As the group moves deeper past the sarcophagus room, Alexis glances back at Ca’armine and Rask.
“Help me understand something. You wanted an honorable death for that hyena thing. But the bugbears, we slit their throats. What’s the difference?”
The Crimson Calling decamps to recuperate and solidify what they have learned from their recent adventure after their initial forays into the ensorceled dungeons of Nodden Torr.
Rask asks Gustav and Ca’armine to teach him more about survival and ranging, he wants to help the group more and better connect with the horses and other animals. Whenever they will let him, Rask prays, studies, hunts and gathers with the two Holy Rangers of Raiden. He learns from them what berries, mushrooms and plants can be eaten, the basics of tracking, and how to connect better with animals. He focuses much of his time hunting with them on being stealthy. His ability to hide and move quietly both improve over the two weeks the group spends in the forest.
Rask continues his practice with his sword, fists and other weapons. As has become his practice, he does so in his loin cloth, and he prays to Raiden before and after, and many of his forms focus on less than lethal applications of his weapon. He meditates afterwards, and makes a point to sit near Alexis when when he does so, his back, chest and thighs exposed, the arcane Iron Tree runic tattoo visible.
He spends the every moment of his remaining waking hours tending to and working with the horses. He feeds and grooms them daily, and works with them to better understanding their training and commands. He talks with Gustav and Ca’armine both about animal training methods and how to connect with both tame and wild animals. He is kind to Gustav’s crow, but always deferential to the grumpy ranger, and pays close attention to how Gustav treats and trains the magnificent corvid.
By the end of the two weeks, Rask is noticeably quicker with his attacks, somewhat able to to track and gather food from the forest, and much more connect to the horses and other animals. He is more centered and at peace than he has been, other than the evening in the Grove of TyLin.
Before venturing up the stairs above the Monasterynof the Eagles, Rask approaches Ca’armine:
”Ca’armine, those giants… if it weren’t for you sending me Raiden Blessing in that moment, I’m sure I would be dead. They are… it’s almost like they’re made of stone. Strong like stone too. Getting hit by the boulder they threw wasn’t as bad as the blows they dealt up close.”
Rask is a little nervous. It has been a long time since he last took a beating like the on the stone giants delivered.
”Anyhow, thank you.”
The Crimson Calling is in the under-level of Nodden-Torr. The summoned hyena-beast has been used as a magical testing creature on the magicked door and the group is debating what to do with it. Ca’armine is advising Rask kill it honorably.
Alexis catches Gustav’s eye and draws one finger quick across his throat—clean, like you’d do for a lame horse. Then he shrugs.
After Rask takes a few scratches putting the thing down, Alexis glances back at Gustav and shakes his head, palms up. What did we expect?
After tending to the horses on the groups’ first return to the to top of the stairwell, Rask approaches the rest of the group:
“This,” he gestures all around them, “what… I’m not even sure where to start…”
“Hadonis… those giants… this… that five-eyed thing…” he gestures downward, and looks to Alexis, Ethelred and Gustav.
“You’ve explored dwarven ruins before, right? How are they different or the same? Were they this infested with magic? What do you make of all this? Anything Ca’armine and I should know?”
Rask makes the same prayer to Raiden before his goes to sleep, before he eats, and before and after he does his morning exercises:
Praise Raiden, The Great Protector, Raiden Shields us from our Foes,
We stand before Him, weak and vulnerable. Raiden will shield us from the blows.
Praise Raiden, Raised by Anashar, blessed with Glory, Resolute and Strong
I wield my sword to help the lowly as we make our way along!
The Light of Raiden shine upon Us, as it shines upon me and all of Aegir
Let it shine on me, and through me, let the Light purge the taint of my sorry soul.
Praise Raiden, The Great Protector, Raiden Shields us from our Foes,
We stand before Him, made strong by Raiden. None to save them from our blows.
Praise Raiden, Raised by Anashar, blessed with Glory Resolute and Strong
I wield my sword to help the lowly as we make our way along!
Praise Raiden.
Rask tends to the horses and helps set up camp in the calm grove, free from the unnaturally cold mist. The cherry tree in bloom, soft grass and moss underneath it is inviting. Rask finishes unsaddling and brushing down the horses and begins to set up his own camp. It is safe here, calm, the owl, the white wolf, the hawk, all at ease.
Rask takes off his pack and sword belt and a sits on the grass beneath the cherry tree, amid the blossoms on the ground. He focuses on his breath at first, pausing between exhale and inhale. He turns his mind to Raiden, the protector. There is a connection between Raiden and the land. He can feel it. His own tattoos, Runes of Raiden, described to him by Mage Eye as the Raw Power of Aegir. It is strong in Gustav, and part of Ca’armine’s connection too.
The feeling of gentle southern breeze brushes over Rask, the thought of an early fall day, warm and sunny, ‘Raiden’s Summer!’ Rask insisting to Brude and Yon, who called it ‘Zephrus’ Goodbye.’ Thater, so clam and peaceful in the afternoon light.
Children singing songs about Raiden… farm animals, gentle and kind… farm and village dogs, sweet and protective…
The clarity and mercy of every strike in his recent battle, the Gift of Raiden’s Mercy flowing through him…
Rask’s eyes are open, focused gently at nothing, a middle distance, his mind at peace, his vision taking in the garden in general and in detail. A cherry blossom floats to the ground, wafting through his field of vision. The thought of a lesson, from his mother perhaps, perhaps a chaplain… the sleeping goddess… cherry trees, the white hawk… kindly defense, the sword unstained… Tai-Lynne…
Alexis approaches the white wolf, it growls at him, and moves away as Alexis slowly continues his approach. Alexis backs off.
Rasks stands slowly and deliberately. He unpacks his bedroll and removes his armor, taking great care in each movement. When his camp his set, he returns to meditating under the cherry tree, his back and chest bare, the top two thirds of the Iron Tree runic tattoo visible.
Rask’s eyes are open, focused gentle at nothing, a middle distance, his mind at peace, his vision taking in the garden in general and in detail. A cherry blossom floats to the ground, wafting through his field of vision.
Gustav’s Crow and the owl greet each other and begin to play some sort of game of tag or follow the leader.
Rask breathing settles into an easy rhythm, his mind wanders through peaceful memories, visualizing defensive and non-lethal combat forms, children playing a fighting, a peaceful wind wafting through white tree blossoms, a hawk soaring in white clouds, cherry trees in full bloom with petals perfect beyond belief, gentle bees buzzing in the boughs, tree branches bent under the load of pale flowers, the breeze as ceaseless as the peaks of the mountains are lofty, Brude and Myrsky young and laughing in the sunshine, families working the land on warm spring days, preparing the soil, sowing the seeds, tending to calves and foals, gathering wax and honey from the hives, playing with puppies… peace like Rask has not known in a very long time.
A harsh black rage interrupts Rask’s calm with a silent howl. Rask is jarred to a specific awareness. Alexis and Ethelred are talking. Something about cooking and gardening. The rage is quiet.
Rask sighs, and returns to measured, controlled breathing, pausing between each inhale and each exhale. His mind quickly returns to its peace, families harvesting in the warm fall, breezes wafting gently, non-lethal combat forms, playing with dogs, milking gentle mama goats…
Again! Another harsh black rage and a silent howl. Ethelred is looking at some of the plants in the grove, they are withered and dead. Alexis removes a necklace and tries to clean up the withered plants.
Another wave of rage. As Alexis attempts to clean, black waves of wrath flow over Rask. The white wolf whines.
Alexis stops and begins to make camp at the edge of the garden. The wolf whines. Rask asks Gus if he can calm the wolf, and the group sets watches for the night.
Before laying down to sleep, Rask sits once more beneath the cherry tree and returns again to measured, controlled breathing. His mind returns to its peace, families sharing a meal in a warm house in the winter, a cold morning, warm breath wafting gently away from young boys excited to explore the freshly fallen snow, a white panther fearlessly leaping from ice cover rock to ice covered rock with joyful focus, defensive combat forms, playing with dogs, tending to the farm animals in their stalls, making candles in a warm work-room… Kark Bergthison’s songs of Raiden, the protector of humanity, sung at the hearth in the Worn Stone Tavern…
Rask’s breathing settles into a natural rhythm. His mind wanders to children playing at fighting… Yon and Sten… to defensive combat forms… to non-lethal combat forms… Raiden… the Protector.
“Praise Raiden” Rask intones and moves to take his rest in the Garden of TyLin, his first truly peaceful rest in far, far too long.
It’s the morning after the group camped at “Ty-Lynn’s Garden”. Morning settles soft over the camp, the mist clinging low to the bedrolls and the blackened stones of the fire. A crow mutters somewhere in the trees. Alexis stands near what’s left of the coals, warming his hands more out of habit than need.
“Since Warder Yule,” he says, eyes on the faint embers, “and especially after what happened last night, I’ve been thinking about where my magic comes from.” He straightens a little, turning his hat absently in his hands as he speaks. “Avv’s realm has its uses—finding what’s hidden, drawing the unseen to light. But I’m not her servant. Never was. And since we left Ghanil, treasure-hunting hasn’t been high on the list.”
He looks up then, toward Ca’armine, but his voice carries to all of them. “The name of Avv… tends to make people uneasy. You’ve felt it. Yule certainly did.” He gives a small, crooked smile—more acknowledgment than humor.
“I trained with the Collegium,” he goes on. “They teach you to touch where you choose, not a servant any one realm. And I’d like to be in greater harmony with you; my Raidenites.”
Turning to face them fully, the mist curls around his boots, “Are you willing to help me make the shift?”
Shortly after the Grove of TyLin, as the group is breaking camp after rescuing Alexis from the bloated river zombie, Rask approaches Alexis. Rask is unarmed, all of Rask’s weapons are with his horse and pack.
“Alexis, I’d like to apologize and express my gratitude. You have put up with for more from me than I have any right to have expected. You are a good leader, I am grateful to be able to join with you and the Crimson Calling. I didn’t understand your… the value… and righteousness… of sparing the life of an enemy.”
“Anyhow, I am thankful for all you’ve done, your insights and your leadership. I’m pretty rough around the edges, and can be pretty raw, but I’m working on… staying more centered. This is new territory for me, not killing my enemies, staying focused on that… is… seems to be helping. Thank you. I hope that I am able to show you that I am… thinking more clearly, and that I will follow your lead, and orders, as we move forward through this this mist and our enemies.”
A couple days after the fight with Verisimus and his gang, Rask approaches Ca’armine. Joyful and excited, but not exactly exuberant, he is still a soldier after all.
“Ca’arm, that felt really good. I mean the power or Raiden flowing through me was incredible,I always love that! But beating Ironjaw and Blackpike but not killing them. I wish we had stopped Verisimus for good, and I’m not sure what we would have done if I had knocked him out… But not killing… defeating the enemy without killing them…. that is a true victory!”
Rask is clearly excited about this new insight, but still a little unsure, and he looks to Ca’armine with a desire for confirmation an understanding as much as with joy and celebration.