Time seems to slow in the moment, but looking back the entire matter, from the spell thrown by Abu Haasan Mahaad Ibn Shazier to finality of the swing of Kolya’s greatsword, took only moments. For this, I was thankful for our hosts had not yet investigated the noise and commotion we were largely responsible for.
“Clearly…. mistakes were made.”, I managed to force out as my body once again begin to respond to my commands.
I wasn’t sure if I was apologizing to my companions or merely stating the obvious. I felt somewhat responsible for pushing to retrieve Mayako, and again to stay the night and ensure she was settled here at Mamoru Castle. Granted, the latter was for the best in hindsight, but it would have been easier on us if we’d left immediately after we’d eaten the feast provided by the Lord Commander of the castle.
“CLEAR...LY! ...DIDN’T… I … TELL YOU?! She was after us the entire time!” Kolya spat out, catching his breath halfway through.
The man had a point. Whiskers had questioned the arrival of the spiders while fighting the tengu, but it had been Kolya who had been carrying that torch since. Then again, even a broken clock is right twice a day.
“Buuuuut, NO! Nobody listens…”
Kolya kept talking as he pulled clumps of spiderweb from his clothing, but I turned to thank Ibn, “I thought you might have jumped the gun, so to speak, but you have sound judgement.”
“Oh no, no, you are… too kind. I... was merely doing my duty.” He replied.
He may have been humble about it, but forcing the issue of Mayako’s deception may have spared the Lord Commander and his entire castle a twisted fate as her slaves or worse.
Sword out but still pulling web away with his free hand, Kolya continued on, “…no matter how many times I…”
“Where do we go from here,” intoned our monk companion, “and what do we do about this?”
He pointed to the twisted abomination of woman and spider at our feet.
“Well we still need the road passes to continue on to Edarrow, so we don’t have much of a choice.” I said, shrugging.
“So, we explain.” Thane agreed, idealistically.