Esper Shift: The RPG, Part II

[Ptrvc]

Joseph returned hours later with a few unidentifiable eggs, two rather sorry looking rabbit carcasses, and a water skin filled with fresh liquid.

He placed the rather measly bounty on the ground before walking off to help with the pyre. He thought the whole thing was a waste of time.

"Why feed the fire instead of the beasts?" he asked Linne, "I would think our compatriots are past caring what happens to them."

[Eternal Torment]

Soon enough wood had been gathered to form a fairly large pile. Linne turned to the Fortold. "Some of you will have to lift the dead unto the pyre."

"I'll do it." As tired as she was, Tabitha had to do this one last thing for the Pilgrims. "They deserved better than this."

Joseph returned hours later with a few unidentifiable eggs, two rather sorry looking rabbit carcasses, and a water skin filled with fresh liquid.

He placed the rather measly bounty on the ground before walking off to help with the pyre. He thought the whole thing was a waste of time.

"Why feed the fire instead of the beasts?" he asked Linne, "I would think our compatriots are past caring what happens to them."

"Respect, Joseph. They were with us, and so they must be given their final dues."

[Sharpandpointies]

"Not at all," Linne said. "Injuries are to be healed, pain is to be lessened. That is good enough."

Sulin grimaces. "Not...for me," she rasps, settling down. "You have my gratitude." And the Safero pay their debts; they'll accept aid, but don't forget. Any of them would say the same, save for the occasional shirker. Such Miser's Children, Sulin knows, quickly learn to mend their ways or suffer ostracism. The Safero have neither time nor energy for those who do not honor assistance.

There's movement nearby, and coices she knows. They speak of the dead, and buliding pyres. Suddenly, the voices she does not hear are most conspicuous by their absence.

Someone settles beside her, and Sulin raises her head to behold the Lady Galena. "Lady." She coughs. "You appear...less-than-well, but my heart...is gladdened to see you alive." She tries a smile; it feels weak and shaky on her lips. Slowly she lets it pass, her features darkening.

"Who has fallen?" the young Safero asks.

[Tami]

Sulin grimaces. "Not...for me," she rasps, settling down. "You have my gratitude." And the Safero pay their debts; they'll accept aid, but don't forget. Any of them would say the same, save for the occasional shirker. Such Miser's Children, Sulin knows, quickly learn to mend their ways or suffer ostracism. The Safero have neither time nor energy for those who do not honor assistance.

There's movement nearby, and coices she knows. They speak of the dead, and buliding pyres. Suddenly, the voices she does not hear are most conspicuous by their absence.

Someone settles beside her, and Sulin raises her head to behold the Lady Galena. "Lady." She coughs. "You appear...less-than-well, but my heart...is gladdened to see you alive." She tries a smile; it feels weak and shaky on her lips. Slowly she lets it pass, her features darkening.

"Who has fallen?" the young Safero asks.

Galena gives Sulin a brief smile, but does not speak. Her smile quickly fades to a more serious expression.

[Ghost]

Joseph returned hours later with a few unidentifiable eggs, two rather sorry looking rabbit carcasses, and a water skin filled with fresh liquid.

He placed the rather measly bounty on the ground before walking off to help with the pyre. He thought the whole thing was a waste of time.

"Why feed the fire instead of the beasts?" he asked Linne, "I would think our compatriots are past caring what happens to them."

"True, their souls are already walking the White Path with Lord Amana," Linne said. "However, we cremate their bodies so that their spirits will not have reason to linger in this world. It is an ancient tradition, even our oldest scriptures tell us to burn the dead."

She sighed. "To tell the truth, an acolyte like myself is unworthy of carrying out the ceremony - normally I would merely assist a more senior priest. But this is better than nothing. Many fallen warriors are never given their last rites at all."

[Yun Lao]

With nothing more than the sounds of footfall signaling his presence, Noburo had returned, his arms filled with various branches of size and shapes. Placing them on the ground nearby, the youth left once again to retrieve more.

[Eternal Torment]

"True, their souls are already walking the White Path with Lord Amana," Linne said. "However, we cremate their bodies so that their spirits will not have reason to linger in this world. It is an ancient tradition, even our oldest scriptures tell us to burn the dead."

She sighed. "To tell the truth, an acolyte like myself is unworthy of carrying out the ceremony - normally I would merely assist a more senior priest. But this is better than nothing. Many fallen warriors are never given their last rites at all."

"You are doing the Trinity's work, Venerable Karafona. Is that not enough?" Tabitha asked with a grim smile.

[Ptrvc]

"I'll do it." As tired as she was, Tabitha had to do this one last thing for the Pilgrims. "They deserved better than this."



"Respect, Joseph. They were with us, and so they must be given their final dues."

"True, their souls are already walking the White Path with Lord Amana," Linne said. "However, we cremate their bodies so that their spirits will not have reason to linger in this world. It is an ancient tradition, even our oldest scriptures tell us to burn the dead."

She sighed. "To tell the truth, an acolyte like myself is unworthy of carrying out the ceremony - normally I would merely assist a more senior priest. But this is better than nothing. Many fallen warriors are never given their last rites at all."

Joseph shrugged before bending down to help Tabitha with the bodies, lifting them onto the pyre. This was just one more thing he would never understand, why would anyone care what happened to their body after they were dead? After all, they would not be using it, would they? Might as well let something else get some use out of it, even if it was a worm.

"If you say so," he shrugged again, seemingly practicing the movement, "If it is what they would of wanted, it should be done."

[Sharpandpointies]

Galena gives Sulin a brief smile, but does not speak. Her smile quickly fades to a more serious expression.

"Gods." Sulin rolls over and stares at the sky. She's sick, weak, and every movement produces shooting pain; much as she should get up and look around, find out who yet lives and pay her respects to the dead, she can't. All she can do is listen, and track the voices.

Lady Galena.
Lord Joseph.
Lady Tabitha.
Lady Brett.
Lord Edan.

She thinks she caught sight of Lord Donius wrapped in a blanket; not as a shroud, but for warmth. Lord Noboru moves around, silently. Turning her head, she spots Lord Eli.

That leaves the Pilgrims. And Lord Ikine. And she cannot hear any of them; nor, Sulin thinks, has she from the moment she woke.

"Lord Ikine, then," she whispers, closing her eyes. The world spins and nausea spits bile into her throat, but she grits her teeth and the moment of dizziness passes. "Today, one of the greats has passed onward."

[Tami]

"Gods." Sulin rolls over and stares at the sky. She's sick, weak, and every movement produces shooting pain; much as she should get up and look around, find out who yet lives and pay her respects to the dead, she can't. All she can do is listen, and track the voices.

Lady Galena.
Lord Joseph.
Lady Tabitha.
Lady Brett.
Lord Edan.

She thinks she caught sight of Lord Donius wrapped in a blanket; not as a shroud, but for warmth. Lord Noboru moves around, silently. Turning her head, she spots Lord Eli.

That leaves the Pilgrims. And Lord Ikine. And she cannot hear any of them; nor, Sulin thinks, has she from the moment she woke.

"Lord Ikine, then," she whispers, closing her eyes. The world spins and nausea spits bile into her throat, but she grits her teeth and the moment of dizziness passes. "Today, one of the greats has passed onward."

Galena, her own eyes still slightly red from crying, places a gentle hand carefully on Sulin's shoulder. It was all she could do for the moment.

Glancing down at her left hand, she looked at the faint glow of the healing crystal and felt suddenly very frustrated and angry at her self. A band-aid, that's all she was, her powers a joke at a time when there was nothing to laugh at. Galena clenched her fist around the stone and was almost tempted to throw it away, but she caught herself. Sighing, her eyes becoming moist again, she looked up at the night sky and thought of nothing more.

[FalconX2000]

There was a face that didn't fit. Not one nof his classmates, not Sulin, certainly not a Pilgrim. The others seemed alright with her though, so he took the steaming cup she offered gratefully, holding it between his hands until he started to feel them again.

Edan and Tabitha answered his question, and provided some semblance of an update. Galena and Sulin were alive. The former was especially important, able as she was to quickly heal any lingering injuries the rest had. A confounding spike in his chest made him blink. Guilt? He'd made thousands of similar cool-eyed assessments of people in his life time. What the bloody hell was guilt doing back here? He hadn't felt it in years.

"Donius. Dryden Donius," he said slowly, managing to avoid the cold-induced stutter with effort this time, "may I know your name, stranger?"

[Ghost]

There was a face that didn't fit. Not one nof his classmates, not Sulin, certainly not a Pilgrim. The others seemed alright with her though, so he took the steaming cup she offered gratefully, holding it between his hands until he started to feel them again.

Edan and Tabitha answered his question, and provided some semblance of an update. Galena and Sulin were alive. The former was especially important, able as she was to quickly heal any lingering injuries the rest had. A confounding spike in his chest made him blink. Guilt? He'd made thousands of similar cool-eyed assessments of people in his life time. What the bloody hell was guilt doing back here? He hadn't felt it in years.

"Donius. Dryden Donius," he said slowly, managing to avoid the cold-induced stutter with effort this time, "may I know your name, stranger?"

"I am Linne Karafona," Linne replied. "A humble servant of the Trinity. As providence would have it, I happened to be passing by and wished to offer my services."

[Cleric of Hell's Brigade]

Edan also helps move the bodies over to the fire. As he does so, he says a small prayer for each one. It's not much comfort, but it is better than nothing.

[Eternal Torment]

Joseph shrugged before bending down to help Tabitha with the bodies, lifting them onto the pyre. This was just one more thing he would never understand, why would anyone care what happened to their body after they were dead? After all, they would not be using it, would they? Might as well let something else get some use out of it, even if it was a worm.

"If you say so," he shrugged again, seemingly practicing the movement, "If it is what they would of wanted, it should be done."

Tabitha said nothing. She just helped move the bodies over to the pyre, treating them respectfully as she laid them down.

[FalconX2000]

Those with energy still left hauled the blood-soaked bodies of the Pilgrims together for their last rites. A damn shame about them. They'd been as good vassals as anyone could ask for. Kovon in particular had taken a blade to the chest for Lord Ikine, but Dryden had little doubt Silino, Soma and Zennan would have done the same.

As the icy grip permeating him started to melt away, Dryden steadied his gaze enough to get a good look at the girl. She was slightly nervous underneath that relatively buoyant attitude. Well, she had said funeral rites were usually done by someone a rank higher, so performance anxiety was to be expected. And she'd just arrived at a battle scene in a region where haku weren't supposed to travel. Nothing in the way she moved suggested hidden intent.

She'd said she served the Trinity. That meant she hailed from Kanda, or one of its vassal states. He eyed the drink in the cup. A medicinal remedy? He wasn't ill or injured, just recovering from almost freezing his pecker off. Best to save it for the others then. The fire was good enough for now. He'd get some water from Rasen later.

"Not that I'm ungrateful for your aid, Miss Karafona, but what are you doing all the way out here?"