Unbroken

Soraka has been staying in a temporary camp at the Northern Edge of the Sylvari expanse.

She is in the Middle of a clash between a localized militia and a group of Orcs, Drow, and other creatures taking advantage of the Invasion. The creatures had found the site and been attacking very frequently while the people at the Camp attempt to gather their bearings and continue to flee.

Soraka strikes down an Orc, bringing her blade into his chest and twisting it. As she looks up, she narrowly avoids getting her skull split apart by an axe. It catches her face and cuts from her forehead, over her left eye, all the way down to her jaw. She stumbles and falls, holding her face. She quickly gets up and looks back to the camp. The militia is holding the gate making sure none got in. Past the guard she can see Adam, watching the fighting. 

Seeing her child lets loose a spike of adrenaline, forcing her to shoot up. She shakily takes aim and sends down a flame strike, immediately killing the creatures besieging the gate. She then swings back around, running back into the fight. An hour or two pass until the fighting stops. Her and a few of the Militia are the only Survivors. 

Soraka is sitting on her knees, drenched in blood and with new scars to show. As she rests it begins to rain, washing off blood and mud. She gets up and looks around the Battlefield. It must have been at least a few dozen dead on each side. Looking back to the gate, Adam is still standing there with a guard shielding him from the rain. Soraka smiles and walks over to the man that had led their battle here, taking his fur cape and clipping it on as a memory that she is still alive and that they will make it through this. 

After a quick prayer for all the dead she walks back to the gate, picking up Adam and walking into their tent with him to take care of her wounds.

Revealed in Shadow

Greywalker was listening to the offer from the guard, and a breakfast indeed sounded like a good thing, but he was tired more than hungry. He heard a shuffling within his pack, and it momentarily confused him. Were the vermin in Wrenlyn that bad? Then he began to realize as the shuffling became more vigourous that is surely was something to do with the doll he had picked up in Nialis’ upper room before Fantasma VI opened the portal to escape the werewolves storming the tower.

That seemed like forever ago, and the exhaustion was starting to wear on him. Despite the occasional catnap he took whilst on watch. In his years of running, he had learned to sleep very lightly while still listening to the surroundings.

Once he had closed the door at the Frumpy Inn, he took the moment to pull back his cloak and relax as much as the city dwelling would allow him to. He really wasn’t much for the walls, but then again, he kept the windows covered. Maybe an old habit, but he never knew if someone would be peering about and find the face, he kept hidden. Besides, it would shield the light from the room enough to keep some shadows to rest within. He stretched and yawned, and once again noted to himself the Adamantine shame that he could not remove. Perhaps one day, when he found a trustworthy Mage, they could remove them, or at least make them of use.

More shuffling came from the pack he had lain down and he decided to open the bag to check in on the occupant therein. The Doll he had picked up was shuffling around, not really helping the supplies he had there, but certainly not disturbing them too much and it stopped to stare at him.

In the dark private sanctum of The High Beyonder Leary, the Master of the sect of Astral Spellcasting himself sits in his big chair staring forward as the shadow of his servant Than’ik is speaking. He stares at the image of Than’ik nodding his head at point trying desperately to focus on the words being said as his mind keeps trying to slip away from the moment.

“If I may, your eminence, inquire of the kukri sets?” queried Than'nik. “These tools would be most useful at this juncture… especially the ones that would be… most draining… to the one cut by it. The Lycan infestation is vast as you likely know.”

High Beyonder blinks as he finds focus on the last phrasing Than’ik said. He responds, "Yes, yes, you are right. The Kukri are being forged as we speak. I anticipate the blades will be ready within a few days, after which they will be presented to me and I will invest them with the grace of the Light. Once done, you, yes, you, my most potent servant, will be the bane of the unnatural and undead."

The shadowy image of Than’ik bows and fades away as Leary customarily rotates his chair back around facing the fireplace, He stares into the fire, losing himself in the oblivion of randomized thoughts. It was a byproduct of the risky endeavor of peering beyond the veil to see multiple planes of existence. He opens a drawer returning the dark crystal he uses to communicate with Than’ik, and pulling out a second crystal that is already alit and active.

“You know he’s lying.”

Leary sighs and rotates his chair around and stares out into the darkness and the appearance of the masked visage of Haijin appears.

Leary answers, "Your opinion is not solicited."

Haijin presses on, "Oh I know, nonetheless he is deceiving you."

"He has been most loyal and follows instructions to observe."

"Yes, yes, observe, report, bide time, wait, wait, wait. He is the perfect lapdog for you Master.”

"While you act in haste, recklessly, sadistically. Certainly, a creature molded by Bishop Beldon’s cruel teachings."

"The true High Beyonder Beldon, taught that pain brings clarity, focus. The reward is the release of that pain. You were his student, you learned the call the Gods power from his teachings, and yet when you rose after his fall, that clarity and focus was lost. Having the lack of will to do what must be done, you sit in dark rooms and wile away worry over every little shadow while the world comes closer to the grip of Outsiders."

"My predecessor enjoyed his cruelties, instead of teaching the understanding to deny the beyond, he employs assassins like you to kill any that so much as hint to tap into the secrets. Regardless of their intentions with those secrets."

"He didn’t fear what you fear, he hated it. That is the difference, you teach your students and your creature to watch fearful behind your walls and shields and hope and pray away the dangers. Beldon sharpened his faithful to combat it, to destroy it whenever it arises. Your creature for instance, is within sight of two very threats to this world. He stood on watch while they slept, and he did nothing."

"He is to watch…."

"And watching he does well. Is he to watch till the moment where the Paladin corrupts the world with his secret knowledge, or the faun's patron and her kin rise from their imprisonment?"

"He will act when its prudent, yes, prudent, we cannot fly off the handle, no nooo noooo we can’t tip our hand. Things may spin out of control. We may draw attention. No, we are not ready no, no, the world, the world maybe lost.

Haijin’s image flickers his masked face showing no emotion to seeing the clarity of Leary’s mind starting to slip.

He says. "Your creature has been infected with Lycanthrope."

High Beyonder gasps, "What? No…NO! That cannot be true, no, that’s not true, you are a liar. A Liar hiding behind your mask, Than’ik has not been infected.

"I have watched from afar, he knows not that I watch him, but I saw it, he was struck by Lycan Rat men, he fled his friends, hid his condition. As he hides it from you. He has been corrupted. He is a danger now to you."

"No, cannot be. You Lie!

I have no motivation to lie, when the truth is much more painful. Another lesson from Master Beldon. The Truth is the executioner’s axe, compared to deception which Is a sneak thief’s knife.”

"What do I do? How do I confirm this? Perhaps I can cure this? Yessssss, yesss. The High Healer is working on a cure perhaps I can have him cured."

“Perchance”. He Wants his little toys. Tell him to come to Ostafar to retrieve the Kukris. I will take it from there.

"I…. Don’t…… I…… No, no. Ostafar, yes, he will come to Ostafar, if he wants the Kukris he will have to come, yes, yes….

"Yes, Ostafar. Call him to return. Be the one that took the steps to safeguard this world. It is not too late to follow the examples of High Beyonder Beldon. He is a threat, the Paladin is a threat, the Faun is a threat. Threats to you, to the church, to the very world you break your mind to protect and preserve. You need not concern yourself with the details. Call him."

Haijin disappears as the magic that illuminates the communication crystal dims. The High Beyonder turns back to the fire, staring again, his mind filled with worry, concern, regret in the prospects of betraying his protégé to the madness of Haijin.

He won’t, he thinks to himself in a moment of clarity. No, no he won’t call him, no send him to Malcom, yes, yes, he is a good servant, he follows my instructions, he was my hand that brought down the tyranny of Beldon, I will not, no, no, no, but, but but…… What if Haijin is right? If he could hide lycanthrope from me, his benefactor that only one that knows he is Githyanki, what else would he hide? What if, No….Not what if? No, no, no, I cannot think this, but but but, I cannot not think this. I errrr what, will I do? What? What? What was I thinking? What? I pray Than’ik comes back soon.

Leary finally succumbs to the latest bout of delirium and spends the night staring in the fire, muttering disjointed words, Than’ik, Haijin, Beyond, Ostafar, Lycan. He falls asleep In his chair.