Praying for hope

[David Shinsaki]

David sat on a bench inside the church of the strange land he was now in. He was quite and thoughtless as he sat staring at the giant stained-glass window. "I hope you're here, somewhere." he spoke in a whisper.

[Averil]

Averil stopped in the doorway of the chapel and cursed her rotten luck. And here I was hoping I'd be alone, she thought, holding back a disappointed sigh. She didn't want to interrupt his prayer, after all; religion was the one thing she wasn't rude about. Ignoring him to the best of her ability, the female Paladin strode quietly down the aisle to kneel directly in front of the stained glass window, ignoring the hilt of her sword digging into her side. Her tangled red hair spilled over her shoulders as she bowed her head and closed her narrow green eyes in prayer. Well, God, she said silently to the deity, here I am. Another church, another prayer... and I'm as far away from the last church I visited as that one was from the one before it. What do you have in store for me now? She smiled. Not that I think you'll tell me -- at least, not right away. I just thought I'd ask, so we both know I'm listening when you do steer me where you want me to go. She let loose a quiet sigh, the smile fading. She would do as her Lord commanded her, but she couldn't help but hope, deep down inside, that this time the church -- her place of worship, her sanctuary -- was without corruption...

She had not missed the notice about religion posted everywhere in town and planned to go report herself the next day. Nor had she missed the bounty bulletin.

Whatever was really going on here, Averil just knew she wasn't going to like it...

[Creil Bevier]

Creil watched the two praying from his seat at the back of the chapel, evidently they had not noticed him. Perhaps that would work to his advantage. Creil now wore his mail shirt and sword, covered by brown monks habit, as did all the paladin's sinside the walls of their chapterhouse. The hulking paladin had spent the majority of the day here in the chapel, conducting small services of silently communing with god. It was what he felt he lived for.
Creil sighed quietly, decideing to wait until the two finished praying, indeed, he was not aquainted with them, and he would most certainly need to speak to them.

[David Shinsaki]

"Well, I guess that's all I can ask for." David said, standing up, and turning to walk out.

[Lyconus]

Lyconus entered the church and saw his old friend David and walked towards him.

[Averil]

Averil grounded her teeth at this unwelcome reminder that she was not alone. "Whatever happened," she growled irritably, "to silent prayers?" Standing, she turned around to look at the speaker, her green eyes flashing with irritation. It was then that she recieved an unpleasant surprise.

"Three?"she said incredulously. "There are three of you?" She almost swore, then caught herself. Some people took offense to cursing in a church. Not that she really cared, but she'd just gotten in from a very long journey and was lacking the energy for so much as an argument. Dropping her head, she shook it once, then looked up to scrutinize her fellow worshippers. Weird kid, warrior-person, monk, she thought, though she knew fully well that the last of the group was a Paladin. The moment some small corner of her mind acknowledged this, she realized he was looking at her and Weird Kid as if he wanted to talk to them or something.

Talking was last on Averil's list of things she wanted to do, today or ever. Ignoring the Paladin aside from the brief, flickering glance that told her his station in life, she strode down the aisle towards the exit, staring at the wall above it so that she wouldn't have to look at anyone. Curse my rotten luck.

OOC: *winces at her character's rudeness* Man, this is gonna be harder than I thought.

[David Shinsaki]

"Seeya!" David waved quickly.

[Lyconus]

"Lady we are not interrupting you so relax." Lyconus said in a calm voice.

[Creil Bevier]

Cwith that Creil stood and moved swiftly to block the doorway, with a 6'4" barrier of muscle, sinew and bone - not to mention steel. "Prithee, sit, relax, gentles all." He said in his loud, sonourous voice, "I have need of words with thee, soldiers of god - and thou shalt sit and listen." He said, his tone flat, but a smile on his face.
"We doth dwell in troubled times, and this is of what i shall speak. Do not defy me, as Brother confessor in this house the authority to excommunicate you is mine, and i shalt tolerate no foolishness, nor trickery." He commanded, "Prithee, sit."

[Lyconus]

Lyconus whistled at the man's words and walked towards David. "Aye.. been wondering where you been."

[Averil]

OOC: Aah! An entire post gone to waste due to poor timing! Oh well. At least it wasn't monster-sized.

Averil stopped before she ran into the man; then, as she heard what he said about excommunication, her eyes narrowed. Planting her feet shoulder-width apart and crossing her arms across her chest, she glared up at the man. "Religious authority doesn't impress me, Brother," she said in an icy tone. "I've seen too much, and if the words of man can condemn me to Hell then I'm already well on my way anyway." For a moment she actually considered trying to shove past the man despite his vastly superior size, but a sudden wave of exhaustion and slight dizziness overruled that option. Closing her eyes and shaking her head to rid herself of the feeling, Averil realized she was really in no shape to fight anyone. Besides, it could hardly hurt to listen to what the man had to say. "Fine," she muttered, sitting down in a nearby pew. She propped her arm up on the backrest and pressed her forehead into her elbow. "I'm sitting, I'm listening. Now talk." And make it quick, she thought but didn't add, figuring the tone of her voice would make that part clear. Averil of the Holy Order was tired, damnit. She'd come a long way, and it was time for bed.

[Creil Bevier]

Creil frowned, his face serious, "Friends all. Brother, Sister mine. I must needs be talk of pressing matters - now, lest i loose the opportunity ot speak with thee anon." He declared.
"It hath come to mine attention, and in much detail, that the scarborous mongrel that doth rule this city hath begun preparation for war against our mother the church. I seek to enlist thine aid, i implore it of thee, all. We can not let good and fall and crumble to dust before ignorance and evil." He sighed heavily, "Even should it mean putting the city to the sword," he said sadly, "Wil ye, nil ye join with me, there shalt be blood spilled here anon to gorge the devil. Thou must heed mine plea! Thy vows as soldiers of god should compel thee to raise sword and shield against our foes, though i must needs be, have willing and capable warriors at my side, for troubled times doth await us." He said, his voice thick with emotion.

[Averil]

Averil very nearly groaned aloud as she heard the same words every Brother Confessor in ever church she'd gone to had used to attempt to lure her into fighting for them. Usually it was a bad idea. Please, God, not again... "I'll think about it," she said, her voice muffled in her arm. As far as Averil was concerned, her vows compelled her to fight for God whether or not that meant fighting for the Church as well, as it sometimes didn't. "Can I go to bed now?"

[Lyconus]

Lyconus chuckled as he looked at her.

[Averil]

Instantly Averil's head snapped up despite her weariness, her green eyes flashing as they sought the culprit. "Don't laugh at me, boy," she hissed. "I'm sleep deprived, I haven't had a decent meal in weeks, and worst of all, I'm being talked at. Do not provoke me right now." Averil felt about ready to explode, and it was probably only because she was in a church that she hadn't done so already. There was only one thought that penetrated her anger at that moment: I need a beer.