The Keepers of Chaos: A Vault of Hell

Alekzandr Ikorov: LXIX

He sighed, "It seems like so long ago we were promised this gold.. Now I don't truly care for it." Alekzandr took a deep breath. Remembering where he had gotten the idea for the flare. "My home.. Rushiv.. It once held... Da Vangrend Velikye pozary." he wavered. "I forget, you speak not Rushiki.. The great flames of Vangrend.. The last word is a.. Name, you understand yes? They were.. Sacred flames, warning signs if you will. It just.. Reminded me of what was possible." Alekzandr gave a half hearted smile.

"I think we should rest.. Give Asher here time to breathe and sleep." Riu suggested. He knew men needed their rest, but he rarely got any when out in the field, if someone was injured you were unable to keep your eyes closed for very long. The feeling of dread would nip at you, claw at your heart and soul. Until you are fantasizing about everything you could have done better. This was something Alekzandr knew all too well.

"I agree, comrade."

"Asher..." Adleth whispered next to his barely breathing body. "What on Toril was going through your mind.." To say it shocked Alekz to see Adleth compassionate was an understatement. "Don't die on us.. Please." Normally she seemed only lightly sympathetic to the half-elf Markos. When she wasn't teasing him or.. Doing, Lobodovshki knows what to him. "Riu.. how? How is it hes.." Adleth didn't need to finish, they all were asking it to themselves as well as each other. How had Asher Exitium survived this brush with death.

"I have no clue.." Riu concluded. "He's.. like some of the animals we cared for in training.." The Aasimar freezed up for a second like she was thinking. "Once a direwolf had come in.. he was brought by some of the sisters, and had been badly burned, cut into, his guts were literally being held in by tree sap, and he was damaged beyond anything we thought possible. That wolf was barely hanging on to life, supposedly he had been attacked by some big pact of Tileceet's nasty bastards.. Picked the wrong fight when he was surveying his territory. Yet somehow it survived, we repaired him as well as we could, and in the end he lived to fight another day. Miracles happen.." Riu concluded.

"A wolf who was simply trailing its territory.." Adleth whispered. "I see." There was a long sullen silence for a while in the house. As the three of them seemingly didn't know what to do. "I'm going to bed." She said wearily. She was taking shallow breaths and narrowly bumped into him when she left.

"We should all get some rest." Riu replied. "I guarantee you, the healing magic we performed is closing those wounds.. They're just.." She didn't finish the sentence. 'Terrible' Alekzandr finished for her. Like an Ercelan night fly arrow; terrible. Necrosis and damage unfathomable to ordinary humans. He had seen it all before. "Good night Alekz.." Riu turned away and headed rapidly up the stairs, her body swaying a little while she did this, probably exhausted from not just the fights but the intensity of the medical job. Alekzandr gave Asher one final look before he too stepped up the stairs and headed to bed, determined to get some form of rest.

"Alekz.." He stopped dead in his tracks and spun on his heels. Asher was breathing more rapidly now his bare muscular chest ran a little with sweat. The bright irises behind Asher Exitium's mask pierced Alekzandr's soul like the grim reaper. He started to wonder if this was not the first time Asher had come into contact with an artifact of death.

"Comrade!" He rushed quickly to Asher's side seeing the man awake for the first time in a while was utterly shocking. "How do you feel, how-" Asher began coughing and made a hand gesture to indicate a wish of liquid. Alekz reached down and pulled out a flask of vodka. Asher quickly snatched it away and unscrewed the top before drinking a good chunk of it in a single gulp.

"I.. meant water but.. Alright." Asher jested. Alekzandr moved to the bar counter grabbing a large jug of water and rapidly handing it to his injured friend. "Where's.. Where's Markos? Is he ok?" Alekz smiled, Asher was seemingly more concerned about his friend than himself. "Everyone else.. Did they.. Are they alright?"