What is in a Name

As everyone files out of the room, leaving Tlanexhuani and Khepri alone with the mysterious Ilenzi. The mage waits a long moment, long enough for both to become uncomfortably aware of the feeling of hollowness that refuses to leave the chest. "It seems that we have some time to ourselves." The mage moves and waves a hand to conjure a steaming pot of tea and enough cups for the group. "Would either of you like some tea?"

Khepri turns its head to stare at Ilenzi blankly, the immobile plague-doctor countenance showing no sign of distress -- or anything else, really. "I do not drink tea." Or anything else, judging from the lack of a visible mouth on its faceplate.

Tlanexhuani is somewhat unsettled by the sensation. Or curious. Perhaps even curiously unsettled ... unsettled by his curiosity? Whatever it is, it is an unfamiliar thing in this circumstance. He considers the offering of tea; a drink he is only vaguely aware of due to kin's fondness. "This one gives thanks for the offering, but is not thirsty." Given that the others may take some time, the lack of furniture, and the somewhat limited room, he crouches to take a knee.

Those crimson eyes seem to catch the light once again, almost seeming to glow - though surely that's not possible. "I accept." The mage murmurs the words, turning his back on the tea cups and the tea he'd offered. "You may have noticed by now, that you are missing something? Feeling a bit... hollow in the middle?"

I was not built for self-introspection, but to carry out the will of Holy Vardama and Her temples." A pause, then his voice becomes somewhat ominous. "Interfering with the function of a lawfully-appointed church official can carry substantial penalties."

Well, that explains -something- of the sensation. Most of Tlanexhuani's confusion and curiosity shifts towardsire with a snort. "Use magic on us?! Why? What take?" The hollowness gnaws that something is missing. "Return!"

Ilenzi smiles at the blue scaled sith-makar. "Why? That is an interesting question. You could say that it is in my nature, or that it furthers my ends. Both would be accurate, but neither are likely to soothe you. The loss you feel is the loss of your name."

The mage wears a benign expression. "Nor am I concerned with... penalties such as you threaten me with. You have fallen prey to my laws, and yours will not free you."

GAME: Khepri rolls knowledge/nature: (18)+8: 26

Khepri tilts its head, the yellow eyes glowing. "You are a fey." Its hand twitches again, close to the pommel of its heavy ceremonial khopesh. "Name-stealing falls under the strictures placed on using malevolent magic in Alexandria. You are not in the First World, after all."

Tlanexhuani blinks at Khepri's ...realization. Accusation? Such things are tales to keep younglings from wandering too far, so he thought. The confidence of Ilenzi and the odd emptiness would seems to claim otherwise, though. Confusion and curiosity rise to the fore again. "This one is still this one. How take-" He pauses, new thoughts stepping in with the words for them a stride behind. He now peers at Ilenzi. "What is cause for taking? What is cost for return?" He does not like thieves, but is less sure that one can simply pluck this back from the thief after a sharp bonk on their head.

The man's crimson eyes twinkle with amusement. "Does it? I do not remember reading that in any of the statutes of Alexandria." This is given to Khepri, but it's clear that the fae is somewhat toying with him. "Either way, it is taken, and I am not going to give either of them back so easily. My desires are simple things and I will lay them out thusly: You will obey me. You will help Thoth regain their memories, and keep it safe to the best of your ability to do so. In exchange I will give you the name you gave me unless and until you disobey. You will not speak of this with anyone else."

If Khepri could narrow its eyes, or glare, the gaze it directs at Ilenzi would be more intimidating. The lenses flare, and evidently Khepri gives up trying to pull its sword for the moment. "That could have been found with a simple request, with no need for such enchantments." The metallic voice almost grates with anger. "What have you done with Master Dremarim?"

Tlanexhuani blinks again, now at Ilenzi. Afterwards comes a glance to Khepri and a light slap of tail on the floor. "Ssa. If wanted help, need only to ask for help..." Without all the thievery. Yet what is done is apparently done. His focus returns to the red-eyed wizard of fae after Khepri's question.

This seems to amuse the man somewhat further. Then he offers his outstreched hand to the pair. "If you agree to my terms, you must shake my hand, and accept. Only then will I answer your questions with the understanding that nothing I say here is to leave this room."

Khepri stares icily at Ilenzi for a long moment. "I will hold you to these terms, fey." It turns to look at Tlanexhuani. "Unless you have a better idea at this juncture. I lack the appropriate countermeasures to deal with this threat." A pause. "For now."

Tlanexhuani eyes the soft, clawless hand a moment before his snout swivels to Khepri. "This one does not. The asking is ... strange. What was asked was not. Answers to questions best."

Panning back to Ilenzi, eyes falling to the hand again. After a time, he looses a breath. "This one accepts." Claws then reach to clasp the offered limb as stated.

The man shakes Tlanexhuani's hand first, and then Khepri's. One after the other. There's a spill of magic each time. A dark mark that forms itself somewhere on the body of those that the man touches. The feeling of hallowness fades. "You have until your allies are on their way back up. It will not be long now." A smile. "Tick-tock as is the current lingo."

Khepri's voice is flat and hard, but then it always is. "We are looking for Master Dremarim. We require his location and condition." One gets the impression Khepri would like to add, 'So we can bury you in a hole.'. "I might wonder about your interest in this 'Thoth'. Perhaps he should guard his name as well."

Tlanexhuani settles back more firmly in his crouch after the armshaking. "If not know where Dremarin," he adds, "know where he might go?" On the shift to Thoth, he wonders. "Did you take Thoth name? Memories?" Its only after he asks this that it would make little sense that Ilenzi would want Thoth helped to recover them if he took them. On the other claw, much of all of this still does not make much sense to the Makari.

The mage's smile fades and then his arms cross loosely over his chest. "None of what you said was a question Khepri, so I am not required to answer them. As for yours...." This last is said to Tlanexhuani. "I do not know where Dremarin might go. Nor have I taken Thoth's name. Nor did I take them from it. That was done of Thoth's own volition."

Khepri makes an unpleasant sound, like gears grinding. "What did you do to Dremarim?" the golem's voice is biting. "You can only evade consequences for so long." Clearly, the fey mage's flippant, dismissive attitude is wearing on the Executor and it shows.

"You wield words, as weapons," Tlanexhuani comments to Ilenzi. The edge of growl implies it is not a compliment. "Where is Dremarim? Does he live?" he asks both plainly. "We still must find him." On that note, his next words are for Khepri, and softer. "Find and return him, first," he advises. "All else will follow."

"If you live long enough, you will learn that words _are_ a weapon." Ilenzi says. However a moment later the mage confirms their concerns. "I killed Dremarim. He died in agony and despair, it was quite beautiful."

The smile on the mage's face is one of remembering a beautiful painting, not what is surely the memory of some other mage's final moments. "I do not know where he is now - his soul, nor do I intend to make a guess upon it. As for his flesh... that remains in my keeping, preserved for use if it is required."

Ilenzi's crimson eyes glitter. "Well, there you are. You have all the information that you came here for. I highly suggest that you do not tempt your fate by breaking the agreement between us." Another warm smile. "And it seems that your companions are on their way at last, so that will be the last of it yes?"

Khepri stiffens at Ilenzi's declaration. "My fate is of no consequence," the golem says in an icy tone. "I am a tool in the hand of the Harpist. You will arrange for the remains of Master Dremarim to be turned over to the temple, or I will dare whatever curse you bring to bear." The golem's eyes glare murderously at Ilenzi. "The words must be spoken. The dead must be laid to rest."

That was not the answer that the old Makari had expected. Feared to some degree, but not to -that-. Tlanexhuani is left blinking for the umpteenth time since the others stepped out, but the prior bit of growl promptly returns and deepens. Teeth are displayed. "Return body. For rest. For kin. For spirit." He is not blessed by the Death-Singing dragon, but he has sung Her songs for others. Too many.

The mage smiled a smile with teeth showing. "So possessive of the dead... Give me three days to make arrangements. After that, I will send you information on where you might find the dead. If that does not suffice, then I will remove you to where you can better serve me, and be out of the way of my affairs." Those crimson eyes have no mercy in them.

Khepri stares back, expression impossible to read -- because it has none. But Ilenzi's offer appears sound. "Do not tarry," it states. "Do not snivel at my demands. You should have been wiser in whose name you stole." The golem turns to Tlanexhuani. "We will not speak of this to the others. I do not wish to jeopardize the flesh or soul of Master Dremarim." Evidently the bargain is acceptable.

A return is a return in Tlanexhuani's mind, and better than an unknown. All rests on Ilenzi honoring his word, of course... just as with all else already agreed upon. In the end, all he can do at this moment is continue said agreement. He offers only a simple, "Ssa" in affirmation.

It's not long after that, that the rest of the group returns, with questions of their own. Few of which are answered.

-End