[Sanctuary] Resurrection

[Sama'el Sunsinger]

Sama'el laughed. Indeed, he had been busy. With Vanator's help, he began to move the rocks and rubble where they needed to go. It was good to have the helping hand, and Vanator's back was broader, his muscles bigger. If he made Sama'el look a little weak in comparison, that was all right. They all had their different sets of strengths and weaknesses. "I only wish I were better with the Web," he said, "and I might have followed it to wherever you were..." But it was useless to think about what-ifs. Vanator was back now, seemed not to be damaged beyond repair. He was in the Sanctuary, though. There was healing to be found here. "I'm not sure, though," he said. "Like you, I'm an Ankal now. There have been some grumbles about whether it's appropriate for me to be in the Watch anymore. But Ronan's my apprentice, and Mealla too, although she's a Stormsong of the Diamond Clan. My pavilion is fairly self-sufficient, but if Oriana blesses us with children, I suppose I will have to settle in with my pavilion without hieing off on some adventure every few weeks. Which will be sad, because I'm never happier than riding the Sea on Dohaina's back. Well." Such was the life of a Drykas. "It would be nice to say I was a Rayvehk before I'm put to pasture."

[Vanator]

"I only wish I were better with the Web, and I might have followed it to wherever you were..."

Vanator laid down his load of stone and turned his eyes to Sama'el. The sentiment was warming, and the older Drykas had no doubts that the Sunsinger meant what he said. "I know Sam... I am sure the Denusks attempted to find me as well. Fate, or the gods, had a course set for me that I had to endure. For what I don't know for sure, but I believe it was no coincidence that it was Kavala that found me, and that I ended up here."

Vanator picked up another stone as Sama'el expressed his own dilemma. From what little Van had learned of the state of the Drykas people, Sam's situation was a true conundrum. There were too few Drykas to do too much. "To overcome this catastrophe, the way our people do things will have to adapt. The Watch is as critical as the pavilion leaders now, and new ways will need to be developed that can help you be successful at both."


The Denusk's face had grown sober, but his friend's reference to Ankal as 'out to pasture' brought a smile and a chuckle to his tired features. In the perilous world in which the Drykas dwelt, not even the eldest of them could afford the leisure of a retired life, few even reaching old age. Vanator himself could be considered an elder at his age.

Sam's comment about the Web stirred a thought. "Sam, I believe I will be staying at the Sanctuary for some time. Would you consider doing an old friend a favor? I intend to tie myself to the web here. I could do it on my own, but my skills are novice at best, I was given no chance to exercise my weaving over the past year. if I intend to maintain and expand what you have created here, I need to hone those skills. Would you accompany me as I tie myself to the web here, and help me resharpen my webbing?"

[Sama'el Sunsinger]

Though Vanator wasn't truly very old, the Drykas didn't tend to live as long as those who hid safely behind their stone walls. It was a failing of their culture, perhaps, but it allowed them a freedom that the land-locked would never know. Sama'el wouldn't trade his freedom for safety, though he would sacrifice himself to protect his family. That, he supposed, was the prime requisite for an Ankal. But despite the fact that Vanator's hair was far from turning from gold into silver, he was wise and Sama'el respected him. He nodded at his counsel, taking it to heart. Of course, Sama'el was wise enough to know he had to think for himself, but it bore considering, the wisdom of his elders. Then, "Of course." Vanator had but to ask. "I will tie you into the Web, or add my own bonds to whatever you bind. And we can walk the local Web and I'll show you where I have put traps, and how you can add to them. You and Kavala will be the guardians of the Origin I made, as it should be. But I will always help when I am here."

[Vanator]

Vanator had no doubts the Sunsinger would agree to join him, it was just Sam's nature to want to help. To tour the Sanctuary web would be a great way for the recovering Drykas slave to re-immerse himself in the art of webbing, and to help sanctify himself after the corruption of Zith captivity.

As they worked to organize the building material, Vanator looked again at Sama'el. Fate was kind when it lead his friend and his sister to meet. He was beginning to understand how beneficial they had become to one another. Vanator became more convinced everyday that he was at Sanctuary to help his sister as well, as much as Kavala was helping him restore his life.

"I can tie myself in, but I would like you to be there, and I would really appreciate you showing me the web and what you have done with it." Vanator looked up at the sun. "Let me store this stuff and take care of a few things, then maybe we can meet in a bell? Where would be a good place to do this, by the Origin?"

[Sama'el Sunsinger]

Sama'el nodded as they took care of the heavy lifting. "I can do that," he said. "I'll finish up here, and then meet you wherever you want in a bell. It doesn't really matter if we're close to the Origin. We just have to be somewhere our bodies won't be in the way. It will take a little while to show you everything, and to shore up whatever might have been disrupted since last I was here." He leaned his hip against the masonry, stretching out his arm, then the other. He was going to be sore. "You tell me. This is the Denusk Pavilion now." He grinned.

[Vanator]

Vanator nodded in agreement. "Alright Sam, see you in an hour. Lets meet in the Sacred Circle, we will be out of the way there. We don't want any of these unlearned healers coming along and thinking we are dead or something, we may return to our bodies finding someone trying to blow breath back into our lungs!" He flashed a wry grin before gathering up the missiles and shields and heading to the Within.

After restocking the arrows and bolts in the armory, and stashing the new shields, Vanator grabbed a quick bite of bread and sliced beef from the kitchen, downed a swig of water, and made his way to the Sanctuary's shrine. The carved stone chamber was circular, its surfaces ornate and embellished by Kavala's reimancy, the outer wall was lined with statues of the gods and goddesses most honored by the denizens of the Sanctuary. The Origin was in the center, the precious stone his sister and Sama'el had laid to anchor the web woven over the facility.

The Denusk's eyes drifted from one idol to the next. Vanator was not irreverent, he gave the divinities nominal worship and honor, but he was not devout. A part of him felt abandoned by the deities when he was dragged away to languish in the warrens of a Zith colony. Though Kavala seemed to think something supernatural may have been influencing the course of his life, Vanator credited his release from slavery to no one but his sister.

Turning his thoughts back to the matter at hand, Vanator's eyes fell upon the Origin. It was a large smooth stone of earthen tones, shot through with opal. The Drykas concentrated, quickening webbing magicks that had laid dormant during his enslavement. Soon, luminous strands of djed appeared, strung from the origin stone outward. Seeing the beautiful anchor created by Kavala and Sam, and the glowing djed web, brought a little more life into the recovering former slave.

Releasing his concentration, the strands faded, and Vanator turned to wait for Sam to arrive.