Zion: Light of the New Moon Part 2, Ch 3.2 Bannihar
Zion - Light of the New Moon, Part 2 Chapter 3.2
Bannihar Measured in Minutes
The party will take the time to obtain an extra supply of water in preparation for their trip across the desert. Elesin takes another -1 to Willpower since Pentanthin failed to vote, and the group loses another very precious point from Favor... this is getting ugly. The modifiers to Bannihar for this chapter are as follows: + Favor, + Willpower, - Delay, and - Luck... but only if successful.
Elias smoothly dug his clawed digits through the earth, widening the fire pit he was creating. Though many of his companions referred to them as 'paws', the Geomancer preferred the term 'hands'. Though he couldn't really figure out why, he always associated the term with the ability to create, mold, and manufacture... besides, his were more like hands than not-- he didn't have pads, his digits were long and well-jointed... why shouldn't he be made to call them paws?
"I don't see what the problem is." he voiced aloud, though he wasn't talking about hands.
"And that is why I'm worried about you, Elias Hewen." Lord Raes responded, pulling pieces of wood apart with his bare paws. Paws, Elias realized: unrefined digits made for clawing and tearing and pulling... not creating.
"I'm fine." the armadillo countered, "Things are just getting blown out of proportion." he drew a single finger across the bottom of the pit he had created, pulling the dirt together and forming it into a solid base for the fire. It wasn't a real use of his power, per se, and hardly took more effort than breathing.
Lord Raes frowned, "To you they might be, but not to her."
Elias finally let out a sigh and sat back, looking toward the dog for the first time since starting work on the fire pit, "Alright... let's get to the point." he leveled his gaze, "I don't deal with this kind of thing on a regular basis... can YOU tell me what's going on in her head because, honestly, I don't have the slightest idea." the words came out faster than he was used to speaking, and Elias realized that he was certainly speaking in a voice much louder than he normally used. Why was the situation aggravating him so much?
"She's hurt." Lord Raes responded in a flat, even tone, but Elias didn't need to be a mind reader to know what the dog was thinking; his ears pulled back and faintly lifted lip told the Geomancer enough.
"Why?" Elias asked plaintively.
"Because she feels slighted by you." the dog answered in the same flat tone.
"It wasn't like I MEANT to call her stupid!" the armadillo slapped his forehead with his palm, "I mean, I was just pointing out to Elesin that--"
"That wasn't the start of the problem." the champion interrupted him.
"Then for the love of the Goddess-worshiping empire, what in the Eternal Flame IS the problem?" Elias demanded.
"Exactly what Elesin suggested."Lord Raes sat down after drawing his sword, and he began to polish it with a lightly oiled rag, "She feels betrayed."
"Betrayed?" Elias paused, his ears raising, "What?... How?... Why?" the questions came out one after another.
"Dana..." Lord Raes turned his sword over and continued polishing it, "the way you were looking at her... the way you were talking with her."
"Dana?" the armadillo asked in confusion, "The white wolf? What does she have to do with--"
"Everything." the dog answered, running a thumb across the flat of the blade as he inspected his handiwork, "she is very insecure and she thinks that you might be interested in Dana."
"Well of COURSE I'm interested in Dana... but not in a way that should threaten Kay--"
"It does." Raes interrupted him, "She isn't as self assured as she seems at times."
Elias frowned, "Doesn't that make it HER problem, and not--"
"If you're serious about a relationship then HEr problems are YOUR problems too." the words were icy and punctuated with a faint growl as they came out of the champion's muzzle, "And I assume you ARE serious...?"
"Of COURSE, I am!" Elias objected to the suggestion of anything but.
"Then you're going to have to learn a thing or two about empathy." Lord Raes snorted, his face returning to a mask of serenity as he polished at a small blemish on his blade, "A relationship is not unlike a sword. It has two sides, and for it to work, both sides must function well."
"What a great metaphor..." Elias scowled, "I'm not good with swords either."
"And yet with practice you can learn." Lord Raes quickly added, "Like swords, relationships require constant attention and constant practice and constant maintenance." the dog stood, "I am going to check on Kayte."
"Maybe I should--"
"Perhaps you should remain here." the dog spoke over him.
Elias scowled after Lord Raes left, stuck with his own thoughts and mulling over the seemingly lifeless black stone he rolled around in his palm... in the case of rocks, he knew that appearances could deceive, and he was just starting to compare that to relationships when he found out that he was no longer alone.
"Moping, huh?" Jules asked, taking a seat across from the armadillo at the empty fire pit.
"I'm not moping..." Elias objected, "I'm just... perturbed."
"The Priestess." the Wild Lander smirked, as much guessing as asking.
"What is everyone's obsession with my business, exactly?" the armadillo scowled.
"It involves traveling companions, so we tend to make it our business." Elias received a wink after the comment, "Besides... I've had my own fair share of lady troubles."
"So I take it you consider yourself a lady's man then?" the Geomancer questioned flatly.
"Something like that." Jules responded with a grin, "At least I know not to call my girl stupid."
"That was for illustrative purposes!" Elias objected, "How was I supposed to know that she--"
"By paying attention to the signs." Roarg spoke up, casually strolling into camp, "They were written all over her face."
"So you're all against me, is that it?" the armadillo scowled.
"No... we're FOR you," Roarg set several logs into the fire pit, "and for Kayte too."
Exasperated, Elias crossed his arms and raised his shoulders, "Can we talk about something other than my personal business now?"
"We found a spring to the north." Sebastian offered.
"That's a start." Elias acknowledged.
"I soldiered Elesin." Sebastian added.
"You what?" Jules questioned. Several ears went up and eyes turned to focus on the gryphon.
"Never mind." Roarg quickly spoke up, giving the gryphon a kick to the hind-quarters. Sebastian let out an indignant squawk, but got the idea, "The important thing is that we have a water source to round out our supplies for tomorrow. I figure once Iskiy and Elesin get back they can help me consolidate supplies and free up a few more barrels for water."
The group found things to discuss besides Elias and Kayte and, on several occasions Roarg preempted Sebastian's discussion of "kangaroo-based military deployment". The sun was already setting by the time Iskiy and the battle mage returned.
Elesin was the first to speak up, "Well... we found two things: chicken and shit... and, unfortunately, the chickens were dead."
Sebastian cocked his head to the side, "Were they still edible?"
The kangaroo looked at him blankly, "Wha?"
"The chickens." the gryphon licked his beak, "Dead chickens can still be edible, right?"
Elesin flicked an ear, "No, Sebastian... no they were not."
"But we did find a stretch of rock heading out across the sand." Iskiy added before anybody else could speak up, "It's flat enough and wide enough to hold The Risen... that might help us travel as far as we can without getting stuck in the sand."
Roarg rubbed his muzzle, "It's a thought... but I'm pretty sure Priestess Delier and Lord Raes will want to continue along the Highway."
"Pfft." Elesin rolled her eyes, "The Highway is probably buried under a foot of sand... ASSUMING we could track it, I don't think its protective magic will make that much of a difference in the middle of a wasteland."
Roarg glanced toward her quietly before stating simply, "You'd be surprised."
Elias knew she was going to talk before he could stop her, but he was unable to quiet his black apprentice stone in time. "Rrok karoum kul korrakak." the spirit within the stone spoke clearly. In any given situation the tongue of earth elementals could have possibly been mistaken for the sound of a falling tree, or a boulder rolling downhill... but unfortunately Roarg ruined that option.
"I agree." the badger nodded, "The magic of the Highway would not be inhibited by the sand in the least."
The stone in Elias' hand fidgeted in surprise, but not as much as Elias. Even during his many years as a Geomancer he had never learned more than a few words of the enigmatic earth elementals. He was struck dumb, unable to believe that any living being was so knowledgeable. He was just about to voice his surprise when--
"He speaks Earth Elemental." Iskiy reminded him casually.
* * * * * *
A few pointed discussions later and the party is still no closer to crossing the vast desert. What we HAVE done, however, is presented the Contributing-Readers their next important vote:
1) Follow along the sand-covered Highway. (-Delay, + Danger) 2) Use the rock bridge Iskiy and Jules found. (+ Delay, - Favor, - Danger, + Luck) 3) Hold the phone-- Roarg has gotten by without addressing some questions about his 'talents' for long enough... it's time to get some answers! (+ Delay, + info) 4) Oh great and wonderous Author, we haven't had an "interesting event" in a long time... how about mixing things up a bit and throw us a monkey wrench? (++ Danger, + Favor, + Experience)
Contributing Readers will need to vote before midnight on Thursday, January 19th.