Hunter's Truths

JP with Omni and Jaxx

When Voah had returned to the grotto that day, she found that Hunter had finished grinding the materials into a fine powder.

Using the other things in her pack, they rolled new briquettes, cones and sticks of incense. Then they added sand into several of the shells to act as incense burners, fitting the small candles in others. They would be used as a light source inside the deep chamber of the grotto where an altar would be.

When lit, incense would create a mild sense of euphoria due to inhaling the ingredients.

“The purpose of the incense is to cleanse the area and create a divine atmosphere to commune with the Gods. We believe the prayers uttered aloud will pass into the smoke and be carried to the realm of the Pillars.”

Hunter didn’t look convinced but he did the work and he didn’t complain. Voah hoped she wasn’t wasting her time with him.

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Over the next day or so, they returned to the grotto for more lessons including physical training on the rocks and in the water. On the beach, she showed him the Cambena fighting style which included defensive stances, blocks, and rolls to deviate your opponent. Then she showed him the offensive flowing attacks with the body and other bludgeoning and swinging weapons like Voah’s chain censer.

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One day, Hunter went to the shrine early without Voah. As he recalled, a shrine had a few key things that made it a shrine by the commoner. He recalled an offering spot, a place to light incense, and a statue of a deity which in this case was Cambena. He looked around an realized he was looking at a grotto with only a small set of candles and a incense burners that smelled odd to him. He noticed there was likely no statue of Cambena. He wondered how Voah was going to pull that one off as he rubbed his chin. Then he noticed a large piece of driftwood before him and stared at it for a while. It was odd in shape and resembled the wooden woman on the front of ships.

He stared at it as his mind began to wonder to his past and he remembered the smile of his long dead lover Isabella. Isabella was beautiful and enchanting. She could get him to do anything even when he knew it was a bad idea, like knocking her up despite her psycho father who wanted to marry her off to a old fat sleezeball noble for more land and power. As he recalled Isabella's beautiful smile he began to envision her appearance in the driftwood. He recalled bringing his wood working tools in the bags so he quickly grabbed them and began chipping away.

As Hunter was chipping away at the wood he paid no mind to his surroundings and was focused on his vision. Each chip he cut off brought him closer and closer to seeing his vision take form. Time was no longer an issue as he took his time to chip with efficiency. However as he worked he became more obsessed with bringing life to the wood. It was almost like he needed to do this now instead of just doing it for someone else. He didn't even notice Voah had come till she spoke up.
She heard the chipping of wood before she reached the edge. What was Hunter doing? For a moment the Arbiter stood in utter shock but when she got closer she could start to see the man’s rough whittle work.

She gently set down her pack and stood watching Hunter.

“Hunter.” she called. There was no response. The man was engrossed in his craft and hadn’t even noticed her arrival, at least didn’t acknowledge her. She approached from the side, making sure not to surprise him and gently ran her hand over the wood.

“She’s beautiful.”

It was then that Hunter noticed Voah was nearby. He was taken back by her reaction and the fact she was able to sneak up on him so easily. He then realized he was very engrossed in his wood working. He then spoke up, "It just came to me. I saw the wood and then an image popped into my head and I have this big urge to bring that image from the wood." Hunter looked like he had some passion in his eyes before Voah even if he didn't realize it.

“I didn’t know you had this… skill.”

She had seen Hunter relaxed before but never so focused that he was altogether unaware of his surroundings. Was he in a meditation or did he just care deeply for the figure he was carving? Maybe something had clicked. It was for Cambena sure but… should she ask? Of course, she couldn’t help herself. This was no ordinary woman and it wasn’t the twin Nora.

“Who is she?” she asked with a gentle tone.

Hunter replied in a mellow manner, “I was taught wood working in my training since I have to make my own archery supplies. It was after our mission to that savage island that I began carving other stuff like the statues I donated to the church. I found it helped vent my stress while I was unable to train..”. Then Voah asked who was the woman he was carving and he he realized he was going to have to reveal a new secret to Voah. He took a deep breath and replied, “Isabella. She was the daughter of my owner and the first person I ever connected to. She was pregnant with my child and wanted to run away with me to begin a new life away from her sadistic power hungry father. Since we defied him he sent his elite guards to hunt us down. They killed her and our unborn child before I could kill them all. After that I lived in the forest for two years before I came here. Since I am blamed for her death by her father, I have to worry about bounty hunters every time I see ships.” Hunter began chipping more wood as he pondered a bit. Then he asked, “So what will you do now that you know this?”

"Mercy." she whispered, breaking her own stunned silence.

Listening to Hunter's revelations, she actually felt the hurt in his voice, though his tone was mild as ever. The mysteries revealed. It was clear now how tortured he really was. She had been around the man long enough to know that he spoke carefully, deeply, and truthfully, when he dared to speak at all.

"It is no wonder you have never even thought to turn to the Gods. And for that I have great sorrow."

Where was Vastad's justice for those children? For Hunter, his lover, and his unborn child? And most recently, his new lover. Voah had a hand in that one.

She realized that Hunter was actively avoiding the new arrivals, which was more than likely the reason he had been willing to spend so much time in this secluded area with AND without her and even show up early. Several solutions came to her like a hammer to a bell. All aspects of the Pillars swelled within her. Vastad's vengeance and justice, Hoi's nourturing embrace, Kupen's need to watch over and protect, Cambena's fury, and Zin's resolve.

Voah would be Vastad's justice for this in the only way she could. She would write a series of letters back to the shrine cities of Mizar to shed light on the atrocities which were undoubtedly still ongoing. She would request that agents investigate the Lord and whoever else was responsible and bring them to justice. Kidnapping and slavery of children alone was an affront to Hoi, but they were also guilty of heresy against the Inquisition, deliberately withholding the teachings of the Pillars from children; instead training them to be assassins. Yes, those Lords would pay, unfortunately it couldn't be by her own hand, nor Hunter's. She hoped this might bring him some solace to his pain.

"For now, you will continue to come with me to hunt down the creed. And let us begin with the names of your previous master and all of those involved. I will do my best from afar to bring them to justice."