[center] [h1][color=yellow][b][u]Karamir[/u][/b][/color][/h1] & [h1][color=ivory][b][u]Arya[/u][/b][/color][/h1] [/center] [hr] Karamir stared intently at the clay cup, filled almost to the brim with water. He squinted slightly, and then waved a palm upward, only to frown. He brought his hand down, and then tried again, only to frown. He waved a few more times at the air above the cup, this time from left to right, but nothing happened, and his eyes widened. [color=yellow]“No…”[/color] he whispered. Arya sat across from him, watching the spectacle with a frown. Before them were empty plates of plates and scraps of food. It had been a large meal, but she found herself not very hungry. Karamir, for his part, had been ravenous. After telling Karamir all he wanted to know about the world, and helping to fill in some of his gaps, the two sat in silence. Now, Arya was perplexed. [color=ivory]“That’s not how you drink, Karamir.”[/color] she said, worried. For a moment he only stared at her, and then, he snapped. [color=yellow]“I know!”[/color] he said angrily, then took a breath, and calmed himself. [color=yellow]“I can’t cast mana anymore…”[/color] he said softly. Arya winced. Slowly she straightened herself and asked in a small voice, [color=ivory]“Mana…?”[/color] [color=yellow]“Something one of the gods taught me, I think,”[/color] he said in a defeated tone, as he let his hand drop. [color=yellow]“It’s… a source of power, that allows certain mortals to do things others can’t. I could control water and wind with it, but now… I can’t.”[/color] He sighed. [color=ivory]“I see.”[/color] she said. [color=ivory]“Maybe you just need to keep trying. With your condition, maybe you forgot something?”[/color] [color=yellow]“Maybe…”[/color] he said in an unsure tone, but he did not move, or say any more. [color=ivory]“Don’t be discouraged. Perhaps if you teach me how to, something could click?”[/color] she asked with a hopeful tone. [color=yellow]“I don’t know… I guess I could try,”[/color] he shrugged. [color=yellow]“It took me a really long time, though. How long do you think it will be until my soul can be healed?”[/color] Arya shrugged. [color=ivory]“There’s still no word from Arryn or Kalmar. I’m sure they’ll say something soon.”[/color] Karamir seized that opportunity to move on from the topic of his lost mana. [color=yellow]“You told me you knew Kalmar, but you were surprised when you found out what he did to me. Why is that?”[/color] he asked her. Arya sighed. [color=ivory]“Kalmar, at one point in time, was like a wall. Impenetrable and unmoving. There were cracks, but he has a hard time being empathetic with others. He thinks he’s doing the right thing, but that’s not always the case. I’ve always wanted him to care for his creations, and love them and he does love them, but he does not show it. So when you told me he beat you with a stick and cast you out to fend for yourself, I was angry, because that life should not be given to anyone, especially we who come into the world as little more than children.”[/color] her voice faded. She looked past him and as if in deep thought. [color=yellow]“Do you know if I met him at any point after that?”[/color] he asked. [color=yellow]“I don’t remember anything else of him, but it feels almost like he was the one who forgot me.”[/color] She did not answer for a minute, and then said absentmindedly, [color=ivory]“I hope so.”[/color] before falling silent again. Karamir was silent as well, and several awkward seconds passed before he once again attempted to reignite the conversation. [color=yellow]“This talk just keeps making me feel sadder and sadder,”[/color] he said truthfully. [color=yellow]“Is there anything else we can do while the time passes?”[/color] Her eyes focused and at once she shot up, [color=ivory]“You’re quite right! This moping about isn’t doing us any good. Come on, let’s go check on the others and see if we can do anything to help out.”[/color] Karamir rose to his feet, not quite sharing her enthusiasm but welcoming the chance to do something else. [color=yellow]“Let’s go, then.”[/color] The two stepped outside. The darkening sky over them was a spectacle of lights, the bright glow of the Garden, and further away Moksha, joined by hundreds of bright streaks sliding down towards Galbar. Somewhere in the distance, a flash of ruddy radiance descended into the sea, followed by a dull blasting sound. Outlandish as it might have been, such a sight was now not outside the ordinary. What was clearly out there, however, was the enormous dark shape approaching in the heavens from southward. By the time they could clearly discern it against the twilight, it was almost over them. It veered to the northwest as it came, leaving behind the whoosh of gigantic wings, and descended into the forest line as soon as it had gained it. Almost serpentine in its motions, it dipped down again and again between the treetops, before taking one final dive and disappearing among the woods. Already Karamir’s dagger was out, and before Arya’s very eyes, the small blade had transformed into a spear. [color=yellow]“We’ll need to see what that was,”[/color] he said, extending a hand to her. [color=yellow]“Come.”[/color] Without saying anything, Arya bolted in the direction of the creature. As she ran, something shot out from the house, zipping past Karamir before it collided with Arya in a flash of bright light. When the light dimmed, she was clad in armor head to toe, a helmet with a fully covered visor sat atop her head and the object, a glowing sword, hung loosely in her hand as she took off into the air. Then just like that, the jungle swallowed her. Karamir frowned in annoyance, then levitated into the air and sped after her. His cloak was faster, and so he quickly caught up, then slowed to match her pace. Neither could go at full speed anyway, since they had to dodge and weave between the trees. The woods around them seemed different from their usual nightly animation. The scraping, chattering and singing of birds and beasts was hushed, as though the jungle's usual inhabitants had been cowed by something unfamiliar. Now and then, their sharp senses caught strange signs - a waft of tremendously rancid stench, a low porcine grunt, a small, stunted form flitting among the tree-trunks. As they approached the spot where the great flying being had disappeared, a sound even more uncannily out of place reached their ears. A musical tune slithered over the undergrowth, more elaborate than anything any player short of a divine would have been capable of. It was fast, almost frantic at times, and alternating between subduedly ribald and dimly ominous tones. Most striking of all, however, was the instrument. It was not every day that a violin was heard on Galbar. [left][url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BsSfKl2B0g]Ambience[/url][/left] [color=ivory]“K’nell…?”[/color] Arya whispered as they flew. Then the trees parted. A large clearing in the jungle had been made even larger by forceful means. Crouching over a vast stretch of crushed trunks was an immense creature whose skin glinted under the nocturnal lights as though it had been of metal. Its long, skeletal body was half-coiled on itself, resting on the clawed tips of colossal leathery wings. The inexpressive lights of two fiery eyes burned dully in its mouthless skull-like head. Scattered on its back, sitting, crouching, lying and sprawling, hundreds of squat forms crowded about. Snarling pig snouts with cruel looks in their beady eyes flashed in the Gardenlight, reflected in places from dirty blades. The distant sound of jeering squeals broke over the music. Before the gigantic beast, in the middle of the clearing, a bulky figure squatted in a clay lantern's circle of light. Its bloated body was clad in a tremendously grimy suit of otherwise very finely made armour; the myriad imperfections of the body below, pustules and sores alike, were rendered in nauseating detail. The visored head swayed lightly as the horribly different arms drew the tune from what, despite the sound, was far too large to be a violin. On a closer look, the lantern itself was the head of a robed figure that held a tablet under the elbow of a wooden arm. The deformed player reached the end of his symphony and closed it with a strident shriek, spinning the bow in a flourish. He turned his head to both sides - something like a darting black snake seemed to flick before his helmet as he did - and stopped its hidden face towards the newcomers. [color=saddlebrown]"Check this out! Backdrop,"[/color] he pointed at the streak-spangled sky, [color=saddlebrown]"sound, and an audience that's more than these spitheads! I've really got it all tonight!"[/color] His voice was a ghastly reverberating gurgle. [color=saddlebrown]"That's one gutted tip that pays off."[/color] Arya was horrified at the sight before her, and she felt sick just watching. It was not K’nell, that had been a foolish hope. But the grip on her sword tightened as she realized who the monster that spoke was- Vrog. Laurien had told her about him, that he was dangerous and vile. And now… he was here and there would be no Gods that could come to their aid. They were on their own. [color=yellow]“Diana is behind this,”[/color] Karamir whispered, a low fury in his voice. His attention was not on Vrog, but on the other creatures and a memory came back to him - of a hot day, an uncomfortable oversized umbrella, and a glassy orb. [color=yellow]“What are you doing here?”[/color] he demanded. [color=saddlebrown]"So that's her name?"[/color] Vrog mused with a portion of his voices, [color=saddlebrown]"Di… Dj… Jana?"[/color] He tapped his instrument with unnaturally long fingers, [color=saddlebrown]"Jana, not too scrapped as names go. Heard better, though."[/color] He gave an out-of-tune screech from his viola and jabbed a hooked finger at Karamir. [color=saddlebrown]"You said it yourself, slagbrain. She tipped me there's folks round here not having much fun, so I brought 'em some pals. Got another batch, but we've gotta make a stop after a spitted ocean."[/color] Vrog hobbled towards them, still holding the viola. The lantern stayed in its place, and the swollen horror moved through the darkness, heralded by a throat-clenchingly foul smell. [color=saddlebrown]"Now you, I'm sure I smelled you before."[/color] He pointed at Karamir again. [color=saddlebrown]"No gutted clue where, though. Maybe Chop's place, you been there?"[/color] [color=yellow]“I… think?”[/color] he said, not entirely certain, his confusion threatening to overtake him as he looked deeper into his scrambled memory. Based on Arya’s description, he knew he had met Chopstick, but what place was he referring to? Then he shook his head and dashed the confusion aside. [color=yellow]“Where is the orb?”[/color] he asked instead. A spluttering cackle came from under Vrog's helmet. [color=saddlebrown]"Can't remember? You spitbellies can't handle a drink."[/color] He tapped his bow against the side of his head. [color=saddlebrown]"Don't know guts about an orb, either. Sure that's not from the cup too, scrapper?"[/color] Karamir glared at him. [color=yellow]“Diana had an orb, and these creatures were inside it,”[/color] he insisted. [color=yellow]“Somehow they were made real. Are you telling me it’s a coincidence?”[/color] [color=saddlebrown]"She had a..."[/color] the bow briefly went through the visor's grille, [color=saddlebrown]"Now you say it, I'd found them after she'd dropped them. Ate that bit."[/color] A disgusting slobbering sound accompanied these words. [color=saddlebrown]"Guess it's the closest you get to biting that - morsel. Full worth it, I say."[/color] The black tendril slipped out from his head again. Up close, it was clear this was a long, misshapen tongue, whose tip appeared to have been violently cut off. It tentatively jabbed around Karamir, then swept towards Arya, hovering around her and stopping over the back of one of her hands before whipping back in. [color=saddlebrown]"Jana's been out a while, though, and that's a spitting bother. Her whole place feels gutted off."[/color] His accusing finger turned against Arya. [color=saddlebrown]"Smells like you'd know something about that."[/color] Arya stood still in a state of confusion. She had been about to cut the thing’s tongue off, but it retracted. Several questions flooded into her mind, about Diana and K’nell. What was going on? [color=ivory]“You came here, because Diana told you…”[/color] she said before looking at the Pigguts. [color=ivory]“What are these things?”[/color] she then said angrily. [color=saddlebrown]"They're a spitlot of fun,"[/color] Vrog churned, [color=saddlebrown]"The stuff they do with each other's a laugh, can't wait to taste how they cook your kind. Now, you going to be like that slaghead Laurien - you smell kinda like her, actually - or you answering the spitting question?"[/color] [color=ivory]“You need to leave before I kill you.”[/color] Arya threatened, relaxing into an offensive stance. She would not- Could not allow such creatures in her home. It was the only one left. And neither could Karamir. He had endured Diana’s nightmares, because in the end he would always wake up, and the damage was never physical. Yet here her creatures stood, in direct defiance of that one consolation. Anger and fear filled him. The hand holding the spear began to shake, but then he steeled himself, burying the fear beneath the anger. His grip steadied, his expression hardened with resolve, the spearhead formed into a glaive, and he fell into a stance of his own. [color=saddlebrown]"Kheh-hah! You're almost as funny."[/color] Vrog tossed the bow upwards - it never came down - and hefted up the viola holding it like a maul. For a musical instrument, it certainly looked very heavy. [color=saddlebrown]"Two of you, hundreds of us, how's that sound? Tell you what, though, I'm in a good mood now, and I'll give you a deal. You-"[/color] he motioned at Arya, [color=saddlebrown]"-tell me what I want to hear, and we all take up and have our stop elseplace, that good? We're near done here either way. You don't,"[/color] he twirled his improvised weapon between his fingers, [color=saddlebrown]"and maybe you'll poke me a couple times with your gutsticks, but you'll be in a spitting hilarious way when we're done. Once in a lifetime offer, how's that to you?"[/color] [color=ivory]“I’d rather burn in the pyres, than tell you anything, monster. Now you listen.”[/color] she said twirling Wreanon. [color=ivory]“The twin of this sword, almost slew a god. You will take these things and go now, or I will be forced to use it. No other offers, no other excuses. Leave, or else.”[/color] she said sternly. [color=saddlebrown]"Slag, you try to go easy for once..."[/color] Vrog mused, seemingly to himself. [color=saddlebrown]"You're spitting lucky I got a drink to smell ahead that leaves your scrapyard bodies in the pits in compare. Real nice night, so I'll try again. Sure your buddy here,"[/color] he nudged the viola in Karamir's direction, [color=saddlebrown]"doesn't want to hear about the sleep place too? Guessing it beats a couple broken arms."[/color] [color=yellow]“How well do you think you’d stand against a god?”[/color] Karamir suddenly asked, tightening his grip on the glaive. [color=saddlebrown]"Depends,"[/color] Vrog scratched the underside of his head, [color=saddlebrown]"Bit more specific?"[/color] [color=yellow]”I was created by Kalmar,”[/color] Karamir said, [color=yellow]”and Arya here has his favour. He’s the God of the Hunt. Even if you kill us, you won’t be able to hide from him. How long do you think it will take for him to find you and skin you?”[/color] [color=saddlebrown]"A gut of a time. Got no skin on me."[/color] He rubbed his protruding stomach. [color=saddlebrown]"Doubt he's much useful here, though. You don't got anyone who'd know what I'm asking? Get it you slagheads don't."[/color] Hard to tell as it was, the final part sounded like having a smile to it. [color=ivory]“So be it!”[/color] Arya yelled before lowering her voice to say, [color=ivory]“Karamir… Be careful.”[/color] The Lady of the Eye then began to walk forward. Karamir nodded, and as Arya walked forward, he used his cloak to launch himself upward, well over Vrog’s head. Instead of attacking the Avatar directly, he instead set his sights on the skeletal dragon, and lunged toward it. [color=saddlebrown]"All you spitters right itching for a crack,"[/color] Vrog grumbled, sliding backwards in as close an approximation of a defensive posture as his choice of weapon would allow. He pointed at Arya again, and a momentary dizziness accompanied by a pang of nausea swept over her. Almost immediately, he leapt forward, dodging and sliding sideways with an agility impressive for his bulk while swinging his instrument in a series of frighteningly hefty blows. Behind him, the winged monstrosity seemed to have caught sight of Karamir, as it whipped around and lifted a wing. It was not fast enough, however, for the red blur that was Karamir zipped forward and skewered its eye in a single thrust. The creature let out a loud, humming moan, shaking its head as heat from the great molten core in its socket coursed up the blade. But Karamir’s ring glowed, and he did not feel it. [i]Something was wrong[/i] Arya knew. She barely had enough time to bring Wreanon up to block the Avatar’s swings, sending her to her knees in the process. She felt so heavy and slow, especially her mind. She could barely remember what to do next, but luckily for her, there was an opening. She rolled between Vrog’s legs, and then brought her sword up to swipe at him from behind, but it was far slower than usual. Indeed, her adversary was no faster now than before, but he nonetheless had the time to hop ahead out of the strike’s way. The tip of the blade caught him in the back, and it was enough to slice a long, thin gash in his armour, which immediately burst with a flow of impurity like a cut blister. Vrog grunted, but did not slow. Swivelling around, he brought down his viola in another barrage of pounding strikes, this time pressing his advance. Her head hurt, and each of the blows felt like a mountain barring down upon her with the speed of a jackalope. It was too much for Arya in her state, and she was too slow to block the final strike, which hit her in the side of the head. The blow sent her flying to the side, and she only came to a stop because of a jungle tree. She let out a gasp, she saw stars and then her vision faded to night. Wreanon, floated above her, the sword standing idle. [color=yellow]“Arya!”[/color] Karamir shouted, having fallen back from the winged monstrosity. Slamming his weapon back into its sheathe, he flew over to where she had fallen, and picked her up. With a grunt, he hoisted her armoured form over one shoulder, and then reached for her sword… only to pause, as if something was whispering into his mind. Vrog hefted his instrument with a curious gesture, lightly touching its strings with a claw. [color=saddlebrown]"Amazing how much stuff this thing's good for, no? Shoulda thought of it sooner."[/color] He spun the fiddle, which was in his hand again, and stabbed it in Karamir's direction. [color=saddlebrown]"Holda there, spithead, I'm not done with her. No slagging around or you'll wish I'd just break them arms."[/color] [color=DarkGray]“You will do no such thing, abomination.”[/color] A voice proclaimed from above them. Descending into view, Abanoc stood in Vrog’s way. [color=DarkGray]“I will give you fair warning: depart from this place or I shall force you to.”[/color] Karamir’s weapon came back out, and it morphed into a sword of similar shape to Wreanun, but he did not act. Uncertain, he looked from Vrog, to the pigguts, to the new arrivals. [color=saddlebrown]"Aha! That’s better!"[/color] If anything, Vrog seemed overjoyed at the development. He drew a shriek from the viola and shifted the bow towards the god. [color=saddlebrown]"You smell like a level gutface, so here’s the idea. Tell me one little thing,"[/color] he pinched two fingers together to show just how little, [color=saddlebrown]"little thing that won’t hurt nobody, sworn on the big guy below’s head, and I wing it right now, no questions asked. Deal?"[/color] [color=DarkGray]“And for what reason should I bless one such as you with my trove of knowledge? Would your malformed brain even be able to process it, I wonder.”[/color] [color=saddlebrown]"You’re one to talk with that lump on your shoulders,”[/color] Vrog’s fiddle tapped the air before Abanoc’s nose, [color=saddlebrown]"But I said a little thing, didn’t I? I’ll manage. If it goes right, maybe you won’t have to see this my face you hate so much around for a bit.”[/color] He swept the bow in a peremptory line. [color=saddlebrown]"At all. That good enough?”[/color] Abanoc let out a sigh. [color=DarkGray]“Very well, I shall at least lend you an ear. What knowledge do you seek?”[/color] The bow spun around a finger like a theatrically twisted cane. [color=saddlebrown]"Which one of you godly bunch was K’nell the chummiest with?”[/color] [color=DarkGray]“And just what would you do with that knowledge?”[/color] [color=saddlebrown]"Go and reminisce a bit, you know, maybe over a couple glasses. Smell out if there’s any, whattacallem, keepsakes left too. My boss got something left hanging with the scrapper, and he’ll be slagged mad till it’s closed somehow.”[/color] Abanoc pondered for a long moment, trying to imagine the repercussions of what Vrog would do with that knowledge. The god in question was Shengshi and from what Abanoc knew he and Vrog’s master were in good terms. Plus it meant less direct meddling from Abanoc’s part to have the Avatar leave peacefully. [color=DarkGray]“That would be Shengshi, god of Rivers.”[/color] [color=saddlebrown]"Scumspitted grand! He’ll be sure to get the glasses!”[/color] Vrog gave a brief arpeggio from his viola, and it was as though it had never been there. [color=saddlebrown]"Feel it, not hard to keep a deal, innit? That’s it, gutheads,”[/color] the latter was addressed to the pigguts on the monster’s back, who had been grunting profanities throughout the conversation, [color=saddlebrown]"we’re off! Lightspitter, keep them numbers straight.”[/color] The lamphead dutifully scratched down with its stylus-hand the quantity of imps that had taken advantage of the altercation to slip off into the forest, even as it was snatched up by a coiling tongue. In two bounds, Vrog was on top of the beast’s spined neck. A few loud clanging taps later, the enormous wings unfurled, toppling some more trees at the clearing’s edges, and started to beat with heavy cracks. The gale raised by them swept up a hurricane of dry leaves and wooden debris into the group’s faces. By the time their sight cleared, the giant was one more dark spot against the evening sky, and soon it disappeared behind a ragged low cloud. Karamir wasted no time in gently setting Arya down against a nearby tree. Then his weapon was a dagger once more and he sheathed it. [color=yellow]“Thank you for that,”[/color] he called up to the strangers, [color=yellow]“But who are you?”[/color] [color=DarkGray]“I am Abanoc, god of Recording. We have met before, Karamir; I taught you how to wield mana. But I know of what befell you. I came here to undo the damage in your mind and soul.”[/color] [color=yellow]“You... you have?”[/color] he asked, eyebrows raised in surprise as his posture relaxed. He breathed a sigh of relief. [color=yellow]“How? What do you need to do?”[/color] [color=DarkGray]“Let us return to your cottage first. I will need help from an Avatar of my own to aid you.”[/color] Karamir nodded. [color=yellow]“Alright.”[/color] he picked Arya back up. [color=yellow]“It’s this way, I think,”[/color] and with those words he took flight, at a pace that Abanoc could follow. [hr] Upon returning to the house, Karamir wasted no time. He took Arya upstairs and placed her on her bed, were in her armor vanished into mist, revealing a slight pink coloration where she had been hit on her head. Then, he went back downstairs, by the table where he and Arya had eaten food less than an hour ago, and looked to Abanoc and Mnemosyne with an uncertain expression. [color=yellow]“Before I had my soul decayed…”[/color] he said nervously, [color=yellow]“Laurien said you were letting me die.”[/color] [color=DarkGray]“In a sense, regrettably. Me not intervening was due to my function as an observer. I could not stand it, however, and went out of my way to come and at least recover your mind and soul.”[/color] [color=yellow]“I see…”[/color] he said slowly. [color=yellow]“Well, thank you for arriving when you did, at least.”[/color] [color=DarkGray]“Now then, let us begin.”[/color] Abanoc approached Karamir and laid a hand on his chest. He had learned much about how souls functioned in Galbar through observing Katharsos and the other gods. Thanks to that knowledge Abanoc could tell the state in which Karamir’s soul was. It was falling apart, Its glow fading like a candle nearing its end. The cause, naturally, being Laurien’s meddling. Abanoc focused his energies on Karamir’s soul and removed the ailment. For Karamir, it felt as though a hundred shattered fragments within him were pulling themselves back together. The emptiness he had once felt but couldn’t quite explain was suddenly filled. [color=DarkGray]“That should do it.”[/color] Abanoc said pulling away from Karamir. [color=DarkGray]“It could take a while longer for you to fully recover, but your should will not decay any further.”[/color] Karamir blinked in astonishment. [color=yellow]“I… thank you… but what about my memories? It’s still… things are still missing. I thought repairing my soul would fix that...”[/color] [color=DarkGray]“Mnemosyne.”[/color] [color=OldLace]“Yes, Master.”[/color] This time the muse approached Karamir and held his head gently from the sides. Delving into Karamir’s mind, she could see his memories broken and mixed up like a puzzle put together in the wrong way with pieces still missing. She analysed the proper flow of events in short notice and rearranged them accordingly. Her specialty being memories this took less than a minute. [color=OldLace]“Your memories should be organised. Can you remember the Master now?”[/color] Karamir’s mind felt more alert and more clear than it had ever been, as if he had just woken up from a deep sleep and been struck by a dozen epiphanies at once. He took a step back, needing time to process everything as memories flashed before his eyes. A hand fell to the table to steady himself. [color=yellow]“I can…”[/color] he said after several long moments had passed. [color=yellow]“Everything… it all makes sense now.”[/color] He sat down into a chair and brought a hand to his forehead. [color=yellow]“Thank you, Abanoc,”[/color] he managed, once the tide of information had begun to subside. [color=yellow]”You too, Nem… Mnemosyne.”[/color] [color=DarkGray]“You are welcome.”[/color] Abanoc said with a faint smile on his face. [color=OldLace]“The pleasure was mine. I hope you have an easier time now. Those fifty-seven years were harsh on you.”[/color] Had she any eyes one could see the concern in her face. Instead only a warm smile could be seen. Karamir’s winced slightly, as he suddenly became conscious of the fact that a complete stranger had just peered into the entirety of his memory. [color=yellow]”I have no intention of putting myself in that position again”[/color] he said, keeping his voice even, but his discomfort was clear. [color=DarkGray]“I believe we are finished here.”[/color] [color=yellow]"Wait,”[/color] Karamir said, concern suddenly etched across his face. [color=yellow]”What of Arya? Will she be alright?”[/color] [color=DarkGray]“Vrog seems to have laid a curse upon her. I have not seen the full effects it has on her, but her life is not in any immediate danger. If I were to study it further I would likely be able to break it, but my time is running short.”[/color] [color=yellow]”Running short? What do you mean?”[/color] [color=DarkGray]“Although my Observatory is equipped to register information of Galbar on its own, I am required to stay there and fulfil my role. I said this before, but I should not involve myself as much as I did on this night.”[/color] [color=yellow]”Oh, I see.”[/color] Karamir said. [color=yellow]”Alright. Thank you again for your help, but… if you don’t mind, can you visit you again at some point in the future? There are some questions I might need to ask.”[/color] [color=DarkGray]“You are free to do so. I look forward to your visit.”[/color] Abanoc stood up to leave and Mnemosyne followed. [color=DarkGray]“Farewell for now, Karamir.”[/color] [color=OldLace]“Make sure to take good care of Arya, okay?”[/color] Karamir felt a flash of guilt as he recalled his earlier attitude toward her. It was as if he had been an entirely different person. [color=yellow]”Yes… I owe her that much.”[/color] [hr] [hider=Post Summary] We open with Karamir and Arya having just finished eating. Karamir realizes he can’t use mana, and is understandably salty. They talk a bit about Kalmar, because Karamir still can’t remember who he is, and then they hear a disturbance. They go to investigate, and it turns out Vrog is there, along with the Omen of War and a bunch of pigguts. Karamir remembers the pigguts and their connection to Diana’s orb, and so he asks about it. Vrog confirms her involvement. Arya is confused by this, and is then like: “Get the hell off my lawn.” Vrog is like: “Naw.” Then they fight. Karamir stabs the Omen in the eye, but Vrog curses Arya to make her a poor fighter and then knocks her out. Karamir is about to grab Arya and run, but then Abanoc and Mnemosyne intervene. Vrog agrees to stand down if Abanoc names the god that K’nell was closest to. Abanoc reveals that it was Shengshi. Vrog honours his end of the deal and leaves with the Omen and the remaining pigguts, but hundreds have already dispersed throughout the Eye. Karamir then carries Arya while leading Abanoc and Mnemosyne back to the house. There, Abanoc fixes his soul (having learned the basics from observing the various soul-related gods), while Mnemosyne repairs his memories. Abanoc reveals that Arya was cursed, but isn’t quite sure what the curse is, and then takes his leave. MP: -Vrog spent 1MP, probably discounted to 0 by war port or something, to censure Arya and make her a bad fighter. -Abanoc spent 1MP to fix Karamir's soul, and a free action to restore his memories. [/hider]