2018.12.21: Ildar's Challenge for Fostern
| Ildar's Challenge for Fostern | |
|---|---|
| Ildar challenged Aleksandr for his Rank of Fostern and Aleksandr sent him into the Dream to test him. | |
| IC Date | Friday, December 21 |
| Players | Aleksandr ST, Ildar |
| Location | Aleksandr's Cabin, The Dream |
| Spheres | Garou Gaian |
When Ildar arrives for his challenge, as Aleksandr instructed him to be here, the Theurge is out in a small garden outside the cabin, picking some herbs. He’s very careful about picking them, and anyone close enough could swear he’s talking to them. He packs up a couple into the palm of his hand and begins rising, heading back to the front of the small cabin to go back inside.
Ildar approaches when instructed, looking around curiously as is pretty normal for him when going anywhere. Spotting Alek, he would aproach and bow formally to him. "Light-the-Darkness-Rhya. I am here for my challenge as directed."
Aleksandr looks back toward Ildar, though there is a sense he knew he was there long before he approached. He bows his head. “Good, follow me Honour’s Keeper.” He opens the door to the cabin, there is not a lot of physical and visible protection to the cabin. It’s very simple. In the middle of the floor is a large rug made of furs laid out. “I will be taking you on your challenge, but I will not be giving it to you.” Because a riddle in the morning is always helpful. Maybe it’s part of the test. He motions to the fur rug. “Sit.” He moves over to the wood stove and starts it up with what appears to be magical fire. No instrument is used. Once it is stoked a little, he starts to add the herb in, it starts to become quite smoky, like a steam room, and the smell is sweet. “You are ready?”
Ildar nods to Aleks and follows along behind him. Going into the house, he looks about thoughtfully, then studies Alek for a moment. At the request, he nods and sits down where directed, sitting cross-legged calmly. His look is steady at Alek with a nod. "I am ready, Lights-the-Darkness-Rhya."
“Good.” Aleksandr comes back to sit across from Ildar, cross-legged. “I will see you to the dream, and take you to where you need to be, after that, your challenge is your own. So you will need to be ready. I am not precisely sure what you will face.” The smoke begins to billow out of the wood stove, whatever he put in there is filling the cabin quickly. It stings the nostrils a little and soon the cabin will be utterly full. “It is an awakened herb. It will induce sleep, even in us. Breath it in, and you will begin.” The Theurge himself doesn’t take a deep breath, but then again, this isn’t a challenge for him. “Luna guide you, Honour’s Keeper. When I see you again, I hope you have earned your place.”
Ildar looks at the smoke as it swells, then to Alek. A solemn nod is given and he'd close his eyes, both to ward off the sting and center himself as he'd force that quiet but deeper inhale, embracing the smoke and the effect it has on him, giving over to where it might bring him.
As it is with any awakened herb and the Garou, it doesn’t take long to take effect. It smells sweet, and it tickles the nostrils a little, but Ildar’s eyes start to feel heavy. It’s difficult to fight, but certainly one can for a while. Then eventually, this world starts to fade, and the last thing Ildar sees is Aleksandr rising from his seat with a bowed head. There is no more physical world, no anything, just darkness.
It feels like forever before his eyes open, but he is not back in Aleksandr’s cabin, instead he is at the edge of a grove. The grove clears into an open and bright sky. It is a nice day, though this does not seem to be California. It’s too cold, despite how lovely the day is. The only thing visible is that the clearing ends at what seems to be a cliff face, and a blonde haired man, whose hair is slowly turning white stands at the edge of the cliff, looking down into the valley below. Arms crossed, he watches.
Ildar drifts.. and then there is black.. When he's aware again, he does as normal, that sharp looka round to get a sense of where. What. At spotting the one man, he studies him for a moment thoughtfully, then nods. Steps, as they were, would carry him over to stand next to the man, looking out at the valley below. "Hello." Is offered at the least.
Below the man is watching an empty valley. It feels serene. He speaks Russian, but never so much as looks up at Ildar. “The lost cub returns. Falcon has found you, and now you rise. It is good to see you, boy.” When he turns to examine Ildar, there’s something wholeheartedly familiar enough him. Ildar has never seen his face, yet he knows him, somehow. He has features incredibly similar to Ildar, blonde hair, that’s greying and blue eyes. He smells of Silver Fang, too. His face has several scars, as do his arms where they are exposed. This man has seen many, many battles. His examination finished, he goes back to watching the empty valley. “Your coming was foretold and here you are. Tell me, Honour’s Keeper, why are you here? Do you know?”
Ildar looks over at the man as he talks, easily flowing into russian as well, the childhood language forgotten and refound for him. "I have been found by Falcon and returned to the Nation. I'm glad for this too and seek to always show my gratitude in my actions and thoughts." While the man studies Ildar, he studies the man in turn thoughtfully, finally looking back out across the valley as well. "i am here seeking my Challenge. I am here to show my worth to be called Fostern by the spirits and nation. I am as ready as I can be, I feel, for taking this next step forward in my service to Falcon."
“Is that all?” The older man chuckles a little, amused by the answer. “Rank is not everything, Ildar.” He becomes far less formal as he sighs. “Choices though, they are. What choices you make affect far more things than you know, so weigh them carefully. This is what it is to be a leader, to take people’s lives into your hands, and for them to place theirs in yours.” Behind the two men, the scuffle of footsteps come, and two fresh faced men and one woman, stand there. As if they simply appeared from nowhere. Off to the side, they stand there waiting, silently.
The old man turns to look at them, and then back to Ildar nodding. “We shall see, boy, we shall see.” He motions to the three others. “You will take these three cubs and you will investigate a danger the spirits have reported to me in the forest. You will deal with the threat as you see fit and return to me, if you survive. If you do not, then Gaia has spoken of your worth.” His voice becomes hard. “You are no longer a cub, and you lean on the precipice of no longer being a Cliath. Your responsibility increases and the road from here is only more difficult. Your choices will stand to tell your story. Good luck, my boy.”
Ildar smiles sheepishly and shrugs. "Is it enough. I guess is the question.." Looking behind them as the others show up, he turns to face them, studying them thoughtfully. A glance to the older man and he nods solemnly. "I understand." Looking back to the cubs again, he'd finally nod to them. "Before we go, may I have your name and auspice please? So we can work together as best as able?"
The old man nods and turns to the three cubs. “From here on out cubs, your lives are in the Cliath’s hands. Your success and failure are up to him. So listen and follow.” With that he goes back to watching the valley. The cubs nod a little nervously, except on, clearly sure of himself.
That one, the sure one, turns to Ildar. “I am Pietr Volskoy, born under the full moon and bred by the Silver Fangs.” The second guy nods. “Boris Volskoy, Ragabash cub of the Silver Fangs. And brother to Pietr, unfortuantely.” They look like twins under examination, to be truthful, but not possible considering their moons. And Boris playfully elbows Pietr, who pushes him back, causing a small stumble. The girl is very quiet, even her voice is soft. “Nadya Petrov, Honour’s Keeper-rhya, Theurge born to the Silver Fangs.” And then all three of them fall silent, though Pietr looks ready to go.
Ildar nods to them each in turn. "I am Ildar Solokov, Rite name Honor's Keeper, Ahroun Cliath and also of the Silver Fangs. Pietr, I wish for you to take rear guard to protect Nadya and Boris. An ahroun's job is protection of the pack, so I hope that you can serve well in that position." He nods a little to Pietr, then looks between Boris and Nadya. "If you see something, speak up. What I know is there's plenty I don't know. The pack lives and dies together. So please make sure you don't hesitate. Lets switch to lupus and we'll head out. Understood?"
In unison, they all nods together. Boris then smacks a fist into his hand and punches his brother in the arm. “Let’s go.” He cracks his neck once and is already shifting into lupus. “Can’t wait to hand someone their ass.” He does take up the rear. Boris sighs and shift also, following his brother and falling into line. “Understood.” One simple word before the shift is complete. The Theruge smiles a little meekly and nods her acquiescence. She shifts, and now they all wait, looking to Ildar to lead.
Ildar smiles a little to Pietr and Boris, nodding and hen dips his head in a nod to Nadya. When they're set, he shifts as well, shaking it off when done and then starts off for the forest he was told the trouble is at. <<Stay alert. We want to show Gaia our worth and this is how it's done.>>
The pack starts out and while they have no real direction to go and the old man is gone, somehow Ildar simply knows the way. In fact, it feels as the wolves move as in the landscape subtly changes around them, as if it’s the land moving and not the wolves themselves. Shaping itself to your path until you come to the edge of a forest that borders on a clearing. The hairs on the back of Ildar’s neck stand up, there is no doubt there is danger here. Something is off, it feels wrong.
Six robed figures seem to be performing a ritual in this clearing around a fire. They are akin to a werewolf rituals, even the runes seem familiar, but they are undoubtedly tainted. Pietr’s wolf growls at the back, lowly, snapping to attack. The other two look to Ildar, waiting on his orders eagerly and nervously. The figures are too distracted with their ritual to have spotted you, and there’s no visible sign of what they are doing, but there’s a dread in the air, that can’t be good. Like dark emotions permeate the air, threaten to suffocate. It’s unnatural and oppressive.
Ildar slows as that sense starts to tingle. The others feel it as well, the sense of dread from the six ahead of them. Studying it, then the surroundings, Ildar moves to the side, glancing back at the others with a low huff. <<Quiet. Focus. We're out numbered. But we have surprise. We must end that and end them. I want you three to set up here. Crinos, but quietly. I'll draw them this way. Ambush. Kill. Understood?>>
Pietr growls and scoffs at the command. “Attack. Kill. These are weak. They will not stand against us.” The wolf chuffs and Boris shakes his maw a little. “Due respect, Honour’s Keeper-rhya. I could draw some away, divide and conquer.” They are wolves and yet these thoughts appear in Ildar’s head, they do not come with a voice, or from the wolf itself, but you are assured of where they originate. The meek voice of the Theurge follow. “Perhaps we should retreat. There are too many. Come back with greater force.” They all at once, offer their own ideas in challenge to Ildar’s.
Ildar turns on Pietr, a low growl given as he glares at him. <> Ildar glances to Nadya. <<That would let them harm the Spirits. We can not allow this.>> He looks to Boris then. <<That is the idea. But as I am stronger, I will draw them to you. Separate, we fail. We work as a pack. Remember the litany. Do not challenge the leader in times of war.>> He eyes all three of them. <<So you are not challenging, right?>>
All three bow their heads as Ildar growls at them, giving way to the Cliath. “As you say.” They all oddly say the same thing in unison. The watch now, nervously, and wait for Ildar to move, for his commands, their opposition quelled easily.
Ildar studies them a second. Then turns to look at the ritual. <<Set up ambush here. I will bring them.>> With that, he bounds to the north of the clearing, circling a moment and after giving a pause for enough time to let the cubs be as ready as they'll be, he launches into the clearing! His aim is that fast assault on the robed one nearest to him, a take down from surprise before bounding off the body to head into the woods to the side, trying to lead the others towards that ambush!
The wolf is never seen until it tackles the body, the ritual takes too much time. The leader, the one farthest form the group growls at it being interrupted. “I will finish this, go, do your job.” The other five, including the one on the ground rise and turn, all starting to shift into massive, twisted shapes of Crinos, Spirals. All but the one, who starts to concentrate on something. The Crinos charge, the Cubs change and ready, they are unseen and attack, but one by one they fall to the onslaught of the stronger opponent. As the battle rages on, only Ildar remains, having taken done one, then two of the BSDs. But even Ildar struggles to maintain his ground and it looks bleak under their assault, until just as it seems like it will end, it does. Fire rains down from above scorching Ildar’s fur, melting him, causing immense pain as life seeps away. The last thought is the pain, so much pain from that death and then blackness.
Death. And then his eyes open and he is standing on the cliffside beside the old man again, where he was before. “Not so easy leading, is it?” He doesn’t look back again. “Did not even query your companions? Because they were cubs? Because you were so sure you were right? Curious?” He does not seem angry, maybe disappointed, but not angry. Arms folder over his chest. “You will not always be right, Honour’s Keeper, do not be so assured, even in war there is time for council.
Ildar fights.. bug.. numbers and power does indeed take him down.... until a gasp of air has him open his eyes, almost stumbling at the spot he stands. A small shudder from the fresh memory and he looks to the other man, a sigh given with a shake of his head. "I tried to protect them.. and I tried to protect Gaia.. I didn't let them do their parts though.. I tried to do it all." He frowns, looking down a moment, then shakes his head slowly and looks to the man. "I was arrogant, in my own way. Dismissing what was said..."
The man nods his head to the Cliath’s words. “A leader’s job is not to protect, we are all Warriors of Gaia. A leader’s job is to seek the best outcome and to lead them towards that. To see them through safely with good leadership.” He turns to Ildar and examines him. “You were arrogant. Pride, it is the downfall of every leader eventually. It is the downfall of all of us, eventually. Even a cub might have wisdom, given time. But remember, their lives are in your hands, just as yours is in theirs. You said it yourself. You are a pack, and a pack listens to one another.“ He looks back, the three cubs stand there again, exactly in the same spot as they first appeared. “Do you wish to try again?"
Ildar nods solemnly, listening. He bows his head, then glances over as the Cubs return. He'd bow his head to them as well, then looks to the man and nods firmly. "I do. I am thankful for your words and I will seek to be better." He turns to face the cubs fully then. "Alright.. shall we do, same as before?"
And just as before the cubs greet Ildar, say there names, just exactly as before, there is no deviation, no difference, like a movie having been rewound and started again. And then they are in wolf form, as is Ildar and the picture plays on, until once more they are at the edge of the clearing with the six robed figures there. Again, Pietr growls and looks eager and wants to charge them, again Boris offers the same advice to lead them off and split them, and again Nadya offers retreat. A second chance.
Ildar plays through his part, coming to that point. Looking between them, he focuses on Nadya first. <<Nadya, would you be able to get us back up and bring them here? We can seek to make sure what they do doesn't complete.>> He looks to Boris then with a small dip of his head. <>
Pietr is with whatever idea sees him action and he bows his wolf head. Boris is nervous, despite having given the idea, he’s unsure of himself, as cubs often are, but he nods all the same. <> Again the wolf voice appears in Ildar’s mind more that it seems spoken. Nadya also bows. <> With this, she turns to head back the way they came and disappears long before she is out of sight, into a seeming wisp of smoke. The two remaining agree and wait for Ildar’s orders then.
Ildar watches her go and nods a little. His attention turns to Boris and he'd shift to bump him lightly, shoulder to shoulder. <> He looks to Pieter and huffs lightly. <<Go, get ready.. Boris draws them out, we stall the others. Don't engage too hard. We have back up coming.>> Ildar for his part would watch for the other two to go prepare and shift to Crinos himself. If that bow of his was able to be accessed, it'd be there with him, notched and ready. Time to work with the group, not try to be the group.
Boris stays in Lupus, for speed and stealth, it’s s smart choice for the cub. Wise. He then, at the signal darts out into the open and howls at the edge of the clearing and then darts away. As if summoning a war party, or going to fetch one. As intended, the ritual pauses, and the same person gives orders. He points. “You two, make sure that wolf does not warn anyone. You three, stand guard, he Amy have given the location. I will finish the ritual.” Two of them shift into dark black wolves and chase after Boris’s form, they seem faster, but perhaps the cub has the cunning needed.
The three remaining shift up to Crinos and turns to stand guard over the human figure. They wait, they seem in no hurry, as if finishing the ritual is the only concern.
Pietr growls. <<We must stop them.>> He doesn’t wait, he starts to move to flank as Ildar readies his bow.
Ildar watches, listening and nods in satisfaction at Boris' wisdom and draw. he got some of them away.. but the ritual doesn't end. <<Go.>> Ildar would let Pietr know and then draws those arrows. The archer in Crinos form is a deadly shot and the one doing the ritual? Made himself an easy target. It's amazing how annoying it is to try to chant when you have an arrow in the throat and Ildar is more than ready and capable of planting one in the human's throat and when the other dark crinos look his way? They'd get arrows to the eyes. Can't fight well if you can't see!
This fight is much more manageable, and when the first Crinos drops as it charges Ildar, arrows littering his corpse. The arrows at the human though, do not connect, something stops them, some unseen , magical force, and the man rises, looking at Ildar with deathly intent. He may have woke a sleeping dragon, but at least, the ritual is paused. He produces something from his pocket and starts to move his lips silently. A second drops under the barrage of arrows, but not before Pietr falls into a pool of his own blood. Valiantly, but he dies. The last Crinos is already closing on Ildar as the human raises his hand, you can feel the shimmer of magic in the air. And then nothing. The mage falls, his head taken from his shoulders by the old man from the cliff, now in Crinos. Scars litter his entire form from thousands of battles, too many to name. One swift attack, as Nadya nips at the heels of the other closing on Ildar. Soon, the battle is won.
There is no sign of Boris though, and what returns instead, though far too late, are the two BSDS, bloody maws and claws, with Boris’s dead form in their teeth, they each spit half of him out on the ground and look terrified. They move to run. It is their turn to retreat.
Ildar is steady in his retreat, even as he's deadly with the bow. Cubs against full Dancers are.. well.. hard put. He hates that he's killed not just one, but both of the brothers but they stopped the ritual and both fought valiantly. Ildar nods his thanks to the older Crinos and when the two turn to run, he growls low in his throat. That bow is used again, and the Spirals would get to find out why people quit adventuring when they take an arrow to the knee, as Ildar would kneecap both of their right legs. That done, he'd take off after them himself, to bring them down and make sure to kill them with his own claws. Once done? Ildar returns to that clearing, head bowed as he'd stand before the older Crinos, silent and waiting.
The fight is joined, and even as Ildar fires that bow, the older Crinos is far too fast and powerful for these foes. They go down and they go down easily. Ildar has no need to return to the grove, the clearing and the cliff. As the last Crinos falls, the surroundings shimmer and he finds himself there again.
This time, the old man is sitting with his legs dangling over the edge of the cliff, waiting. Like none of what just happened, happened. He pats the ground beside him, invites Ildar to sit. “What did we learn? The second lesson here is that all leaders should reflect upon what they have learned from each battle. So what have we learned?” The cubs are gone, as if they never were.
Ildar blinks, glancing about a moment at that shift. At the offer, he nods and walks over to sit down. A soft sigh is given as he'd stare at the valley. "Sometimes, it doesn't matter what is done.. there may be a loss. Cubs are not strong enough to take on Spirals.. which is why such a thing happening would not really be normal." He frowns a moment, then glances to the old man. "I feel I was still wrong. I feel I could of done something.. to at least safe one of them. I don't feel that I should let the ritual complete. I feel that is wrong as well.."
The older Garou smiles, and the valley bellows shifts, showing a flowing river, wild and dangerous, but clean and beautiful. As if here, nothing is permanent, nothing is concrete. “Those are wise words, Ildar.” He seems about to say something else, but he turns to the Cliath and raises a brow. “You feel you could have done better? Do you wish to try again?” The more and more Ildar is around him, the more he must realize this man is one of his ancestors, not one he might be familiar with, but one.
Ildar tilts his head to the side slightly, thinking about it. Finally, he frowns a little and shakes his head. "Maybe.. not. Any scenario I play out in my head is going to have problems. Pietr will charge.. and that means he dies.. And the fight against the.. whatever he is.. takes too long for me to help Boris.. The help is needed.. But there's never a guarantee of it coming.." Ildar stares at the water for a long moment. "I've lost so many.. I.. just hate to lose more. Even if they are spirits playing a part to test me." He's picked up on the fact he's talking to someone that looks familiar. Maybe even someone he's seen in his childhood. But he doesn't know who they are and doesn't ask. Just is thoughtful as they talk about it.
Whatever the answer Ildar is expecting, the one that comes is, “Good.” He smiles and seems happy with what Ildar says. “You will lose more, this is inevitable and something you must accept. Everybody dies, and as a leader their death weighs on you. You must find a way to deal with this. People will die because of you, people will die following you, and all we can do is evaluate and move on. We do not get second chances. We do not get to try again.” He chuckles a little. “What he was is of little difference. It is of little matter. This is the dream, Ildar, it is meant to teach, to show, sometime to relive, though is very dangerous.” He waves away the idea of the man they fought as unimportant. “Death is apart of our life. These are the first of the deaths you will face when people follow you, but they are not the last. You become better for it, or you do not. This is your choice.” He puts a hand on Ildar’s shoulder gently. “So I will ask once more, what have you learned?”
Ildar looks to the man curiously, then ndos solemnly, listening to him. Musing over his words, he takes a moment to answer, before finally doing so. "The only way to become a better leader is to survive and learn from your mistakes. They will happen an I will suffer for it.. But I have to make the choice. Learn, be better because of it. Or get crushed under that failure."
“Close enough.” The old man chuckles again and rises. Pushing himself to his feet. “But yes, a leader always suffers for the losses, this is their burden. One a good leader gladly accepts because he takes the burden from the others. He shoulders those deaths, those mistakes. They will happen.” He motions for Ildar to stand also, then heads over to the middle of the clearing. There’s a fire there now. “No matter how good your plan is, no matter how perfect everything is, it will happen. Death, she stalks us like a Mother wolf, wanting to take is back into her bosom.” The fire ignites. He picks up a hot poker and pushes it into the red hot ashes.
Ildar smiles a little at the chuckle and nods. He'd climb to his feet himself, dusting off his rear as he walks over with the older man. "That.. is true. These aren't the streets where a bad fight is just the cops.. This is life.. and death. Serious to work on.. and serious to be dealt with. But something that has to be done either way."
The old Garou knows something of what he speaks, judging by the scars he has, death ahs tried to claim him many times, and likely has by now. This is the dream, after all. The man pulls out the poker, and on the end of it is a glowing red brand. A rune. It’s hard to recognize. He motions Ildar closer. “Give me your arm.” Then he nods, waiting. “Even more so, for us, for Gaia’s Warriors. What hangs in the balance now is more than simple life or death. When things are weighed with this scale, the perspective becomes easier. Learn, listen to others wisdom, there is must to be had, trust yourself, but not to the point of pride or arrogance, or worse, hubris. And accept that death is a part of life. That is will happen. Take away these lessons, my boy.”
Ildar nods solemnly as he'd watch and listen. At being told to offer his arm, he nods and steps closer, baring his arm for the man to have access to it. "Like the cubs.. I felt it was.. off.. the first time. When they agreed all in unison.. It wasn't.. right. I should of listened.. and I will seek to do so more from now on..."
“It is your dream, Ildar, and the dream often tells you what you need to hear, but it is not always obvious. Wrapped in riddle.” The Elder Ahroun nods and smiles again. The rune becomes more visible, still red hot. It is that that marks the Fostern. “Present yourself. Who are you?”
"Letting me fail.. to show me how to succeed." Ildar nods solemnly. He'd study the brand a moment, then looks to the man with a nod. "I am Ildar Solokov, Grandfather was known as Fights-the-Dark, Great great grandfather was Fangs-of-Justice. Great great great Grandmother was Luna's Claws. Rite name Honor's Keeper, Ahroun Silver Fang born on two legs and member of the Sept of Enduring Spirit. I am claiming my place as Fostern in the Nation of Garou, serving Gaia."
There is no hesitation. “And so you are marked.” The red hot brand strike out from the Elder Garou’s hand and deep into the flesh of Ildar’s bicep. The smell of the burning flesh is sickening in itself, but it pales to the intense, unbearable pain of the brand. What one might imagine such a brand feels like, it could not present this much pain. Like it is searing past the flesh to the spirit. The pain only intensifies, buckles your knees, makes your vision blurry. Eventually it is too intense for the mind to process and your are in blackness again.
When Ildar’s eyes open again, he is on the floor in Aleksandr’s cabin on the fur rug, laying prostrate. His head feels groggy. It takes a moment to both gain his wits and his bearing. As if he never moved, Aleksandr sits there, crossed legged, eyes closed, silent and waiting. The intense burning on Ildar’s arm can still be felt, but it seems to be simmering and cooling., as if the dream followed him here.
Ildar grits his teeth, bearing it as long as he can. He even has the gift to lessen Fire's bite on him.. but this is something more, something beyond. Eventually, he passes out from the pain, although he never cries out. Stubborn as he is, there is that.
The fur is what gets him first, then a wince and a hiss of pain as he'd try to move his arm. A slight groan given as he blinks his eyes and slowly sits up. One hand reflexively goes to cover the brand as Ildar looks about groggedly. "Aleksandr.. You.. you got some water..?"
And yet, when he touches his arm, there’s nothing there. There is no brand, only the sensation of burning, but his skin has not been marked, not here, anyway. No sign of the brand, save for the lingering pain, and the slight smell of burnt flesh still in his nostrils.
Aleksandr’s eyes open and he bows his head. “You have returned. Yes.” He rises in one smooth motion and fetches a water skin nearby. The cleanest water one could possibly drink and somehow, impossibly cool despite sitting in here. The smoke has cleared. He hands Ildar the water skin. “It went well?”
Ildar looks at his arm in curiousity, then relaxes a little, shaking off the memory of the lingering pain. Looking up at Alek, he takes the water and drinks it readily, then nods, grinning at Alek. "Lights-the-Darkness-Rhya.. Thank you for your assistance in this. I have been tested.. and I have been found worthy to be called Fostern."
Aleksandr bows his head. “Then I suppose you are using –rhya in error.” He nods then, it’s not exactly a correction, but a musing. He motions to the air around him. “And yes, I know because the spirits know. You have been marked.” He moves to his crouch instead of sitting again, facing the new Fostern. “You have earned it. I am honoured to both assist and be called upon for this honour, so thank you.” There’s a pause, as if he has forgotten something, some social grace he probably should remember, but rarely does. Then it dawns on him. “Congratulations.”
