"Unnatural resilience and eldritch spells from the far realm," Gabe elaborates. "He will put even your own powers to the test."

Aiden nods gravely, turning to Vark. "And you said he's coming for us, specifically?"

Vark nods in grim confirmation. “Yes. In… in fact he told me to tell you all that he is coming for us. When he saw through the scrying.”

Aiden sighs. "At least we know he's coming," he says. He looks at the other devil curiously. "What do you plan on...Didymus here..." The unfamiliar names rolls of Aiden's tongue clumsily. "...doing, exactly?"

“Uhm…” Vark looks to Didymus politely waiting there beside him. “I’m sure he’ll be helpful in the fight, right? M-maybe we could even be an advance force, or strike from behind their front lines like me and Jex did when we took Morloth. Maybe he’d even wanna be part of that too. Until then… well it’s probably best not to have a devil just walking around town. Thurston would just smash you… I guess you should come with me to the elves… but you’ll probably have to wait outside town once we get there…”

"Elves?" Didymus asks with delight. "I love elves! I certainly don't see any reason for them to turn me away. Simply introduce me as Gwanunig, your aide. My infernal nature is not apparent to anybody without reason to go looking for it, be it your friends the elves, the townsfolk here, or this 'Thurston'. When do we leave?"

“Uhm…” he casts a nervous glance at Aiden before sighing in resignation for the moment. “If you say so. We can leave in the morning I guess.”

"I suppose it's settled then," Aiden says. His hand drops from the hilt of his sword, where it had been resting during the confrontation. "Gabe, Didymus, I'm sure you have a great deal to catch up on. In the meantime, Vark, could we speak privately?"

Vark’s grey-green skin pales in the dim light as he nods and follows Aiden out of the room. The moment they are out of earshot Vark begins to plead his case. “Aiden I know what you’re gonna say, I know it looks bad that I’m making deals with devils or whatever but I didn’t have a choice, I wasn’t trying to end up in the hells I was just trying to fix Aury’s circle so I could get back here and help and also the thing we need to help Aury is here too, he’s been trapped in a storm by air elementals and he needs the Sigil of Earth to get free and ya know everybody was telling me to wait but he’s in pain Aiden, I was right to rush off and I was right to try and fix the circle so I could rush back because now we have this freaky Marcellus guy to deal with and I only know how freaky he is because I was able to use Aury’s crystal ball and now we can use the circle to rush back to free Aury once all this is handled and if Didymus can help with all of that then ya know I really think it’s worth it. He kept me safe while I was in the hells and honestly I know he’s a devil and they always have alterior motives but I think he kinda just wants to see this world and maybe have a friend…” 

Aiden listens to Vark's hurried explanation and raises his hands in a placating gesture when the half-orc trails off. "Vark, I'm not Thurston or Valaith. I wasn't going to lecture you," he begins, finding the statement to be true, which surprises even himself. The Norscan pauses for a few moments too long, pondering what to say next.

"You can take clearly take care of yourself. You've made your choices and you've stuck with them. You were clearly right to go see Aury, and I will help you save him if I can. As for Didymus...and Loki...er...Matthew...or Gabe or whatever he wants to call himself -- the relationship is transactional. You get power, and he gets...what? I just..." He trails off again, unable to find the right words. 

Eventually, he says, "I have not been here long, I know. But we have quickly become friends, I feel, and...I worry about what...what will happen to you when Matthew's bill comes due."

The combination of validation, genuine, unbiased concern and the Norscan’s gentle tone catch Vark off guard. There is a pause, and then warmth rises to the half-orc’s cheeks as he realizes he’s just been staring at Aiden without speaking a word for far too long. “I- uhm- I- uhm- th-th… thank you, Aiden. I…” he sighs, and now it’s his turn to search for the right words.

“It’s just… the thing is I know what he gets from it. He gets my help. He needed me to unlock him,” he gestures around to the tunnels they now stand in, once Matthew’s prison, “he neeed me to get the codex, now he needs me to get some sigil to help free his brother,” he stops, suddenly realizing that this is new information to Aiden. This realization prompts a tangent. Vark does his best to concisely explain the elemental sigils of which he learned in Aureaonus’ library. He tells how the Sigil of Earth had somehow been brought from Aury to Sheercleft, how he had apparently used it when he freed Matthew, how he now needs it again to free Aury, and of the Sigil of Fire which Matthew needs to free Arawn.

”I don’t know, I guess they’re like keys or something, like maybe keys to move the elemental cycle along.” He shakes his head. “What I don’t really know… or understand… is what Matthew’s end goal is. He says he wants to free mortals from the cycle of life and death, that the gods have us trapped in that cycle. It doesn’t seem like what he wants is bad exactly just… different.” His voice lowers a little as they continue walking, and he glances over his shoulder to make sure Matthew himself isn’t following them. “But if what he wants threatens us, and Sheercleft, then I want to stop him. And I think the best way to stop him is by knowing what he’s doing, and by using his own power against him.”

Aiden listens, his face moving through confusion, understanding, then puzzlement, more understanding, more puzzlement, and then finally, a tentative nod of agreement. "Knowing what he's planning is a good plan, but I don't think you need his power, Vark." He points a finger at the half-orc's chest. "Lightning runs in your blood." A blue spark lances between his finger and Vark's chest. "You don't need him. None of us need him." He trails off into silence again, his momentary inspiration fleeing like a fox from a hound.

After another too-long pause, he says, "So, this Earth Sigil...you brought it here? To Sheercleft?"

Thurston opens the door violently and rushes into the room where Aiden and Vark are talking. 

Without a word, he charges towards Vark and holds him, even raising the half-orc a few inches from the floor while he hug him like a great bear. He still wears the apron from the forge though and is covered with sweat and soot. 

After a few seconds in which Vark feels that his ribs are about to surrender and crack Thurston finally releases him, but keep his hands on his shoulders. 

"Vark! you are alright!! By Thor's beard I was worried! I know that I shouldn't you could take a dragon by yourself if you wanted, but that doesn't mean I would not worry about my family. I need you to tell me everything but first things first. How's Aury? Has Ayden updated about our plans here you already? " he says looking back to the other Norscan and going back to Vark. "hmm tell me.. have you been eating well? you look thinner..." 

Vark smiles at Aiden's assuredness, but the expression lacks confidence in the man's words. Sure, Vark doesn't actually need Matthew's power in the long run, and Sheercleft can surely defend itself from Sir Marcellus without the Devil King's help, but if the day comes that the Acharnost has to go up against Matthew, Vark is positive that his link to his patron will be invaluable in defeating him one way or another. 

When Aiden finally speaks again, Vark shakes his head in response. "No, we didn't, it was already here, the Mabinogi had it brought here, I... I think it was actually brought by my fa-THERRR!" Vark is caught totally unware as he is suddenly sweeped off his feet by the other Norscan. "Thurston! Hi!" he magaes to squeak from within the paladin's death grip.  "Ah... uhm..." he starts as finally he is released and oxygen returns to his lungs. "Well... I think Aury will be okay until we deal with things here, but he is trapped inside a storm that rages above Endelfjell.... it looks painful. But... yes Aiden has filled me in and... I have a lot to fill everyone else in on too. Should... should we gather everyone at RIngruts? Oh," he glances back the way Aiden and he had came, back towards Seid who must just be standing there awkwardly with the two devils. "I need to ask Seid first about the sigil..." Without indicating whether or not the two Norscans should follow, Vark rushes off towards the teleportation circle.

Peeling potatoes in the kitchen, Nakia listens to the takes and gossip of the volunteers, some of the orphans are there working too, learning the skills needed for their lives beyond her walls. She whistles pleasantly and compliments some of the work she sees. She turns around and is almost caught off guard by Elysse, one of the orphan girls, who has snuck in beside her.

"My you are learning your craft well, I didn't hear your approach until you were right upon me".

She greets the girl with a broad grin and bends down so that she can whisper in her ear.

"You wanted to know if they gather in groups of more than three?"

Nakia nods. "Where?"

"The tunnels, the miners complain that we prepare for battle and yet they've been shifting rocks from some chamber there too."

Nakia cups the cheek of the girl, and smiles. "You have done well, thank you. His blessing shines upon you. Show me."

"Maria, my apologies, I am called away, could you finish the potatoes?"

She follows Elysse from the room and they hurry down towards the underground chambers, pausing a second as they see Thurston run past. Nakia smiles sweetly and waits on the edge of the chamber a few moments before coughing to alert them to her presence.

"Hello again everyone, I heard you had gathered, I just wished to remind you that the Sheercleft Merchant Guild opens tomorrow and that you are all invited for the opening this evening. The children and volunteers have been hard at work even against this difficult backdrop, and I hope you can spare an hour or so to attend?"

Aiden pats Thurston on the shoulder as Vark runs out of the room and turns as Nakia begins speaking. "I think we can," Aiden says, looking at his friend for confirmation.

Thurston smiles and nods. “Not even Surtur himelf will prevent me for me there” he assures Nakia. “You have been working hard that’s days and we are in your debt. Perhaps you would like to join us for we are going to talk important things and it will be good for you to know. And your insight will be valuable “ he offers the woman 

Nakia smiles and nods. That had been easier than expected.

"Thank you, it would be good to know what is going on." She smiles again, this time nervously.

"Umm, what exactly is going on down here? I heard rumours the miners were hauling out rubble from a chamber?"

"Hmm... well the last place in which I saw it was in the room where you unleashed Matthew from his prison." Seid responds once Vark reaches him and asks about the relic. With a nod Vark rushes back out into the dark tunnels. He brushes past Didymus and tracks back through where Aiden and Thurston still stand. "Uhm, hi there," he says to the newcomer who has joined them, then immediately turns to Aiden. "Uhm, Seid says it might still be in the prison room," without waiting for a response he continues, a breeze following in his wake as he hurries to the room where he had freed Matthew from his ancient prison on that fateful day.

The adamantine star of Matthew's prison is comprised of many segments that unfolded the day that it was opened. At the front of the star, where it meets the top of the flight of stairs that leads up to it, is a plinth with a star-shaped recess that Seid saw Vark place Quinton's seal of office into. However, the seal itself no longer sits in its socket.