Session 45 – Something wicked this way comes
Paz
We fled from the Elder's villa with all the grace and subtlety of a herd of rampaging elephants. No soldiers rose out of the darkness to stop us, so they were probably all dead or ran away. That was another stain on my conscious then. Admittedly, a very small drop on a very large canvas. Alexis, on the other hand, would haunt me. I should never have left her alone. I knew better. Oh, I could throw some blame at Moira and Sterling, and I'd probably yell at them to make myself feel better, but they're just children. She was my responsibility. She still is. My heart clenched at the dead weight strapped to my back. I would get her back.
An early morning sun peeked up at us over the horizon as we trudged back into Vaqyn. Even Moira and Sterling were uncharacteristically quiet and introspective. It was creepy. We dragged ourselves to the inn and collapsed together in a big messy pile. Very fortunately for us, there were no other patrons around. I Shaped back into my normal self- interesting, that's the first time I had thought of this as my normal self.
Sabastian swept an experienced eye over the exhausted lot of us and then stepped around the bar. "Yeh've all had a long night by the looks of things. Anything I should be knowin'?" Moira and Sterling looked guiltily at each other.
"The Elder's men may come looking for us." I leaned my back against the wall and pulled Alexis into my lap. My hand very gently stroked her hair, picking out bits of dried blood as I found them.
"Well, can't say I'll be losing any sleep over that bastard getting a black eye. And none of my rooms are taken other than yours, so we'll just be closing for business early today." He walked over and locked the front door.
"Thanks." My eyes started to drift closed, but I was startled awake as Moira cried out.
"Holy shit!" She had the Magic Bag of Stuff in her lap and was digging around in it. "She did it. While we were all outside tripping over our dicks, she found the treasure!" The buff ginger pulled a heavy box of coins out to show us and then shoved it back into the enchanted bag. "We can count it later, but with how heavy this shit is, it could be over five thousand gold pieces."
Sterling blushed and huffed while looking miffed at her girlfriend. "Moira..."
Moira rolled her eyes. "It's a figure of speech."
I smiled weakly at her. "That's good. I'm glad the whole fiasco wasn't all for nothing."
Moira flinched and looked away. "Yeah..."
My eyes drifted closed again as Moira and Sterling sat, quietly talking. In my nightmares, I had gotten Alexis sent to the Hells. And then she was being chased by a Cerberus and a vampire. Cold sweat stuck to me, making my skin crawl with ick as a knock on the door shattered my nightmares and my eyes flew open.
Sabastian pulled his giant battleaxe out from behind the bar and cautiously moved over to the door. "We're closed! Family business."
"Right on. Don't mean to bother you Sabastian, while you're busy, but I'm supposed to meet some adventuring ladies for a resurrection. Bibi said that I'd find them here." A masculine voice called back from the other side of the door.
"Jacque?" Sabastian unbolted and threw the door open, revealing a tall slender man. "Come on in. The ladies you're lookin' for are here."
"Much obliged, Sabastian. It was a long walk from the Darkwood, and I could really use a drink." He sauntered in and locked the door behind him. The man had a slight build overall, but his arms were just big enough that I suspected he knew his way around a sword. Every available inch of skin was covered in arcane tattoos, and he wore comfortable trousers with a soft-looking tunic. Several earrings hung from one ear and his raven black hair was cut short but somehow still looked scruffy. I knew a Blood Witch when I saw one.
"Hey uncle Jacque." Moira pulled the man into a hug.
"Moira! My favorite little hellion. How's things?" He pulled back and gave her a critical look.
She blushed and smiled. "Some good, some bad." Moira pumped her fist in the air. "But she said yes! Sterling is my girlfriend now!"
"Helllllllll yeahhhhh!" Jacque gave her a high-five and then whirled around to Sterling. "You take care of our girl, now, you hear? You know how she gets into shit too deep and too fast."
Sterling nodded knowingly and smiled. "Oh gods Below, don't I fucking know it."
"Alrighty then. Pleasantries aside, time to meet the deadee." I wearily watched Jacque stroll over to my corner. "Whoa!" He staggered backwards and looked at me long and hard. "You're... a lot, Red." He gestured vaguely in my direction, both hands groping the air as if feeling my soul.
I hate Blood Witches. "I'm Paz."
"No, you're not. Not fully anyway. You could be, if you said yes." His tone drifted into that dreamy quality mortals use when they have even the faintest touch of future-sight.
I grit my teeth and forced myself to smile. "Say yes to what?"
His eyes drifted down to the mess of blonde hair in my lap. "Her."
Alright, fine. Point for mushroom boy. "You're Bibi's friend? I was expecting someone a bit more-"
"Woman shaped?" He grinned at me. "Sometimes I am." He did a twirl. "I'm a changeling. But, I've been enjoying this form recently." His eyes moved to Alexis. "So, I'm guessing we're resurrecting her?"
I nodded aggressively. "Yes!"
Sterling's brows pulled down in confusion. "But I thought you said Xen-"
The tiny infernal girl snapped her mouth shut when I glared at her. "Yes. We're getting Alexis back first. And then we can worry about Xena."
It was Jacque's turn to frown. "Sorry Red. There is no first or second. This is once a century magic. Very old, very delicate. The spirits must be persuaded. We can do it once, and only once."
My head bobbed resolutely. "Okay. Same answer. We'll bring Alexis back, and then worry about Xena."
"Cool." His eyes glowed as he ran two fingers along one of the tattoos on his arm. "Oh. So... this is a bit awkward. I can't bring her back."
I grit my teeth. "WHY?"
He bounced like he had the greatest news in the world to tell me and shame on me for waiting so long to ask. I really fucking hate Blood Witches. They eat too many damned mushrooms. "Because she's not dead."
I clutched Alexis closer to me. "What do you mean by that?"
"Okay well..." Jacque put his hand to his chin in what he thought was a way that made him look smart. "She's dead, but not dead dead. Her soul isn't in the afterlife. It's running around somewhere else."
Alexis would say 'well shit.' "So then, how do we get her back?"
Jacque lit up with excitement. "Oh, that's a much easier spell!"
Finally. Progress. I'm coming for you, my love.