A pox upon the gods

JP with Lucian, Winteroak and Bandorchu

Ekero laughed and drank deep again from his own cup. Standing up he went around offering another round to those that had finished their drink.

When he passed Gonyaul he slapped the young man on the back hard in a playful manner. "Drink up boy, it will put hairs on her chin." He said grinning. Knowing no one would understand him. "You look like you could use some." He laughed sitting back down between Alexis and Tarmen. The tinker proceeded to explain the process of fermentation he used followed by a unusual destination over hot stones.

The woman from Garrah's eyes were drawn to the flames once more and her vision wavered as it had back in Gra'akast after her vision of Fosia.

"...And in the end you are left with the clearest, purest liquid from the pulp of the cactus flesh..." She looked up at Ekero realising that she could understand his words.

She felt Berus eyes on her, intently looking into her eyes. He bowed his head slightly and said in the language of the Odsier "God-touched..."

He stood up and looked at Voah. His dog looked up curiously at him but made no move to get up from in front of the fire. Although winters were not as relentless here as in other parts of Arcadia, winter was upon them and the night was bone deeper cold.

"Walk with me..." He asked.

Ekero for his part still speaking his own language and unaware that Alexis could understand was trying to gesture to Tarmen and Alexis to tell him about their journey.

‘God-touched’? Seemed there was even a name for her ‘condition’. That was comforting. Not.

However… so far, as this spontaneous acquisition of language skills went, Alexis seemed to be granted these for a reason, not for idle chatter.
So… was there something important she had to share with Ekero?

Well, until she knew what this was about, at least she could actually grant his request, absolutely weirdness that it would be for everyone involved.
Alexis was glad she had told her friends about her involvement with the fire god, or this would be even harder to explain.

“Well, do you know about the Wandering? The girls trying to reach Gra’akast to become the new Prophetess of the Ozainae?”

she asked Ekero softly.

The man from Hel's Maw eyes widen in shock listening to his own language despite the thick accent. He looked at Alexis and at his cup and back again. Was he drunk? Did his drink gave her powers? What sorcery was this. After a few heartbeats of hesitation he bursted out laughing at the situation and his own thoughts.
"Well slap me cheeks and call me the Bastard himself. Where in the cursed name of the Sunken one have you learn my language lass?" He asked forgetting her questions momentarily.

“That… is a bit of a hard one to explain.”

Alexis gave a bit of a helpless chuckle.

“How is your standing on and religions, gods and all that?”

Tarmen for his part was working on his second drink, trying to follow Ekero’s gestures and aware of Alexis saying something, but couldn’t tell if it was something he understood.
He became aware something was off when the gestures stopped and the two became locked in their own conversation. From what he could hear, Alexis was now speaking the man’s tongue with ease…
He could guess this was a “gift” from the hammer, but it did leave him in the dark for much of their talk, only knowing a scant few words himself.
Accepting his place as a third wheel, he went back over to Gonyual to check up on the boy.

Ekero shrugged. "Everyone and their mother believes in something greater. It's hard not too looking at the wonders and horrors of the world." He smiled draining his cup seeing Tarmen move closer to the younger scarred man. "You speaking my language attests that are many things great and small beyond the scope of our understanding." He shrugged again. "I guess that is why I always like to build things. It gives me a sense of control. Why do you ask?"

“Control? Wouldn’t that be nice…”

Alexis sighed.

“The very short of it is that I got myself caught up in a fetch quest for a forgotten deity, and this is how he tries to help, I suppose.”

She shook her head.

“… and this sounds even more loony spoken out loud.”

The small man chuckled. "Could be worse. He could be pointing you towards a city that is soon going to be sieged by one of the largest armies ever seen in Arcadia." He grin. "Oh wait. That is were you are headed..." He smiled. " A pox on the gods." He said pouring them another measure including Tarmen who was not that far off.

She chuckled.

“I’ll toast to that. In any case it would appear there is something worthwhile to share between you and me beyond language barriers. Whatever that might be.”

She shrugged.

“But I shall seize the moment and enjoy actually being able to talk to you.”

Alexis smiled at Ekero warmly.

“First of all: Thank you, again. For giving us a chance to breathe and heal. You don’t how much you are helping us, showing us kindness like this.”

Chuckling at the poor boy still recovering, Tarmen returned to Alexis and Ekero to see them still talking.
While he would prefer to leave the two and avoid pestering for translation, his reformed cheer and newly filled cup opened his thoughts.

“Didn’t take you for a silver tongue, Greyriver. You actually know his speech?”

Alexis looked up to Tarmen and gave a half smile.
She tried to focus on speaking Helian again to answer.

“Not actually ‘actually’. It is most likely a very temporary talent.”

Tarmen nodded, not fully understanding and not wanting to at the moment. Taking a sip, he gestured towards Ekero with a sly grin.

“So what’s our host been sayin’ about me? Let him know any insults will demand more spirits for recompense.”

Alexis sniggered.

“Only the best, of course.”
She happily translated Tarmen’s banter for Ekero.

Ekero chuckled again and slapped Tarmen shoulder in good jest.
"I'm glad you two are back." He started. "I couldn't have been easier to travel all the way to Gra'akast, into the lions den and back. Did you two ever found your friend?"

Alexis sobered up pretty fast after that question.

“Oh yes. And as it so happens, she is the new Sister Locust, leading the aforementioned army towards her former people right about now.”

She looked into the flames, battling with her emotions for a moment.

“How is that for fucked up. A pox upon the gods indeed.”

Hearing her words, Tarmen could guess the question just fine. While the buzz remained and his attitude largely unchanged, he still straightened unconsciously at the all too recent memories.