<@Dreol> [Buda, Hungary, April 11th 1262, 3:00 AM] <@Dreol> [Moriel has returned to Aliz's room. She has not yet fallen asleep. She is lying in her bed, staring straight up at the ceiling. The ghoul who was left to guard her is still in the room. He stands and bows to Moriel. "M'lord..."] <@Dreol> [Begin.] 06* Moriel nods to the ghoul and says quietly, "Wait outside, please." <@Dreol> [The ghoul nods and exits the room.] 06* Moriel sits down on the bed beside Aliz. "Can't sleep?" he asks gently. <@Dreol> [She shakes her head and then looks over to Moriel.] 06* Moriel strokes her hair, trying to comfort her. "What's wrong?" <@Dreol> [Aliz looks down, but doesn't say anything. She does, however scoot closer to the edge of the bed and lean her head against Moriel.] 06* Moriel puts an arm around Aliz and continues stroking her hair. He stays silent for a little while to let her talk or not if she wants to. <@Dreol> [Moriel digs into Aliz' emotions and is greeted by an overwhelming feeling of loneliness and sadness coupled with some memories of her parents. She is also very afraid and confused about what is going on both inside of herself and in the environment that she is in. She keeps flashing to hanging over the cliff above the abyss thinking she is going to fall.] 06* Moriel murmurs to her, "I'm sorry we couldn't find your parents. But at least we got you out of that terrible place, and you're safe now." <@Dreol> [She nods.] 06* Moriel hugs her. "I'll stay with you until you fall asleep, all right?" <@Dreol> [She nods and curls up.] 06* Moriel starts stroking her hair again. "I'll make sure someone is always here if you wake up and need something. And if you want me, my room is right across the hall, or you can just ask someone to get me." <@Dreol> [Moriel gets some flashes of memories. First he is in a cottage and its on fire. A woman is yelling "Aliz! Aliz! Run!" he feels afraid and doesn't know what to do. A demonic creature bursts through the wall of the cottage. Several more join it. One of them charges towards Moriel. Then he gets another scene: He is being held by a massive claw as the demons fly him through the night sky. The claws are digging into his shoulders. They are flying towards some mountains. After that, things get fuzzier. Aliz was pretty clearly really panicked at this point. There is a flash of the land as the demons fly down. The sea is visible. Moriel can see a city. It looks like the drawings he has seen of Rome. The demons fly east of it. Another flash: They are on the ground now in front of a mountain. There is a small village to the west. Moriel is led up a path into the mountains, and then led down into a cave that is subtly hidden behind some trees. The cave descends down for a long time. It feels hotter the farther down he goes. Another scene: They have come to a pit of fire. One of the demons walks through the pit and climbs up the other side. Moriel/Aliz is tossed across the pit to the other demon, who catches her and then continues on. Another scene: A large, circular room. About a dozen demons. There is screaming and crying. In the center of the room is a large, circular pit surrounded by bones and blood. On the far side of the pit is an altar. Standing before the altar is another creature. It has vampire fangs, and looks vaguely human, but it has huge, grotesque, leathery wings, its hands come to long, sharpened claws, and his head is bald, except for a collection of horns of various shapes and sizes. Its eyes are completely pitch black and its skin is a red so dark that it is almost black. In front of Moriel are about five other humans. One of them, a young man, is motioned to approach. He hesitates and then is grabbed by one of the demons and tossed forward in front of the altar. The creature at the altar says some words and then moves around to the front of the altar and takes a dagger from its sheath. The dagger has a blackened bone handle and a curved blade. The creature stabs the young man in the side and tosses him into the pit. Another scene: Moriel/Aliz is next in line. The creature at the altar motions for her to come forward. She is petrified and cannot move. A demon tosses her in front of the altar. The creature comes forward with the dagger, raises it to stab her and she panics, takes a step back, loses her balance and plummets into the pit. She feels more terror than ever in her life. Below her, far below her, she sees a cliff. She reaches out for it and her fingers barely manage to get a grip in it. She digs her nails in and tries to pull herself up, but the pull of the abyss is so much. She continues to try and then, finally, she feels as if she has managed to pull herself up onto land. She feels different somehow, but has a singular desire to find her parents and get away from this place.] 06* Moriel freezes briefly as all of this pours into his mind. Then he continues stroking Aliz' hair, but his eyes narrow, thoughts flickering rapidly behind them. 06* Moriel stays there until he can tell Aliz is sound asleep. <@Dreol> [Eventually, Aliz does manage to drift off just from sheer exhaustion.] 06* Moriel stays there for a moment, looking down at her with troubled eyes. He rises decisively and heads out into the hall, looking for the ghoul he left cooling his heels out there. <@Dreol> [The ghoul stands up straight and offers a bow.] 06* Moriel nods at him. "Thank you for waiting. She's asleep now. Please go inside and wait with her in case she wakes up and needs something. If you need to leave, make sure someone else stays with her." <@Dreol> [The ghoul nods. "Of course, M'lord." And he heads back inside.] 06* Moriel goes looking for Jurgen, that accomplished. <@Dreol> [Jurgen is still in his, for lack of a better word, office. Where Moriel met with him before.] 06* Moriel knocks on the door, then! <@Dreol> [A ghoul answers the door and steps outside. "Yes, Lord MacRae?"] 06* Moriel controls his twitch. "I've spoken with the girl Aliz and have some information for Prince Jurgen, if he's available." <@Dreol> [The ghoul nods and steps inside for a few moments before opening the door and motioning for Moriel to go inside. Jurgen is seated in one of the chairs around the table. He looks up at Moriel. "You have spoken with the girl, then? What did you discover?"] 06* Moriel bows to the prince. "I believe I have an idea where Moloch is located. What I could learn was somewhat limited by what the girl could see and understand, but there was a city near the ocean - it looked like pictures I've seen of Rome. They took her to a mountain somewhere to the east of it, with a village to the west." There was a cave there where they were performing their sacrifices. <@Dreol> [Jurgen nods. "Do you believe you could lead our army there?"] 06* Moriel frowns. "With a map I could show you the approximate location. The entrance to the cave is hidden, however. I could likely find it if I went there." <@Dreol> [Jurgen nods. "Good."] I had a request for you, as well. <@Dreol> [Jurgen nods. "Go on..."] The girl, Aliz. I would ask that you give her into my charge. <@Dreol> [Jurgen raises an eyebrow. "For what purpose?"] She seems hardly willing to speak to anyone else at present; she might grow less fearful with me as her custodian. And she might not be here at all if it were not for me. <@Dreol> [Jurgen is thoughtful for a few minutes and nods. "I have no real use for the girl. She is a risk, however. She has seen much of both our world and the next... If you take charge of her, she will be your responsibility. I suggest that you consider the decision carefully. If she causes a problem for the Masquerade, justice will be served on both of you."] 06* Moriel nods. "Of course. I will think on it carefully." He bows to the prince. "Thank you, Prince Jurgen." <@Dreol> [Jurgen nods. "If you choose to take her as your charge, Moriel. I would gladly allow you to. You can consider her my gift to you for all you have done for my city."] 06* Moriel nods and bows again. "Thank you. If you have no other need of me, I'll take my leave. I'm certain you have much to do." He smiles faintly. <@Dreol> [Jurgen nods. "It is getting late. We should both sleep."] <@Dreol> [Mini End.]