"Omestris is the heritage that was nothing but a curse.  I am not one of you."

Somehow, when Oren heard those words, it stung in a way he hadn't expected. He himself was disconnected from his culture, in a way that couldn't be reversed, but to hear Ziotea say that, in so casual a tone... it shook his core. He blinked, twice, three times, as the shorter Inquisitor walked away. He took some deep breaths. Yes, he could see where she came from. But it only made him feel all the more alone. He sighed, before setting off into the tunnels himself.

Eventually, he came across a partially collapsed tunnel, exposing it to the open air. He sat down on a pile of rubble, lost in thought. Did his Aspect really want this? This kind of knowledge could kill him if the wrong person found out, if he confided in the wrong man. But not knowing, shoving it to the rear of his thoughts and forgetting it... that seemed just as dangerous. And the secret would not be so hard to keep, with the impending voyage to El. He was somewhat withdrawn among even his own Warband, let alone the others.

In the quiet, he could feel the pounding in the back of his skull all the more strongly. Oren grimaced. It had been going on for about an hour, now. Glancing side to side, he drew his knee up to his chest, and reached into his boot. Taking out a syringe and a vial, he fitted them together, before jabbing the point into the crook of his wrist and pushing down the plunger. When he pulled the needle out, he used a small bit of ether to heal the mark, and then concealed the two pieces once more.

That task done, Oren looked up at the sky. Unlike in Magnagrad, the sky was clear, here. Unfettered by the smog of the city. The deep indigo expanse was dotted by the occasional bright point of light. Each one a star. His mind went back to Syddon-Mar. Was it really what the old woman said it was? A prison and tomb for a forgotten god? 

He felt fatigue wash over him. For all his training, the trials ahead seemed insurmountable. And only time would tell if those trials would become easier or harder. As the drug took effect, he closed his eyes, and let his troubles float free. He'd reflect on all of this later. He needed a break for now.