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 Posted: Fri Feb 24, 2017 7:56 am
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Posted: Sat Feb 25, 2017 8:49 am
"Where are we?" Solomon asked as they strode into what could only be described as a massive camp. All around him were Stormborn, all hardened and otherwise prepared for battle. He'd never been in such an environment, and even as he glanced towards his brother his lips parted in surprise. He'd known that his brother had a warband, he hadn't known he had an army. It was at this moment that Solomon began to wonder just what it was that his brother was trying to achieve, what it was that he fought against... Was it the same thing that had rendered him in such a state the first time he had been bedridden and held down by the Mwani until he was healthy enough to move again?
Having spent all his life within the Bahari'mtoto, Solomon had never seen anything like it. It was both something to regard with fascination and fear; a gathering of such monstrous proportions that it could cause a significant amount of destruction upon the lands around it. Solomon was not naive, he knew who and what the Stormborn were and while his brother might have displayed honour, Solomon knew that not all were the same.
... But given his brother's disposition, he still couldn't make head, nor tail, of exactly what it was he faced. Whatever it was, it wasn't just a small band of beasts, it was something much larger.
"One of my forward camps," Tethys replied simply and nodded towards Onesimos; the hybrid had been dismissed and was able to make his way back towards the camps to relax after their long march. Unsurprisingly there had been no major assaults while he had been away, Tethys had been right in assuming they were in the wrong place. There hadn't even been a sliver of sourge activity and he could tell that without even asking - his entire band continued to look utterly bored.
He was going to have to move them; and he was going to have to do it soon.
"We have many," he clarified and shook his head. "This one is mine but the others are manned by fellow captains," he continued and swept through. He remained undisturbed as he led his brother through the camp and out towards the Collective. They had purposefully placed themselves a distance away to avoid intruding upon the Stormborn and their own methods. It had already been agreed upon that Tethys would implement certain strategies by the Collective if they required more bodies - so far though, it seemed like they were satisfied with his methods.
"Forward camps for what...?" Solomon asked.
"A story for another time, perhaps," Tethys remarked and nodded for Solomon to follow him. "We have more important matters to address first," he finished. He obviously didn't need to remind his brother of the reason why they were here, but he could appreciate his curiosity (and concern, to a degree)...
"Obviously," Solomon agreed quietly, though it was a topic that he fully intended to pursue again at a later date. It was something that he deemed important, especially when he and the other Bahari had assisted them with something...
Words (Tet): 250
Words (Sol): 277
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Posted: Sat Feb 25, 2017 9:48 am
"Careful," Destati advised Gideon as the lion kept most of his weight on the sedated lion. He had been very firm in his instructions to Suu'marle on this occasion, Spectre wasn't to be sedated for the entire day. Now that he knew that Tethys was on his way back with his brother, they needed Spectre conscious and as in control of his faculties as possible. However this did mean that Destati had been required to bring in his largest and strongest lions. Gideon had been assigned to the first shift and for the most part his duties were simple, he just had to keep the lion pinned.
It was something that most would have argued was easy, but then again no one had ever really attempted to pin Spectre. He was still causing problems despite his increasingly weakened state and Destati was now certain that Spectre had no problem killing himself first before 'they' did so. It really had placed him in a rock and a hard place, but the continued mantra of cruel-to-be-kind was beginning to weigh on him.
It was about to get significantly worse though, as Spectre's eyes were slowly beginning to open and before the lion had even gained an awareness of his immediate surroundings, he had already begun to struggle. It was the sheer weight of Gideon alone that was keeping him down; whatever drugs Suu'marle had supplied him with had run out... And she had been completely obedient in the sense that he had nothing to 'hinder' him.
As the blue eyes began to clear, and fixed themselves upon Destati, the same flicker on recognition was both there, and then gone again in an instant. It was something that the lion had grown familiar with over the course of the last week. It didn't hurt any less, but at the very least it seemed that his presence seemed to bring a measure of calm in comparison to that of Havase and Suu'marle.
...Especially in comparison to Adar's.
"Easy..." Destati continued soothingly. "Just a short while longer and you will be released," he promised.
"You lie," Spectre replied darkly. Though he might recognise the Justicar for brief milliseconds, he had already concluded that it wasn't for good reasons. There was no way it could be for anything pleasant when all those associated with him seemed to be intend on his continued imprisonment. For whatever reason they seemed determined to hand him over, perhaps it was the agreement they had with the wraiths.
"You gave in," he accused him and narrowed his eyes. No, he knew better than to trust this one; they had kept him bound for so long and prevented him from running. All this time they had been in the company of one of the wraiths, they were simply waiting for the right moment and then he would be out of their hair permanently.
Destati did nothing more than raise his eyebrow, he knew better than to argue for the time being; this would be a discussion for another day. All he could hope for was that when it did come up again, his friend would have the capacity to discuss it with a clear mind. He had come to appreciate that at this point, all he could hope for was that Spectre would find peace where the Collective couldn't provide it. Suffice it to say that Spectre's son was their last hope...Words (Des): 287
Words (Spectre): 286
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Posted: Sat Feb 25, 2017 10:01 am
"We're here," Tethys announced as he slipped into his father's cave and paused briefly to observe his surroundings. For the most part the place was exactly how he remembered it, but one thing was not like the other's. Of to the side, he took note of Gideon lying atop the ethereal lion he had met by the river bank, and based on said ghost's expression he was not in the slightest bit happy to be there. Whatever discussion had gone on while he and Solomon had been on the approach would mostly likely remain a mystery...or he would prefer it was given that it would be another waste of time.
It was at this point that Solomon joined him, the taller lion ducking beneath the entrance way. Once again, he took a very brief moment to marvel at what was yet another place in which war seemed to play a prominent role in its existence. However he did have his priorities straight and his gaze was soon drawn towards Destati, a moment in which he came face to face with his half-brother's father.
He was greeted with a noble and rather level gaze, one that was clearly not easily unsettled. Whoever these lions were, Solomon had a great deal to learn, but their intentions seemed pure. If they hadn't been pure then his mother wouldn't have felt so inclined towards them.
"My father..." he began and t,hen paused abruptly as his gaze fell on the wreck that lay underneath the black lion. "What are you doing to him?" he asked in alarm.
"That...is a very valid question," Tethys remarked as he too fixed his gaze on the lion underneath Gideon, one whose gaze seemed to have flickered with recognition again, though this time it somehow seemed different. "Is restraint really necessary?"Words (Sol): 154
Words (Tet): 149
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Posted: Sat Feb 25, 2017 10:17 am
"You underestimate the strength of your own father," Destati glanced back towards the lion who seemed to have become very still. In fact, it didn't even seem like Spectre was even looking at them, it was enough for him to nod towards Gideon. With the order received, the black lion soon removed himself from the top of the lion and placed a small amount of distance between himself and Spectre.
"Despite being in rather dire shape, his strength and tenacity is something to envy," Destati remarked with a raised brow. It was at this point that he stepped forward and gave a bow of his head in greeting to the lion who was arguably just as much a part of his family as Tethys was. It was a strange sort of emotion, though he wasn't entirely sure if this had to do with the fact he had swept in and taken his mother away, or if it was because he might lose her when she discovered that the ghost had returned.
"While it is a pleasure to meet you, we called you here for a reason," he said and motioned to Spectre.
It was a motion that caused the lion to stir finally, and cautiously he began to rise to his feet. At first he seemed more intent on eyeing up Gideon, a being who maintained his place even if he made no move to intervene. Sure enough, they had given him permission to move, he had been 'released' for want of a better words and yet it hadn't been into the paws of the wraiths as he had expected. In fact, it was into the paws of someone he had never expected to see again.
...Someone he had deliberately placed distance between to protect them.
With widened eyes the now skeletal lion turned to face his son, who in so many years had transformed into something worthy of great respect. Had they really called his son to collect him; did they not realise that this would cause trouble? The wraiths would find him, and by extension they would find the rest of his blood.
"You shouldn't be here," he repeated the words that they had all grown familiar with. "They'll come for you too."
"He has been like this since we found him, and by the measure of your expression it seems he has been this way for significantly longer than even we anticipated," Destati glanced between the father and son and shook his head. "He doesn't remember who we are, though we know who he is," he paused briefly and stepped backwards as Spectre made to move forward to inspect his own son.
"We have tried to help him recall who and what he is, but it seems he is lost to us, so we turn to you," he grimaced and closed his eyes. "Your land is peaceful, and he at least deserves that," he explained. "We will ensure he has the protection he needs to feel safe, but my men and women believe that he is beyond our reach." He paused.
"In exchange we will tell you what you need to know, there will be no surprises."
"That's all we ask."Words (Spectre): 184
Words (Desi): 351
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Posted: Sat Feb 25, 2017 11:59 am
Solomon continued to remain still as his father observed him, and he did much the same. He hadn't seen Spectre since he was a young cub, abandoned in the roguelands with their mother. She'd been so very confused by his disappearance but despite searching she had failed to find him too. Spectre had run away from them, and even as a young child Solomon had known that he had done so to avoid being found by...well, whatever it was he was so afraid of. In the years that had gone by Solomon had assumed that he was without sound mind, but now that he was face to face with both Spectre and Destati... it seemed that the Justicar was implying that it was so much more complicated than that.
...Solomon had entered a world he never even knew existed; but how could he possibly hope to hide this from his mother? He knew he couldn't, at some point she would come to visit, and she would stumble upon his father. Destati was asking him to do so much and yet it was impossible for him to deny it. He wouldn't abandon his father, though whether or not he could do anything was very much open to debate...
"Potions?" he hazarded, something that was responded to with a shake of the Justicar's head.
"They don't work, they already tried to cleanse him of whatever toxins might have been in his system," Tethys replied softly as he regarded the skeletal male. It had been fascinating for him to watch, the moment in which the air seemed to still and the seemingly skittish ghost was stilled, entranced by his own offspring. "If there is something wrong with his mind, the things we have here aren't designed to help him," Tethys added and gave a strained smile.
"But perhaps the Hlare...?" He hazarded.
He knew better though; this wouldn't be a job for the Hlare. If anything it would be a job for the healers and them alone, the Mwani would have to ensure he was tended to and cared for. There were no medicines he knew of that could bring 'back' a person that was lost...
"The Mwani will care for him," Solomon confirmed softly as Spectre reached out to touch the tip of his nose.
It was a strange sensation to see ones own children long after they had grown; he had lost out on all those years of their lives. Though he had run to save them, he didn't expect them to understand. Yet here one of them was, his very own son who had responded to calls for help from these lions...lions he should have known. Instead of continuing to try to cleanse him of whatever had ailed him, now he began to see that they wanted nothing more for him to be happy and comfortable.
Had he heard them right, that he would be protected? This had never been a possibility for him before, but to be with ones family and know that they would be safe, was a difficult to refuse. Especially when it seemed like this returned son seemed to have willingly accepted the burden of his very own father.
"Mwani?" he asked hoarsely.
"Healers," Solomon replied softly and closed his eyes. "They care for the pride, regardless of what ails us. Everything from our cuts to our worries," he offered a weak smile and finally turned his gaze back to Destati.
"Tell me everything I need to know," he instructed, though his tone was polite. When he returned home, he fully intended to brief the healers and the King on what he had found, because whether Tethys or Destati liked it or not, the Bahari'mtoto had indirectly been plunged in to this conflict...Words (Sol): 334
Words (Tet): 141
Words (Spectre): 156
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Posted: Sat Feb 25, 2017 12:00 pm
Total Word Count:
Tethys: 543
Solomon: 765
Destati: 638
Spectre: 626
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