Iorrjaer

Chapter 28

Graphiel caught up to Yophiel, who was walking solemnly with the boys and held her back so that she was walking with him instead. She snapped out of her funk for a second but then looked around and saw that she was walking with Sorath, Hasmael, Graphiel and Malka. She could not remember where the others went nor could she really name who was missing. She heard Graphiel whispering to her, asking her to play her part as Paladin and he would delay his report to her mother, Tapht and Bne.

She felt a little twinge of pain from her larva and a strange resurgence from Chami's voice. She was still struggling with understanding that they were two different entities. Graphiel was still whispering, encouraging her to be a Paladin again. She felt the conflict in her mind as her two influences started to reawaken and compete for her mind.

The larva was weak, the stew's effects lingered still and kept it suppressed. Chami's voice was quiet and quite distant but still held importance for her so now that Graphiel was giving her permission, recalling her Paladin status, she felt Chami's voice and Chami's blessing coming back to her. She did not question why Graphiel was whispering these things to her, she had lost herself in her failure to assert herself after feeling the power from the larva surge. She had taken their mockery so hard that it repressed both influences.

Now that Graphiel was encouraging her to be a Paladin again, she brimmed with eagerness to prove herself. Her gait changed almost immediately and she held herself with pride. She marched back up to Victor's sons.

Allin noticed her confidence and wanted to engage. "Greetings!" He said. "How are you this fine evening?"

"Who are you?" Yophiel asked, pointedly.

"My name is Allin, and this is my brother, Allen. We,"

"Have been missing." Graphiel said, calling up to them. "You were supposed to meet us at the gate. Instead, it was that captain of yours."

"Ah, yes. Captain Alan."

"How many Alans are there, here?" Yophiel asked, feeling a surge of power from the larva. One that allowed her to notice that she was the only one in the group that had one. She was not sure what to make of this fact.

"Yes, well," Allen paused.

"Father needed us for something direly urgent." Allin said quickly. "We apologize about this, but we are now tasked with gathering and bringing you to the feast."

"The others," Allen started.

"Will join us soon." Sorâth said, stolid.

"Right," Yophiel said, recalling Tapht's task for her: "First though, you have to answer me, what happened to you? What is happening here?"

Sorâth was pleased that she was starting to take command again. He wanted this from her towards enemies, not the team. He wondered what lingering effects were happening on her mind and if Malka's magic spores were still active. It seemed like they were not but she was allowing Graphiel and him to direct her, Which was a welcomed improvement.

As they neared the ziggurat's proximity, he noticed that the air was thicker, heavier and more robust in magical energies. The brothers were unaffected but Yophiel seemed like she almost missed a step when they crossed that invisible line. He looked back to Malka, who smiled and nodded knowingly.. The rainbow aura that normally nested within his hair, was wisping and trailing around him.

"... be honest with me." Yophiel said, firmly.

"I'm being honest," Allen said, confused 

"You dare interrupt our Paladin?" Graphiel demanded.