Tales of the Exalted

Eida turned his focus inward, feeling for the words he felt they needed to hear.
"Even when you first found me, your bindings did not hold, and you could not take my weapon from me. What you have now is what I gave then: I am adviser and aid to the Nahuatl Warlord Awilix. I cannot give you any more comfort than that. My word has always been in question with the people. It was the Khal who listened, and the respect he granted me has been honored."

"Hey, hey!" a shudder went down her spine as Silver licked Ruby. "I get it, you're happy but was that necessary? It's so...prickly. Even as she complained, she welcomed the embrace. She was happy to be alive right now too.

After listening to what was happening, Ruby let go of Silver. "He's joking, yea? That last one was ready to pull a knife on her, and that was with us armed. No way they get my toys."

Donovan was a ghoulish picture covered in red, hardly a portion of him clean from the lifeblood of enough enemies he had lost count. He voice was measured and calm though.
My Lord. Take away our weapons, or horses, our armor, and our dignity and we are still a threat to everyone around us with little reason to be otherwise. Every man woman and child will look and stare in wonder and horror and exclaim “Who and what are they!?”
Let us retain our goods and dignity, even give us armies to command, and artifacts most keen and awful, but have our word of fealty, an no power in heaven or earth can make us a threat to you.
We have already given you our fealty. Would you retain it?

Callista sighed, the rapture she felt from being in the presence of the Unconquered Sun fading away as their reality was beginning to set in. She truly did not expect their task to be so easy as expecting all to accept their divine right immediately, not after centuries of the immaculate faith hanging heavy over their heads, no matter how far away its root was.

”I only mean that here, on this battlefield that should you try and strike us down it will be a mistake.” Her face softened back into the familiar gentleness of the princess they all knew. ”I believe you already know disarming them would be fruitless. Your bindings need only be the trust that we are all the same people you knew before the dawn broke. I am still the same girl that ran alongside you in the hallways of the palace and these are still your sworn advisors but if it would make you feel more at ease to treat us like common criminals or prisoners you may do so.” Callista stepped forward as if by example and held out her wrists as if she expected him to bind her right there. The look on her face was sorrowful but no longer challenging as she knew that a mutual agreement if not met would like end in more bloodshed and she wanted to avoid that at all costs.

The interchange between Eida and Awilix was not lost on her but despite her heart going out to him, she knew now was not the time to offer him comfort. Neither of them would appreciate such a public display of weakness, but there would be time enough in the future to help heal all wounds.

Jin-Sahn sighed.
"You ask me for trust when the largest faith in all of Creation deems you liars and corruptors. You ask me to trust Awilix and she has left you, betrayal written on her face as plain as day. You swear to be the very same people I placed my trust in before, but as I look upon Callista now I know she is different." he turned his back to them, his head hung low in defeat.
"I will give you my trust. I'd like to say it is because you earned it before, but truthfully.... You leave me no choice. I will not see any of these precious few survivors die. Not before my father judges the lot of you." and with that he set off to find Gaheris.

Jill loosened her bear hug a little as she stepped back a bit not changing out of her warform just yet in case Ruby needed her assistance. This was what Seneschals of the Sun Kings always spoke of but Jill wondered if any of those Lunars truly knew the glory that was their Lawgiver mates. Deep inside she felt a pull like she have never felt before, a sense of belonging but she tried her best to focus on what was going on.

”Awilix just runs from her destiny like a coward. My spirit was chosen just as hers was by Luna and I say without a doubt these are the Lawgivers returned. I don’t understand why you would put any sort of faith in a religion that would damn your own in a heartbeat if they inhibited their goals.” She really didn’t care about the Prince’s petty inhibitions. If he couldn’t see their glory he was a good. What she want to do was suggest Ruby and her leave, to go about their own business but now there was a greater tie to bind her there.

Mercy couldn’t stop kicking herself for failing in the battle, but to what she awoke to seemed more like a dream than reality. A radiant Callista had awoken her and she joined the all but ended battle, which ended quickly, and was replaced with a world more reality change more chaotic than any battle had ever been. The soldiers spoke in whispered tones, but fast and earnestly the tale was told of how the Gods had chosen their new incarnations.
She was surrounded by Gods. Gods she knew on a first name basis. She had revered the Princess Calista, she was teaching her, and now… was awe to give way to worship? Brother Donovan…no, Lord Donvovan she had served him for years but more intimately. He was good and true, but she had a hard time reconciling him having one to many cups of wine or farting in their camp tent and being a god. Would he fart anymore? She couldn’t believe she was thinking such a thing, what was wrong with her? The engineer and the adviser were Gods as well. She was dumfounded and did the only thing she could think of- she threw herself at their feet in prostrate worship.