A Weapon Too Free

At the Altar

Five days earlier, the mood around the campfire had been tense. Bhishani was sitting next to it with her clawed feet thrust out to warm them. No-one seemed willing to sit near her. Kari — or rather Piktadarys — had taken a seat next to Smaragdina, but the alchemist had immediately stood up on an unconvincing pretext and moved. Essendra felt the need to sit near to at least one of them, but was she was concerned it would seem like she was rejecting the rest of her party, so she ended up staying on her feet and walking vaguely in the vicinity of both of them. Ursa had stalked off into the dark, taking Butterfly with her. While that was usual, the distrusting looks she'd given everyone, including Essendra, were new. The defender hoped she'd be able to smooth things over with her young friend. Sellas seemed to have no more desire for company than the rest. He chose to sit under a tree, some distance from the fire, and there was no mistaking how he was brooding.

Only Bhishani had the appearance of being unconcerned. Surrounded by people who, until the night before, had been mortal enemies. Perhaps there was a kind of freedom in having already lost the battle.

"If we keep this pace, tomorrow when we camp we will be close to weapons I buried. I took them from my enemies. You could recover them, if you wish."

Essendra had forgotten about the mission background. 'Taken from my enemies' seemed an inadequate summary for what had happened. She thought of Massain, Masgar-Vi, Gulwen, all the others she had never quite been able to remember the names of; they were just the most recent victims of Bhishani's terror. Would the monster's word hold her? If she turned on them, could they defeat her a second time?

She became aware that the silence had grown too long.

"Why did you take them in the first place? It wasn't as if you could use any of them."

"Conventional wisdom would imply that I could not use my swords, and yet I can. I believed it would not hurt to test your humanoid trinkets. When it did not work, burying them meant I could ensure they would not be used against my people in the future."

For all the violence and fury of Bhishani's assault, she had been driven by the urge to protect her own. Monsters were terrifying to townsfolk, adventurers were terrifying to monsters. Essendra felt like there must be a fundamental truth in that symmetry, even if she currently found it opaque.

"I know of a place in the hills, to the east of here, that might be safer for your people. If they have to move again, I mean."

"You would invite monsters closer to your walls?" Bhishani's tone made it clear she was unconvinced.

Essendra shrugged.

"The best for everyone would be if we came into conflict less."

Bhishani stretched her arms, then clicked her neck. It was quite disconcerting how far she could twist it.

"It seems that at least some humanoids can be taught to be peaceful. Perhaps there is hope for you after all."

Essendra wasn't sure if Bhishani was mocking her. She always wore a lopsided grin that exposed her jagged teeth.

"It couldn't hurt for a monster village to owe us a favour," Piktadarys was slicing a pear with one of her daggers. "It's one of the few places beyond the reach of the Silent Sodality."

She noticed Sellas watching the three of them with great concern.

"I'm not saying it's a perfect solution," she added, "I'm as reluctant as the next man to bed down surrounded by monsters. But if there's one quality the Sodality has in abundance, it is persistence."

"And when they come for you?" Sellas interjected, his voice low and cold. "If they try to cut their way through the rest of us to get at you, what would you do? Would you sacrifice yourself to save everyone else?"