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< The Spider's Tarnished Web | Red Ice Logs | A Chat At The Inn >

• Iron Horse knows the area around his home pretty well, seeing how he used to run all over the place when he was a kid. While he never did go into the temple, he did know plenty about the roads between it and his home. For example, a wide cave where a wild animal may have rested once, but now it's a shelter for Iron Horse and the Exalts he and his group rescued. Now, he's standing by the entrance, waiting on his companions...
• Kinqueduran appears in the hazy dawn, a picture of savage warfare, drenched in blood, his spear and shield on his back, Glory slung over his shoulder, and the ghastly severed head of their Abyssal foe hanging by tangled hair in his right hand.
• Iron Horse blinks, and steps forward, waving at K.
• Kinqueduran only nods a greeting, his hands full, at least until he carefully lays Glory down.
• Jaom slogs along behind Kin, a nasty line of red running along her stomach from that damned demon's strike. Otherwise, she looks tired, vaguely slimy, dusty, and generally unhappy. She is also on fire. "... well, that was fun."

Iron Horse: "... you look like hell."

• Kinqueduran grunts a little, sitting down and leaning on the cave's wall on the opposite side of the sleeping and wounded. "I -feel- like hell..."
• Jaom makes her way over to Glory, giving her a look before shaking her head and sitting not too far from her, wiping a bit of dried blood from her boot. "Likewise... but success is success. Whatever the hell it is you were supposed to be doing."
• Kinqueduran shrugs, tucking the severed head into an oiled canvas sack. "We rescued our three 'friends', and got out alive. I call it successful."

Jaom: "Heh! Man... I don't think I'm ever gonna forget that. I can still taste bile in my mouth... yech."

• Kinqueduran grunts. "Don't remind me. I need a bath and a damn long nap."
• Iron Horse sighs. "... um... sorry for not helping in the fight..."
• Jaom flashes a weary smile. "Agreed. And... look, Horse. It happens... besides, what if someone'd been waiting outside? A few worn-out, disoriented an---people aren't going to fight at their fullest."
• Kinqueduran shrugs. "Don't worry about it, kid. We handled it."
• Iron Horse sighs again. "... So, what now?"

Jaom: "Hell if I know. I got dragged into this mess."

Kinqueduran: "I'm not sure." He glances over at the sleeping Solar, frowns, and looks back at the two awake Exalted. "I'm afraid I have to turn him in to Deimos."

Jaom: "Eh? Deimos?"

Kinqueduran: "He's a jackass. You'd like him."

• Jaom opens her mouth to say something, then closes it.

Iron Horse: "... Wonder what he wants him for."

• Kinqueduran groans, wiping the blood from his face. "If you have something to say, say it, please."

Jaom: "I was about to say I only like you because you're an amusing jackass."

Kinqueduran: "And I have no idea, Iron Horse, but I don't think I want to be quite that brazen an asshole."

Kinqueduran: "That's very sweet of you to say, Jaom."

• Jaom offers a shrug and a smile in reply.
• Kinqueduran smiles a little, the remaining blood on his face making the lines a little more apparent. Just then, he looked terribly old, terribly tired.

Jaom: "Mmmmn. You really do need a nap and a bath. Hells, we all do. And some grub... anything, even shitty tavern food."

• Kinqueduran chuckles a little, then looks at Iron Horse. "Any news? Also, was there an inn or tavern in your village? I can't remember."

Iron Horse: "There's an inn, yeah. ... no news I can think of."

• Kinqueduran nods, slouching. "Alright. Let's let those four rest, then we can make for your village."

Jaom: "Mmmmm..."

• Jaom scratches at her nose. "... wonder how things are back home, aside from vindictive."

Kinqueduran: "I have a feeling you're not going to be able to find out for a while. It might be best not to think about it much."

Jaom: "Hah! I figure you three'll keep me occupied."

Kinqueduran: "I'm sure Glory and Iron Horse will. I intend to sleep for a few days."

• Iron Horse just blinks. "I suppose I could show you around."

Jaom: "Nice... although that sleep thing sounds grand right now."

Kinqueduran: "Almost wish we could go back to the Chamber of Wine."

Jaom: "... and have us drooling over you instead of Iron Horse?"

• Jaom gives Kin a big, broad, teasing grin.
• Kinqueduran laughs. "That would probably just make me uncomfortable. I was thinking more of the fountain and the garden, actually."

Jaom: "It can damn well stay there."

Kinqueduran: "That's probably for the best, anyway."

• Iron Horse just blinks again.
• Kinqueduran sighs. "So. What would we all like to do now?"

Jaom: "Have a drink and some time to heal."

Kinqueduran: "Well, that we could do here and now."

Jaom: "This isn't comfortable surroundings. It's a bloody cave, Kin."

Iron Horse: "You have something to drink?"

• Kinqueduran looks around, shocked and amazed. "It's a cave? I didn't notice!"
• Jaom rolls her eyes and idly looks down at Glory. "Damn brave girl..."

Kinqueduran: "Brave, maybe. Careless, though."

Jaom: "Those go hand-in-hand sometimes... I should know."

Kinqueduran: "They don't have to, though. I don't expect it to be a pattern with her, though. Or, at least, I hope it's not."

• Jaom shrugs, looking to Horse. "... me? I might? Check my pack..."

Jaom: "Never hurts to have water... but I don't carry any alcohol. That's the start of wild days when you get tipsy on the road."

• Kinqueduran slumps back against the cave wall more, looking up at the ceiling. "How long do you think it'll be before it'll be safe to travel?"

Iron Horse: "... Wish I knew."

• Kinqueduran nods a little at Jaom. "How's Glory?"

Jaom: "Whatever Exaltation she's got, she's probably going to be thanking her lucky stars it works well enough to keep her going. I've seen good men die from less."

• Kinqueduran glances briefly at the canvas sack at his feet. "I could say the same of our new buddy."

Jaom: "Well, you damn well spit the bastard. That's got to wreck a few important parts."

• Kinqueduran shrugs. "If they're important, he should protect them better."
• Jaom pauses... then laughs heartily. "Hehheh... heh... ow, my gut."

Kinqueduran: "Anyway, we should move on to the village. I'll make a palette for Glory, and I can carry Nine. The other two can walk."

Iron Horse: "Can I help?"

• Jaom mmms and nods, her flames waning some until they're little more than mere show, and not actual heat and essence-based death. "It'd be appreciated."

Kinqueduran: "I can manage it."

• Kinqueduran stands, stepping outside the cave to muster up materials for the aforementioned carrier.
• Jaom looks Horse's way. "Is he always like this?"

Iron Horse: "Pretty much."

• Kinqueduran returns soon, having assembled the makeshift litter. Without a word, he begins gathering up Glory to lay her on the mat.

Jaom: "Heh... take-charge types are good."

• Kinqueduran grunts back at Jaom, then drapes the unconscious Sidereal over his shoulder as delicately as he can, then takes hold of the litter. "Let's go."

Jaom: "Not one to waste time, either. Alright, let's."

• Iron Horse nods, hopping to his feet.
• Jaom rises as well and preps to move out.
• Kinqueduran pauses at the entrance to the cave. "Wake up those two."
• Iron Horse nods, and hops back to wake up the Solar and the Lunar.

< The Spider's Tarnished Web | Red Ice Logs | A Chat At The Inn >