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< Tomb Raiding | Sol Invictus Logs | Essence Flows 3 >

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Cerin finds Zahara in her room in one of the less ruined towers, the rest of the circle either back at the cascade, or in Marku's case trying to find certain rare herbs...

• Cerin looks quite serious as he enters the room "I need to talk with you, Zahara"
• Zahara is lounging around in the comfort afforded by strange stones that look solid but are in fact, able to mold to the contours of her body. She's fiddling with some small, dangerous looking object. At his entrance, she looks up and smiles, "Yes, Cerin? About what?" she gestures to a squishy-stone near her.

<Cerin> "About quite a few things" he doesnt sit "The Lily for one"

• Zahara rearranges herself into a sitting position. "The Lily... the same Lily that those three Gods mentioned?"
• Cerin nods "But first, I wish for you to sanctify an Oath for me, so that you will know the truth of my words"
• Zahara raises a brow, intrigued, "Speak the Oath, then." She holds her hand out towards him, palm up.
• Cerin takes her hand "I swear to you that none of the words I speak to you in the next six hours shall be falsehoods"
• Zahara places her other hand over his, and sends the words to the Gods above, "Let It Be So!" the Essence pours into their clasped hands, and then expands in a glittering ring around them.

<Cerin> "Thank you for that, Zahara"

<Zahara> "I suspect you'll want to close the door, then. We wouldn't want the wrong ears to hear this."

• Cerin nods, he goes and shuts the door, locking it and settles himself on the chair. He still seems quiet serious and on edge
• Zahara ponders offering tea, decides that wouldn't go over well, and waits for him to start.

<Cerin> "Now, the reason I know of the Lily is because I used to work for them. That is the reason I joined your circle."

• Zahara studies him intently, allowing Essence to color her perceptions more accurately. "You joined our circle, who knows nothing of this Lily, because you worked for them?"
• Cerin nods "That was the instruction I was given. They wished for me to watch you, and guide you somewhat, and to become a friend of the circle"

<Zahara> "And yet, you killed those three with something I can only describe as Vengeance."

• Cerin nods "Shortly before the explosion..on my hunting trip..I met with an agent of this group, my contact with in it. He told me to stop you from venturing to Rathess ...but I could not stop you after the blast, part of me had no desire too"

<Zahara> "Is that all he asked of you?"

<Cerin> "I was to kill you if I could not persaude you...I have no intention of killing any of you now"

<Zahara> "Interesting. What changed your mind?"

<Cerin> "He knew! He knew the fate of my town, the fate I told you of as Gilmyne danced. And he told me nothing of this god, that he lived still, that he was out there. He knew and he told me nothing"

<Cerin> "For that I have already told him I will see him dead"

<Zahara> "Was this god that hurt your people, in the employ of The Lily?"

<Cerin> "That I do not know, Axhelm was hardly in a position to be questioned. It may well be though, the situation in Arranth and Listran were near identical"

• Zahara frowns to herself, "It seems likely." She does not seem entirely bothered by the idea he was sent to kill them. "And his plans, do you know anything of those?"

<Cerin> "I know little of their plans..I can tell you of what I have done for them"

<Zahara> "Please."

• Cerin describes the Red Lily. They are a group of high powered entities, who apparantly want to rule the world. Cerins missions of rhtem have included killing various things, retreiving occult ingredients, guiding people through the wilderness, clearing a tunnel network for transport in the north

<Zahara> "You have done much in the service of this Red Lily, but nothing, so far, specifically against us. For that, I am grateful." The lingering statement ends in something to the effect of 'because I would not want to have to kill you' but it remains unspoken.

• Cerin nods "There is one thing that I have concealed from you. I know who broke into your manse, he is the man who I will kill, and he is the man who sent me to meet you"

<Zahara> "Do not be so sure you will be the one to slay him."

<Cerin> "I swore upon the winds that my arrows would be the ones to take of his life, though he will not be easy prey for he is an Exalt"

<Zahara> "What kind of Exalt? I can think of better ends for him than simple death."

<Cerin> "I do not know"

<Cerin> "He is not chosen of the dragons, or the sun, or the moon, or the stars, or of death"

• Zahara frowns, "Is he of Chaos?"

<Cerin> "He is not exalted of the wyld either, to my knowledge"

<Zahara> "Hmmmm... Possessed by a Demon?" she hazards

<Cerin> "No, I would see that"

• Zahara taps her fingers against the dangerous-looking shiny thing in her lap. "He must be something."
• Cerin eyes the shiney with a wary look "I believe he is the Exalt of a God of Flowers"
• Zahara frowns, "Certainly no lesser God could Exalt a being that could compare to us in power."

<Cerin> "Gods of less spiritual power than yourself made for themselves Exalts, flawed Exalts, but Exalts none the less"

<Zahara> "F Lawed?, you say?"

<Cerin> "Their charms were ...incomplete, possesed of strict limitations. And of course their power was tied very closely to their parents"

• Zahara smiles slowly, "Interesting. Tell me more."

<Cerin> "Well, you saw what happened when the shining gods died, did you not?"

<Zahara> "You destroyed them utterly, it seemed."

<Cerin> "I was refering to what happened to their guards. They were Exalts"

<Zahara> "I apologize, I was a bit distracted at the time..."

<Cerin> "They expired, rather messily, without us laying a finger on them"

<Zahara> "Ahh, how convenient of them. So they were tied to the Essence of their gods?"

• Cerin nods "The two patterns matched almost identically"

<Zahara> "And these of the Red Lily... what God do they spring from?"

<Cerin> "I know only one man in the red lily, and I know not the god that he sprung forth from, I have not seen essence like it before, though it must be a powerful one, for he approaches us in power"

<Zahara> "It's a shame we do not know which. For the God that spawned them is our true enemy.

<Cerin> "I will recognise the god when I see it"

<Zahara> "I wonder how hard it would be to chain him... I have not studied the Gods yet." she muses.

<Cerin> "I know only how to slay them."

<Zahara> "And quite well, at that. Now, while we are still speaking truth, will you promise to me that you will not harm any of our Circle?"

<Cerin> "If the circle offers me no harm in return. I have already said I have no desire to harm any of the circle, least of all you"

<Zahara> "Indeed, but desire is not always the same as action."

<Cerin> "All I will say is I do not see myself wanting to harm you, any of you, but I do not wish swear to something that will bind me for all my long life"

<Zahara> "I fear I cannot trust a wish. I need your word that so long as we do no harm to you, you will do no harm to us, in word or deed."

<Cerin> "Very well, As long as you offer no harm to me, I shall do no harm unto you"

• Zahara looks him straight in the eye. "You have told me enough to warrant a death sentence already. Your word on this is what keeps the sentence from being passed."
• Cerin nods

<Zahara> "Have you made oaths to any others?"

<Cerin> "The one other oath I have offered unto the world is that I shall slay Lai"

• Zahara nods, and smiles, "Good. We wouldn't want you to have to deal with any nagging conflicts of interest."

<Cerin> "Indeed."

• Zahara idly asks, after a long moment, "So what were you supposed to gain by infiltrating our circle?"

<Cerin> "I do not know"

<Zahara> "Did you tell them anything yet?"

<Cerin> "That you suspected nothing about the nature of the guards of the shining gods. From messages I have recieved, I think they have other agents within your followers"

<Zahara> "Then none shall know of this meeting, the better to root them out from within. You will pass on false information to your former masters, who I suspect do not yet know of your betrayal. You can tell them you tried to stop us, but were unable."

<Cerin> "I do not think that ruse will work. He knows about the history between myself and Axhelm, he will not trust any information I give, if he asks for it even"

<Zahara> "He may know your history, but he does not know your loyalties. You slew Axhelm, thus that debt is paid. He could claim it as an oversight, or protecting your feelings, as to why he did not tell you."

<Cerin> "Perhaps." he shrusg to admit you know more about such things than him

<Zahara> "You can confront him with the knowledge, use it to explain why you did not stop us. Give him a chance to make it up to you."

<Cerin> "Next time I see him I will kill him."

<Zahara> "That would not be wise. We need him to link to his masters. First you must use him, squeeze him dry. Then when he has exceeded his usefulness, THEN it will be time to destroy him. Acting too early will not allow us to prepare a surprise for his masters."

<Cerin> "I see the wisdom of your words"

<Zahara> "Then I trust you will hold back, unless he sees through our ruse?"

• Cerin closes his eyes "...I will try"

<Zahara> "Just remember, Cerin, each piece of information you steal from him is another blow you're striking. Each time you feed him a lie about us, you wound him. Wounds that strike further than the flesh."

• Cerin nods
• Zahara places a hand on his shoulder, and says gravely, "I am glad you came to me with this information. The less people that know about it, the better, or else rumors may spread."
• Cerin nods again

<Zahara> "Hmmm perhaps we can find ourselves a spy among our followers and attribute the information to them."

<Cerin> "Perhaps...there are demons that hunt traitors, they may be more efficient than any other"

• Zahara smiles, "Very very true. I shall summon one when we get home."
• Zahara doesn't mention what happened the LAST time she tried that.

<Cerin> "I shall watch if you wish. I've never seen a sorcerrous demon summoning before"

<Zahara> "I would like that. You should know that Summoning Demons is not an easy task. If things get out of hand, which they likely will not, you should be armed. I wouldn't want you to get hurt." she smiles.

<Cerin> "I shall do my utmost of avoid it then" he smiles "I will do my best to avoid seeing you hurt too, for that would be most upsetting"

• Zahara smiles "You're too kind."

<Cerin> "Not to you"

• Zahara smiles and lets the statement linger for a bit, then "I have much to think on, Cerin. I will see you in the morning."
• Cerin nods "Thank you, Zahara. Sleep well"
• Cerin stands in a fluid motion and starts to walk from the room. He seems to be relieved.
• Zahara lounges back on her 'bed' and watches him go languidly. How interesting.

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Tags: (:tags Red Lily, Lai Misuna, God-Exalts:)

< Tomb Raiding | Sol Invictus Logs | Essence Flows 3 >