Momentary Reassurance

JP with Lucian, Winteroak, and Omni

Voah knelt with her head to the floor and began to utter quiet prayers to each of the Pillars. The strange echoes of sounds that were not there came in and out.

“Pillars, I thank thee for the gifts you have granted me thus far and I must beg your pardon, for I have nothing more to offer you now but my undying devotion and servitude.

Cambena, I ask that you grant my companion and myself safe passage through these unholy depths. Show me your reach is long.

Kupen, show us the way to your unhindered sight.

Hoi, I ask that you take me back to fulfill a promise I made to someone. Someone who has taken a part of my heart. I must determine if that is where it belongs.

Vastad, show us the meaning of justice, if it is our time to go with Zinheim, let it be swift.

Zinheim…”

‘Yes, my child?’ echoed a voice out of sight in the darkness.

Voah gulped, her throat dry. It was not Zinheim, it was her mind.

“…I beg thee Zin, to spare me once again.”

There was no response but Voah felt herself shiver as if someone was silently smiling just outside of the torches range. Yes, Tarmen had finally gotten the torch relit using the vial of oil stashed in a small compartment within its steel handle.

It appeared they had settled next to the wreckage of a collapsed wall. Bronze bars curved like ribs, reaching as high as small trees. They towered above, shining dully in the flickering firefight. A massive three-faced head had crashed from some unseen perch above, forming a barricade of sorts not so far away staring at them with ominous unblinking eyes.

The walls were banded with layered pictorial reliefs, the outer set were impossibly elaborate grillwork, vaulting some forty feet. The sedimentary black veined with grey, made it obvious that it had been sculpted from iron ore. Whole sections shone like brown and black glass. All of it was a testament to the people who dwelt here in years long past. It was intriguing. Voah wished the group was together once more, safe in their investigation of the archaeology. And she knew Boyce Blackwolf would have loved to explore and take record of this place.

For a few minutes they sat there in silence, examining the ruins… staring at each other questioningly. The hint of paranoia resided still in their minds until Tarmen discovered that the bread and mushrooms in the mould-folks’ pouches alleviated the lingering whispers and headaches nearly instantly. They took their fill of food and water but made sure to leave themselves enough for another meal.

He shared his discovery and soon their hearts and minds were able to rest easy.

———

Together, they were able to rest for a few hours before they sound came of footsteps approaching in the dark.

They looked at each other as if questioning their sanity once again. Both of them agreed the sounds were real. They had to move, which they did. They gathered up the stolen supplies and made way as quietly as possible down and around the tunnels, all the while, steps chased in pursuit.