Nostrum: Tales of Valor

A Timely Journey

Stirring from their slumber, the party begins their trek back towards the towers of Maciofim with sore muscles and tongues that taste of ash. Little is spoken before they wash away the bitterness from the night before with flowing river water and wipe what they can from their hair and faces, leaving streaks of filth around their collars and garbs. Once each is as satisfied as they can find themselves to be, a conversation begins to break through on their walk across prairie lands. With only a bundle of woodlands and what remains of the clearing standing between them and the city walls, Hael speaks first.

"I assume their efforts will rest in attempting to restore it. The plant that is."

"What purpose might there be in doing such a thing?" Questions Marne, who continues to rub away grime from the back of his neck as he trudges through tall grass.

"Have you not listened to a word we've said?" Lee rolls his eyes and takes in a deep breath to speak with. "Without Dabria they will most certainly lose all hope in restoring High Priest Ordaite to his former glory. His throne will remain empty." Lee then looks to Marne and Yuler specifically. "We must ensure that that reality is what comes of all this."

"Why might a thing such as that be a primary focus?" Yuler wonders, peering back at Lee, who chuckles deeply before speaking once more.

"If you thought Lady Mardelia was a welcoming host, then I assure you, Ordaite would be a most comforting sight."

As the group passes into the woodline, the smell of smoke permeates the air once more, but no source is seen. They examine their surroundings as they go, as if searching for a reason, but when one is not presented to them they simply march on.

"Odd." Yuler blandly states, scrunching her nose in an effort to block the smell.

"Maybe not." Hael stops in her tracks as a sudden realization washes over her. She then sniffs at the air and points her nose upwards. The others look in the same direction and see a column of swirling smoke some distance ahead of themselves.

"Could the smoke still be pouring from Dabria?" Marne asks, finding the location of the smoke to be curious.

"No." Assures Hael, now certain of the cause. "The city burns. We must hurry."

As they rush off in the smoke's direction, they break through another woodline and find themselves face-to-face with the gates of Maciofim, which now rest open and unmanned. The four of them move closer to the walls and avoid making a peep as they do so. Once they have managed to pass through the entrance they are met with the sounds of distant screams and panicking citizens. Many rush passed them in an effort to escape the city walls, while others horde material goods from nearby shops, assault one another, or hide behind the safety of their homes.

"What is happening here?"

As Lee speaks these words, a bell atop The Bethel can be heard ringing out a distress call. As the group looks to the towers, they find more buildings beginning to burn, and parts of The Bethel itself having been damaged through some kind of siege attempt.

"It would seem Maciofim is destroying itself in the absence of Dabria." Lee exclaims, startled by the amount of chaos that has broken out in such a short period.

"Perhaps... that isn't it at all." Yuler shares, now venturing further into the streets with her mask up, attempting to block what loose debris she can as ash begins to fall from the sky. She then looks at a distant corner of the main road, where she spots a group of men attacking one another. The obvious blades of Ryoushi Nostrum make themselves known as one-half of the men slay the others with ease before moving on to do the same elsewhere. This tells Yuler all she needs to know. "The resistance has begun their rebellion."