Nostrum: Tales of Valor

Schadenfroh

Strange whispers intrude on the dreams of those who sleep throughout the inn, causing them to toss and turn in the night. For those who've been awoken, or were awake already, the whispers only assure them of what they have already come to expect. Rushed footsteps and the banging of drawers announce even to those outside that fear has taken hold and nobody who is aware feels safe. With all that is going on, the door to Marne and Yuler's room receives light but hasty knocks from someone in the hall. The knocking stirs Yuler from what was an already shallow slumber, and with the second set of bangs, she pulls herself to a corner of her bed and gets to her feet. Turning the knob and pulling it, she is almost immediately set aside by Lee, who is followed in by Hael. Both appear slightly unsettled themselves, but not as much as those within the other rooms, who continue in their efforts to escape the confines of the building as swiftly as they can.

"What is-"

"Shh!" Lee places a finger in the air as he moves towards the window, only putting it down to move curtains aside and peer into the streets below.

"Bethel Nostrum." Hael's voice hisses in a low tone. "They're performing a purge."

"A purge?" The voice of Marne causes both women to turn in his direction, where he remains resting against the back of the chair as he rubs at his eyes. "What is a purge?"

"You lot remain here." Lee lets the curtain fall to rest and steps towards the room's door where Hael attempts to cut him off. "Hael, allow me this moment."

"What will you say? How will you ward them off?"

"Allow me... this moment." Lee's voice softens as he speaks to her, but his jawline remains tightly clenched.

Hael sighs and moves out from in front of him. With this, Lee takes off into the hall and down the stairs. Hael then seats herself at the edge of the bed and nervously fiddles with her palms using the pads of her thumbs. Yuler and Marne look to one another for a moment, then back at Hael as Marne pulls himself up in his seat.

"Heal, what's a purge?"

"The Bethel's Nostrum are looking for those who've been infected. Looking to cleanse the city of ailment to avoid any large outbreaks. That is what a purge is." Hael sighs and tips her head towards the window as if listening to what is going on in the streets below. Then, she takes in a deep breath and faces straight ahead, soothing herself with continued breathing. "Have I ever told you exactly why it is that Lee and I fled The Bethel's ranks? Or why it is that we joined the Purebloods when we did?"

Marne and Yuler share a look once again, then simultaneously nod their heads as if to say "no". Hael lets a small burst of air escape her nostrils and smiles for a moment.

"I'll take that as a 'no'." She then clears her throat and straightens herself out, allowing her body to relax in a proper form. "The Bethel has become nothing more than a tyrannical system. Its beliefs have become far too twisted for us to see any light in following the path it had paved for us, so we fled. After all that has happened under both, The Bethel and Achlys, all I wish that I'd have done differently was keep my Sigil. Not that it would serve me well these days.... The Nostrum out there in those streets... they have that gift. A gift we all know to only be given by The Bethel itself, or the contracts signed with Spatihor. Yet... even then, I don't believe it could save me. Infection is the one thing in this damned world that a Sigil will not undo. The one thing that makes it... useless."

"So it's true then." Marne states in a defeated manner. "You've been infected."

"I have, yes." Hael swallows harshly, then licks her lips in an attempt to continue explaining herself.

"And for how long have you known this?" Marne questions, now facing Yuler, who seems shocked that he had figured out her knowledge.

"I- only recently. At camp."

"Why would you not express this to me? I mean, I thought it was only a dream that night, when Hael and Lee spoke on the subject." He then looks back to Hael with a moment of clarity striking his eyes. "That is why you wanted Cronn, isn't it? I wasn't dreaming the night I heard you and Lee speaking on Yuler having been the one who was meant to die. You needed Cronn in case you became... untame. You needed someone who has proven that they can destroy someone who they once trusted and in the conditions which they have done."

"This is true." Confirms Hael, feeling a sense of guilt. "However, it was merely the result of Belial's situation. I had hopes that he could be saved as well. That... that is why I killed Nostrum Fredrick atop Keep's tower." Yuler looks on in horror as she is told this story. "Fredrick discovered Belial on the same night his transformation was truly taking hold. The first time he turned into... something other. I had to do what I did to try and save Belial. To prove that there could be others like me. Others who have been infected, yet retain their human state. Others... who could fight it."

"No." States Marne. "All that your actions had proven on that night... was that you were no less a beast than that which Belial was becoming. A selfish beast, at that."

"Marne, please."

"No." With this, Marne steps out of the room and storms through the hall. The heavy stamping of his feet remains unnaturally clear through the structure's walls as he travels down the same stairs as Lee.

"I truly hope he doesn't disrupt Lee's work."

Yuler remains silent, still absorbing all that had been said and feeling little to no desire to speak with Hael in this moment. She then moves towards the window, where she spots Lee in the streets speaking with three Bethel Nostrum. She also notices that he has fashioned himself with his tricorn and that Marne has found his way into the confrontation. Her heart races for a moment as she watches him place a hand on Lee's shoulder and speak to the group aloud. Whatever it is that he says seems to make the Bethel Nostrum uneasy and one attempts to approach the building, but Lee quickly plants an open palm against the man's chest, seemingly assuring him of something. The three men look amongst themselves, then give Lee and Marne a nod before heading on their way. Once they are out of sight, Lee turns to Marne and swiftly slaps the back of his head before pulling him back inside and out of Yuler's view.

"Is it all alright down there?"

"It is."

"Is it all alright... in here?"

"It is not."

Hael sighs and a woeful expression floods her face.

"Yuler, I am truly sorry."

"I... I don't want your apology. I want an explanation."

"An explanation?"

"Yes." Yuler bluntly admits. "An explanation as to why it is it had to be either me... or Cronn."

"Yuler, please. The situation was hardly a flexible one. If we were to think that the both of you could be saved, we would have surely found a way to-"

"You knew there was no way to save the both of us. As a matter of fact, you knew you'd have no use in a Nostrum like myself. Yet here we are. Why are we here, Hael? Why would you follow me into something like this if it were not for helping me?"

"Because it is for helping you!" Hael snaps, turning to face the woman in the window. "Yes, we lost Cronn in our efforts, but we never thought less of you. Hell, without us, without the work that you did under the guise of Devough thinking that no one knew, we would have lost the both of you, yet here you are. Fighting your own demons and becoming more than you ever were before. Working to fend off fears and the like. Why? For no other reason but the same reason Lee and I have found ourselves following in your footsteps." Hael gets to her feet and places a hand on each of Yuler's shoulders before continuing to speak in a low hushed tone. "You wish to bring this all to an end. That is all we have ever wanted, yet you were the one brave enough to set out for it. Yuler... you have what I needed from Cronn. You have the will to make decisions even you are not ready to bear the weight of. Please... please understand that above all, I truly want what is best for you. What is best for all of us."

"The Bethel's Nostrum have gone now." Lee's voice irritably states from the doorway as he rips his hat from his head and tosses it onto the bed. He then runs his hand through sweaty strands of hair as he nervously looks back to the door with a scowl.

Marne, ignoring Lee's attempt at intimidating him, makes his way into the four walls as well and sits back in his chair, pulling his own hat over his eyes and leaning back in the seat.

"That's all from you, eh? Not even got the stones to tell 'em what you've said?"

"There is no need." Marne explains simply, not caring to look any of them in the eye.

"There is a need, Boy. A need for you to explain yourself to the lot of us. Get up!" Lee, now furious with Marne's attitude, rips him out of the chair and pins him against the wall, knocking the chair over in the process. "TELL 'EM!"

"Lee, unhand him!" Hael cries, now standing and stamping against the boards underfoot. Lee, ever-loyal, does as he is requested. His shakey breathing now being the only sound in the room, he backs away from Marne and once again, heads out the door.

"Marne," Yuler tries, "what is it you told those men?"

"Nothing more than the truth."

"And... what truth might that be?" Wonders Hael, who returns to her nervous fidgeting.

Marne looks to her with hatred in his eyes, then to Yuler, who offers him pity and disbelief.

"I told them we had found an infected, but not to worry."

"Why would they not worry when you've said such a thing?"

"Because I assured them that Lee and I would be the ones to take care of it." Marne looks back to Hael, who's face has now lost its color. "Lee gave them his word. It was the only way they'd continue their search elsewhere."

"You made Lee give his word against Hael? Marne, what in the name of Numen were you thinking!?"

Marne straightens out the ruffles in his collar and lifts the chair back to its feet. Before speaking, he gets himself comfortably situated once more and returns his hat to his eyes, filling the room with darkness.

"Perhaps it would matter what I were thinking if none of us were left wondering what the truth may be. Perhaps... if those we are meant to trust could be more honest... no one would have ever had to die in the first place." Marne offers nothing more than a shaking smile of guilty pleasure as he hears Hael scamper out of the room, ensuring that she closes the door behind herself.

The room then falls into an uncomfortable silence, where Marne attempts to return to sleep, and Yuler stares at him in disbelief. Eventually, she extinguishes the flame of the bedside candle and rests against the mattress, but no more sleep is meant to come her way on this night.