A little town clean up first 08JAN21
20
JAN/22
The room burst into fire. Corga tried one last life ending attack. She filled the room with fire centered on herself. She moved and ducked as the blast went off just above her head blasting in all directions. Most of the group blasted off into the walls as the fire consumed them. When the fire was gone, Corga laid dead on the floor, around her the charred remains of the room.
Searching the room, Mar’iya and David find the fanged skull, a dagger within a box, and half burned piece of paper on Corga’s body. David started to examine the magical skull. The yellow visage of the skull were well know to Oni. It abused him through the entire fight with scenes of fear and loathing. Oni with the help of each dawn was he able to withstand the assault on his soul. Oni grabbed the paper and started to magically mend it. He was not sure if was possible but reach out to the Dawnfather for help, “please bless us with a new dawn for this message.” Char on the edge started to change back into paper. Ink started to form over the new sections. The paper drifted backward through time, forming its former self. Written on the paper was detailed instructions on how to find Tomb of Badr Al-Mosak.
Oni looks up from the note, “this has instructions on how to find the Tomb”. David almost screamed in pain,” skull… uh…. Evil. Skull evil, we must destroy it.” Mar’iya looked up from the dagger box, “Good call David”. Oni pressed his annoyed expression into them, and he whispered to himself, “I know how to find the Tomb of Badr Al-Mosak”. He shrugged knowing, no one was listening to him, again. He walked over to smash the skull with the staff. Within his own heart he lamented the loss of power of it and hoped it would still smash the skull. Pieces of skull blasted like fire across the room. Mar’iya slyly slid the dagger and box into his backpack.
The group quickly moved through the rest of temple looking for any clues to where Princess Shadalah and or the green gem ended up. Almost in every room Oni would say, “this has instructions to a tomb.” David and Mar’iya desperately searched for more. Oni had to think that maybe the great 5 headed beast was blocking his words from their ears. Finally, the headed back up into the warehouse.
Mar’iya grew wings and took flight, “I will find that other son”. Oni stared as his friend went up into the air again. He whispered to himself, “maybe we could go to this tomb.” His head bobbed as he continued to talk, “no, let’s waste all kinds of time in this stupid camp of a town.” Mar’iya flew around taking a quick look in each of the compass directions. He landed near the group to discuss what he found, “there are about five groups of people.” Oni piped in with about as much sarcasm as he could muster, “let’s check each.” David nodding in agreement, “yes, indeed”. Oni at least discovered that words were leaving his mouth. Mar’iya started to head north towards a fleeing group.
Oni was struggling to keep up with Mar’iya and David. They pushed and pushed. As Oni, approached, with Arnia and Ixen on either side of him. David and Mar’iya were already talking to some kids. Oni saw coins coming from Mar’iya. Something deep within Mar’iya liked to use kids. Oni worried it was pieces of Vashir that would not die. He would pay them as if helping them in the shadows on his mind. These dirty sweaty kids had little or no choice and would help. He was giving them the tools of deception for the streets. He trained them in their skills from this very transaction.
One of the kids, led the group back to a bloody mess. It looked like someone covered their body in red paint and rolled around the ground. The sand painting had extra contours made from bits of somebody. Mar’iya finished paying for this boy’s new education so he could run off and throw hit hat into the air. The Shiek’s line was nearly ended right here. He and his oldest had ended only leaving the disrupter. Finding this younger son replaced the blacksmith as the point of the revenge spear. The Duo David and Mar’iya pushed on to the next group of people. Oni whispered to himself knowing no one would listen or care, “maybe the tomb.”
The chaos of the rest of the oasis was in complete contras in this grouping of tents. The sands had been pushed back to level prior to the purge. Supplies from all over the oasis were stocked within, to make them the most comfortable places possible. The age of those resting here were the oldest around. They were going to rest this out as all the young moved out into the sand. A council of the elderly sat in the tent judging the group.
They were content to stay. Their legs could not carry them into the sand. They would hold court here until saved or until their final judgement from the five. The Duo tried to convince them to leave. Mar’iya was convinced they would die here. Oni new the death that surrounded him, would likely take these people. Their fate was sealed. The group offered up gifts of pelts and coin. With a new dawn these folks might survive a few more days.
Mar’iya and David still wanted the son. Korus had become the blacksmith of the chaos and pain for them. Mar’iya had seen another group nearby. The entire group lead by the duo moved quickly. Finding Korus to destroy his anvil was their goal. They came up on a group trashing some tents. They were covered in dirt and looked like maggots moving across a slab of meat. Mar’iya opened talks as Oni and the rest watched on. Oni saw something in them. He saw the possible dawn within them, “You all can help bring a new day to this great place.” Oni spoke to them and watched as the dirt fell from their bodies and souls.
They helped the men gather supplies and took them back to the council of elders. Out came a selection of sabers. These blades would protect and fund the group until the dawn came again. Oni could see days, maybe weeks being added to the lives of them all. This was still not a curtain new beginning, but it was just the orange horizonal flare of one. They had delivered a possible future. Oni watched as David and Mar’iya talked more compliantly to some of the new guard. The conversation had changed from threat to comrade. They would never be friends in this place but with the gift of the elderly, they wanted to help. The Duo came back to the group. Mar’iya twitched a smirk, “Korus was beneath the bazaar”. Their footfalls headed back out into the oasis and towards the bazaar.
A shadow was rolling over the bazaar and made the charred ruins darker. The bright sand turned black in these shadows. Moving with the committed speed, they found the secret entrance and headed into the old slaver layer. They continued the shadow through the lower level, finding Korus and his guard in the old slave cells. Korus dropped quickly. The wave of their power hit him, and he fell. His men, or the remnants of his men dropped their weapons and left as soon as possible. Mar’iya used his new revealed skills and brought Korus back to life.
Korus’ short death had brought him before the torment of Tiamat. He was broken before his life reentered him. His eyes were dark with pain. His pain, Tiamat’s pain, it was unclear. Mar’iya probed him as he was asked about Corga and Princess Shadalah. He had been their pawn and like all pawns, he was without any real any information. Mar’iya deep mind probe never revealed any deceit. Korus understood he was nothing to his masters. They left him when he was useless.
David removed the crown and a few other items from Korus. He was not trying to hide them in any way. He shifted his body slowly letting David find all the items with ease. He was defeated. His eyes rarely moved from the floor. He was not even scanning the room for his escape. He knew he was about to die. He gave all of his self to the group, not to save his own life but to make sure his soul freed from the torment his had endured. Mar’iya grabbed the crown with a quick hand. The crystal was to base for their protection from the fives prying eyes. The night might be theirs again. They might be able to travel in the cooler weather once again.
Arnia tied his hands. Oni trying to understand more about Psion powers asked about gagging him, “Mar’iya, David, if we gag him, will that stop his power.” Both David and Mar’iya gave Oni side eye. Mar’iya spoke almost as if speaking to a child, “no, most powers do not need any verbal component.” Mar’iya internal conflict between being Vashir and Mar’iya changed to almost a pleading look, “What do we do with him now? Kill him.” Arnia held him a little tighter. David started to move a little closer. Oni stood a little taller reaching into his new preacher self, “No. Revenge is the old way. He can go with us. He can prove his redemption.”
The discussion crashed among the group like waves. No one wanted to kill him, but no one wanted him to travel with them. To Korus’ credit he was resolved to either wave. David hit the group with a tidal wave that removed all the pebble created ones. “Why not bring him back to the council of elders”? Oni was stilled inside silence of thought. Mar’iya broke through his ever-encroaching Vashir self, “they can place him on trial. Clearly a trial is justice and not revenge.” Oni bobbed up and down agreeing with them. Korus floated along without restraint.
They flowed through the oasis. Korus started to walk slightly taller even with his head held low. Oni and his group let him walk unmolested. This was unknown to Korus. The royal guard always made sure their prisoner moved and tripped. He could see this as something new. The dawn was reaching him. Prisoner could be treated with greater kindness then they deserved. Korus went to his fate without concern.
They brought Korus before the court. He slowly kneeled before them, “I am guilty of everything you have heard and suspect. I was brash in my youth and moved on my father when I should not have. I take any punishment you deem required.” The court talked among themselves. Oni watched as David, and Mar’iya Blacksmith moved to Korus. They were satisfied, at least for now. Oni listened to the court, knowing he should be on trial here as well. He was as guilty as Korus in creating this chaos. He was as much a blacksmith as Korus was. Korus was the anvil, but Oni was the great hammer. He tried to make himself feel better as he was doing it for the good of the Dawnfather. He heard the same defense proposed by the court as the talked about Korus. How was Oni’s soul going to survive this trial? His trials would continue as he would hammer away everywhere he went.
Mar’iya and David were content to move on to the tomb of Badr Al-Mosak. Before leaving in the morning, they went to check on Korus. He was content in his sentence. He was digging a trench near the council. Off into the sand they went.