A Death In the Family: LXXVII
Herod was done being left in the dark. Energy swirled around him with blue and green lights dancing across his vision. He sat steadily with Vulity in his lap.
'I can't find him!' Vulity cried, she was currently swimming not only through his mind but through the domain of Puderis itself. Their ability to track the soul of Asher was dwindling rapidly. He inhaled focusing on the sight of Asher's masked face willing himself to see him. Nothing. Why wasn't Puderis answering? What was going on?
"Try again. I need to see the Latrecies.. I have to see-" Herod's vision was shattered by the sound of.. Scribbling. The sensation that took hold of his body was hot, a burning sensation of hot coals against the skin. His nose was filled with the scent of sulfur and charred brimstone. The strange echoing sound of a pen writing across paper somehow caused him to shutter. What form of thottery was this?
'I-I can't hold on- Herod we're-' Vulity's voice faded away and Herod fell down a few inches collapsing to the ground. His eyes shot open instinctively grabbing the hilt of the blade. What.. the hell.. He had never failed to commune with his god before. Never had he run into such an issue; it was less like Puderis had refused.. No it felt like.. 'We were being blocked..' Vulity whispered, the psychic voice sounded so far away. Herod looked up at the orange tree above him he clasped to his feet and jogged back into the house, for some odd reason he found praying under the tree to be a lot more calming, more calming then the room where Markos would chant.
"Vulity.. What was that." Herod growled his anger was getting the best of him. It had been hours since Markos and the others left Adleth had left to dart around town and investigate the various spots she may have missed the first time round, but even she got back sooner than Markos. Riu was.. Well a mess, he didn't peg her for being very close to Asher yet she seemed just as concerned as the others. He slammed the door open.
"Hi." In the center of the tavern Markos was standing flipping through a little book his eyes were.. Sinister. Despite not being able to read thoughts Herod got a sinking feeling he knew what was on his cultists mind. Herod cared for Asher too, but he hoped Markos wouldn't do anything stupid. He knew from experience that when navigating the underworld of cities you had to be careful, people went missing everyday perhaps that's what happened to Asher? Did he pick the wrong guy's lock, or ask too many questions?
"The Gralhunds." Alekzandr growled. "We talked to many guards but finally got the truth. He was last seen heading towards the Gralhunds manor.. Apparently there was a commotion.."
"The Gralhunds?" Herod exclaimed, "The same family we.. saved a few days ago? Those guys? The hell does.. Why would they take Asher? They're a merchant noble family-" He was cut off by Markos's response.
"The Gralhunds.. Are in on it." His voice was low and full of regret. "Vincent.. The.. detective guy told me this morning, he was trying to investigate Lif's death.. And stumbled upon the hellish cult activities that did it to him. He found it odd, because it seemed the Gralhunds and the Zhentarim were working together.. For what purpose and how far.. He wasn't sure. But they weren't smart enough to do this on their own. He has no clue how they did it." Herod felt a little bit of fire ignite in him.
"You- you knew this the whole time?!" Herod yelled, he pushed Andraste aside and grabbed Markos by the shoulders. "For the love of god you knew that the Gralhunds were bad business?? Why didn't you tell any of us?!" Markos started shaking; he was breathing quickly and burying his face in his hands.
"I-I I just found out this morning! I.. was going to tell you but.. I.." Markos looked terrible glancing around the room, it was like a sudden waterfall of emotions. He began crying. "I.. I shouldn't have been so paranoid I- I didn't know why I couldn't say it I just didn't." Markos's knee's buckle and he nearly collapsed to the floor however Herod was sternly holding him in place. Despite being pretty physically weak.
"Stop it!" Adleth swatted Herod's hand. "This is not the time to fight. For the love of the gods, Asher is still missing!" He grit his teeth and sighed.
"Don't keep information to yourself again." Herod whispered. "Markos.. It.. it could get us killed ok?" He knelt down to the trembling and anguished cultist, offering a hand to get him up. "Now. let's figure out how we kill them." Herod clarified.
"Cthulhu.." Markos mutterted. "What's the worst thing I can summon?" My oh my, he was pissed. While he was still angry with Markos, Herod knew his friend wasn't all there in the head, it was all of their faults for not also being there for whenever Vincent came back.
"We shall hit them in the night.. They will never see it coming.." Alekzandr raised his rifle to the table top giving them all a determined look.
"This.. I.. don't think this is a good idea." Riu was sitting near the bar looking utterly distressed with the discussion of charging with the Gralhunds.
"I agree." Andraste added. Fucking bastards. Herod normally liked Riu, though it was slow to happen. And he had no real opinions on Andraste since she held herself up in her room non-stop. But now was not the time to play it safe, Asher was either dead or captured. Which meant they would be running in spells blazing.
"Listen." Alekzandr audibly got angry at this. "Would you ditch one of your friends, just because they're in trouble, simply because it puts you in trouble?" He snarled, giving Andraste a dirty look.
"You're in no condition drunk-" Andraste started but the sniper tossed a flask of vodka at the wall, brought his rifle up to his chin and fired off a spell before she could finish the sentence. The brew exploded with a quiet sound. *Chn-flink* Andraste frowned. "Seeing how all my friends are dead.."
"Don't you want to right your wrongs? And take back, what was taken? Your party died in the undermountain. I understand your pain. But we speak of this family now. Our. Family." Alekzandr was waving his arms in anger.
"Asher could still be alive." Herod interjected. "We've got to do something. We can't just leave him! What.. are you afraid of some jail time?"
"There is so much to lose. Just attacking a FEW nobles. This is idiocy." Riu shot back, her voice was pained.
"Who cares!" Alekzandr replied.
"What, little girl never breaks any rules?" Adleth asked, she looked enraged. "How pacifist can you be? We sneak in, slit their throats, find our friend and leave." She was bouncing on one step. It looked to be Himself, Adleth, and Alekzandr against Andraste and Riu.
"What is it we have to lose, eh?" Alekzandr raised his hands in objection.
"Asher, regardless of how you may feel Riu." Herod started "Was our friend we can't-"
"You don't think I know that?!" Riu snapped. She pushed at Herod. "I know you may want to save him. Hell I do, but this is a terrible idea!"
"Then we make it a better one!" Markos growled. "Let's summon things they will never see coming.. And burn it all down."
"While that may seem like rightful vengeance." Alekzandr explained. "I doubt.. You could control much." He gently set a hand on Markos's shoulder but the half-elf wasn't having it he shoved him off.
"Here!" Markos reached into his pocket and pulled forth a tangled mess of necklaces and metallic symbols. Elder signs. "Put on as many as you like! Fucking carve it into your skin. Whatever comes out wont attack you." He sounded so sinister his eyes seemingly glitched with the necklaces so close, from purple to green, to red to yellow. They flashed between ugly browns and odd mixtures.
"What is more important, your status?" Adleth inquired, Herod stood up with her reaching for his sword. "Or your friends." The insult mustive dug deep for Riu to recoil.
"It's. not all about Status." Riu growled. She was clenching a trembling fist while looking at Herod. He met her eyes which seemed to beg for help.. But he couldn't. Puderis be damned he didn't care how foolish this was, it made sense. Right?
'The thots must die.. But.. I don't want you to Heord.' Vulity whimpered. 'Then give me the Crelens..' Herod thought instantly.
"Are you sure about that?" Alekzandr edged. The whole downstairs had broken out into this argument one after another. People bickering. They knew they couldn't do this alone so convincing the others was the only chance.
"You're all crazier than the half-elf." Andraste got up waving a hand. "I'm going to my room." She stormed from the tavern while quiet contempt was held against one another.
"Do you want to head into a death wish?" Herod was pretty sure that wasn't the proper term, but went off Riu. "Then be my guest." A tear fell down her face "I'm not following that path." Herod unsheathed Vulity.
*Shiveen*
"I've experienced the sensation of Death before." Ge whispered watching the green runes of the sword glow, light glanced off his face. "All I know is this. I left my home for an adventure, not to lose the ones I found on that adventure." He chose his words carefully. Eyeing Riu who seemed lost.
"You're all idiots." Riu spat. She threw her chair aside and stormed up the stairs. Leaving the remaining four of them standing there in silence.
"This will either send us to our graves or jail.." Adleth cautioned. "I'm in to charge em, but I'll let you know now. If anything happens I'm slipping out." Herod nodded. That sounded right. Not convict herself huh? He took a deep shaky breath.
"Lets get some sleep." He whispered sadly, he didn't want to wait on charging Asher, or finding what the Gralhunds did.. But he knew better than anyone a decision like this had to be slept over. "We decide what we do in the morning. It's unlikely Asher is.." His voice broke, he had only known these guys for a month now. But shit.. This.. this dug deep. "We wait for morning." Perhaps it was something Riu had said that swayed him ever so slightly from the charge. He wasn't sure.
"No." Alekzandr remarked. "I will go to my room.. Planning I must do." The man's broken common seemed to always flare up more when he was angry. He marched away. So much for the sleeping idea, he guessed it was simply time for revenge tears. Herod reached out grabbing Markos by the arm and he gave his friend a weary look. Those almost dead eyes only stared back with an emptiness behind them. Purple eyes.. A glimpse into an abyss.
"You alright?" He wanted to be upset with Markos but couldn't.. How could he have expected this?
"I'm.. fine.." Markos's voice was barely a whisper; it was deep and malonic, a quiet vengeful growl. Herod shook his head and followed Alekzandr, Adleth left the room. By the time he got to Alekzandr's room the door was open and inside he spotted Riu and Alekz arguing.
"What is it you want?" Alekz sneered as he was sitting at his desk fidgeting with some odd mechanisms. Riu glanced at the entering figures frowning.
"Are you carrying him everywhere?" She asked him. Pointing to Markos.
"One of us has to ensure he doesn't summon a demon." Herod replied coldly.
"Do you know how incredibly stupid you're being?!" Riu ranted, her attention back on Alekzandr. "I expect this kind of behaviour from Markos, not.. Herod or you." The Aasimar leaned against the nearby post.
"I'm well aware." Alekz growled. He picked up a large circular device which upon the press of a button furled upward into a shield. "But.. I am not making another mistake."
"This! This is a mistake!" Riu cried.
"To defend our friends?!" Herod shoved Markos aside and moved into the room. "Puderis, sake Riu, what else are we to do?!" He ran a hand through his hair frustratingly.
"Are you..." Riu began to cry, her voice breaking like a glass. "So what? You're going to go after One FUCKING NOBLE only to be sent to your death, Alekz, Herod this is suicide, we can get revenge in other ways-"
"That's the thing Riu." Herod interrupted. "We can't. Look I dont have some great tragedy like you two. My parents weren't killed. And my wife didn't die. But me. I tasted death, and now I've learned my friend is in danger. What do you expect?" His normally calm voice betrayed him hints of anger seeping through. Riu looked stunned and she grit her teeth.
"You're running after one person!" Riu shouted. "Who could send ALL of you to your fucking deaths. Leaving all of us behind." She slammed a fist against Alekz's desk. Her voice broke tears streaming down her face. She.. didn't want to be left behind?
"I don't think you understand why I am doing this." Alekz responded, running his hands along Segiri. If what Markos had told him was true.. The rifle was named for his dead wife. Whom his people killed.
"I understand well enough-"
"NO." Alekz yelled. "That is just it, Riu, you don't."
"I watched my own father DIE! I watched my mother die!" She started screaming. "I watched my life get torn apart! I.. have had things done to me you wouldn't imagine."
"We all have." Their attention was momentarily taken away to Markos at the door. "Honestly. I'm pretty sure the number of orphans is higher than those of us with parents." He sounded colder. "You got your revenge Riu." Markos continued. "At least some of it. You killed Skeemo. What do the rest of us get?" Markos was sounding.. Dangerously insane, his usual happy expression and high pitched feminine voice had been ditched, now cold words spilled from him. "I was driven mad.. Literally my mind was warped so far, and I worship the god who did that to me. I.." He paused like he couldn't say more. "Don't we deserve revenge.. For our friend? Asher's the one who kept me sane.. Who kept me from doing dumb things." He played with a ring on his finger. It was black with odd runes running along it. The metal was.. Something Herod had never seen before. The central piece looked like a ill made star with an eye in it;
"You got your closure Riu, but this isn't about our personal tragedies.. This is about our shared loss." Alekz stood up ditching the rifle. "You know what I can't fix? What wrong I can never right?" He brimmed with more and more rage, Herod moed forward and clasped hands with Alekz the two of them sharing a glance of understanding. He may have not lost as much, but Herod knew the pains of do overs in your mind. Replaying events over and over until you were driven crazy by being unable to fix it. "I watched a creature rip a man to shreds. My parents were killed before my eyes. When I had any semblance of hope, in a creature I helped create, my people ripped that from me. When I turned to love. When I found my wife. My life. They tore that from me. KILLED that from me. I lost my unborn child. My son, my wife. I lost everything. And the ones who wronged me? They are dead! Dead Riu. gone from this world my vengeance can never be gained! But this?! This. this I can fix." alekz and riu were mere inches apart now, the two of them had tears running down their faces. Herod squeezed Alekz's hand, willing Vulity to leap from his blade and comfort him.
"You know what hurts?" She sobbed. "I know you're mad and I know you're angry. But they will over power us. They will kill us. This is pure suicide."
"We know." Herod whispered. "We don't have the firepower.. But maybe we'll take some of the bastards down with us."
"Fire power.." Markos was so quiet in the room but he turned to see the half-elf who was now studying his hand. "I.. I know how we get firepower." He rushed forward and grabbed Herod. "H-herod.. Do you.. Trust me?" Herod blinked while the cultist clutched his arm. This kid was crazy but..
"Yeah.." He replied. Markos smirked.
"Hit me. REALLY hard in the head." Markos cheered. What? He gave a glance to Riu and Alekzandr who were looking just as confused. "Just knock me out. I... I've got something better than demons." 'ok then..' Herod thought.
"We'll alrighty." Herod pulled Vulity from his waist slamming the but towards Markos's head.
"Wait.. I could just drin-"
*Thump-Slam*
The cultist crumpled to the ground out cold. "Well that was weird.." Alekzandr remarked.
"He might be dead." Riu muttered.
"Markos?" Herod asked. "Nah, I'm not that strong."
She sighed. "No.. not Markos. I meant. For fucks sake, Asher. He might be alive but there's a chance he isn't. What would we be running into?" Probably a death trap but hell who cares.. "This city is so fucked up."
"It's a rotting place I'll give you that." Adleth entered the door. "The hell going on here? Yall decided to just.. Continue the conversation in Alekzandr's room?-" She stopped and looked down. "Why the fuck is Markos out on the floor?" Everyone just kind of... looked around sheepishly.
"Uh.. he's crazy?" Herod suggested. Adleth pinched the bridge of her nose.
"I.." Adleth started. Alekzandr began to cry and collapsed to his bed where Riu rushed over to comfort him. "I may be the quieter person in this party.." She sounded hoarse. "But.. I couldn't forgive myself. Or any of you fuckers." She growled mid way through. "If.. if you got yourself killed." She admitted bitterly.
"I can't lose anyone else." Riu added. Adleth nodded, Herod simply hung his head in defeat.
"I don't like it." Adleth continued. "I don't agree with Riu, and I don't wanna do nothing. But.. right now. The proper revenge.. Is patience.." She looked disgusted with herself. And held out a drink offering a bottle to Herod, he took it and feint a cheers before downing a sip.
"So what.. Do we do?" Herod puzzled. He couldn't do it on his own.. Markos passed out apparently getting more firepower. And Alekz was a broken man at this point.
"I can't go through any of that again.. I.." Alekzandr started trying to reason again but Riu hushed him. The four of them stood and sat awkwardly, their sorrow swallowing them. Herod wondered if Puderis would be ready to talk, there was no cure for death but he swore he would create one. For now.. He had to rely on deities and friends.
"You all look miserable." Adleth muttered. She wrapped a hand behind Markos's waist and pulled him up bridal style sitting down on Alekzandr's desk, setting the sleeping cultist in her lap. "Funny. Asher was usually the one to make the final decision.. Now we can't make a fucking choice.. About Asher." The elf smiled lightly.
"Set him in our room.." Herod whispered. Exiting Alekzandr's hold. "I.. I need sleep.. I need.. To talk to my god." Adleth followed him, leaving Riu and Alekz to share their sorrow.
"Do you.. Do you think he's really capable of destruction?" Adleth asked while they walked. Herod pursed his lip. He was capable of destruction. The blessing of Puderies.. The gift of championship. His powers were off the charts, yet Markos held a more twisted ability set.. Not a warlock, or really a fighter he was.. So odd. Herod couldn't help but notice the way Adleth looked at the cultist. She was gentle with him running a hand through his hair. "He looks peaceful.. Like he did when sleeping next to Asher." Herod smiled.
"No.. he's.. Harmless, just a tad crazy Adleth.." The elf smiled at that. She set him down gently in his bead, the cultist muttering fearfully of some beings. The elf slipped out a dagger from her belt and twirled it in her grip. "He could probably do something but.. We're fine. He's.. in check.." Herod muttered before it hit him.
"In check.. You mean kept in check by Asher?" She gave him a dangerous look, the two of them coming to a realization. If Asher was gone... No. "I'll.. take care of him.. Maybe he'll listen to me, he's pretty scared." The elf sounded a tad regretful but fierce.
"Yeah.." Herod muttered. "I.. will too.." She left the room with Herod slipping the window open for some fresh air. "Oh Asher.. What in Puderis were you thinking.."