Beliefs

[Zerrif]

"Gerik, have I ever told you that all things perhaps, happen for a reason? There is no way to be sure, but what if things were destined by the Gods?"

"Father Brahms, surely there's some freedom. I can't imagine that nothing is predestined, but I also can't imagine that our actions and choices to affect what the Gods do, as well. I think creation, and life, is a work-in-progress. The Gods give us challenges, trials, tribulations, things to face. Our reactions cause them to think of what should happen next. While they may want to drive us to one outcome, I don't think they rule out the others as a possibility, simply because of what we've done."

"You know, I agree with you. That's exactly how I think. So don't look at what has happened as perhaps the Gods punishing you. You've grown ever stronger for it."

"I know. I just wish they were here to see it."

---

"Purpose? What sort of purpose?" Gerik asked, soon joining the group. Even if they were surrounded, he wasn't about to stand out on the outside-- his friends needed him in there.

"Why, young Acolyte, I've come here for... retrieval. You see... your little "party" is going to come to an end. Starting with bringing back each and every last one of you." The floating woman said. Her robes reached back to her mid-thigh, and she let out a venomous laugh, making the Acolyte wince.

"Us? What the hell do you want with us?" Muarim asked, looking around. Another one of those trillingly, annoying laughs. "We're just a ragtag group of adventurers! We barely knew each other till what, today? How on earth can you target us?"

"Simple." Bascht interjected, setting up another Fire Wall, just in case. "We've all been individually targeted. And now that we're together, her job's just become easier." He would have spat, if it were not for his mask. "The real question is, why each one of us individually?"

"Enough chatter." The woman replied. A growl rose in D's chest, and the Galion beside her gave a resonant one in return. "That's of no import, at least to you."

"Wait." "You mean--" Gerik started, before he turned to face her. "You mean the reason why my parents and I were attacked so long ago-- the reason why they died at your group's hands... was over me? You wanted me?" He shouted. She gave no response, and just grimaced. "Your faction would... ravage cities... destroy people's lives for what? A few individuals? What for?" She scoffed, and just turned her head. "TELL ME!"

"I'll tell you once you come back. Now, get them!" She said, pointing. Though, by this point, the Stem Worms had had enough of being burnt alive, and the Roween just stood around, lazily sniffing the air. "What? You dare ignore me? I am-"

"An imbecile." Bascht shot, coldly at her. "Any good adventurer would know that Galion and Roween are fickle at best, and do things on their own time. And your worms are just living plants. Let's see how much they like being burnt alive." He began to charge a spell, mumbling incoherent chants under his breath.

In that instant, D flashed out from in front of the Mage, his axe coated in a thin layer of translucent, crimson light. Swinging his enchanted axe, he sliced through a Stem Worm with the utmost ease, nearly cleaving a group in his wide, horizontal arc. The circle backed away some, and the Blacksmith just grinned, leaping up as high as he could as a volley of bolts of fire shot forth from behind him.

"Hey, Gerik, let's not get shown up, eh?" Muarim called, as he too dashed out to attack their attackers. The Acolyte nodded and clasped his hands in prayer.

"Goddess, grant unto my allies the speed and strength to overcome difficulty! Increase Agility, Blessing!" He chanted. His senses heightened, and he reflexively let out a long breath, feeling his metabolism catch up to its increased efforts, his mind reeling with a sudden surge of intake of information. He suspected that everyone else would feel the same.

He winced as he felt a sharp pang in his leg, looking down to see a Stem Worm constricting his leg rather tightly. He quickly drew his mace and began to bash the creature, which only made it respond by tightening further. He let out a cry of pain, though even alerting the others, he knew they were busy. That laugh resounded above yet again, and he grit his teeth.

"Fire Bolt!" Bascht's voice sounded, carrying over the laugh. Gerik felt head rush between his legs, the Mage expertly aiming each shot between them, striking the Stem Worm directly. It came some sort of curdling screech and doubled over, before it withered and dissolved into dust and leaves, the Acolyte falling to a knee because of the pain.

"Get up, Gerik. We're not out of this yet." D said, taking a stand in front of him. The Acolyte forced himself to stand, deciding that he was still in reasonably good shape. While he was a healer, he knew that he had to gauge himself, and save healing for when it was needed. He wasn't a machine, and each heal had to be well timed, and effective.

"No, we're not. There's no end to them." Muarim said, creating a shield around the Acolyte. He looked around as holes in the ranks were just filled. even if half of the monsters didn't seem to want to fight just yet, there were still far more than the four adventurers could handle. "We need a plan to get out of this. This is just a distraction to where we're supposed to be going."

"If we can break a hole in their ranks again, Gerik can you time another one of your agility buffs? We can make a break for it-- we'll never beat her." Bascht mumbled, as he placed another strategic firewall covering their back side. "I can create walls as we run to impede them. Then we just have to outrun them, and hide until things settle down."

"I can try." Gerik said. He wasn't the kind to make false promises. "I trust in you. Let's do this. I won't let you down." He added, remembering words that he held close to himself. Ever since that day in Ant Hell...

He shook himself of the painful reverie. Everyone else was fighting their hardest, he couldn't just stand idly by. He got into the middle of the circle, where he'd have a good vantage point of everyone, and continually kept tabs of where they were, and how they were doing. Constant chants of healing and blessing were doled out, in between the time he was fending off monsters of his own. Until--

"Now!" D yelled, and Gerik instantly snapped into action. Clasping his hands together in prayer once more, he called out to the Goddess Freya for divine speed.

"Increase Agility!" He shouted, quickly enchanting everyone yet again. They all made a dash for the newly created opening, though one thing didn't really sit right with Gerik. That had been too easy. True, Roween weren't the most aggressive of all creatures, but something still wasn't right.

His fears were only realized when suddenly, a flash came out from the side. He saw it coming too late, too late to warn anyone, too late to be ready. That woman, whoever she was, came flying out from the foliage, delivering a swift kick to D. The Blacksmith tumbled to the side, knocking against a tree and crying out in pain.

"Where do you think you're going?" She asked, as the group suddenly took defensive stances, facing her. "Even with these worthless monsters, I'll still catch you, even if I have to do it myself!" She let out a laugh again, through a growl cut through that again-- but it wasn't from her Roween, or the Galion.

"You..." Bascht mumbled, stepping in front of the group. "You dare--" He quickly removed his mask, and threw it at the ground. Gerik blinked. He'd... never seen the Mage take off his mask before. "Gerik. Make sure he's okay."

A chill ran up Gerik's spine. The Mage's voice was cold. Empty. The order was there but it still made him feel uneasy. He nodded, and ran to the fallen Blacksmith to Heal him, whilst Muarim stepped beside the Mage. "Alright bud, I got yer back. Go get her." He said, with a smile on his face.

"You..." Bascht repeated again, his voice having a void of any and all emotion, like when he and Gerik has first met. "You're going to pay."