Calling Out the Dragon (Whitebrand and MasterGryph)

[Whitebrand]

Brand mumbled something and stood up. For a moment he wobbled uncertainly, then he shuffled out the door to Ewith's room.

"Stubborn," the sage said, clicking her tongue. "Ignore him. He's got a lot to think about I imagine. You never walk away with an encounter with a god without some kind of effect on you. Hopefully he will come out of this all the wiser.

"So...back to you, dear," she said. "I understand that you endured a terrible ordeal. But here you are. I imagine a curious soul has questions."

[MasterGryph]

"I suppose I do. But not all of them have much in common with each other," Ewith considered.

After thinking about it for a few seconds, she started. "You already mentioned a bit about how the others are coping. I guess I should ask about the other side: What happened to the cultists?"

"Whitebrand dodged this question earlier. Does he consider this an ending, or is his fight against that thing going to continue even though the Valley isn't a critical area anymore?" The answer to that question would lead to a different one, but first, "I'm not sure whether I should consider this a resolution myself. I may need to hunt it down again..."

"I wasn't expecting Whitebrand to make it back on that day. I'm concerned that he left the purification unfinished. What's your view on that?"

Those were all of the questions that sprung to mind regarding their mutual missions. After those were dealt with, she'd move onto a different topic.

[Whitebrand]

“Hm...allow me to answer those questions in a different order,” Sayanna said as she crossed her legs and sat back.

“The cultists were mostly victims of an ability we sometimes call ‘call of the void’. It’s a self-destructive impulse that people occasionally feel. When they are depressed or bitter the call is all the stronger. The Devourer uses that impulse to manipulate and control. The oblivion it offers seems appealing to its victims.

“There were a few deaths but most of them were rounded up and treated,” she explained. “And then pretty much told to be good and go home. The supernatural entities were dispatched as efficiently as possible and the area purified.

“Brand should have rested after his ritual but he insisted on returning as soon as he could,” she went on. “So he wasn’t as strong during the confrontation as he should have been. Reckless. Foolish. And very, very fortunate for you. Perhaps the gods told him something we did not know.

“As for continuing the fight,” Sayanna said. “I’ve known Brand for a while. He’ll grumble and come up with excuses to stay out of the fight...but that won’t last. He was an adventurer before. He will answer the call again. Probably as soon as he feels healthy. In the end he is a protector and defender. It’s part of his nature.”

She smiled.

“And it sounds like you’ll be eager to get into the fight too,” Sayanna told her. “I wonder...”

[MasterGryph]

"...Miss Sayanna, What's your perspective on Whitebrand's harem?" Ewith asked.

"On the one hand, it's far from the worst fate in this hostile world. But I worry that some of them were being stifled like I was," She explained some of her perspective. "And since he was falling under the influence of an eldritch devourer... well, that supports that I was right to be worried for their and my safety. Living with someone far more powerful can be a mixed blessing when you trust them not to abuse you."

"And if he does let them go after - I should say when and if - the fight ends... a lot can happen in a few years. Returning to their old lives or building new ones won't be easy. Particularly for the ones who were assumed to be digested. ...On a tangent, my memories of his actual insides aren't clear. Do you know if he lines his stomach with a sleeping spell?"

[Whitebrand]

"A lot of questions," Sayanna said. "All right, let's see if I can answer them to your satisfaction.

"He has placed several enchantments on his stomach," she agreed. "I'm not familiar with some of them, but it's entirely designed to capture prey. If it's living, it goes into stasis until he extracts them. Can't have victims hurting each other as they struggle, right? And it's far easier to transport prey than in his claws.

"I think I can count on Brand to support anyone he lets go," she went on. "As for abusing his prisoners...I have an inside woman in a position to let me know if he does. She keeps me up to date, and I trust her judgement. Probably best if I don't say anything more about that.

"As for what I think about his harem," she said. "That's...complicated. On the one hand...there aren't many allies I'd allow to get away with it. Logistically, from a brutally practical perspective Whitebrand is a powerful asset. If I intervened in some way I'd risk alienating him and as you might imagine that would be a bad idea. As long as he does not become abusive...it's kind of something I have to tolerate. I'd prefer that he didn't treat women like art pieces...but there are circumstances that almost justify it. His acquisitive nature, the dominating instincts of dragons, the fact that he was raised by humanoids and imprinted on them stronger than he did with his own kind, and the compete lack of any female dragons anywhere nearby.

"Understand I am not defending him, I am explaining him. And why we let him get away with what he does."

[MasterGryph]

"Yes, as explanations go that covers everything," Ewith leaned back in her bed. Stasis, eh? That wasn't something she'd expected. "You're a lot more familiar with dragons than I am."

"That's all I could think of to ask. I should go talk to my friends here soon, but... It's hard to tell whether I'm up for it yet," she said. "I'm sure we're all still exhausted..."

[Whitebrand]

"Celeste made me promise that she'd be the first person you visit," Sayanna said. "She's bedridden but conscious. I'll be happy to take you to her when you feel ready. For now, though, you might want to rest a bit. If you need me just speak my name and I'll come to you. It's a convenient little spell.

"Oh...and I've told Misty that she can't visit you until you're awake. I've already had to warn her not to pounce on you or anything. I can send her in whenever you want."

[MasterGryph]

"Thank you... Sayanna," Ewith responded, partly to practice using the name.

She close her eyes and rested, but sleep did not come as she had too much to think about. They'd scored a victory of sorts, but the war wasn't over - the way Whitebrand and Sayanna had spoken had made that clear, even if they'd tried to blunt the impact. Tha- the enemy would find another way into this world eventually, and she still wasn't capable of fighting it head on. "I need to put together better defensive spells," she mumbled.

"But, maybe I'm already at the level where I could ensure the safety of travelling companions." The reason she'd traveled alone wasn't just because she wanted to be alone. She did appreciate the capabilities of a good team, but she'd felt like she wasn't able to take care of anyone but herself when she started off. But she'd gotten practice running support during the battle earlier, so she felt more confident changing her approach from here on out.

By her reckoning, it had been about an hour since Sayanna's explanations had concluded, when Ewith sat back up. "Alright Sayanna. I think I've kept Celeste waiting long enough."

[Whitebrand]

Presently Sayanna entered the room pushing a chair supported by four wheels...two quite large in back and two rather small in front. She easily maneuvered the chair next to Ewith’s bed and helped the avian girl into it. In moments she was being pushed gently down the hall towards Celeste’s room.

Celeste’s private quarters had been decorated in a traditional Eastern style, but without her illusions adding an extra sparkle to the place, it looked surprisingly plain.

Celeste lay on the floor on a soft mat, her head supported by a silk pillow. She still had her supernaturally perfect beauty—except for the old scars—but she looked quite tired. She was covered by a violet silk blanket and wore a simple slip under it. She smiled as Ewith was wheeled in and Sayanna helped her sit down next to her. Even that little exertion was fatiguing.

[MasterGryph]

"I'm sorry to keep you waiting when I owe you so much," Ewith began. "I'd been hoping to draw attention away from you and everyone else, and cut the battle off early so you'd stop hurting sooner. But I wasn't capable of it..."

"Thank you for saving my life. I wouldn't be here without your illusions," she said softly.

[Whitebrand]

"No, I'm sorry," Celeste said as she reached out and took Ewith's hand. "If not for you none of us would still be here now. And it was the least I could do for what you have done for me. And...after what happened out there...I'm not afraid of that man anymore. I can feel it. Compared to what we just faced...he was just a lone, sick little man. And I will no longer give him any more of my life.

"And I've decided...I'm going to ask Brand to help me get my tails back. I thought you ought to know."

She smiled a beautiful smile despite her scars.

[MasterGryph]

"That's- That's wonderful Celeste!" Ewith responded, taking Celeste's hand in both of hers, "I'm sure you'll do well." she remembered something, "My own offer to help with that is still open."

After a long pause and shared smile, she began speaking awkwardly again. "I'm glad that you've found a way forward. But... we've all been through something terrible, and I don't know how long it will take for this exhaustion to leave any of us. Whitebrand has given me permission to leave, but... I don't know when I'll be able to. Or when I should." She wanted to support Celeste while she was able...

[Whitebrand]

"Maybe I can help with that choice," Celeste said. "By accepting your offer. Will you help me find my missing tails? I'll even pay you if you like...I'm sure Brand would give me a big loan."

It was Sayanna's turn to speak up.

"The fatigue will lift in a few days, and when you're ready we'll get you to work exercising to get back your strength," Sayanna said calmly. "I and my people have nursed people back from terrible injury...mind and body. It's the least we can do for you all."

[MasterGryph]

"Of course. I'd love to help. Payment... isn't something I'm worried about right now," she said lightly.

She turned back to Sayanna. "A few days... I'll plan around that then. In the meantime, I think we should both go back to resting." Ewith returned to the wheelchair. A useful thing, she wondered who was making them nowadays.

[Whitebrand]

"An invention of mine, actually," Sayanna said casually as though she had read Ewith's mind. "It's become an enormous help in the halls of Illmater and the Sisters of the Healing Hand. I'm hoping to find a way to produce them en masse instead of relying on craftsmen."

As she was wheeling Eweith back to her room there was a soft thumping noise racing up from behind them. Sayanna managed to bark out a "Misty, NO!" in time to keep Ewith from bing tackled out of the chair. Instead Misty landed on all four next to Ewith and rubbed her face to the avian girl's.

"Misty so happy bird girl all better!" she declared with a purr in her voice.

[MasterGryph]

"It's nice to see you too, Misty," Ewith said, petting the catgirl on the head. She'd been tempted to do the same to Celeste, but realized that the kitsune would be more likely to be insulted than comforted. "How are you feeling?"

[Whitebrand]

"Had bad dreams," she said seriously. "But dreams are dreams. Misty likes being awake!"

"Your resilience astounds us," Sayanna said.

Misty blinked, uncomprehending. But it sounded like a compliment so she purred.

"Misty wants bird girl get better soon," she said. "Misty wants more stuff to do. Like beating up bad guys!"

Commendable attitude...but the mind boggled at the trouble that could be caused by the utterly unfiltered Misty going out and beating up "bad guys"--however she defined them.

[MasterGryph]

"Better make sure they really are bad first," Ewith commented. She hoped the catgirl wasn't actively avoiding sleep to avoid the nightmares. "Before that, you can help me exercise when I get out of bed again."

Then something occurred to her, "Ah, Misty, how often do you get outside anyway?"

[Whitebrand]

"When Misty wants," the catgirl said. "As long as Misty stays close and not look for trouble. And not play with monsters."

She sounded like she was quoting someone. No guesses needed for whom...and it sounded like something he had repeated to her. Frequently.

[MasterGryph]

Ewith held back a giggle: There was very little that could contain a cat's independence.

"Well, I'll see you again soon."