Bonds of Faith

Tarmen was a mess but the sight of conscious was promising.

“The Pillars are with us indeed it seems.” Voah said with a hopeful smile as she approached.

She had not expected a rescue from Ereuhin, which was the God Sir Zane was known to worship.

Tarmen’s weak smile returned the sentiment, though he felt he was not far from the precipice.
Alexis had been by him when he stirred, ever the stalwart ally. She had helped him ease food and water into his aching gut calling for Voah to be summoned.
His trembling hand brought the waterskin to his lips before he found the words needed.
“Promised….. a talk.”

She gently grabbed the waterskin and helped the man drink.

“You did but… are you sure now is a good time for you to talk?” she nearly laughed but the matter was clearly not funny.

“Not sure… a better time.”
He shifted to talk better and see her face more clearly.
“Bein’….sent back. Fucked up….. had a vision.”

“A vision? Tell me.” she said.

Relaying what he could, Tarmen took a moment to gather himself again when done.
“Was with….. Creed. Never bought in. Partners. Was payed…… in Felfar. Goin’ mad….after Sentinel. Felfar helped.”
He figured there was no way to sugar coat that wound, might as well be as upfront as possible. Whatever her choice, she had to know.

Voah felt that surge of zealous rage bubbling up from underneath but found new understanding as she listened and had insights on his reasoning from herself and other sources.

“Lam’iisiiid…”

Voah sat in prolonged silence as she evened her temper and stabilized her breathing before she went off. Still, her nerves were a bit shaky. She had suspected the involvement with the creed when Tarmen reacted to Wim’s vial of Felfar. From Alexis’ comment about being cursed from Sentinel, she gauged that Tarmen had been trying to find a way to cope afterward and had become addicted.

Voah made sure they were alone before continuing.

She wet her lips and nodded speaking in a gentler tone, “Tell me about the Creed. What did they pay you for? Who still remains?”

Glad she was still speaking to him, he did his best to get the words out.
“Wanted an… inside man. Scattered after….. the slaughter.”
He tried to remember anything of note, but he had either not cared enough to do so or it didn’t matter with the Creed dissolved. One face stuck out though, even if Tarmen was unsure he even stuck around.
“Lowood. Where I found them. Stran was… my contact. Older… from Kru’ll. Their leader…. Wanted me to kill…. The Duke.”
All of the thinking and talking wore on him, leaving him breathless for a few moments as he regained some strength.
“Was pretty glad… see their bodies. Crazy bastards.”

The emotions inside of her were so conflicted now. She wiped a shaky tear from her face as her mouth roiled with unsung fury and empathy. Her heart was glad to hear that he had no love for the creed.

“I was asking… Barrel Boy…” she gave a gasping chuckle before regaining her composure.

“Gonyaul, how life got so complicated…” she shook her head.

“Did you know they were going to sacrifice that girl, Islana?”

He couldn’t recall who she referred to, but he swallowed hard at knowing Voah did.
“I knew… the sacrifice. Not who… it was.”
A hoarse wheeze escaped him; a poor attempt to chuckle.
“Would have… been there. Was late.”

She should have killed him there for his heresy or at the very least marked him and arrest him for his involvement…But there was little left of Tarmen as it was, and the truth was that Voah didn’t want any harm to come to him… to a man much stronger than he realized, who had shared a deep bond through darkness and turmoil… they helped carry each other out of madness like siblings, friends… lovers… through Zin’s shroud.

No, it was the Arbiter of the Inquisition who wanted vengeance and death. But the Arbiter was a very deep seated part of Voah and it needed be fed the smallest of morsels to be sated.

She found her holy sword nearby Tarmen’s bed and grasped it tightly standing over him.

Seeing her raise her blade, Tarmen knew he couldn’t stop her if he wanted to. Either way, he had at least told her what she wanted to know.
He looked her in the eyes with the same calm he had felt in his vision, waiting for her strike.

Her jaw was set, teeth were bared and her lips quivered as her eyes flooded. The strike never came. Instead she looked at the blade, rotated it so that the sharp edge was facing him and she set it gently from his forehead down his nose and mouth.

“Renounce… the creed.” she struggled to get the words out.

‘Please’ she implored silently.

He kept his eyes locked on her.
“Already… done. The Creed…. And Slivhiki…. Are dead to me.”

She closed her eyes, ‘Thank the Pillars!’ cried her inner voice.

“I stand before thee… and witness your renunciation… and repentance…”

She opened her eyes glaring right into his soul.

"It seems you have already earned the mercy of Zin and Vastad. Swear an oath to the Pillars… and kiss the blade."

A pause occurred as Tarmen thought over the command. It was true, if the vision was real, that War and Death traveled close to him, but was it the same ones that walked with Voah?
He remembered the words of Zin, as you perceive, and remembered his distaste for the church as well. Her church.
“I….I can’t. Not to… the church… pillars. My… pillars. Sorry.”
He then closed his eyes, knowing the damning words that every Inquisitor waited to hear.
He at least hoped he would be a heathen fondly remembered.

There was a weight of utter sadness and disappointment that fell on her then. She was already breaking the tenets of her faith by doing this and giving him every chance. What was this? Her very soul was rebelling.

The sword fell from her grasp, clanging to the ground, it’s edge biting the earth.

“Then swear to ME…” she sputtered out as she lowered her forehead to his and kissed him quickly on the lips and wrapped her hands around his head as her tears dropped down onto him.

She realized then that she loved Tarmen in a way that was undefined. It wasn’t the romantic whirlwind she had with Gonyaul that swept her up. Not lustful. It felt more familial maybe? Like when she had lost her mother or father. But… that wasn’t quite it either.

Rare moments like this always unnerved Tarmen; being caught offguard.
He had closed his eyes expecting a swift end to help Voah uphold her own oath and instead was met with the sensation of her lips.
It wasn’t unpleasant, quite enjoyable if not at such a tense moment. There was something… wrong about it all the same.
His attraction to the Arbiter had always been with context. A beautiful and deadly woman, but there was no chance with their differing commitments to faith. It still didn’t stop his admiration for her after everything they had been through.
Still, Tarmen couldn’t lie to himself, he truly cared for Voah. More so than Alexis, who he still saw as close as kin, what had been created in those caves was a deeper feeling.
He tried to focus on what she had said so that he didn’t pass out from the shock of the event, unsure of what it meant. He had made oaths to crew before, bonds forged in battle and strife, but he didn’t know if that is what she meant. All the same, it was the best he could give.
Trembling, his arm gently pushed her away so he could speak.
“I swear…. Faith in you. No…. No more lies.”
He held his arm out for his own seal, hoping it was enough, adding the words he had spoken less than a handful of times in his life.

“Deeper… than blood.”

Yes it was like the love for a dear and loyal friend, which she had never really had. But it was also, “Deeper than blood…” she agreed weeping. She gripped his arm.

Now she was heartbroken because she would soon have to announce her departure after pacts and oaths. For now she just sat with Tarmen and held his hand.