The Eye of Anubis: Book Five

[Rock of the Fraternity]

Lia ... starts to laugh. She quickly returns something she had grabbed from her belt pouch back to its hiding place, but other than that, she seems to be elated.

"Brilliant!" she shouts at Charles, as she grabs his shoulders and shakes them. "Genius! We did it! Together, we defeated that miserable cur! He is gone! Gone! And I did not have to -- You are a bleeding genius, Charles!"

Still laughing, Lia seizes Charles's hands and sweeps him into a waltz. Grimmric comes rocketing from her hood and flies in great loops around the members of the Expedition, chittering loudly. "Lia Mournswaithe," she cries out, "alive and well! But hadn't someone better put out the charges Otto set? We won't be needing them now, will we? And someone fetch a bottle of wine from the ... luggage ..."

Very slowly, Lia's voice falters and she stops dancing. "Hmmm. Then again, perhaps we had better celebrate elsewhere? I hate to be a wet blanket, but the grandfather storm is gone. How long until the prophet's cronies come and check why that is, do you all think?"

[yalenusveler]

Andre scooped up his cat, and gave her "We're not all dead!" cuddles. In a weird way, it made sense he was so affectionate with Pumpkin...because cats were the only creatures who had social issues worse than him.

"Lia's right. We certainly have reason to celebrate..but celebration after we've ensured we're not going to be cut off from transport by a horrid storm or assaulted by religious police is likely a good idea."

[lostboy]

Khalil blinks several times from the ground, wondering for a moment how he got there. As he sits up the beautiful reality of the situation is brought crashing home to him as he watches the bright blue water in awe. Gazinfgtowards heaven he offers a short prayer to Anubis, alhtough he does it with one eye open, checking for Jackal headed gods, just in case he is dead and this is the sacred land beyond.

No, no sign of Anubis, therefore safe to assume youre alive. A wide grin splits the desert guides normally impassive face, he climbs to his feet, and raising a sword high in the air lets loose a joyful cry at the heavens. As he is about to celebrate with the others when he is budneled over by a large ball of enthusaitaic wolf and mobbed by a rather smaller but no less enthusiatic ball of feathers.

Affectionatly stroking both animals, he looks up with a smile "I am very much alive and most happy to be so!" Animal petting durties discharged he gets to hsi fgeet once more and joins Charles at the waterfall.

"Our debt is fulfilled to the Old ones" he whispers to the sky, clapping Charles on the shoulder.

[DocBeard]

Tomas opens his mouth...

...more sand comes falling out. He gives it a dirty look, as though suspecting some malign desert intelligence of tricking him. He grabs a water skin, takes a brief sip, gargles quickly, and spits at the ground. "Hah!" Tomas shouts, pointing at the wet spot!

"Man's triumph over nature being secured..." Tomas continues smoothly, as if he did not just do something fairly silly, "...I vote for plan 'don't get killed by the Pharazi.' Becides, after that, how bad could the Sebulan desert be?"

It's like he asks for it, isn't it.

[lostboy]

Becides, after that, how bad could the Sebulan desert be?"

Khalil shoots Tomas a despairing look, as if saying I knew I should have asked for more money up front for this job.

{OOC: just playing Docbeard ]

[yalenusveler]

Andre's relative levity was brought to a crashing halt as he just gave Tomas a LOOK. "You...seriously didn't just ask that, did you?" Half kidding, half wondering just what they taught Tomas in Lamordia

[Rock of the Fraternity]

Lia seems to seriously consider Tomas's question. She shrugs, replies: "It could be as bad as Dezbar Keep or Phiraz, only with extra scorpions and sidewinders. And you have to check your boots in the morning. Shall we adjourn?" Lia starts to look around for her camel, just as Grimmric flies back to her hood.

[Nathan of the FoS]

Charles laughs and sweeps Lia through a few passes of their improvised waltz, then puts her through a final turn and bows deeply. "You're too kind, m'selle," he says. "I am merely fortunate. Very, very fortunate. As are we all."

At Khalil's whispered reminiscence he nods. "So we are. Paid in full at last. Well done, m'sieur. Speaking of which, or, actually, changing the subject entirely, I think we will never have a better chance to put Phiraz behind us for good. Kejser!" Going to the vaamgaare stallion and sweeping himself into the saddle, he says, "Let's be off, then, to find just what Sebua holds for us."

[Rock of the Fraternity]

Lia pauses one last time before seizing Mr. Lumpy's bridle. She turns to the ruins of Dezbar, puts her hands together and bows.

"Be at rest at last," she prays out loud, "you who died here. I name the Bey. I name Farideh. I name Ishmael. I name Idris. I name the many whose names I do not recall or never learned. Dupes of fate and evil, I pray you find forgiveness in the next world -- and give it. Go in peace and be well, and pray that we may do so, as well."

Lia draws a deep breath and speaks: "Fiend from the nether, I pray you are at peace, also. You were an enemy, but you are beaten. And I do not wish eternal torment upon anyone. May you suffer enough torment to become ... something better, if that is possible. Farewell."

Having spoken, Lia turns to mount the camel. "Now then," she says in a rather more energetic tone of voice, "let us leave the ruins of this blighted keep. May the waters wash away its memory and the sands cover its scars!"

[DocBeard]

"Well, some of us were not raised to expect the universe to be animate enough to listen when you have something to say." Tomas points out, looking a little sheepish at having killed the mood.