[h1][u]Act Two: Scattered to the Winds[/u]____ __ _ _[/h1] [h2][u]Chapter Five: Curses[/u]______ __ _ _[/h2] [hr][hr] [center][img]https://i.imgur.com/1pRMPSB.png[/img][/center] [hr][hr] [color=c4df9b]"Why are you fighting me Rae?"[/color] Talit yelled into an empty room. The Timewalker was still a floor above, safely hidden away. The hag had prepared for her arrival, called upon a greyborn to protect her. It would barely slow Talit down. [color=c4df9b]"You can't beat me." [/color]She continued to thin air. It was true enough, though the other woman's vanishing and reappearing complicated what should have been a decisive fight. When no response came from her taunting, Talit made to move for the stairs for a third attempt. Just as the others, the moment she made it only a few steps, Rae materialized further up and struck to push her back down. This time Talit was ready, she swung her chains over her opponent to root in the ceiling above, securing herself from losing her place even as her leg was swept out from under her. [color=c4df9b]"Let me pass!" [/color] Rae was pinned between her chains, until she faded again. Talit didn't wait to see where she would turn up again, instead pulling herself to the uppermost floor of the Timewalker's hut. The ancient woman herself, sat on the narrow cot that served as her bed, huddled in the dark and facing the window. Again Talit unleashed her chains to pull her across the room with greater speed than she could ever move on foot. [colour=D4E637]"Talit! Stop!"[/colour] [color=c4df9b]"Lyen?"[/color] Talit responded, already knowing it to be her before turning. The older Yasoi stood in the doorway, along with the shockingly tall southern stranger from two nights before. It was all the distraction Rae needed to return again, charging at Talit with enough speed to knock her grip loose from the Timewalker. All three were sent sprawling to the floor. The space in the small room was all the more sparse with the new arrivals, but it didn't deter the two from sparring on the floor, Rae dodged most attacks while Talit was able to absorb greyborn's blows with little impact. Only the Timewalker's voice brought an end to it. With some assistance from Lyen and Eliis she was on her feet again, albeit leaning heavily on the window-ledge. "Enough, Rae." Her voice rasped but remained clear enough for all to hear, past even the creaking supports of the home and roaring fire bellow. "Your city burns and your brother lies dead. Are you pleased with the path you've chosen, Talit'yrash?" [color=c4df9b]"Shut up!"[/color] Talit yelled, using a wave of force energy to finally land a blow on Rae, sending her towards the timewalker, leaving both momentarily stunned against the wall. Lies and more lies! She had been left with no choice- chosen nothing. Certainly not this. The Eskandr weren't meant to come with such force, weren't meant to bring fire with them. Had Dyric only [i]listened[/i] [color=c4df9b]"Lyen," [/color]She started again, turning to her friend but her eyes caught instead on the hands of Eliis, still wet with blood. The timewalker's words rang again in her ears. [color=c4df9b]"What’s happened?"[/color] Even as the timewalker and Rae righted themselves behind her, Talit did not look at them again.[color=c4df9b]"Where is Dyric?"[/color] She asked, her pitch increasing each time her mouth opened. [color=D70040]"I-"[/color] The tallest of the grouped women looked at the faces of strangers. [color=D70040]"Outside. Dead."’[/color] Lyen's solemn nod was confirmation enough. Talit reached out with force energy, enough to drag the red-headed woman to the floor. [color=c4df9b]"Murderer!"[/color] She screamed, equal parts shock and surprise. Impossible. Her brother - her [i]twin[/i], she would have known. [color=c4df9b] "How?"[/color] No sooner was she on Eliis, than she redirected her anger to the timewalker again. [color=c4df9b]"Explain yourself! What twisted lies did you feed them? My brother?"[/color] The timewalker's wrinkled lips pursed then parted to reveal missing spaces between small and rotten teeth. "A maledict killed Merit, your brother was honest on that, if nothing else." A crooked finger pointed to Eliis. "Dyric's blood is not the only she has drawn these three days passed." [color=D70040]"It was lies!"[/color] Eliis defended herself. [color=D70040]"He told me it was what she wanted- a dying wish! A final selfless act to protect Loriindton!"[/color] She shook her head, eyes shining. [color=D70040]"Merit was the best of us, I would never have ended her life had I only known the truth."[/color] [color=c4df9b]"You're unworthy to speak her name!"[/color] Talit yelled at her, already drawing energy for another attack. The timewalker took her attention instead: "And you, Talit? How much blood will be on your hands after today? Sending a thief and mercenary to poison soldiers, to send them against your own people-" The gears clicked in Eliis head, the final piece of the puzzle that had been missing for so long was finally in place. If she could have ripped out her heart in that moment, she would have. Alas, she was on the floor, so all she could do was watch as hatred for this girl filled her heart and mind. To Eliis, Talit had truly been lost to the huusoi. To think she would betray her own people for some foreign king. It was blasphemous. [color=c4df9b]"I never meant for this!" [/color] Her voice was now unnaturally high and strained. [color=c4df9b]"Had Dyric listened from the beginning- Had anyone just [i]believed[/i] us-"[/color] She stopped and looked between Eliis and Lyen, searching for some understanding and finding none. There was a brief moment of confusion in Eliis’ mind, but stark clarity came after. She thought that perhaps she should not judge this girl for her crime, since she herself had committed a grave sin all too recently. But Eliis realized Talit was not remorseful for her actions. She would do them again if it meant she got the outcome she wanted.[color=D70040]”You are lost. You let your city burn not for duty, but for love. I know the truth - your truth. And I swear to all the gods that you will burn for your sins, just as your city does now. ”[/color] Words wouldn’t be enough to contain Talit’s anger. She rushed at Eliis, the air around her hot with energy; she meant for the southern witch to [i]burn[/i]. "Rae, it is time." Before the words had fully left the timewalker's mouth, the greyborn had taken hold of Eliis' arm and disappeared, this time the tall woman vanishing with her. "She can only take one, I'm afraid," the old woman whispered to Lyen, sorrow in her voice. [colour=D4E637]"I won't run from a friend."[/colour] Lyen replied with a good deal more confidence than she felt.[colour=D4E637] "This isn't right Tali, you know it isn't."[/colour] [color=c4df9b]"You trust her? Knowing what I told you- What she did to me?"[/color] [colour=D4E637]"She isn't the one who took your leg."[/colour] Lyen kept her voice low, desperate to be a voice of reason. The timewalker took a different approach. "Stupid girl. A child! You want the entire truth and I shall give it to you. You will die before your 30th year, Talit'yrash. Loriindton will vanish and be forgotten. The Yasoi will crumble and hide away from the world in their shame. This is the future you have wrought." Talit was lunging again before Lyen had a chance to try to defuse the timewalker's words, there was enough time to put herself between them, barring Talit from passing any further. [color=c4df9b]"You see how she poisons with her words Lyen- She is a cancer to our people and must be cut out."[/color] Lyen shook her head, but gave one final effort; [colour=D4E637] "The truth will prevail,"[/colour] she said, [colour=D4E637]"However ugly it may be."[/colour] Her own words being used against her proved the final straw for Talit. How could Lyen, Lyen of all people, whom this had all been for, be so blind? There was no blinking back the tears once they came again, now at least she hoped the smoke that had come in the room was enough to hide them. [color=c4df9b]"Parrence needs the Yasoi,"[/color] Her hand trembled as she drew energies, and sensed Lyen's person for the thin silver blade always kept at her hip. [color=c4df9b]"Please,"[/color] She said, [color=c4df9b]"This can't have been for nothing, I don't want to lose anyone else."[/color] The blade had slid easily and smoothly through the right hip and out the left shoulder. The timewalker was still screaming out curses when Lyen's body slumped to the floor, but Talit finally recognized the spitting vitriol for what it was. The old woman feared her death. As much as she had seen it coming, she did not wish to die. The observation did not lend itself to sympathy, as Talit used the energies still inside her to push the hag from the window, accelerating the force of gravity so she'd have no hope of saving herself. The fall was too far to even hear the woman’s screams, had she produced any. Without sparing so much as a glance at the bodies on the ground or in the tree, Talit fled from the house the same way Rae and Eliis had, though they'd left not a trace behind and she eventually circled back to put out the fires and finish the Eskandr. She would save her city and her people, even if it meant dragging them to their salvation, kicking and screaming. [hr] Twenty lay dead by the time the fires were completely extinguished. Merit's body still lay among them, still greyer and more gaunt with each passing hour. Her place of honour was now shared; Chad, Dyric, and the timewalker all lay ahead of the rest of the deceased residents. A place had been left for Rae. None were able to find her and assumed the worst had come to pass; she'd been caught in the flames or between Eskandr who hadn't left anything behind. Hers wasn't the only body missing from the memorial. Lyen's body had been left outside in the forest. Unburned and unburied, exposed for the elements and animals to exact their judgment. The final insult for a traitor, murderer of two barons, and deceiver of Vyshta. Talit remained quiet throughout the ceremonies, the picture of grief; pale faced and tight lipped. She hadn't wanted to remain long enough for the proceedings at all, but her binding was needed to heal the injured, and leaving early after Gari had pledged two battalions of Yasoi dervish and mages to the Perrench cause would be nothing less than an insult. Not that any questioned her now. Talit'yrash, saviour of Loriindton, avenger of her family, killer of the treacherous and deceitful Lyen'Ivhere'Zulc....It was easier not to listen too closely to the praise they showered her with. She accepted the commendations with a humble nod and teary smile, speaking only long enough to give thanks and notice of her intentions to leave ahead of the group and give warning of their arrival. The cheers for her were deafening. When everyone else had long left, and she stood alone over the corpse of her brother did Talit let her tears fall. Had only they listened to her; heeded her warnings, accepted her apologies, it could have ended so differently. A long silver dagger was produced from her clothing. She'd cleaned it well, though she swore she could still feel the last of Lyen's magic lingering inside. An impossible melancholic haunting of guilt, she knew, but it did draw enough sentiment that she found herself kneeling on her one leg at the base of the tree that had once been her childhood home. She dug the hole with her hands, scraping knuckles on rock, dirt caught under nails. It wasn't large, but she'd made it herself, without the gift. The knife was placed inside, with a short, customary burial blessing, and buried. It was a weak balm for her stinging guilt. She faced east instead, and looked to the future, thinking of again seeing Arcel and the comfort he was unable to provide her. But what else did she have left?