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Forbidden Temple of the Great Falls

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She flinches at the mention of the incident, it begins to flood back to her, the air hurt, that's all she could remember, it hurt so much...

the trio continued walking, until the young girl spotted something strange, a mass of feathers and fur twitching on the ground some way away.

The small girl squeaked and moved behind the blind monk, pulling his habit up to her with both hands and hiding her face

"M-Mister Zato, w-what's that?"
 
"What's what?" Zato asked, and moved forward. He prodded something soft with his cane, and knelt down.
His hand ran over the lion fur, the over feathers, then found a beak.
"What.... what is this?" he asked, confused at the large, bi-furred creature.
 
Al is startled by the arrival of Zato and company, but more so by the little pure one he has had but fleeting glimpses of. It is already too late. She has seen the beast. "Now Mary, don't be frightened..." Shooting a worried glance to Morr, Al silently begs him to help. "It is okay, child. Kind of. This creature, er, man, has said that he means us no harm." Oh dear beesiah this is awkward. "It calls itself Swiftbeak." He finishes lamely.
 
The small girl departed Zato's back when he moved closer to the creature, now choosing to hide behind the large knight.
 
Looking at Zato... feeling the creature to bridge over his blind eyes.... in his youth, Morr would have found this funny to look at.

"This, brother Zato, is the creature that caused the commotion earlier in the courtyard. It may sound strange, but it, or rather he, is a victim of the vile influence of a demonic artifact, which he risked his life to bring here even in his twisted form. He has the hind-legs of a lion, front-legs, beak and wings of an eagle."
 
In its fitful state, the jab of the cane alone was enough to rouse the beast; its eyes snapped open, the pupils narrowing, and its talons ripped into the ground in a startled death-grip. Worryingly, the gryphon's body jumped in place, as if it had barely stopped itself from attacking the source of its disturbance.

It slowly lifted its head, the immense beak shifting beneath the blind monk's curious hand. A curious, low note lilted out of it as Swiftbeak tilted its head to the side, awaiting Al's explanation; he let his appointed guardian finish speaking before adding:

"Brother Al speaks true. I-" It paused, its attention shifting further afield as it caught sight of something aside from Zato's form.

"...Is that a child? Here?" It sounded utterly incredulous.
 
Hand on the elongated grip of his sword, Morr stood ready to defend both the blind monk and the child. While the purpose indeed demanded and allowed for the cursed creature to be given a chance to prove that no ill intention controlled its- his life, there was always the possibility that his form would subtly try to reach the mind, and even one swipe from those claws would be able to tear through chainmail.
 
"Beesiah preserve us before both of you get us killed."

Alyssa's tone was clearly irritated as she wandered into the room, clad entirely in her suit of armor. The metal was worn but cared for, cleaned but it lacked the reflective shine of polish. Alyssa stayed practical with the care to her equipment, not ostentatious. The facial visor was raised up so she could give them the courtesy of looking them in the eye. Her box had been stored away into another room to remain guarded until it could be dealt with, now it was replaced with a long package wrapped with cloth that had been embroidered with designs of bees.

"First of all, we need to keep the test subject restrained, preferably give them their last rights and I'd personally feel safer with a couple more hands in case things get out of hand."

She pointed at Arngeirr.

"I understand where you're coming from on wishing to undertake this yourself. Think for a moment though if something were to happen. If this sash corrupts you somehow, I sincerely doubt myself and Korsarro would be able to stop you. Frankly dying isn't on my agenda for the day, so I'd be severely pissed if it happened. Your valor and duty as a gentleman is noted Arngeirr, but with this action you could very well jeopardize the lives of everyone who lives here. Including Mary, who you've sworn to protect."

The next conclusion would be who, she personally hated this stage and preferred to leave it to drawing straws.
 
"I... had not considered that." Arngeirr was cowed by the slight woman's words. He was still not used to being outside the Hugelands. In his home village, there were many men and women he knew could best him easily. He had yet to see the fighting skills of the Guard and monks of this monastery, and if he were honest with himself he doubted many of them would have enough skill to make up for the difference in shear physical capability. A Hugeman was a terrible sight to behold in battle; Arngeirr himself was not a soldier, and therefore carried no arms or armor, but he was still a warrior of justice. Even unarmed, he was large enough and strong enough to simply pick up an armored soldier and throw them, hurling them from ramparts or dashing them against walls.

But those last words. "Even Mary, who you've sworn to protect." Those stung the most. He was a stranger in this land and had taken it upon himself to make that vow in the face of danger. Given recent events, he knew the poor girl would need all the protection in the world, if only to survive the squabbles of her caretakers. If something awful were to happen, Arngeirr was than capable of causing untold destruction.

And if one were to ask Arngeirr, he would say that he had already stumbled in the line of duty.

"I say lass, you are correct. It was foolish of my not to think of that outcome myself." The giant bows graciously to the warrior and says, "I shall of course agree to any precautions my comrades suggest. This is, after all, no longer simply my journey. It is ours."
 
"Yes, Swiftbeak, It is a child. And I would ask that you not do anything even remotely untoward in her presence. She is precious to each and every person here. You would most certainly regret such a brash decision." Al tries to keep his voice restrained in front of the child. He doesn't want to alarm her.
 
"A griffin, eh?" Zato asked, and wandered back to Mary and Morr.
"Don't worry, Mary, it won't be much trouble, I'm sure."
 
She moves back behind Zato, pulling his habit in silence towards the bee-hives and away from the strange creature,

A 'Grief-un', was this another one of the relics she wasn't to touch, or even go near? none of them had even moved before, but now they were speaking?

She just wanted to get away from it before it moved again, it wasn't tied down and she didn't want it to hurt Mister Zato or Mister Morr.
 
The gryphon first tried to move a wing, momentarily forgetting they were tied; when nothing came to hide his face, he retreated further back benaeth the shade of the tent, enough to cast his chimeric form into shadow and hide him more from Mary's sight. He looked to the ground at his feet, so that the glow of reflected light in his eyes could not be seen. Hunched and hidden, it almost looked ashamed.

"I am sorry, child; I did not mean to frighten you. Had I known one so young was here, I would have remained elsewhere until nightfall..."

He held himself in a tense, uncomfortable silence, only speaking again when he had struggled to overcome the natural intimidation of his monstrous voice.

"Brother Al is doing a very good job of taking care of me." He tried to put on the happy, sing-song tone appropriate for talking to a child as delicate as Mary, but there was nothing that could be done to remove the rumble from his voice, leaving it sounding as frightening as before. His ears swivelled back; even he was repulsed by how poorly such cheerfulness took to his voice. It was like swallowing crushed gravel that had been sweetened with honey. Still, for her sake, he continued.

"I will not hurt you. I promise. I will stay away if I scare you."

To both his relief and chagrin, she was quick to move off. It was then he turned to Al, sounding much angrier:

"I had come here in part because if I lost myself to this taint, I would be at... small risk of harming the innocent. Did you not think to tell me there was a child here until now?"
 
He wakes with a sudden jolt. He could feel it... something was wrong and the bees where growing restless.

He had not slept nearly as long as his body needed, but such was the life of a monk. He pulled himself up out of bed, ignoring the painful plee's of his muscles. He grabbed a fresh honey coloured vestment, no doubt left by one of the smarter apprentices of the temple, and dressed himself quickly.

He made his way slowly out into the garden and his face filled with shock as he took in the sight before him. Some form of twisted creature lay in shadow, mere feet away from a terrified mary and his hives.


"...There had best be a good explanation for this."
 
"I confess that it was a slight mistake on my part. But if my Master was kind enough to let you stay here among us with full knowledge and wisdom of such things than I can do naught but oblige him. Besides, I assure that the moment you give in to the beast, I will be very efficient in subduing you quickly. And if you were to persist, I would not give a second thought to ending you." The monk seems to grow with his words. He meant very clearly what he said. There was not a thing on this goddess's green earth that could touch Mary while he lived. Certainly not when he was within sight of such horrid hypothetical things.
 
He made his way cautiously towards mary, keeping a watchful eye over the shadowed creature as he moved across the garden.

"Oh little one, it is so good to see you awake." Without thinking, he drops to one knee in front of her, and kisses her softly on the forehead, before quickly rising to his feet and standing by her side.
 
She tries to lead the 3 men inside, away from the creature, she needed to check on her friends, yes, it had been a while since she'd left them alone, she was worried about them...

she didn't want it to hurt anyone, and Mister Zato had already touched it, aren't allowed to touch the relics, yes, it would be best if she got him away from it before it hurt him.

That's what they did, if you touched them they hurt you, she'd learned that much about them growing up at the temple.
 
she stops for a moment, obviously having trouble getting the word out

"...Quacks..."

she tugged on his robe again, willing him to move away from the relic.
 
He claps his hands enthusiasticly. "A fine idea!"

He falls in line behind Brother Zato, eager to escort mary out of the gardens as quickly as possible. Buzziah knows she had been through enough already as it is, and right now the gardens where certainly no place for a child...

"Now where, pray tell are your quacks, little one?"
 
"The Kitchens" she responds,

she leads the men into the hallways and shuffles through to the kitchen.

"Quacks?" she asks.

a small peep can be heard from a corner cupboard, she moves though the room to kneel and look at the small family inside
 
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