Aresan Clan pt 47

“You heard Tann whisper all these things to you?” Roderick asked Lipmon.

“No, not exactly,” Lipmon replied, “He could speak directly into my mind, never really talked to me directly ‘cause of his weak voice. But Elden was the one who could really get him to talk. The boy told us how to reform our ceremonies, what gifts to give to the gods and when to expect rain and snow and how tall the crops would grow. He always knew.”

“But he didn’t tell you soldiers were coming?” Roderick asked.

“Well… If he told Elden, then Elden didn’t tell us. I don’t know why he wouldn’t, since Elden died with them. They killed all of them and then torched the houses, and left the bodies to burn inside. Even ate some of the feast we’d had prepared as penance to the gods. They were absolutely blasphemous men … and the woman.”

“Your story is most enlightening, Lipmon,” Roderick noted, “But I would like to know a bit more about these soldiers. Did they bear any insignias or carry a banner?” Lipmon shook his head. “Did you get a good look at any of the soldiers?”

“One of them,” Lipmon replied, “He pretended he was blind. Then he took Tann and was the first to attack. He gave me this scar. He was a large man, fair-skinned, light haired.”

“Which direction did they head when they left? That might give a hint as to the location where they reside. Was it sunriseward? sunsetward?”

“Summerward,” Lipmon said.

“Towards the territory of the Aresan Clan and the Omnia?” Roderick asked, “Are you sure they weren’t scraps? itinerant tribes, that is?”

“I’m sure they weren’t” Lipmon replied, “As I said, we’ve encountered them before. They sometimes trade with us. I mean, I don’t know anything about all the great nations out there. We don’t get much contact with anyone else out there in Still Creek. I just know the soldiers we encountered were something evil.”

“Thank you for your information,” Roderick said, rising from his chair, ready to leave, “You’ve been immensely helpful.”

“You’ve got to bring that boy back to us. You’ve got to send men to go and take him back. They’ve kidnapped him.” Lipmon was now pleading, with tears in his eyes, “He’s valuable to us, but he’d be valuable to all of you. He’s a precious jewel, a treasure. I crossed the mountains all this way to find someone to tell, in order to go get that boy back. My life is important, but for Tann, I’d do anything.”

“What you have described is an act of war. They have tried to cover it up. I think you’ll be pleased to know that there are many within the Fourth Order who would be very interested in your story. And very interested in acting in retaliation. Though I don’t think you understand the gravity of stealing Tann back. The Omnia and the Aresan Clan are a very large and powerful coalition. This is a very serious endeavor,” Roderick said, approaching Lipmon and leaning over him.

“I don’t know nothing about the people who took him. If you can’t do it, I’ll do it on my own. I’ll kidnap him back myself. Just point me the way. Tann’ll help me find him, too.”

Roderick laughed at this, saying, “I like your enthusiasm. But that won’t be necessary. You’ll have our help. I can assure you. But, again, I don’t think you understand the seriousness of this. We can’t simply act on a whim.”

Lipmon spoke quietly, “Well, I don’t think you understand how important Tann was to us, to all those who are now gone, and to me. And I’m the only one left, so I have to stand up for all the dead. That’s all that’s left for me.”

“My friend, you’re going to help us understand. As soon as you’re well, I’m going to bring you with me to meet a number of important individuals, and you’ll tell them all about Tann and the massacre. Do you think you want to do that?”

“Yes,” Lipmon said without hesitation.

“Then call on me as soon as you’re ready to travel,” Roderick said.

“Now,” Limpmon said, weakly attempting to push himself up out of bed.

“No, no, no,” Maya leapt forward and objected at this point, restraining Lipmon, “Give him until tomorrow. I know he’s eager, but he has a lot more determination than strength. We’ll call on you tomorrow.”

<-- Go to Part 46         Go to Part 48 -->

You can see what's been written so far collected here.

“You heard Tann whisper all these things to you?” Roderick asked Lipmon.

“No, not exactly,” Lipmon replied, “He could speak directly into my mind, never really talked to me directly ‘cause of his weak voice. But Elden was the one who could really get him to talk. The boy told us how to reform our ceremonies, what gifts to give to the gods and when to expect rain and snow and how tall the crops would grow. He always knew.”

“But he didn’t tell you soldiers were coming?” Roderick asked.

“Well… If he told Elden, then Elden didn’t tell us. I don’t know why he wouldn’t, since Elden died with them. They killed all of them and then torched the houses, and left the bodies to burn inside. Even ate some of the feast we’d had prepared as penance to the gods. They were absolutely blasphemous men … and the woman.”

“Your story is most enlightening, Lipmon,” Roderick noted, “But I would like to know a bit more about these soldiers. Did they bear any insignias or carry a banner?” Lipmon shook his head. “Did you get a good look at any of the soldiers?”

“One of them,” Lipmon replied, “He pretended he was blind. Then he took Tann and was the first to attack. He gave me this scar. He was a large man, fair-skinned, light haired.”

“Which direction did they head when they left? That might give a hint as to the location where they reside. Was it sunriseward? sunsetward?”

“Summerward,” Lipmon said.

“Towards the territory of the Aresan Clan and the Omnia?” Roderick asked, “Are you sure they weren’t scraps? itinerant tribes, that is?”

“I’m sure they weren’t” Lipmon replied, “As I said, we’ve encountered them before. They sometimes trade with us. I mean, I don’t know anything about all the great nations out there. We don’t get much contact with anyone else out there in Still Creek. I just know the soldiers we encountered were something evil.”

“Thank you for your information,” Roderick said, rising from his chair, ready to leave, “You’ve been immensely helpful.”

“You’ve got to bring that boy back to us. You’ve got to send men to go and take him back. They’ve kidnapped him.” Lipmon was now pleading, with tears in his eyes, “He’s valuable to us, but he’d be valuable to all of you. He’s a precious jewel, a treasure. I crossed the mountains all this way to find someone to tell, in order to go get that boy back. My life is important, but for Tann, I’d do anything.”

“What you have described is an act of war. They have tried to cover it up. I think you’ll be pleased to know that there are many within the Fourth Order who would be very interested in your story. And very interested in acting in retaliation. Though I don’t think you understand the gravity of stealing Tann back. The Omnia and the Aresan Clan are a very large and powerful coalition. This is a very serious endeavor,” Roderick said, approaching Lipmon and leaning over him.

“I don’t know nothing about the people who took him. If you can’t do it, I’ll do it on my own. I’ll kidnap him back myself. Just point me the way. Tann’ll help me find him, too.”

Roderick laughed at this, saying, “I like your enthusiasm. But that won’t be necessary. You’ll have our help. I can assure you. But, again, I don’t think you understand the seriousness of this. We can’t simply act on a whim.”

Lipmon spoke quietly, “Well, I don’t think you understand how important Tann was to us, to all those who are now gone, and to me. And I’m the only one left, so I have to stand up for all the dead. That’s all that’s left for me.”

“My friend, you’re going to help us understand. As soon as you’re well, I’m going to bring you with me to meet a number of important individuals, and you’ll tell them all about Tann and the massacre. Do you think you want to do that?”

“Yes,” Lipmon said without hesitation.

“Then call on me as soon as you’re ready to travel,” Roderick said.

“Now,” Limpmon said, weakly attempting to push himself up out of bed.

“No, no, no,” Maya leapt forward and objected at this point, restraining Lipmon, “Give him until tomorrow. I know he’s eager, but he has a lot more determination than strength. We’ll call on you tomorrow.”

<-- Go to Part 46         Go to Part 48 -->

You can see what's been written so far collected here.

Aresan Clan pt 47