The Journey Ends

[Carthrat]

"Perhaps," notes Karil. "Synergy between the two seems most effective, however."

[Brian]

Elue nods.  "You are wiser, I am sure, in the ways of leading men than I," she says.  Then she turns to face foward.  At this point, Karil has walked, perhaps, two miles beyond the clearing where he fought the sisters.  The stone path through the jungle suddenly turns into a set of stairs leading down, and the trees grow further apart, but also much larger.

Here, it's like Karil is on a landing, and about to step down to the valley floor.  Above him, the trees grow taller the further into the valley they are, granting the valley a massive, vaulting roof.  In the distance, a palace is visible, built into the branches of a tree that exists entirely below the lowest leaves of the great trees around it.

Karil can't gauge the size of it perfectly, but the palace could comfortably house the entire clan, by his estimation.

Smaller tree-houses are scattered across the valley floor, along with a rich variety of fruit trees.  It should be dark, but light comes down from great hanging globes in the canopy above.  Karil glimpses movement at the windows of one of the nearer houses, and people can be seen on roads in the distance, most of them apparently heading to their homes from the palace.

"Welcome to the vault of paradise," Elue says, nodding at the Serpent men.  "We will stop here, and your weapons will be bound with ribon before you can take them beyond this boundry.  If you refuse, you may do so at your own peril."

[Carthrat]

"Bound?" asks Karil, questioningly. "To be undrawable?"

[Brian]

"Yes," Elue replies, nodding.  The remaining girls wrap ribbons around their fans, and then tuck them inside their sashes, and out of sight.

[Carthrat]

"As you wish," murmurs Karil, seeing no threat in that.

[Brian]

Elue and her women bind the weapons of Karil and his men with blue ribons.  Elue binds Twilight Song herself.  The bindings don't seem that secure; they'd keep a sword from falling out of its scabbard, or from being removed easily, but any concentrated effort would overcome the ribbon easily.

Elue smiles at Karil, and gestures to the orchards below.  "Welcome to paradise, my Lord."

[Carthrat]

Karil shakes his head in wonder as he begins to walk through the valley.

"I never imagined a place of this size could be so concealed," he says, amazed. "The borders of other empires are within days of this place, and yet.."

[Brian]

Elue shrugs, and offers only a mysterious smile.  "The jungle grows wild this close to the desert.  The empires call it empty, and ignore it.  But those who know how, continue in harmony."

It doesn't take long to reach the palace at the current rate.  The palace itself looks to be made out of wood, but very carefully.  A good number of people are visible from within, peering out over the railings at the approaching entourage.

A door sits in the side of the tree, probably big enough for two of Karil to walk through, side-by-side.  Elue opens this door, and reveals a short hallway carved into the tree itself; two guards stand inside, and bow to her.  These guards are men, wearing shined (and matching) plate armor, but carrying no weapons.  The hallway ends at a staircase, and Elue sets on this next.

After a few winding twists, Karil's nearly lost his orientation (the men with him certainly have), when the staircase opens up to a wooden platform, and now the party is standing about thirty yards off the ground.  This platform seems to be a reception area.

There's a number of benches around the edge, before the railings, and between each set of benches is a small table with a few edibles on it.  They're all fruits and vegetables, however.

Directly opposite the point where the stairwell emerges from the tree and opens onto the platform, there is a small raised wooden dias, and on it, a marble pedastal.  Perched on the pedestal is a woman in blue robes with white trim, wearing a bow and sash like Elue and her guards.  She arches an eyebrow at Elue's appearance.

There are two other women in the room, sitting on benches to either side of this apparent leader.  One of them has white hair, blue eyes, and pale skin, which is only emphasised by the shock white bow and robes she wears.  The other is blonde, with green eyes, and healthy, tanned and nearly red skin.  Her robes are pale green and lined in a white trim.

"Welcome to my home," the woman on the dias says after a moment.  "And welcome to Paradise.  Please, Lord Karil, have a seat."  She gestures to one of the nearby benches, which sits facing her and her ... advisors?  Bodyguards?  None are carrying obvious weapons, here.  And Elue and her women have their fans bound.  "Tell me what brings you to my lands, with the pieces of my father's sword."

[Carthrat]

From an early age, Karil has been trained in how not to show surprise; how to be confident; how to know what to do.

It is a rare situation that leaves him completely, but more importantly, visibly in shock. He actually gapes; he almost drops Twilight Song; he stumbles a step.

"What?" he asks, intelligibly.

[Brian]

Sasha smiles, and shakes her head.  "We'll discuss that later.  For the time being, your men have struck a bargain with me.  For your sisters, and five, you may return to the lands from whence you came," she explains.

Even though he's in the room with her, and recognizes her voice from the clearing ... Karil gets the distinct impression that Sasha is not actually even there.

"But the cost will be your weapons, and with them ... your tribe.  Do you wish to bargain?"

[Carthrat]

"Bargain?" replies Karil, regaining his composure. Or at least, trying to. He eyes his men, and Sasha. "What tricks are you playing?"

[Brian]

"No tricks," Sasha says, shrugging.  "This place isn't real, Lord Karil.  Use your senses.  Almost none of what happened today happened anywhere outside of your mind.

"You've been sick for a while ... nearly dead.  Very little could convince us to help you, but your Jeramine found something.  The poisons that fever your brain can be cleansed ... but I won't make a bargain with one unwilling.

"If you wish to keep that sword, you must find someone for me.  Or else, I will allow you to retain your life, and you merely must surrender your weapon."  Sasha shrugs at that, as though it were an obvious choice.

The question burning in Karil's mind is ... if what she says is remotely true, what bearing does this have on Karla and Farel?  Are they not actually captured?

[Carthrat]

"I know- that is, I can tell that you aren't here..." murmurs Karil, then shakes his head.

Where does the reality stop, and the dream begin? If he has truly been poisoned, if his mind is somehow unclear, then simply by retracing his memories, some incosistency, some flaw should be realised.

Going backwards, Karil reconstructs events in his mind from now until he finds something which doesn't fit...

And there it was. Staring him practically in the face.

No casualties. Few wounded. Karil and Farla practically captured...

"..how long have I been this way?" he asks, his voice growing soft.

[Brian]

"Nearly a fortnight," Sasha replies with a shrug.  "Though, this close to the end you're pulling through it.  You'll be well, soon."

[Carthrat]

"Is that so..." replies Karil, staring at his surroundings.

They seem so vivid, even if they are a dream. So real...

"I cannot give you my weapon," he states. "But.. if you know anything of me, or if Jaramine has told you anything, I am sure you knew my answer to your bargain before it was offered."