In which there's something inside

Zeke doesn't go toward any of the areas in the temple dedicated to prayers. Prayers usually held with the rising sun, and not so late in the evening in any case. He heads outside. Out into the open air of the temple district and... stops. Green eyes take in all the figures that dot the area and his shoulders slump. There's not a great number of people, but there's enough. "How many do you think?" His question is for Seldan, whom he knows is behind him. Thoughtlessly he sits on the steps that lead up to the temple, his posture that of someone defeated. "How many of them are her eyesss, her earsss?"

Only a little of that wound-up tension has flowed from Seldan, now that they have left the little stone room, and now he comes around to seat himself on Zeke's left, drawing deep, slow breaths, as one consciously stilling themselves, clearing the mind. "Only those that bear the snowflake mark, Zeke. I knew of Cryosanthia, and have ... I do not know for how long. Kira, I guessed at, and bade her seek it, if it was to be found upon her." He draws another deep breath. "Mikilos had his removed. I know not whether doing so removed her ability to use him, and that must I yet learn. But ... all who have fallen into her hands may have one such." He looks over at Zeke, raising a hand as if to forestall him leaving.

He doesn't move to leave, instead Zeke sits there, his claws lifting to cover his eyes. The sith bows forward, breathing as steadily as he can make himself. "And how many have? How many that do not know it? That we do not know of." Zeke shudders at the thought, but finally drops his hands and looks at Seldan. "Thisss one can not go back kin. Thisss one..."

GAME: Seldan rolls perception: (20)+5: 25

"You will not." Seldan's answer is calm, firm, steady, and as reassuring as he can make it. He does not move to touch Zeke, but does rest his own elbows on his knees, leaning forward, such that Zeke could easily reach out if he decides that he wants to. "The tower is destroyed, for now ...." He pauses suddenly, his gaze sharpening on Zeke, that golden-silver film still before his eyes. His gaze has gone distant, unfocused, as if looking at things that are not before him.

"Sseldan?" Asks Zeke curiously, as the paladin falls silent and stares at him openly. The expression on the other man's face clearly unsettles him, as does the fact that he has gone silent in the middle of his own statement.

"Zeke, perhaps you would be willing to open your mouth for me." Seldan speaks quietly, calmly, but there is a sudden tension there. He says nothing more, simply waiting quietly. "I do not fear you."

It's a curious request, but Zeke after a moment of hesitation obliges the paladin by opening his mouth. What Zeke can not see, but Seldan can with the sith's mouth opened wide, is that there is in fact a snowflake emblazoned on the roof of his mouth. To the paladin's eyes, it glows indicating its magical nature.

"Divination - that is the scry - an enchantment - and something else, that bears no school mark," Seldan murmurs, very, very quietly, mostly to himself. He continues to study the mark, his entire bearing not angry, not worried, merely - focused interest. -Very- focused interest.

Zeke lets out a worried noise from his throat but keeps his mouth open. It's clear he wants to talk, but Seldan is clearly doing /something/. So he waits patiently, but with his tail flick-flicking madly behind him.

GAME: Seldan rolls 1d20+16: (6)+16: 22

Finally, Seldan withdraws and straightens, looking away - and lookin most thoughtful. "My apologies, Zeke. She has marked the roof of your mouth, in the same way, and I wished to study the spells used." He searches Zeke's eyes out with his, soberly, doing his very best to be reassuring. "I have learned something that will help." What that is, he does not say. "I will see to it that you do not return."

Zeke's mouth snaps shut and he stares at Seldan. His jaw works as he feels the top of his mouth with his tongue. The blue-scaled sith doesn't look at Seldan only bows his head and shakes it. "Thisss one... Sshe is watching. Do not make promissesss that you can not keep Ssseldan. Thisss one... thisss one iss ssorry kin."

Seldan simply nods at the notion that she is watching, a silent acknowledgement. "The fault is not yours, and you have naught to apologize for." He remains thoughtful, though, and a certain impassivity creeps again over his bearing. "There are things of it that I do not fully understand, not yet, not in so cursory an examination. Would you ... permit its study? Or should I seek your cihuaa?"

There's a moment of silence from Zeke then he nods. "Thiss one will do what thiss one can to help." He opens his mouth again, holding it in place. His claws are tight on his knees.

GAME: Seldan rolls 1d20+16: (11)+16: 27

Seldan raises a hand, then lowers it back to his knee, the golden-silver veil remaining. Returning to that focused interest, he draws a deep breath, and this time zeroes in on one aura in particular - the enchantment. Is it one aura, or many? What spell is that?

Zeke has no answer for Seldan, all he can do is stay still and hope that he is helping somehow.

After a minute or more, Seldan colors, and begins to chuckle, a self-deprecating sound. "Truly am I a fool. Would you have me attempt to dispel it? This will not be easy, I think, and I know not the risk to either of us, yet am I willing to make the attempt. You need not keep your mouth open, just yet."

"Yesss." Zeke's mouth closes briefly to speak, but otherwise keeps his mouth open... But Seldan says that he doesn't need to, so he closes his mouth again and meets Seldan's eyes. "Can you get rid of it entirely?"

"I know not, but I will make the attempt. If I must, I will do as Master Mithralla has done, only will I ensure that you sleep for it, and see it healed afterwards." Seldan smiles faintly, but there is little enthusiasm there. "I would attempt the magic method first. Shall I begin?" Another deep, stilling breath does he draw, and he closes his eyes in an attitude that Zeke will recognize as him centering himself.

"Do asss you will kin. Thisss one trussstsss you." Unsurprisingly, Zeke seems somewhat anxious himself. "If thisss doesss not work. What isss the other way?"

"Cut it out," Seldan answers tersely, and only after completing a breath. "I watched it done to another. It is not enjoyable, but I think myself capable, if there be need."

Presently, he seems to be settled, focused, and centered - it is a look that Zeke will have seen before, every time he attempts this on a plague patient. "I think this will be easier, do I see the mark."

Zeke blinks at Seldan, his expression taking on several different miens. He finally settles on firm determination. "If it be needed, it will be ssso. Thisss one will not be marked and... tracked." His voice is firm, and he takes a moment to get control of himself, when he opens his mouth again, the mark remains where it is, sitting there innocently.

GAME: Asmli rolls 1d20+14: (4)+14: 18

Again, the spell that the sith-makar has seen so often before from Seldan. Although there is concentration there, there is also hesitancy. Doubt. Wariness. The symbols reverse into the blackness, as they should, but nothing appears to happen with the reversal, and he shakes his head, watching Zeke intently, and with no small amount of concern. He's too ready, almost waiting for an ill effect.

It's the worry in Seldan's expression that draws Zeke out of his own thoughts. He reaches out finally for his kin, touching Seldan's shoulder with his crystal claw. A gentle weight to remind the paladin that he's not alone. "Sseldan. Ssshe is a powerful ssshaman. It isss no fault of yoursss if you can not defeat her in thisss way." He pulls his hand away gently. "Thisss one underssstandsss. Cryossanthia attacked you when you tried to cure her... Thiss one isss not going to harm you. Thisss one... will not take ssuch a risssk. You need not try again."

Something in Seldan's shoulders relaxes when there appears to be no ill effects from the attempt, and he simply nods. "There are many effects upon that mark, kin. I had thought to see what I might get. I should, at the very least, be able to dispel the simple ones." He shakes his head, his eyes lowering. "I was not focusing upon the spell properly. Still, if you would not have me try it again, then I will understand." He does, however, look rather - ashamed? "Mal is the better wizard. Perhaps he may try it, and I shall defend him, should that be needful? Or ... would you the other method?"

Zeke seems to consider the question for a long moment, then meets Seldan's gaze. "Thisss one would not put your cihuaa at risssk either kin. Thiss one knowsss too well that to see sssomeone elssse hurt can be a harm more painful than that done to onesss own flessh. Thisss one will take care of it." He shifts his weight, slowly rising to his feet. "You realize kin... that if sshe hass plasced thiss mark inssside thiss one... that covering the mark doess no good. It mussst allow her to do what ssshe wantss it to do regardlesss of ssuch thingsss."

"Even so." Seldan looks up, drawing a deep breath and again settling himself. "Nor, I think, does placing the mark within the haversack have any effect, if she may scry across the multiverse, as she has done already. No, I will speak with Master Mithralla, and learn what I may. I would also, if you would permit it, make another attempt, with another present should something go amiss. Not now, though. I know that you do not wish to be tracked, and rightly so, but perhaps I may do more, with more preparation."

The blue-scaled sith shakes his head however, gently but his voice is firm. "Thisss one will carve it out. Thiss one will not take the risssk of harming another. It isss well kin. It isss well." Zeke looks toward the paladin at his side and wags his tail softly. Trying to reassure the other man with body language.

"I will assist you, if you will have me." Seldan's ice-blue gaze is entirely sober, and still a little troubled despite the reassurances, although the trace of guilt within it is fading. "You will need assistance, lest you drown in your own blood. And ... I would understand more of the nature of this mark. He tilts his head, the gesture diffident. "I do not fear you."

Zeke looks at his kin, green eyes meeting blue. "Thisss one iss sshaman-casste. A healer. Thisss one sseesss kin. Sseesss how much thingss have been weiging on you. Thiss one will not plasce another burden on your sshoulderss." He takes a few soft steps, to draw closer to Seldan and wags his tail at the paladin again. "Thiss one isss glad that you do not fear thisss one, but thiss one doess not want you to feel... ass though you have brought harm to thisss one."

"Nor would I wish to abandon you, having failed you entirely." Seldan shakes his head in frustration. "Little have I truly accomplished, of late. I would protect those that I may, and I have so far utterly failed in that. I would not be wholly futile, and while I would not bring harm to you willingly, neither would I sit by and do nothing. Already have I paid the price for inaction."

There's a soft huff of amusement from Zeke. "You have not failed thisss one. At every turn you have offered aid. You helped to resscue thisss one. You took thisss one out and helped thiss one find thisss onesss plasce in reality again. Thesse are not ssmall thingsss Sseldan. They matter. Thiss one would ssspare you thisss sssmall thing, becaussse you need not bear it. But... Thisss one underssstandsss. Thisss feeeling that one hass done nothing. Ssso if you insssisst, thisss one will do ssuch in your pressensce. Thisss one will welcome your healing afterwardsss, and you at thisss onesss ssside."

"What else would you have me do for my kin?" Seldan smiles, and some of the frustration and a great deal of the tension eases from his frame. "You have my gratitude, Zeke, for your understanding, and the healing and aid you shall have. When would you make the attempt?"

Zeke huffs. "Asss ssoon ass posssible. Thisss one would not be tracked any longer than necesssary. Go to evening prayersss. Be with your cihuaa." The sith nods to Seldan.

"I shall return, after evensong and prayers, if it pleases you to do so then." Seldan finally stands, but still looks up at the sith-makar, some more of his shoulders easing. "Rest, for you will need your strength for this." The quieter-than-normal sounds of armor accompany him as he stands. "I shall be ready."

-End