West Marches - Leaving the Delve

West Marches - Leaving the Delve

Azais trails Sedriks closely as the small gathering of whiskey riders and dwarves disperses. After the events of the evenings lost souls and twisted magic, people were thankfully distracted by their own thoughts. “Not like you to keep souvenirs” she inclined her head to the small bag of steel-briar seeds. Sedriks had requested. “Planning on walking in Mareen’s footsteps?”

"These?" Sedriks holds up the small leather pouch, "Nay. They are a tree I know well. From my father's estate. Similar to tha' one deep in that dwarven manor. I dinnae expect to e'er see the like again. Ye' think me sentimental?"

“Oh I would never” she teased playfully.

"Hah, aye perish the thought." A rueful, and these days infrequent smile flits the Bard's lips.



“It certainly peaked my interest, a tree that grows without sunlight. What is it exactly you wish to gain from the seeds?”

Sedriks looked thoughtful, "I thought perhaps to plant it at the Forks, and mayhap at Wyford. I dinnae have any specific plans. It’s not that it necessarily grows without sunlight, just that this one has done alright for itself. Perhaps with more care an’ attention its seeds would thrive." The bard gives a helpless shrug. "The real truth were to have you and Quiz assuage with this Delve, and the Marks o' platinum are nay small thing either. I dinnae know what best to ask for when Kullae mentioned a boon."

“True. I asked for runes but truthfully I do not know enough about them to know which to choose”

"Oh aye? What sorts o' options have they given ye?" Sedriks looks quizzically at her.

“I was told it best I study first, find which speak to me the strongest,” a helpless shrug.

"Ah, suppose that makes good sense."

“Do you have much knowledge of them?”

Sedriks shook his head, and echoed her earlier shrug. "Nay, only that I am interested in how they may affect me swords."

“That is certainly a gift I would like to be able to offer my friends”
There is a slightly long moment, as the bard turns to face Azais square on, and there is a shift in posture, something in the balance of feet, the way the head is held, and a glittering, appraising look to the eyes as Ceridwen studies her with unnerving focus. "We are friends then, Azais?"

Caught slightly off guard by the change, Azais takes a moment to examine her before answering. “I trust you with my life...both of you”.

"And I you." Ceridwen’s strange, sotto voice. It is a completely different pitch and timbre.

“Is there something you need of me, friend?”

"Teach me more magic, there have been few moments for practice, and I fear there is so much to learn still." Strange insistence in the words.

“Of course. After seeing you in battle the last few times it seems there are things you also could teach me. Be warned though, if you focus too much on the endless possibilities magic possesses, you could go mad”

"Almost all that I've learned, has come from Quiz or yourself, or from studying things around me. You are both much more advanced in every craft of the arcane. I didn't know the dangers at all of the Vortex, couldn't sort out difference in that moment." Ceridwen’s eyes are unfocused, seeing something off in the distance it seemed.

“The deeper you delve, the more attention you will get...and it’s not always from those you wish” Azias says, and ever so discreetly glances around. “Even with our combined experience magic is fickle, you may not have noticed because of the battle aftermath but it was not Selia who lost those souls, it was I.”

"What do you mean? What souls?"

“There were trapped souls in that...Monitor. More than a few - hundreds. Once the threat was over, Quiz and I tried a combined spell to try and sift through the entirety to find that dwarf, so we could send him on his path with the other two arguing Dwarves; but something went wrong. The magic was too strong,  or perhaps I was too weak, but they slipped from my grasp.

All of them.

I don’t know where they went they were just...gone.”

Azais’ voice was quiet now and she had a look of deep regret only seen once before when she thought the Leshok would be lost. “Silea saw it all. I have never seen her be so infuriated. I felt like a child who was playing her mother’s finest China and broke it.

I fear I have crossed her in a way she will not forgive. I know her and I have different outlooks on souls, and even though i am a more direct force I never have malice behind my controlling them. I do what I think is best, or what needs to be done; I fear she will never understand that and I may have lost a dear friend”

"I see. You fear you have overstepped your bounds in trying to help, and made a mistake with dire consequence."

“ I do.”

"Have you spoken to her since about it? Or has she shunned you?"

“Well it all just happened we haven’t had a chance. I do no think this delve is the location for such a talk”

"That is fair. She is probably raw still about it, perhaps in time, and with others to plead your case, she may come around. Perhaps Quiz can be of help with that. I admit I was busy helping Samuel and had no sight on that situation at all until it was already over."

“We acted as felt we needed, quickly as we didn’t know what state the souls were in. Perhaps she will listen to reason with Quiz and I, that is true”

"Intention does have its own weight, surely in time she will see that. That does not...quite explain yet however, why you destroyed the Anvil."

“Hmmmmmmm” Azais exhales with a loud sigh. “Tonight, I knew the assassins were in the delve before they killed those dwarves. I was ... she paused...warned.”

“Over the last few months since Ioleth began showing me the ways of the Witch Queen my magic and spells have grown. I suppose I should have know it was only a matter of time before she became curious about who was tapping into her wealth of power so often.
She came to me in a vision, when you, Quiz and I were walking earlier today, I guess I went into a trance because you commented on my absent mindedness.

"I did think something strange was happening, and when you exhaled, it was frost even though the caves are warm."

“She warned me I was not alone in the delve with just one evil.”

"Oh. This Witch Queen....she has good intentions on you?"

“That is something I truthfully can not answer. She terrifies me. She instructed me to prove my allegiance to her my destroying the anvil because it was bastardised. ‘Foolish mortals playing with the toys of God’s they do not understand’ she said.

"She terrifies you? But she is your patron is she not?"

“She is. And a powerful one. Not all gods are merciful to their subjects. She chases power and obedience, suppose that’s what drew me to her, but she is also deadly should she see no benefit to your existence.”

"Then I suppose its good you are proving yourself well..."

“I’m yet to find that out....”

"Do you need...help?"

“I honestly do not know. Time will tell. “

And they walked in silence a long time after that.