[center] [h1][b][u]Carn[/u][/b][/h1] & [h1][b][u]Aurielle[/u][/b][/h1] [/center] [hr] After the cart’s contents had been distributed, Carn allowed the group a period of rest. It was sorely needed. They ate rations which had been stowed away in the bandit’s camp, cooked over the still burning fire. Some caught a quick nap. Carn went to a nearby stream to wash away the blood and grime from the day’s ordeals. At some point Edgar returned. He had not run, he had merely gone to check on the wounded who had been left at the road, then ventured off with a team of volunteers to carry them back. Of the original twenty who first set out from Evenstar, only eleven still remained. Four of whom were too injured for any sort of fighting. All carried at least one piece of treasure taken from the caravan; though Carn warned them they may be required to return most of it. Eventually Carn decided it was time to head back, and so the remnants of his warband picked their way to the forest until they found the road again, and they began the long walk back. [hr] The sun was low on the horizon when they returned, much as it had been when Carn first came to the village. This time he had a larger party, but more wounded, and was considerably more successful. They had talked about their plan to deal with the chieftain, and it was decided that a public confrontation would be the best. As they entered the village, a few passerbys cheered, correctly assuming they had been successful. Others worriedly scanned the group, searching for friends or loved ones who had first set out with Carn. Some were relieved. Others were not. The commotion brought more people out of their homes, whose reactions were much the same. Eventually another crowd had formed around them, and Carn called his band to a halt. The chieftain was the last to appear, flanked by a pair of guards. He looked upon Carn with barely concealed displeasure. “Well,” he said as the crowd parted for him. “How did it go?” It was the priest who spoke first. “People of Evenstar,” he addressed the crowd. “The bandit menace has been defeated, due to the valiant efforts of Carn and Aurielle, and despite attempts from our own chieftain to ensure he would fail.” “It’s true,” the sole surviving guard spoke up. “He gave me orders to kill Carn during the fight.” The chieftain’s eyes widened, and then he began indignant with rage. “You dare slander me!?” he shouted. “Arrest them!” The chieftain’s two guards reached for their swords, as did those who were positioned elsewhere in the crowd, but Carn and his party drew their own weapons first. “The first one to step forward will be the first one to die,” Carn declared, pointing his blade directly at Evenstar’s leader. “No more blood needs to be spilled today,” the priest insisted. “I swear by every god that I speak the truth.” “As do I,” said the guard. “And I,” said Carn. “I swear it as the champion of Cadien.” “More lies and blasphemy?” the chieftain snarled. “You forsook that prophecy this very morning.” “I didn’t forsake it,” Carn shook his head. “All I said was that I didn’t know if it was true. Now, I do.” He ran his blade across his palm, spilling blood. Then, he held his hand to the crowd, and they watched in surprise as the flesh mended itself. “I bear the blessing of Cadien himself. My appearance will be forever unmarred by wounds or scars. I stand before you as the champion of a god, and I say that the only liar and blasphemer in this village stands before me right now. To take his word over mine or the godly man that stands beside me is heresy.” Carn’s words were pretty and the instant healing certainly gave him some credence but Auriëlle did not believe the chieftain would just surrender his throne up. She kept her eyes on the guard on his right. Ready to cast her sorcery and kill him in an instant. Gods why was she still here? She was carrying the gold she needed. If she had split up then by now she would have reached the lonethorn in the field by now. By the next dawn she would’ve been far away from here. Instead she stood next to Carn, facing down a village’s chief. All eyes on the crowd turned to the chieftain, whose front began to crack once he realized most of the villagers were no longer on his side. He took a hesitant step back, only for the guard Aurielle had her eye on to place a hand on his shoulder. “It’s time for you to step down.” The chieftain’s eyes widened with shock that quickly turned to outrage. “I am the leader of this village! My word is law!” “Not anymore,” the second guard said, seizing him as well. “You have failed in your duty, chieftain,” the priest said. “To both your people and to the gods. You will never lead again.” “What is the sentence for such crimes?” Carn asked casually. “Death,” the priest intoned grimly. “Hm. That’s troubling. You said no more blood needed to be spilled today, did you not?” He turned to the sorceress. “Aurielle. I don’t suppose you can think of something?” “I could make sure his death is a bloodless one.” She said as she stepped forward. There was a malevolent grin on her face. The heat she had made in the forest, it stuck with her. Its memory would never leave her. Now she was itching to try it again. “Make it so,” Carn said, stepping aside to allow her past. He addressed the rest of the crowd. “As you’re about to see, I’m not the only one who was touched by a god.” The chieftain stared at Aurielle with fearful eyes, as the guards forced him to his knees. For a moment she glanced towards Carn. What the hell was he talking about? Not the only one blessed by a god? What game was he playing? It didn’t matter. Not now at least. There were more pressing matters to address. She stepped up to the chieftain. Behind them, people were moving away. “Your guard tried to kill me first, you know.” She said with a cold but hate-filled voice. “That was a mistake.” Slowly she put his hand on his head, holding it down. Power gathered inside of her. It mixed with hate and the memory of the forest. The dead. The bones. The ash. “Release him!” She ordered the guards, who pulled away their hands just in time. Explosive, invisible heat traveled from her hand over the chieftain. One moment he was struggling, the next his ashes were crumbling to the ground. The guards backed away in horror, and a few in the crowd screamed. The priest’s eyes widened, and he mouthed a prayer. “The threats to your village have been defeated,” Carn declared. “Both within, and without. Some of you have lost people today, and for that, you have my condolences. They fought well against the bandits, and I did my best to keep them alive, but ultimately it was he who killed them,” he pointed to the pile of ashes. “He should have offered more aid. He should have led us himself. He did not. Those deaths are on him.” Those who were grieving seemed to nod, as Carn gave them a new target to redirect their blame toward. “But there are those standing with me who still live. Mourn the dead, but do not forget to celebrate the living. Every man and woman who stands with me now is a hero. Never forget that.” His words were met with several nods and even a few cheers. “There is still much to be done. You need a leader. The goods left behind at the bandit camp need to be recovered. The dead must be seen to. That will all be settled tomorrow. For now, we rest and celebrate.” [hr] The tavern was busy that night. Those who had followed Carn into the woods and were fit to celebrate still did so. Some were already in the process of regaling others with the story, exaggerating or making up certain details, for none had been present during the final battle at the bandit’s camp. There were wild tales of Carn surviving an arrow through his head, or Aurielle killing ten men with a single lightning bolt. Carn came up behind Aurielle, and tapped her on the shoulder. “Can we speak upstairs? In private?” he asked her. She threw him a coy smile. “Thought you’d never ask.” She got up and downed her watered wine tankard in one go. It felt good to celebrate. Though her troubles hadn’t ended yet. She didn’t appreciate Carn calling her ‘blessed by a god’. They ascended to the inn’s second floor, and Carn led her to his room. He opened the door for her, and followed her inside. “I never had the chance to ask you,” he said, closing it behind him. “How do you feel about how today turned out?” She sat down on the bed. It felt…too soft. “What does that matter?” She asked. “We won. The bandits and the chieftain are dead and we got the gold.” Some died, yes but that would’ve happened regardless. She wasn’t entirely heartless though. You wouldn’t see her at any funeral for them but some night she would visit their graves and say a little prayer. That was the plan at least. Carn sat down next to her. “Today has given me a lot to think about,” he confessed. The moment he sat down, she got up. “Yeah but I’ve got one thing to think about too.” She said as she took her place on the room’s only chair. She still had that coy smile on her face. “Why did you call me blessed by a god when I’m not? And you know I’m not.” Carn winced. “Sorry about that. I sounded like a preacher, didn’t I?” He shrugged. “If I hadn’t said that, they might have come to a worse conclusion. It’s not every day that people see magic like yours. Especially in a small village like this.” “That’s fair.” She said with a small shrug. People talked though. Suddenly the villages wouldn’t just hear stories about Carn, blessed hero of Cadien. They’ll talk about the red headed sorceress who is also blessed by some god. That alone would come with some annoying responsibilities if she led it. Remaining faceless would be harder now. She’d have to travel up north again, on the west side of the river. Maybe visit the sunlands. They wouldn’t hear her story there. “For all his faults the chieftain was right about one thing: you’re just a mercenary. You might know how to lead fighters but this is a village we’re talking about. You’ll have to tell them where to farm what and then count the harvest. Can you even write?” She wasn’t accusing him, even if her tone was a bit harsh. She just found herself, to her own surprise, worrying about Carn. He was a fighter not a scribe. “I know a few words,” Carn shrugged. “Though I’m not sure where you got the idea I want to lead this place. I’ve been avoiding the subject all day. To tell the truth, I don’t much care for it. It’s a dull place, with dull people.” Auriëlle smiled. “Then come with me.” She said. “We’ll be gone before first light tomorrow. They’ll never know we’ll have left. I’ve read about this beautiful land where the sun’s always warm. There is a temple there filled with painted walls. And big, flying lions that never hurt you. Come with me there. Let’s leave this shithole and go somewhere nobody knows us.” In truth she cared more about Carn being with her than going to the sunlands. He was interesting. Though not so interesting that she would stay in one place for him. Carn’s eyebrows rose, and his lips curled into a smile. “That’s actually what I was leading up to. With your magic, my swordsmanship, and our dashing good looks, we’d make a good team.” He eyed her and down. She came closer. “Well, we still got some hours before we have to pack.” She was leaning over him now, letting her hands rest next to him. Her lips almost touched his. “How about we have some well-earned fun?” “Once again, our thoughts match.” [hr] Morning came. While Aurielle readied herself for departure, Carn ventured down into the common room, where Ruvar and Rollo awaited him at a table. “Carn!” Ruvar greeted him happily. “Well done seeing to those ruffians!” “Or is it chieftain Carn now?” Rollo asked with a smirk. Carn shook his head. “Oh, I see…” Ruvar’s eyebrows rose. “Well then. I’ve got some volunteers to help us recover my belongings. What these thieving villagers haven’t filched, anyway. Some will even help escort us to Ketrefa, if we pay them.” “That’s good to hear,” Carn nodded, ignoring the fact that it was he who gave the villagers permission to ‘filch’ Ruvar’s goods in the first place. “But I’m afraid I won’t be joining you.” “Oh?” Ruvar’s face fell. “Why is that?” Carn shrugged. “To tell you the truth, I never liked Ketrefa. The bastards stole my brother long ago. They may offer good coin, but,” he shrugged, “there’s more to life than that.” He also decided not to mention that he had a few gold rings in his pockets, which were more valuable than whatever Ruvar would have paid him. Ruvar seemed genuinely saddened by the news. “I see…” he said slowly. “May the gods watch over you, then.” “Good luck, Carn,” Rollo said, raising a tankard. Auriëlle didn’t do goodbyes. It kept life easy in the last three years. So when Carn decided not to slip away but just go down and tell everyone they would leave, she was a bit annoyed. It was his choice though. She stayed up, getting everything ready. The ruby amulet she got from was hidden away under her tunic, while the few gold coins and rings she had taken from the cart were safely in a purse. That would keep them going for some time. When enough time had passed she came down from upstairs and headed straight for the front door. Carn followed her. A few dozen people had already gathered outside, the priest among them, awaiting his word. “Alright everyone, listen up.” Carn said. “On the eighth day I arrived. On the ninth day I slew the bandits. Now, on the tenth day, I must lead you. So, allow me to lead you.” The crowd began to whisper with uncertainty. Some welcomed Carn’s leadership, but others were more reluctant - though they accepted the chieftain’s deposal, many still shared his concerns about Carn’s experience, divine champion or not. A few had even been sympathetic to the chieftain, disbelieved Carn’s story, and secretly resented his execution. Luckily for them, Carn was about to put their concerns to rest. “From this day forth, the position of chieftain will be decided by vote,” Carn declared. “Not by birth or by bloodshed. When a chieftain dies or steps down, the village will come together and choose a new one. That is my first act as chieftain,” he told them. “And for my second act… I resign.” The crowd was stunned into silence. Then Carn turned away, and everyone began to speak at once. Some shouted for him to remain, while others declared their support. A few tried to shout for order, but only succeeded in producing more racket. One or two were already attempting to make their case for why they should be elected. In the middle of it all, the priest tried and failed to calm them down. Carn ignored it all, and continued down the road. Auriëlle was grinning from ear to ear as she walked beside Carn. “They’re going to tear each other to pieces, you know that right? They’ve been farmers and potters and gods know what else for so many years. You think anyone of them could lead a village?” She looked back at the every increasing racket. “They’re already breaking down.” Carn shrugged. “You’d be surprised. Some people are more skilled than they appear. At least one of them has to be good at it. If not, they’ll pick someone else.” He threw an arm around her shoulder. “But it’s not our problem anymore, is it?” [hr] [hider=Post Summary] After resting and dividing up the treasure, Carn leads the group back to the village. They openly confront the chieftain, calling him out for his betrayal, and Carn is able to successfully turn the crowd against him. Aurielle then proceeds to execute him via immolation. Afterward, as they are celebrating, Carn leads Aurielle up to his room in the inn. They talk a bit about the day’s events, with Carn revealing that he has no intention of becoming the village’s new chieftain. They then agree to hit the road together. The next morning, Carn says goodbye to Ruvar and Rollo, then addresses the rest of the village. He tells them that the office of chieftain will henceforth be decided through elections, and then immediately resigns. He and Aurielle walk away. [/hider] [hider=Might Summary] [u]Carn[/u] [b]Beginning Prestige:[/b] 14 +5 for 10k characters [b]Ending Prestige:[/b] 19 [u]Auriëlle[/u] [b]Beginning Prestige:[/b] 5 +5 for 10K characters -1 for use localized disintegration spell [b]Ending Prestige:[/b] 9 [/hider]