CH 2: Two Heads are Better

[HorizonsDream]

Echo seems a little uncomfortable at first as she listens to the girl sob. She places an awkward hand on the girl's shoulder and gives her a little pat as if trying to reassure her that things are going to be okay. Though, even she knows she is bad at it. "It is hard for me to understand the concept of sacrificing one's self for another, but it was brave of him to do so," Echo says.

[JadedDM]

"I had faith we would be rescued," the old woman says. "But what will become of us now?"

[HorizonsDream]

"The vague plan is to save all of you, and return you back to the camp," Echo says. "There were three of those creatures, so hopefully Nuvain finds the last one down the tunnel he is exploring."

[JadedDM]

The old woman nods.

The young woman suddenly wipes her eyes and speaks up, looking at Echo. "You said you don't understand self-sacrifice. But I saw you in the camp. You fought until the end, when you could have fled. When it hit you, I thought you had died. If not to protect us, why did you risk yourself so?" she asks.

[HorizonsDream]

"I..." Echo pauses for a moment as she tries to come up with an answer. "I was the only one who could hurt it, so I guess I felt it was up to me in the end."

[JadedDM]

The women fall silent, apparently having nothing further to add.

Gimog and Hollidan remain where they were when she last checked, while Nuvain steps back into the chamber quietly.

[HorizonsDream]

"Stay here," Echo says to the pilgrims before she heads towards Nuvain now that he has returned. "Find anything?" she asks.

[JadedDM]

"Sort of," the young elf says. "The tunnel basically leads to the big chamber we saw before, but there was a sword down there. It was stuck in the ground, though. I couldn't pull it free."

[HorizonsDream]

"A sword?" Echo asks, clearly a little confused. "Right, I'll tell Hollidan. You didn't see the other creature though?"

[JadedDM]

"Nope, not in that tunnel," Nuvain says. "It might be further in, or maybe not here at all."

[HorizonsDream]

Echo lets out a small sigh. Where could that other creature be? "All right. I'm going to pass this information on to Hollidan and Gimog. Will you stay with the pilgrims?"

[JadedDM]

"Sure thing, I'll keep an eye on them," Nuvain says, heading over to the women.

[HorizonsDream]

Echo approaches Hollidan, and motions for Gimog to come over as well. "Nuvain checked out the other tunnel. He said that he leads to the big chamber we saw before, but there is a sword in it," she says, clearly confused as to why a sword would be in a middle of a chamber. "The sword is stuck in the ground, and he couldn't pull it out."

[JadedDM]

Hollidan is looking down at the half-eaten half-orc and seems to barely hear Echo at first. He shakes it off, and looks at her. "Sword? Hmm, that's weird. Maybe they've collected some treasure from...previous victims."

"Well then," Gimog says. "Shall we investigate the sword or backtrack to the big chamber?"

[HorizonsDream]

"I think we have a time limit on saving these pilgrims," Echo says. "The sword will be there when we are done."