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CharybdisIs he... flirting with me? George thought. Well, I do keep myself well-groomed but-
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MacKensie scanned the vicinity of the west-facing side of the Temple, her sharp eyes and ears alert for any signs of trouble. After deeming the coast clear, she sighed and took a moment to watch the sunset, which everyday in this world was a vibrant and beautiful sight, almost cartoonish in it's purples, reds and oranges of saturated colour bleeding across the sky.
She was already missing Lillianna. In spite of not really bonding with the woman the way she'd bonded with the likes of Fenna or Adam, nor having the instant chemistry she felt she'd found with the likes of James or Zell, Lillianna was still 'one of them.' She was Second Chance, and her presence and friendship was valued by the frenchwoman. And with the dangers of this world on display so often, she found herself not entirely sure she'd see the white-haired wizard ever again. It was depressing. Just another problem to add to the pile.
She could hear Barracker speaking about wraiths and so she turned about and headed back the twenty yards or so to the camp at the Temple entrance, pausing her patrol to listen to the paladin's lesson and his briefing about the likely layout of the temple. When Fenna and Zell started discussing their options, MacKensie continued her patrol, leaving the decision-making to the brighter minds of the group. She was not the sharpest when it came to strategy, certainly not as sharp as James, Fenna and Zell, who'd already proven to be valuable in this regard.
On to the east-facing side of the temple she went, senses searching, when she suddenly stopped mid-step, hearing movement. Within the blink of an eye, she was in a side-on stance with her one-handed crossbow drawn and pointing at an intruder who'd jumped out behind her.
"Die cultist!"
She'd almost fired. Her finger was a single unit of pressure away from pulling the half-pressed trigger, but her instincts and reflexes stopped her making the mistake. The wizard who'd tried to ambush her had also almost fired. Both of them stood paused in a stand-off. The wizard lowered his wand. MacKensie was not so quick to mirror him.
"You are not a cultist."
MacKensie blinked, her breathing erratic as her adrenaline subsided. Finally she spoke. "No, I am not."
"You have my sincere apologies."
When the dwarf appeared from behind the rock, his shivering demeanour and lack of a weapon made MacKensie lower her guard. She finally put her weapon away, eager to hear an explanation for this sudden appearance. And she got one. More bad news. She shook George's hand.
"MacKensie Trydant, of Second Chance," was her introduction. "We intend to save who we can in there. The full moon's light will open the entrance tonight, rest assured in that."
When Adam spoke, MacKensie was reminded of wicked deceptions already put upon the villagers of the local area. A pang of apphrehension hit her heart, stood now within arms reach of a potential threat who was clearly powerful. But it was the visage of the dwarf that gave her confidence in the integrity of the strangers. Hardul was obviously no threat, unless he was the finest actor she'd ever seen, the dwarf's fear was palpable. She, however, remained ready to draw her weapon again, should George show any resistance to whatever Barracker would say next.
She tried to object. She tried to say something, anything that would convince Lillianna to stay with them. That they wouldn't be too long, that they would be back in Valhiem before the end of tomorrow. That MacKensie herself would do whatever she could to see this 'spirit ritual' through with her friend. But nothing could sway Lillianna. And it was hard to argue when Sister Gwen was right there, her eyes red and cheeks streaked with tears. The whole situation was extremely difficult. And so, MacKensie could only give Lillianna a big hug, unable to unwrinkle her brow as she let go and looked with concern at the white-haired wizard.
"I don't like that we are splitting up so far," MacKensie said. "Please be careful, Lillianna. I have such a bad feeling about this."
As their party leader gave them the run-down on the information he and Fenna had gathered, MacKensie couldn't help but turn her head to look at the disappearing shapes of Lillianna and Sister Gwen as they went back into Cherrad. Her stomach twisted in knots as she wondered what the future would bring because of this terrible idea to part ways. Lillianna was now alone, and as powerful as the woman was, she was so shy and tentative, not to mention she was always so far in own her head, MacKensie could never tell if the wizard was fully aware of what was going on around her. And now Second Chance was without their biggest source of elemental damage - about to go into a hostile territory wrought with danger that could only be combatted with elemental damage. Furthermore (from a more selfish persepctive, to be sure) she was completely bereft of weapons or spells that could help against their ethereal enemies. She was not only vulnerable, but severely limited in her capacity to influence the outcome of this mission. All of this made her extremely uneasy.
"Kass, where I am from there are legends that those with vampirism have means to see in the dark, do you possess such an ability?"
MacKensie looked at Barracker as she waited for his answer. The paladin had already proven his value today, just in his knowledge alone. An affirmative answer here would merely be a bonus. What he'd told her earlier, about the spectres 'sphere of influence' was heartening to hear. The idea that they might be able to save the cult if they could only take out the source of the problem, was good to know. Avoiding battle with those people who were against them, would be another matter entirely though.
"I also think we should change our formation, still in diamond shape but with Kass at the front and Zell at the back, he can teleport so he can react the fastest of all of us" He paused for a moment "If anyone has any sugggestion feel free to say it, there is no such thing as a stupid idea"
"The Greater Wraith's influence will die along with the monster itself, and the living members of the cult will hopefully regain their senses and be free of the evil that has corrupted their hearts. And so, I suggest that stealth and quiet should be employed, if at all possible. If we can get to the main chamber in the temple without being detected, then we might be able to avoid spilling human blood." She shook her head as she realised her mistake. "I mean; human or elven or any other race who is... alive and not evil."
Later on, when they climbed Temple Hill and got to the entrance of The Temple of Hades, MacKensie laid her hands on what she thought was the rocky surface that covered the entrance, looking up at the beautiful temple. Now she could see it close up, she admired the beauty of the statues around and columns that decorated the building. The place was amazing.
Making camp, like last time, had MacKensie feeling like a bit of a spare part, so she patrolled around - not too far away - to make sure nobody was spying on them.
MacKensie watched the wagon roll away from them, considering what the stranger had told them. How evil to prey upon the good nature of people with such treacherous traps. She'd sooner respect monsters, for at least monsters were upfront and straight forward with their evil intentions. The wagon driver's story also reminded MacKensie that this would be difficult. They were dealing with an intelligent enemy - one that could out-think them, if they let their guard down.
"Looks like the cult like to play dirty," Zell said, drawing the frenchwoman's attention from the wagon that had almost disappeared from sight. Her eyes followed his movements as he went to the head of the party and turned to face them all. "We should be careful. If the enemy is pulling off charades like that, then we shouldn't put it past them to have double-agents all around the local area. Be wary of anyone in Cherrad who is being a little too helpful."
MacKensie's eyes flared at the idea of double-agents. She hadn't even considered that (a second reminder in quick succession, that they had to be on guard and strategic.) Fortunately, Second Chance had intelligence and cunning among their own.
"Oh right!" James piped up, next in turn to speak after Adam agreed with Zell. Her blue gaze fell on him. "Here, a little extra something in case you ever need it"
MacKensie smiled and held her hand out gratefully. "Thank you so much, James," she said, drawing the knife to look at it briefly, before sliding the blade back in the sheath and putting it away in her rucksack. For now, she would keep it for outdoor food-prep and eating. She already had a bigger dagger on her hip that was fit for combat.
"If something's bothering you, you'll only make it worse by overthinking." Her heartrate quickened and anxiety grew at Zell's voice and words. This was not something she was even close to being ready to address! But Zell being Zell, lightened the mood with a joke to mask his words of wisdom. "I need you at your best so you can save my dumb ass when I inevitably do something insane, okay?"
Well, it was a half-joke. Chances were that the man would probably end up doing something crazy. She couldn't help but smile, and she nodded. "I'll be sure to be ready to rescue you, as usual," she returned.
And it was left there, thank the lord. She let out a breath of relief when he walked away, then mentally told herself that she had to get her act together. She could not let these issues get in the way of her performance as an adventurer. Too much was at stake. And so, she attempted to take his advice and stop overthinking. It was time to be mature and get on with the task at hand.
Adam turned to the party leader. “James, how should we proceed?”
And James laid out a plan of how to approach Cherrad. MacKensie listened, nodding every now and then. When the decision was left to them who to partner up with, MacKensie immediately spoke up, her eyes going straight to their new party member. "Barracker - You and I?"
Once they were ready to split, MacKensie nodded thanks for James' well-wishes and gave her own. "Good luck everyone."
Barracker and MacKensie entered Cherrad on the left side, meaning to skirt around the edge of the village and enter further along. On their route, they came across an old woman, who was sat on a stool, tending a small beehive. She spotted them and gave a welcoming smile.
"Good afternoon, Madame."
"Afternoon, miss," the old woman returned.
"My name is MacKensie. MacKensie Trydant. And this is my friend, Barracker Kassel. We are adventurers, come about the Temple of Hades."
"I thought so," she said unhappily. It was only now that MacKensie realised that under her polite smile she wore a sad expression. "I've a son who's up on that hill. Part of that dreaded cult." She shook her head. "He's a good lad, our Steven. Always been a righteous soul, ever since he was a boy. He pledged his life to the worship of Hades and the service of that temple. He understands how sacred life is. He'd never hurt a fly, if he was in his right mind." A single tear rolled down her cheek. "Some kind of magic has brainwashed him, you must understand. I know him. Nobody knows him like his mother, I'll tell you straight. Please... if there's some way to save him without hurting him... I know he's done wrong... but he'll repent for his sins, if you can break the spell over him." The old woman held out her hand and MacKensie felt obliged to hold it. "Please... save my boy."
They talked for a little bit longer, but there wasn't much the old woman could say in the way of useful information... "Thank you for speaking with us." ...And so MacKensie and Barracker moved on to find someone else. "How awful," she whispered to Barracker sympathetically once they were out of earshot. "Do you think this spell might be broken if we kill the Greater Wraith?"
I'll post later tonight.
MacKensie Trydant's morning had gone much like the previous one. She'd walked the streets in the early morning air, on the way to that grassy spot behind the warehouse, by the river. On the way she tested the magical grapplehook gauntlet on that same tree and her balance on that same single-storey rooftop. This time she hadn't fallen in any bushes, but her slow, clunky and cautious movements did not inspire any confidence. At the riverside she did her stretching exercises and tried to focus on her breathing, but her mind couldn't get away from the new problems she faced.
In all of her years, she'd never been involved romantically with anyone before. The need for an immaculate reputation in France's high society made a loose and easy exploration of such hormones and feelings an impossibility. She remembered liking one boy before. But she also remembered how that boy's eyes turned to other girls when he realised that courting MacKensie would be a longer affair than he would've liked. How that disappointment had wounded her. She'd cried in her mother's arms and questioned her desirability, been assured and comforted by her mother, then cried some more on her pillow. Even now, MacKensie's stomach turned just thinking about it.
Here she was in a different world - no weight of family reputation on her shoulders - and yet her sense of dignity and honour remained the same. And feelings remained so complicated. Adam. Adam was the type of man that, on paper, was a perfect match for her. He was well-mannered, considerate and good-natured. The type that she could confidently take home to her parents. Mother would've loved him. Zell. Zell was quite the opposite. She never would've dreamed that she could find herself attracted to such a rogue. But his eyes were full of confidence, ambition and charm. Father would've hated him. Without a doubt, the two of them were handsome, (all of the men in Second Chance were, to be fair.) Both had nice smiles, were tall, had shown they had courage and character in spades already.
She liked them both. She wished she didn't like either of them, for the easiest way out of this situation would be to firmly reject any advances towards her, and keep focus on the mission at hand. That option was still available, but she didn't want to take it. Because deep down, she was attracted to one more than the other. Conciously she was unaware of this fact, and too inexperienced in love to figure it out, but hopefully she would soon, because dragging this situation out would only result in more pain and trouble than it was worth.
...................................................................................................................
During the morning, when the party were together, MacKensie found herself avoiding Zell and Adam. In fact, she was not overly talkative with even James or Barracker, at first - a dissenting voice in the back of her mind accusing her of being a flirtatious coquette. But this awkwardness did not last long as it simply wasn't who MacKensie was. She could not be anyone but her sociable and friendly self. However, once Second Chance left the city, she found herself walking the road by the side of her fellow Ranger, Fenna.
Fenna's comforting presence gave MacKensie the shelter to focus her mind on the mission ahead. "Nice to be moving forward again, is it not?" she commented to the dutchwoman. "I fear I might've lost the edge I gained in the first two days, had I stayed relaxing in the city for any longer."
Yes, perhaps the danger they were walking into would provide the necessity required to use her abilities and regain her confidence. A brave take on the siutation. One she was happy to have.
When the man driving the wagon pulled up next to them and offered a greeting, MacKensie nodded a greeting back. "Good afternoon, sir."
She was happy to let others do the talking, Adam coming up with a smart question, the answer of which interested her.
I'll post tomorrow.
That night...
She found herself stood on a meadow. She had all her ranger gear and weapons. There were periodic gusts of gentle wind, making the grass and her hair dance in unison. She slowly looked all around. She was alone out here. The sky was bright and blue. The sun made the air warm. It was nice.
And then she blinked. And there stood Zell next to her. He smiled at her and it made her feel good. She smiled back. She blinked again. Now Adam was stood on the other side of her. She returned his smile too, and the unmistakable warmth of good feelings resurged. They each offered a hand to hold and she gladly accepted.
But her hands grabbed nothing but air as both men suddenly disappeared. MacKensie, surprised, searched her promixity for a trace of them but there was nothing. And then she blinked again. They'd appeared again. Only this time they were several yards away from her, each in opposite directions. Not too far. She could still see their warm eyes - their smiles. But far enough to be out of reach.
Again they both held out a hand to her. Now her warmth of good feelings were replaced with a flood of anxiety. Why did it have to change? Why could it not be like before? Each of them beckoned her silently, their expressions still happy. But she was no longer happy. And she was rooted to the spot.
She knew instinctively that she could rid herself of this anxiety if she just went to stand by one of them again. But why did they have to move in the first place? She didn't know what to do. Why did it have to change?
She looked at Zell. He nodded, his hand still extended. Then she looked at Adam. He was doing the same.
Which way should she go?
...................................................................................................................
MacKensie awoke with a deep breath. It was still dark so she rolled over and turn on the lamp, squinting as her eyes adjusted to the light. She shuffled backwards to sit up and drew her knees up to her, then rubbed her eyes tiredly, thinking about the dream that still sat vividly in her memory. She knew what it meant. Until now she'd been oblivious to the feelings that were building up for two of her friends - ignoring how they so clearly betrayed their feelings for herself too.
She shook her head and face-palmed. "Oh," she moaned. "This is all I need, right now."
Hugging her knees, she buried her face. In addition to the nagging fears regarding her ranger attributes and her apprehension about the coming gold tier mission, she now had an altogether more problematic issue. One that could not easily be ignored. One wrought with fear of the unknown, fear of getting hurt, fear of hurting someone else, fear of wrecking the dynamic within Second Chance.
This was not good.
And sunrise was right around the corner.
OMG I have to deal with Zapdos and Xenon's puns in the group PM. And now there's three of them smh -_-
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