Church of Ilmater RP

[kleomenes]

The priest Ameris and his lady have since returned to the Temple. Ameris, for his part, has spent much of the time since sleeping, evidently drained from the resurrection ritual.

[kleomenes]

Last night, however, a grey robed figure moves through the darkness of the temple, shorn head bare. He slips through the infirmary while the priests on duty are busy, merely smiling hesitantly to any who do see him. He makes his way to the chapel, ensuring that Brother Marcus is at his rest and that this place of prayer is empty.

Kneeling by the altar, the figure lays out ten tiny candles on a tray before it. Childlike candles. Also on the tray he places a wooden toy, and a pair of wooden shoes. He lights each candle, and as he does so, murmurs a foreign sounding word. Ten words for ten candles. He watches the candles burn for a few moments, his expression blank. Then, his eyes close. Then, he collapses, eyes screwed shut, forehead pressed to the floor in a position of absolute obeisance. He removes a pouch from his belt as he does so, and pours sand from it over his head. Then he clutches at the back of his head madly, as if trying to press his face into the hard wood, grinding the sand into his scalp. This motion stops when he clasps his holy symbol and lets out a sobbing gasp. And he weeps, as silently as he can manage.

[Nomster]

The sorceress startles awake, an arm wildly patting down the empty place near her on the bed where the priest would have laid. She is confused for a moment or two, still noticing it being dark outside. Then she leaps out of the bed.

Rushed footsteps can be heard through the sleeping quarters, down the stairs and then through the Infirmary. Likely waking up or disturbing a few of the resting clergy and patients. She pauses as she sees Sister Adolina still at the kitchen and inbetween breaths asks where the priest has gone too. The relief on her face is evident as she is told he is in the Chapel.

She takes a few moments to collect herself, deeply breathing in and breathing out slowly. The door to the Chapel then opens just a bit as she peeks inside. She seems confused at the scene she sees, with the priest rubbing something into his scalp but as she hears the sob-like sound, she opens the door fully and rushes forward. Her arms would encircle the priest, unless he would try and avoid the rather forceful embrace.

[kleomenes]

The Priest does not fend off the urgent hug. Instead, the hand free of his holy symbol clutches at Telia and he leans into her. Tears flow silently, as he draws strength from her comforting touch.

After a long few moments, he speaks those same ten words very quietly.

"Jahi, Jamila, Naeem, Nabirye, Dakarai, Asim, Abubakar, Ife, Issa, Khalid."

[Nomster]

Soothing hands move across the weeping priest's back, stroking him. He may notice that Telia trembles a bit. As he speaks the names, she listens and understands why he mourns. There is a saddened expression coming over her features and for a moment, she looks like she will weep alongside him. It passes though, pushed back by some kind of determination and instead she tries to calmly speak.

The words instead come out constrained and a bit hoarse, "I bear the guilt of it, do I not... Had I not walked in..." she trails off and sighs, her arms holding the priest more tightly for a moment.

"Let me... take... this... upon me. Not you." The voice is pleading.

[kleomenes]

Ameris sits up at this point, and he looks straight at Telia, the tears drying on his cheeks. No more come. It is as if he takes strength from her words.

"No, because this blade was being sharpened before you even thought to enter that place, and still cuts when you are outwith it."

He clasps her by her shoulders.

"No, because of all ways I have angered him, the giving of your heart is but the most recent, not the most grievous."

The priest stands, a hand reaching down to help her up.

"He weaves lies and falsehood. This crime is too great even for him. It is maddened with obsession." He brushes his eyes with the back of his other hand, his face a mask now, resolved, stonelike. "But if he did not, someone has to weep."

Looking up on the witch, the stonework cracks, revealing a sad smile. "Come, let us rest, so minds are clear in their purpose to resolve this tomorrow."

[Nomster]

As the priest sits up, the sorceress relaxes her grip of him and then reaches to brush away grains of sand from his face. She watches him speak with worry showing in her own eyes.

When Ameris stands, she takes his offered hand and stands as well. She holds on to it, as if fearful it would escape away somewhere and looks at his face and the sad smile on his lips. "He may have known... you would react strongly... Perhaps even accept the offer..." The hand is squeezed tightly, if it was an animal of sorts, it would be suffocated by the grip. "Lies, deception and manipulation... Do not.. do not fall for such, my love..."

She hesitates, "If those children exists and are not... just a lie... Do we honour them... by suffering...?" Words are quickly added, "Children... they are. They are supposed to be beings of joy and laughter, are they not...?"

Her voice grows a bit hopeful, she remains where she is, even though she looks quite looks like she is in need of rest herself. With the facial paints cleaned away, she looks almost eerily like a walking corpse. "We... we do not... aid anyone with adding more suffering. We should... honour them, in a way... they would have... liked."

[kleomenes]

Ameris cups Telia's cheek as they stand together in the darkened chapel, onlyt the flickering light of the candles illuminating their faces. A flickering, sad smile.

"My lord teaches that laughter and smiles help us endure..."

The hand in hers squeezes. "And I will endure." There is a persuasive tone to these words, an attempt to convince.

"And I will endure."

The priest's smile fades, his voice remaining soft. "But if there is truth in this, I must mark it. I can only offer tears; the only other thing in my heart is anger, and it will avail nothing."

His gaze dips. His tone hard. "Until he makes a mistake."

[JCVD1]

The candle light was bright in the Khazark's chambers.

Magically enhanced.

A man made his way inside the luxurious room, a strong scent of a misterious perfume, perhaps even a woman's.

The Khazarks seems busy with his usual paperwork, burried deep in the never ending avalanche of papyrus.

"My lord, the Slave masters are expressing concerns. They fear the cost of such an endeavour..." the voice trails of as the severe gaze of the Khazark stabs the soul of his assistant

"I made it clear, Ahmed. Proceed with what was ordered. The cost is of little importance. Disturb me never again on the matter, or join the herd."

The night was cold, and lonely in the Thayan Enclave, a single shadow perched on the balcony, observing, staring, plotting.

[Nomster]

"Is anger really all there is..?" The sorceress questions the man before her, green eyes searching his expression. She then leans closer, brushing her lips against his ever so lightly. Not quite a kiss, only a reminder.

She murmurs, "You are a bad liar, Ameris Santraeger."

"...but if you truly think there is only anger in your heart... Then he has won in part already."

There is a sigh and then a pause in her quiet words before she continues.

"Let us go, as the sun rises... and for each soul he claims to have sent to the afterlife, we find another still among the living... and we will honour those said to have passed..."

Her free hand rises, to rest on one of his shoulders near the collar of his nightshirt.

"Even if we cannot bring them back, or ease their suffering... We can honour them... by in their names... brighten up someone else's day. If we can ease someone else's suffering... surely that... that must be better than adding more suffering..." Her green eyes continue to eye him, to see if her words have reached him or if he clings on to his own way of dealing with the sorrow and possible feelings of guilt.

[kleomenes]

Ameris' brow furrows, her words striking home."

"More than anger and sorrow, yes. Forgive my self regard."

His eyes close and his forehead leans forward to touch hers.

"A treasure, here." He murmurs, then leans back. His gaze moves down to the candles, and the toy, and the wooden shoes.

When he looks back to Telia he speaks with a new resolve.

"It will be as you say. Let us rest now and, in the morning, show what the Broken God stands for."

With that, he takes her hands, smiling.

The smile flickers.

"But in the dark of night, I will still weep."

[Nomster]

Telia seems relieved at Ameris' words. As his forehead touches her own, she closes her eyes as well and takes a trembling breath. As he leans back, to look at the toy and other things by the altar, she too looks at them. Her eyes would be sad.

She meets his gaze as both her hands are taken. A small, hopeful smile is given in return. It fades at his next words, instead she looks at him lovingly.

"...and I will be there, to wipe those tears away."

A light kiss is placed on each of the priest's cheeks.

[kleomenes]

With sad smiles, the pair return upstairs to their rest.

[Hitman Hard]

An unlikely ally, and a man of few mistakes, delivers a letter to the Temple of Ilmater.

[kleomenes]

The temple receives a donation of healing mushrooms and other natural goods from Edmund of Chauntea.