Log Date: 1/29/97 Log Cast: Ktai, Suntop, Rayek, Youngblood Log Intro: Rayek's attempts to set up a regular guard for the Palace of the High Ones has run into difficulties -- the most unnerving of which has been the capture and holding of Ember in Blue Mountain. Along with Ember's brother Suntop, Rayek has hastened to Blue Mountain to try to help Ember escape from the place, but to their further alarm, Suntop and Rayek discovered that Ember has killed her Recognized, the Chosen Sar. They arrived too late, too, to catch up with Ember as Zirek helped Ember escape on Lhyree's stolen bondbird. Anxious to convince Rayek to get them to Lostholt as quickly as possible -- which means moving the Palace -- Suntop has persuaded the airwalker to return to the Palace, but Rayek has balked. But both he and Suntop are deeply worried for Ember's welfare.... ---------- Wide Pass Through World's Spine Mountains(#356RJ) This wide pass is nearly an entire days' ride from one side to the other, from what you can tell. The sun is still hard and heavy here, but the looming presence of the mountains to either side seem to lessen the drain of the barren waste. The twin stars of Timmorn's Eyes begin to come out as the dimming red light of sunset fills the chill winter skies. Contents: OOC SIGN: Palace visitors, please read me! Palace(#500Jae) Obvious exits: Mountains Northwest South Near the Palace, Ktai carefully pushes open the door from inside the Palace and joins you. Near the Palace, Ktai has arrived. Near the Palace, Suntop smiles from where he sits against the Palace, whittling at a stick. Near the Palace, Suntop says "Hello.." Near the Palace, Ktai glides out from the Palace, her hair whipping about as she stops. ** Oh... hello. ** Near the Palace, Suntop gets a small smile on his lips.. "Oh, yes.. the lovely Glider-friend of Rayek's.. Ktai, yes? As beautiful as the last time I saw you." Near the Palace, Ktai's mouth falls open slightly, and under her sun-darkened skin, she blushes deeply. ** Ah.... my thanks... ** Near the Palace, Suntop chuckles, standing.. His long blonde hair falling down to just below his mid-back, at this point. "It's a wonder that Rayek ever has a chance to be bothered with such a one as you to take care of things at the Palace for him.." Near the Palace, Suntop is clearly living up to his Villager heritage today, his eyes sparkling from his own knowledge of his play on words. Near the Palace, Ktai looks off to the desert sands, a faint falling of emotion. ** He... is often busy. ** Near the Palace, Suntop shakes his head a bit, "Forgive me, Ktai. Hurt isn't something that I like to bring to the face of a friend such as yourself." Near the Palace, Ktai smiles faintly. ** No.. Suntop... you have not. I cause myself all the hurt in the world. ** Near the Palace, Suntop cocks his head slightly as he moves closer to you, looking at you, his eyes piercing. Near the Palace, Ktai glides one 'step' back, involuntarily. Ktai locksends ** ** Near the Palace, Suntop holds out his arms, indicating the surroundings..but clearly meaning everything around and beyond eyesight. You locksend to Ktai, Rayek is near, out in the desert, but his mental presence is vivid with stress and impatience. Near the Palace, Ktai's gaze snaps up, out to the desert, worry crashing into her eyes. Ktai locksends ** Rayek? Beloved? What is wrong? ** You locksend ** Suntop needs to go to his sister. ** to Ktai. Ktai locksends ** I think we all do. ** Near the Palace, Suntop turns away, his once-bright eyes now darkened by his own self-defeat. Near the Palace, A movement, and then a slender hand rests on your shoulder. Near the Palace, Suntop's shoulders slump a small bit..he turns slowly..though he doesn't look up to your eyes, this time. Near the Palace, Suntop shakes his head. ** I couldn't do a thing to rescue her from the Mountain..not a single thing. I was.. powerless... Just like when the Palace crashed. ** Near the Palace, Suntop looks up to you, now, his eyes searching your own. ** I will. ** Near the Palace, Ktai pulls you close, and hugs you. ** Just as I was powerless when my daughters were ripped from my life. We learn, we go on. Things work out for that which is best. Shall we find him together? ** Near the Palace, Suntop doesn't pull away.. he hasn't been held in quite some time..and seems to lose all strength in your hug. ** I..yes.. we should.. ** Near the Palace, Ktai lends her magic towards you, offering her aid in movement, offering her strength of will in a soft bluish blanket. Near the Palace, Suntop nods.. ** Then let us do so.. though I could do it now and perhaps far more quickly than if we actually looked for him. ** Near the Palace, Ktai shakes her head. ** And tire yourself further. No. The physical is enough. ** Near the Palace, Suntop leans against you, sighing. ** Again, you are correct. ** Near the Palace, Ktai embraces you gently. ** Let us go now, for the sooner we are to Rayek, the sooner you go to rest. ** Near the Palace, Suntop returns your embrace softly, smiling warmly at you, now. ** All right. But you will have to rest with me.. it seems to me that you are more tired than I, in some ways. ** Near the Palace, Ktai does so, gently and with aid of her magic. Near the Palace, Ktai has left. Ktai moves away from the huge stone structure nearby. Ktai has arrived. Near the Palace, Suntop has left. Suntop moves away from the huge stone structure nearby. Suntop has arrived. Ktai moves along slowly, sending her magic rippling out to Suntop. ** Easy... if we're moving too fast, tell me. ** There is a ripple of... power, from further up the hillside. A glitter of golden light. Suntop looks for all the world like a zwoot has trampled him..then backed up, over him..and trampled him again..largely due to the fact that he hasn't slept in what might be many days...he moves along slowly, with Ktai's help. Ktai eases Suntop along, much as Rayek might aid Ekuar. With ever-calm patience and a soft smile, she holds him up as she can, her magic rippling along his smaller form. Suntop looks around slowly..then points.. ** Over there.. I can 'feel' him there.. ** Ktai sends gently. ** Stop that. You're using energy best saved. I know enough of where he is. ** Still gentle, she moves along with him towards where they both have felt Rayek. Suntop looks properly chastised as he acquiesces and follows Ktai's lead to where Rayek is "hiding out" Up the hillside, Rayek himself can be found eventually, focusing a tight fist of power on a stone he's floating before him. Ever so slightly, in tiny particles, dust falls off the stone's sides -- as if Rayek is crushing it. Ktai sends softly. ** Rayek? ** ** Yes? ** Rayek does not turn, even as he inexorably grinds the stone to powder by his ever-tightening shields. Suntop leans against Ktai as they stop moving..then straightens up, standing on his own again. Ktai sends openly ** Will you... ** She stops sending, going silent. Suntop looks up at Ktai, then to Rayek, sending softly, ** Are you planning to go to LostHolt to check on Ember, Rayek? ** Near the Palace, Youngblood carefully pushes open the door from inside the Palace and joins you. Near the Palace, Youngblood has arrived. Near the Palace, Youngblood has left. Youngblood moves away from the huge stone structure nearby. Youngblood has arrived. Youngblood steps out of the palace and inhales deeply. ** Good day, cousins. ** Up the hill, Rayek, Suntop, and Ktai can be seen; the erstwhile master of the Palace glances down over his shoulder at Youngblood's sending. To Suntop, Rayek finally sends tautly, ** We must find out her... state. ** Suntop, Son of the Blood isn't quite living up the the image of strength which is his father. In fact, it's plain that he's beyond exhausted. Yet he stands on his own, for the moment, using his energy to pay attention to Rayek alone at the moment. ** Then we must go to her holt and see her for ourselves, no? ** Youngblood walks up the hill. ** What's going on? ** Ktai remains the silent wispy figure she always seems to have been. Suntop watches Rayek for a few moments, turning to address Youngblood. ** We are speaking with Rayek about a few things.. ** Youngblood smiles at Suntop. ** I hope I'm not interrupting. ** Through it all, Ktai remains silent, looking to Rayek. Youngblood approaches the huge stone structure. Youngblood has left. Near the Palace, Youngblood has arrived. Near the Palace, Youngblood goes home. Near the Palace, Youngblood has left. Near the Palace, Youngblood carefully pushes open the door from inside the Palace and joins you. Near the Palace, Youngblood has arrived. Near the Palace, Youngblood steps through the doorway into the Palace. Near the Palace, Youngblood has left. Near the Palace, Youngblood carefully pushes open the door from inside the Palace and joins you. Near the Palace, Youngblood has arrived. Near the Palace, Youngblood has left. Youngblood moves away from the huge stone structure nearby. Youngblood has arrived. Youngblood walks back up the hill, and glances at the three in silence. He munches a ravvit. Rayek turns, grim and grave of eye, to the arrived Wolfrider. ** We speak, ** he agrees, sending taut and tense, ** of Ember. And Lostholt. ** Youngblood sends openly ** Ah. Ember and her dead Recognized. ** Suntop arches a brow. ** Word travels quickly, hm? ** Youngblood nods. ** of that sort of thing? Very quickly. ** You sense in a locksend, Ktai sends, at last, a soft and gentle send. ** You love her. ** Suntop sighs tiredly, shaking his head. He turns and looks to Rayek. ** Will we be going to Lostholt, then, Rayek? ** Rayek eyes Suntop, then glances away, lean brown mouth tightening in a frown. ** I do not lead here, son of Leetah. It is not my decision to make. ** Ktai remains still as she was, outwardly silent and motionless save for the wind's action. Suntop sends openly ** You lead your own life, Rayek. I ask again: do we go to see Ember? I don't care HOW we get there. So long as _we_ do. ** Suntop seems to become more and more blunt in his tired state. Rayek glances at Ktai for a moment; his amber regard might, perhaps, be seen to soften a trifle, though with a gentle emotion or a harsh one is hard to tell. You locksend ** I... do not know. ** to Ktai. Ktai locksends ** ** Rayek then shifts his glance back to Suntop, and he sends with equal exhaustion, equal bluntness, ** We go. You should be with your sister. ** Softly, he sends to Rayek.. ** As should you and Ktai. ** Ktai looks to Suntop, her black eyes unreadable. Youngblood frowns silently. Suntop looks to Ktai, smiling faintly..as though he can see right into her soul much as he sometimes does with Rayek. Ktai looks into that gaze unflinching, her eyes high with an odd brightness. Rayek stares back at Suntop, and sends, ** I will... give what help I can. ** He turns away again, then, perhaps considering that what help he might offer a traumatized Ember is debatable. Suntop glances over at Rayek, his smile now affectionate as he nods. ** That is all I needed to hear, Rayek. Thank you. ** Ktai locksends ** Love her. ** Ktai looks towards Rayek for a moment. Suntop looks towards Rayek as well. ** Rayek, you should rest. I mean this, seriously. I should, as well.. for we might have a journey ahead of us yet. ** Rayek blinks a single time at Ktai, and looks in that moment oddly vulnerable for an elf who's been known to blast the sides off mountains. "Rest," he murmurs, as if finding it a foreign concept. Ktai finally sends for all to hear, her send-voice soft and airy. ** Yes, rest. ** She offers her hand to Rayek, palm up. Rayek finally nods, accepting Ktai's hand, placing his own in it. "I will... have to speak to Tilia," he murmurs. "The Palace must not go unguarded..." Ktai gently laces her fingers about Rayek's. ** Why not take it with us? ** Her sening is more practical than anything. Rayek stiffens slightly, his fingers tensing in Ktai's. For a brief instant, he might almost be wincing. "No," he murmurs aloud, roughly. Ktai looks instantly chastened, and winces herself. ** I... ** She trails off, looking at her hand which holds his. Her grip lightens a touch, and she sends faintly. ** I am sorry... ** Rayek draws in a sigh, and repeats, without meeting anyone's eyes, "No. I will not risk crashing it again, and preventing us from getting to Ember." Is that a momentary glint of fear in the airwalker's eyes? Suntop looks to Rayek. ** THAT..was as much my fault as anyone else's, if you'll recall, Rayek. We should learn from the past. Not fear it. ** Ktai remains looking to her lighter fingers and Rayek's darker ones. She sends nothing. Suntop, with that, turns and haltingly walks away, slowly. He stumbles now and again, nearly falling flat on his face..but somehow he keeps moving. Ktai looks after Suntop with the faintest of sighs, magic building faintly. Rayek doesn't answer Suntop, nor does he watch him go. Ktai remains still, awaiting whether to stay or go. Youngblood shakes his head in silence and walks off. Suntop locksends ** Keep in mind, old friend..that it was my inability to stop the GoBack from cutting Tilia's wrapstuff that ultimately led the crash..and now.. look what my lack of skill has done.. my sister's torn apart, inside..hurt. Because there wasn't a thing I could do. I think I know something of how you feel, now.. ** Suntop keeps walking..though he pauses as he seems to stiffen at a thought..then he shakes his head, his face set determinedly as he moves off towards the Village for the time being. Rayek lifts his head, glancing briefly in Suntop's direction. His expression shifts, just a bit, towards the thoughtful, as he at last turns to allow Ktai to lead him off to something that passes for rest. [End log.]