Ashon goes to pick up the Sword, to grab it by the handle and examine it in his hands. As soon as his hand made contact with it. Dory grabbed the young Yasoi's arm and tugged on it.
"It's a holy relic! Treat it with respect." Her eyes looked rather annoyed by the nonchalant treatment of the weapon.
"And besides, what would Eschiran-Zept think if his sword was held by a non-Quentic." Ashon blinked as he was suddenly grabbed by Dorothea, and then accused in that tone.
"What would Exiran think if the weapon was handled by one who was not Chosen." He placed himself between Dorothea and the weapon as he looked down toward her.
"Especially one not devout in faith" Dory's eye twitched.
"Mind repeating that?" Her palm resting on the butt of her knife.
"That statement's absolutely preposterous coming from a heretic! Even the Darhannics are more worthy." Her frame went off to the side as her hand reached for the guard of the sword.
"You'd actually go as far as calling yourself chosen by Eschiran-Zept himself?" Ashon simply continued to place him between himself and the blade as he questioned the girl with an eyebrow raised.
"The Quentic Faith is based on our Chosen Creed, the religion of the Yasoi. You have your Avincian Emperors to thank for that. Our Gods. So who is the 'heretic' truly?" He simply shrugged his shoulders.
"You are not Sister Laska, nor Brother Baudile. Don't speak faith to me. Unlike yourself, I am similarly ordained like they are in our ways, a Chosen of Vyshta." He pointed toward the hand of Dorothea's resting on the knife,
"You plan to kill for property, this be your intent? Yanii’jexoff, truly a caricature!" He shook his head side-to-side.
Dory sight started to get clouded in anger, her palm shaking and her fingers tensing up before letting out a sigh.
"I do not wish to kill, I do not wish to harm. I however do not wish for a Quentic artifact to fall in the hands of a non-Quentic... Especially a non-Quentic that could let it fall into the hands of the Perrench. A Drudgunzean relic should remain with a Drudgunzean."He smirked, darkly.
"Who are you attempting to convince?", he smiled over to Brother Baudile.
"Why surely, a recent devout convert like yourself should agree to entrust it to our Stressian Scholar. He after all, will remain with those of Mandelein, and truly they are the owners of this artifact, are they not?" He looked at the others,
"Drudgunzean... What about your friend, or even Kaspar there?" His eyes glinted,
"Pretty little song, Faith, Culture, but should we ask our esteemed Brother who is the reigns over the realm of Greed?" Kaspar watched with inconspicuous interest, keeping his attention feigned on the ruby in his hand. In truth, he was not religious—though he had met the beings many considered gods and could not deny their power, he questioned the blind worship of any such entity. Though both Dorothea and Ashon had heavy points as to the “rightful” keeper of the blade, he noted with amusement that the yasoi had a far stronger argument in Kaspar than he could know. Curious, his eyes strayed to Baudile, to wonder if the man that knew Mandelein to be Kaspar’s birthplace would think the same thing. For now, though, he only observed. Unintrusive, unassuming… And hopefully near-unnoticed.
Brother Baudile was caught in this uncomfortable standoff. He raised his hands, knowing full well what both these people could do.
“The Sword belongs in the hands of the worthy.” he recited.
“The question is whether this sword is worth the blood of friends and family. That has often been the curse of this sword. Like all power, it seduces, and this is a great, great power.” his arms folded before him and he took a step back.
“I will only take this sword if you both back down. I will not turn my back to those eyeing such a prize. That is begging Ahn-Eshiran to deliver her final blessing upon me.” "Then let the sword go with the people of Mandelein if you really want to make that point." She then turned her gaze towards her Kressian friend.
"Taleja, please... This Yasoi is being unreasonable. I do not want the Perrench to have the artefact..." Then, her eyes looked at the brother.
"I will make sure it will be kept safe at the church of Wismar"Ashon smiled widely,
"You ask Taleja to fight for Exiran ?" He laughed, he really laughed.
"Is that the plan, the one who sees themselves worthy of the Avatar of War asked another to fight on their behalf?" His eyes sparkled as he stared at her.
"You call yourself Worthy coward? His expression darkens,
"Did you run as you lover and friend were taken? My friends were taken. Taleja simply watched with some amusement as the tensions between the pair heightened.
"Only one suited for jurisdiction would be the Red Rezaindians, devout followers of Eschiran-Zept. We should await the return of Sister Laska to render judgement."Dory's eyes widened, shocked the knife-ear said the unthinkable.
"I..." Her expression changed in rapid succession, from shock to sadness, and finally to anger. She pulled out her knife and pointed at him, a black look covered her eyes.
"You dare?! You dare use their passing as a justification for your own greed, you're filth...""Look at how the Yanii fights for property, and not the ones she loves." He looked at her knife,
"Put that away before you hurt yourself and hide behind Taleja's coat-tails." "You know nothing! I fought!... Yet you have the gall to call me a coward?..." She drew in energy, knowing quite well she would lose the fight.
"Where were you, huh? I didn't see you care when they chased after the Darhannic. You were not there.... When they died, do not call me a coward for trying to save them from the Mad Avatar. I at least tried..." Ashon raised his eyebrow.
"You are not even half the thaumaturge she was. You are only here because you were that insignificant, you were overlooked, or because you ran away." He indicated to everyone in the room,
"We all have faced the entire town of Mandelein, hordes of Wildbloods. Each one of us has spent their blood and sweat. Each far more deserving of this blade." He turned to take the blade by the hilt, enough of the girl.
"Hold it right there, you evil scum." She kinetically tugged it down.
"Did you not think the forest was full of them? Are you really that close-minded?" Her expression darkened further.
"You say we.... at least you got help against those things.... I was by myself, having to deal with them."Ashon blinked as he used his strength to overpower the girl's attempts and grabs it. Dory's eye twitched, having lost the tug of war.
"You don't understand how much I need this! I need to kill the Mad Avatar! You just want it as a little trinket, I want it as a tool for revenge to wage war against them." She yelled.
"You rob me from closure with your own greed!""Who is the Mad Avatar exactly? Did you even see his face, what does he look like?" He moved the blade away from the girl, and began to walk away.
"What does a coward want with the blade of Exiran? You are a noble girl not fit for war." "It sounded more like a woman... Though I couldn't make out her face." if her nose could grow from making stuff up it would.
"I need to have it, a divine tool to beat someone of such power... After that I can give it back to the church." "So they introduced themselves as 'The Mad Avatar', killed Ismet and Manfred, you fought, yet you didn't see their face. Nothing distinctive in the slightest?" Ashon smiled widely,
"Anything missed out?" She panicked in her own thoughts. There might be a way to confuse him, thinking about tales from Dami's eye.
"Well, there were the legs..." How could she make it look the worst for them.
"One leg... to be precise..." Ashon looked at those gathered, as he twirled the sword in his hand, inspected then sat with it placed on his lap.
"As a girl on a Holy Mission. Make an oath to your Gods." He raised his brow.
"We want you to declare an Oath, in accordance to your tradition, as overseen by Brother Baudile. We want you to swear to your Dami for judgement that you speak the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. We want you to swear to Eschiran revenge in the price of blood on the ones who killed our friends, Ismet and Manfred, so they may face justice. We want you to swear to Oraff that the blade will be used to protect against those who wish evil on this world. We want you to swear to Shune that you shall seek his counsel so you may not be led astray by dark temptation. We want you to swear to Ipte to hold love in your heart for the meek and innocent." He then smiled,
"Swear these Oaths, then I entrust this blade to you." Baudile stepped forward, serving as holy overseer to this divine commitment Dory was going to make. He knew this was a farce. His eyes couldn't get off that foul crown. This was all too perfect. Qasem was supposedly killed given who was left, Laska had vanished and Manfred was confirmed dead. Only he knew of the true horror that was unraveling. What to do? The Monk sighed. His arms opened, one hand directed at each participant.
“Hands to your hearts, my brothers and sisters.” he looked to Dorothea.
“Headwear removed.” he looked sternly toward Dory. His hand reached out to her, as if he sought to take it.
Dory nodded, taking off her tiara and holding it in the hand that would touch her heart, making sure to stick it to the palm of her hand with her chemical prowess and smiled towards the monk.
Baudile did his best to keep a straight face, he really did. But that smile. The sweet, innocent smile with a colorless venom said it all. She did something. Normally he wouldn't be such a stickler for the rules, given how he lived fast himself. But this woman - Laska was right all along.
“Nothing can come between you and your promise to the Gods, my dear.” again, his hand was out and his eyes on her chest.
Taleja moved toward Dory and offered her hand.
"If you are concerned, I can hold that for you." she crouched near her, and spoke low.
"Almost there, Dory." She looked towards her friend and shook her head.
"Maybe later. A warm smile covered her face.
"My bad, dear brother." Dory got rid of the sticky substance binding her and the crown together. She put it underneath her shirt against her belly. before buttoning up.
"Are we good for the oath now?" She made sure it stuck to her once more.
Taleja tilted her head as she peered at Dory stuffing her tiara down up her blouse in a rather revealing gesture as if they were common thieves. She made a note of that. Baudile frowned. She wasn't even trying to hide it. But he could not intervene in a clear duel for the Blood God's sword. Not until this was resolved.
“Very well. Then I, Baudile Dubosque of the Stresian Philosophers, bear witness to this promise of the Gods. Should you break this promise, Dorothea Hohnstein, may Dami show mercy to your condemned soul!”Ashon placed the blade where it laid before.
"May one worthy of the Gods take the blade."Dory nodded.
"May Dami judge my actions." walked towards the sword and grabbed it.
"Eschiran empower me." Dory looked to Ashon.
"Thank you... I.. apologize for my vile words... I got too angry..." She could feel the power within the blade.
Vedil, I won. I won.
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