[Zuudaria] Family Gatherings, Augustin Style

[Faith Augustin]

1st Ymiden, 719

"I am simply pointing out," Faith said, as they made their way, hand in hand, to the mausoleum, "that it is one less thing to do. It's practical, rather pretty, in a nice location and close to family." She was mostly teasing him, of course, but it was easy to do so. Poor Padraig was never comfortable in discussions of death and such. Their twin graves were side by side in this realm and she glanced at him with the slightest of smiles. He knew her too well to think that she was anything except entirely focused, however. The job they had here was immense, she knew it and she was more than a little overwhelmed. But, Faith was who she was, and
she had a job to do. So, she would do it to the very best of her abilities and, without a doubt, she knew that he would be there with her.

"The first time I was allowed out," she said, quietly. It was rare that Faith spoke of her time as a slave, but since the time she'd had amnesia and spoken to him much more honestly, she'd mentioned it, now and then. "I went into the gardens in Andaris. There were so many people, I had never seen so many. And a large building, looming over the skyline. I'd been in the undertakers for an arc, then, and it was astonishing." She sighed slightly, and looked down at her feet. "I took off my shoes to feel the grass under my feet, picked some herbs and met a man. Malcolm. I gave him some of the herbs I'd picked, because he was going to be cooking some beef." Faith smiled and shook her head just slightly. "It was Ymiden, 716. Three arcs ago. Just three arcs. I found it hard to look in his eyes, and I certainly couldn't speak up." Stopping in her tracks, she kept hold of his hand and looked at him. "Don't you say what you're going to say." It was rare that Faith was stern, but in that moment she had a definite glint in her eyes. "I couldn't do any of it without you. You freed me, Padraig, in every way that matters."

With a slight twinkle in her gaze and a smile which told the truth of her inability to be strict with him for long, she added. "Thanks."

Into the mausoleum they went, where Faith had asked for a general meeting. Zuuda, wisps, the troops they were in charge of here. General. She was supposed to be a general of war and she had prayed to Famula, to Vri, to Moseke and Ymiden that she might actually be up to the job. She had faith in Famula, and it was her choice so Faith knew that she just had to trust, and do her best.

Straightening her back, Faith walked with him, their heels clicking on the stone of the aisle as they moved to the front. There, she stood at the podium next to her husband. "Thank you for coming." Faith spoke calmly - long gone were the trials where she was nervous speaking in public. The professor had swallowed her nerves when teaching. Yet now she felt them rise again at all those gathered. Because this was something else again. But she had a job and so, she had to be what was required. "We need to build up resources and information, allies and knowledge. I have here," she put her hand on the satchel. "Parchment. We are setting up a command central here. I have maps, and I want every bit of information we have. First, numbers. I have a piece of parchment for each of you. Please put the following information on it."

She pulled out a large scrolled up piece of parchment, which had the following written on it in in large letters so they could put it on the wall for everyone to see.:

Name:

Location:

Race / Role: (Zuuda, wisp - if Zuuda, please explain level of blessing)

Other skills:

Other marks:

Items which might be of use:

Military Experience:

Intelligence Gathering Experience:

Existing Allies You Could Call:

Possible Allies:

Possible / Existing Threats:

Preferred Role in this:

Any other information:

"I have a ..." reaching into her Domain bag, Faith started pulling out said items. "Box for each city, and some spares in case I've missed anywhere. Please fill in this information and then we can start using our resources to the maximum." She glanced at Padraig and smiled. "While you are doing that, Padraig is going to speak to you about the sort of intelligence he wants gathered, in his role." Because while Faith was doing her usual, Padraig was about laying traps, trying to trick Ellasin and most importantly being prepared for any and all attacks. So, what he sought might be somewhat different. She had, of course, told him what she was going to do in order for him to be prepared.

Off Topic

FYI and recorded in my CS:
20 x Echo Scrolls.
10 x Echo Boxes
10 x pairs of Kindred bracelets
5 x cloak of hiding

[Padraig]

Pretty? The mausoleum was pretty? Padraig quirked an astonished brow and shook his head, with an amused snort under breath. A grand feat of architecture, of a sort, to be sure. Even a work of art...if you liked that sort of thing. But considering his, ironic, personal aversion to all things dead, dying, and refusing to completely die, as it were, it wasn't exactly his...thing. It was where his mother resided, however, and so he'd never say it to her out loud. The place unnerved him and his worst fear was that he might inherit one trial. But that, he thought, was more for his mother's champions.

"One might hope we conduct our family reunion get togethers elsewhere," he teased, and nudged her, somewhat irreverently. "It would be a ghoulish affair at best." So, right, enough with the dead jokes. They had work to do. But he'd freed her? On that point, he was quick to argue. "Particulars aside, Faith, it was you who freed me...I hadn't even known I needed it until that trial you showed up at my door." But in they went, and Faith fell into her role as General quite easily.

He watched as she distributed the parchments among those gathered. Of course, she knew all about him already, anything he'd have written down. But if she insisted, then he'd also fill out one of himself. "Information is critical," he told them all, when Faith turned over the floor. "We need to know where Ellasin and her minions are, where they've been, where they're going next and then again, after that. We have to be three steps ahead of her. We need to be able to anticipate what she's thinking or what she'll do next."

This was where their contacts were important, he told them. Associates, acquaintances. Friends. Friends of friends. "Networks within networks. Those that overlap and intersect. Those that can get close without being detected. With effort and a little bit of luck, we can get close enough to actually manipulate her plans and movements without her so much as realizing." Ideas, plots and movements that Ellasin would be convinced she'd contrived from the start. "Communication then is as critical as the information itself,' Padraig said. "Without that, the knowledge gained is as good as useless and we're going in blind. What about scrolls?" he considered, turning to Faith. Did they have any? Did they have enough of them. Would the scrolls even work in this instance?

[Faith Augustin]

1st Ymiden, 719

Half a million Zuuda should not fit into this space, but they did. Five thousand Wisps, too. It was a feat of ... well, probably not magic, she supposed, but equally it seemed like it to her. They had given out the information request and people had come back, filled in and done as she asked. Then, there were Domain Bags and Faith nodded. "On the 11th Cylus, I asked you to begin preparing. Yourselves, certainly, but also, I asked you to bring things here. Well, here is where we'll put them. Resources, all the resources you have. We've labelled the bags to put them in."

Indeed, they had. Faith had asked them to bring information on Ellasin, the Coven, Necromancy. Any and all intelligence or information on the people in there, where they were, anything. There was a large box for that. Then, there was another for herbs and medical supplies, a Domain Bag for armour and weapons, one for alchemical reagents, as Padraig had asked for, another for anti-magic and magic detection, and another for traps. Those had been Padraig's requests. Then, finally, there was an "and anything else" bag, which might have something.

She watched as they did as she asked, and she prayed to Famula, Vri, Moseke and Ymiden in thanks for the preparation these people had done. She could not be more pleased or proud. "I have not got the words to thank you all," she said, honestly, as they settled back down. "The plan is that we will have ... well, I believe that proper military types call them "cells". Fifteen of them. Each one headed by either a Champion or Exalted of Famula. Throughout Idalos. If we need more than that, we'll expand. But each cell will exist independently. Those of you who have the Greater Servants' Mark ability, I want you to use it on each other, it stops us from being manipulated. Everyone stays armed and everyone stays in contact the best way. Cells will work on a number of tasks simultaneously." Please Famula, Faith thought, let her sound like she knew what she was talking about.

"The Cell Leaders will determine the way they do this, the only person who will know all the information is me. Each Cell has the following functions," Faith had a lot of knowledge of tactics, and she'd finally had to stop pretending that she didn't. She didn't like it, she didn't want to hurt people, but she was in this role and she would do her best, or go home a failure. And failing Famula was not an option to the young fanatic. "Intelligence gathering, resource collecting and targeted strikes." There was more detail and she gave it. Intelligence gathering was on Ellasin, the Coven, their allies and supplies. From that, they would determine targets. Faith wasn't interested in waiting around to react. They were taking the fight to her - so primary target was, and always would remain, Ellasin. But members of the Coven, Coven strongholds, Necromancers and those who added to Ellasin and the Coven's power. Cutting off their supply lines, weakening them. That was the job of the Cell Leader - to use what they had to determine the target, in conjunction with her.

Later, she'd include Carter in that number. She and he and Padraig would have to work together. He was too much of an asset for her to do anything else.

"Then, resource collecting. Anything and everything. The strange, the obscure, the unusual. Make sure that you keep seeking out these resources. The same list that we gave you on the 11th Cylus applies. We will keep the deposit boxes here." That made sense to her and she knew that she had to now move to a part that was not comfortable for her. "Targeted strikes. We need to weaken the Coven, and we need to do it in a clever way. If we learn that they are going to attack on the twenty fifth, then on the twenty fourth, we attack them. One step ahead. Every time. We have to be. This information will be shared, but in a general way, with Cell Leaders. We have to weaken her as much as we can. She has an eternal resource."

And then, Faith turned and started to speak to another group. A not-yet-used group. "And so, we turn to the ghosts, the Wisps. Ellasin's greatest resource is the dead. The bodies of those who have died. I want us to develop an 'invisible army' of ghosts who, either when we are attacking or defending, can possess the bodies of the dead. Break the chains of animation, turn her weapon against her. It must be temporary, of course, and it can not be harmful to the souls of the deceased. We are doing Famula's work, and in Famula's name. But I want to create groups, much like the Zuuda Cells, where you each lead a group of ghosts, and form part of every attack and defence we have. Possessing the body of the dead, to break the necromantic hold." Faith breathed in and she smiled a tight, rather mirthless smile.

Because now, now they were getting serious. "Padraig is going to start working through these resources. I am going to start assigning people to Cells and Ghost-Groups. I would really welcome some input on this, as an idea." She knew that she was a novice in terms of experiencing doing this herself. Yet, she had knelt next to King Cassander in Velijorn's tent and, on that trial so long ago, she had begun to learn the tactics of war. "It's going to take a few trials to go through all this. In the meantime, I wonder if there are any of you who might have other ideas? Things which could be time sensitive and so we should enact now?" Faith looked around with calm and hopeful silver eyes.

It was Lemont who spoke up and, later, Faith made sure to go and thank him. “Faith, I worry about this use of the Wisps. They will have to give up their purposes to do this. And they aren’t all soldiers. There’s just as few soldiers among them as there among us. We, as Zuuda follow Famula, and thus you as Wartime General, but these souls are not servants like us. They are those which we care for. Do you feel this is the best course of action?”

She looked at him and considered, albeit just for a moment. But a moment was all it took. "No, absolutely not," she said. "I want to be clear. This does not over ride your Purpose. It can not. Your Purpose, you, you are who we serve. So this is what we'll do. Each of you is anchored to a Zuuda. I would ask you to consider moving that anchor to one of the Cell Leaders. But it is a choice, not an order. Then, within each Cell, I want each Cell Leader to know which Wisp is anchored to which Zuuda. The use of the Wisps, and thus other ghosts, is at the discretion of the Cell Leader. I ask you, each Wisp in the room, to help us as much as you are able without breaking your purpose - I believe that this is what Famula wants, and I want to be clear on that. So, the aim is the same one - and we add in the recruitment of ghosts in order to create this "Invisible Army" wherever possible. As much, and as many as you can." She looked around and then asked, without hesitation. "Does that work better?"

Lemont nodded his head and leaned back in his seat.

!

Message from: Aegis

Your intelligence gathering allows you the following: You have found intelligence on up to ten artifacts. Six of these are anti-magic generally, four are specific to Necromancy. Write these up, submit them in the development thread, and I will approve. Of the artifacts, you have three. This will be my choice, I’ll inform you when I approve them. Your resource gathering allows you the following. Wells: You have a stash of approximately 5,000 wells. These are 4000 Emean Wells 10 Divine Wells 900 Soul 90 Spirit Wells These are of the following strength: 50 % Novice / Competent 35% Expert 15% Master+ with no more than 1 Miracle Stone. Herbs / Medical Supplies / Poisons: With the number of people you have, etc, you may assume access to all herbs / medical supplies / poisons. You may also write up up to ten new flora, which are obscure and may be specifically targeted / useful against magic. They can not be used until I have approved them. Equipment: You may assume that all NPCs are armed and armoured with expert level equipment. There will be one masterwork weapon per PC available from 1st Ymiden. This will require the PC to RP out the receiving of this item, and is expected to be returned following a successful defeat of the coven. Alchemical: With the number of people you have - you may assume access to all common - rare alchemical reagents. You may also write up up to ten new reagents, which are obscure and may be specifically useful in this fight. They can not be used until approval. Wisps: This will be revealed in later threads.

[Padraig]

Padraig couldn't have been happier that it was Faith and not him, who kept everything and everyone organized, and put them where they needed to be. He'd have made a mess of it. Periodic tables probably weren't that different. But that was chemistry and what Faith was doing here was a different kind of science completely. She probably didn't even need a list and could as easily store it all in her head, then pluck it out when need be. He admired that in her, and was grateful.

He only needed to know, what he needed to know, lest his brain start itching. It was for him then to go through the resources they had, and that he could do. Beginning with what might help them to track down or detect Ellasin or her minions. "So first," he said, "we have a fire well, but one altered with the use of alchemy. This is what is known. When held by a Zuuda, Famulaborn, Velduris or Karemborn, the gem will guide you to the nearest Thrall or creation of Ellasin. It runs hot and cold...Hot when you're close, cold when you're not."

"Also," he added, "When held by Faith or Kura, the gem will show a direct line of Ellasin's phylactory. Though this will only happen while in the same plane of existence. However, there's a drawback to this one. While actively tracking, the stone will draw blood from the wielder at a rate of point five liters per break." Not optimum, but the implication was clear. Take care not to use the thing too long at one time.

"This one," he said, picking up another fire well which glowed when he touched it. "will grow hot when you are within a one hundred meter radius of ellasin's body. When held by anyone at all, the gemstone will allow them to see a hallucinated Ellasin form walking in the direction of her body. Though again, only while in the same plane of existence.


The Fire Well glowed brighter as the ingredients that had been applied to it were activated by heat. The well's own ability to absorb this heat, also allowed it to absorb these heated reagents, and such, they disappeared into it, forming an alchemical gemstone. This was no longer a Fire Well, and no longer had the inherent functions of the Fire Well. But there are drawbacks, just like the other," he warned. "During use, memories are drained into the stone, starting with the most recent and working backwards."

[Faith Augustin]

1st Ymiden, 719

It was some time later when just the two of them were together in the War Room. They had made their way through the resources gathered and Faith had to admit to being amazed and rather delighted at the sheer amount of what they had. "This is amazing, Padraig. I mean. I half expected three balls of yarn and a dead mouse." She was only half joking, in fairness. But they'd put together a wish-list and the Zuuda had more than met it. "Alright, so, we have just over four thousand wells. I mean. That's going to be helpful with our mages being at a much less of a disadvantage. But some of these are... well. Big."

Looking at him, she looked at the wells. "Padraig, these are Dark Stars.." She had a half-dozen books open around them and she slid it over to him. But first, they had to look at the big picture. "As far as I can tell, these ten are Divine Wells?" Everything she looked at, she got him to check, and she checked everything he did. "Prayer Stones. They store Immortal granted abilities and can be used by anyone with a mark. Any mark. According to this, they store... well, look. This is just one source, though, so I want to check it. But.. that means we can pass out the ability to remove a necromancy spark, Padraig. These, these are enormous, game changing. "

Then, there were ninety Spirit Wells. Faith frowned slightly as she looked at that. "Each one of these will be unique, we need to take some time and find out. Or, learn to delegate. That might be better." She gave a slight smile at that. But then, as they continued their sorting, Faith's frown darkened considerably and she wrinkled her nose. "Alright, we need to do something about these. These are.. both of these." Faith sighed and pointed to a small basket with a few hundred black and deep red blob-like stones. "These are the results of flaying. They're horrid and we are not happy. They store spells, but so do many of these others. It's.. but Padraig, these." Faith leaned forward and pulled a basked with another few hundred pieces. Each one was green and as she touched one, Faith's eyes filled with tears. "They're souls, Padraig," she whispered. Her voice shook with the emotion of what she said. "They're .. I think they're Ghost Wells? I can't.. I have to help them. We do. They're souls." Souls, people, previously living ghosts who had been drained of all their ectoplasm. Faith lifted her hand to pinch the bridge of her nose. "I can hear them screaming." She didn't look at him, her eyes fixated on the pretty wicker basket which held hundreds of tortured beings.

It took a phenomenal amount of self control to pull herself away from that basket, even for a moment. "We need to .. the Dark Stars will be inordinately helpful if we have to deal with any Grand Fractures and so on.. and .. Padraig. Padraig?!" Her hand moved out and she touched the glowing stone which had just become visible as she moved another. "Is that a Miracle Stone?" She looked at him hesitantly, not yet touching it. "It is, isn't it?" She knew that the book he had in his hands told about them so, she asked with some trepidation. "What does it say?" And, if it was one - then the question rose of just who was going to touch it. She knew him too well to think it would be anyone other than him. He wouldn't be happy at the thought of her taking such a risk. She waited, then, with slightly bated breath, to see if it was what she thought.

[Padraig]

It was only when they isolated themselves from the crowd, the noise and the chaos, that Padraig could achieve the sort of focus that he needed. Everything was too big, there were too many others involved, too many different perspectives and opinions and voices. That sort of thing was an anathema to good science. He studied the universe, and it was a vast place filled with countless things. But even in that, it wasn't chaotic. There was a particular order to it all, and that was key. Scientists rarely worked in groups of more than three. So getting away from the crowd was a relief.

"Four thousand wells?" He'd never expected that number. It spoke to the determination of so many others, and surely in that case at least, no matter his tendency towards less is more, all the better. Dark Stars. The name certainly grabbed his attention and he picked one up when Faith slid it closer to him. The Prayer Stones were certainly useful. Game changing, to be sure. "To delegate, would be better...so long as we can trust in the skills and motives or others," he agreed when she spoke of the Spirit Stones and the sheer number of them. Padraig would be the first to admit it. He didn't excel at multi-tasking.

The ghost wells were a different matter entirely, and Padraig knew all too well that, for lack of a better word, the things would haunt her until those souls were freed. He on the other hand, given an approach that often was in line with his nature, could step back from the emotional aspects and consider the more practical ones. "Is keeping them as they are....Temporarily," he was quick to add, "useful for what we are trying to accomplish here? I mean, ultimately there are lives we are trying to save. We're trying to prevent more loss. More than what's here in this basket. Do they have a purpose to serve before they are freed?" he wondered. It wasn't a callous suggestion, so much as one that considered the overall good, in contrast to the isolated or immediate.

Of course, then there was the miracle stone. She might not be willing to touch it straight away. He on the other hand was more inclined. He paused though, long enough to dip into the book she'd handed him. He read straight from the text, just as it was written. "The Miracle Stone, or Essenthyte as called by the Seekers, has only ever been discovered within a Grand Fracture. There's only ever been one documented use of it, in the Kingdom of Sheor. They are considered to be the most powerful, and rare, type of well. The Miracle Stone is a sphere of pure, gentle light. It is truly unbreakable, and as such, has no Core or Fragment state. The Miracle Stone has a personality of its own and can communicate through a form of telepathy with whoever is holding it. They often speak about a purpose they have, speaking as though Emea itself created them to complete said purpose."

"Miracle Stones can store eight Novice Aspects," he continued. "Six Competent, five Expert, four Master,three Revelation Aspects of any Domain Magic, or a proper combination of them. A Domain Mage inherently can feel the different aspects, which allows them to choose which they want to use." Impressive, to say the least. "I'd say the things are well named," Padraig said, and it was an understatement. Of course he was no mage, and had no interest in being. But if there was going to be any individual first to touch it, they'd need to be sure of the thing. It would not be Faith then. Padraig wasn't willing to take that risk. So it would be him, and carefully he picked the stone up to cradle it in the palm of his hand.

[Pig Boy]

The Miracle Stone pulsed with intensity as Padraig held it in his hand. The power of the object traveled up his hand in pulses reminiscent of electricity. Where the power coursed through the fibers of his arm, through his muscles and bones, they left a soporific sensation. While not sapping the feeling from his arm entirely, at first, it made him feel a weariness, as if he'd just experienced a lecture from a professor about a topic that was so banal and uninteresting to him, that he could not keep his eyelids open.

Finally, as his arm lost nearly all sensation, strength and energy from the pulses, it spoke to his mind. It's voice was hypnotic in cadence, speaking to him in soft yet domineering tones.

"I am a Miracle Stone." It said, "I perform miracles for those who hold me with intent."

"You shall be my Intendant. Since it was you who first took me in your hands with intent." It stated, without room for argument. "Speak what you wish to me, and it will be granted."

After a pause, it added, "Wish wisely. Once done, my boons cannot be undone."

Thus having spoken, the powerful well went silent, though it continued to pulse with energy. Padraig might have to support his arm with the other, or rest it on some surface, as the stone became heavier with every moment.

The pearlescent glow of the orb reflected Padraig upon its surface the longer he looked into its luminescence. It seemed to demand that he use it, and the urge became more powerful with the passage of every trill.

[Padraig]

As the stone pulsed in the palm of his hand, and and sent tendrils of energy up through his arm, Padraig knew that Faith was aware of what was happening. It was the nature of their bond, one with the other. There was no fear, only fascination and awe, and a yearning to know and experience more. But the promise of knowledge was heavy, and as the strength in his arm faltered, he lowered his hand in order to rest it on the surface of the desk, the stone still cradled there.

It was an object, but a thing that was alive and thinking, in it's own way. It's Intendant? It wasn't expected, but Padraig wasn't surprised. He had picked it up after all. The compulsion was more than he could resist. One wish. One miracle, and it had to be now. How many times in a person's life did this moment arrive? Never, for most. And Faith knew he was torn. She knew his heart, and he knew hers. The one thing they both wanted more than anything, was the one thing that they couldn't have. It was a selfish thing, really, when considering an opportunity of this magnitude, and how much good could be done.

With a word, he could conceivably change the future, or the present. Padraig realized that he could even change the past. But they were both learned enough to recognize the dangers of doing that. One altered event in the past, no matter how small or how significant, could result in a chain reaction from the past to the present to the future. Sometimes, perhaps, for the good. But as likely, it would be catastrophic. If they hadn't lost Rose, would they have their twins now? And what state would they have her in? It was a question neither of them could answer. But they both knew that no matter how strong the desire, it couldn't be.

So pushed with an irresistible need to get to it, Padraig's mind ticked through the possibilities. He could free the soul residing within this stone. That could be his wish. But it was one soul, as opposed to countless living and gone. The threat that they faced in Ellasin wasn't just a threat to them. She was a threat to countless. And as much help as they had on their side, they needed more. They needed a larger ally in the world, and they needed more knowledge. The sort of knowledge that mortals were hard pressed to collect.

And then he remembered the first moment he'd been compelled to tell Faith that he loved her. Or at least, to the extent that he dared without frightening her. They'd always have Treid's armpit. That's what he'd told her, and it was ironic that among Treid's domain, was longing. Much like the longing they'd shared for each other back then. And the longing they shared even now, for their lost daughter. Perhaps there was only one on all of Idalos who would understand the extent of it. And rumor had it, he'd shared Padraig's fondness for the moon, and had been a very knowledgeable fellow besides. If the Immortal was to know the source of his resurrection, he might just be grateful enough to lend them a hand. They'd failed to wake the sleeping Immortal once before, no matter their efforts. But now? "Restore Treid's beating heart and make him whole. Resurrect him so he may rise again."

Given the chance for just one miracle at such a magnitude as this, from Padraig's perspective, then why not go big?

[Pig Boy]

There was a great exhalation of draining energy, that snaked up Padraig's arm, and then flowed into the miracle stone. It spoke nothing for now, but in front of Pad, on the ground, a ironbound chest materialized.

The Miracle stone shone once in luminescence.

The stone pulsed and shone in prismatic bursts, as it began to fade in his hand.

The Miracle Stone flashed one last time, and then it was gone, sapping much of the energy out of Padraig. It would be a few trills before he'd recover his stamina, of having so much power coursing through his being.

Then it faded out of thin air and into void.

There was a heavy silence afterward, enough that either one of them could hear their own heart beating in their ears. Then there was a piercing scream, one that must have been heard across the Immortal Planes and possibly even Idalos.

"The scar... Emea, the shattering... THE SCAR! I swear it's all I ever learned!"

There was nothing besides this, just a heavy silence, their own heartbeats, and the ambient noise of their place in Zuudaria. Who could know who or what they released by making this wish? But the die was cast, and the wish was spent. They would have to make their way forward from there.

The rest of the wells remained to be sorted, and sifted through, it appeared they were the only ones to have heard these words as Treid had been wished to return whole to the world. Nobody besides them had reacted.

[Faith Augustin]

1st Ymiden, 719

"You're a slave," he'd said and she'd smiled.
"Yes, sir, I am," she had replied. "You appear not to be. I'm glad we are clear."

He had then proceeded to make her a cup of tea.

As that memory flashed in her mind, Faith saw it as clearly as the trial it had happened. It was joined by another, and another. Him refusing point blank to let her be the one fighting the shadow beasts, his hand in hers as he stepped between her and the bandits who were drawing lots for who would have her first. The way that hand squeezed tight as they jumped into the river together, his high-pitched scream as he upended into a bath of water meant for the cat,. Image after image fell in on her, and Faith wasn't sure whose memory she was seeing, hers of him or his of her.

And underpinning them all, that moment where she had realised. Without doubt or condition, she had realised that she loved him. "I want you to know that no matter what happens, we'll always have Tried's armpit, and there's no one on Idalos I'd rather have fallen through it with, than you," he'd said and she had known - or wished - or even just believed, in that moment, that he loved her too. How right she had been. Of all the people who knew her, Padraig was the one who loved her without condition. It was more than that, though. He saw her for who she was, accepted her for who she was, loved her for who she was. As she did for him, of course. They understood, now, that their souls had been tied together throughout generations.

Neither of them had been surprised. Famula had seemed a little disappointed at their lack of reaction - but to Faith, it was a case of "well, of course", when her mother in law had said it.

And so, because he always would - because he was so wonderfully himself - Padraig picked up the miracle stone. Faith watched him and one eyebrow lifted ~ there was a lot of opinion in that eyebrow. Faith said nothing, though, because the shared connection they had meant that she more than saw. She felt. In the glance he gave her, she knew that he wanted to take all the pain away, he hoped that she understood.

Faith touched his hand. Her finger just brushed against his and she smiled. They couldn't bring Rose back, not like this, and they both knew it. They neither of them liked or wanted it to be the case, but they both knew it. She saw his mind working and Faith knew what he would wish, before he spoke it. The moment the words came out of his mouth, Faith smiled at him. The sound which echoed and reverberated around them was loud - louder than anything had a right to be, but no one reacted other than her and him. Not even Cosmo, the glow-in-the-dark dog or Quattro, the electrified-with-four-tails cat.

"Well. That's something then," she said and she looked at her husband with a grin. "I could not be more proud, nor more in love, than I am proud of, and in love with, you. But right now, I have an idea and I'm going to save these souls." She picked up one of the Spirit Wells and she looked at it and smiled sadly. "Rest, now." Faith whispered and, using the ability "Sever The Impostor" she watched - and felt - what happened. Right now, of course, it consigned the souls within to being ghosts. So, she looked up at Padraig and her expression told more than the chipper nature of her words.

"I can free them. But it will likely render the well useless, and will create a ghost, at this point. But, when Emea is fixed and Vri has sorted what needs sorting," there was no doubt in her mind that those things would happen, "They'll be free to move on. So. I have a lot to do. If you're not too busy with Idalos-changing actions and reviving Immortals, make me a cup of coffee? I'm going to be here a while." With a grin which she did not feel, she added, "And let one of the other Zuuda know. We need some Wisps, I think, and Zuuda - to help them."

So saying, Faith got to work. Every Spirit Well, until all the souls were free.