The Eye of Anubis: Book Nine

[DocBeard]

"It was a spell." Tomas's eyes are somewhat colder as he steps forward, sword in his hand. There's a faint smell of ozone around the swordsman, as he scowls down at Devereux. "A psychic attack. A...a something."

His wall starts to crack. "Please, give me a good reason, Professor."

[Kaitou Kage]

Kuzan, breathing a touch heavily, floated across the ground toward the center of the group once everyone had gathered closer. Red burns still covered parts of his skin where the firefrost cloud engulfed and consumed him. He ignored it for the moment and glanced over the others to make sure they were still okay. Dark rings had formed under the priest's eyes already from how much divine energy he'd exhausted today, but he stalwartly remained standing and mobile. Apparently, the life of a sailor encouraged physical and spiritual resilience and resolve.

But even an innate knack for physical and spiritual resilience alone wasn't enough to take care of the burn marks on Kuzan's skin. He intoned a prayer to some god -- what god exactly even Andre wasn't sure. It was some obscure, personal deity of life and healing. A sheath of white light enveloped the priest for a second and then faded. The burns and frost scars healed over, replaced by his normal, deep-tanned skin. He exhaled slowly and looked better overall, if still exhausted.

Cure moderate wounds; I'll roll when I get home in a few hours.

[NeoTiamat]

The Temple of Anuberith, Kamarn-Quse, Har'Akir
August 19th, 761, 3:14 PM; Day 155 of the Menetnashte Expedition
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The professor looked up at Tomas, eyes liquid and just exhausted. Alive or not, human or not, no one could channel the kind of forces Devereux had undergone without being drained by the experience. Professor Devereux shut his eyes, his face so pale it was nearly translucent. "Oh Tomas... I'm so tired.. I don't have the strength to fight anymore... I'm not strong like you are. I'm only human..."

"I've lived in fear for so long... I was so lonely... I didn't have anyone to talk to... no friends..." Devereux paused, taking in the looks about him. He explained.

"Andre, since your wife died... it's not been the same, has it? You talk to me when you need my sight, but otherwise...? Charles, you're a good man, but never my student, never like me. A good man, but a normal one." Professor Devereux continued quietly. "And Tomas Eisenwald, my student. My... guardian, even. But Tomas, you're not my friend."

Devereux smiled, sadly. "The truth hurts, doesn't it?"

'You were so kind to me... you didn't pity me, you respected me... maybe you even looked up to me. No one had ever treated me like that before. I... couldn't bear the thought of losing it. I became terrified of what would happen if you ever found out how frightened I was of everything... and all the things I've been tempted to do... I didn't dare tell you. I didn't dare tell anyone."

"I tried to push you away. I didn't want you near me... You believed in me so much, and I knew I'd let you down. I felt so alone... I couldn't be human. So I convinced myself... that I had no friends. That I could never have friends. That I wasn't human... and they were there, waiting for me..."

[yalenusveler]

"They, Charles?" Andre asked, going quiet, then looking back up at Devereux. "Things have been different..I've been different and not for the better. I ignored you and belittled you, when I wasn't using you for your sight. I was pretty much a horrible person. I'm trying to be better now..just taking time, I suppose."

Andre looked at a finger that was now no longer wearing a ring. "Considering the group I aligned myself with, I can't really judge you too harshly for what you just tried to do, at least not without being a tremendous hypocrite. And I've had enough of my own hypocrisy to last me and everyone else several lifetimes."

[DocBeard]

Tomas looks...faint. ...no, I am human. He's just talking mixed up. I'm a human being, damn it!

"...I would've helped you." Tomas says, quietly, keeping Devereux's gaze...somehow, his own eyes gleaming with something unfathomable. "How many times have I risked my life for total strangers on this trip-you think that I would've judged you?! Would've turned on you?! I..."

Tomas deflates. He should have known. Every time he..., "I'm getting out of here." Tomas sheaths his sword, buckling his shield on his back and starting to walk towards the door.

[NeoTiamat]

The Temple of Anuberith, Kamarn-Quse, Har'Akir
August 19th, 761, 3:14 PM; Day 155 of the Menetnashte Expedition
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Professor Devereux just somehow collapsed at that statement. He was still sitting up, still gazing ahead. But it was as though he were a marionnette whose strings had been cut. No life, no energy left.

"I knew I'd disappoint you." Devereux closed his luminous eyes. "Sooner or later, I knew I'd disappoint you."

He said nothing more.

[DocBeard]

Tomas doesn't answer one way or the other, pausing only to say, "...this is a terrible place to talk. I'm going to go clear my head and hope we have a way out of this stinking pit of a city."

Peace said, he resumes his walk out.

[yalenusveler]

Andre sighed, and shook his head. "It's how we cope, I think sometimes. Josette called them "Maladaptive coping strategies". I decided that getting close to people got me hurt, and so to protect myself, I hurt others so no one would get close to me. You..denied your own humanity, and tried to make the world match what you saw, but extended to everyone so you could finally be some nonexistent definition of normal. Tomas..I think sometimes he sees the world as an adventure story. Everyone is honest and true, except for the villains, and in the end, Good always triumphs."

Andre shrugged. "The world isn't like any of our expectations. People don't exist just to hurt others, there's no such thing as one blanket definition of normal, and people aren't always what you expect or want them to be and good sadly..doesn't always triumph. Give Tomas some time, and I'm sure he'll come around. He's had a lot of rough patches lately, with Doctor Pelletier's death and the revelations about his character, as well as my own airing of dirty laundry. Hells, this expedition has been rough on everyone."

Andre then sighed. "He is right about this place not being the best to talk though, and we still haven't found the "black key" that we're supposed to be searching for. We can talk someplace other than a blasphemous temple, before or after we search depending on consensus."

[Nathan of the FoS]

In the end, it seems, Devereux didn't even notice.

When Charles realizes that the conversation between professor and student is what really concerns Devereux at present, he retires from the scene with just a few polite murmurs to expedite his withdrawal.

Going to a point where he is (he hopes) out of sight of the Expedition members, he leans against one of the ruined obelisks and shakes.

I could have killed him. I would have killed him. I don't...why? We didn't want to kill him. But I...I...

In his mind's eye he sees the courtyard of the Ecole des Armes, just outside the University grounds, well hidden from the eyes of passersby and therefore a favorite site for duels. He is examining a pair of dueling pistols offered to him by the second of his opponent--Hugh Lascelles, officially the second of young Leopold Boritsi. Charles no longer remembers what exactly he did to provoke Boritsi into challenging him. Something stupid, the kind of thing only an upjumped merchant family like the Boritsis would ever take notice of. Why? Why did I care so much? When did I decide he had to die? It was murder. Just as if I had walked up behind him in Monmartin and shot him in the head. I just...

The arm goes up; the bullet flies; Leopold Boritsi (given the trick pistol, the one with the hammer that takes just one extra moment to fall on the charge) crumples, a bullet deranging his handsome features, his weapon, unfired, falling from his hand and clattering to the paving stones with a sound like Death itself knocking at the stone door of a mausoleum.

[NeoTiamat]

The Temple of Anuberith, Kamarn-Quse, Har'Akir
August 19th, 761, 3:19 PM; Day 155 of the Menetnashte Expedition
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"You're right, Andre." Devereux said very quietly. The professor stood up off of the altar, brushing his coat off, a mechanical quality to his motions. "The world is never like our dreams."

"I know where the black key is." Professor Devereux said after a moment. He pitched his voice louder, calling out to Charles and Tomas, and any others too far. "If you want to leave this place, follow me."

With those words, Charles Devereux turned and walked towards one of the passages in the back of the ritual chamber. He walked slowly, staring straight ahead, saying nothing.

He left his book behind. Just left it where it lay.

[yalenusveler]

Andre picked up Devereux's book before joining in following after him, not quite sure if he retrieved it to return it, or to peruse it and see what exactly Devereux had spent so much time writing. But for right now, finding the key was more important than answering his internal query, and so he quietly followed after his fellow academic.

[Nathan of the FoS]

Collecting himself (or, at least, becoming distracted enough to think about something else), Charles follows Devereux meekly to...wherever he is going. At present he finds it a little difficult to care.

[Rock of the Fraternity]

Lia slowly descends, and floats after Devereux, finally coming to walk at his side. "Professor," she says, voice calm, and then touches his sleeve to draw his attention.

"You say we are not your friends. How about we become such now? I have no particular talent for it, myself, but ... efforts can be made.

Professor, if you fear the things you see ... would you care to learn defensive techniques, for your own peace of mind?"

[lostboy]

Sascha sheathes his sword and stands quietly as the others talk. The old knight feels the age in his bones, the rage as it is snuffed out takes the last of his strength away, leaving behind a hollow, empty feeling. A place that is quickly filled with recrimination and loathing.

"If you want to leave this place, follow me."

"Nothing would bring me more pleasure" he mutters, head down in contemplation of this most recent view of the black hearted engine of destruction that lives in his soul, he follows the others.

[DocBeard]

Tomas frowns...

...but he follows, like always. Some things, you just can't escape from, it seems.