Do The Gods Answer?

The Temple District this late morning is alive with activity, but it is not the usual sort of activity - errands being run, people talking, listening to speeches. No, this is a bevy of acolytes, workmen, priests, paladins, and even the faithful, hard at work. Every temple is surrounded by people cleaning, both with magic and with plain soap and created water. Trees and shrubs have been utterly razed in their flower, and many that remain are covered in something inky black. Those that can be cleaned are now being cleaned, by simple soap and water, or uprooted and burned if they cannot be so cleaned, a task undertaken by a large group of Hearthguards. The fountain at the center of the plaza is utterly shattered and destroyed, and it is here that the workmen gather, seeming to do something with the plumbing beneath it. They appear to be making good progress, and much of the plaza is clean and clear.

Seldan is no exception to this work, although he stands off to one side, appearing to instruct a group of older priests and arcanists, despite being dressed in armor, with no helm. He's quite obvious for this attire, and seems to have drawn a fair amount of attention, his voice as he speaks even and tinted with a Myrrish accent. "Multiple attempts may be needed, but fear not. You need only be prepared to slay any oozes that may appear, and do you succeed, you will see naught at all."

The thing about Truthsayers is that there's times when some of them may be called off away on errands for extended times. Besides the grander diplomatic journeys and arbitration services offered, the Temple of Daeus does occasionally send the younger of their lot to... what can really rightfully only be called 'errands'.

Whichever the case happens to be with Zant, he's ended up cast away from the city for a good few days, and this ultimately results in him walking into the Temple Square, now, with steadily-growing confusion. It begins with bemusement when he sees Hearthguards rapidly moving back and forth on the outer edges of the square, and then advances to a mix of confusion and worry when he gets to the square proper and sees... well. The pure and uttter *mess* of plague ooze all over.

Carefully picking his way through without stepping on any of the black gunk, the dual-scarved man scans his eyes on through-- until he spots Seldan. Oh! He might not know this one terribly well, but he at least recognizes him as someone who knows... well. *Something* about all this gunk. More than he would, certainly.

"Excuse meeeeee," he chimes out upon his approach, trying to maintain an overall cheerful smile in spite of everything. "Uh... What happened here?"

Seldan looks up from his discussion, as do several of the older priests. Judging by their expressions, Zant is far from the first person to ask, no, nor the second either. Still, the armored man wearing Elunan colors and symbols inclines his head politely. "A moment, and I shall answer all your questions." He turns back to the others, and gives a few more instructions and explanations that seem to be of an arcane theory nature. It does not take long, and the group disbands, the instructed moving away with a sense of purpose.

Only then does Seldan turn to Zant, expectantly. "How may I be of service to you?"

Zant, for his part, awaits perfectly patiently while Seldan goes about his instructional manners with the others present, hands clasped together just by his waist while he watches otherwise.

once the Elunan man returns, he draws one hand up to bump it in a fist against the left side of his chest, and tips himself over into a subtle bow. "Truthsayer Zant, at your service." Strange thing to say, perhaps, when Seldan had just asked how *he* could be of service, but... some things come instinctively. Upon straightening back up agian, his hands return to being clasped together, and he tells the other man, "I've been away, so I don't... know what transpired here. And I would like to know how I can help."

"Ah." There is a great deal to unpack in the single-word response, and Seldan draws a deep breath. "Ere I begin, I would have you tell me what you know of the plague that afflicts Alexandria, for what has transpired here directly relates."

"I have travelled much in the recent months, so many local news have... slipped me," admits the Truthsayer, with a visible note of sheepishness in his expression that visits him for just a moment. "Ah... I know of a sickness that reacts to magic. I do remember seeing this... *stuff* before..." He makes a vague gesture towards some of the ooze gathered nearby that hasn't been cleaned up yet. "That's... about it."

Seldan nods, all smile flown away, as if Zant's words tell him what he needs to know, but then he smiles, very slightly. "Forgive me, truly have I forgotten my manners. I am Seldan Padaryn, of the Silver Guard." The Silver Guard is the vernacular term for the paladins that devote themselves to Eluna's service. That Eluna's faithful are involved in a sickness that affects magic is likely to come as a surprise to few.

"The sickness of which you speak is no ordinary disease, although what you know is true enough. Say rather that it is an ooze, a living being given life by the magic of an ancient wizard powerful enough to reach into the Source itself. It is not intelligent, but it is instinctively attracted to magic - those who wield it, those who are of it, and those who carry it, and it seeks to feed from it. A thing created with good intentions, meant to rescue his wife from a plague, it failed in its task, but yet remains."

He looks briefly out across the ruined Temple District, then returns his attention to Zant. "What few knew is that these beings infest the very water supply of Alexandria, the cisterns that lie beneath the city. They are diluted in water, and are not visible, but they are there. We sought to - clean them out yesterday. The attempt - we are unsure yet whether it was successful or not, although I do not think it so - was disastrous in its execution, for we underestimated what lay below, and the contents of the cistern was set free within the District." Deep regret, and even guilt, color the Myrrish-accented words.

Attentively, the Truthsayer listens, with a slow blink of his eyes interspersed to otherwise motionless stance when something of particular note comes up within the Silverguards words.

At the end of it all... well. He draws a hand up over, to rub at the side of his head, and lets out a puff of air. "That is... a lot to digest," he admits. "How... This was a man-made disease, no matter how unintentional, yes? How did it... reach the water supply, exactly?"

"We cannot say exactly, but we think Her responsible." Seldan frowns, almost as soon as the words are out of his mouth. "Forgive me, I have not yet spoken of that, for this part is not known to most, and yet will I speak openly, for it must needs be known to those who would fight. Still, I would have you be chary of where you speak of this, and to whom, for already has indiscretion come with it great cost." He closes his eyes, and pain flashes just briefly across the even-featured face. It doesn't stay long, schooled away quickly enough, and he looks back up. "The one responsible is one of the Immortal Fae. She is known by many names. The fae themselves fear her, and speak of her as the Endless Winter. She has called herself Salina in my presence, but I think that not her true name. Her true name is known, but I will not speak it, lest I summon her, to a battle I am not yet prepared to fight."

"She wishes to understand mortals, and so experiments upon them, makes them her prisoner. Her experiments at times involve magic, and she uses magic for nearly everything, but has no regard for life itself, and no understanding of it." His voice now is flat, impassive, expressionless. "And she is now angry, for a mere two days past, we destroyed her lackey here in this very district. A vampire she used to attack Alexandria at times, a man by the name of Kol Demontry."

"...This is one of those situations where a being's true name invokes its presence, I take it." Apparently Zant is not entirely unfamiliar to such a concept. His nose wrinkles while he processes this new information. There's no cheer on his features anymore. It's... unsettling things to know, thats for certain. "How..."

Whatever question he had on his mind is sent drifting off with the mention of a vampire, though, and suddenly... the Truthsayer is entirely still, with slightly widened eyes, color fading away from his features briefly. "Is... Is this the same one who..." Rather than completing his words, he casts a meaningful look towards the vision of the Temple of Daeus, on the other side of the square.

The paladin's gaze follows the Truthsayer's, to the Temple of Daeus' open doors. "The same," Seldan answers quietly. "The one that slew the High Priestess, raided the Temple of Vardama, and many other atrocities. You need fear him no more, I think, for in the breaking of the fountain did he bring forth a river that proved his undoing."

Zant gives a distant look towards the Temple again, worrying briefly at his lower lip. "... I know it wouldn't be right for a Truthsayer to consider happiness or justice from the death of someone who has wronged someone close to him, but..." He shakes his head. "...It does put my mind at ease, still. ... I still regret I was away, on that day. But... the Sun always rises again, does it not?"

Attention fully back on Seldan again, he gives a brisk nod. "For whatever it's worth, I promise to be careful of who I speak to of these things, Sir Seldan. I... wouldn't presume to go on some crusade against this Fae, though. Calling something 'immortal' tells me such an effort wouldn't be as simple as marching on someone's footstep, yes? But then..." His arms fold up loosely over his abdomen, and he gives a sheepish smile. "I can't imagine a diplomat would offer much help with someone like that, either. I am not exactly up to date on my studies on laws of extra-dimensional beings."

"A diplomat, you say?" Seldan's eyebrows lift. "Think not that you are useless in this, for while what you say is true, that taking her down shall be no easy task, yet can you aid us and those stricken greatly. As I have said, she keeps prisoners for her experiments, many of whom have been beaten and tormented, and all of whom have been traumatized in some way. Some may have been there for many years, for she and the tower in which she lives warp the very fabric of space and time. Many has she killed, and horribly, and many more does she keep as corpses - or undead. None know the full scale of her atrocity, only that it is great. If you may soothe or orient those she imprisoned, when we reach that tower, then will you have done them, and Alexandria, a great service."

Kira has arrived.

Amidst the Hearthguards working may be a Sentinel or three, and Kira is one of them. Skills learned from the less enjoyable part of cooking, but still very necessary scrubbing of the kitchens are put to task: hands and knees with bucket and brush to scrub the cobbles. No stone shall be left unscrubbed! Eventually, of course. There -are- a lot of stones to clean.

(This log is incomplete due to a failure of +log. Zeke arrives and invites those present to partake of food provided for those who work to clean the Temple District, and it is at the food table that the rest of the log occurs.)

Kira nods to Zeke. "I'd be happy to help, though I haven't been in the Sun's House in a long time," she admits. Then adds, a bit awkwardly, "Other than right now, of course." She looks to Seldan after, with concern and apology in her glance. Of course he's very worried and angry right now. More than most, and he has good reason.

When more wisdom arrives, she simply nods and offers a polite smile; she refrains from comment this time.

Halani's entry is considerably less announced than Malik's. As she pauses in the entry way, she looks about with the eyes of one who's never been in this particular temple before, let alone this part of it. Thus her final step inside is delayed a moment as she takes it all in. Eventually, however, her eyes do fall upon the subject of her search, the man she's spent the better part of the day trying to track down. She does pause at the offering dish... instead of coin, however, she leaves a bit of paper folded into some tiny figure. Then she takes a deep breath, as if to steel herself, and starts walking towards the group surrounding Seldan.

Thanks to the previous night's events, Halani still bears the marks and wounds of the trials that evening. Burn marks still score her arms and the side of her face, and the side of her head where a good portion of her hair was burned down to stubble has been shorn away. But she is clean, and in clean robes.

Zeke nods politely to Malik's arrival, wagging his tail at the man and then seeming surprised that there is yet another visitor to this area so quick on Malik's heels. "Peasssce on your nessstssss. It isss good to ssee you again." He nods to them both and seems somewhat loathe to return to the topic of conversation at hand. Instead he quietly drinks his tea.

Seldan looks up at the familiar voice, his smile immediately brightening. "Malik, Her wisdom light your path." He's got a half-full plate of food that he is now picking at, but he looks back at Zeke, and nods as if to himself, turning his attention instead to the new arrivals, and most especially to Halani. "You did not seek healing yestereven?" is his suddenly concerned greeting to her.

Merek walks along through the streets, skin healed up, though hair frames his features, covering an eye while he has no arm to speak of on one side. He looks to be upset, he wears golden and black attire along with the beltcape which he has on, and... Might that be a trickle of acid rolling along his cheek? It doesn't seem to bother him. He looks like he might literally want to kill someone, he doesn't though. He just nods to people.

Malik looks around as more faces appear, his eating slowing a bit as new faces appear. He listens for a moment, then just gives Seldan a smile. "I see that you're quite in demand," he offers with an easy smile, "and that I'm interrupting." Leaning in, he places a quick kiss on the paladin's cheek, holding his bowl close to his chest. "I'll come find you later," he offers, rising to his feet. Giving a nod to the others, he departs as quickly as he came, seemingly satisfied with -- whatever it was he came to check in on in the first place.

Halani stops before Seldan and hesitates once more, perhaps giving Malik his space before departing. She looks from him to Zeke and Kira, whom both get a tilt of her head over a fist covered by the palm of her other hand. Then she returns her attention to Seldan and bows very low, bent at the hips, back straight. She holds this for several moments before she straightens again. "This one... I mean, I.. " She licks her lips, then clears her throat. "I didn't. There is something more important I need to tell you, first, and apologies to give."

Kira bows her head low in return to Halani to acknowledge her and remains silent to let her say what she needs to. She makes use of the interlude to finish the food on her plate so not to waste anything.

Zeke rises to his feet slowly, pouring tea for himself and more for those that want it before eyeing Halani and Merek. "Peassce on your nesst." He offers to the man he hardly knows. "Tell usss what you will, and you sssir, will you join usss? You ssseem troubled."

Food time appears to be over, as Malik departs and multiple people approach the group looking for Seldan, and in need of help. The paladin looks after Malik, who is gone before he can respond, and sets aside his half-eaten plate of food, looking up at Halani. "Speak," he tells her, gently. "I bear you no ill will."

Merek looks to the people that are about, with a nod as well to Zeke at his words. The man notices that almost everyone looks distracted by something else, so he contents to wait, chewing upon his lip while his only hand begins to dig nails into skin of the palm until it bleeds, listening casually.

"You may.." Halani says. Again she glances at Kira and Zeke.. even Merek, almost anything to avoid saying what she came to say. But she squares her shoulders instead, and looks Seldan in the eye. "I wished to tell you last night, but there was no time and you seemed... tense. You had more important things on your mind. But I don't want to leave this any longer. Ever since that village, I've been uncentered. Blind to my path, because I was avoiding facing what I'd done. I need to tell you now that I've decided to accept what I've done. I intend to honour the bargains that I made. The situation may not have been entirely fair when I made them, but I still had a choice, and I intend to see that choice through." She pauses, breathes, swallows, then raises her chin. "I needed to let you know because I want you to be there to stop me if I need to be stopped."

Seldan listens, blinking a few times, but neither moves nor speaks until Halani is done, and there is no trace of anger there. There is only compassion, and resignation. "I expected nothing less, Halani. You will be bound to honor those bargains, did you wish to or nay, for such is the nature of a deal with the powers of evil. The first, I know not what it is that is wanted, but know this: The snowflake brand you bear may mean that either he, or she, may use you as their eyes in a place. I know not if his brands behave as hers do, but hers are known to behave so. The other ... I would bid you never to invoke the request you made of Eclavdran, for by such methods are evils untold leashed upon the world." He stands, and takes a step toward her, assessing injuries and condition, but not using magic, yet.

Kira doesn't watch or overtly listen to Halani once she realizes her words seem very much meant solely for Seldan. Instead, she leands towards Zeke to quietly whisper, "How might I help you in speaking to The Sun?" As he did ask her assistance, or so she thought. When there's mention of bargains with evil, though, she can't help glance back thataways with some concern, even if it might be a little rude.

GAME: Seldan rolls heal: (1)+10: 11 (EPIC FAIL)

Halani seems to relax a little bit. A fraction, really... noticeable if you're looking for it. She glances again at Zeke and Kira, perhaps meeting with the latter's eyes for a moment. The monk could have waited for a private moment, so perhaps she wanted witnesses to this. Then she bows her head to Seldan again. A much shallower, less formal one than before, but an acknowledgement nonetheless. "I had thought to use it to find him... but I think you're right. I don't always think things through. Actually, I rarely think things through. And.. I didn't know that about his mark, but I'll remember it. But this is why... it may be better to leave the plague in me this time. I won't be a very good tool to him in this condition."

Zeke blinks at Kira, distracted from Halani by her words. Something about a demon? He trusts Seldan to deal with such while he is distracted. He wags his tail at Kira and offers her a nod. "Not now, with ssso many earss presssent. Think though, perhapsss, on the thingsss you might asssk the godss yesss?" He offers her another nod and then moves closer to Merek. Offers the man a very solemn and serious look. "You ssseem troubled ass well. Isss there sssome-thing the matter?"

Merek looks around a bit, then he notices that Zeke is there. He doesn't always get along with the sith-makar man, but he does seem polite, "I... Need to find Kol, I need to talk to him, I need to kill him, I don't care what it takes." The man inhales, then he looks to the people that are about, then to Zeke, "Are we talking about asking the gods things? They'll just give you answers that make you feel useless. Take it from me," he mentions. The man not having an arm doesn't even seem to register to him, not the fact he's covered in smouldering material, not that blood which stains his attire. It's not important to him, not as important as what's on the mind.

Frowning, Seldan looks Halani over a second time, clearly confused. "You do not seem ill to me ... but if you say that you are ill, then shall I trust in you. We leave the plague in none, Halani, if we may do otherwise. Left too long, the plague will kill or twist utterly those it touches." Haunted worry touches those words, but he goes on. "There are some that think that she may draw power from its feeding as well. No, we leave the plague in none, for the good of Alexandria. I am not yet spent, would you have me attempt its cure?" Wait, Seldan can cure the plague?

GAME: Merek rolls heal: (11)+20: 31

Kira nods to Zeke. "I will try to think of helpful questions, so that the answers will be helpful." She straightens up to let Merek speak with him, only to be left blinking at the words. Her smile dims considerably in sadness. "I'm sorry, but I think that one died a long time ago. Whatever he was before, was gone."

"Considering how beat up I am... it's probably hard to tell much of anything," Halani says, glancing at her arms. "Oh. I meant to apologize for blowing you up, too." And there it is, dodging the issue. Something she realizes she's doing. So she sighs and bows her head again. "If you would, Silverguard... if it's for everyone's good. Please. Try. And then I'll leave you to the peace of your meal and your friends."

It is certain, that Zeke and Merek have had a tumultuous relationship. Zeke has made every effort to be friendly to the man, but as Merek speaks the sith grows still. His eyes narrow. The effort of friendliness fades like the dream that it was and the sith hisses. "Thissss. Thisss issss why the People do not trussst you. Sssssaaa!" He hisses loud enough to draw everyone's attention. "What will you sssell for thisss missssion of yoursss Merek?"

Merek's name is a whip-lash. "Will you sssell your firssst-born asss you promisssed? You do not /care/ what it takess to bring back a murderer? An egg-snacher? A /vampire/? How dare you walk into the Dragonfather's hallowed halls with thessse wordsss on your lipsss! That you woud do anything to undo what Sseldan and sssso many othersss have risssked ssso much to accompilsssh. Get OUT!" He points to the door with all the vehmance that he does not allow to be expelled from him.

Seldan smiles much more openly, and this time, it lights his eyes. "There is nothing to forgive. You broke me free, but I would have you know that you pack quite the punch." He rubs at his shoulder as he speaks, but Zeke's words lash against his consciousness like a whipcrack, and he snaps his attention to Merek and Zeke. "Zeke, what is-" And he catches sight of Merek. -Stares- at the stump of an arm, his eyes widening. "Seer, what are you doing?" He holds up a hand to Halani that silently asks her forbearance.

Kira turns towards Halani and Seldan as she overhears of infected possibilities, but promptly blinks. Twice. Not from that, but Zeke's sudden anger, and the surprise that she may have completely misinterpreted Merek's words. The revised implications of intent are... they must be false? She can understand Zeke's ire if that were true, but that couldn't be the case! She turns back to Merek and her mouth opens for her to say... nothing. She just sits there agape for the moment.

"Whose halls? We're not in anyone's halls," Merek tells Zeke, he then stares at the sith-makar. "I had a plan that I gave everyone for dealing with him. I don't want him back, I want to ask the questions I have to ask him, then I want to KILL HIM AGAIN. AND AGAIN. They all took that from me, you all took it, the only thing I had was killing him. And I already spoke with the gods, their answers, they wouldn't work for you if you knew what their answer was!" He waves his only arm, "Kol, I need to kill him, I need to. EVERYTHING IS BECAUSE OF HIM. He took everything from me, and I don't get any peace!"

Halani bites her lip and closes her eyes, then nods to Seldan. She even takes a step away to give him more room to regard Merek, and perhaps the looming confrontation between the Seer and the Sith'Makar. When she opens her eyes she watches.. well, everyone. She doesn't boggle at Merek's condition; that boggling happened the night previous, and the fact that he hadn't cleaned up, well. She has seen stranger things. And she keeps her mouth shut.

Zeke /bristles/ with fury. "Your muderous intent doesss not sserve a ssservant of the Dreamer. He isss /dead/. He isss gone! What you would do in quesstioning him, isss what? Bring him /back/? Sso that you can kill?" Zeke takes a step back, looks at Merek as if he is repulsive to the sith, and he has become so. "We sstand in the Dragonfather's hallsss Merek. Are you ssso blind that you can not sssee? Have your sssensssess totally flown you?"

Toha stepping into the halls of the Sun for, well, the first time since arriving in Alexandria, a figure of leather and steel moves at a particularly sedate pace, her faceplate soundly dented on either side. She could also use a thorough scubbing, but there it is. The golem pauses inside at the raised voices, but merely cants her head, not bothering to try for such an obvious question. Today's been a bad 'breath' day. So she waits, and stares.

GAME: Seldan rolls heal: (4)+10: 14

Kira's surprise passes as Merek expounds, and her mouth closes to a smile. One that is filled with concern, sadness, and pity. "Please..." She notes softly as she stands, a step to try and ease between Zeke and Merek, her smile upon the latter. "You lost. You are hurt. Angry. We can help you to heal, to find peace. Violence and rage won't bring that to you, even if it seems like it. Please, let me help you."

GAME: Merek rolls will-10: (20)+18+-10: 28 (THREAT)

So much is plain on Seldan's face, and in his bearing. Concern. Confusion. Growing disbelief. Growing anger. "Seer, you are delirious. You know as well as I that holy Eluna does not stand for the presence of the undead, any more than any other of the Light. To use Her holy gifts to restore that which is anathema to her, in pursuit of a misguided quest for vengeance that will see dozens more killed? That is utter blasphemy, and I will draw steel on you before I see you do any such thing. No, Merek. You are ill, and injured, and not thinking clearly. You belong in a bed, not roaming the halls of the Draco Solis."

Halani raises a finger, her lips parting for a moment... then she lets out her breath, closes her mouth, drops her hand. Her eyes do trail to Merek's missing arm, then back to the man's face, and her expression says it all. The man must be very far into his anger to pay something like that so little heed.

Merek does begin to recognize where he might be, while he lifts a hand to draw back blood from where his arm was, then he looks to Seldan, and to Zeke, then to Kira, as well as anyone else. "I don't want to bring him back, what are you all even talking about?" He probably doesn't even notice what he said. "I just want my questions answered. Not to know he went out ENJOYING you killing him. Why can't the gods we serve never even offer us that? We lose friends, family, and everything, even peace, then we're expected to just let it be? I will NEVER be able to get back what he took. I want him to answer for it, and everyone deserves those answers. We live in a world where the gods take part in things... Though they never answer. I'm tired of people asking me for the answers. In the end, an entire nation can call Archdemons, an ancient Fae Queen can do what she wants, but the gods? When it's all finished? Will never let us know what it was all for."

Toha turns her chin slightly toward the Silverguard her head still held to that curious camber. The sound of impending violence has her debating her options, and so her right hand lifts to curl loosely about the hilt, there. She waits. And stares.

"YOU JUST SSSAID." Zeke breathes. Reaches inside himself for the warmth of the Dragonfather and finds some measure of peace. He takes another step back. Looks at Seldan, at Kira, at Toha, and Halani. Reminds himself that he is not alone. "It isss asss Sseldan sssaid. You are not /well/. Your mind isss sssick Merek. You sssay thingsss that even you do not underssstand. The godsss do anssswer usss, if we lissten. Thisss one knowss that well." Finally he shakes his head and takes one final step back so that there is space between himself and Merek. "You can not ssspeak ssso here Merek. Thisss one will not allow you to ssspeak ill of the Dragonfather in His own halls."

"Please," Kira implores, to Merek, though her eyes glance briefly to others before returning to the wounded man, "allow me to aid you. After your wounds are tended, and you are cleaned up and can rest, I will help you find the answers you need." She reaches a hand to him; not to put upon him, but offered in aid.

"Did you not see Her face, after the ooze was washed away? Did you not see that She showed Her face to us?" Seldan's words are laced with shock and betrayal. "She is here, even if She does not always speak in ways that we understand. You know this, Seer." He closes his eyes. "You have lost your way, and allowed your pain to consume you. Come, I will see you to Her halls, so that your wounds and your illness may be seen to. I will do what I may for you as well, Halani, if you will join me." The Sentinel's intervention gives him pause, but he says, "I think him in need of Her wisdom as much as Her healing, Sentinel. Will you permit me to take him?" He steps forward and makes to reach for Merek's shoulder.

It takes a moment for Halani to realize Seldan was speaking to her again. When the realization comes, Halani blinks, then quickly bows her head. To Zeke and Kira she repeats her earlier head bob over palmed fist. "My apologies for interrupting your meal and gathering. If I can make it up to you someday, please, let me." Then she sets to follow Seldan.

Merek inhales while he listens to people, and although most seem to make him think for a moment, and back up from the clear breakdown he seems to be about. "I'm not speaking about him that way," he offers to Zeke, the sith-makar words seeming to make him withdraw in on himself. He does look to the hand offered as well as one to his shoulder, while he begins to sob.

"I'll bring people back, everyone that is willing to come back, that Kol killed," he seems to consider it while he takes the hand offered to him, "I need to fix what he did, if I can't know why he did it all, if I can't know answers, then I'll fix it all." Both cheeks stream with his tears while he nods a bit. It's clear he will need a lot of healing, to ever be alright again.

Kira gives Seldan a knowing look and is well aware that not all wounds are physical. She gives him a nod with her slimmed smile before looking back to Merek. "I only wish him helped to heal, wherever and however is best." When Merek's anger turns and vents as something else, Kira enacts her one, true solution to all things!

She steps up to him to wrap him in a hug.

Toha holds her position, as it isn't clear if someone isn't ready to get their head broke, but certain she would have to get involved to some extent. Her face turns to Seldan and companion, to the Sith priest, and the one armed man as he is suddenly hugged. Her chin dips, hand returning to the golem's side. She stares.

Zeke can not offer Merek anything in the way of comfort. This was in reality the last straw between them and he - clearly - can not forgive the transgression. He looks at Seldan. Mouths careful words to the Silverguard. Words unseen by Merek who is crying so broken-heartedly. Zeke shakes his head at the scene and withdraws to his seat and to his cooling tea.

Seldan allows Kira to take Merek in that hug, instead looking up and at Zeke intently. He nods once, then turns to Kira. "I must see to Halani. Perhaps you could being him to the Seeress' Temple, when he is ready? I will meet you there, and see to it that he is looked after." His expression and bearing are still dark with shock," and takes a piece of paper and wraps up the remainder of the food he took, to take it back with him. That done, he nods to Halani and starts to head out.

Halani follows along.. she gave her farewell to the others. On the way she slows a bit, finally seeing Toha. She hesitates, then offers her the same bowed head over her fist, then quickens her pace to catch up to the Silver Guard.