[IC] The Narrow Path

[Gardevoiran]

"... no," Jen says as she uncaps the potion, standing slightly as she did so. "There is one other that needs it more than I." she says as she limps over to Charlie and pours the potion on him. The snake affectionately roars, although it is weak, as Jen smiles slightly.

Jen limped over to the tome, lifting it off the ground and clamping the seal back on it. "I am holding this," she authoritatively says as she... well... holds it.

[Skinner35]

He had completely forgotten about poor Charlie. But the tome was pulling him with more and more force. "Jen... If you're going to hold it, just stay near me... Please." He said, she could hear the strain in his speech. It was almost unbearable.

[Gardevoiran]

Jen, with her armor off and her hands burned, puts the book in one hand as she delivers a mighty Backhanded Slap!^TM directly into your cheek, and it was forceful enough to knock you clean onto the ground.

"This book is hellish, Tobias. Do not fall victim to it."

You feel the book stop calling to you, possibly due to the deafened sense of reality that slap put you in.

[Skinner35]

As he the hit, only stepping back, he feels a flash of hellish rage. The temptation of retaliation was extreme... But he repressed it. "Fine. I pray your friends arrive soon." He spoke, spitting out a little blood, then resting himself against a tree.

[Gardevoiran]

You feel yourself heal up quickly from the Backhanded Slap!^TM as a small bit of time passes. Hell, even a tooth regrows in place of where one was knocked out. It seems that not everything Jen can do is based around learning and fighting.

It takes a few seconds of silence before Jen finally sighs, following it up by actually speaking. "... I apologize for the slap and the hasty reaction... it is just..." Jen chokes up on her words as she sits there, all of her armor off, and revealing thin upper-class peasant clothes underneath.

[Skinner35]

"All is well. It was deserved. Save your emotion for battle." He said, cutting her off. Then he saw her clothes. "We all have a past. We build upon it. That is all that matters." He said, hearing rustling in the area, hopefully being their Paladin friends.

[Gardevoiran]

The rustling was no more than a deer, simply staring at you with beady eyes and a puzzled expression. What could he be thinking?

"Do you know what was odd? The death was... the death was almost inviting. A warm invitation to a familiar place..." Jen sad as she looked up towards the sky, patiently waiting for the Paladins to show up.

[Skinner35]

"All the more inviting is an illusion. You and I have quite literally been to Hell and back. If death was so inviting, why did we fight to get out of it?" He said, remembering his death, and the losing of his arm. "If death were so 'warm and inviting,' it wouldn't be such a hassle to do so." He said, pain in his words, then, he simply pulled out his teddy bear and began to rest.

[Gardevoiran]

You find yourself asleep before long, your mind an absent black canvas as your dreams don't really happen.

You do, however, awake in a furnished room. A very well furnished room at that. You're in a decently sized bed, various drinks and items strewn along the end of your bed, and with a window with closed blinds. This wasn't the same place you nodded off in, not at all.

[Skinner35]

When he awoke and noticed his surroundings, he immediately leaped out of the bed and reached for his revolvers, but they weren't there. "What in hell is this place?!" He shouted, forming a fireball in his hand. "Jen?!"

[Gardevoiran]

Nobody comes into the room. You can, however, see your revolvers nearby on the neatly-set table. They were both cleaned, as well as your machete, and a new set of clothes awaited you to be put on.

It is then that you notice that you are largely naked, save for a pair of undergarments. Probably not a good idea to be running around without pants on, no?

[Skinner35]

As he put on the clothes and geared up, he was still confused. He walked over to the nearest door and accidentally melted the handle off... Whoops.

[Gardevoiran]

Surprisingly, the door handle repairs itself as quickly as it melted. These doors are pretty high quality, it seemed. Door magic was expensive magic, and not suited for civilian homes.

Just where exactly WERE you?

[Skinner35]

The doors repair is what really confused him. "Where the hell am I?" As he looked around, he saw the window and ripped the blinds away and looked out.

[Gardevoiran]

Trois Fortress - Paladin Headquarters

You recognize this place as the heart of the paladin influence, where most of, if not all, of the heavy political decisions of the paladin order are discussed, most likely including the decision regarding your fate, as you were a public enemy number one according to Jen.

Speaking of Jen, maybe it'd be best to find her. She's probably the one thing keeping you alive here.

[Skinner35]

He realized that Jen had probably screwed him over, and that he needed to find her. He gave his hand time to cool, then he opened the door, and walked out. He had a hand near his pistol just in case.

[Gardevoiran]

As you walk through the halls of the building, you notice that this is a very... elegant floor. Something probably reserved for only the higher ups and not a prisoner. Odd, but maybe there was some kind of purpose to this.

In the distance, you see a young woman in light armor, far younger than you, walk hurriedly through the hallway. Her ears indicate she is of Elven descent, as well. Might be a smart idea to investigate where she is going.

[Skinner35]

As he saw the girl, he immediately began following her in the shadows, using his generally small stature to his advantage. Taking silent steps to follow her.

[Gardevoiran]

The woman stops in her tracks before turning directly around to see you. "Are you f- Oh!" she barks with shock. "You must be Jonathan's friend! He wasn't doing so well, but he demanded us to do something. Please, come with me."

Well, that was easier than expected.

[Skinner35]

He was shocked that she noticed him so easily. Was he losing his touch? "Jona- Oh nevermind. Lead the way." He said, not surprised that they didn't know that He was actually a She.