Day 20

[byheartandblade]

Dunno who's planning to do something reckless, but I caution against it. I saw something--a vision. I get them, from time to time. I only get ones like these as a warning. Something horrible's coming--something deadly. Very, very deadly. Talking about an entire army being wiped out and then some.

I'll talk more to whoever it seems relevant to. Let me know where to meet you and I'll talk to you in person.

- Fraethota

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[oneformisery]

There was no-one within sight of the gate at first. But after a minute or two of Fraethota's arrival, three figures stepped out from behind the ruins in the distance and began to stride in her direction. The two on the flanks appeared to be mere guards or lookouts; the centre figure had their gaze fixed on the main gate. On her.

They stopped in the middle of a relatively open area and beckoned her forward. It was an exposed spot but it meant that they could see anyone trying to eavesdrop.

Assuming the eavesdropper was human or had a tangible body, that is.

[byheartandblade]

She looks around, making sure that it's only them, that she can't see anything else, and then approach. Given that he seems to be waiting, she'll approach.

"You the one what asked after me?"

[oneformisery]

(ooc: I don't remember if it's day or night since you didn't date the entry so that might affect how well Thorn can be spotted in the air.)

She might spot a wheeling silhouette above. A bird, perhaps - except no bird had a long, thin tail or four legs. The silhouette lazily circled the small group, keeping a watchful eye on proceedings.

"Yes. You said you saw a vision?" Murtagh folded his arms across his chest, staring at the woman with very little expression.

Fixed the dating thing--

[byheartandblade]

"Aye."

She does take note of the dragon--she's seen enough dragonets by now--and is cautious. She'll keep her eyes on it the entire time.

"I 'ave 'em. Almost never when I want 'em. An' f it's of the future instead of the past, it's somethin' I'm meant t' try an' avoid."

[oneformisery]

Murtagh isn't inclined to let prophecies and such decide his fate but he would be a fool to brush off a sincere warning. He inclines his head. "What did you see?"

[byheartandblade]

"'Twas bloody an' awful. The castle, the town--all in ruin. Five babes gathered in a circle, sleepin'. Blood on th' wall. An army, scattered an' torn to shreds. Could barely recognize a few of 'em as anythin'. A dragon with its 'eart ripped from its chest, an' a broken blue sword. Nothin' but death an' despair an' destruction. Points of light, like stars in the sky in a circle. Then, from all that, a new beginnin'."

She shakes her head. She needs to relay the information, but it was still horrifying. She's still a bit pale and shaken from the vision earlier, as hard as that is to tell with how dark her skin is.

"...I don't get visions like that unless it's a warnin' of what will come if we're not careful. Dunno what the 'ells is gonna cause this one, though."

[oneformisery]

Murtagh fingered the sword at his side. There were too many familiar details to dismiss the warning out of hand, but at the same time, what if it was a false portent sent to dissuade him from trying? He knew this tall woman as one who had helped himself and Alayne fend off Leitner's men, yet that didn't mean well-intentioned people could not be deceived.

"What did the sword look like?" he asked quietly. "The children? The dragon?"

[byheartandblade]

Syhr closes her eyes, drawing on the memories of her vision for the details.

"The blade was curved an' blue as the sea. The 'ilt was white an' ornate, think it was ivory. Good sword, were it not in pieces. Steel was folded over an' over, and the edge would've been mighty sharp. I've seen the dragon before--'elped 'em escape. Died that day, but it wasn't so bad. Just 'ope they're doin' better. The children... Five of 'em. Two of 'em have fair hair, but the rest are all dark-haired. All dressed in white, laid out on a bed o' red silk. ...Afraid anythin' other than that I can't 'elp with."

She shakes her head. Infants look too alike for her to be able to grab discerning features. But the sword--she knows weapons. She's a pirate.

"Sorry if it's not enough. If y' need me to prove my ability--'s called the Echo--then I'd need to 'ave it catch somethin'."

[oneformisery]

Without a word, Murtagh drew his sword from its scabbard and presented it horizontally, hand gripping the very ivory hilt she had seen in her vision. His voice is tight.

"This sword, yes?"

It was a perfect match. Its former owner had died violently and Murtagh had in fact spoken to its former owner. Well, its former owner's head.

[byheartandblade]

She nods.

"Aye, that's the very sword. I'd recognize it anywhere."

...Which means she's got a pretty good idea what the vision is getting at. He's be dead. Which she doesn't like at all, Murtagh seems like a decent person.

[oneformisery]

Wordlessly, Murtagh sheathed the blade with a quiet rasp of steel and a snick. So, he would be dead if he continued this path - or so they would have him believe. Suspicion at the far-too-convenient timing of her vision made him loathe to accept it immediately.

Alayne wasn't the only one who wished to see the young boy happy.

"...I don't doubt you saw what you did," he began slowly. "However, I can't accept that it's an inevitable result. Especially not the timing with which it comes. How can I know that your visions haven't been touched by Sorrow?"

[byheartandblade]

"It'd be the first to force the Echo an' t' pass through the Blessin' of Light unharmed. The Echo's either convenient as all hells, or not at all. 'S a gift I never asked for. But I have never--never--received a look at th' future that weren't a warnin' of what wast to come if someone weren't careful. One time I 'ad a vision where we didn't use a magitek field generator an' ended up eaten by a giant flyin' whale."

...She's not sure what she could do to prove it to him. She'll shrug, though, remaining casual easily. Maybe she could turn him to Thancred, maybe not. But the Echo isn't something you can force.

"Y' can believe it or not, but I 'ave to ask ye: are ye willin' to wager not just your life, but the life of everyone in the vision, of everyone 'ere, that ye won't be chargin' 'ead-first into the bloody end of everythin'?"

[oneformisery]

A lot of the terminology passed right over him. Murtagh shook his head, not dismissing her assertion, but rather, dismissing his own attempts to make sense of it all.

"I don't believe in charging recklessly into anything," he said flatly. "That's a warning better delivered to Alayne - which I will convey to her." A short pause. "The presence of those children worry me. Perhaps that will be enough..."