Light and Shadows

Keys for All Occasions: Rebellion

Immediately follows, "Keys for All Occasions: The Maw"

"Sire Denathrius must be stopped...."

Even as Renathal outlined his plan to his few remaining allies, he purposefully avoided looking at them. He knew every being in Sinfall's dark inner chamber - Venthyr, Stoneborn, and...other - was already stretched to their individual limits. Not one of them was prepared for another assault on Denathrius and his loyalists.

But, as far as Renathal was concerned, it was now or never.

Instead of lamenting what he didn't have, Renathal focused on imbuing his words with all the newfound confidence he felt after their miraculous escape from the Maw, hoping his fire would catch in the others and what they lacked in numbers and anima they would make up for in zeal.

"...We will shine a light on Castle Nathria so bright no Venthyr will wish to step forth from that fortress to challenge us!" Renathal concluded. He let his final words ring through Sinfall's empty stone innards for a moment before chancing a glance around.

It wasn't exactly the room full of fierce enthusiasm he was hoping to see.

Draven looked grim; Dehavia and Tenaval, pale and exhausted. Theotar was smiling widely, though Renathal was unsure how much of his plan had penetrated the Duke's madness. Alone of those assembled, the Accuser looked ready for a fight, if she weren't busy propping up the still-vacant Curator.

Swiveling around, Renathal sought out the key to his plan, hoping to draw from her limitless well of undauntable certainty.

The Maw Walker was leaning against a nearby wall, arms folded in front of her, face an inscrutable mask. Renathal found it difficult to glean expression from those shining white-blue eyes. For all the interest she showed, she might not have been listening at all. Although something in the way her lips had tightened might communicate displeasure.

"Does the Maw Walker have anything to add?" he asked with forced calm, waving a hand to invite her participation.

The Maw Walker blinked and straightened. She did not immediately fill the expectant silence, but let her eyes flick from Renathal to each of his assembled allies before at last wetting her lips and pronouncing:

"This...plan...seems rather ill-advised."

Renathal cocked an eyebrow. The Maw Walker drew a deep breath and continued.

"Even if you still had your same army - which you do not - and if we were all in peak condition, which..." Her eyes lingered momentarily on Renathal's still naked chest."...We are not - what has changed? If you could not defeat Denathrius before, why do you expect to now?"

The other faces in the room turned to Renathal in varying degrees of doubt, and he took a moment to compose himself before he addressed this important question.

"We were not prepared for a fight before. Denathrius caught our rebellion unawares. He forced our hand and we moved on him out of self-defense. This time, we have the element of surprise. We will catch him."

Each of Renathal's words vibrated with the charisma that came so naturally to him. These sorts of persuasive speeches were his signature. He could convince even the most hardened souls their actions had been mortal sins, and he could convince a race of obedient Venthyr to rebel against their very maker. Even now, his friends and compatriots were nodding, stealing themselves for a fight he had persuaded them they could win.

All except the Maw Walker. She was shaking her head slowly.

"I do not think the element of surprise will be enough to compensate for the substantial power disparity here. He is... something of a god, isn't he? We are decidedly not."