleigh. As one soldier to another, I will speak
bluntly to you. Frederic was never great
for his virtues; it was his ruthlessness on the field of battle that made him
great.”
“We can only trust the Vigil.” Shlya piped
in, “I can only hope they have chosen wisely in Kain, but at the least it would
seem prudent to relieve him of his command duties while he is on this holy
quest.”
“Thank you for bringing this to us directly,
Anneleigh.” Cyril said. “Return to the
Ice Watch. I believe they have further
need of you. “
“I would steer clear of Kain though,”
Borrin said, “He might not be too happy with you for the foreseeable future.”
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