In the Night

[Ginrai]

"That's all I've been hearing.  And it seems that those new rumors were enough to change the belief of you possibly being under stress to something more sinister."

[Brian]

"Look," Ashton says, confused.  "I don't understand what you're talking about.  I'm just ... this ... fighting against the Dreadmarch is very stressful."

[Ginrai]

"This has also lead to someone saying that they saw you continuously checking something in your pocket, afraid that you might've lost it any moment."

[Brian]

"Look," Ashton says, somewhat angrily, "I don't know what you're talking about -- if you've got an accusation to make, then make it, but if you don't -- then leave."  He tries to push you out of his room, but his hands kind of slide across the front of your robe and leave him to sprawl across the floor.

"Is someone this inept any danger?" Serril asks as quietly as he can.

[Ginrai]

Ginrai sighs.  'If this ends up being a false alarm, I'm going to have a long talk with Paul.'

"Because of all that we've heard, we must check to at least ensure that these rumors about you will no longer spread."  Ginrai bends down to help Ashton up.

[Brian]

He accepts your help, reluctantly.  "Well," he says, grumpily.  "If that's all, Banor, I'll thank you to leave."

[Ginrai]

Ginrai pauses.  "Excuse me?  Loremaster Banor passed away some time ago.  I do appreciate my skills being thought so highly of, though."

[Brian]

Ashton waves a hand dismissively.  "You arranged to make it look like you were dead, a transfer easily accomplished by the fact that your soul was not in your body, but in the necklace I hold here," Ashton says, dangling the necklace out of your reach.  "I think you'll find that you'll both be working for me -- if you try and cross my will, you'll find your soul destroyed in an instant."

Serril starts, and looks to you questioningly.

[Ginrai]

"I see....  You feel like talking more about your kind offer inside your room?"

[Brian]

"Of course," he says.  "Come on in."  With that, he saunters into his room, pulling something from his pocket as he does so; it's a similar looking pendant to the one he took from you.  "This belonged to Huron," he explains.  "He's dead, now."

[Ginrai]

Ginrai follows.  "Curious here.  How did you take that off me without my notice?"

[Brian]

"I'm more curious as to how you didn't notice," Ashton says.  "I thought removing your soul was supposed to cause you considerable pain."  He shrugs, while Serril stands to one side somewhat nervously.  "For my first order, Banor, I command you to kill Serril."

[Ginrai]

Ginrai smiles malevolently.  "I see.  Well, it can't be helped," he says while concentrating to change into his strongest wolf form with full intention at incapacitating this blowhard.

[Brian]

It takes a moment to assume, and you don't fit well in this room.  just by transforming, your sides push Serril towards a wall, and you knock Ashton to the floor (again).  Your fore-paws are on his shoulders, which seems to cause him considerable pain, and in this form, your now-a-bit-too-small-earings hurt a bit.  No, they don't quite hurt ... but they do feel funny.  "But," Ashton sputters.  "I have your soul!  You can't go against me!"

"You know," Serril says, regaining his footing.  "For a moment, I actually thought he might have been dangerous."

[Ginrai]

Ginrai holds his position on Ashton, motioning for Serril to take the pendants away from him.