OOS 51

Notunoth 26, after procuring plant material to perhaps restore Ondo’s root system and save Amber’s life. It occurred during between sessions 26 and 26.5 OOS 49 occurs concurrently. It is immediately followed by OOS 52. 
== Transcript == 
Concludion carries the Halberd, doing Cool Moves while he walks towards the Burnett Estate. "So you've been travelling with Kiono for awhile now, has she been okay?" 
"Ah, she's been staying in the background for the most part. There was an incident getting to Mudwall where I might have pushed her too hard... She dislikes almost everyone, but then everyone dislikes almost everyone in this group..." 
"I've been noticing that. Really weird group, and that's before you start thinking about one being a robot, another being a goblin, and then two entirely normal humans. Well, I appreciate you looking after her. I know you've got your own things going on, but even so. I know she can be a little difficult to be around sometimes, there was this one time that..." He trails off. "This feels familiar." 
"What does?" 
"Talking to you. About stuff." Concludion flushes a bit with realization "ohmygosh you were alive the whole time." 
If the halberd could grin… But she says nothing. 
"I used to come to the temple to think about stuff. I talked to, well, at you. About a bunch of stuff. Do you remember?" he says, nervously, because these are the memories he'd rather discuss 
"A number of people have done it through the years, but you are the most recent. I remember. Not a lot else to do but listen and observe when you're stuck on a wall for 3000 years." 
"Yikes. I'm... sorry about that. Watching a weird doomsday cult has got to get old fast. See anything like, really interesting?" 
"I'd probably be able to do the ritual backwards with my eyes shut at this point..." 
"Think that'd help? Turn the Devoured into some kind of kitten?" 
"Maybe a frog." 
"...Did anyone in all that time think about leaving?" 
"A few that I have been able to observe. Of those I was aware of, I... don't know how many successfully fled. I know of one for certain that attempted… I am sad to say we failed." 
"They never talk about anyone who did. It's all only that they're a chosen people with a grand destiny. They tell the story of the person who took you and went insane- 'don't touch the weapon, it's for the chosen one and anyone else will die gruesomely.' I'm sorry it didn't work out." 
"It was...... unfortunate... Before that time, there were those who would touch the halberd. I was able to speak to them sometimes. It was.... lonely... Hm… You know..." She pauses, thoughtful. "We're quite lucky they decided to... keep you." 
"Oh yeah? I mean, I think so, but how come?" 
"Your companionship with Kiono is, I think, what ultimately led to her changing her mind about the whole thing." 
He blushes. "You think so, huh?" He stares ahead, contemplatively, "That'd be something." 
"She has said as much," she laughs. "A lot of the... previously chosen were lonely. Assigning you to Kiono was ultimately their downfall. And Kiono's inability to learn properly under Enooto as well." 
"Yeah, I feel like Enooto always felt like it was some kind of personal injustice that she wasn't born Chosen. She's held it against both Kiono and Kitano for as long as I've known them." 
"She's a piece of work... Kiono's come farther simply traveling than she ever did under Enooto.” 
"Yeah, she's pretty incredible. I don't know everything she can do now, but she seems more confident in her abilities. It's been good for her, I think. The night she left she still seemed set on freeing the Devoured." 
“Why did you never leave?' 
"If I did, there'd be no one to protect her from Kitano and Enooto. I couldn't leave her behind, and she wouldn't go. I asked. A lot. I mean not in a 'hey let's leave now' kind of way. Mostly just in a 'you know there's an entire world out there and we could just not summon a giant dead monster to end it' kind of way." 
"Perhaps seeing the rest of the world was part of it, but you started that, so thank you. I'd have hated to have discovered she intended to do the rituals still after we'd been traveling." She sighs. "I probably would have had to feed her to a dragon or something." 
He grows quiet for a moment before responding "I'd thought about that. When she left, I mean. I thought maybe she was going to go complete the rituals, and I'd have to stop her. When you had that knife, I... I also… I thought about it more when I was trying to lure Kitano away, for all the good it did. I'm glad she's decided not to. ...It wouldn't take a very big dragon." 
"Indeed not..." A pause. "We have no plan for Kitano. If he doesn't believe Kiono's lie about performing the rituals..." She sighs. "He probably doesn't..." 
"Running interference for Kitano was my job, but I'm not sure how to do it outside of convincing him something is for training, or whatever." 
"In a manner of speaking, it is. She has progressed significantly in the last couple of months… But that's not a lie that can be kept up forever. We need a more... permanent solution..." 
"We could try luring him into an ambush somehow? Take him down?" 
"We'd have to find the real Kitano first." 
"Real Kitano? Oh right. Kiono mentioned that. He can make weird shadow guys now. I've never heard of him doing that before." They are most definitely just chilling on the front steps by now, it's not that far of a walk. 
"I don't like it. Also, it makes it very difficult to actually, you know, kill him properly." 
"It does seem a bit unfair of him." 
"Plus! Kiono does still care about him." 
A Haggard Izora can be seen meandering up towards the house, her frizzy hair frazzled and oblivious to the world, not yet noticing the company on her doorstep. 
"She does? I mean, I guess that makes sense. They're family. Ish." 
"She thinks they are. Perhaps we should... tell her otherwise. Ah, I thought Izora was still in Amberhall. Our host arrives. Which reminds me, why did you just sit out here? There are people in there." 
"It's a nice night and I wanted to keep talking." He smiles. 
"Oh, ah, fair enough. ...Body language adds a whole new element to conversation..." 
"Oh. Hm. How do you and Kiono usually communicate?" 
Izora tromps up the steps. "Hey Concludion. Hey Halberd." She slides a key into the front door and turns it. She pushes, and the door does not yield. She pulls, and the door still doesn't budge. She turns the key the other way, and the lock clicks open. 
"Mm, like this. It's serviceable, but it's missing something. Say hi to Izora for me." 
"Halberd says 'Hi'." Concludion calls as the door closes. It's shut for only a moment before swinging back open dramatically. 
"What happened to Kiono?" Izora demands. 
The halberd’s response is delayed, but when she does respond, it is in whispered horror. "Oh gosh, she's gonna kill you. And me. Well, she'll kill you. I'm gonna get turned into cutlery." 
"She's fine! She's fine! She's just staying with her friends at the Worthings! The Halberd didn't want to go so she came with me over here. Is that cool?" 
Izora stares at the two of them for a minute before relaxing. "Yes, it's cool, why don't the two of you come inside? Father is still at the council chambers sorting out this mess, I came back to help, but I'm rather exhausted." She turns to go back inside, leaving the door ajar for them to enter. Concludion does so, following the Tiefling. 
"We avoided a terrible fate." Concludion says. 
"I'd rather hang on a wall for another three thousand years… I can't shudder, but if I could, I would right now." 
Concludion shakes the Halberd helpfully. "Yeah she kinda freaks me out a bit." 
Izora goes off to bathe and change clothes, hopefully in that order. 
"She's a bit intense, but she's a rather nice person. She seems to have taken a......... a liking to Kiono. Taught her some magic." 
"Oh, that's cool, I'm glad she's making friends. Did she teach her anything cool?" 
"Uh, well, she can now turn a recently-dead mage's blood into a spell scroll. That's... a definition of cool. She learned Misty Step that way." 
"Huh." Concludion exhales. "That's... handy? Misty Step is pretty cool. I don't know what to think about her, she seems... yeah, like she cares about Kiono, but I can't tell what she's thinking." 
"Belxari's harder to read. She's Izora's aunt, apparently. But, hey, anyone who threatens to turn Time herself into forks for hurting Kiono is probably fine, right? ‘Course, none of us knew I was Time at the time... Eh." 
"Huh. That sounds... I'm not really surprised. And yeah, I guess they'd have to be. So what's being Time feel like?" 
There is a long pause. "You can't tell, but I'm staring at you. What's it feel like to be Concludion?" 
He laughs. "Fair enough. I bit like feeling like an idiot at the moment. When you're complete, do you have to go back to being a god or whatever?" 
"I.... I don't know. If I'm completed, the world is on a timer.... I may not even be at full strength when that happens, so I might be useless. If the gods didn't come up with a plan… It may not matter what happens to me in that case..." 
"What do you think the odds are that they have a plan?" 
"..........................I'm.... If they don't have a plan, then all I did was stall the inevitable, and that.... feels horrible. I want to say they have a plan, but… I would think any plan they came up with would be all hands on deck, and Belxari says she knows nothing. It's a very, very big asteroid." 
"Has anyone asked that space dude?" 
"Space dude?” 
"That Andy guy, right? he's like, from space or something? I picked up a few things when we were there.” 
"Oh. P-perhaps. It would be worth a shot, I suppose. I must admit I'm curious about Amber, though... I'll admit to being biased about wanting to know more about a place that time doesn't exist.” 
"Oh yeah, what does that even mean like... do people move around like, in frames? like comics? or just... I don't even know. Also, I feel like...................somebody would have come gotten you, right?" 
“Yeah, I would have hoped so. I... Hm... Maybe they do then... Belxari was only just recently told about me, and it didn't sound like it was after I'd already left the village..." 
“Well, hopefully they do. I mean, how often do the gods say 'Gosh, I sure hope the mortals think of something!' and just leave it at that?" He doesn't sound entirely convinced. 
“Even if they do have a plan, I'd like a backup plan or two. I... have some thoughts on the matter, but I need to work them a bit more..." 
“If I can help somehow, lemme know, Kiono actually has a future now and I'm not keen on it getting wiped out by some big dumb rock." 
Izora returns, hair wrapped in a towel, wearing comfortable jammies. "So this is a bit of an odd gathering. Are we here to call the Kiono fanclub meeting to order?" 
"That body language thing. It does wonders. Also, this is already very strange having to tell you to say things for me." 
"Oh, yeah, uh, let's see..." Concludion looks to Izora, "Wanna sit and talk with us? we could find a couch or something and lay her across our laps or something?" 
Izora looks momentarily taken aback, then nods, "Sure, why not." 
A couch is found, Izora sits cross-legged, the head of the halberd in her lap, Concludion is stretched out to an ottoman. 
"I know I apologized before, but I'm still sorry I threatened to turn you into forks. I mean, I will, but I feel it was unfair of me to say so." 
"Ah, well. I suppose it was understandable, but thank you. It is possible I've left her to a worse fate tonight than can be imagined, though. She has to spend the night with the rest of the party. And she doesn't like most of them..." 
"Ah, and where are they this evening?" Izora asks. "I hadn't really expected to have time to speak with everyone, but I thought they'd think to stay here." 
"I suggested it, but Re--Lei doesn't feel comfortable being here. Someone mentioned a sleepover, and so they are at the Worthing estate doing that. I sent Kiono so she could... get to know them properly." 
"Which is a good plan that I am for. It'll be good for her, probably." Concludion adds. "Also the name Worthing sounds familiar but I'm not super sure where I might have heard it? They're a noble family in town right?" 
Izora sighs. "Yes, they have business dealings with my family, and were apparently contacts for Kitano at some point, perhaps you heard of them through him?" 
Concludion shrugs, “I’m not sure. It’s probably not too important. Kitano is resourceful, that could have been it. I was pretty sure he didn’t have time to recruit spies, but Kiono was worried…” 
Izora laughs, “Spies? Surely not. The Worthings do have a network of informants but they themselves are surprisingly bad at subterfuge. They are somehow never anything more than exactly what they appear to be.” She titters, having amused herself greatly. 
halberd chuckles as well, but otherwise says nothing. 
“What’s so funny?” 
“Oh, nothing, I’m sure you’ll find out eventually. It’s impossible not to.” 
“Alright, so how did you meet Kiono, anyway?” 
“Hm, an interesting question. Somehow the ‘why’ isn’t the ‘how’. I was employed by Cecily Cardew to locate a missing friend of hers, that’s when I met our friend here-” Izora pats the halberd. “I didn’t meet Kiono until much later. She invaded my bedroom to demand tutelage.” 
“It was like four days later,” the Halberd says. “Hardly ‘much’. (:P emoji) “ 
Excuse you, we fought an entire drow hive between the two, it certainly felt like much later.” Izora says, smiling. 
“Fair enough. Please, continue.” 
“So she throws herself at my feet, declares her undying allegiance, and beseeches me to impart unto her the Dark Powers at my command.” 
“And what Dark Powers are those?” Concludion interjects, curious. 
“A spell that turns casters into their constituent spells- using magic etches that power on your very being, and using the enchanted blood of a deceased foe, you can draw those echoes onto a scroll. It’s pretty cool.” Concludion stares at the tiefling, not really comprehending. “I think that one was mentioned.” 
Izora laughs again at his confusion, “Anyway, I taught her a few tricks that would help her learn more as she travelled. She wasn’t able to really stick around long-term, though I’d strongly considered making her my apprentice.” She waves her hand in the air dismissively, “or something, I’m not sure. She seemed lost and uncertain. I was worried.” 
Concludion says nothing as she speaks, and instead stares into the crackling fire that always seems to be in the Burrnett hearth for staring pensively into. 
“She would be better than Enooto,” the Halberd says to Concludion only. “Probably.” “Probably.” Concludion replies to the Halberd. 
“I… it took some pressing, but she told me more or less what she knew about the Halberd, what they were doing. I took it poorly… “I haven’t had the greatest experiences with eldritch beings possessing my friends. Akaros is downright pleasant about it.” “He seems alright,” Concludion agrees softly. 
Izora continues, “I’m not going to say something like ‘she was the first person who didn’t flinch when she met me’ or something like that. She was terrified. But, I don’t know…” 
“She’s terrified of everything,” Concludion says, chuckling. “She’s always been a bit of a scaredy-cat. Maybe not always…” 
“Right, but even scared as she was, she still wanted to talk to me. Still wanted… well anyway, I didn’t know what to do with her. Our family has always had trouble with not taking in strays.” 
“Oh, she would have dissolved into nothingness when you Fire Bolted Xelbari. If I hadn’t been there, she would have been gone for good,” the Halberd offers unhelpfully. “She had a moment to calm down because of it, luckily.” 
Izora taps the Halberd. “Good thing that you were there to bolster her then. I’d forgotten about that part. Can you imagine? Just barging into someone’s bedroom while they were… in their bedroom. Xelbari is a handful, but… he’s good to have around.” 
“It was to the face,” the Halberd says quietly to Concludion. “Like, he was fine, which is probably the only reason she was actually okay in the end.” 
“Who’s Xelbari?” Concludion asks. 
“He’s my aunt’s brother.” Izora offers. 
“So, your uncle?” 
“Eeeeeehhhh,” Izora says, “Depends on what day it is. He’s… he’s the only one who seems to remember that magic is fun. He reminds everyone not to take themselves too seriously. I think he’s been good for Belxari in that way, or at least, I hope so. At the very least, I appreciate the reminder for my own sake. It’s very easy to get caught by the allure of power. But there’s always something more. Some greater height. Something beyond. Simple power cannot be the goal, because it will never be enough.” 
She unclenches her fist, uncertain when she started. “I’m sorry, I rambled a bit there.” 
“It’s fine,” Concludion says. “I think I understand.” He hesitantly reaches over and puts a hand on Izora’s shoulder. “I’m glad that Kiono found someone… on the outside to talk to. I can’t imagine what seeing all this would be like if she didn’t have someone to talk to about it.” 
Izora regards the hand for a moment, but allows it. “I’m not sure how much I’m really being- perhaps I could have been doing more- we only really talked the few days she was in town, and I’m afraid she’s been running around quite a bit. Besides, our friend here has been in charge most of the time, from what I understand.” 
“At her behest, primarily,” the Halberd affirms. “Though I’d be lying if it wasn’t mostly convenience. In the end I’m better suited to battle than she is, and we have seen a fair amount of that.” 
“Indeed, I do not mean it as a slight,” Izora says, “I do appreciate your keeping her safe, conveniently so or otherwise.” She smiles. 
“Agreed,” Concludion agrees agreeably. “I’m hopeful that she can learn to rely on her friends a bit more, that’s why I agreed to come here with the Halberd. Give her some time to… get to know them, and for them to get to know her.” 
Izora snorts, “Oh boy. Those guys? They’re absolutely hopeless.” 
At least let me pretend there’s a chance,” the Halberd says softly. She sighs. “I mean, you’re right, but still… I’m a bit of a fool and continue trying even when everything is downright hopeless.” 
“I don’t mean that they’ll explode as a group, just that they’re very likely to explode in the classical sense.” Izora says, illustrating her point with a pomf of smoke in her palm. “On an unrelated subject, I wonder if I could work out some kind of magic mouth spell for you, if you wanted, so that you could talk when you’re not driving the Kiono? If you’re some kind of divine being, it might be difficult, but I could give it a shot?” 
“Oh, uh…” She considers this a moment. “There is something incredibly unsettling about the idea. But then, Akaros does it all the time, I suppose.” 
“Perhaps it best to leave it alone then, if you’re content with it. If you need to get someone’s attention, you can always just stab them.” 
“That has worked in the past,” she chuckles, then adds, “I’m winking at Concludion right now. In my mind. Hypothetically.” 
Concludion sighs, “Yeah, that’d do it.” 
“So what was she like, growing up?” Izora asks Concludion. 
“A long piece of metal, hanging on the wall.” 
“There’s some wood and ribbon here too,” the Halberd adds. 
“Right right, Wood and Ribbon as well.” 
Izora punches Concludion in the arm. “You know what I meant.” 
Concludion grins, and tells a big long story about Kiono, the time she had her first vision. Much trouble was had. 
“I never got to see that side of her. She was usually only in the temple for her studies. She got yelled at enough to know she was up to shenanigans, of course,” the Halberd muses. 
“She’s something else, when she’s allowed to be herself,” Concludion says. 
“I’d like to see more of that, I think,” Izora says. 
"Boy, this really is the Kiono fanclub... Well, we know you two like her. Tell us about yourselves or something, maybe. I'd share about myself, but I've done that to excess the last couple days." She is awkwardly quiet for a moment, then amends, "Ah, Izora, tell us about you." 
“I’m not sure what there is to tell,” 
“What do you enjoy doing? Are you always studying magic?” 
“No, not always. I’m usually busy helping father, if not running some of the more… behind the scenes elements. I delegate a lot these days by necessity, but I really should be returning to the troupe soon. I’ve been away for too long. 
“But if you mean hobbies I suppose I like reading, if that counts.” 
“What kind of troupe is it?” Concludion asks. 
“Oh,” Izora says, as if remembering Concludion is there, “It’s a… theatre troupe. I’m in charge of it- most of the time we’re doing whatever the latest Star Walk is, but with as popular as it’s become, I’d kind of like to stand out a bit more…. “Though maybe blending in with the crowd isn’t a bad thing.” She muses. 
“Surely there is more than Star Walk out there,” the Halberd says. 
“Plenty, and more,” Izora says. “There’s a whole world of theatre out there and Star Walk is just one big, awful part of it. I tried, you know, writing my own offshoot, just to inject some nuance and character into father’s grand, sweeping, and utterly bland space opera. It was… decently received, I suppose, but it’s just not the same.” 
“So Star Walk - which you don’t enjoy - helping your father with politics, and reading?” 
“It’s not that I don’t enjoy it… it’s just bad. And more people should know it. But otherwise yes, I suppose.” 
“I only really ever knew about Star Walk,” Concludion says, “Kiono would read the books to me sometimes, but I was never as excited for it as she was. What else is there?” 
Izora begins listing her favorite plays, which is probably all of them. 
“She only had the two books,” the Halberd says. “The second and third as I recall.” 
“Oh, I thought Belxari had squirreled your group Father’s first printing? I’m not sure where it might have gone, otherwise.” Izora says tiredly. 
“She did,” the Halberd chuckles. “I meant originally, the ones she would have read to Concludion.” 
“Oh yeah, that would probably explain why there were huge holes in the story.” Concludion says. 
“Probably less than you’d think.” Izora snarks. “But what about you, Concludion, what things have you enjoyed away from your sequestered village?” 
Concludion thinks for a moment before answering, “I’ve met a lot of interesting people on the road. There are more people out there than I ever thought there were in the whole world. It was a lot to think about. Growing up, we were told that everyone out here was the same, but that doesn’t seem like it could possibly be, the world is just too vast. 
“And for the most part, they all seem alright, if you give them the proper chance. I ran afoul of some bandits on the road, and they just needed a proper outlet for their energy. 
Turns out it’s still banditry but we’ve got like, rules and stuff now. Only stealing from rich people, that kind of thing.” 
Izora smiles, “A noble sentiment, to be sure.” 
“People are pretty cool,” the Halberd comments. “I’ve grown rather attached over the eons.” 
AND THEN THE FIRE NATION ATTACKED!! Not really. It’s the party showing up. They request the room and the halberd, and Izora and Concludion leave the room.   
== Trivia == 
* This OOS was written in Google Docs instead of Discord, thus the different formatting.
Category:OOS