Journal of Miyara Kyosuke (53)
We have returned to the monastery. Our only
remaining task is to help Ostahar find his way. Defeating
the ogres for him is not an option, as the dwarves will not leave if
they hold the place. It would be ironic, I say, if the ogres
would need our help to win. Or have we already helped him find
his way again, because it was necessary before we could get the stone
of stones. Ashu says we are looking for somewhere safe for the
stones for eternity; I say we should keep them and use them; Goru wants
to destroy them; Pireseri doesn't care beyond his lifetime.
The barbarians could not come to any conclusion,
which is hardly surprising. We decided to sleep on the
matter. Pireseri then suggests we should put back the stone of
stones after the ogres have won, but before Og's group was
rescued. He says we cannot use the stones against the ogres
because of the visions.
I say that assumes we would be fighting on the side
of the dwarves. Also, we have the stones and can retain
them. But we do have to put the stone of stones back. I
also point out none of the other parties did get the stone, because it
was there when we found it.
Pireseri says it should go back when the
Guardian was weak, 20 years from now, and put the stone back right
before we found it. We can use the origmai pieces Ashu picked up
as the anchor to get to that time.
Perhaps, I say, it was we who weakened the
Guardian. If we used the stone of fire against it when we put it
back, that would weaken it.
The catch is we don't know how to put the stone
back. Goru could speak the words again, only this time stating it
is to be sealed away until he comes again.
We can of course use the box to go to the death of
the stone. An object in the water anchors to its birth. An
object in the fire goes to its destruction. So we could put the
stone back, go back to our own time, go pick up the stone, then go to
its death.
So we have decided to put the stone back after the
ogres have won, right before we found it for the first time. We
would go directly to the muck, and Goru could seal it away. My
only concern is if the ogres might need our help to win against the
dwarves. We need to go and watch the fight and make sure that the
ogres win. Any later and we would risk the pattern of events
breaking down. My theory is that if we break the pattern of time,
that's what unleashes the chaos. As long as we retain order, we
force events into one pattern. Once we break out of that, that's
when multiple outcomes become possible. What we are doing only
works if we fight to retain causality. We do not need to
interfere if the ogres are winning, but we must be there to make sure
the ogres win. We know the ogres win and Ostahar lives.
Anywhere we interfere in this time, we must make sure that causality is
maintained and the future we know, happens. Anything else, and
causality breaks down and the chaos gods can take the stones.
Pireseri says we could go to the time to verify the
ogres were there when they were captured...
And I say that's the worst we could do, because it
opens the possibility that the ogres did not win. In our
timeline, the chaos gods do not have the stones. This is the only
timeline where we know for certain the chaos gods do not have the
stones, and we must work to make sure this line happens every place we
interfere.
We will relocate ourselves in space, not time, and
watch the battle unfold. We will watch, and only give aid if
necessary. The ogres must win. We must also make sure
Ostahar survives, but as I explain we have already done that by showing
them the back door. If we had not told him about it -- and
interfered -- he would have died with no way out.
Pireseri and I agree we should watch from the big
hill outside.
We work the box, and are on the hill overlooking the
entrance.
There are lots of greenskins arranged in a siege
around the entrance. There are other around on the hills, but all
are focussed on the fortress.
So now we sit and watch. This could take
years, of course, but we have no choice if we do not want to join in
and kill dwarves. We set up a safe camp, assign watches, and
light no fire.
It is just before sunrise. The ogres do not
seem to be standing over the back hole, but it is not guaranteed that
they do not know about it or that anyone trying to escape would succeed,
The sun comes up. There is a loud noise coming
from the entrance to the shrine, dwarven warcries as if they were
sallying forth. The ogres we can see do indeed charge forward to
meet them. After a minute or two, the ogres on the hill begin to
move down and around in order to join the battle.
As we consider what to do, Ostahar pops up out of
the hidey hole followed by the future king, Mendi. They make a
break for it. They get about 30 yards, and a pair of ogres steps
in their way. I say we kill those two ogres now. They are
quite some distance away. We will have to hurry.
Miyara gives the order. Goru goes, Ashu and I
run down to attack. Everyone else stays.
As we run down, after a couple of rounds, Ostahar
holds his own but Mendi takes a vicious blow to the skull and
collapses. I hope Miyara is sending Rabenna.
As we run, Ostahar has turned tail and runs towards
the hidey hole. We must rescue Mendi. Then we can send Goru
back to get Ostahar out.
The ogres are standing over the hidey hole. I
head to Mendi first. Goru is going to kill ogres. Ashu
follows, while I go to Mendi to First Aid him. I treat his wounds
to stabilize him, and signal back to make sure Rabenna is coming.
The other two have been fighting, with the ogres
concentrating on them, and Ostahar has returned from the hole with the
King. They start making a run for it towards me.
A large group of ogres are now coming up from the
low level to the hills to join in. Rabena is by now tending
Mendi, and the King and Ostahar can carry Mendi to safety with Rabenna
along to treat them.
I will hold off the hordes of orcs by Clown
Fighting. I am a Master of the Art, I have trained a Master, and
if I am to die in the place that the Master Og dies, then I am
satisfied. But I must not kill too many and turn the tide of
battle. There are eight of them. I am tripping and falling,
making ugly faces, taunting them into battle.
They are at -15 to hit.
Defending is exactly what I am doing.
Ostahar and the King have reached Ravenna. O
picks up R, moves her away from Mendi as she protests and
explains. The King gets on top of Mendi, grabs him by the ears,
and stares deeply into his eyes.
I am in battle now. I must occupy all eight
without significantly injuring any of them. But first I must get
their attention, as they are heading for the dwarves. I hit one
severely, then another, dancing along to keep them all occupied as much
as I can. I hit another one a more glancing blow.
The ogres I have been harrassing have reached Mendi
and the others. I strike another one hard. I have failed
badly at distracting them, as they are entirely set on Mendi and the
King. They gather around and attack the King. I am relieved
-- I hope I do know what is going on, and as far as the ogres see the
King is lying on his brother's dead body.
I strike hard again, still trying to draw them from
the King. This one turns to hit me, just because it is too
crowded around the King. I chop at yet another, who
half-heartedly swings at me.
[Ashu is running back, having killed his as Goru
kills the other. Rabenna is standing some 10 yards away from the
King, and she is alone. Ashu, hurt badly, runs towards her.]
I hit my seventh.
Rabena heads towards Ashu.
I hit the eighth and last one.
Goru looks badly hurt too, and is following Ashu to
Rabena. She attends Ashu, suggesting they go back up the hill.
I start working the circle of ogres again. I
do not care who I hit, but must make sure they ogres do not mutilate
what they believe to be Mendi's body. I don't know what magic he
is working, but I am convinced that he is saving Mendi with his own
spirit, or perhaps merging their spirits.
Goru joins me. I am pleased at this display of
honor. The ogres have finished with the King, and turn their full
attention on us. Ostahar is nowhere to be seen, but of course he
is only a spirit. I tell Goru to get Mendi to safety, while I
take on all eight. I back up taunting and Clown Fighting to clear
them from Mendi. I have four, and so does Goru. So I must
kill some to get the rest. I strike as I can, not caring which
ones take the blows. I dance, I stumble, I trip, I taunt.
And between I deliver my strikes.
Goru goes down.
I shout at the others and try to draw them to me.
Miyara order me to get Goru get up the top. It
is very loud here, and I decide not to make out her words. My
object is to get all eight fighting me. I shout back up the hill,
get Mendi to safety. Her response is that it is too late for
Mendi, and that we must fetch the stones and get out of here. I
shout, get Goru while I distract them. I continue to distract
them as much as possible so that Bark and Miyara can fetch him.
I Clown Fight as a Master. I cannot be
defeated. Rather, I will succeed in my task whether I am defeated
or not, because my spirit is strong, and my spirit cannot be defeated
even if my body falls.
Miyara and Bark have picked up Goru and headed back
up the hill. I have succeeded.
I will fight until they reach the top of the hill.
Finally, one dies. I continue as the massed
horde of ogres, their whole army, comes to take on this martial arts
Master. At the top of the hill they are readying the box.
When I am sure they are safe I will come.
Miyara calls that they are going now.
I take one last blow, then dance clear and up the
hill. I trip, stumble, dance, leap, stagger, my way up the
hill. The ogres chase but do not get close.
They wink out as I approach. I touch the
boundary and am gone.
[they were headed for the monastery]
We are in the inner temple where the stone of stones
resided. It's an odd choice, and I don't like the mud of course,
but it works. I don't know when we are, but at least I know where.
The pillar is not glowing.