WG - The Mystery of the Poisoned Healer Options

[mALX]

*

Maxical:

She smiled in relief. The last thing she'd want to do was make Seth angry. Not just because he smelled like Gils, but for himself. He was nice beneath the distance he had to enforce for his profession.

Khajiit read people through their eyes, and his showed a tender side that was proven when he spoke about his sister.

"The man that peed on me may still be back there with his companion, unless the screaming scared them away. I was hiding in the bushes from them and it landed on me."


*

[Black Hand]

Sethyas did a quick wash-up in his quarters and strolled silently through the crowds taking in everything. He was in hunt mode, and sought his quarry with a renewed focus. He didn't see anything matching her description, or even an Altmer, but he would check more thouroughly returning.

For now he made his way outside, and scanned two bodies that were breathing normally on top of one another. He raised an eyebrow as he checked their pulses.

Multiple strike trauma to the face and torso on either,and both have bruised knuckles. Did these men knock each other out? He thought.

"I'm glad I didn't tick her off in hindsight." Seth muttered.

He made his way to the body, that just looked like a drunk was sleeping it off slumped up against the wall. He examined the surrounding and satisfied that no one was around, started to examine the body.

Cyanosis; blue tinting of the skin. Cause of death: hypoxia. Dead in five minutes after drinking the wine. Smells like almonds. It would come across as the onset of extreme alcohol poisoning at first, vomiting, comatose, then finally death. The almond scent would dissipate after four hours leaving any examiner to conclude he died of asphyxiation by the vomiting, rather than the poison. This is our professional.

Which means that they are aware that Abiene lives, as well as that she has protection possibly if Maxical was intended to be the messenger.

[mALX]

*

Maxical:

Maxical scrubbed herself with her scented soap and washed her hair thoroughly, carefully going over the cut on the side of her forehead that Abiene had dealt her with that book.

When she was cleaned she donned a tee shirt and her greaves and sword to protect Abiene in case Seth didn't return; then padded down to the kitchen to heat the coffee in case he did come back.


*

[Grits]

Abiene stood holding on to furniture as Sethyas stalked away down the stairs. She pressed her nose into her elbow against the smell while she gasped to catch her breath. Fighting two assassins in as many minutes took a toll, even when they both turned out to be friends.

He had loomed up like some wrathful figure out of a nightmare. I didn’t think a body could live through such a fright, thought Abiene.

Her eyes went to the source of the odor. Oh gods, I tried to brain him with the camber pot!

Maxical had hurried after Seth to apologize. Abiene started to follow, but their words stopped her feet.

“He lays dead outside the back door to this suite.”

“…I'll examine the body right now…”

Abiene’s knees buckled. She sat on the floor next to the tipped-over urn while Maxical went about her bath.

I wonder if he had a family, she thought. Stealing wine shouldn’t be a death sentence. That man would be alive if not for me.

Eventually the stink got her moving. Abiene cleaned up the substantial mess she had made and joined Maxical in the kitchen.

She pressed her hands together, not sure what to apologize for first.

“My dear Maxical,” she began. “I am so sorry for hitting you with books and a cushion and that metal plate and a tankard and dried flowers and an hourglass and also almost my shoe. And please forgive me for thinking you might be drunk. I was not myself at that moment.”

She took a deep breath.

“Also I believe I may have shoved you at Seth when I thought he was an assassin. Well, you know what I mean. That was unforgivable and I’m really sorry. I’m afraid I quite lost my head. I would have given my own mother a push at that moment, I was so scared.”

Abiene noticed that Maxical was wearing greaves and a sword. She hoped she wasn’t too mad.

“Maxical, will you allow me to heal that wound on your head? And I can wash and mend Eyja’s dress while she’s gone if you like. It won’t be perfect, but I can make a very fine stitch. And the dress won’t wiggle as much as a patient.”

[Grits]

.

Gureryne Selvilo, Chapel of Stendarr

Gureryne Selvilo stood behind the Healing Hall enjoying his pipe and solitude. The gardens were generally empty this time of day. For twenty minutes he could clear his mind and imagine himself in another kind of life.

“Master Selvilo. Master Selvilo. Master Selvilo!”

He turned slowly to face the back door and, he hazarded a guess, Neen-Samna his assistant.

The Argonian woman stood wringing her hands with a beautiful Nord at her side. An exceptionally healthy-looking Nord woman, with quite a lot of rosy flesh showing above her neckline and below her skirt.

“Yeeees?” said Gureryne.

“Message from Abiene,” said Neen-Samna. She pointed at the Nord.

Gureryne stuck the pipe in his mouth and folded his hands in greeting. “Gureryne Selvilo, Chapel Healer and servant of the Nine,” he said around the stem. And then, “Ah, she wrote a note.”

He motioned for Neen-Samna to stay as he read it. “Our Abiene’s health is improving, but she is unable to predict when she will return to us. She informs us that she is unable to perform healing services at this time.”

Neen-Samna’s jaw dropped open as Gureryne’s brows went up. He refolded the note.

“Take this in a letter,” he said to Neen-Samna, “and you may pass along the message, if you please,” he said to the Nord.

Neen-Samna began frantically patting herself down as if writing implements might pop out of her cloaca.

“When you get back to my office,” he explained to the Argonian.

“You may tell Abiene that we await further report at the end of this week, which was her allotted time for recovery. If she remains indisposed she must accept the risk that her temporary replacement will become permanent. The woman has proven capable and experienced, thank Stendarr for her timely arrival. Abiene need not concern herself for her patients in her absence.”

Gureryne lifted his eyebrows to ask, Is there anything more?

.

This post has been edited by Grits: Aug 15 2013, 05:14 AM

[mALX]

*

Eyja:


Eyja spoke loudly so everyone gathered at the various altars could hear. "I need to speak with Gureryne Selvilo, I have a message for him from Abiene, the healer."

Everyone turned and stared at her, more for the low cut top and short skirt than for her loud question.

A tall Altmer woman in richly ornate and fitted robes stepped forward. "I'll take the message to the Master."

Eyja tucked it in between her breasts and shook her head no. "My instructions were to give it only to Gureryne Selvilo. She leaned forward and put her hand to the side of her mouth as if about to share a confidence, but whispered so loudly that people several rows up in the pews turned to gape.

"I need to see him personally anyway, I need a few potions to clear up some...side effects of a night spent with the wrong man, if you get my drift."

"I'd be the one handling that, I am the healer now that Abiene is gone."

Eyja gave a leering grin and scratched her crotch. "Go to it then, should I lift my skirt? I've got no panties on, you can just get plucking away at the little buggers if that's how you do it. Oh, and I'll need some Stallion potion if you know how to make it. My...er, partner is on in years, if you get my drift. But you know the saying, the more they're gray the more they'll pay. BWAAHAA! BWAAHAA! BWAAHAAHAA!"

Eyja continued to bray out the loud laugh till everyone in the chapel had stopped activating altars and was turned staring.


"Keep your voice down, this is a house of worship! Perhaps it would be best if you stepped downstairs. Follow me."

Eyja scooted up closely and almost leaned on the woman.

"Keep your distance!"

"Mighty hoity toidy for a healer, dontcha think? Us common folk need healing too, you know. Abiene was willing to treat me last time I..."

The Altmer woman turned around with such a look of cold hatred it caused the hairs on the back of Eyja's neck and arms to raise like hackles. After a visible struggle within herself the woman seemed to catch control of herself again.

The woman took Eyja directly to Gureryne Selvilo's office, but the physician was not there. Eyja saw an older Dunmer puffing on a pipe in the gardens outside the office. She pointed.

"Is that him?"

The Altmer woman looked hesitant, but just then a young Argonian woman hurried into the office and passed them, going straight to the garden door. She tugged Eyja by the wrist, pulling her out into the garden with her.

Eyja turned back to glance at the Altmer woman and caught a disgruntled look on her face. She either didn't like the Argonian girl, or felt her authority had been usurped. Or maybe assumed authority.

At Gureryne Selvilo's words about replacing Abiene a smug look of victory flickered over the Altmer's face. Eyja's brows puckered down into a frown.

Victory? Abiene's position? Yes! Hadn't Abiene said this position was a highly sought after one? An Altmer in expensive robes, the deep voice...

Eyja took a deep breath. She would stake her life on it that this woman was the assassin.

"Excuse me, Master Gureryne Selvilo? May I have a word with you in private please?"

She squeezed the Argonian woman's arm as she passed back into the building. "Thank you."








*


Maxical:

Maxical smiled and hugged Abiene tightly. "Dearest Abiene. This is all a lot for you all at once, isn't it. You feel like you've been dropped out in the middle of an ocean and don't know how to swim or which direction land is?"

She worked her way to the table holding onto walls and sat down, indicating the seat next to her and pouring a cup of coffee.

"There's brandy there if you want some in your coffee." She pointed to a cupboard.

"Abiene, I was a dumb spoiled child just barely out of school when Akatosh called me into his service. I had no choice in it, the same as you have no choice now. Every enemy I faced was straight out of the history books, and I had no clue what I was doing or if I'd live through it. I almost didn't a few times, but here I am. We don't choose for these situations, but for you and me they came regardless. We can't wake up and they go away, we have to endure through them the best we can."

She gripped Abiene's shoulder firmly in a bracing way; the same way Uriel had with her when she'd felt overwhelmed.

"You have been thrust into a situation that is way over your head and experience. You can't run from this, it will find you. But you have the best of the best around you in Eyja and Seth. If they are protecting you, nothing will take you. You can be assured of that. What you don't know, they do. What you can't do or can't handle, they can."

She let go of Abiene's shoulder and took a sip of her coffee.

"I don't want you to apologize for what you did to me and Seth just now. Tonight you finally fought for yourself. I don't know how Seth feels about having turds and pee dumped on him, but...I'm proud of you. You stood up to what could have been two assassins. I'll take the beating to see you finally not laying down and letting the enemy take you without a fight."

She pointed to the side of her forehead where the book Abiene threw had cut her.

"This needs healing, but something else does too. When you did the surgery on me, you left some connection to yourself in me. It has me feeling off balance, like I'm walking on floating tires. Can you fix that first? I can't walk or fight like this, and I'll need to. You have one assassin after you, I have many. I'll not live if I can't fight them."




*






This post has been edited by mALX: Aug 15 2013, 06:06 AM

[Grits]

Gureryne Selvilo, at the Chapel of Stendarr

“Excuse me, Master Gureryne Selvilo? May I have a word with you in private please?”

Gureryne suppressed a sigh as he extinguished his pipe. It would be worth the expense in magicka to gain a few moments of Gureryne time. Henceforth he would enjoy his pipe under a shroud of invisibility.

They’ll probably just follow the smoke, he thought.

He held the door open for the Nord woman, then preceded her to his office. He sat behind his desk, gesturing for her to take a seat in one of the chairs opposite.

“Here we are,” he said, his tone professionally neutral. “Now, how may this Disciple of the Nine assist you?”

[mALX]

*

Eyja:

"Here we are, but I asked for a moment of privacy with you alone."

She cast dispel into the corner of the office, where the pink outline of life detect clearly showed a tall figure skulking in the corner. As Eyja suspected, it was the Altmer woman.

"And don't linger outside the doors or walls to eavesdrop, this ring detects for 250 feet." Eyja gave the Altmer woman a good imitation of the Altmer woman's own smug look of victory.

She closed the door behind her and watched till the pink outline was well distant before turning back to Gureryne Selvilo. Eyja raised one hand and cast her Dragon Armor on, then withdrew a folded parchment with Uriel Septim's royal seal on it and handed it to the Dunmer man.

"As you see, these orders are of the highest echelon of security, and do not expire for another year despite the death of the Emperor. Abiene has been commissioned by the Empire. You must know anyone called into government service cannot be relieved of the post they vacate for their service to the Empire, but must be assured of its availability on their return. Abiene has been commissioned by me to treat the Champion of Akatosh during our visit to Chorrol. The medical care of my ward was forced on Abiene by these orders, she did not choose this. If Abiene finds herself permanently replaced on her return, I will bring the full might of the Elder Council against this chapel and and against you personally, Master Gureryne Selvilo. I suggest you tear up that note and write one more appropriate, so I have no evidence in my hand to bring them."



*





This post has been edited by mALX: Aug 15 2013, 06:00 PM

[Grits]

Gureryne Selvilo

Gureryne examined the scroll and returned it to the Nord. He kept his tone reasonable. A thug in service to the Empire was still a thug, and he had little taste for dealing with them.

“You are Eyja, I presume? There is no need for threats, agent Eyja. I have no interest in engaging in a… what’s the expression? Pissing contest with you. You will find that the Elder Council is even less interested in the affairs of my surgical students, nor in any way inclined to exert its might against a chapel of the Nine. I will let Neen-Samna write the letter as I instructed her.”

Gureryne raised a hand to forestall objections while he continued.

“I do not wish to arouse suspicion by deviating from what would be a normal response. It would seem that our Abiene is not the only one who has endured physical harm if your Champion of Akatosh requires her attention. You may ease Abiene’s concerns about her return to service at the Healing Hall, verbally of course. And do be careful with her. Akatosh has gathered many champions under his wings in these troubled times, but healers of Abiene’s potential are not born under every sign. I would hope that my time spent with her would not be wasted.”

[mALX]

*

Eyja:

Eyja nodded briefly.

"I agree, or she would not have been entrusted for this commission. Her care is assured during her time with me; she is under my protection. The Elder Council may not be interested in your students, but they take great interest in murderers. I believe you know Abiene was given a lethal dose of a rare poison not days ago. We suspect the person who poisoned her to be connected with the one who attacked my ward."

She paused while she folded her orders and restored them to the inner pocket of her Dragon cuirass.

"Someone with access to that type poison is not new to killing. It would have to be someone close enough to her routine to have access to her food and drink. Why Abiene was targeted is unknown; but ambition is a prime motivator. If you would take my advice I think it would be wise for you to take the same precautions in your own food and drink which we are taking with Abiene's. Frustrated by the inability to access one target, they may seek another; and from what Abiene has said you are extremely gifted in the field of medicine."

She raised her hand and dismissed her Dragon armor, once again wearing the short skirt and low cut blouse.

"I thank you for your time, Master Gureryne Selvilo." She pounded her fist to her chest in salute and turned to leave.


*





This post has been edited by mALX: Aug 15 2013, 07:09 PM

[Grits]

Abiene

Maxical’s warm hug did as much to reassure Abiene as did her comforting words.

“This needs healing, but something else does too,” Maxical told her. “When you did the surgery on me, you left some connection to yourself in me. It has me feeling off balance, like I'm walking on floating tires. Can you fix that first? I can't walk or fight like this, and I'll need to. You have one assassin after you, I have many. I'll not live if I can't fight them.”

Floating tires… Does she know Levitation? Abiene shook off her distraction and focused on the issue.

“I hope I can fix it, Maxical. I did use an energy conversion spell when I healed you , though it shouldn’t have affected you. But there’s no telling how your…” Abiene leaned in and whispered “…condition might change things. I’m not much of a mystic. The best I can do is take a look and see.”

Abiene sat down and put her hands out on the table for Maxical to take when she was ready. “I should warn you that I’m always struggling to maintain boundaries between myself and my patient. You’ve experienced that, and it goes both ways. While I’m searching for the answer in you, you might feel uncomfortably close to me. Not so much inside my thoughts as inside my emotions. I can’t read minds no matter what Jerric says, so don’t worry about me finding out secrets. I might feel a deep well of sadness but no amount of prying would show me the cause.”

She twisted her fingers together for a moment before she noticed and stilled them. “Of course I can’t be certain what you’re capable of seeing in my mind. Hopefully nothing that will… Anyway, I hope you’d ask before… I hope you won’t judge me too harshly.”

[mALX]

*

Eyja:

As soon as she had closed Master Selvilo's office door behind her Eyja cast chameleon and began a full surveilance of the tall pink outline of the Altmer woman. She began silently compiling a dossier on her routine, her activities and which room she slept in. When the Altmer sat down to her dinner with the others, Eyja searched her room thoroughly.

Behind a large dresser she found two brownish vials hidden. She slipped them into her pocket and left two matching vials of her own in their place, hers containing a mild cure for constipation.

Her search turned up no documentation or even a letter from home that would give her identity. Abiene may know her name, but may not disclose it. Eyja needed that name to compile a full profile and pry into the Altmer woman's past history.

She took the risk, slipping silently up behind the Altmer woman as she ate. The attempt to pickpocket the woman's documents failed, there were none on her to be taken. Eyja backed silently away, frustrated.

The temptation was too great to turn tables on the poisoner. Eyja slipped a strong version of the anti-constipation potion out of her pack and uncorked it. As she crept past the counter she palmed a fork. Just before reaching the table she tossed it to her left, aiming it to land at the feet of the young Argonian girl who had helped her earlier.

The loud clatter caught everyone's attention, and the nervous Argonian dropped her own fork at the sound. It hit her plate and splashed red sauce on her. The laughter of the others at her predicament was diversion enough, Eyja tipped the strong potion into the Altmer's wine.

Eyja eased back out, leaving the chapel. Next she went to the laboratory in the sewers beneath Chorrol. She gathered up the wall hangings Maxical had described, several black soul gems, some bottles of Skooma, and a few books; texts on necromancy and two on the tenets of the Dark Brotherhood.

Still in chameleon, she re-entered the living area of the chapel and crept back to the Altmer woman's room and began planting the items. Eyja placed the books around in a natural manner, mixing them in to the texts and tomes that were already laying on tabletops.

The set of wallhangings Eyja hung on the wall over the bed so they could be easily seen by anyone standing in the corridor if the door was opened. She lay one black soul gem on the center of the coffee table mixed into the bowl of fruit there, then hid the rest of them about the room in various drawers, under dressers and behind the drapes. Places that would easily be found in a search.

Eyja also hid the Skooma in such a way that it could be readily found by anyone searching. She gapped the door wide so anyone passing would see the wallhangings and be drawn into the room to find the rest.

As Eyja crept out they were rising from the dining table. She darted into the nearest door to avoid having someone trip over her invisible form. It turned out to be the kitchen. They would be in here any second to clean their plates. Drat!

Eyja moved along the wall and into the pantry in the back to hide; and was startled by the number of mice in there. On the spur of the moment she grabbed up as many as she could catch, tucking them into a nearby sack almost empty of grain.

While she was crouched there waiting for the kitchen to clear out, a horrible smell wafted under her nose. She tracked the rank odor down to what looked to be some sheep organs decaying under a low shelf.

Eyja grabbed them with a towel and tossed them into the sack with the mice, giving the sack a tight twist to keep the odor or mice from escaping. She slid out of the pantry and along the wall quickly, for all the noise of their voices in washing dishes covered any sound she could have made.

She returned to the Altmer woman's room and pulled the sheets back, dumping the sack of mice into them and quickly tucking the sheet back over them. The sheep organs she cast a spell on to make them completely invisible regardless of touch. Those she hid well, so they would not be found readily if found at all.

The smaller invisible entrails she mixed among the Altmer woman's clothing in the drawers, a sachet of a different kind. It would be impossible to completely remove that stench from the cloth of her robes, panties, and socks. Eyja and Seth would be able to smell her coming, at least till she realized she was wafting announcement of her arrival.

The reek was already permeating the corridor outside the room by the time she left it. She left the door open wide again, the smell would draw people in to see the wallhangings.

Eyja slid silently out of the chapel and hurried back to the Wobbly Inn. Best warn Seth to be on his guard from here out, she had just declared war on the assassin.


*




This post has been edited by mALX: Aug 16 2013, 02:43 AM

[mALX]

*

Maxical:

Maxical looked down in embarrassment. "Who am I to judge anyone? I have had the same longings. Khajiit love their mates beyond the grave, but the desire to feel a man responding in your arms doesn't go away. It haunts your dreams and your waking moments when one is near that reminds." She jerked her head in the direction of the back door, knowing Abiene would understand who she meant.

"Others are easy to dismiss. But there are some that I just have to be stronger for the battle against the temptation to dishonor Gils' memory with. I have the five to comfort me in my weakest moments."

Abiene looked confused. "Five? ..."

Maxical held up her hand and smiled. For the first time since Maxical met her, Abiene laughed spontaneously in genuine amusement; freely.

Abiene looked stunning in that moment, the worry and care lifted from her; no illness or fear to hinder the joy that lit her eyes. Jerric must have seen her like that, so completely happy. How he must love her...she needed to do that more often, so he'd be reminded of that side of her.

Maxical leaned over and squeezed Abiene's hand. "I'm glad we met, Abiene. I've heard of you for so long, come to know you through the eyes of those who love you. Now I am beginning to see for myself."


*

[Black Hand]

Brows furrowed in concentration.

This act...it is deadly and decisive. But it is also rash. Desperate. To make oneself seen too witnesses, with a trail to follow. What is it that Abiene possesses that another would benefit from her death?

He put his mindset back into his younger days, where he acquired his skills in acquisition. In the Guild. The Thieves' Guild to those outside their thin, yet secure veil of secrecy. He merely polished and sharpened other talents within the Morag Tong.

Follow the Gold. He reminded himself.

Abiene said that she had acquired a seat with a rare College within Restoration for a Surgeon.

Once, they would have been the local blacksmith sawing off a limb as the victim bit down on a blade. More recent advancements had made it possible to flay a patient open and remove the offending cause of an internal injury that the more simple remedies of potions and restoratives simply didn't address.

Indeed, Abiene had showed him a talent in not just restoration, but regeneration. The ability to restore lost tissues en masse, such as an entire digit and it's corresponding attributes; such as muscles, bones, tendons, blood vessels, et cetera. As such it was much more than just forcing the tissues to replicate faster, in essence merely copying and speeding up the natural healing process it was a generation ahead and above the current arts and sciences.

Whomever would wield that type of skill....would be just as in demand as an elite Assassin... He thought.

And if that person had some sort of connection to Necromancers and the Brotherhood. There's no telling how much this College would benefit Necromancers. His mind clicked the pieces slowly into place.

With that, he heard a slight rustling in the grass. He made no motion, save for imbibing a 'Detect Life' potion.

He unsheathed Shimsil, and turned. The only life sign he could detect was at least five hundred paces off, and it was a quadruped. Most likely a skeever...or cave rat. Whatever the kids called it these days.

He relaxed a bit, until he heard the rustling again.

This time he imbibed a 'Detect Dead' potion.

His heart skipped a beat as he saw a red mist ambling through the field towards him. Coming from the direction of...Cloud Top.

He walked towards the figure just as casually as it walked to him. Knowing who it was, even before he could finally see the rotting face.

"Missed me?" The one-sided smiling face spoke out in a guttural voice that showed his internal muscles working and struggling to voice it. The stitching was sloppy and haphazard and clearly showed where the wound of a massive Daedric Battle-Axe had hewn him in two.

"How many times do I have to kill you?" Sethyas whispered at the Orc.

This post has been edited by Black Hand: Aug 16 2013, 12:57 AM

[Black Hand]

The grass rustled once more.

This time it was the light steps of a running Dunmer, one who was not at all pleased too see this raised dead once again. His blade swept imperceptibly against a night sky the ebony making contact with the Orc's remaining head. In reaction, the zombie swung out. But it's moves were too slow and erratic.

I put Arkay's Blessing on you. I buried you. This has to be the work of a Master Necromancer. He thought, knowing that the more skilled ones had ways to work around his very simple layman's version.

In almost a rage, Sethyas swung out again and again at the unholy revenant. The sickening crack of bone and the squishy resistance of flesh. He was literally hacking it apart, limb by limb, piece by piece. Fighting through the stench and the natural mortal terror of the unnatural.

Finally, the Orc lay in more pieces than Seth cared to count. He fell to his knees trying to catch his breath after the exertion, a motion from his peripherals forced his view to the pile. A hand still wriggled trying to complete it's apparent task of attacking him.

Screaming in frustration, he acquired a large tarp from the stables not too far and with a strength earned over two centuries of sweat and effort piled the wriggling body into the bag and took it to the ruins where he'd disposed of the Dark Brother.

He went to the pig troughs and grabbed two heavy pails of their excrement, and a few bottles of the incredibly potent sujamma. He covered the pile of body parts in both, and lit it. The fire rose slowly at first, mostly the nearly invisible blue flame of the Sujamma burning, then finally the pig waste caught aflame and began to rage into an inferno, making even the bones of the Orc turn black and brittle.

Rise up from that! He thought in a sort of vengeful pride as the flames reflected off his crimson eyes.

"This is actually another clue. And it means our target is running scared..." He thought aloud. "But, how do I explain it? Perhaps Abiene can clue me in, this has to be Regeneration."

He returned to the suite as quickly and stealthily as he could. From here he could smell the pot of coffee. A very welcoming scent after all that.

This post has been edited by Black Hand: Aug 16 2013, 02:05 AM

[mALX]

Maxical heard the sounds of combat outside the suite and pulled herself to the window by holding onto the table and then the counter. She peeked out, thinking maybe the two drunks had made the mistake of waking up and attacking Seth. What she saw...

"HOLY [CENSORED] mother of [censored] [CENSORED]! Abiene, GET IN YOUR ROOM NOW AND BOLT YOUR DOOR!"

Maxical couldn't help Seth if she couldn't stand. Not just that, she couldn't leave Abiene. She was the only one here left to protect her. She cast to seal all windows and doors as she pulled herself to the stairs and climbed them behind Abiene.

When she heard the bolt slide on Abiene's bedroom door she cast to seal it, then wedged her back against it and drew her sword. In her left hand instead of her shield she loaded that shock spell Earana had inadvertently bestowed on her. She'd go down fighting if the Orc came, but knew she had no way to kill an undead one that powerful.



*





This post has been edited by mALX: Aug 16 2013, 02:25 AM

[Grits]

Abiene stood with her palm against the sealed door, heart pounding in her throat.

Eyja’s words returned to her mind. “Without her knowledge, she is my responsibility. I have been tasked with keeping her alive for two years, she has been appointed...she is in the service of Cyrodiil. I'm a bodyguard that she can’t know is commissioned to protect her.”

“…she can’t know…”

Abiene knew that she was not the only one under protection, but she was sworn to keep the secret even from Maxical. With Sethyas and Eyja out there somewhere she held onto hope that whatever threat Maxical had seen wouldn’t make it this far. But if it did, Maxical would not stand alone. For now Abiene stayed behind the door, rigid with tension.

“Maxical, what’s happening? Maxical!” she hissed.

She ran to the window to look out again, but nothing seemed amiss. Abiene returned to the door and pressed her ear against it.

If there’s a fight I’ll open the door and immediately cast Invisibility. Then I’ll use an Absorb spell on whatever I can touch.

Abiene’s knees shook and her stomach threatened to empty.

Also stay out of the way of Maxical’s blade, she warned herself. And gods help me if she casts that weather magic spell.

[mALX]

*

Maxical:

Maxical whispered against the door. "Shhh! Don't make a sound, you'll draw it to us! Don't look out the windows no matter what, Abiene! Get under the bed and hide, you don't want to see this thing."

Maxical hated giving orders to someone as sweet and gentle as Abiene, but if that thing knew they were up here it would come.

She fought to keep from peeing her pants when she heard the door opening below. Her eyes were wide, but steady and focused on those stairs. Maxical raised her blade into position and readied it, then stretched her left arm wide to blast that lightning spell...and waited.



*





This post has been edited by mALX: Aug 16 2013, 04:44 AM

[Black Hand]

Something was amiss.

The seal spells were recast, and the two were nowhere to be seen. He looked around the kitchen area and found the coffeepot, still warm.

They couldn't have gone too far. Plus there is no signs of a struggle. Perhaps they decided to go downstairs, have a drink?...which would be very foolish. And Maxical can barely walk.

He helped himself to a cup of the coffee, and looked around and started heading up the stairs looking around.

"Abiene? Maxical? Are you two still here?" He called out to the thin air.

"There's been a development, I need to talk to you guys right away." He continued.

Unless they went fraidy cat on me again. He thought reaching the top of the stairs, finding a very relieved seated Maxical, who just started to lower her casting hand.

"Thank the [censored] Nine divines." she said with a gasp and her shoulders slumped down. "The Orc, Seth! I saw the [censored] Orc! He's back and [censored] me if he wasn't sewn back up with half his [censored] face missing!!"

Sethyas took a sip of coffee calmly.

"Yes, I know. That's the development I needed to talk to you about. I found him, hacked him up, and burnt the remains. He's not coming back as anything but undead chimney soot."

Maxical seemed stunned.

"Really?"

"Really. I burned him with pig waste and sujamma. Sounds about right for him anyways."

"How,...how..did he?" She managed to ask.

"Not sure, that's what I needed to ask Abiene about." He replied.

"Man, this really is a crappy evening." Maxical shook her head.

"Abiene, it's okay. It's just Seth, he took care of the problem apparently." He knocked lightly on the door.

[mALX]

*

Maxical:

At the sound of Seth's voice Maxical lowered her sword in relief.


Thank the gods it's him.


She slid down against Abiene's door to a sit in relief. It was over, Seth had killed it...again.

"That was the most horrifying thing I've ever seen, Seth. It was the Orc, wasn't it? I've never been so terrified, that thing was horrible! I'm so glad you were here...that it was you that came back..."

Her voice and legs were shaking. Maxical fought back the fear. It was over, and Seth was here to protect them. She pulled herself up to a stand so Seth wouldn't think her weak. The thought suddenly struck her that Earana could be raised up too.

"Er...did you seal the door behind you when you came in? Earana could come back too. She might be vengeful or something."

Maxical dispelled the seal on Abiene's bedroom door and unlocked it, then held on the wall to hurry in and hug Abiene.

"We're safe, dearest Abiene. Seth killed it. It's gone, Abiene; we're safe now."

She held Abiene tightly, trembling as badly as Abiene was. She was finally able to give way to her fear now that the danger was passed.

"I've never been so terrified." She brushed the hair back from Abiene's eyes to make sure she hadn't gone into shock.

"Come on, maybe we all need some coffee with brandy in it." Maxical wrapped her arms around Abiene to help guide her downstairs.



*




This post has been edited by mALX: Aug 16 2013, 02:11 PM