<Mike_Holmes> Chimrea arrives at the Inn in Goat Row, and finds the stubby keeper there cleaning up despite having very few customers this evening. He eyes Chimrea his eyes saying, "There they are, the loiterers who are always hanging out with my current clientele that are too young and obviously dangerous."

<Chimrea> Marching up to the bar, Chimrea says sweetly to the keeper, "Please, I'm looking for the room of the Vajaari gentleman and his servant."

<Chimrea> Back at the shrine, Chimrea had broken the developing tender moment with Kerem, saying she needed to find Alquas and check on Kani. Something about the prospect made her glowering and terse on the way over.

• Kerem is also a little terse on the way over, possibly for different reasons.

<Mike_Holmes> The keeper points up at the last door on the second floor up the stairs on the balcony. Obviously the big room of the inn.

<Mike_Holmes> His look expects some explanation of why they are here for his best paying customer.

• Kerem smiles tightly. "We've got some business with him." He taps the pouch Alquas had given him.

<Agnes> "Look, Chimrea and Kerem!" Agnes points across the street as they move out of the space framed by the inn's entrance.

<Chimrea> "Right," says Chimrea, and heads for the stairs, assuming Kerem's explanation will do. She'll rap sharply on Alquas' door, adding, "Open up!" as a helpful voice identification.

• Tez walks into the inne with Agnes, looking chipper. "Oh, good. I won't feel so short with them around."
• Agnes follows Kerem up the stairs, still unaware of their

destination.

• Kerem casually puts his hand on Chim's arm as they head up the stairs, notices Tez and Agnes and just as casually removes it.
• Chimrea looks down at her arm, looks at the approaching Tez and Agnes, looks at Kerem, then looks back at the door with a sniff.

<Mike_Holmes> Ahead, from Alquas' room, there is a loud crash sounding like furniture breaking.

• Kerem gives Chim a more-or-less-helpless shrug.

<Chimrea> "Alquas?" Chimrea tries the door to see if it's locked.

• Tez waves

<Kerem> "Hey, Tez, Agnes. What are you...I mean...what are you doing here?"

<Agnes> "We were passing by and saw you guys coming in here, so we caught up. What's up?

<Mike_Holmes> The door swings open. Inside a strange struggle ensues. Alquas and an armored Vajaari (of impressive size and bearing) are in some sort of death-lock over the body of Kani, who seems to be bucking in slow motion. In fact the whole fracas seems to be moving unnaturally slowly. Worse, the world around them seems to bend in towards them.

<Agnes> "Wow!" Agnes exclaims with interest.

• Tez squints. "That's kind of weird."

<Agnes> "Is that the guy that Alquas was afraid of?"

<Kerem> "Probably."

<Tez> "So... can I kill him?"

• Agnes tries to approach. "Dunno. Can you?"

<Kerem> "That would be great. I mean, I guess I'm contracted to do that, so, yeah."

• Agnes scans the three figures in the middle of the room for minds, trying to decipher the surreal.

<Mike_Holmes> Something that Kerem says about the origins of the attacker put things into some perspective for Chimrea as she tries to untangle the situation before her. But she can't really tell what's going on. All she knows is that it definitely involves some sort of strange Vajaari magic mixed inimically with the small spirits of Kani and Alquas. Their attacker, she notes, seems not to be possessed of a spirit at all.

<Mike_Holmes> She's heard of this from Fahd, where some people give themselves over to gods to the extent that their spirits fade entirely.

<Agnes> "The demon doesn't seem to think."

<Chimrea> "Demon? I think that's the man who tried to kill Kani and Alquas," Chimrea says, unsure what to do. She steps into the room, trying to get closer.

<Kerem> "Tez. We need you."

• Agnes raises her eyebrows in surprise.

<Tez> "Ummm okay." she smiles. "Anything for you."

• Tez draws her sword without further ado, and leaps valiantly into the fray! She does not seem to mind that the world is twisting and time is shifting oddly around her quarry, plowing forward with the intention of separating the armored man from his life, or something that passes for it.

<Mike_Holmes> Khwe-kor, having rode the raging wadi spirit for a small eternity, finds that the water is drawn towards some sort of spiritual drain. The wadi spirit bails out (as a spirit of a temporary river is won't to do), and leaves Khwe-kor on the verge of the drain. Through it, he can see some people from the mundane world battling with a daimone of deception. One seems to be helping, and the other two seem to be trying to drive it off.

<Mike_Holmes> The daimone godling is one of Z'taar's, and so is the man helping it.

<Agnes> Seeing that Tez is wading in, agnes draws her dagger and moves around to the other side of the big guy.

• Kerem makes kind of an irritated face as Tez heads forward with her sword. He pulls his trusty new tethium blade, takes about a step, then stops awkwardly and stands ready between Chim and the scary armored guy.
• Chimrea tries to get at Kani, to pull her out of the way of the struggle.

<Mike_Holmes> Those that approach are sucked into the vortex between worlds, and suddenly everything moves at full pace for them.

• Agnes tries to get into the Vajaari's head before the stabbing commences.
• Khwe-kor looks curiously at the daimone, trying to see what it's about.

<Mike_Holmes> Chimrea tries to pry Kani's still somewhat disabled body from the fray, but simply cannot manage it, especially with everything flying about. In fact, the Praelector's shout comes as quite a surprise to her.

<Mike_Holmes> For Alquas, however, it's almost painfully obvious in it's coming. The man who pursues him simply shouts the name of his diety, his voice growing to amazing volume, "Zzzzzzzzz'taaaaaa" The glow that obviously is going to explode from the Praelector suddenly bursts with only a fraction of it's intended philosophical volume as he is forced to parry viciously to avoid being eviscerated by Tez's attack

<Mike_Holmes> He is momentarily distracted, too, by something in his mind that will not let go. His God's protection is strong, however, and he manages to retreat, a puissant warrior.

<Mike_Holmes> Even Kerem managing to find his energetic move getting himself behind the man cannot stop his retreat, however.

<Mike_Holmes> This due to the retreat being past Khwe-kor, down the drain to the realm of Z'taar.

• Tez giggles gleefully at his distress, a strange sound coming from a woman in a dress that used to be nice before she lived in it too long, weilding a stolen Tethium sword and shield, and with eyes that seem strangely red.
• Kerem shrugs, flipping his knife back into his waistband, and steps forward to look over Kani and Alquas.

<Chimrea> "Kani? Are you all right?" Chimrea tries to rouse her.

<Agnes> Emitting a rare scowl, Agnes addresses Alquas without regard for his health. "Alquas, will he be back?"

<Tez> "That was fun." she hugs Kerem, "are you okay?"

• Kerem hugs back with a certain abstracted air. "Yeah, I'm fine. Good job." He glances over at Chim, then down at the bodies.
• Tez lets go and frowns a little, then brushes it off. There's a lot going on, she decides.
• Chimrea looks up at them, still kneeling by Kani. "That guy tried to knock Kani and Alquas into hell. At least, I hope it was him--otherwise, there's more of them."

<Agnes> "What's his deal?"

• Chimrea shrugs. "Some Z'taar thing. Spirits

 around here don't like to talk about him."

<Mike_Holmes> Alquas shakes himself back to full speed with the rest as the world reverts to normal.

<Mike_Holmes> "Kani!"

<Kerem> "Probably the assassin Alquas was paying me to fend off."

<Kerem> "Speaking of which, where are the guards I hired?"

<Mike_Holmes> He turns to Chimrea. "Thank you, lady, for coming to our rescue!"

<Mike_Holmes> Then to Kerem, Alquas says, "Indeed, that was the one!"

<Agnes> "Will he return?"

• Tez wanders a bit away to sit against the wall, inspecting her sword.

<Chimrea> "Yeah," Chimrea says shortly to Alquas, then goes back to inspecting Kani.

<Mike_Holmes> Being perceptive, Kerem answers his own question. The bodies of those he'd hired to guard Alquas are in the adjoining room. A pool of blood comes from where they lay, almost dry now.

• Kerem winces, then loots the bodies.
• Chimrea looks up at Tez, frowning suddenly. "Where did you get that sword?"

<Tez> "It's a nice sword."

<Mike_Holmes> Alquas says, recalling he's been asked, and that the danger is not over, "He'll be back, I'd wager. Though I thought I did catch a glint of fear in his eye as he fled before your assault."

<Kerem> "Well, great."

<Kerem> "How did he get the jump on you and the guards, Alquas?"

<Kerem> "We need to stop him, or next time..." he draws his finger absently across his throat in what is clearly a long-practiced gesture.

<Chimrea> Trying to keep her patience stitched together, Chimrea says, "Yes, I can see that, Tez. It's actually much nicer than you can afford, hence my curiosity."

<Mike_Holmes> Alquas shrugs, and replies to Kerem's question, "He slew the guards while I was gone. Then he put a servant of Z'taar in her. I was fooled. The servant threw me, unawares, into the world where Chimrea found us."

<Mike_Holmes> "I made it back, but did not realize that Kani was slain," he continues.

<Agnes> "That sounds like a spot of good luck." Turning to Chimrea, Agnes asks "you were in another world?"

<Mike_Holmes> "I returned here as quickly as I could, to find Kani fighting with the servant of Z'taar," and struggled with the Praelector until you all came.

<Mike_Holmes> "It seems that hours have passed."

<Chimrea> "We'll talk later about that," Chimrea says grimly to Alquas, then nods to Agnes. "The spirit world, yes. I had to guide a spirit as part of a ritual. Kani is the one who came."

<Mike_Holmes> Indeed, it is near dawn outside, confirming what Alquas says.

<Agnes> "That makes it sound like shes dead...?"

• Chimrea shakes her head. "She didn't really belong on the other side, so we were able to find a way back."

<Tez> "It was on the wall, so I took it."

<Agnes> "Wow, that's cool."

<Kerem> "Yeah," he butts in. "You did the right thing."

<Chimrea> At Tez' answer, Chimrea sighs and looks at Kerem. "If you're trying to keep her out of trouble, stealing valuables is... wait, you have one too?"

<Agnes> "I don't!"

<Agnes> "Well, I do, but I didn't steal it."

• Agnes thinks she's funnier than anyone else does.

<Kerem> "Keeping her out of trouble is not the same thing as making sure she never does anything ILLEGAL, Chim."

<Chimrea> "Yeah, I know that would be asking too much it's just... Tethium is a big deal around here. Whoever you stole them from is going to come looking. Isn't that in basic criminal school?"

• Chimrea shoots Agnes a "you're not helping" look.

<Agnes> "Two words. No...witnesses."

<Kerem> "Yeah. That's why they won't be...I mean...well...they won't be coming and looking for us."

<Mike_Holmes> Tez, looking at the still somewhat open rift to the Pit of Z'taar realizes something as she looks at it. She can feel Akalatan's realm not far along the same path. She can almost feel it pulling at her...

<Agnes> "Right because it's not like dead people could come back and..." Agnes looks at Kani.

<Chimrea> Starting to fit the knives with Kerem's earlier story, Chimrea sits back and stares at them. "Who did you kill?"

• Tez stares at the portal for a long moment, then looks over at Kerem and frowns, clearly uncomfortable.

<Agnes> "Beliria."

<Agnes> "...and her helper..." Agnes waves her hand dismissively. "But he wasn't supposed to get in the way."

<Chimrea> "What?" Chimrea looks aghast.

<Kerem> "So, uh."

<Agnes> "He wouldn't listen to reason."

<Kerem> "I guess I'm gonna need all your help if we're going to keep Alquas safe from this guy."

<Kerem> "Let's stay focused."

<Chimrea> "You're serious. You people killed Beliria?" Chimrea is on her feet, edging back toward the door.

<Kerem> "Chim, wait."

<Tez> "They said it was okay." She says, distracted.

<Agnes> "Actually, I didn't. I was just there."

<Kerem> "It was your IDEA."

<Agnes> "Well, yeah, I guess. But stealing the stuff and then showing it all over town wasn't! Duh! Hello?!?"

<Chimrea> Chimrea's expression gradually falls apart, her usual calmness cracking and revealing a terrified girl underneath. She reaches behind her, fumbling for the doorway to make sure her path is clear.

<Kerem> "In case you hadn't noticed, my knife is hidden. It's TEZ'S SWORD that's a little more difficult to conceal."

<Kerem> "Not that this is all your fault, Tez."

<Kerem> "Chim, wait!"

• Kerem dashes towards her.

<Agnes> "What's wrong, Chimrea? She was a bad woman."

• Chimrea lets out a little shriek and tries to flee.
• Tez watches everyone run around like ants, "What's wrong?"

<Agnes> "People won't like that you murdered Beleria and then stole her junk. You should keep it secret."

<Tez> "But you said she was evil. They should be happy."

<Agnes> "Lots of evil people are rich and powerful. Haven't you noticed?"

<Agnes> "She abused her power, keeping other powerful people in power. So they liked her. I mean, as much as people of privilege can."

• Tez blinks, "I guess." She glances back towards the portal again. "Evil people are powerful."

<Agnes> "Some are, I guess."

• Kerem chases after Chimrea as she backs out of the room. As she turns to flee down the hallway, he catches her hand. "Chim, please, don't go..." he lowers his voice. "You have to trust me."

<Kerem> "I need you."

<Kerem> "I love you."

• Chimrea turns, furious and about to jerk her hand away, but his plea stops her and she stands for a second, shaking, tears in her eyes as she tries to form words to argue. Finally her shoulders sag and she whispers, "You're my only friend. I trust you."

<Tez> "I guess."

• Kerem kisses her.
• Chimrea kisses him back, telling herself that he must have done it all for a good reason.

<Chimrea> She can't quite bring herself to go back into the room, though, and she whispers, "Please let me go. I'm not going to tell anyone, I promise. But my brother--he's in love with Beliria's daughter. I have to see if he's all right."

<Kerem> "Okay."

<Kerem> "Come back. Tonight. After midnight."

• Chimrea nods, looking defeated. She heads down the stairs without looking back.

<Agnes> "I wonder how long we'll have to wait for the assassin to return."

<Tez> "We could go in there after him."

• Kerem turns around and walks wearily back into the room.
• Agnes considers this.

<Kerem> "Go in there after what? What?"

<Agnes> "Welcome back, Kerem. Is she OK?"

<Kerem> "Uh...yeah. Kind of. She isn't going to get us in trouble or anything."

<Tez> "It looks exciting."

<Agnes> "Do you know how to follow him?"

<Agnes> "We should wait for Chimrea to come back and make sure that Alquas eats first. We'll all need our strength."

• Tez licks the blood of her enemy off the edge of the sword in a gesture that's becoming more and more familiar, filing it away in her mental catalogue of what people taste like, and then licks the sword itself. "Tethium tastes funny." She licks the blood again, comparing. "I might be able to follow him."

<Kerem> "I wouldn't wait for Chim. She's had kind of a stressful day."

<Mike_Holmes> Kerem does note that Shira's women from the cult have appeared in the Inn below. They seem to be looking around - for Tez, no doubt. But for what?

• Tez studies the portal thoughtfully, feeling its tug on her soul. She stands,

and walks forward, feeling the air, and the time, and recalling how it felt when she crossed to the between-place to fight the armored man. She smiles.

• Tez takes the sword, still slick with the blood of the one who Crossed, and slashes it through the air in front of her, at the center of the feeling of calling, feeling strange knowledge just beyond her conscious mind reaching out through her.

<Kerem> "So, uh, it might actually be a good idea to get out of here."

<Agnes> "Why? He might come back."

<Kerem> "Some of our mutual friends just walked in."

<Kerem> "Shira's ladies."

<Agnes> "Oh. Tez, how long will this take?"

• Tez is not listening to the others, and thus does not respond!
• Tez starts to glow with a thick, red light, which travels down her arm, focusing into an intensely bright point along the bloody edge of the sword.
• Agnes looks at Kerem with raised eyebrows.
• Kerem shrugs helplessly, watching with furrowed brow.
• Tez wavers for a second, the sword seeming to meet resistance which it cannot cut through, but then she lets her guard down, eyes gleaming as the grip on her sword shifts from that of a warrior to a reverse grip, and she intones a prayer in a language she doesn't know...

<Tez> the motion of stabbing this time is that of one sacrificing a victim. Reality slices neatly down the middle, and she steps back, with a little bow and a cold smile. "You will find what you seek within."

• Agnes gestures to Alquas. "Let's go. We need to take the fight to him if you ever expect to be free of this curse."

<Kerem> "Listen, I'll...wait here."

<Kerem> "In case he comes back."

• Agnes looks Kerem up and down.

<Mike_Holmes> Alquas looks at Kani, who is recovering from the ordeal and says, "I... I would help you, but I can't just now."

<Kerem> "Besides, someone's got to...I mean...someone's got to stay with Kani."

<Mike_Holmes> "Yes, what if he returns past you," says Alquas, feeling better that he's not being left behind all by himself.

<Tez> "Come with me."

<Agnes> Her eyes narrow at the excuses. Agnes turns in disgust and strides through the rent fabric of reality.

<Kerem> "I can't. I need to talk to Chim, to make sure she doesn't turn us in."

<Tez> "Slaying this man is your job, not mine."

<Kerem> "No. My job is to find somebody who's willing to do it for me. Somebody who owes me a favor. That's what being a fixer is."

• Agnes calls back into the "real" world. "Tez, you don't need Kerem to keep you safe like he said...you're strong. Let's go."

<Tez> "I don't need him to keep me safe. He's supposed to want to keep me safe because he loves me." She turns, and walks through the portal.

<Kerem> "I am trying to keep you safe, Tez."

<Kerem> "You don't make it easy, and I'm not too good at it."

• Tez looks through, "You're not trying very hard." And she lets the wound between the worlds heal

<Mike_Holmes> *

<Mike_Holmes> *

<Mike_Holmes> *