It was a slow pace but, when Akatosh had introduced his companions to Aryl they gradually went along with each other. Although Aryl was more tickle by the two lasses, Sei and Reith just smile and went striding off, outing the village.
"Where are you going?" Aryl implores the moment Akatosh walks away.
"My tummy hurts, I just need to have some privacy. Don't worry I'll soon be back." Akatosh lied.
Aryl understand what he meant and swiftly nodded to his lies. He returns to his hut to find the smell of Alcohol, his shredded shirt, and stained fabric. Eventually, he goes to fix the place and returns to his project.
Patiently using the use of dagger as a sculpturing tool, Akatosh enduringly carves the edge of the picture frame in vines and flower design. And with just a few and junky kits his hand successfully shapes a quite desirable frame. Scrapping a single sheet of paper that contains a drawing from his book he claps it onto the frame.
He looks at his finished project for a mere second and said. "Not the best but this will do."
Putting the wrapped picture frame into his bag-of-holding, he had to again clean his room from the flakes of woods littering on the floor and bench. Subsequently, after tidying the room he goes out to check for his companions. And when he opens the door, he saw Faylinn sitting on a rock right beside a tree.
"That took you a while, I was about to check on you." She implores.
"I was hoping you did that. Anyway, do you mind if I could ask some request?"
As soon as they enter his hut, Faylinn sob a slight distillation of alcohol lingering in the air. And because of the small space of his compartment, it didn't take long for her to notice the discolored fabric.
"Sorry for the mess--" Akatosh stop seeing Faylinn's eyes were looking at him in discomfort look. "What?" He continues.
"Are you a bit more concerned about yourself? Is it too hard for you to ask for some help rather than hiding your injuries?" Faylinn said. She thought of him as a neglected person who doesn't have a slight interest in sharing what he does in his life. "And those bottles over there?" She continues pointing at the bottles of hooch steeped beside the table. "Have you been deliberately drinking all night while bleeding to death?"
Just a gesture of her face and the words coming out from hers is enough for Akatosh to understand her misunderstanding. "Well, they say booze fix boo-boo as an adult. Why not." He follows constantly smiling in-jokes.
"Let me check your wounds first." Faylinn strife her eyebrow and offering her hand.
"My boo-boos already fixed by Sheila." He implores showing her the nursed injuries inflicted by Chifya.
Faylinn shrug. "Fine. Let-let's just get this over with."
With that said her arms gently sways conjuring a soft breeze around the room which constantly cleans the scent of malt. As for the blood, Faylinn drops a few glasses of water on the stained area, and with a few incantations it miraculously disappears.
"All done." She said.
"That was fast." Akatosh reply with a fascinated eye.
"Right, we should head out. Aryl must've been worried for your return." She replies, hastily exiting the room.
"Oh, I almost forgot--" Akatosh interrupts taking out a rectangular item wrapped in scraps of paper. "—As soon as I left this place make sure to give this to Aryl."
She received her offer although with a despondent feeling.
"Why don't you stay here for a while. There's enough--"
"I'm sorry but I have to again decline your offer. I would love to, on the contrary, I have something to take care of." Akatosh interrupts.
"I-I understand, then I hope you'll accomplish your goal." She glumly replies.
Time leaps and before they knew it, Akatosh and his companions were in a room. It was near dusk and the place they were was in an underground cavern. Stone columns carved in druid markings are station at every corner, two meters apart. Blue flames without fuel or wood are burning in a bowl, illuminating the room. Although from their color, the bluish flames didn't deem the place in azure but clarifying in white hue. And the most promising to see is the ceiling from above glittering like stars similar to the universe itself.
Soft as wool, the ground was paved in soft grass enabling them to sit comfortably. It was their last day in the cove, so the elder gave them farewell gratitude. Like a chessboard, Akatosh's and his companions left facing the druid elders, Dayes however was absent. And right beside Zeymah are Chifya, Galish, and Faylinn tending Aryl's silent atmosphere.
"You have done us a great service from retrieving the spirit of Hackrash (Zelus Senires). And not only did you bring his blessing but you also made a concordat. Truth be told not even I was able to speak with Hackrash's spirit, yet for a long time, you were able to connect with him. And that is not something to be little with, you might perhaps hold something which I don't. A paradox for a druid such as me, don't you think." Zeymah said towards Sheila, which he thought was her who made a connection with the spirit guardian.
"Ah, it's nothing, but I think you should express your gratitude to him," Sheila replies offering her hands towards Akatosh who's busy talking with the stillmage.
When Zeymah told them about the real identity of the spirit guardian, Akatosh was barking Amaragnum tons of questions.
"What's so special about that guardian spirit," Akatosh asks.
"That's because they are a part of a deity himself, Hackrash to be precise. Quite powerful at that, if you have ever seen their true potential your balls will be squirming. And the way it did from your previous encounter was merely a test, I don't know why but he too seems to know what I am."
"That's a little bit surprising."
"Yeah, even I was shocked about your confident friends confronting such a beast they didn't grasp nor understand. I had thought you might be in a shit situation."
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Just when Akatosh follows another word, he felt a shudder. He departs from his other conversation to find Sheila wincing at him.
"What did I miss?" Akatosh implores facing the peoples' eyes were gaping at him.
From total silence, the atmosphere gradually changed. Even Chifya and Faylinn were in disbelief the moment Sheila said her words. Galish however was more on the opposite side, he didn't believe a single word to the point he protests in front of them.
"Lies!" Galish object. "There is no such human who can convey with Lord Hackrash's spirit. And besides what can a lowly human do--"
"Galish." Zeymah interrupts with only a swift lift of his fingers. And with just a slight action the chamber murk in strong essences of druid energy. "I believe that's more than enough." He continues.
"Tsk!" Galish odiously grunted quickly deserting the room.
"What an asshole," Akatosh said towards Amaragnum.
"Pardon for his difficulty, it's just that he had some troubles with his past." Zeymah implores.
"No worries I'm used to it." Akatosh lied, the fact that he wanted to hammer Galish's face so badly.
"I appreciate your word. On the other hand, to think you're the one with such feat to be able to spoke with Hackrash's spirit. Only a few people are chosen to have such gift, except if you are a 'Spirit Priest'."
"Spirit Priest?" Akatosh reply.
"Yes, they're the embodiment of the spirit world and the world we are living. Mironda and Talena here are spirit priests--" Zeymah says offering his hands towards the two elderly druid women. "They may be retired from their callings but their powers endure to this very day, hoping to find a new successor."
"Quite a gift, but then again why didn't you call a 'spirit priest' to solve this Hackrash's spirit of yours instead of hiring adventurers to you know, dispatch it."
"They tried." Zeymah shakes his head. "Spirit priests have come and go, nevertheless they weren't able to attain how Hackrash's spirit severe its connection with us. That until you came." He continues eyeing Akatosh intensely.
"He was just tired. And please, I'm not some specially chosen person or extraordinary man for you to know. It may have just snapped from its fatigue and spoke with me. This is all just purely coincidence."
From then on, they went with their conversation about how Zeymah would ask him numerous questions. And how Akatosh would impede Zeymah's words with an end word of 'coincidence and misunderstanding.' They were so heated that the two left their surroundings, their companions and relatives would only stare at them and observe in silence. And that's when things escalated.
Because Akatosh and Zeymah were very good at each other's words, Akatosh accidentally created something. When their discussion was about to cool down, Akatosh ask Zeymah about the markings he had on his left shoulder and even showing it to him without knowing the consequences.
His immediate action instantly changes the faces of the druids. Disbelief and alarmed the atmosphere dreaded in silent.
"Rag you bitch! You knew this would happen all along." Akatosh shouts at the stillmage.
"Hmm, it's your fault for not heeding my warning. If you did none of this would have happened."
"That's not the point here!"
Akatosh turns at Chifya for an explanation, only to see her hysterically giggling. A taste of his own medicine, that's what she felt.
"So that's how you play rough, do you. I'll wipe that smug on your face when you come begging for that drawing." He reckons to sway his head for the elders with their eyes deeming in disdain.
Zeymah stood and said. "We will speak of this for some time. Apart from that, I'll see to it that your companions will be properly sent back from their home. You, however, who shares Hackrash's blessing will be staying until this situation is resolved."
After which the elders except for Zeymah eventually left but, in return, few druid guards came surrounding Akatosh and his party.
"Fine I'll stay, but you'll have to keep your promise in guiding back my companions." Akatosh implores.
Zeymah nods. As soon as dusk settles, Akatosh watched his party disappearing from the teleportation stone right after they said their regards. And with the proof that they were sent away in no harm's way, as promised, Akatosh calmly returns to the druid cove. Following that he went to his hut and by him are seven druid guards shadowing his back.
As for the elders, words of difficulty flung at every corner. It was a soft exchange of tongue but in truth there was trouble. On the other hand, there was no sign of Mironda and Talena joining the moot, leaving the males to do their political thing.
"What shall we do, it'll be only a day before the blue moons move. If we don't do something--" Dayes implores.
"Calm yourself, brother Dayes, arguing like this won't do good." Verthain interrupts.
"I know, but this is the first time a human was involved. What's more, it's a sacred one that we druids are the only ones in courtesy. Not-not this cursed human, it's a blasphemy."
"True he may be a human, however that doesn't mean he's a sacrilege. He was the one who spoke with Hackrash's spirit after all. If that doesn't still induce you, we have several who can see this through." Zeymah implores, the moment Mironda and Talena enter the moot.
Once stepping the three make their silence waiting for the two to speak. And because 'spirit priests' are more significant than the elders, they're the only ones that can settle their discord.
"It's true, Hackrash's spirit finally spoke to us," Mironda says, a stout old ashen short-haired woman.
"Indeed, it was. Called us from our respite that I never would have thought this would come true. Perhaps the spirit saw something from this young human that acknowledge him as one of our own." Talena follows. Slim and older than her associate.
"On what word the spirit spoke." Verthain replies.
"It's naught to say. The spirit simply gave us the proof of conceding."
"Very well, if this is how it is. Then I will let this one pass." Dayes shrug.
Zeymah looks at Verthain for approval which he indistinctively nods. "Since all in favor, the ceremony will continue. And let it be known to our brethren the news of what transpired."
As for the traveler—
"Nah-ah, I ain't staying in this hellhole, ah-ah not going to happen," Akatosh says, wearing his gears and equipment after he was led to his shed.
When fixed, he wanders around the tight room, checking the door and windows. Sadly, the door was sealed tight and windows were blocked by large magical vines trapping the little cabin.
For a while Akatosh screams his escape plans, taunting the guards to open the door. Testing if Amaragnum said to him was true, how the house was sealed by magic. Preventing him from teleporting, blasting the house, and even sound itself.
He waited for seconds, hoping the guards would become impulsive from his demeanor and force to shut him up. In the end, the stillmage was correct.
Circling around, devising and thinking about his escape he heard a rough voice. Someone with a furious tone was arguing with the guards. It was a static for him to hear, but it's clear it was a fixed argument from someone he was familiar with, Galish.
"Well someone wants you dead. What happens while I'm gone?" Comes Tosh.
"Shut your trap and help me with this." Replies Akatosh.
"Well… that's a big no-no. If we didn't brawl like dogs, your barbaric-angle wife wouldn't implement very strict rules and barricades to fend me off. Now I'm just but a reciter to you. It's fun watching you though, funny how you're doing with your life."
"Oh, I wish there is a way to wield your mouth. Although calling that angel my wife, I could get used to that."
"Hmm… save it, you'll need it."
After halting their conversation. A hint erupts from Akatosh's mind. Taking back how his undetectable presence is Akatosh quickly set in motion.
While the traveler is busy fleeing, somewhere else there was a heated exchange of words.
"How could you do this Chifya! Why? Why did you do it, to the point you have to go against the ceremonial. Is my love not enough." Galish implores.
"This is not about love Galish," Chifya replies.
"Then what about him. What did he have that I lack?"
"There's nothing between him and me. He's merely just a tool."
"You're lying!"
"I'm not lying Galish!" Chifya exclaimed.
"Then what other reason. Are you still clinging on to your previous life? If you could let go of the past, I'm sure we'd work this out."
"Enough! I heard enough!" Chifya shouts, followed by teary eyes. "I'm sorry Galish but. We aren't meant with each other." She continues passing Galish, hastily running out from his sight.
Following that harsh day, new dawn arrives. And as Zeymah walks towards Akatosh's hut, the guards quickly unseal the door. He steps in but, saw Akatosh still sleeping, with the whole blanket covering him.
Zeymah sighs and immediately left the room. After the passing hours, Zeymah returns again and sees the same sight he last saw. Feeling something was wrong the druid slowly pulls the blanket only to see pillows and things covered in the blanket, making it look like it was a sleeping person. And with its side was a letter saying.
"Taleyhoo! Motherfuckers!"