The Grey Lord left the babbling Westian hanging, not indicating if such a need for protection of the region was serious or not. Perhaps that was not a question the Grey Lord could answer, for he was outside of the bounds of Viborg politics. Deephold instead placed a restraining hand on his fellow cleric, nodding to indicate that the dwarf approved of Westian's declarations. MEanwhile, the Grey Lord was already looking to Deephold, one bushy eyebrow raised in gentle query. However, the murafu moved quicker, and her swift words seemed to diffuse the tension, or rather seemed to puncture the moment that Deephold was about to use to create it, it seemed.
Helm had stayed close to Ameena, apparently as happy as she was that all the others seemed alive - aside from the Trolin King, whom obviously Helm did not fully understand. Helm also seemed to agree with Ameena regarding not feeling liek a champion, despite it being announced. Or soundign as if it had. None of the heroes had means to know for sure anymore, because each - aside from Westian - was now alone with their thoughts once more. Helm took the offered potion from Haynuus, recalling their first strange interactions and giving a shy smile. His eyes widened as the anti-toxin worked its effects, and he rubbed his chest with wonder. The light pressure that had still been there seemed to have lifted, a pressure he had not even still been aware of until it had disappeared.
Passin, too, seemed to walk slowly forwards towards where the others were gathering. He looked around at the scene, so compeltely different from the one that he had first been a part of, and just as different from the aftermath of that a moment before. The blackskulls, their leaders, the altar he was to swear fealty upon and even the armour of his once-sergeant were all gone. He apparently had no reply for the murafu's words, if he had even understood them. Passin's life had just been changed in a way that bordered on miraculous, his old life swept away as if had never been. Only the blood on his sword - Petal's - and the dusty black ichor of the now gone grak-graks were hints any dark deeds had occurred. The physical and mental wounds the man had suffered not likely to be forgotten soon, either.
Meanwhile, of course, Ameena had left those two behind and was addressing the Grey Lord. The Grey Lord once more look down - quite far down to her, even though Ameena was standing up. He nodded, thoguh did not address her until she mentioned balance and payments. His eyes saddened. He looked across to Theron. "You are quite right, Balance must always be restored. However, events of the past and now the present ensure that the Balance is already tipped one way. Such boons - if they are even boons and not necessary recompence - are freely granted to clear a debt I owe the Balance. And now my apprentice owes, too." There was a hardness to the voice, and Theron - over by the plinth, hung his head without further word.
The Grey Lord stepped across to the plinth, and rested his hand gently upon the soultone. It flared in to brightness, though as Ameena, Petal and Falkor had found out already, the brightness did not blind, and all could look towards it.
"Brother Darcow Deephold," said the Grey Lord to the dwarf, "I fear that in the recent past I have chided against the gift from your order, resenting the underlying use to which you undoubtedly use it. I am sorry it has taken recent events to remind me that the world has every right to not only ask for my aid, but for my restraint in going where I will to deliver it." The Grey Lord then looked to Theron. "Theron, place your hand upon the stone." Theron did as he was big, not knowing exactly what was being asked.
The Grey Lord's face did not change, nor did his focus, but by the odd colours and flares of the soul stone, it was clear that his further words were coloured by his link to the stone. A stone that indimately linked the Grey Lord to his domain. "Gentle murafu, the one you call 'Serferrl" is no longer under my domain. Many spirits that were restless here, I feel, have now found a rest I could not provide." The Grey Lord nodded to the group, eyes flicking to Falkor and Westian's staff in particular. He then looked to Aurek and the Tazan armour as if considering something. The moment broke, and he moved on. "The one you call Ardur is indeed with the elementals in the cave. It is a simple matter for you to get to him as you take your leave. THe is in safe hands for now. The boy can find a home here, if one is required, but I assume he already has a path. Or that one of you would provide more suitable guidance on that path." The Grey Lord quickly looked ot Passin aswell. Whether the Grey Lord thought to join thoe two, or was logically thinking of Passin as another soul that now needed guidance in the world, he did not immediately make clear. "I do know the Duke of Banville, if it will help matters," said the Grey Lord, before moving on.
The Grey Lord carried on looking to Passin, and had apparently heard Ameena's previous comments to the man. "The Cult of Death is no longer in Mount Anaias." There was an undertone of anger in the Grey Lord's voice. Theron's eyes widened at the unexpcted show of anger, anger that was not apologised for after. "It seems that in the tunnels of the Great Wyrms, the pain rats have made a move there to remove the last of the expeditionary forces. The remaining bulk of their forces - those not slain by their own creations - was was dispatched by a Trolin army. The Trolins have suffered heavy losses, their most...violent...leaders have fallen. Only Morpoor seems to remain as a strong leader." The Grey Lord looked across to Uumack, who was stadning beside Haynuus and Westian. Despite Haynuus's assurances that Uumack was freed from his promise, there seemed to be some debate on the Trolin's face regarding taking up leadership. Guree had looked to Haynuus oddly, but did seem more inclined to push her fellow Trolin on his way to power. Westian's words of course suggested a reason Uumack had not considered to take the reins. The Trolins that had come hear under Chaos's rein had never been a welcome addition to the region. Was that about to change?
"The chambers that were taken by the leaders of the Cult are free of their creations, and will be reclaimed when I walk my halls once more." The Grey Lord's face crinkled, and he looked to Falkor. "It seems that one or two of Chaos's twisted creations feel...different. Perhaps they are not as lost as I once feared they were." The Grey Lord's face then actally lost focus, and he seemed to feel something else. He looked to Petal, who was still trying to make sure she had all her bones intact from the enthusiasm of Haynuus's greeting. "And it seemes that an area that was a blight to my mind had been untwisted. I feel the links to your handiwork?" Petal still had, to her surprise, her satchel with her carefully gathered scraps and samples. She had planned to present them to other elders, but perhaps the Grey Lord could help study them and discover a way to destroy the twisted magics. The Grey Lord looked at Petal for a moment longer, seemingly realising other thigns about Petal that - for the moment - he kept to himself. Clearly he would have further words with her in private, regardign the method of her escape, and the place from which she had come. A place it seemed the Grey Lord had not remembered existed.
The Grey Lord turned back to regard the group as a whole. "I can feel your passage through the dungeon by the changes you have left. Some I would not have consdiered possible. I fear Lord Chaos's works are not mine to undo, even if Balance demands. However, perhaps by the bravery and actions of others, much that should be undone or untwisted can be made whole."
Deephold shiftyed at that, but before the dwarf could say anything, the Grey Lord spoke more. The Grey Lord actually removed his hand from the soul stone, but motioned for Theron to keep his own hand upon it for the moment. "Brother Deephold, you organisation seems to have taken it upon itself to be my overseer. I would not presume, given what has occurred now, to stand on pride. Instead, let me simply say that I am sure Theron - now his heart is focused on the future of this world, not the past - will allow himself to be open to all the effects of the stone. And perhaps rather than resent your peripheral presence, I should be more honest with the concerns brought to me. Including that which distracted my attention this time." There seemed to be an undertow to that, a weight that obviously piqued deephold's curiosity as much as made him nervous. Where had the Grey Lord been all this time? What had focued the High Lord so tightly that he had been unaware of ths state of his own home until Ameena's actions had drawn his eye back again.
"My Lord, what do you ask of me?" asked Theron, hand on the stone and looking to his master, and the stone, in equal measure.
"I think you have already given it, Theron," said the Grey Lord, indicating the stone. "I can feel that you are ready for responsibilities now. Some of your own making, and some I am willing to give to you."
Theron looked shocked, his head bowed. "Afetr..after what has occured?" he said quietly.
"Because of it, Theron. You have a heavy burden or responsibilty, now. Your own actions - understandable in your mind even if not in your heart of hearts - have shifted the Balance. I would be remiss to not give you the means to readjst that Balance. Treat you as more of an equal, now I think your wisdom has grown, alas through this event."
The Grey Lord finally turned to the rest of the group. "Thank you my friends. You have banished a great evil frm this world, one that has plagued history and destroyed some of the greatest civilisations. One even I could not fully disband, depsite my efforts in my younger days. And you have also closed the door to an even greater evil, one older than the Great Thaw, and one that could corrupt the Cult of Death. The doors to this place are open to you to leave. And they will remain open to you, whenever you should you wish to return. Theron and I are in your debt."
The champions stood, not knowing to ask if the way were really open, if the disturbance that Ameena had found - the rift in tiem - were really gone. The flaring white of the soulstone had stripped - without any of those affected beign aware - the last of the false stream of consciousness. The white crack had disappeared from the cavern, and the upper levels, as if it had never been. In a way, it had not. The rift at the doorway was gone, the Hall of Champions whole once more. And soon to have more protraits to honour those who had aided the mountain, Viborg, and the world.
When the Grey Lord had finally touched Westian, the last, destructive magics the Grey Lord had invoked in a previous life had faded and died. The Grey Lord sadly realised what had happened, feeling that alternative life in the blink of an eye. He knew that the five that had been affected woud be fine. Those alternative experiences lost forever. Perhaps they would dimly recall meetings that - if anyone were to push further - seemed to be impossible. And perhaps Ameena, upon seeing depictuons of Lord Chaos or hearing tales of him, might think she had hear the stoies once, but no longer would her nights be plagued by visions, no longer would she feel the fear of them. Westian's order would be at a loss to explain how Aurek and Westian had managed to travel such great distances to find Deephold, and be forced to drop the matter of their leaving withour orders. Especially given Westian and Aureks assurances of such orders being gven.
These were little mysteries that would fade from the minds of everyone, and the world would never know what truly happened - save perhaps the Gret elementals, and the Grey Lord himself. Whenever any of the group came back to Mount Anaias, the Grey Lord would always ensure he paid full honour to those who had been Time's Champions.
Whew, managed to work the title in their clunkily. Which ,of course, means it's THE END!
Ok, not really, cause you guys can still react to each other and then generate an epilogue post about where your character ends up later. But *sniff* that's my last game update f the game *sniff*