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Like A Bat Out Of Hell, Part V
Character(s):
Ebreth Tor, refugee
Author:
Laura Redish
Storyline:
Rat Kings: Everyone Tell Your Secrets
Title
of Post: Like A Bat Out Of Hell
Ebreth paused. "You've been talking
to Jack," he said.
"I've been talking to everyone and
his brother," said Khyrisse, wearily, "and everyone except Vas is
afraid you're going to kill me." Or worse, she didn't say.
"They think I'm going to kill
you," he repeated. "Khyrisse, you could kick my incompetent
ass."
"Mabye," she said, "mabye
not. I've been over this and over it, and now I--need to know."
"About Ebreth Tor," he said.
"The master slaver."
"Yes."
Ebreth sighed. "He was a mean
man," he said, "and he went to Hell. Then-- then Hell broke loose.
Somebody killed Lucifer, and the damned souls started turning good. I know it
sounds like I'm making this up."
Less than you'd think, thought Khyrisse
ironically, thinking about the Schism Tine.
"But that's what happened. There was
a breakout, and Ebreth Tor and a woman named Grayson stayed behind to cover the
others' escape. The two of them made it as far as Limbo together but then their
minds reverted. I, I recommend against having an alignment change in Limbo. Our
personalities were completely destroyed. I am what came out the other
side." He shook his head. "I don't know what happened to Grayson. A
Death Slaad attacked us and we were separated. I wound up fleeing across the
Abyss. Oh God. Khyrisse, that other Ebreth Tor was a brave man. Whatever else
you have to say about him. He wasn't afraid to take risks. Even in his worst
days he didn't just hide behind his guild and prey on the defenseless; he took
on people his own size too, and it ultimately got him killed. When he was good
he was willing to risk being trapped in Hell forever for the sake of four
people he barely knew. But now I'm a coward. And I'd do anything to stay out of
Hell. Do you understand, I couldn't handle the things that happened to him
there. I am scared out of my fucking skull. And I can't go back." He put
his hands on the table and bowed his head, his back to her. "So am I the
same man or not? You make the call. I am a, a re-roll of the dice, a second
chance. I am a recombination of a lost mind, a survivor from the shipwreck of
Ebreth Tor, haunted by memories that don't feel like mine, and--running for my
immortal soul. Please help me."
Character(s):
Khyrisse, Ebreth, and Ariath
Author:
Kristin L.K. Andersen
Storyline:
Rat Kings: Everyone Tell Your Secrets
Title
of Post: An Interesting Point
Khyrisse sat and listened to Ebreth's
story, feeling the skin on her face and hands grow cold. She'd figured out a
good deal of this on her own, but it didn't make hearing the details any
easier. And if I tried, I couldn't come
up with a story more likely to make me trust him. He'd have to know an awful
lot about me to do that. I am either damaging someone very like myself by
pursuing this, or I am in serious trouble. Or, just possibly, both. Oh, help.
"I'd like to help you, Ebreth,"
she whispered. "I really would. It sounds like we're more alike than you
can possibly imagine." She was quiet for a long moment after that, staring
absently over his head while she thought. Something in her field of vision
nagged at her until she paid attention to it. She blinked, and one of her many
divination spells outlined Ariath, hiding in the shadows of one of the
bookshelves beyond Ebreth. Khyrisse stared for a moment, furious, then closed
her eyes. I knew I wouldn't be given privacy for this discussion. It's all
right. I have the means to make this balance. Chill. She opened her eyes, calm
again, and returned her attention to Ebreth. "I think the answer is yes
and no," she finally said. "Yes, you are Ebreth Tor, but no, you
aren't the same Ebreth Tor. I don't know how much of his knowledge and memories
and skills you retain-- I have reason to think that you retain nearly all of
them-- but you apparently don't like using them, which I can certainly
understand."
Ebreth laughed shakily, almost silently.
"Ebreth, there's one thing I can't
understand, and if I hadn't seen examples of it with my own eyes, I wouldn't
believe this story at all," she said, slowly. "Why do you have a
body? You must have been in Hell because you died, you should be a spirit...
but you have a physical presence-- none of us knows it better!" she
interjected, with a small, embarrassed breath of a laugh. "You can be
wounded, you bleed... How did that happen? The body of the original Ebreth Tor is
probably at the bottom of the ocean somewhere."
***
Ariath saw Khyrisse look right at her, saw
the butterfly outline flash into being around her eyes for a brief instant as
they met hers. Khyrisse then closed her eyes, and the glowing wings vanished
again. Ariath could almost hear her counting to ten.
Uh-oh. The jig is up. Is she going to tell...? No, the little
mage decided, as Khyrisse went back to her conversation. Whew. Looks like I'm
going to be in trouble later, though...
Character(s):
Jack Paris, Ariath
Author:
Douglass Barre
Storyline:
Rat Kings: Everyone Tell Your Secrets
Title
of Post: Ariath Gets In Trouble
Okay, Ariath thought. Khyrisse looks like
she's going to be safe. I don't believe Ebreth's story, but it also doesn't look
like he's liable to go fairy-nailing wacko just because he gets confronted.
Still, if he makes one move against her...
Ariath slid back and squeezed herself
through the library vent. When she opened the living room end, however, Vas was
standing over her, frowning.
"Where were you?" he asked. "As if I couldn't
guess."
"I was watching out for the person
you're bodyguarding, Vas. So don't get all snitty at me."
"No, no," Vas corrected,
smiling. "I want to hear all about it!"
Ariath grinned. "Okay, gossip boy...
first he asked why she was afraid of him..."
***
Jack watched as everyone gathered around
Ariath. He didn't want to hear. It didn't matter now. Khyrisse and Ebreth were
both adults, and Jack didn't want to intrude.
Besides, Jack thought, it probably ends with a lot of making out. Boy,
Val looks good tonight. Sigh.
"I'm going for a walk," he said
to no one in particular.
Character(s):
Jack and Valende
Author:
Kristin L.K. Andersen
Storyline:
Ditty Bout Jack and Valende
Title of Post: Methinks Doug Is a Bit Bored With Psychodrama...
Valende sighed as Jack left the room. Of
all the things she could be doing at the moment, sitting here listening to Vas
gossip with Ariath was low on her list.
She looked at the door absently, wondering if that was tact on Jack's
part (something other people in this room could use more of), or if it were
something else. She wished she could follow him, but Khyrisse was in there with
Ebreth... She looked at her brother. He noticed this after a few moments and
looked up. He looked at her, then glanced around for Jack. He looked back at
his sister and raised an eyebrow; she nodded slightly at the door and raised
one back.
Vas grinned and nodded.
Valende left the room to find Jack.
***
Jack discovered that he couldn't open the
front door.
Sennett appeared nearby and cleared his
throat. "I'm sorry, Mr. Paris-- Lady Khyrisse has locked the door for the
duration of your stay. Shall I ask her to unlock it for you?"
"Um, no," Jack said quickly.
"No, don't bother her." Khyrisse and Ebreth would hardly thank him
for that. Jack wandered towards the back of the mansion.
Valende found him near the kitchen.
"Jack?" she called quietly. Jack turned quickly around. "Is
something wrong?" he asked.
"I was going to ask you the same
thing," Valende said, smiling, as she caught up to him. "Do you just
want somewhere to wander? Skitch tells me there's a garden of sorts in here, a
decorative greenhouse. Shall we go see?"
Character(s):
Ebreth Tor, scared straight
Author:
Laura Redish
Storyline:
Rat Kings: Everyone Tell Your Secrets
Title
of Post: A Question Of His Own
"They, ah, they give you a physical
body in Hell," said Ebreth. "Can we, not talk about why."
Khyrisse took in air sharply. She pressed
on, though. She didn't want to have to broach this subject again. "What
about Tor's memories? How many of those do you have?"
"I have them," he said,
"they're just kind of--dissociated. I could tell you plenty of things
you'd rather not hear. About his childhood, his guild, his time in Hell. I just
don't have a lot of--emotional connection to them. It's more like I watched
them."
She licked her lips and steeled herself
for the last question. "That night in the Augustine Arms." She
thought about Luthien's dream and put one hand on the other to keep it from
shaking.
"Yeah," he said, so very softly.
"I still. I still remember how to be Ebreth Tor. I just--don't want to. I
don't dare. I only did it that time because--because I didn't know what else to
do. I can't cast spells. I couldn't have beat those guys off. That assassin had
dispelled your protections and the punk had a knife to your throat. I had to do
something." He held his head miserably. "I didn't want them to hurt
you. It was the only thing I could think of to do."
"I'm sorry," she whispered, her
eyes stinging.
There was a long silence. "You said
you needed to know this now," he finally said. "Why did you need to
know this now?"
Character(s):
Jack Paris
Author:
Douglass Barre
Storyline:
Rat Kings: Ditty About Jack and Valende
Title
of Post: Jack Needs A Little Crab Following Him Around
The two sat on the ornate bench in the
middle of the greenhouse garden. Jack's
hand rested on Valende's. She didn't seem to mind. "It really is a
beautiful night," Valende said, looking up through the glass ceiling at
the cool light of Bane amongst the stars.
"Yes, it's really pretty amazing how
something that brought so much pain can be so beautiful," Jack agreed.
Kiss her, Jack.
Valende frowned. "I'd rather not go
into that," she whispered.
"Anytime you want to talk, Val,"
Jack said. "I'm here."
Kiss her.
"You're sweet, Jack. I wouldn't want
to burden you, though."
"That's what friends do, Val. Pain
shared is pain halved."
Kiss her, you dork.
"I'd rather just enjoy the
night," Val smiled wistfully, and leaned her head on Jack's shoulder.
"I already am," Jack said
happily.
Kiss the girl, Jack Corfa Paris!
"Jack?" Val asked.
"What?"
"Are you just going to sit
there?"
Don't make me tell you again,
Paris.
Jack leaned over and touched his lips to
Val's.
Character(s):
Valende and Jack
Author:
Kristin L.K. Andersen
Storyline:
Rat Kings: Ditty Bout Jack and Valende
Title
of Post: Valende Ignores a Bizarre Impulse to Run and Hide in the Bathroom
Finally. Thank you, Haneli...
After a very long silence in the
greenhouse, Valende sighed blissfully and opened her eyes.
"Have you done this sort of thing
often, Jack Corfa Paris?" she asked quietly, looking serenely into his
eyes.
Jack looked extremely uncomfortable for a
moment, and Valende wove her fingers together at the nape of his neck. Just in
case he thought of bolting. "No,
not all that often, actually," Jack finally said, blushing miserably.
Valende smiled dazzlingly at him, and Jack
sighed in what might have been relief.
"Really? Then I have to tell you,
Jack darling, you're a natural," she whispered with unmistakable
sincerity, and pulled his lips back down to hers.
Character(s):
Khyrisse, paranoid with a cause
Author:
Kristin L.K. Andersen
Storyline:
Rat Kings: Everybody Tell Your Secrets
Title
of Post: Having Much Less Fun Than Jack and Valende, Dammit
Khyrisse sighed shakily, wishing she could
just burst into tears for once and have done with it. Instead, as usual, she
blinked them away. "I don't know how to explain this," she said
miserably, resting her forehead against her clasped hands. "Everyone's
been warning me about you; but I'd figured out what had happened to you, more
or less, that night in the Augustine Arms, so I sort of shelved the matter of
asking you about anything."
"I'd wondered," Ebreth said
quietly, and didn't elaborate. Khyrisse wished she knew if he was referring to
her figuring it out, or to her not asking him before this, and sighed again.
"And then today, I... I used this
spell called Dream, where you can talk to someone far away by waiting until
they're asleep and entering their dreams." Khyrisse saw Ebreth wince, out
of the corner of her eye. Probably at the idea of someone walking around in his
dreams. He wasn't far off, unfortunately. Doesn't anyone have nice, normal
dreams on this planet? "I needed to talk to a friend of mine,
Luthien," she continued. "I think you saw him, briefly, in the temple;
the homicidal-looking guy in black, with Norn and Flicker. Luthien's a
necromancer, so I thought he might be able to tell us something about our
friend Laran... and when I 'arrived', he was having a dream about you."
Ebreth stared at her in a numb kind of
surprise. He was fairly certain that he'd never seen the man with Flicker and
Norn.
"He was captured from a ship on its
way to Annwych, when he was twelve, I think. He looks... a lot different now.
You wouldn't recognize him. But I saw the old you in his dream, and I realized
that I could be horribly wrong about everything. If it had just been you and
me, I would have waited, and tried to figure out over time whether or not I
could trust you," Khyrisse whispered, not looking at him anymore. "I
wanted to trust you. But there's everyone with us... and I've lost several
people already, one of whom actually was untrustworthy, another one because he
was untrustworthy... and I have notoriously bad judgment in things like this. I
had to at least make an attempt to find out. Even if you lied to me, I might be
able to tell something was wrong. I had to try."
Character(s):
Ebreth Tor
Author:
Laura Redish
Storyline:
Rat Kings: Everyone Tell Your Secrets
Title
of Post: A Close Call
Ebreth suddenly put his finger on what was
underlying both the resolute and agitated elements of her behavior tonight.
"You--came here to kill me, didn't you," he whispered.
"No!" She jumped up out of the
chair, knocking it over. "No, I came to talk to you, I--"
"Khyrisse. Khyrisse!" He caught
one of her hands up in his, without force. "It's okay," he said.
"It's all right. I, I'm glad you didn't have to."
"So am I," she said, muffled.
"I can see that," he said.
"That's why I'm glad." He put his arm around her, a little dazed, and
stroked the back of her head with his thumb. "It's okay," he
repeated, shakily, staring over her into space. "It's okay, Khyrisse,
we're going to be all right."
Character(s):
Vas and Ariath, those nosy troublemakers
Author:
Laura Redish
Storyline:
Rat Kings: Everyone's Secrets
Title
of Post: A Bet
Vas was giving a faintly smug-looking
Ariath some coins as Ebreth and Khyrisse came out of the library. "Is
everything all right?" he said quickly.
Khyrisse was just looking at the money
changing hands. Her pent-up emotions came pouring out in a wave of rage.
"WHAT IS GOING ON OUT HERE!"
"Nothing," said Vas,
"nothing at all, milady, I--"
"--uh, I sold him something,"
said Ariath.
"--that's right, I bought
someth--"
Skitch wandered in. "Jack and Val are
kissing each other," he said, in a grossed-out boy's voice.
"Really?" said Ariath.
"Excuse us, please." Vas hurried
out, Ariath close on his heels.
Character(s):
Khyrisse and the Rat Pack
Author:
Kristin L.K. Andersen
Storyline:
Rat Kings: Everybody's Secrets
Title
of Post: Take Me Home, Mother, I'm Through
Khyrisse shouted at the top of her lungs
after the two, fists clenched at her sides and trembling.
"Well,
wherever you're going, IT HAD BETTER NOT BE TO ANNOY ANYONE ELSE! Any more of this,
and I'll-- I'll start killing some NOSY PEOPLE off and reincarnating them as
thri-kreens, do you hear me?!!"
Skitch burst out laughing. Khyrisse,
shaking with pent up energy, grinned wickedly and pounced on him. The two of
them tumbled around on the floor for a few seconds.
"OOF! AUGH! I give!!" Skitch
shouted. Khyrisse fell onto her back on the carpet and panted for air.
"Come on, let's go swimming,"
Skitch coaxed. "There's too much stress and mushy stuff around here."
"Mabye. Mabye! You go see if the pond
is fit for human habitation," she instructed breathlessly. As he raced
off, she added to Ebreth, without getting up, "Although I don't know how
Skitch testing it will tell us anything of the sort."
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