Session XIV (RL:1/25/03)

• September 15th, 183 2C. People finally stir away around midday. The sound of the surf is soothing. Everyone is quiet, likely exhausted and overwhelmed by the events of the night previous. Several people bathe in the Blue Sea. Others just wash up. Most everyone changes their clothes. Creyton goes off down the beach to be alone. Kira and Sperin tend their various wounds, then Kira goes swimming in the surf with Anastasia and Aliana. Celene tries to wash the blood from her gown. Jen awakens and offers breakfast to everyone. It isn’t anything fancy. Sperin refuses to eat and goes hungry, not trusting Jen, who then joins the other women already swimming. She uses the wing of the Redwing as a platform. Anastasia comes out of the water and attempts to contact the old man on the island via water, but she has no success. Thurton finally emerges from the Redwing. Sperin is frustrated about the group’s lack of knowledge, which starts a debate over who to trust and what to do now. He doesn’t like Jen because of her association with Dale. He doesn’t like them making decisions not based on facts. Aliana and Anstasia debate with him. There is further conversation on matters of trust that get heated, though constructive. For the most part, Thurton is the voice of reason. Sperin is upset about the Guild. He points out that Dale, Jen’s partner, could have saved Mikel from the assassins back in Akia, but didn’t. Aliana speaks to the point that the group should strive to serve a higher purpose. Kira defends Jen to the group, saying that she trusts her with her life. Finally, Anastasia decides that they’ll all go the island that night. The afternoon is spent further recovering. Jen and Kira have a quiet conversation. People relax. Sperin goes jogging. Sperin, Anastasia, and Aliana debate over what is the "right" course of action. Finally, evening comes and they all board the Redwing. As they rise and fall over the Blue Sea, they discuss the nature of the Dragon. What it is. What it might mean. What it might do. Many hours later, they reach the island and the tower. Scout, who is also known as Wren, cooks fish, which is actually decent. Kira and Wren then play checkers. Wren wins. Jen, Anastasia, Aliana and Celene all get rooms. Thurton sleeps outside. Creyton sleeps in the common room. Sperin sleeps on the floor of the skyship.
• September 16^th. Thurton rises early and cooks breakfast. Sperin goes for a morning swim. Eventually, everyone rises and gathers in the common room to eat. Celene and Aliana go for a walk around the small island to talk. The morning passes uneventfully. Celene begins drawing on some paper they have at the tower. It looks to be a small shrine in the desert. Near midday, the old man finally comes down from the tower. He hears much of their tale and then mentions that he will give them no other information. When asked why, he explains that they have not paid off their debts to him. It is decided that Jen will fly them to the mainland in the cover of darkness so they can get back to Akia and finish the debts. So, a lazy afternoon is spent on the island. Scout tries to get Anastasia to finish their agreed upon date. She acts jealous of his relations with Kira. Scout cooks a rather nasty dinner of fish. Sperin goes fishing, being rather productive. Kira and Scout play more checkers. Most everyone rests and eventually goes to sleep.
• September 17^th. Everyone is roused well before the sun comes up. Groggily, they are packed into the Redwing and flown to the mainland south of Akia. Sperin, Celene, Creyton, Aliana, Anastasia, Kira, Scout and Thurton swim into shore. They spot something in the water and investigate. It is the badly decomposed body of Hilar Red, recognized by Thurton and Anastasia, who both knew him from down at the docks. They bury him in a shallow grave there near the Blue Sea. Being not far from Barton’s grave, they head inland and at the curve in the Contu River under the oak, they have a solemn moment. Then, they head north to Akia, heading to Aliana’s old house near Kiltin’s Rest. They drop off their stuff there. Thurton goes off alone, heading toward the stables. Scout goes off to do some shopping for supplies for the island. Everyone else goes over to Kiltin’s Rest where some soldiers are stationed. Aliana tells Sgt. Hampton about the drama in the Senate and civil war, though that news only happened a couple of days ago and would likely take a week or two to reach Akia. Kira and Sperin all but drag Aliana out of the Rest and back to her house. There, they yell at her about spilling her guts. Kira puts a knife to her neck, asking her what it feels like to be in danger, because, when she opens her mouth, that is how she makes them feel. Some very hard words are exchanged. Aliana finally wishes Sperin would just die. Kira and Sperin leave Aliana crying on the floor of her home. Anastasia, Celene, and Creyton stay at the Rest and work to smooth things over with Sgt. Hampton, as well as gain information. They are interrogated a bit. Finally, Sgt. Hampton decides to send word to Fort Hancock to confirm the events that Aliana said occurred in Flagaton Pol. Celene goes to check on Aliana. She runs into an angry Sperin and Kira who tell her that Aliana is at her house and they storm off. Creyton and Anastasia have a long talk near the firebell about what to do. They discuss the politics of their group and how they need to decide if they are going to function together or go their own ways. They also discuss their overall goals. Finally, they decide to call a group meeting as a make or break point for all of them. They split up to gather everyone to the stables. Meanwhile, Celene finds Aliana and consoles the sobbing girl. Aliana tells about her fight with Kira and Sperin. During all of this, Thurton rides up to Moonsong Winery. There, he talks with Craf Moonsong about the current situation in Akia and what needs be done. He also talks about buying horses and how to get some very high quality ones. Creyton fetches the reluctant Sperin and Kira while Anastasia finds Celene and Aliana. No one knows where Thurton is. They meet in the stables. The meeting is emotional and passionate. Hard and kind words are exchanged. People argue. People apologize. People cry. Issues of trust are brought bare. By the others, Anastasia is "elevated" to full-time leader. Her decision is to be final as far as the companions are concerned. Peace is made between Sperin, Kira and Aliana. Everyone agrees to meet back at the stables in a couple of hours. While the others are in the meeting, Thurton rides out to Elarian Matty’s and asks his old friend if he’ll watch the Red Wolf stables for a time. He makes arrangements for that as well as hiring Term Dillan’s son to work as labor for Elarian. He also stops by Drake’s store and pays off their I.O.U.’s to Drake. There, he receives a letter from his mother in Beantown and he sends back a brief reply. Now that things with Elarian are finalized, he rides back out to the Moonsong Winery and arranges a deal for an excellent horse with Craf as well as getting his house rebuilt. Craf agrees to oversee these things for Thurton. Creyton heads back to his house to gather a few things. Aliana, Kira and Sperin go to Drakes. Drake offers to buy Kiltin’s Rest from Aliana. He says Akia needs the Rest. It is a center of the community. Aliana debates selling it. She says she’ll think about it and get back to him. They buy some supplies. Anastasia heads down to the docks to her old apartment. There, she runs into Thurton who just finished giving Harry enough money to buy a new boat. Anastasia and Thurton have a long talk about Thurton and the group, rehashing several things that Thurton missed in the earlier meeting. She brings him back with her to the meeting. Eventually, everyone gathers. It is pointed out that while Aliana and Thurton often try to do the "right" thing, they do so without buy in from the others, which causes friction. Trust is discussed further. Kira and Celene are asked to leave. A debate goes on about whether or not to trust them and why. They are called back in. Thurton agrees to the plans outlined earlier in the day by the others. More conversation is shared and many wounds seem to heal. Everyone is extended full membership invitation. Celene is in, having no where else to go. Kira asks for some time to think about it. Finally, Anastasia basically tells everyone that they need to make a personal choice. They need to decide if they’re in or they’re out. If they decide they’re in, then they are in fully. They are trusted. They are expected to put the group before the self. It is a huge commitment. They are to take the night and think about it, meeting back at the stables at dawn to give their final answer. People go their own ways. Sperin goes back to his farm and sleeps. Celene goes to Aliana’s house and does the same. Kira goes for a walk to be alone and think. She waterspeaks with Jen about her options. Thurton crashes at the stables after doing some work. Aliana finds Billy and hires him to manage Kiltin’s Rest while she gone, deciding not to sell it to Drake. She politely kicks the soldiers out and then makes arrangements for Billy to get supplies from Drake and Craf. Creyton goes to his house. Anastasia goes on a long promised date with Scout, which runs into a bit of an adventure down near the docks. Kira observes some of the near brawl in the docks bar. Eventually, everyone goes to sleep.
• September 18^th. In the chilly morning hours, everyone gathers back at the stables. One by one, they state their commitment to the group. They are in this together. They will work together. They will be a team; companions. The Pact of Akia. Anastasia will lead them. With that done and arrangements for all of their debts to the old man made, they meet up with Jen and fly back to the island. A relaxing day is spent on the island. That night, the old man will give them a vision in the mist. A lazy, friendly day is spent. Tired minds refresh. Wounds heal. After dark at the top of the tower, the old man shares with them a vision. They each see many things, including the shrine in the desert that Celene drew a couple days previous. Everyone gathers some personal insight from the mists, Creyton claiming to have gained a rough idea of where this shrine was. They decide to leave in the morning.
• September 19^th. Harry’s old boat, which is now owned by Scout and George, is loaded up with their new supplies and equipment. They crowd in and Scout takes them south over the Blue Sea. By afternoon, they reach the mouth of the Shribly River. He takes them inland for an hour or two until reaching the bridge near the ancient road that crosses the river. There, he lets them go and heads back to the island. Aliana, Anastasia, Celene, Creyton, Kira, Sperin and Thurton climb up the banks of the river and start walking east along the ancient road. A touch of autumn is in the air. As darkness comes, they camp.
• September 20^th. Another day of walking through the rolling plains. The Grey Mountains look purple on the northeastern horizon. In the late morning hours, they come across a farmhouse under attack by six Isoc soldiers. As they watch, the man of the house gets cut down, and Isoc sword cleaving open his skull. The hen house is burning. A pair of soldiers are chasing after the fleeing teenage daughter while the mother is screaming. Anastasia decides they should interfere, so they do. Creyton snipers off the soldier’s chasing the girl, then the group lays siege to the house where the other soldiers have holed up. Aliana heals the farmer, saving his life. His wife witnesses the miracle. The house is secured after a brief struggle. Anastasia, Thurton, Celene, Kira and Sperin all participate in the struggle. There is no doubt that the companions are beginning to become a force to be reckoned with, taking care of six soldiers with only minor wounds to themselves. Anastasia gives the order to kill the captured soldiers. Kira does so readily. They move away quickly, trying to leave the scene, leaving the wife to find her daughter. They walk until near dark and set up camp.