TRP: Gavi, Goro, Hansel, and Luci (Smashed Stone)

[Setting: Day 269, Reunion Beach.]

Time had done nothing for clearing Timur's mind. Neither had the spells the clerics had re-charged. So just one thing left to do. Smash that stone to pieces. But first, Gavi wanted to see if she could communicate to the Mother.

So she settled down across from Timur, reaching out to card her fingers through his hair. "Hey, Timur," she said softly. "You hear me?"

COYOTE

Timur made a soft, confused sound. "I can hear you," he said plainly in Orcish.

ABBY

Gavi breathed a sigh of relief. Good. There was hope. "Listen. This Mother that's talking to you," she said, easily sliding back into Orcish. "Can you pass a message on to her too?"

COYOTE

Timur cocked his head, placidly. "No is speaking to me," he said. His voice was soft and vague. "But I can hear you, mama."

ABBY

Well. She didn't get what was going on, but it wouldn't hurt to try, here. "Okay. That's good, baby, that's real good. But listen-- I'm gonna go for a bit here. That Mother? From the cave? I'm gonna go smash that stone and let her out." She watched his reaction carefully. Wondering how much of one he'd have.

COYOTE

Spots on the blindfold darkened, as if damp with tears. Timur let out a sob. "Okay. Thank you, mama. Thank you."

ABBY

It hurt, watching Timur cry. Even if it wasn't him pushing the tears. "But hey. The thing is, I'd like to keep my own mind while doing that. Do you think the Mother would allow that?" she asked.

COYOTE

Timur shrugged. He tracked Gavi's movements with his face, even though he, supposedly, could not see through the blindfold. "She doesn't allow anything," he said distantly.

ABBY

Well that sent chills down Gavi's spine. "Okay," she said slowly. "Well. I'll see you soon." She kissed Timur's forehead and got up. There were others staying behind to keep an eye on him. He'd be no worse off without her there. Still real painful, turning her back on him like that.

"C'mon, let's fucking go," she said while passing by her posse. "Got a rock to smash."

IZZY

Luci straightened with the others, keen to be on the way. It was ... a distraction, perhaps, she'd realized. But it was a very interesting -- a troubling -- occurrence on its own merits, as well.

She warned Hansel about the orcish writing on the stone, and how it had gripped Timur so tightly. He'd grunted, and come along regardless. Because of Timur's state, she had to imagine. Jonn stayed behind, minding the baby Scion, and a handful of the rest were investigating with them. Luci stayed by Gavi, slightly concerned she may still do something rash.

When they reached the cave, Hansel scouted around it, and squinted at the back of it with trepidation, lingering outside with his arms crossed. Luci tucked her staff into the elbow to pull her hair back, and went inside with Gavi.

ABBY

Gavi spend the walk in grim silence. Hopefully she'd keep her mind. Or at least enough of it to use her hammer, instead of her hands. She lingered for a second, just outside where the compulsion had gripped her. Glanced over at Luci, steady and determined, and stepped inside.

COYOTE

The compulsion was stronger this time. The smell was, too. It felt like something had changed in the room overnight. Like whatever-it-was had gotten more frantic.

The urge to dig down pounded in Gavi's skull. But it was different, this time. It didn't compel her to dig with her claws.

I'm gonna go smash the stone and let her out, Gavi had said.

I'm gonna go smash the stone and let her out.

I'm gonna go smash the stone and let her out.

Break the stone, find the bones, break the stone, find the bones, break the stone, break the stone break the stonebreakthestonebreakthestone.

Gavi stumbled forward as if dragged there. She raised her warhammer above her head as high as possible, then slammed it into the rock as hard as possible, then again, and again, and again, even though the noise was loud enough to hurt her ears. Breakthestonebreakthestonebreakthestone--

The stone cracked.

IZZY

Luci felt the magic reach out for her, tried to throw it off --

-- wasn't able to --

-- and dropped her staff to rush into the room and start digging the rubble away with her hands.

COYOTE

The rubble cleared away slowly. Dust filled the room, and something-- something-- kept the others out. Whatever-it-was was satisfied with just two of them. It was almost frantic, now, screaming.

Once the stone was cracked, Gavi fell to her knees and started digging through the rubble, too.

There were worms between their fingers, then flesh, as they uncovered the body of a towering orc, encased in stone.

But the urge didn't stone. It said, Keep digging.

Their fingers dug into the flesh, tearing it away. And finally, one of them touched bone.

Gavi touched the bones first. And when she did, a white-hot pain moved up her arm from her fingers. A bright light flashed, blinding. It felt like she was being burned alive.

Then the light vanished. The compulsion did, too, abruptly, as if it'd never been there. And suddenly, the two of them were left sitting alone in a room, in front of an old corpse. And nothing was wrong. The room was quiet and still, and the overpowering aura of magic was just...

Gone.

ABBY

Gavi grabbed at her arm and doubled over, making pained noises. Smelled like cooked flesh now. Her cooked flesh. "LucI?" she called weakly. "Y'aright?"

IZZY

Luci blinked a couple time, disoriented, and fumbled for Gavi's arm to heal her. She didn't remember to answer, first.

LINA

While Hansel paced like a caged tiger at the entrance to the cave, Goro kept looking the place over, frowning and trying in vain to detect anything more specific than yup, it's fucking magical, alright. Every now and then, Hansel would make another attempt to walk inside, and be bounced right back out.

Then, all of the sudden, he didn't bounce out. He was walking inside the cave. Goro scrambled after him, leaving Mishka outside to stand guard.

They walked in on Luci and Gavi, sitting in front of a huge ass corpse. Goro stayed back as soon as they were inside--he was detecting fuck-all with his spell, now. That wasn't fuckin' natural.

ABBY

"Hey," Gavi said again, a little more urgent. "Luci. Luci you there?" She waved her uninjured hand in front of Luci's face. There'd been lights, like when Luci cast spells. But Gavi's arm was still burned and twisted, and Luci's face was still... blank. Then again, that was just what Luci's face looked like.

IZZY

Luci looked up, frowning. "What? Yes, I'm fine. You're injured."

About that time Hansel slid into the pit -- the grave, as it happened. He moved to grab Luci's shoulders, possibly to lift her out, but stopped short when he saw that she wasn't in danger. Then he registered the monumental body they had unearthed.

"The fuck," he commented. Still hovering by Luci, he appraised Gavi, too, squinting at her.

ABBY

Oh good. Gavi slumped back against the wall in relief. Now that the adrenaline was fading, she was more aware of the pain still burning inside. Fucking ow.

"Hey," she said, weakly flapping her less-hurt hand at Hansel. "Lookit what the cat dragged in, huh?" This shit was huge. Bigger than any Goliath Gavi'd ever seen, and that was saying something.

LINA

Goro crossed his arms and peered down at the corpse. "The fuck," he called.

IZZY

Hansel nudged the body with a boot, then offered Luci a hand out of the grave, which she took, glancing Gavi's way with concern. As he went over to offer Gavi the same, she asked, "What happened? Gavi. There was a light."

ABBY

"Not entirely sure myself." Gavi accepted the hand, struggling to haul herself out even with help. "Still got fucking compelled. Least this time it was for something fucking useful." She gestured weakly at the smashed stone, and her warhammer still mingling with the bones.

"Once the stone opened up I started digging-- was that when you jumped in, Luci?-- and we had to keep digging till we hit bone. Soon as I touched it..." Gavi gestured to her burned arm. "Felt like I was burning alive. And then it was all over."

IZZY

Luci frowned. Without saying anything else, she passed by Goro to go and retrieve her staff from where she had dropped it once she'd been compelled. She came back to stand next to him, still frowning. That couldn't possibly be a good thing.

Hansel had slid back down to grab to warhammer close to its head, using the other end and his boot to nudge aside some rubble and get a better look at the body. "Somethin' fuckin' useful like a huge fuckin' corpse?" He sounded doubtful and disgruntled. "Either of you got that fuckin' ... speak with dead spell ready to go?"

LINA

"I can give it a shot," Goro said. Out of the corner of his mouth, he said to Luci, "I don't wanna talk to that fuckin' thing. The fuck. The fuck happened?"

IZZY

"Compulsion," she said bluntly. "As Gavi said."

LINA

"From what? There's nothing--there's nothing--" He put both hands out and rubbed his fingertips against his thumbs, a gesture sure to communicate I can no longer detect any magic as well as saying the damn words. Whatever. He climbed down into the pit and looked uncomfortably over the corpse. He didn't even wanna touch it, really. Freakish.

He slid his pack off and started pulling out his incense and burner.

ABBY

Oh did you fix it? Timur is fine, he's headed your way now. The tortle kid's voice suddenly echoed in Gavi's mind. God. Timur. "Thanks for the heads up," she muttered. "Timur's headed over here," she called to the group. "Roddy just," she gestured vaguely at her head. They got her fucking point. God she hurt.

"Hey ask her what the big fucking idea was anyway," Gavi called down to Goro. There were a lot of skeletons in this room. Orc skeletons. Made Gavi fucking mad.

IZZY

Luci edged around the pit to stand by Gavi. She looked unwell, and it was unsettling that Luci could seem to do nothing for her. Hansel, meanwhile, stayed below with Goro.

LINA

When Goro had his incense burning, he squatted beside the skull. Gave him a weird chill imagining something that size actually being alive. He shook the thought off and put his hands on the skull, bowing his head in prayer.

A moment later, he felt tingling in his fingertips. He opened his eyes. "Who are you?" More like what, but sure.

COYOTE

The corpse shuddered. The voice came out of the corpse slow and thick, and much deeper than any natural creature.

“I am Gavriella of the Sarachet Tribe.”

ABBY

If touching the bones had set Gavi on fire, hearing that was like having ice shoved in her chest. "The fuck you are!" she yelled, struggling upright. "I'm fucking Gavriella of the Sarachet Tribe! You- you're dead! I ain't!"

IZZY

As Luci blinked and thought, ah, that doesn't make sense, Hansel lunged out of the pit and jerked her away from Gavi, shoving her behind him. His other hand went for his trident, and she stood on her toes to grab his wrist -- no chance of actually stopping him, but it made him pause, at least.

"Lying," she blurted, and thought to follow up with, "Spirits can lie."

Hansel looked to Goro.

LINA

Goro looked around the room, acting like it was full of people, and not just the four of them. "Anyone wanna tell me what the fuck is going on here? Anybody? No? Yeah, I guess I'll just fuckin'--jeez--fuck--"

He sat back on his ass in the dirt, folding his arms over his knees. Hansel was still looking at him like he might have a clue. "They can lie," he agreed, "but only about things they knew in life. You're telling me this thing--" he waved a hand at the corpse-- "personal friend of Gavi's, or what?"

ABBY

Right. Lying. That was an option. Gavi started to run a hand through her hair and winced, hissing in pain. Fucking arm was burned all to bits. Right. "I think I'd fucking remember someone that sized, and I sure fucking don't," she said, gesturing at the skeleton. "The fuck is up with this."

IZZY

Slowly, Hansel pulled his trident off his back, but he drove the end into the ground rather than pointing it at Gavi. He kept Luci behind him, though, and shifted his weight nearer to Goro.

"All right," he said slowly, eyeing Gavi. "If it ain't fuckin' lying ..." He trailed off.

LINA

Goro held his hands up, at a loss. "Well? The fuck else should I ask it?"

ABBY

"Hey I ain't lying either!" Gavi snapped. "Already 'fessed up to my big secrets." God. This whole situation was shit. "I don't fucking know, I'd say ask how it knew my fucking name but fucker's already lied once."

IZZY

Luci piped up. "Goro -- can you cast Zone of Truth? On Gavi? Just ..." She glanced past Hansel to Gavi, feeling vaguely guilty for doubting her at all. "For proof."

LINA

Goro turned his head toward Gavi and raised an eyebrow. "Be happy to."

ABBY

"Really?" Gavi glared. "Fucking... fine. If it's that important to you."

LINA

Goro smiled. "Great. Stay right where you are." He pointed at her and closed his eyes, reciting the prayer. He felt the magic take hold without any resistance, so good on her. He opened his eyes again. "What's your name, lovely lady?"

ABBY

"Gavriella of the Sacharet Tribe and I have no fucking clue why that thing is using my name," she said, gesturing to the skeleton.

IZZY

Hansel relaxed a bit, still looking grim, but directing it more towards the corpse than towards Gavi, now. Luci slipped by him, to stand nearer to Gavi, again. She chewed on a thumbnail, then made herself stop -- there was dirt lodged under them.

"If this is the body of ... the mother," she said doubtfully, "then she could have been aware in some manner, even deceased, and learned Gavi's name in that way. If she could speak to us, I mean, perhaps she could hear us, as well."

ABBY

This was starting to make sense. A little. "I talked to Timur before we left," Gavi said slowly. "I wanted to see if I could get a message through to the mother. Said that I was gonna smash the stone this time. Asked if I could keep my fucking wits about me too but," she shrugged. That sure hadn't happened. "But it was different. I wasn't supposed to dig the second time. She heard me. She heard me when I talked to Timur."

IZZY

Luci tilted her head. "Ask why she's lying to us."

LINA

Goro shrugged. He nudged the skull with his foot. "Why are you lying?"

COYOTE

The corpse’s breath rattled wetly as she inhaled, drawing air into her rotten lungs, then expelled it.

“Small mortals ask questions they do not understand, then receive answers that are beyond them.”

LINA

"Hah. See? What'd I tell you?" He jerked his chin at Luci. "God shit. You know any orc goddesses? Mother goddesses, even?"

IZZY

"Luthic," Hansel offered. "Orc Mother, or whatever."

ABBY

"I never heard of her," Gavi said. "But if she's been trapped her for a while..." Gavi trailed off, feeling chilled. To be trapped for as long as it'd take to be forgotten to the degree of Gavi never hearing of her. Fuck. Almost made Gruumsh's hell look appealing.

LINA

Huh. Luthic. Sounded familiar. Hansel had told Goro some stuff about the orc pantheon, once. Goro sure trusted his version of things more than whatever the hell Gavi had been indoctrinated with.

He nudged the skull again. "Are you Luthic?"

COYOTE

The corpse let out a wheezing laugh, burbling up from her rotten throat. “No more.”

IZZY

Hansel scowled. "Ask what the fuck happened, then."

LINA

"What the fuck happened, then?" Goro asked.

COYOTE

“Gruumsh’s mate’s crossed the gate to gather up some posies. Struck too late, lost her fate, and now she rots belowsies. Calamity,” the corpse said. “Calamity. Betrayal. He killed me, once I was here. Made people forget old Granny Luthic. Wanted people to chant his name instead of mine. All the orcs, worshipping him, nobody else. But some didn’t forget. Some got away. Some remembered, and worshiped, and praised, even while old Luthic rots. No prayers answered. No help coming, not anymore, not from the Dead Gods, but some love me.”

ABBY

Gavi didn't want to feel sorry for the corpse. The corpse that'd dragged her son into a cave, where he'd have died if they hadn't come fished him out. But fuck if being betrayed by Gruumsh didn't strike a chord.

IZZY

"Yeah, Gruumsh is fuckin' like that," Hansel muttered.

Luci's eyes were bright. "Ask how we can help her get revenge."

LINA

"God yes." Goro grinned and rubbed his hands together. He nudged the skull one last time. "How can we help you get revenge on Gruumsh?"

COYOTE

“Cross the gate. Slay the orc. Steal the spark. Seal the spark.”

ABBY

"What does that fucking mean?" Gavi asked, frustrated.

LINA

"Dunno, but I'm fucking writing it down," Goro said, scrambling to dig his notebook out of his pack.

IZZY

Hansel grunted. He replaced his trident on his back and clambered down to help Goro out of the grave. "So, fuckin' die, kill Gruumsh, take his divine spark or whatever. Great. Easy. No fuckin' problem."

ABBY

"Yeah. One of those sounds easy plans that sure as shit is gonna be a lot harder in practice," Gavi said dryly.

LINA

Goro finished jotting notes, shoved the book and his incense holder back into his bag, and accepted Hansel's help out of the grave. "Psh. Nah. I got this."

IZZY

The others seemed prepared to go -- Gavi, no doubt, wanted to see Timur, and Hansel wanted to be out of the cavern, and Goro seemed unimpressed with the goings-on in general, at least until the mention of defeating Gruumsh came up. This was all understandable; Luci had no particular drive to leave the cave, nor one to remain there -- it felt they had done everything that they could.

Except, before they left, she eased back down into the grave and picked delicately at the corpse's flesh with her dagger, and extracted a finger bone. It was the smallest, most portable bone on the creature, she imagines. And this way -- in time -- they could speak to Luthic again, should they need to.

[END]