| Logs |
2009 July 05
| When The Bough Breaks |
| Realms |
Retired
| Reality Fault |
General Info
 |
| Realms: Bough Logs |
Fourth Movement, Fourth Verse
Namuche is an exceedingly polite man, at no point pressing the group for information. He simply invites them to the dining area for tea, making it carefully himself in a somewhat elaborate tea ceremony, one that seems second nature to him. Throughout it, he does maintain a stream of polite conversation, managing to stray away from sensitive subjects, and letting his guests feel that they are neither imposed upon nor imposing.
The atmosphere of the forlorn temple does change slightly as he serves them tea. It becomes a little less lonely and a little less isolated and forgotten. It seems to take on a slightly warmer air about it, more comfortable rather than desultory. The fog does not quite lift, but it does seem that some light filters through it a little more.
Mikal sits as close to the edge of the broad outside porch as she can, saying nothing and giving frequent, unwittingly forlorn glances out at the freedom of the rest of the undergrowth-cluttered little clearing. She's not sure why, but she really just doesn't want to be up here.
Mikal sighs softly. Still... if Jareth wants her here, she'll... well... remain.
Jareth talks with the old caretaker, and asks him when he can, "Can you tell us how to get to Ankor Wat?"
Namuche arches a brow, actually pausing in the pouring of the tea. "Ankor Wat? Well, that's a place I have not heard of in many years! I do not know where it is exactly. I believe it is further down the mountain somewhere, but I fear I could not tell you where.
Norris enjoys tea. Tea is calming. And one who offers it is not usually a bad man. He's not sure how that works, but those of malicious intent don't usually like tea. And because he does not tend to be a talkative man, he remains silent through most of it, more interested in how Namuche comports himself, than what he says, or does not say.
Jareth nods, chesting slowly on his bottom lip as he thinks this through, "I suppose we'll have to find it ourselves, then." He glances over at Mikal and smiles, feeling a little guilty about asking her to stay with him.
Mikal glances around, wondering idly what Vhibishana thinks of this man.
Vhibishasa is politely listening to the old man, attentively and at the same time sipping his tea.
Namuche makes a quiet sound. "I have heard it said that it is an exceedingly long trip there. The day is nearing its end, though. Would you like to stay the evening? Though I do not know much about Ankor Wat's location, I am sure that I have learned some small bit of knowledge in my years that may aid you."
Mikal hasn't really touched her tea yet, although she's politely accepted the cup when it was offered.
Norris realizes, as he plays back through what he remembers people having talked about, that the state of the village, and him being the sole occupant, was never brought up. "Sir, ah done been wondering...why's yew alone here? Ah mean, ah kin see that yer a caretaker. But where's all th' other folks what seem to have homes here?" he finally pipes up.
Mikal glances amusedly at Norris and nods once, then sighs and goes back to staring rather longingly out at the nice, friendly, obscuring forest.
Namuche smiles softly, stroking his beard. "It is my... how do you say it... it is my purpose in the Dreamtime. It is what I do. The others...." He sighs a little. "The others left long ago, in the time of the Godswar."
Jareth says, "Did they leave, or were they taken?"
Norris looks astonished. "You done been alone here all that time?" he queries, flummoxed.
Mikal glances with sudden sharpness over at the old man, "What is your purpose? To be alone? Or something else?"
"Oh, no. They were not taken. They left of their own accord. They did not wish to remain in this temple. And yes, I have been here all this time, alone. I do like to think I have not forgotten the rules of being polite!
"My purpose is simple: it is to tend this temple and its grounds. It is an ancient place, and one I take some joy in maintaining. Occasionally there are visitors and pilgrims, and it is for them that I maintain it."
Mikal gives the old man a faintly puzzled look, then sidles surreptitiously closer to the edge of the porch.
Norris tilts his head. "Y' aint worried about being attacked by angels?"
Jareth thinks about that for a long moment and then says, "Would it be proper for us to help with taking care of the shrine to the Thrones of death?"
Namuche shakes his head. "I have not seen an angel here in eons, it seems. I barely remember what they look like now!" He smiles to Jareth. "That would be very kind of you. Thank you."
Norris was less surprised that the village had not been attacked when it seemed clear it was almost deserted. But it seems very odd that the angels had not investigated a village on the mountain of their hated enemy. Maybe they just hadn't found it yet? Strange.
Norris says, "Why's the people what lived here leave the temple? Was they worried about being attacked? or did they lose faith in they's god, or sommat?"
"Ah, much changed with the Godswar. They left not because they thought they were in danger, but to be closer to others. Myself... I felt it best to tend the temple. Worship of the Bhudda has declined, but someday, they will return and they will come here. The temple must be in good condition against that day."
Norris's considers. "Whysat? What makes this place so special, hey?"
Mikal casually stretches out, which brings her a little closer to the edge of the porch walkway.
Namuche spreads his hands. "It is a temple, and such places are sacred to those they are dedicated to.
"But come; if I may, pray tell me what brings you down the mountain, and towards Ankor Wat?"
Mikal stares fixedly at the forest for a few heartbeats, then turns almost casually to look back at the others. A few moments later there's a long, quiet yodel from the trees, on the opposite side from that which Mikal is sitting.
Norris looks at his friends. "War aint over, for some. Things gettin worse, an not just fer th Rakshasa. We's hoping we kin find sommat at Angkor Wat what kin help us stem th' tide. Things fallin apart, seem like. Center aint holdin...literally."
Namuche glances over at the yowl from the trees, arching a brow but appearing unperturbed
Norris doesn't react to the yodel: he figures it's just Raph, or something.
Mikal is waiting for the yodel, and when it happens on the side of the building opposite her, she rolls silently over, dropping stealthily to the ground below the raised porch walkway and slipping relievedly away into the underbrush. She sends a happy, [Thank you so much, big brother!] and gets a patient chuckle in reply.
When Namuche turns back and sees Mikal gone, his other brow goes up. "Well," he says half-amusedly. "Your companion seems to... not like tea."
Jareth follows Namuche's gaze and rolls his eyes with an affectionate laugh, "My beloved is not much for being in strange buildings or with unknown people. I suspect she is exploring the underbrush or already headed for the small shrine."
Norris hmms? "Really? Rabbit, yew..." No Rabbit.
Mikal will, with Raphael, contentedly wander silently around through the underbrush, exploring and searching the area. She's far happier not being quite so sky-lined, and does indeed eventually head for the small shrine. While she does pull a bit of the underbrush away so she can more easily see it, she doesn't do much -- Jareth did say he wanted to participate too, after all.
Norris uhs. "That girl." he murmurs, shaking his head. "Ah just done hope that savin' the world dun require us t' go indoors, or we'd gonna be a bit short handed."
Jareth does his level best not to laugh. And he fails miserably.
Namuche smiles a little, stroking his beard again. "Ah. She is shy, then? A forester of sorts?"
Jareth nods and smiles, his laughter trailing off, "She is very much a forester. She is the quiet to my song."
Norris rolls his eyes. "More lak a forest pixie. Ah dun love th' girl, but ever' time ah done think she's gettin more comfortable, she dun dissapear on us 'gain."
Norris clears his throat. "Anyways, that's why we's goin t' Angkor Wat. Lookin fer help makin things not fall apart."
Jareth nods and smiles crookedly, "We're not sure what that actually entails yet, but that's our purpose." The things that have come to Jareth make him think their journey is going to have less to do with defeat and more with healing.
Namuche nods slowly in understanding. "I do believe I see, yes. Well, please. Let me open one of the sleeping areas for you that you may take your rest, and not be concerned with the prattlings of an old man."
Jareth shakes his head and reaches a hand out toward Namuche, "Please, don't let us make you feel as what you have to say is useless. I would love to know your stories."
Namuche smiles to Jareth. "You make an old man's heart happy to hear that. I would enjoy passing on my stories to another.
Norris hehs. "Ya better, r' Cat might ry an see iffn he kin just filch em right from yer brain." He gets solemn. "Hope yew's right, about folks returning someday.
Jareth snorts and nudges Norris affectionately, "I wouldn't steal a story. Not that I could."
Namuche laughs quietly. "No need for thievery, I assure you!"
Norris smiles. "Jus, teasin. new story stop you in yer tracks, hey? Even if you wus makin time wi' Rabbit, someone start a story..." he trails off, looking aghast. "uh. Kay. That thought went sommat wierd place."
The day passes, and Namuche seems to be everywhere at once, though of course he is only a single person; he just seems possessed of great vigor and activity. He talks companionably with Jareth and Vhibishasa, relating many stories to that one, while he goes about and tends the temple grounds. The day wears on to late afternoon; he does not try to lure Mikal out though he certainly starts to seem approachable and apparently harmless.
Mikal scouts the surrounding area carefully, searching for a path towards the direction Vibhashana last told her Angkor Wat was. She stays away from the little clearing for several hours, and it's not until late afternoon that she returns, peeking thoughtfully through the underbrush to see what people are doing. If Jareth is near the shrine to the Thrones of Death, she'll slip up next to him; otherwise she doesn't emerge during the daylight hours.
She does find what looks like an overgrown trail down to Ankor Wat, but it is clear that the trail has not been used in a long time, and that traversing it would be extremely difficult, in part because it is so overgrown. She happily spends several hours clearing it for her friends, then heads back towards the clearing feeling sweaty but also virtuous and accomplished!
Despite spending several hours, Mikal feels that she's only done a mediocre job of clearing the trail. From her vantage, it's going to take a great deal of more work to clear it. A small army would help, but it being a narrow trail does not help.
Mikal is not particularly worried about that -- it's not like they need a highway to get to Angkor Wat. She's pleased with herself as she returns, glancing around to see where folks are and what they're doing.
Norris eventually goes his own way...he feels the need to action. He wanders the town, and finds an old smithy. Part of him yearns to be working at the forge again. He's eager to try some of the things that Wayland taught him. Sadly, working on anything at the forge is not usually something one can do in a day, unless one is a magician as well as a smith. Even the halberd head he finished crafting was already partly done. Plus he had help. But he pokes around the smithy, to see if there's anything of note, curious about what the now long-gone craftsman was like.
The smithy on the temple grounds is simple yet elegant, not kept up -- there is some dust and the forge is cold -- but it looks like Norris could spend quite a bit of time here , not only getting the forge up to spec but also just examing the unique and unfamiliar tools and bamboo scrolls of techniques that are in the forge area.
Norris is all very curious now at the smith's writings. Can he decipher them? In no hurry for the moment, he spends some time with the scrolls, to see if the meaning leaps out at him, like that strange 'italian' language he discovered he could read in the library at Alexandria. Maybe, since it is his field of expertise, he'll have an easier time of it? He unfurls them carefully, and reads.
As the afternoon wears on, Jareth takes his leave of the old man and moves toward the shrine to death.
Mikal brightens at sight of Jareth's moving in that direction, and she slips silently through the underbrush so after he's looking down at the shrine she can shyly murmur, "Hello!" from just behind him.
Jareth jumps at Mikal's sudden appearance and whirls around in startlement. When he sees who it is, he relaxes and grins, "Well, hello, love."
Mikal looks a bit wide-eyed with startlement, staring up at Jareth. She blushes, "S-sorry! Didn't m-mean to surprise you...?"
Jareth chuckles and wraps his arms around Mikal for a tight hug, "I like surprises. Don't worry, mon lapin."
Mikal relaxes and hugs Jareth tightly in return, although she's still a bit flushed from embarrassment. Aftr that she happily offers to help him with the shrine, and she cheerfully babbles on about the little path she's found. "I figure we can leave tonight, maybe get some traveling done while it's quiet and the angels can't fly, you know?"
Jareth nods, stripping to the waist to work on the clearing of vines away from the shrine to the Thrones of Death, "We should ask Vhibishana. He does need rest, after all."
Mikal looks a bit wistful, "He's had a whole day of rest, though, hasn't he?" She pauses, some weeds hanging from one gloved hand as she looks around, shading her eyes with the other hand, "Where is he, anyways?"
Mikal murmurs softly, [Raph, where's Vibhashana? Can you find him for me, please?]
Jareth pauses in his weeding and says, "Well, last I saw him, he was with Namuche... but..." His brows draw together, "I'm not really sure."
Mikal nods to Jareth and smiles, "No worries! Raph's tracking him down -- he'll let me know once he finds him!"
Raph lets Mikal know that he'll try to find Vhibishasa. He's trying not to be distracted by the really intriguing scents he's discovered on the far side of the temple. He's trying hard not to be distracted by them, but it's like there's a whole universe of scents here.
Mikal blinks, straightening and looking that way in surprise, [What scents, Raph? You didn't say a word about those earlier?!]
Norris gets more excited as he reads. While he's not suddenly a genius at reading Hindi, certain things leap out at him. If only he could dechiper it entirely! Given a chance, he'd want to stay here, to try out some of the things the scrolls speak of! Maybe they can? He just needs a little time to figure out this one bit...
Jareth nods to Mikal's assurance and grins brightly at her. As the pair of them work in the shrine, he runs his hands over the writing and icons there, feeling drawn to the carving on the shrine. There's so much to learn here, and he feels like he could spend hours reading about it, and that makes him uneasy for some reason.
Mikal turns and says urgently, "Jareth -- stop this! It's time to go!"
Raphael lets Mikal know that he understands; he's been sniffling about for a few hours. He has dragged himself away, however, and is looking for Vhibishasa.
And then Norris takes a mental step back, actually having a moment of dissonance. Is this really possible? It seems almost too good to be true, that he happened across these scrolls, offering secrets that tantalize him so. hell, he's never been this excited about crafting before.
Mikal grabs his arm and yanks as hard as she can, "It's a distraction! I can feel it too -- there's all these fascinating little possibly medicinal plants and I, um..." She looks around in sudden interest -- what was that over there?! -then swears softly at herself and pulls an arrow, deliberately pricking herself on it. "Ow! Dammit! Jareth, please -- let's go!" Mikal takes a deep breath, then does something incredibly uncharacteristic: she screams at the top of her voice!
Norris jumps in place. Even he heard that! He is jarred from his fixation with the scrolls, and dashes towards the sound.
In a few moments, Raphael comes bounding and crashing through the bush, huge fanged mouth bared in a snarl as he looks for whatever it is that's menacing his sister,
Mikal hastily grabs Jareth's arm and drags him back if she can, so they're not standing in the place where the amazing noise came from. She whispers to Raphael, [Get them all to come to the scream, please! Bite them if you have to!]
Jareth blinks down at Mikal and is starting to ask her what's wrong when she screams and he claps his hands over his ears, shoulders hunching against the horribly dissonant sound. He's been hearing that universal Aum in the background off and on and the scream shoves him out of that peaceful place.
Mikal gabbles softly, "Trying to get them all to break out of it the place is a distraction it will keep us from moving on it's a trap, Jair!"
Norris is approaching at breakneck speed, his mace pulled free from the baldric...and is therefore highly confused when he happens across his friends, and there isn't a horde of angels upon them.
Halfway back to Mikal, Raphael acknowledges and goes scrambling off to find Norris and Vhibishasa. He runs into Norris first -- almost literally -- but seeing the smith already on his way he goes searching for Vhibishasa.
Mikal pushes Jareth and Norris towards the trail, "Keep moving! Keep moving it's a trap we've got to go!"
Mikal is almost bouncing in place with worry, her bow in hand and an arrow knocked as she waits for sight of her half-brother and the rakshasa.
Jareth is trying to get his shirt back on as they head for the trail, wondering if they need to get their packs, "The supplies... the salt's in the packs..."
Norris uhs, confused, frozen. "A trap? but..." He looks longingly back in the direction of the smithy. No. No, that was a honey he could not resist, and he must do. He could sense it, even in his fierce exhultation.
Mikal swears softly, then nods, "Norris, can you get them all at once? I'll cover you and try to keep you going undistracted!" She takes a deep breath, her gray eyes flicking back and forth nervously.
Mikal nods, giving Norris an entirely ineffectual push as she whispers, "Run, Norr -- fast as you can!"
Norris runs. Focused. Get the packs. As long as he keeps thinking about his task, he can withstand the lure.
Mikal adds mentally, [Raph? Any luck finding him?]
Raphael is still looking, and he's worried that he hasn't found the rakshasa prince yet.
Mikal swears softly again, then murmurs, [What buildings have you covered already, Raph? I'll try to back you up on others, okay?]
Raphael lets Mikal know that he's checked the grounds. He hasn't gone into the buildings just yet, however... certainly not the sealed buildings.
Mikal nods, thinking, then adds, [Where's the freshest scent of him?]
Jareth shakes his head hard, squinting his eyes and peering down at Mikal, "I think we need to be out of this place before the sun goes down."
Norris gathers the packs up all in one swoop...while he feels the strain, he has practice with this sort of thing. He breathes easy, jogging back with the added weight. He can do this. It's what he does best.
Raphael sends to Mikal that the freshest scent of the rakshasa is around the statue of the Bhudda.
Mikal starts to nod to Jareth -- then goes suddenly still, turning to stare up at her packmate. Her voice is soft, "You. You have the voice now." She blinks -- then grins, "Fantastic!" She turns back towards the clearing, talking very fast, "You and Norris, stay on the trail away from this clearing! I'll go help Raphael find Vibhashana. If we don't come back in half an hour, call us! You've got the voice to do it and be heard and obeyed, all right?" With that -- she dashes out swiftly, sliding from the shadow of building to building until she ends up with the raptor wolf near the statue of the Buddha.
Norris reappears, not even winded, though he is sweating and looking his like he's certainly exerted himself. "Uh. Wait, where'd Rabbit go?" he queries, his brow knitting.
Mikal scrambles back to the main temple, and as she gets there, she thinks she can sense Vhibishasa's mind, beneath the Buddha. But his voice is quiet, like he is in a deep, deep sleep.
Jareth is trying to get his hair back into its ponytail and get his shirt back situated for traveling, "She's gone with Wolf to find the rakshasa. The place is a honeypot."
Jareth's voice is flat, "We have to be out by nightfall."
Norris blinks. "Whut happen at nightfall?"
Mikal nods grimly, tucking away bow and arrow as she shares her knowledge with Raphael, adding, [Help me push the statue over, please!] She braces herself and shoves as hard as she can against it, trying to rock it.
Jareth shivers, "I'm not sure, Bear, but I can feel that whatever's trying to keep us here is getting stronger as the day goes longer."
The statue is startlingly heavy. Even with Raphael pushing as hard as he can, the statue seems to only move a tiny bit.
Mikal's pushing is pretty ineffectual. The much sturdier and stronger raptor wolf, however, manages to get his shoulders into it, even while leaving claw marks in the wood. Gasping, Mikal steps back and tries Warding Vibhashana -- if she can get the rakshasa awake and angry, not much should be able to stand against him!
Norris shakes his head. "Shoulda known. Too much didna fit, but ah's not suspicious enough t' question too much."
Jareth starts nervously humming to himself, trying to match the Aum. He nods to Norris, eyes worried as he hums up and down along the scale.
Mikal swears quietly again, whirling to see if she can spot Jareth and Norris. Shading her eyes, she calls as quietly as she can, "Cat! Stay back as back-up -- send Bear quick!" She draws her bow and nocks an arrow. She feels a little sick to her stomach about it, but she will shoot that innoffensive seeming old man if he tries to stop her and her pack and friends from leaving!
Jareth looks at Norris and says, "Go on. Go help her."
Raphael is wheezing and panting, tearing up the wooden planks uncaringly as he tries to shove over the big statue.
Norris grimaces and does as told, running where Jareth directs, moving like a cannonball.
Mikal looks incredibly relieved, jerking her head towards the statue, "Vibhashana's mind is under the statue, Bear -- can you tip it over, please?" She adds with a quick, apologetic bow, "Forgive us, please, Buddha, for the disrespect. Were it not to save our friend, we would not do this."
Norris skids to a stop when he gets to the statue. "Whu?" When Mikal explains, though, he cracks his knuckles. Without further preamble, he braces himself...and then flexes his muscles, giving a mighty push!
Mikal looks even more relieved at Norris's calm strength -- she tugs Raphael back and whispers to him to cover her, then concentrates, trying to reach Vibhashana with her Ward, to protect him from the... the ennui from the old man.
Between Raphael and Norris, they manage to... carefully... tilt the statue out of the way. Under it, is what seems like a well that goes down for several meters.... and at the bottom of which is Vhibishasa. THere is no catch or holder for the statue, however; if the two release it, it will fall back into place.
Mikal peers down the well, then snaps, "Push it off the building." She's already squirming down the hole as swiftly as she can without simply falling on the rakshasa.
Mikal is calling as she goes, "Vibhashana! Wake up! This is a trap and it's time to go!"
Norris himself, has no qualms with statuary desecration. Maybe it's because he's focused. Another bit of force, and the status falls.
Mikal calls up to Norris, "Get rope out of your pack, tie it around your waist, throw the end down! Wolf, cover Bear so that creepy old man doesn't push him into the well or anything!"
Vhbishasa jerks a little, then his eyes flicker open. "Wha... what...? He starts to sit up, touching his brow. "What happened?"
Mikal drops the last ten feet or so, landing with a light thump! next to the rakshasa. She's already pushing at him as she straightens, her voice quick and quiet with worry, "Trap, time to go! Get up, got to be out of the clearing by nightfall!"
Mikal simply climbs up onto the rakshasa's shoulders, adding firmly right next to his ear, "Climb!"
Norris is doing as told...good thing he's good at knots. As Mikal says 'climb', a rope dangles within reach.
Vhibishasa does not need any other encouragement, he simply starts to climb up the rope, not asking for further details.
Mikal sighs in relief, then simply holds on and remains very still so she doesn't unbalance the rakshasa. She makes a mental note later to thank Vibhashana for simply believing and obeying her -- it would have been awkward had he been the verbally demanding sort!
Jareth is still waiting, humming to himself and trying to keep his feeling for the strength of whatever is in this place.
Norris grunts...it takes effort to stay in place. He's strong, but the rakshasa is heavy! He doesn't stand on ceremony, though, pulling the rope up, helping the rakshasa get free.
Vhibishasa pulls himself up the rope handily, letting Mikal scramble off of him right before he pulls himself up out of the well, panting a little. "What now?" he asks hurriedly.
Mikal bounces lightly to the ground as soon as she can, glancing around nervously and almost reflexively drawing her bow and nocking an arrow again. Her voice is still terse as she snaps, "Wolf, lead to Cat. Everyone else, follow him. Run."
Norris slings the rope around his waist. Waste not, want not. He runs. He's good at running.
They come to the part where they head up out of the depression where the temple is... to find Namuche standing calmly at the foot of the trail up out of the little ravine-like area. He is, naturally, in the way of leaving the temple grounds. "Why," he says concernedly, "whatever has gotten you all so excited? Dear me, are we under attack after all?"
Mikal snaps coldly as she swings the bow up, "Get out of the way or I will shoot you."
Jareth says, "You aren't, no." His voice is tense, "Let us leave.""
Mikal adds to the others, "Keep going! Bear, Vibhashana, run him down if you have to!"
Namuche raises his hands. "Now, now, no need to strike me down. You are, after all, on holy ground."
Jareth says, "Then we'll just walk around you."
Norris understands that this situation is dire. But he's still taken aback by the steel in Mikal's voice. Fortunately, she still goads him into action, moving forward, towards the old man. He moves to do just that, setting his jaw and starting to walk around Namuche.
Mikal whispers to Raphael, [Big brother, don't let Jareth get grabbed! The other two are strong enough to pull free.] She stays completely still, aiming carefully at the old man as the others pass by... hopefully.
Namuche shakes his head. "You do not understand. This is holy ground." It is getting darker -- no, it's not just the light fading. The sky is darkening through the fog, making it murky.
Jareth says, "Holy to whom?"
Mikal says quietly, "Cat. You can do it. Sing. Sing prayers." She continues to aim at the old man unwaveringly as she adds, "We will leave in peace, Namuche. I do not think you can stop us if we are determined."
Norris looks squarely at Namuche. "Dun need t' hit yew t' walk past yew." He keeps coming. Does the old man really think he can stop the giant of a young man?
Jareth takes a deep breath and doesn't so much sing as resonate, uttering the Aum, low and calm.
Namuche smiles, and for the first time it has a bit of an edge to it. "Well... by the light of the Mirror it is holy to the Bhudda. But by night, when the sky is dark... it is holy to Mara.
"Come now. There is so much for you to learn here. I am sure there are plants and herbs in the library that have only been hinted at for you, Rabbit...."
The effect of the Aum on Namuch, however, is like he's been hit by a hammer. The facade of the kindly old man drops in an instant as he recoils, and his face is a twisted mask of fury. "Do not dare to utter that mantra here!" he screams at Jareth.
Mikal sighs in relief, lowering her bow -- that's the correct weapon to use! She hastily glances behind her as she trots after the others.
Jareth's eyes blaze and he opens his mouth, singing the Aum more powerfully, more joyfully.
Norris steps right up to Namuche. "Yew realleh gonna stop 'im?" he queries, a hint of amusement in his voice. And he starts to walk right past the man...unless he does something stupid, like try to attack him or Jair.
Mikal grins delightedly at her beloved, and with a bit of humming to get in tune, she adds her much softer voice to his "Aum." She gently nudges the rakshasa, happily adding, "Sing!" before she continues her, "Aummmm!" with Jareth.
Namuch takes several steps back, gradually twisting into something other than human seeming. His voice becomes harsh, screeching, taunting and furious at the same time. "Damn you to the Thousand Hells, all of you! The Nether take you to it's pits! May Nirvana elude you for a thousand thousand kalpas! May you never know what lies on the far shores of Hades!"
"Thanks for the tea!" Norris calls behind him. he does sigh, though. Now his illusions about only nice people drinking tea are shattered. Ah well.
Mikal glances with a hint of pity at the raging entity, and whispers softly, "Blessings on you, tortured one," before she turns and continues down the path with her pack and friends.
Jareth's chanting breaks off long enough for him to say with complete certainty, "You do not have the power to keep us from our reward, creature." And then he begins to sing again.
Behind the group, Mikal sees the statue of Bhudda that they toppled over. But it is not the golden Bhudda they saw before. It is now ebony, and while still corpulent there is something unwholesome about it now, with the face twisted into a fanged leer, the beckoning gesture just a little less pure than it was before.
Mikal shudders and hastily turns away from it, tucking one small hand into the back of Vibhashana's belt, where he walks before her. She's the last in line, and she calls ahead to Raphael, [Lead on, big brother! Take us as far as we can tonight down the path!]
Namuche continues to rail as the group leaves the area, the wind picking up to a heavy storm force, the demon's shouts starting to be inaudible. The last thing the group hears is, "Mara will not forget you! He will find you and you will find no peace, no release, no respite! You will never leave the Wheel, in this or any other life!"
Mikal murmurs in quiet rue, "He will have to get in line, then."
After a hasty rush to the downward trail, the group begins down it. As they move on, the sky clears, the fog lifts. By the light of the stars, Mikal can see that the trail is not nearly as rough as it appeared earlier. In fact, it slopes down gently, easily allowing two or three abreast, and while not perfectly maintained it is traversible enough by those untrained in walking through a forest.
Mikal shoulders her pack, makes sure everyone else is all right, and climbs up the rakshasa's back, if he doesn't mind, so she can check his eyes and make sure he's not damaged by his internment. She's contentedly humming the 'aum' along with Jareth as they go.
Norris rubs his forehead. Namuche is starting the bruise his calm. Fortunately, they get out of range soon enough.
Vhibishasa looks a little tired, but that seems to be wearing off as they walk further away from the temple, in the clear, stary air. After a few minutes out from under the fog, Vhibishasa seems back to normal, though he is a bit discomfited and quiet. And he does not seem to mind Mikal clambering into his back at all.
Mikal has her soft-booted toes tucked into his belt and is leaning over his shoulder as she grins in relief, "Looks like you're fine! How do you feel?" She happily calls ahead to the others, "Hey, are we a damn fine pack, or what?! We did great!"
Raphael gives a relaxed yodel of assent from where he's some distance ahead, running point for them, at Mikal's call.
Norris doesn't laugh, but he does smile at Mikal's exhuberance. "Was a near thing." he admits.
Jareth has moved from singing the Aum to singing a song of triumph. It's in French and seems to be something he's making up as he goes along.
Mikal beams as she replies, "Always is! The goal is to make sure it's not that near, though -- and it wasn't! We got out!" She laughs aloud happily at the lovely singing, then pats the rakshasa on the shoulder, "You okay?" A small part of her giggles internally -- this is almost as easy a ride as Iron Antlers!
Norris watches Mikal riding on the rakshasa's back with some bemusement, wondering how Vhibishasa feels about it.
Vhibishasa makes a quiet sound. "I am... disturbed at how quickly he incapacitated me. That is all, really. I should have realized he had the stench of Mara about him, but I did not."
Jareth shakes his head, "I didn't feel anything wrong to start with, either, and I'm very, very good at it."
Norris shakes his head. "Dun worry yourself none about it. That feller attacked us all where we's vulnerable. if Mikal aint screamed, ah'd still be trapped in th' smithy."
Mikal smiles, looping an arm about the big rakshasa's shoulder in a sort of impromptu hug, "See? You shouldn't feel bad. That's what pack is for, after all -- supporting each other where we're weak, with each other's strengths! And once you broke out of the lethargy, you responded just fine!" Her voice is relieved as she adds, "Thank you for not demanding lots of explanations right then and there! I can tell now why you're Ravana Lord's brother and advisor."
Norris says, "Ahm just lucky that that statue didna come t' life when ah's pushing it. That...would nae have been fun."
Vhibishasa smiles quietly. "Thank you -- all of you. I will try to take your words to heart. I suppose it does not help that Mara has been tempting the righteous since time immemorial."
Norris hehs! "Yuh. Got lots more practice tempting then no one ever got resisting temptation."
Mikal grins and hugs the rakshasa again, "There, see? Excellent point!" She drops lightly to the ground after that, pattering along past the others as she adds, "I'm going to go help Wolf run point! Mon chat, if you keep singing that'll help with orientation!" She giggles, bouncing up on tiptoes to give him a quick kiss on the cheek, pauses long enough to give Norris a quick hug around the waist too -- then vanishes happily into the underbrush.
Jareth laughs warmly at his mate's exhuberance, knowing that it's the warrior in her that's exulting at this.
Norris appreciates the hug. He, himself, is glad it didn't come to a fight. So far, he's managed to avoid seriously hurting anyone, even those that might deserve it. That said...it gnaws at him that someday, someone might not be so reasonable. The mace he was gifted weighs on him in a way that the mere iron content of it fails to. But he walks on, the pack safe for now.
As it edges on midnight, the group reaches a small clearing on the trail, and they make camp for the evening. The stars are bright in the sky, and looking up at the peak of Mount Meru, there is no hint or indication of the fog or the plateau with the temple dedicated to Mara.
And down the mountain, likewise lit by starlight, they see thick forests, hiding their destination of Ankor Wat.
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