Zal'Kazzir's Difficult Conversation with Mi'Shun

This conversation takes place after Zal'Kazzir discovers his Wife and Son murdered, and after he has made his plans, but before he leaves Sharuun.

NOTE

Since it was VERY late when we talked through all this Saturday night, we both just forgot that Mi'Shun was with Zal. You can assume that she was there helping you. Helping Zal'Kazzir lower the bodies down, cleaning up after the mess made so that Zal doesn't have to do so. Careful NOT to disturb the bodies or anything within the Ghulvenne estate unless asked by Zal'Kazzir. Through the entire time she likely said absolutely NOTHING. This atrocity hits her almost as deeply as it has Zal'Kazzir in unknowable Elven ways...

Zal'Kazzir

* Dark clouds roil overhead, obscuring the moon, and leaving the grounds of the Ghulvenne estate cloaked in inky shadows. Dimly visible in a stray patch of moonlight, two small, dark figures slowly ascend the staircase of the ancient Badura. Reaching the crown of the narrow tower, the first figure stares north, midnight-eyes searching vainly in the imagined direction of a lost child. Unmoving, his eyes never breaking their hopeless scrying, the man begins to speak, his voice stern, deadly quiet, and with an authoritarian tone.*

"Mi'Shun, thank you for accompanying me so far from your home. I understand that Sarcosa is not a welcoming place in these times, and a welcome made all the darker for the evil tidings that welcome us."

"I will be brief: Do I have your loyalty? Do I have your trust?"

"We may have only recently met, and I wish we had more time to become acquainted, but I need to know these things, and I need to know them now. Speak plainly, and truthfully, for there are no consequences or retaliation for answers I do not like."

MI'SHUN

Ever the inquisative, ever the joyful, ever the optimist... It has been a bright spot in Zal'Kazzir's dim dark world to travel with the woodland girl over these past days. In many ways she reminds you of Zia. Clever, thoughtful, insightful - with a smile to light the darkest day. Yet at the same time it seems her time on Aryth has granted her an powerful insight of battle and blood that you might hope Zia never never has to see... In this way her passion and fury harkens to your Ahimia...

Yet with all this Mi'shun's eyes have not dimmed in the entire time of these last days... Until today.

"Commander. My heart breaks this day. I had not thought more could tear it. My dear sister's betrothed Valendil falling to the horror of the Ungral and now... ...this... I fear this dark day will take the heart of me. ...but that is not my way Commander. I am oath bound to duty under your guidance by Lady Aradil herself. The way will be found when the men of the south walk with the woodland realmsmen again beginning on this day..."

The beautiful fair girl looks deeply into Zal'Kazzir's heartachen eyes. You feel your hand cupped beneath hers, the cool leather strapped on her index and middle finger that guide her bow is juxtiposed by the warmth of Mi'shun's palm...

"...I will follow you Commander. You have my heart, I can offer nothing greater. I ask only that your deeds be just and your words to my arrows speak with guidance, not malice for the lose of your family or the distrust and impatience you have with my kind. My alligence lies plainly for the safety of those I command and those that command me... and Commander, if you ask I shall follow. I offer you my trust, may I have yours in return?"

Zal'Kazzir

*Zal'Kazzir continues to gaze north into the impenentrable gloom*

"Yes, Mi'shun, you may have my trust, and I pray it is not misplaced, as I pray yours is not."

"I assure you also, that I will muster all of the wisdom and guidance I may, and if I should be taken by malice and a desire for cruel revenge, know that it will be only my hands that are bloodied, and my soul that is torn. If I would seek such vengeance, and I do not, yet, at least, I could not ask another to do such things."

"I will unburden to you three things; a belief not shared, a fact unknown, and a secret kept. All these things weigh heavily on me, and are anathema to my.. to our companions, but I must marshal all of the allies and resources that I may, despite the prejudices of others."

"Allow me to start by describing a belief that I hold: I believe that people are people first, and that who you are, not what you look like or whom you serve determine your value as a being. I mean this specifically in the case of we Sarcosans. I am, in fact, a corrupt and decadent lackey of a puppet government. Does this mean I am a stupid, weak-minded follower? Of course not. I may cultivate that image, as does the sussar himself, but even he is no great friend of the Shadow: He.. WE may be selfish, and manipulative, and corrupt, but we are not irredeemable villains from some children's fairy-tale. There are many in Sarcosa who are like this, nobles, officers, and even many legates. Just because one bears faith in the shadow, is one a villain? At what point does lip-service become faith? And is faith in power and faith in self-preservation the same thing as faith in the Dark Lord? All men have faith in Izrador at some level; none can doubt that he exists, and none can deny that if they call, he will answer. I do not know how to answer these questions, and I am secure in my belief that Izrador is the bane of all life and must be defeated, but I, unlike many, do not condemn all those in his service, whether politically, culturally, or religiously. There is far too much death, judgement and hatred in the world already, and who am I to hand down yet more? Who are any of us to do so? we cannot know a man's soul, and we can not reliably know what the future will bring."

"This brings me to the fact unknown. That I have a sister is widely known, however, what none of our companions are aware, is that my sister, Zalma, whom I love unconditionally, is also a Keeper of Obsidian; a keeper of forbidden knowledge and soon to be confirmed master of the pale. She took up her mantle in order to advance herself and to protect the family, and she is very effective in her work. She has faith, as I believe all men do after a fashion, and she serves because she is well rewarded with status, security and power. We will need her help to rescue Zia, and I trust her implicitly. She is in Baden's Bluff now, along with my father, and I will be working closely with her in the coming weeks."

"Finally, there is a secret I have kept from our companions, and one that I doubt will be secret for too much longer. There was another Legate, a Sarcosan woman whom I met in Vrolk's spire named Lady Ahimia. We escaped the nail togehter and rejoined the others just before Vrolk's ritual. Despite her aid in defeating Vrolk, including saving Eranon's life, our companions, who do not share the beliefs I professed to you, wished her dead. I bear feelings for Ahimia, and I also don't believe in handing out murder and judgement, and so I volunteered to do the deed, citing my feelings for her and my unwillingness to have another do what I was obligated to do. As far as the others know, I stabbed her in the heart with a poisoned blade, and then summoned flaming beasts to finish her and consume her body. They are right, after a fashion. They saw all of these things, but they saw an illusion, not reality. My image stabbed her image, and illusory beasts attacked her image while I called real hippogriffs to carry her to safety. Our 'boon' comapanions, ever hostile and mistrustful, actually congratulated and praised me for what they thought was a brutal, cold-blooded murder. I like to think that there is some justice in the world, and that somewhere far above the Sorshef watches us, and it pleases me greatly that I was able to get Ahimia to safety; and it pleases me as well that she was here, and that she discovered Krell's plans, and that even now she seeks my Zia. She is a legate, and she has a great deal of blood on her hands, but she is a person, and she risks herself for a family she does not know, and... and I love her."

*Zal'Kazzir's voice is ragged as he says these words, as if taken aback by his own emotions. He pauses, waiting for Mi'shun's response to so much information*

MI'SHUN

walking with you now... never one to remain standing in one place, the young elf swings her bow in one hand and an arrow in the other.
Not enough to be bothersome, just enough to seem playful, youthful, innocent, inspired... She begins in almost a poetic singing lyric...

"Commander.
You hold much grief in you. But you held it before the deed was done...
You hold much hate in you. But you held it before your loved ones swung.
I fear I cannot believe all that you say.
I fear that if you see nothing but hate to fight hate I offer you this dream to pray...
For Commander,

I believe that imagination is stronger than knowledge.
That myth is more potent than history.
That dreams are more powerful than facts.
That hope always triumphs over experience.
That laughter is the only cure for grief.
And I believe that love is stronger than death.

I cannot hope to say that I can see through your eyes Commander.
But it is with the magic blood in me that my services I shall render.

And come what may, perhaps one day...
Your words and my dreams will find a safe place to play..."

She looks up at you, with a little sideways smile balancing the sharpest arrowpoint on her index finger. And she winks before snatching it and turning away...