The Seed of Life

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Vi ran through alleys and down narrow stairs as he charted Iballat's location through the fog of Darkness that shrouded his senses. Above, a larger ship tipped over, and a streak of light and dark spiraled down to a lower tier. He didn't stop to gander at the failing airship. He knew now where Iballat presided, and he was surely in danger.

The ship above the Skadrad was affected by the fight between Shadow and Inner Light. The buoyant rose as the base began to slip from it after the wires and caps had been broken or came loose. It seemed the crew of the Skadrad was aware of the impending doom as their engines whirred to life. Aboard the ship, Hal began to make his way through the halls when the ship went into full reverse. Stumbling forward, he slammed into a door jam before falling forward with the sudden shift in direction. They were flying away from the dock!

Regaining his bearings back on his feet was a task with the momentum the Skadrad was gaining. Outside the falling ship rammed into the side of its helm on its way down sending them careening back towards the docking tier. They were not fast enough in escaping, but just enough to avoid serious damage to the airship. The larger fell out of view, eventually crashing down in the chasm below.

A bright flash of light lit up the cavern with a brief and blinding brilliance, and once the white light dissipated, so too did the dense black fog. They would no longer find their field of view hindered or lights dim. A distant crash and the black trail of a shadow caster streaking through the skyport was the only evidence of an ensuing fight.

With the jostle brought about by the falling ship, it looked as though the Skadrad would crash. The engines screamed and clacked and the belly brushed against wood, steel, and stone in angry groans. But by the skills of its helmsman the damage was more to Cabric and less to the airship which only gave the captain even more incentive to leave as soon as possible.


"Are you alright?" Hal asked Wynleth as the Skadrad evened out. The airship hovered over the docking tier, engines still humming in threat of escape. The tone of a whistle blew over the speakers, and just after a crackle the captain was heard.

"We are leaving in five with or without all passengers and crew," he said. "Count heads and report to me."

They weren't the only ship high tailing it out of Cabric, though they were one of the few waiting. Hal grabbed hold of Wynleth's good hand and guided her through the halls and down the stairs to the lower entrance where members of the crew were already rushing in. One of the thinner orcs approached the pair as they neared the door.

"Best stay inside!" he boomed in an oddly striking voice. "You leave now and you may not make it back on."

"Our friends are out there!" Hal said in return.

"They're on the way."

The last person he expected to return was Djavi, yet there he was entering the ship as though he had every intention of continuing on with them. Worst yet, he returned without the others. The elf brushed past the two and paused before looking back to them. He looked from the satchel around Wynleth to Hal with a set jaw.

"Both of you come with me," he said in almost a commanding tone. "They're coming. They'll make it."

@Red Thunder @rissa @Elle Joyner @CloudyBlueDay @Doctor Jax
 
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Tza'HalXXXXXX
Lumin of the Order of the Lynx

It would seem that their passage towards the ship was far too easy. The streets were more or less deserted at the moment, the port eerily quiet. It disconcerted the orc that the place would be so still, especially considering the life it had held but a half hour before. She allowed Trynten and Charlie to more or less support her as she walked, her limp significantly pronounced now that she had been on her leg for such a long time. She grunted as they finally neared the ship, the streets and buildings looking more and more familiar.

And, just like that, they stopped. She could almost feel Trynten's distrust of the situation. She too disliked that things seemed to be going, more or less, smoothly. Too often that was a sign there were other things afoot under the surface. Tza'Hal looked about with her hand on Charlie's shoulder...

...just as the Skadrad began to rev its engines, the whole mass taking to the air. Her heart hammered in her chest as she realized that they would be left behind. The more rational part of her quickly calmed, keeping in mind that while they could be separated, they knew, more or less, where the Skadrad was headed and that the party on board didn't necessarily need them, but the social animal within her screeched at being left out of the group. Splitting the party was very rarely a good idea, and as far as she knew, none of them were on the Skadrad.

Charlie quickly offered to carry her, terrified, but Tza'Hal quickly held out a hand to silence him for a moment, hearing another noise. She looked above them and quickly dragged Charlie and Trynten back as she saw that another ship was attempting to descend as the Skadrad climbed. She winced as she waited and waited and, finally, the two collided awkward. Other ships were now trying to set sail to the skies, the place becoming a hum of evacuating airboats, and Tza'Hal was surprised to see the ship continuing to descend away from the ship it had hit.

Very suddenly, two figures appeared beside them, Inara left at their side as the half-breed who'd tagged along for the ride with them abruptly left her with them, and Tza'Hal's brow furrowed. While she was glad to see that Inara was safe and obviously had been in good hands, she was less enthused to find that Vi had gone ahead of them. Alas, what else to think of a magic-user with two affinities...?

"Go. Now! Another chance will not present itself!" Tza'Hal stated, pulling on Charlie's new sweater as she hobbled quickly towards the ship. She readied herself for the moment Charlie would attempt to lift her -- she hoped the young man was strong, as she was less than a featherweight -- and urged Trynten to go ahead of them if possible, though that was... perhaps unlikely in his state. However, with Inara at his side, perhaps they would all make it in time to board the Skadrad. @CloudyBlueDay @Red Thunder
 
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Trynten Lothorsen ​

Tryn had seen a fair amount in his small, limited life, and what he hadn't seen, he otherwise felt prepared for. To even have the Skadrad lift from its position, seemingly leaving the lot of them behind, had been worrisome but not terrifying; there were four- well, three capable individuals among them. Charlie had a good heart, yet Tryn had often wondered at his self-reliance. Pure intention only got one so far. However, even that could have been planned for. But nothing could have readied Trynten for to sight and sound of two airships trying to occupy the same space while in such a panic.

Tza, ever level headed and take charge, began barking orders. The Skadrad had for whatever reason decided to dock again, and they needed to take the chance. He glanced back; the she-orc was leaning against Charlie, too much for his liking. She would not make the trip quickly. But he was himself in no position to assist her, and though he knew Inara capable, Tryn did not think that she would be much better help than he himself. So Charlie would have to manage it alone.

Which left Tryn and Inara to make their own way. He glanced down to where he held the she-elf's hand. The ambient silence pounded in his ears, the vacancy threatening in a way he couldn't articulate. With every breath his chest felt lancing fire; a run to the ship was questionable. And he would not hold Inara back by asking her to go at her pace. So he released her hand.

"Go," he whispered, his voice hissing through clenched teeth with rasps. "You'll make better time alone."

@rissa
 
CHARLIE REDDEMAN

"Go. Now! Another chance will not present itself!" Tza'Hal shouted, and Charlie's eyes were wide with fear, the yanking of his sweater only furthering his anxiety. He could not bear to think of another Shade inflicting him, or someone else, another wave of nightmares to wreak havoc on the mind. What if there were worse tortures in store? If anyone could provide a fate worse than death, it would surely be the shadow.

No other chance. There was going to be no other chance.

It pained the young half elf to watch Tza struggle to move effectively. She seemed ready for her to carry, but quite honestly he wasn't even sure how to go about it. He wasn't sure if he could carry her for long bridal style without dropping her, and piggy back was more load bearing.. Charlie gently touched her arm first, and then lifted her up, placing her over his shoulder, still in the gentlest way possible. He held her legs tightly to his chest and began to make his way towards the Skadrad, all the while watching it move away. He could not look back to Tryn and Inara, but had not much doubt that Inara would take care of Trynten and that with her help they could make it back. They could. They would.

He had come to ask himself what his wise orc mentor would do in situations where he felt he could not get a grip on his fear. What would Tza do, what would she tell him? The Skadrad felt too far away, yet so near. His breath left him in small gasps and huffs, unsure of how quickly he could go with Tza on his shoulder. Oh. Right. He was carrying his wise orc mentor.

Tza, I don't know if we're going to make it. He almost said it, but he didn't. He only thought it. What would she say to that? Only to keep going. He didn't need to expel the energy. No. They could do it.

"We're almost there." He panted, quickening his pace for the final stretch.

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Inara Belanor
The entirety of her time within the Cabric Skyport was a plethora of confusion, enlightenment, and utter terror. Between Vi and the shae, the wonders of Cabric and Bastillos, the Shadow Casters, and the exodus -and collision- of airships, Inara was riding a wave of turbulent emotions. And yet she had Tryn by her side. Now that the black fog had dissapated, she could see Charlie and Tza well ahead of them, nearing the Skadrad which still hovered near the docks. It would soon depart however, and Inara knew their time was running out.

And so too did Trynten. He released her hand and hissed through clenched teeth, urging her to run, to go to the Skadrad alone, without him. She couldn't help but laugh.

After all they had been through, after all shae Pippa's fellowship had been through, there was no possible way she could leave him behind. Not after the Shadow Casters, not after Lauderdine…

With a snort, she tucked the tome under one arm and grabbed the woodsman's forearm, perhaps a little too roughly. Easing his arm over her shoulder, and then wrapping that arm around his waist, she and Trynten made their way towards the Skadrad. Inara set a rigid pace, allowing her travelling companion to bear his full weight against her if need be… anything to get back on that damn airship on time.

Nearly a minute passed and soon they were riding the heels of Charlie and Tza, the latter thrown over the half-elf's adolescent frame. She nodded approvingly, he was doing well, better than she could have hoped for. They only needed to keep going for a little longer and then they'd be free…

"Keep going!" Inara shouted reassuringly over the rumble of the Skadrad's engines. "We're only a stone's throw away, we will make it!"
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no-lightbox
Chaos seemed to be the element within which they all had begun to function most naturally. There was something to say for how well they had adapted to the driving force of danger in their lives, and in a lot of ways, Wyn had almost come to understand better how to deal with struggles than those brief moments of reprieve. Following after Hal, swift and light along the halls, she found her footing well enough, despite the tumultuous motion of the airship. As it pitched forward, then backwards, rocking violently like a boat on the ocean, Wyn held on to the upper balustrade, flinching as Hal crashed into one of the door frames. Above them, the source of the awful mechanical groaning manifested in terrifying form as another ship careened downward, smacking into the side of the Skadrad's helm. Wyn gasped at the impact and gripped the side rail tighter, holding tightly to it until their movement evened out again.

Hal spoke and Wyn nodded, though with slight apprehension and as he grabbed for her hand, she met him halfway, gripping his like a lifeline. The booming voice of the captain filled the air and Wyn felt all hope collapsed within her... Five minutes wasn't enough time to get off and find them.. but they could not leave without the others. They couldn't...

As they reached the lower entrance, there was a brief exchange with another Orc and Hal, and Wyn spun at the sudden interjection of a moderately familiar voice. Vi. If he had made it back, surely that meant the others...

Except where were they, then? Had he left them behind? Were they on their way? All of them...? Looking past Djavi, Wyn's grip on Hal's hand tensed and she looked up at him, concern etched deep in her gaze, as Vi barked at them to follow.

Hal shot a glance to Wynleth as he shared her concern, though his brow pushed together with a hint of irritation towards Djavi. "I'm sorry, mate," he challenged with his own forceful tone, "but I don't know you well enough to trust you at your word."

VI's patiences was being tested, and his normal calm demeanor shifted as his jaw clenched at Hal's defiance. The elf looked back at the two with a half lidded gaze as he kept his voice calm and even. "You do not have to trust me," he said, and then suddenly his shoulders relaxed, and he sighed in exasperation. "I am tired and I am just trying to protect the Seed. Come if you want or stay and wait for your friends."

At Hal's challenge, Wyn squeezed gave his hand a reassuring squeeze, her free hand closing around the bag slung over her shoulder

"We're all trying to protect it..." She interjected, with a soft frown, "But what use is saving the Seed if we lose our decency along the way? Life... the lives of others... matter above all. Or else, what's the point?"

Shaking her head, she looked again to Hal, "What do you want to do?"

"I don't know," he muttered. Vi began to move down towards a hall when he was halted in his tracks. It looked as though an unseen force had yanked him from his trek.

"Take the ward down," a disembodied voice commanded. Vi pursed his lips and turned, hands moving through the air as the glitter of blue Arcane Magic dissipated as soon as it appeared in a sheen. A man was revealed as the invisibility ward dropped; the same man that had told them to keep the Seed of Life safe. A mix of emotions ran through Hal at the sight of the man, and before he could lash out questions Iballat threw up his hand in a gesture requesting of a halt.

"They've been handled," Iballat explained. "The Cabal. They don't know anything about the Seed or my presence on this ship."

Staring for a moment, Wyn looked between Vi and the stranger, before a frown formed. She was decidedly running short of patience, and had far too many fresh new questions for their new companions, "Who are you?"

"My name is Vindicator Iballat," he explained as he stepped forward. Beads of sweat still glistened on his dark skin from his exhertion outside. "Maldviri and Practitioner of Inner Light."

"You said those people were after you," Hal said. "You told us to come in here and keep the Seed of Life safe and then you come back here anyway? And under trickster magic."

"Arcane," Vi corrected flatly.

"Regardless," Hal continued, "I would like to know everyone is going to be safe with you aboard. I don't know much of your kind, but if I'm not mistaken you follow under a strict moral code, yes?"

"I do," Iballat confirmed. "Please. Let us at least get away from the opening. Into the hall if you wish to keep an eye out."

Taking Hal's hand again, Wyn shifted the Seed bag, "We should find somewhere warm to put it, anyway... Until Charlie gets back." Nodding to Vi and Iballat, she gestured them forward, away from the entrance.

Hanging around the entrance contributed nothing to the situation. Hal sighed and reluctantly agreed. The Seed was a priority for them and at this point it was better to keep his mind busy anyway. He followed after Vi and Iballat as they moved into the commons. Hal walked over to the furnace to stoke the fire, his eyes looking out the windows to the balcony. Cabric looked normal now, albeit closer than before as the Skadrad was no longer parked at an official docking station.

Iballat winced as he looked at the windowed wall. "Is this entire ship made of glass?" he asked sarcastically.

"I didn't want us all in my room," Vi answered plainly. "We wouldn't fit."

"The whole point is to stay hidden," Iballat pointed out. "You're expended! We're both expended."

Hal rolled his eyes and rose from the furnace. "Fine," he said as he turned towards the hall entrance. He didn't want them all crammed in his room either, but it seemed like a better plan than bickering. He shot Wynleth a look of exasperation, but huffed a small chuckle as he passed. "They remind me of an Elder couple from my village," he said quietly to her. "They always had something to fuss about. I think this is the most I've heard Djavi say since we met."

Even in the uncertainty of their situation, which so much riding on their shoulders and all of the concerns for those still outside of the ship, Wyn could not help but smile faintly at Hal's words, "Djavi does bear a remarkable resemblance to my mother, now that I think about it..." She mused, quietly, "But he wouldn't have come back if he didn't want to protect the Seed... I think it's safe to say we can trust him... Maybe both of them." Giving his hand a squeeze, she shrugged, "And if not, I'll turn them into icicles."

The room was a snug fit for four. Hal drew the curtains over the window as they entered, and Iballat closed the door behind him. The Maldviri looked exhausted and relieved to be in a safer location as he rested against the door with a sigh.

"The Cabal is not an organization I wish to entangle you with," he said to Wynleth and Hal. "I've been trying to dissolve them for decades now."

"You've been trying to save their souls," Vi corrected. His arms crossed over his chest as the only signal in his otherwise stoic stature that he was displeased. "Their souls are too far gone."

"Regardless," Iballat continued, "they are not a threat you want on your trail."

"Then why are you here?" Hal asked.

"I need to get out of Bastillos," he explained. "I can't fight the Cabal on my own, but my resources here are... I dealt with the threats in Cabric well enough. Vi his me in an invisibility ward. I assure you both they lost my trail. We are all too expended to continue on with our magic. Were... either of you particularly affected by the Shadow Magic in Cabric? Anything strange on a more personal level?"

Sinking down on the bed, Wyn began to fold the fur blankets around Charlie's bag, brows furrowed softly in concentration. The conversation did not escape her attention, however, and as Iballat inquired about the Shadow Magic, Wyn shook her head.

"Not in Cabric, no. Not that I'm aware of, anyway. But in Lauderdine... " Looking to Hal, Wyn frowned, "And I came pretty close to it in the Monastery back in Thallas."

Hal shook his head no in response and found the inquiry rather strange. Iballat stared at him keenly, jaw set as his lies were seen through like glass. The Maldviri had pulled him from the apothecary where Hal had experienced an anomaly. So then it became a matter of public confession to which Hal did not take kindly to. But who was he to remain angry to a practitioner of Inner Light? The man before him had a moral code far beyond his own, and to that it was unreasonable to suspect malicious intent from such an individual.

"I did," Hal said. "But you know this. Can you explain what happened? What you pulled me from?"

"I pulled you from nothing," Iballat stated. "You..."

"He does not know," Vi said.

"Know what?" Hal asked. There came a long pause before the Maldviri spoke again.

"You seem to have a sensitivity to Shadow Magic," Iballat said, his words almost carefully chosen as he stretched out the syllables. "But I was able to cleanse the... ah... Well, essentially, I was able to remove the affliction. It is a temporary thing. Like a sickness. When Shadow Magic is dense near you it just has a particular effect on you. But the Inner Light removes such things, at least for a time."

"What happened at the Monastery?" Vi asked Wynleth. "I had seen the aftermath. Those were powerful Casters."

Wyn's expression shifted as Hal went on, her eyes widening slightly. She hadn't known there had been any affliction... He hadn't mentioned as much, and she had seen a great deal of him the night before, but nothing more than bruises and scrapes.

As Vi turned to her, she reluctantly pulled her attention to the man and shrugged, softly, "It... it was like nothing I have ever seen. Nor do I wish to see it again. A void... black emptiness. And everyone gone, with it." Lowering her gaze, she folded her hands in her lap, "There were Wardens there... At least... at least I think they must have been. They were being held for... for breeding. They seemed to be under the impression I was to meet the same fate."

Glancing up again, she shrugged, "They perished as well. I... I was the only one to survive." Eyes flickering over to Hal, her lips turned down in a frown, "What affliction?"
Collab with @Effervescent, @rissa, @CloudyBlueDay, @Red Thunder, @Doctor Jax
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As Wynleth spoke, Hal lifted up his shirt to see if that was part of the affliction Iballat said he cured. But to his dismay the spackle of rough skin still remained. He quickly lowered his shirt as he saw her head turn to him, and he cleared his throat. "I was, uh," he began as he gathered his memory of the event. "It's difficult to describe. I felt like I was being pulled, but not by anything seen. Like my soul... If that makes any sense. I guess it's good you came along, Iballat. Thank you for that."

Rising almost too quickly, Wyn moved to Hal's side. He had lowered his shirt, but she had seen just enough, "When did this start? It... it wasn't there last night?" Her gaze switching to Iballat, she shook her head, "You said you removed it??"

Hal, a bit embarrassed and dumbfounded, looked over at Iballat along with Wynleth in her concerns. The Maldviri shook his head. "That is not the affliction," he informed. It felt like a punch to his stomach, and he began to tuck his shirt back in.

"Do you know what it is then?" Hal asked.

A crackling through the speaker system interrupted the conversation, and the captain spoke in a grumble. "We're cleared for departure. All on board and accounted."

Staring at Hal with a similarly dumbfounded expression, Wyn shook her head, "...Why didn't you--"

But as the speaker sparked to life again, she looked to the door with urgency, "Everyone accounted for?? Does that mean..."

Hal moved for the door and Iballat rose with a questioning gaze. The Maldviri did not make any verbal inquiries as he stepped to the side.

"You two stay here," Hal commanded. "If we are going to get out of here without a hitch, it's for the best you keep out of sight."

"No arguments there," Iballat said as he shuffled over to the chair tucked in the corner.

"We'll go make sure our friends made it," Hal continued, and then beckoned Wynleth to follow.

Wyn nodded anxiously, as she followed Hal to the door. The weight of Hal's revelation rested heavily on her heart, but there was so much else to consider... first and foremost who had made it back.

Now that they sat in the quiet of Hal's room in private, Vi could no longer suppress his agitation against Iballat. It had been building for years now, and while Vi was a controlled individual he still had his outbursts of emotion. He stared at the Vindicator across the small quarters as the man slid down the wall once again in his exhaustion. The glaring did not go unnoticed, but his kinder heart did not fully understand why in the beginning.

"Are you injured?" Iballat asked.

"No," Vi quickly responded. "This entire situation could have been avoided if you never hesitated in the first place."

"I don't want to argue about this again," the Maldviri said with a sigh.

"How many people just died in that ship you crashed through in your battle?" Vi asked as he pointed downward in emphasis to reference the airship that had nearly taken the Skadrad with it on its unfortunate descent to the craggy bottom of Cabric. "A battle with a man you had the chance to end a long time ago."

"And I am punished for it, can you not see?" Iballat held out his hands as if to present himself as the exhibit, and let them fall heavily with gravity. Vi could sense the man's Inner Light was dimmed considerably. It was only just the faintest flicker. Iballat was exposed and vulnerable due to his transgressions against innocent lives, even if just collateral.

"The Cabal knows the weaknesses of the Inner Light and yet you still engage them rather than end them," Vi pointed out. And with that notion Iballat became silent and solemn, his eyes glistening with tears he forced back.

"I admit my faults," he murmured in return. "The Shadow corrupts the body and mind but I thought I could save them. I was convinced I could. And in all my years I never imagined my hesitation to have such a drastic impact. And yet I do not know if I still have it in me to kill them."

"If you do not you will condemn innocent lives to their bidding," Vi said bitterly.

The Skadrad was pulling away without accounting for all its passengers. Hal rushed for the starboard entrance as soon as he discovered his friends were not on board and thrust open the door. Slowly, the Skadrad was gaining altitude, its engines humming angrily as the ship began its rotation to face the gaping maw of the cavern skyport.

"I think I see them!" Hal said to Wynleth as he threw out a rope ladder. "Help me pull them aboard!"

The ladder rolled out onto the platform where Inara, Trynten, Tza'Hal, and Charlie ran. They had to act fast in order to insure they would not be left behind, and the ladder was slowly dragging to the edge of the platform.

@Red Thunder @rissa @Elle Joyner @CloudyBlueDay @Doctor Jax

 
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Late for a Flight - A Collab between @Red Thunder & @rissa
Tryn hissed, wincing in pain as he and Inara pursued the others across the dock. With his arm draped over his friend's shoulder, the wounds felt pulled, the field dressing stretched by the awkward position the assisted carry had forced him in to. Yet what could he do? Inara would have tried to bodily carry him, which would certainly have left her too late for the Skadrad. As it was, it was likely too late for them anyway. He forced his eyes open, gauging the distance left to them.

His heart sank. Slowly, ponderously, the Skadrad was lifting from its moorings, leaving behind the four that even now were closing the gap. Or were they? To his weary eyes, the distance remained the same, and despair filled him.

There was still hope; Inara could feel it, even as the Skadrad's engines growled further into life and began to move. She set a rough pace, she knew, but every footfall brought them closer to the Skadrad, closer to the Seed. Charlie and Tza were in front of them and Inara was more than thankful that they were looking at their backs and not the other way around.

Suddenly, Hal and Wyn appeared, their faces wide with fear as they watched, already aboard the Skadrad, the remaining members of Shae Pippa's fellowship flee towards the escaping ship. Inara watched as the pair flung down a makeshift rope ladder and she felt her heart soar and then descend into her stomach.

The rope was nearing the edge of the dock and soon they wouldn't have the opportunity to climb aboard. Without missing a beat, Inara called to her magic and pushed a thin but wide slab of earth from the edge of the dock, hoping at least one of the ladder's rungs would catch itself and give them time to scramble up the ladder.

Tryn smiled through his wincing, Inara's concerted effort providing them with far better chance than his own wracked body could. Guided by her support, he spared a moment to glance down at the face of she that held him. Focus and determination. Concentration. Hope, even. It was incredible, astounding even, that the she-elf had retained her spirit despite all she had experienced with him, to say nothing of whatever life had thrown her way before their first meeting.

It felt so long ago. In reality it wasn't but a few years past, but the gauntlet the lot of them had been put through over the past weeks made that chance encounter in the woods of Syth seem like legend. She'd perhaps been more timid, and he far more paranoid, yet the Maker had seen to set them together again. To grow together, both as people and as friends. Friends. A word Tryn had thought to never use again in reference to himself. Yet here he was, in the company of three and slowly approaching two others that might consider him so. And it was all thanks to that first chance encounter.

The woodsman was determined to have no more chance encounters with Inara Belanor; conviction set within his heart like an anchor to the seabed that they should not be parted again. Pulling free of her grip, Trynten took her hand, looked into her eyes, and smiled.

"Together."

They were so close. Desperately close to the end of the dock and the slithering rope ladder that spoke of their only salvation. Only a little bit further and they'd be aboard the Skadrad, flying onward to the World Tree.

As they moved Inara felt Trynten remove her hold and distracted with the determination to see them all safely aboard the airship, fought against him. Until she realized what he was doing. Confused, but refusing to lose pace, she let him unravel himself against her and take her hand as they neared the end of the dock.

Tryn smiled at her and she smiled back. They were going to make it. She, her woodsman, Charlie and Tza… They were going to reunite with Wyn and Hal and the Seed of Life.
 
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Going The Distance (Going For Speed)
A collab between @Red Thunder, @rissa, @Doctor Jax

Tza'Hal looked back over her shoulder at the ship. Indeed, the engines were running at top speed, the ship trying to make up for the lost time from crashing into the ship above them. She grit her teeth as she realized there wasn't much she could do from her standpoint -- or rather, carry point -- across Charlie's back, other than urge the boy on.

"We are close! Once you reach the ladder, drop me! I will grab the other side!" she said, taking stock of the others.

Tryn and Inara were gaining on them now, but they were still lagging with Tryn's injuries, despite Inara's help. She was smaller than Charlie, but Tryn was also on his own two feet, and the two seemed determined to stick together.

It was almost surreal to see the ladder coming closer -- he was sure that once the Skadrad had begun to move away, there was hardly any hope left, until Wyn and Hal had thrown that ladder. Maybe they could do this. Maybe this was possible.

Tza shouted instructions in his ear, and he was so, so relieved to have any type of guidance that wasn't his own head and his thoughts. He made a noise of understanding as he tried to quicken his pace for that final stretch, and managed to snatch one side of the ladder.

With his free hand he guided Tza down off his back, and after a quick gasp of relief from Charlie, he divided his full attention to grabbing the ladder and holding on. It didn't occur to him, at least not totally, that he was holding on to the very piece that was saving him from being isolated in the wreck that was the once very lively skyport.

Charlie shouted something out to Inara and Tryn, a scream to urge them on, but perhaps it was more of a plea.

Run.

Run.

Run.

Tryn didn't have legs; he had stone weights. Abs screamed for relief, chest fought for a breathe that was not forthcoming, body struggled against the overwhelming desire to give into the pain.

Damn his curiosity; he should never have left the Skdadrad with Tza. Regrets filled his taxed mind, and not for the first time he resented his own involvement and the hrm it placed others in. Yet regret changed nothing; circumstances were what they were, and only action would change them.

Ahead, Charlie yelled for the two of them to hurry. It seemed both he and Tza had made it to the ladder. Good; with Inara's quick thinking, the bit of rock had held it for them that much longer. He looked ahead to the she-elf, she having pulled ahead because of his exhaustion. They'd make it. They had to. Encouragement, such as it was, spilled from his lips in ragged gasps.

"Bit...farther...c'mon..."

Tucked under her left arm was the tome Djavi had bought and with her right hand she held on to Tryn as they ran. Moments prior both Tza and Charlie reached the end of the dock -- and grabbed hold of the rope ladder. Her heart soared, finally, and as Tryn gasped out words of encouragement she nodded, growing ever closer. And then finally there was no where else to run and Inara brought her right hand forward and urged Tryn's to take hold.

"Climb!" Inara shouted encouragingly, snaking the stolen blade from his grasp and urging him up.

She freed the end of the rope from her makeshift earthen pile, hastily tied the sheath and sword to her own belt, and held onto a rung just below Tryn. They made it… but there was still work needed to be done.

Tza meanwhile held the rope steady. For now she would do the task of keeping the thing from wriggling. Tryn would be first up the ladder-- hopefully. Her arms bulged with effort as she kept the thing from swinging in the wind.

"Any day would be prudent," Tza grumbled.

The man in question was too occupied to answer. His good hand held the ladder desperately, struggling to retain his grip. Though still recovering, he reached down with his left, ignoring the reinvigored agony the action created. So much for the carefully applied stitches and meticulously healed scabs; blood began to flow again from his sword wound, and the musculature twisted bitterly.

"Up, Inara! Climb, and I shall follow; the fastest should move first." With a fistful of her leather lapels, he dragged her up to his level. He then looked down to the others. "You also! Fastest first!"

His left arm stained red and losing strength, Tryn held the ladder loosely, trying to best to use his own body weight to steady the thing as he waited in the others. Finally and last, he followed then up.

Though she thought it complete folly, Inara indeed climbed up first. She was in the air, however far up, but climbing... well that was her element. Even compensating for the arm holding the tome Inara made quick work of the swaying rope ladder. She placed the tome inside the airship and gave it a good shove to ensure it wouldn't accidentally fly out.

She looked reassuringly at Wyn and Hal and nodded towards the rope ladder and their friends, still climbing and clinging to it. And then with a deep, calm breath, she began to pull it in.

Somehow they were making it up. All of them. He'd gone second after Inara, fatigue making the muscles in his arms and legs ache with every rung, but adrenaline pushing him forward. As soon as he fell atop the deck, he'd turned around immediately, hand outstretched to grab the next person who came up.

They had made it. The moment Tryn had clamored aboard, Charlie fell straight onto his back, arms outstretched, chest heaving as he panted. A huff of a laugh escaped him as he opened his mouth.

"You know? Next time, I think I'll just go sweaterless."
 
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Wyn could scarcely contain her anxiety as the world seemed to come apart around them. The others scrambled towards the ship as it left its makeshift berth and as she clutched at the ladder, holding it still as possible, it was all Wyn could do not to leap overboard herself as she watched them desperately catching up.

Unable and unwilling to look away, she could nevertheless feel Hal beside her, exerting as much effort… if not more than she to pull back. Her grip tightened on the upper rungs, her injured wrist twisting painfully, her heart a wild drum in her chest, but she did not relent. One by one they hit the deck… One by one they made it aboard and still she did not release the ladder, did not relinquish her grip until Charlie spoke, his childishly playful words wrenching a sob from her throat.

Moving swiftly, she swung her good arm to punch Charlie's shoulder, before, with the same hand she grabbed him, pulled him into a crushing hug, "That was… so stupid, Charlie! To think what could have happened! Don't you ever, ever scare me like that again! Don't you dare..." Sniffling, wiping her eyes, she released the half elf and moved on to collect first Tza'hal in an equally bruising embrace, then Tryn,then lastly Inara. By the time she had disengaged from her fellow Sur, she was shaking with emotion, words impossible.

Turning instead, she threw her arms around Hal and burrowed into his shoulder, dissolving completely into tears.
@Effervescent, @rissa, @CloudyBlueDay, @Red Thunder, @Doctor Jax
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Two shae sat on the patio of a local tavern and inn as the chaos settled. They were unphased by the recent events, tea cups hooked within their bony fingers as they stared out at Cabric Skyport with apathetic gazes. They had a clear view of the Skadrad and the stragglers that rushed for a rope ladder which became their main focus of entertainment. It wasn't until the last man entered the airship that they sipped their tea.

"Wezis to die," one said casually.

"Wezis to die," the other repeated in agreement. They clinked their tea cups together in a cynical toast.

Djavi Nam Abil
He was exhausted and drained of magic. Vi finally sat himself in the corner chair that sat next to the curtained window. Remorse was taking its toll on Iballat as he stared at the floor where he sat in a daze. It was likely the Maldviri was depleted as well due to the emotional toll. It was hard for the Dvadri elf to even pity his former mentor. This would have been resolved or avoided had they taken out what they could have of the Cabal all those years ago.

"Thank you for saving me," Iballat said to Vi.

"They have Theresia," Vi stated plainly. The Maldviri looked up at the elf with concern laden in his dark eyes as if he knew the implications. They both did, and it brought about a solemn silence with a tension of the unspoken ramifications.

"We can still change it," he said, and removed a layer of his robes to cool down from the fight. The cloth pooled around his pitch dark skin. "There is still time. The Seed still flies over Edros."

"The shae aren't always right," Vi remembered. "It's always just the current possibilities. What if something has changed enough to where it won't matter?"

"There was supposed to be another Maldviri," Iballat said thoughtfully. "Shae Rook noted as much. But I don't think her absence would change the course for the better."

"I have the Light," Vi reminded.

"It can never be strong as long as you hold onto the arcane," the Vindicator said with a shake of his head. "And even then, you would need to take on the religion. It is the only way."

"Your religion is a hinderance," the elf muttered.

"Maybe another shae can help us at the next port," Iballat said. "If they leave Edros before Theresia is handled…"

"Should we tell them, then?" Vi asked. Iballat took a moment to consider and weigh the morality and paths it would take. He didn't know any of those upon the ship, but it was not the first time he had to make decisions around complete strangers. The Inner Light was like a guide that gave him his moral instincts. It took focus and dedication to truly know. Due to his recent affairs, Iballat found himself lost without its guidance, and he shook his head.

"Not yet," he finally answered.

Hal Midigan
Hot tears soaked through Hal's shirt as he held Wynleth to his chest. Everyone had made it back, and relief in their safe return brought a smile to his lips. He kissed the crown of her head and thanked her for her help before turning to the others. Whether they wanted it or not, Hal made his rounds with the whole bunch offering a warm hug, even to Tza'Hal.

The Skadrad hummed lively as it raced out of the skyport with as much speed as would be allowed. They were lucky the ship that fell only clipped their own. And in all of his celebrating, Hal paused as he wondered where they were headed to next. Adventuring seemed a little less exciting to him now. Charlie had run off and it wrenched his stomach into knots leaving his sense of adventure in the past.

"I say we all head to the commons and you tell us where the blazes you four have been," Hal suggested, and then began to lead the way to the center of the ship as he walked and talked. "Wynleth and I were hold up in here with the Seed, which is fine, by the way. That elf, Vi, made it back. And we have a stowaway. I think there still might be some food in the commons."

Due to the jostling the Skadrad took, there were plates and pieces of fruit and food scattered along the floor of the common area. It was, at least, not the whole lot, and there was still food unharmed upon the table. Hal took to cleaning up the mess as soon as they entered. Outside the glass windows the ship floated through the rolling mountain ranges within the valley.

"Is everyone alright, then?" he asked as he piled the fallen food in a bowl. "Tza'Hal? Trynten? I don't expect that last bit was at all easy. I can fetch the healer on board if you need it."

@Red Thunder @rissa @Elle Joyner @CloudyBlueDay @Doctor Jax

 
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Trynten Lothorsen
Skadrad​

Who knew that the rumble of wooden planks could feel so welcoming? That the blasted swaying of the Skadrad through the air as it pulled away from Cabric Skyport with all the speed the shaken vessel could manage would bring to Tryn such a feeling of the safety of home as he'd not felt in many years? Laying upon the floor, his chest ached as if he'd just run a marathon, and his arm still bled, though less so, yet he didn't care. They were all safe, every one of them. Stomach only beginning to slow from the quickened breath of fear, the woodsman turned his head to assure himself once more that all were present. Glancing in Inara's direction, he smiled, appreciating a moment where nothing at all was happening.

But Hal wasn't going to let them be. Returning the smile, for he was indeed glad to see both Hal and Wyn safe as well, Tryn accepted the embrace, reciprocating it with exhausted enthusiasm. Having stood to do so, he leaned against the wall, head back and eyes closed and injured arm cradled, as Hal finished his rounds, only moving when their impromptu leader suggested relocating. Tryn nodded wearily; he'd just as soon drop into a bed. Yet food might be nice as well.

The effort of even the short walk proved too much. At the first seat, the woodsman dropped into a seat, wincing a little at the unforgiving surface against his already battered frame. Once again his eyes closed, his mind now eager to follow his sight into the black oblivion of unconsciousness. Even at the offer of medical attention his eyelids failed to lift.

"That'd be nice," Tryn muttered wearily, exhaustion twisting what was meant as an appreciative reply into a minorly sarcastic one.

@everyone
 
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Tza'Hal
Lumin of the Order of the Lynx

The orc had shakily thrown herself over onto the planks of the ship, and she could scarcely remember another time when she had ever had such a fondness for an airship's deck. Upon arrival, she quickly leaned herself up against the gunwale and winced as her leg twinged agony up and down her thigh, the nexus of her ills situated atop the arrowhead that stubbornly stuck. The climb had been arduous, and she was forced to use her arms as much as she could. For a moment, she was glad that she was so top-heavy. She had no idea whether or not she would've made it all the way up the ladder otherwise.

To her amusement, though, Wynleth took the time to punch Charlie in the arm before grappling him in a hug. She would have done quite the same, if she didn't feel so tired. Of course, she was more than surprised when Wynleth embraced her as well as their other compatriots, and while she was only a bit uncomfortable -- she did not enjoy physical contact much -- she allowed the Sur to hug her. Not long after, Hal also came by for his own embrace, to which Tza'Hal pressed her lips thin and rolled her eyes, but allowed herself to be embraced never the less.

It was important to them that they express their gratitude that the others were still alive, and she knew it would do no good to protest against that for her own displeasure.

Soon, Hal motioned for them to head to the commons now that they were in the air, and Tza'Hal took her time getting up, noting that Trynten also had difficult standing. She did not rush to help, however -- she understood too well the need to do things on one's own. If he wanted help, he would ask. In the meantime, as everyone took their leave, she lingered at the gunwale, watching Cabric Skyport pass by. There was something stirring within her, an unsettled intuition as she considered what had happened there. While she was no stranger to the Shadow, she had not considered them a clever enemy. She should have known better.

At last, she headed to the commons, limping along and using her newly bought staff for support before collapsing in a chair.

"Forget a healer -- drinks," Tza'Hal groaned as she leaned back in the chair, rubbing her leg. "Water, wine, piss-- whatever it is, I want it." Never mind the vow, they can surely forgive me a chalice of Sur mead.

@CloudyBlueDay @Red Thunder @Elle Joyner @Effervescent @rissa[/hr]
 
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Inara Belanor
Inara didn't rush to the commons either. She stayed behind, breathing in deep, sweet breaths and reminisced on memories both bad and good. Shadows and shaes. Her brother. Her… friends. With a sigh Inara stood, sometime after Hal and Wyn had embraced the group as a whole and Tza'Hal, who had stayed behind as well, stood vigil for a time as the Cabric Skyport grew smaller and smaller. Snatching up the old tome and following in the steps of her comrades, Inara made her way to the commons at last.

In truth she was hungry and as awful as she felt, both inside and out, Inara wasn't sure when she had last ate. As she made her way down the halls and into the commons, the airship swaying gently beneath her, she caught a snatch of Tza's gravelly voice, and chuckling softly, leaned up against the door frame. Letting her eyes rove over the group, she thought back on all they've been through, on all they witnessed. So many had already departed since Shae Pippa gathered them all, so many…

She walked over, tome tucked under one arm and helped Hal clean up the mess. When she was finished, she grabbed a handful of recognizable fruit, took a seat, and began to nibble. Absently, she flicked through the pages and remembering what Hal had said, glanced up and looked around the commons, as if the half-elf was going to magically appear.

I should look for him, Inara thought, unease filtering through her bones. But he's probably as tired as the rest of us.

Finishing her fruit, she looked at her friends and motioned towards the tome.

"Djavi and I, well… the shae…" She cleared her throat before continuing. "Djavi and I went to visit a shae and somehow she recognized me. She said this tome would help us save the World Tree… but it's in another language and it seems only Djavi can translate it."

She yawned slightly, covering her mouth with her hand as she did so. She was tired. Exhausted. And she missed the woods, her brother, Theresia. Worried beyond belief, despite the fact that they were safe, that the Seed was safe…

"Is the Seed -- is it still cold?" Inara asked with a glance at Charlie.
 
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CHARLIE REDDEMAN

So, turned out that running who knows how long and dangling on a ladder in midair was worthy of a really hurtful arm-punch.

"Ow!" Charlie exclaimed, immediately rubbing the now sore arm, only to be crushed in a bear hug right after. He slowly brought his arms around her, eventually hugging her in just as tight of an embrace, until she pulled apart to scold him. His cheeks were red (partly from all the running) as he rubbed the back of his head like an apologetic child.

"I'm.. sorry, Wyn." He hadn't realized that his running off had affected her so much, and the shock was clear when, after her round of hugs, she fell into Hal's arms and began to sob profusely. Charlie was stunned, and clearly feeling as if he were at fault when he touched Wyn's shoulder nervously and looked at Hal, asking without words if she was alright.

Hal hugged everyone, too, and it only just began to dawn on Charlie how big of a deal this entire thing had been. The whole mess of the skyport seemed strangely out of proportion now that it was over. The truth was, if the same situation presented itself, if some of their group were lost, Charlie would not hesitate would run into the darkness again.

They made their way back to the commons. Charlie was strangely silent, eyes staring into nothing as both Tryn and Tza murmured their discomfort. It was only when Inara asked the question did Charlie blink and snap out of his stupor. "I - uh.. I don't have the.. Hal.. could I.. have my bag back?"

@yall
 
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The emotional turmoil was dizzying,
and despite knowing everyone was back safe and sound, it stayed with Wyn, all the way to the commons, her heart a drum, resounding it's furious expression again her chest. They were fine.

She had felt them, in the flesh, held them... Spoken to them. Yet her hands still shook, her mind still reeled. It was as though she were back in the monastery, awaiting certain doom. Even as Hal opened the door to the common room, she wholly expected to find a mass of impenetrable shadow barring her way...

It was irrational, but no less terrifying. Perhaps somehow more terrifying even. She had cared for her former company... But these people? They had become her family. If she were to lose any one of them...

A shiver ran it's course through her, and for some distraction she began to help picking up the mess in the room. Her eyes flickered to Hal and her thoughts returned to their unfinished conversation... To the strange marks on his skin. It hadn't escaped her intention that he did not tell her voluntarily about it and for some reason, she could not shake the notion. Did he not trust her,
afterall?

Straightening, feeling an unconscious weight in her stomach that burned upwards to her throat, Wyn looked instead to Charlie, who askes for his bag. Rubbing her wrist, the stippling bruises that trailed up her forearm, she frowned in thought.

"It's... it's in Hal's room. With Vi and his friend, Iballat." She volunteered, and as she spoke she located a small bottle in the corner of the room, where it had rolled. Uncapping it, she took a sniff and grimaced, before handing it over to Tza, shoulders crinkled into a shrug, "It was cold, so I wrapped it up, but I'm not sure it helped much."
@Effervescent, @rissa, @CloudyBlueDay, @Red Thunder, @Doctor Jax
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CHARLIE REDDEMAN

Charlie nodded at Wyn's words, standing up from his seat. His brows furrowed in worry at the thought of the Seed being cold. What if the furs hadn't helped? What if it was freezing? Their only hope, turning to ice because he'd been reckless and left it. It was his responsibility. Theresa had left it in his care. What if he'd blown it? For everyone, for the entire world?

With a new sense of urgency, Charlie forced a string out of words out of his mouth. "I-- I'm going to-- Check on the seed. Right now." And he rushed out of the common room at an uncomfortable pace. It was not like he'd really needed an excuse, everyone was obviously aware of Charlie's caring duty for the Seed, but his nervousness and abruptness made it seem as if he were running away from them. Which would not be entirely untrue.

The thought of the world crumbling around the Shadow being his fault made him queasy, and he almost tripped over himself in the hallway on his way to Hal's room. All the running had twisted his stomach into a knot, a deeply rooted knot he could not begin to fathom how he would untangle. For the first time, not just the first time during this journey, but in his entire life, Charlie was not so certain that he wanted to save the world.

He forgot to knock. Wyn had mentioned that Vi was with someone else inside the room, and he practically slammed the door open in his terrified daze. This scared him just as much as it probably were to scare Vi and his friend, and after a little flinch, Charlie attempted to regain his bearing and glance about the room. The stranger was of similar dark tone as Azzara, and the thought of Azzara tightened his gut further. He looked away from the Maldivir, unable to bear the thought of losing a member of their group to the shadow. Was it true that they had already failed?

"I'm just -- sorry -- I was just going to get my bag," He stammered an explanation. "A-and, the.. Seed.."
 
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Djavi Nam Abil
He felt weak and fought to quell his anger at his former mentor. Iballat was wiping the sweat from his brow with welling eyes as he felt remorse for what had transpired. Vi did not feel sorry for the man. It was penance deserved.

"Reflect with me," Iballat requested.

"You are depleted," Vi pointed out, and then moved over to the furnace in the corner. "Just rest now."

"Your bitter heart holds back your Inner Light," he said.

"I'm not b-"

The door flew open with such force the handle rammed into the wall with a sharp bang! Both parties within the room jumped at the sudden intrusion, Iballat shifting along the wall as he struggled to bring himself to his feet once again. Vi relaxed at the sight of Charlie, though the half-elf seemed distracted.

Nodding over to the bed, Vi pointed out where his bag and all he looked for was left behind. The Seed was wrapped in blankets. Neither Vi nor Iballat seemed concerned with it so much, though the Maldviri eyed it with curiosity.

"Is that what I think it is?" Iballat said as he approached Charlie to look over his shoulder at the Seed. Vi shot the man a stern look, but Iballat paid him no mind as a smile spread on his lips. "Ah, it is rather beautiful! Just as that Shae described to me. Did you know I was told I would get to see this very one? Ah! It needs far more warmth than these blankets!"

Hal Midigan
Hal was happy to have everyone back, and as he journeyed to the level below for the Skadrad's healer he had to remind himself to relax. They were on the road again headed for… While everyone had returned, it was really only returning to another perilous fight. The weight of the world rested on their shoulders. They had to take the Seed of Life to the Fabled Lands, through uncharted and unknown territory before the Shadow Army killed the World Tree. And this only after they found a way out into the oceans from Edros plagued by the Cabal.

The relief he felt turned sour and pulled down his smile to a frown. Was it right to throw these people into such a path? Why were they so necessary? He was never taught to believe in Shae. Baladur was filled with skepticism into the goat-like clairvoyant race. But once they found the Seed of Life in the Mouth of the Mountain he began to wonder if it were all true. The visions of Shae Pippa could potentially be true, as with any Shae.

His wandering mind nearly made Hal wander past the door to the doctor. Luckily, the orc was inside and agreed to come to the commons, albeit with a grumble. Hal took the opportunity to ask about the strange build up upon his skin which was met with a string of possibilities that ended with "human skin is too soft to begin with."

Entering back into the commons, the orc gave out another grumble. "Who here needs my aid?" he asked commandingly. Hal leaned in towards the healer and pointed to Tza'Hal and Trynten.

"They'll probably say they don't need you," he whispered cautiously.

"Then why did you drag me from my quarters?" The orc didn't wait for a reply. He walked over to Tza'Hal, grabbing a bottle of U'gul from the table and handed it over to her forcefully. "Drink while I tend to the human. Again."

Beyond that he wasn't much of a talker and checked over Trynten with an oddly gentle touch in silence. The only time he would speak were to give commands, particularly to ask him to move certain limbs or breathe.

Hal took interest in the tome Inara had mentioned earlier. "Vi will probably hate that we need him," he said in a soft chuckle as he approached her. "He wasn't all too excited to be on the Skadrad again. But a tome with information we need is an absolutely fantastic find! You'll have to tell me everything you discover! Ah, I wish we could just read it now."

He looked over at Wynleth, feeling his heart racing once again just by the look of her. "Once Inara gets this all interpreted we may have a real shot at this whole venture, don't you think? Say! Orc healer!"

"Kadros," the orc corrected. Hal cleared his throat and winced playfully in Wynleth's direction to denote his error, but also to show amusement in the doctor's grumpy demeanor.

"Kadros," Hal repeated to address the orc more properly. "Do you know our next heading?"

"Yes."

A silence grew as Hal waited for an answer, but the orc said nothing more.

"Ah…" Hal contemplated how to politely proceed. "Where is our next heading?"

"Badrai Skyport," he answered simply. "It'll be a couple of days. If you get cabin fever the upper deck should be open for the biggest open space on the ship. Come to me if any of you get motion sick. They don't keep the ginger root in the kitchens because the cook doesn't like it."

@Red Thunder @rissa @Elle Joyner @CloudyBlueDay @Doctor Jax

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Trynten Lothorsen
the Skadrad​

Trynten might have complained about Kadros' ministrations. He thought about it. All he felt he need, certainly all he wanted, was rest, despite what he'd told Hal. The chance to lay his head upon a bed, shut his eyes against the Shadow that seemed to pursue him wherever he might go, and drift off into dreamless oblivion. But he knew better. Their hurried movement had almost certainly exacerbated his already severe injuries, particularly that upon his middle, and as the fear-given strength given him fled in the presence of safety, he realized that there was blood seeping into his tunic.

"Thank you," he muttered through gasps and clenched teeth. Kadros glanced up, frowning. Talking meant deeper breaths, which moved the abdomen. The orc turned back to the man's exposed middle, examining the damage.

"Hush. And breath with your chest; leave the stomach still."

The slashes across his frame, carefully stitched before, were an angry red. The skin had been pulled back where each stitch had entered it, allowing a trickle of blood through. With a tsk, Kadros reached into a pack he'd brought with him, digging around until finally bringing his hand back out. It held a small box, which he opened delicately. Many leaves, each perhaps as large as a large man's thumb, sat within; the orc pulled out four. Carefully he placed them against Trynten's wound, two on each side of the stitching, letting the wetness of the blood keep them in place. Last, Kadros retrieved a roll of bandaging cloth. Folding the first bit up so as to cover the wound, he pulled gently on Tryn's arm.

"Sit forward and straight," he commanded, his tone less gentle than his care. Once he was obeyed, he wrapped the cloth around the man's body three times, securing the makeshift pad against Tryn's stomach before tying it off. "There. And so help me, you get yourself hurt again, you're on your own."

The woodsman leaned back, grateful. The leaves must have had some medicinal property to them; at any rate, the pain began to dissipate almost immediately. Eyes still closed, he felt his injured arm suddenly grabbed but just as quickly released.

"At least that one isn't much the worse for wear."

Grumbling, Kadros turned away. Tryn glanced around the room, eyes hooded. He spied the book cradled in Inara's arms as carefully as Charlie might cradle the bag that he'd gone off to retrieve. So: a tome to save the World Tree? It felt as though this were becoming a chore, if perhaps an all important one, that they kept stumbling across things needed for the salvation of the world. First the Seed, then the crystal, and now a- The crystal! Trynten had forgotten! Theresia had given it to Inara, who had told him that he needed to...access it somehow. Maybe the book would tell them how.

"Inara." He raised his voice, though even for the effort it wasn't very loud. His exhaustion had taken a heavy toll. "Perhaps that tome mentions crystals in some manner or other."

@everyone @rissa
 
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Inara Belanor

Inara agreed with Hal's statement. Though, Inara thought to herself as she carefully flicked through the pages of the tome, searching for illustrations that she could possibly interpret, He continues to surprise me every time he's around.

The commons was relatively quiet as Tza drank from the bottle of U'gul, Tryn was tended to by the Orc healer Kadros, and Hal and Wyn excused themselves to talk. Her eyes trailed them for a moment, wondering… Inara brought her eyes back to the tome with a sigh, wishing she had Zahar's innate gift of understanding languages and text. She was intelligent, surely, but she couldn't absorb the kind of information he could. She needed training, actions, movement. Inara needed to feel it, Zahar simply had to see it. Closing the book with another sigh, she leaned back into the chair, desiring nothing more than a comfortable existence.

Inara glanced over at Trynten when he spoke her name aloud. Crystals, he asked of, and her eyes narrowed slightly. Was he suggesting what she thought of? Her mind drifted back, only a few days past, and the rich, warm voice of Theresia blossomed from her memory…

"When he wakes and when he recovers, give him this and tell him to focus on what he feels from it. After a minute has passed while he is witnessing, remove it from his hand, or he may slip into the Forever.""

Inara cleared her throat and gave a quick shake of her head, hoping her riding partner would realize this wasn't the time or place for whatever vision was locked inside. He needed time to heal after what had transpired at Lauderdine, both physically and emotionally.

"Perhaps," Inara said finally. "But I won't know until we get it translated."

An idea popped into her mind and before the orc could leave, Inara walked over to him, a flicker of passion lighting up her tired eyes. "Do you know if the Skadrad is equipped with parchment and ink?"
 
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