The Eye of Anubis: Book Six

[steveflam]

"All things considered," Lia sighs, "this has been a very bad day." Following Kuzan's example, Lia sinks to the ground and folds her legs. "If no one minds," she says without looking up, "I am just ... going to sit here for a while. Temptation can come to me, if it insists on dealing with me at all. ... I note we were not told that we could not support one another against temptation. I humbly request that our more empathic members support those of us who threaten to falter. We are so close ...." With a weary sigh, Lia hangs her head and stuffs her hands up the opposite sleeves. "So tired," she whispers.

Ishaq steps forward. "I think it is a good day when we live to see the sun one more time, Effendi Lia. We are all here together and still alive. That is what matters the most." Looking at the others. "I for one will be glad to leave this place, but for now we have this last trial to tend to. If anyone need help or support as Effendi Lia says, I am here for you." Looking down he says nothing then adds "You've all done so well here, so be proud of what you've accomplished. I am sorry I didn't defeat the giant, but I did my best. Effendi's Andre and Kuzan you saved Khalil's life. Thank you. Effendi Lia with your magics you helped as well. Effendi Charles" he moves to Charles and grabs him in a bear hug the puts him down "You have saved my life, something I will never forget. Effendi's Otto and Tomas you played an important part as well. I am honored to be part of your expedition and wouldn't want to be any other place right now." Ishaq bows to each and every party member and stands looking at the stars, uncomfortable with his speech.

[Rock of the Fraternity]

"Do not discount your own efforts, Serpentbane," Lia sighs, voice a dry rustle, hands curved like claws on her knees. "You dealt tremendous damage to the giant. You are ... a champion. Yes." A faint hint of wonder enters Lia's voice. "Amazing, really, such strength."

[lostboy]

Khalil looks slightly bemused, and stands tapping his sword against his leg whilst staring at the remaining fey. After a few moments its obvious nothing outlandish is about to happen, and seeing the others taking their rest, the desrte guide gratefully sinks to a sitting position, not that his eyes ever leave the Lorelei though.

"I have a feeling this is going to be a long night." He mutters to no-one in particular.

[steveflam]

Ishaq looks to Khalil. " I might have a way to keep us awake if you are interested, Effendi Khalil."

[steveflam]

Ishaq looks to Khalil. " I might have a way to keep us awake if you are interested, Effendi Khalil."

[The Whistler]

"I doubt that I shall need the help with such, for one...being nearly killed several times on a row is tending to make one more alert."

Though he'd been just shy of petrified during the festivities' phantasmagoric end, the sheer stress of the day seems to have hit Otto a few seconds ago. The gunsmith sighs heavily and slumps down against a convenient rock--feeling that unfortunate mix of too exhausted to focus and too keyed-up to sleep.

And, with a gaze somewhere between skepticism and wariness, cast a brief look up at the Lorelei.

[NeoTiamat]

Statue of Beyrath, The Mazes, The Kermanevar, Sebua
June 24th, 761, 12:02 AM; Day 99 of the Menetnashte Expedition
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Crash!

The sound of breaking glass roused you from the brief respite you had, by all rights, earned now. It was not to be. Startled, you turned to from your beds to see that the Lorelei had drained her crimson goblet dry, and then dropped it upon the stones of the island. Grinding the crystal glass under her bare feet, she stooped gracefully, picking up a single shard of glass from amongst the ruined vessel.

"Such a.... sharp game you play.... mortals involved in matters beyond their knowledge, beyond their abilities, spiraling deeper and deeper into debt to forces greater than they." The Lorelei spoke softly, but her voice carried easily. She watched the shard of glass glitter in the moonlight, and you had the slightly eerie feeling that she wasn't actually speaking to any of you. "You are in debt to the Blood-Thorn, to the Featherflute, to Malice... by night's end, you shall be in debt to me also."

"Well, let us proceed with this farce, shall we not?" The water-fey turned her attention upon you with perfect good humor. "Let me offer you three things, each more worthless than the last. For my first temptation, I offer you a shard of glass. It is yours if you cross one of these bridges."

[Rock of the Fraternity]

Lia gives the mad Fey a blank look, then shakes her head. And starts to sing:

"On the first part of the journey
I was lookin' at all the life
There were plants and birds
and rocks and things
There was sand and hills and rings
The first thing I met was a
fly with a buzz
and the sky with no clouds
The heat was hot and the
ground was dry
But the air was full of sound

I've been through the desert
on a horse with no name
It felt good to be out of the rain
In the desert, you can't
remember your name
'Cause there ain't no one for
to give you no pain."

She pauses briefly and looks at the other members of the Expedition. "Who else knows the lyrics?" she asks, voice slightly faint. "Sing along if you know them."

[lostboy]

Khalil looks at both the Lorelei with her broken glass and then Lia singing. Rolling his eyes he leans towards Ishaq "If it was a drink you were offering now seems like a good time."

Looking over again at the Lorelei he sighs softly and asks "Forgive me madame but I think you may have to explain why a piece of broken glass would be sufficient temptation to us. I for one have no idea at all."

[The Whistler]

"Who else knows the lyrics?" she asks, voice slightly faint. "Sing along if you know them."

Otto continues to look off into the distance with an unfocused gaze, barely registering the Lorelei for exhaustion. Several long seconds pass...

No. You HATE Souragnien folk songs. You shouldn't even KNOW the words, and caving now will only justify the thousand times that fool LeBlanc got them stuck in your head....

Several more seconds pass.

You have to strain to hear it, and it's hard to tell that Otto's lips are even moving.

After two days in the desert sun
My skin began to turn red
After three days in the desert fun
I was looking at a river bed
And the story it told of a river that flowed
Made me sad to think it was dead

You see I've been through the desert on a horse with no name
It felt good to be out of the rain
In the desert you can remember your name
cause there ain't no one for to give you no pain...

[NeoTiamat]

Statue of Beyrath, The Mazes, The Kermanevar, Sebua
June 24th, 761, 12:02 AM; Day 99 of the Menetnashte Expedition
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Looking over again at the Lorelei he sighs softly and asks "Forgive me madame but I think you may have to explain why a piece of broken glass would be sufficient temptation to us. I for one have no idea at all."

"Oh it isn't. It's merely a worthless bit of glass, and you would be utter fools to accept it." The Lorelei said this as if it was self-evident, and to be fair, on the face of it a shard of broken glass didn't seem to be worth throwing away the hard-earned progress you had gained so far. "So, which will it be, yes or no?"

[Rock of the Fraternity]

"Hell's bells, that's a no-brainer," Lia sighs. "No." She continues singing:

"After nine days I let the horse run free
'Cause the desert had turned to sea
There were plants and birds
and rocks and things
Tyere was sand and hills and rings
The ocean is a desert with its life underground
And a perfect disguise above
Under the cities lies a
heart made of ground
but the humans will give no love

You see I've been through the desert
on a horse with no name
It felt good to be out of the rain
In the desert, you can't
remember your name
'Cause there ain't no one
for to give you no pain."

"Sing along, friends and companions," she encourages the others. "Focus on the song. On human things."

[Kaitou Kage]

"Just ignore her, Khalil," Kuzan grumbled, surprised that anyone even bothered responding to the fey, "She can only tempt you if you let her."

He went back to his silent vigil over the dark chasm, the river rushing below. He didn't know whatever stupid song it was, and he didn't care.

Focus.

That was something he was good at. Slowly, he shifted his legs into the Lotus position and straightened his back. Meditation was the first lesson every priest learned, and most weren't allowed to go forward until they learned the simplest tantric meditation mantras.

Breathe in. Breathe out. Om.

His eyes closed and he repeated it. Slowly, the world around him melted away, leaving him in an comforting nothingness where only Kuzan and the link to his god existed.

Breathe in. Breathe out. Om.

The night will end soon.

[lostboy]

Yup everything just got a whole lot weirder, wonder what she'll offer next a rock, or some dirt maybe?, Khalil muses to himself.

"Just ignore her, Khalil," Kuzan grumbled, surprised that anyone even bothered responding to the fey, "She can only tempt you if you let her."

Seeing as nothing seemed about to kill them all, Khalil shrugs and sitting back beings sharpening his blades.

[NeoTiamat]

Statue of Beyrath, The Mazes, The Kermanevar, Sebua
June 24th, 761, 12:02 AM; Day 99 of the Menetnashte Expedition
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"Hell's bells, that's a no-brainer," Lia sighs. "No." She continues singing... "Sing along, friends and companions," she encourages the others. "Focus on the song. On human things."

"No...? Such a pity." The Lorelei said softly, though somehow you could make out every syllable, no matter how loudly the song carried. Somehow, you didn't think the oracle of the waters would be so simple to foil as by shouting, or singing, her down. "Then let me offer you something more worthless yet."

The Lorelei gazed idly at the glass shard, then lifted up her other hand and quite casually slit her own wrist. Her blood was very red. The Lorelei held the little shard of glass up to the wound, and watched carefully as she bled out one droplet of blood after another, until eight little orbs of scarlet dotted the sliver of crystal.

"The Blood of Faerie." The Lorelei said simply, the wound in her wrist closing as though it had never been. "Priceless to many a mortal, and therefore worthless to them all. A single drop evokes the power of the Fae into your blood, and all eight shall transform you into close kin."

"A worthless gift indeed, for it gives great power, but not a mortal was ever happy with it." The Lorelei smiled a little, a mad and sad and cold smile. "Should you all depart this stone, then it is yours. Should a one of you take your leave, it is theirs. Thus is my second temptation."

-One drop of the Lorelei's blood places the Feytouched Template upon you.
-Eight shall place the Half-Fey Template upon you.