[Mkguild] The Illusive Chain (4/?) My comments

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Tue Jul 25 03:52:47 UTC 2017

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Hello,

Here are my comments

Chris

********************

Withtheir commander occupied elsewhere, Balrog and Vic ventured towards thebarracks to store their supplies. Neither of them were prepared for the baths just yet, as they wished tofirst be certain that the subject of the vision did not require immediateattention. Once everything had found aplace, the two made their way to the barracks’ mess hall. Victor sat without question at one of theempty tables while Balrog went off alone. He returned after only a brief absence, bearing a large flagon in eitherhand.

“It’snot as good as the Mule, but what is?” he commented, giving his companion anencouraging smile. He placed bothvessels on the table, pushing one to Victor. The young man could easily smell that his patrol partner had brought himsome of the darkest liquor available.

Victor,head held in the palm of one hand, caught the sliding container and held itbriefly before him before pushing it back. “I really do appreciate the thought, Balrog, but I feel that I need mywits about me for the present,” he said, voice quiet and pensive.

Balrogsighed and took the returned flagon, sliding his already-empty ale to theside. “How are you holding up?” heasked, taking a gulp of the hard liquor. The boy had a point about the need for a clear head, but he would nothave to worry about that himself for three or four more pints.

Theboy shook his head slowly, taking his time before he answered. “To be honest, Balrog, I’m scared out of mymind,” he replied at last. His voice shookuncertainly as he looked at the man across the table.

Thedisguised lutin nodded in understanding. “I cannot say that I personally relate, but plague is a frighteningconcept in any context. At least we’resafe here for the moment.”

“Thatisn’t what frightens me,” Vic replied seriously. “What about my mother and father? My sister? They’re all in the Keep’s walls. Balrog, my sister is only three years old, if she catches the plague…”

>>>The biggest problem in a plague - is fear.

Balrogslapped the table with his open palm, stopping the boy’s speech and drawingmore than a few unamused glares from around the room. “Stop,” he ordered in a voice that permittedno question. “This is the Keep we’retalking about. Healer Coe and his assistantsare the most competent group of medics that I have ever encountered. If any place in the world might be capable ofdefeating the plague at all, it is the Keep.”

“Irealize that, but there has never been a nation that defeated the plague. It is not an enemy that you can fortifyagainst, nor one whose plans you can understand and thwart. It is a cold, merciless, pitilesskiller. The healers can be the best inthe world, and men will still die in a plague.”

Theolder man frowned, taking another draught give himself time to think. “It is true; plague is not a rationalenemy. That does not mean that dedicatedmen cannot control it if they make sufficient effort.” He tapped the table with one finger a fewtimes to draw Vic’s attention. “I cannotlie; the next few weeks will be dangerous, but panic is precisely the reactionthat we need to avoid. Panic would sendthe plague to the rest of the Midlands in the arms of men who believe that theyare saving their families. Panic allowsmen to run to the north, telling all our enemies that the Keep isweakened. Panic is as much the enemy asis the plague.”

Victornodded. He paused to take a slow, shakybreath before responding. “Iunderstand. Still, what if I could havebeen there? What if I could be therewith my family to help and comfort them?”

Balrogshook his head. “I hear that thequarantine has been in effect since early in the afternoon yesterday. Even if we had returned to the Keep asintended, we would simply have seen the flag ourselves, and we would have beenforced to take shelter somewhere else, even if perhaps not here. Our change of plans had no effect on whetheror not you are within the walls.”

Theyoung man conceded the point, but still was not satisfied. “Whether or not I could have made it, I stillwish that I could be there.”

“Asmuch as I hate to say it, you might have done more harm than good within thewalls,” Balrog noted. “You are neither ahealer nor a mage, so your role in aiding the Keep would have been negligibleat best. You would have been just onemore avenue that the plague could have used to get to your family at theworst. Also, knowing you, you probablywould have fought to stay on your feet for several hours after being affectedyourself. It would not have been worththe dangers.”

>>>Harsh but true

Victorfinally admitted that Balrog was right, but the concern on his face was stillclear to see. The older man gave asupportive smile.

“Don’tworry; give it a few days, a few weeks perhaps, and this will be just a passingmemory. You will be with your family,and the joy of reunion will be all the greater for the peril of the daysbetween.” He gave a self-satisfied smilebefore taking one last gulp to finish his tankard. “In the meantime, we may have need of your javelinsand your sword before we get to that far end. Our skills will undoubtedly be of use with the Keep’s usual patrolroutine disrupted.”

Vicnodded with a noticeable increase in confidence. “As long as they give me enough time to restbefore our next venture, I am certainly willing to provide such aservice.” He shifted in his chair to situp a little straighter. “In the end Isuppose you are correct; I am far better suited to this role than I would havebeen to any inside the Keep.”

Balrogsmiled. “There, that’s much closer tothe irrational degree of confidence I expect from you!”

Victormanaged to laugh briefly at that. “Ithink you meant that as a compliment, so thank you. I did learn from the best, after all.”

Balrogwaved his hand vaingloriously and dipped his head in a mock bow as though hehad been given some great recognition. “What better thing to do with my life than to pass my flaws on to thenext generation?” he asked. The youngman before him chuckled again, but his eyes quickly turned to the side as hismind ventured into the darker reaches of thought once more.

“Areyou certain that you wouldn’t like at least a pint of ale?” Balrog asked,trying to turn Victor’s attention back to the positive.

“Youmay drink mine, thank you,” the boy replied. Looking up, he continued, “Actually, it seems that we may both be neededas it is.”

Turningto follow Vic’s gaze, Balrog saw Nathan approaching their table quickly. The wolf waved a paw to beckon them, andBalrog was quick to make his way towards the black wolf.

“Ithink I may have discovered the subject of my vision,” their commanderannounced before either of them could ask how he had fared. “I have need of a mage. Balrog?”

Thedisguised lutin gave a nod, while Victor stepped forward. “Will my help be required?” he asked.

Nathanshook his head, though he did offer a smile. “I do not believe so, Victor. Feel free to take some time to relax. In the meanwhile, I’m certain those in your company would appreciate itif you could wash away the grime and stench of the last few days.” This last advice he gave with a wink, and Vicnodded his thanks as he made for his quarters. Balrog and Nathan watched him go for a few moments, and then the wolfturned and led the way through the halls without another comment.

“Idid not want to confront you in front of Victor, but you know I still don’tlike how much you depend on those visions of yours,” Balrog said as they wentalong.

“You’vesaid this much before, and I have constantly reminded you that it has only everproven useful,” the wolf replied. Hespoke in a friendly tone, but one that made it unmistakably clear that he wastired of hearing the same arguments from his mage.

Balrogshook his head, running a few steps to close the gap that the wolf was workingto open between them. “I would not havesuch a problem with following them if they were simply visions, devoid ofemotion or motives, but your reactions always indicate that such is not thecase. You looked devastated when I foundyou last night, as though your closest friend had died.”

“Indeed,my visions are almost entirely emotion,” the wolf admitted. “Rarely are they so much visions as they areforeign emotions expressing themselves to me from an unknown source.”

“Thatis why I have a problem with this,” Balrog insisted. “Emotions do not come from nothing. If there is emotion, then there isconsciousness behind it, and if there is consciousness then there aremotives. Anyone whose motives you followwithout question can control you, and whatever foreign entity is the source ofthose emotions can as easily be evil as it can be good. Think about it; what emotions did you feellast night?”

Thewolf stopped and turned to him, the gaze of his golden eyes stopping Balrogwhere he stood. He hesitated for amoment, but did give an answer. “Terror,” he stated at length. “Ifelt terror, and then uncertainty, and finally nothing.”

“Verypositive emotions, don’t you think?” Balrog asked with biting sarcasm.

“Negativeemotions do not indicate the presence of evil,” Nathan pointed out. He leaned closer to meet the shorter man’sgaze more effectively. “Besides, I thinkyou would be more than willing to go along if you knew for whose sake we arehere.”

Balroghesitated, but he decided that it could cause no harm to continue in thatvein. “Very well, who is it thatrequires my aid?”

“Theytell me that your friend Vincent Lois was brought here last night,” the wolfreplied, measuring his speech carefully. “Some spell has locked him into the form of a feral animal, and hiscompanions have not been able to remove the spell from him despite their bestefforts. Of course, if you are notinterested in going along with something you don’t understand, I suppose wecould simply leave him in a cage.”

Balrogeyed him carefully, seeking any sign of a bluff, but he saw none. “And have you wondered why it would have todo with him?” he asked calmly. Whilethis news was unexpected and did concern him, he was not the sort to allow anargument to go to his opponent. “You methim once, on a tourney field, and your only interaction with him left him sobadly bruised that he had to see a healer. Why would your visions concern you with his fate?”

Thewolf straightened and shrugged to relieve the tension that had found its wayinto the muscles of his neck. “I am notcertain, but they have come from men I don’t know at all previously. In the end, the ability is supernatural;almost by definition that liberates it from any subordination to human logic.”

Theshorter man crossed his arms, but he said nothing. While he did wish to continue his questioning,his concern for his friend was finally winning out. “Very well,” he conceded at last. “Let us see what we can do to help him, atleast. We can continue this conversationlater.”

“Followalong, then.” Nathan turned and withthree quick steps was already around the corner before he spoke again. “We’re almost there.” Balrog sighed and followed. Although he did not look forward to the confrontation,he would have to revisit the subject of his commander’s visions at a latertime.
Withtheir commander occupied elsewhere, Balrog and Vic ventured towards thebarracks to store their supplies. Neither of them were prepared for the baths just yet, as they wished tofirst be certain that the subject of the vision did not require immediateattention. Once everything had found aplace, the two made their way to the barracks’ mess hall. Victor sat without question at one of theempty tables while Balrog went off alone. He returned after only a brief absence, bearing a large flagon in eitherhand.

Theboy shook his head slowly, taking his time before he answered. “To be honest, Balrog, I’m scared out of mymind,” he replied at last. His voiceshook uncertainly as he looked at the man across the table.

Thedisguised lutin nodded in understanding. “I cannot say that I personally relate, but plague is a frighteningconcept in any context. At least we’resafe here for the moment.”

Balrogslapped the table with his open palm, stopping the boy’s speech and drawingmore than a few unamused glares from around the room. “Stop,” he ordered in a voice that permittedno question. “This is the Keep we’retalking about. Healer Coe and hisassistants are the most competent group of medics that I have everencountered. If any place in the worldmight be capable of defeating the plague at all, it is the Keep.”

Theolder man frowned, taking another draught give himself time to think. “It is true; plague is not a rationalenemy. That does not mean that dedicatedmen cannot control it if they make sufficient effort.” He tapped the table with one finger a fewtimes to draw Vic’s attention. “I cannotlie; the next few weeks will be dangerous, but panic is precisely the reactionthat we need to avoid. Panic would sendthe plague to the rest of the Midlands in the arms of men who believe that theyare saving their families. Panic allowsmen to run to the north, telling all our enemies that the Keep is weakened. Panic is as much the enemy as is the plague.”

Victornodded. He paused to take a slow, shakybreath before responding. “Iunderstand. Still, what if I could havebeen there? What if I could be therewith my family to help and comfort them?”

Theyoung man conceded the point, but still was not satisfied. “Whether or not I could have made it, I stillwish that I could be there.”

Victorfinally admitted that Balrog was right, but the concern on his face was stillclear to see. The older man gave asupportive smile.

“Don’tworry; give it a few days, a few weeks perhaps, and this will be just a passingmemory. You will be with your family,and the joy of reunion will be all the greater for the peril of the daysbetween.” He gave a self-satisfied smilebefore taking one last gulp to finish his tankard. “In the meantime, we may have need of yourjavelins and your sword before we get to that far end. Our skills will undoubtedly be of use withthe Keep’s usual patrol routine disrupted.”