Thread: Sacrifice (Amaria & Mr. M)

Five men, in lightweight leather and chain armor, were lashed to tree-trunks at the edge of the grove, while other men, some dressed similarly, others in robes of midnight blue, held them at sword-point until their bindings were tight. The scene was lit by the distant bonfire, as chanting echoed through the wood. I get that you've thrown in your lot with these murderers, Cole, growled the tall man with the short-cropped black hair. His startlingly blue eyes flashed in the torchlight as he angrily muttered to the man double-checking his bonds. What I don't understand is why? Why did you betray us? The man he called Cole shook his head, smiling almost fondly. What you fail to understand, dear cousin, and what you have always failed to understand, is that power is the lifeblood of our people. You've spent your life charging about, trying to protect the innocent and serve the people, when it's our birthright and our blood responsibility to have the people serve us . You've always had the roles reversed, and while that's admirable from some perspectives... it's also incredibly stupid. Cole yanked the bindings tight, drawing an involuntary grunt from his cousin, then grabbed the man's chin so he could look straight into his eyes. The bluestone is going to give me and my compatriots immortality. In a thousand years, the world will worship us as gods. Collendius Redshield will be a name spoken with reverence and fear. And you'll be lost to history. In a thousand years, I'll be the only one who still remembers the name of Gilgamesh Darkwood. The heedrin... the captive gasped. The heedrin are animals. Scampering forest monkeys. They have no importance to us at least this way they're useful for something . Cole gazed into his cousin's eyes a moment longer. Then he released his jaw and patted his cheek like a friend. Goodbye, Gil. He turned and strode toward the bonfire in the center of the clearing. The unbound men in armor gathered to follow. One of the dark-robed men stepped close to Cole. We shouldn't leave them alive. Oh, they'll be killed. The question is whether or not their deaths will help with the great work. We have to consult the book to see if they'll serve as sacrifices. And in the meantime, we can use my dear cousin's interference to our advantage. Guard them until I or one of the priests comes to tell you our decision. With that, he strode away. Gil glared after his cousin if hate had force, he would have bored holes in the back of Cole's head. The slightly older, slightly slighter man tied to a tree near him spoke up softly. I don't think your ideals are stupid, sir. Thank you, Mr. Greycloak, Gil said, distractedly, still trying to crack bones with his stare. I think it's very noble, your protecting the innocent and all. I appreciate that. Although, there was that time with that ogre in Sunset Valley that was rather ill-considered... Mr. Greycloak... And I don't know what you were thinking going into the caves of the Spider Queen, of all things... TOM! The other man paused, blinked, and settled. Sorry, sir. Gil sighed as he lost sight of Cole. No, it's all right. I like to think I learned from those escapades. Tom chuckled softly. And what precisely did you learn from the Spider Queen? A gentleman doesn't tell. He paused a beat. Ask me again when we're drunk, sometime. Gil tested the bindings they were solid. He craned his neck he could see Tom and half of Greentree on one side, Riverstone and Woodshadow's arm on the other. All seemed to be tied securely, but the three robed guards were markedly lax in their duties, gathering in a knot to talk and only glancing over occasionally. All right, men. You know the drill any advantage you can find, any avenue of escape. People have to be warned. And there might be war with the heedrin, if we fail. Gil's bonds were the strongest and tightest of them all, but he struggled nonetheless.