Storm Hawk's Flight

The information Nezys revealed raised many disturbing questions. She had been sent into the temple to seek out a store of gems that was locked in the temple vaults. While the majority of the gems were confirmed by the Archbishop to be ordinary stones, there were seventeen hidden amongst them that were considerably more.
They were part of a greater focus that had been used by the gods to create the barrier around the world in the ancient past. While Nezys had not been informed of too many specifics, she did know that D had already acquired several of the other necessary implements.

His centuries laid plan was coming to fruition, and they had only discovered it by sheer dumb luck.
Hethir was not confident of their odds anymore.


Unfortunately, the Archbishop seemed to think the best plan was to simply play along with D until they could actually track him down and end him. This meant Hethir was supposed to carry out the job that D had originally hired him for--at least on the surface. So it was that he found himself back on the Storm Hawk with a very particular magical chalice on board, and two sacks of gemstones. All the important gems had been carefully hidden inside a magic-proof safe deep inside the ship, and the Archbishop had laid minor enchantments on seventeen random stones to attract attention to them. Really he had done so masterfully, making it seem as though the enchantments were abjurations meant to shield the gems from detection that had faded over the years and become somewhat more obvious. It would take a detailed look for the enchantments to even be noticed, so it was likely the ruse might hold for a time.
Trace and his companions were also back on the ship, something Hethir couldn't actually decide how he felt about. On the one hand having more competent combatants was rarely a bad thing, and Trace especially would be incredibly useful due his newly acquired deific power. However, their presence seemed somewhat to undermine the ruse that they were attempting to build.
Hethir snarled at their wake as the ship left port. The whole situation was spiraling out of his depth far too rapidly, and he hated being dragged into conflicts that he didn't have a hand in starting.
"I understand why you don't like the Archbishop's plan... I'm not fond of it either... can't we just cut and run?"
Nezys' voice was soft in his mind, their connection allowing for a more subtle touch than most telepathy allowed for. It was much to Trace's consternation when Hethir insisted on taking Nezys with him, and in fact had taken to wearing the sentient sword openly. The Archbishop had been less upset, but wanted to refuse outright as well. The two holy men had not been silenced until Hethir had delivered the ultimatum that if they wanted his assistance, Nezys was part of his price.
"I know it isn't from any misplaced loyalty to that church..."
No, Nezys, it isn't. I will nto be running because no matter my thoughts or policy... no matter how much I don't want this, it is happening. D must be stopped, or this world and everything in it will be destroyed...
"You actually believe that?" Nezys's voice was skeptical.
Beyond a doubt. Hethir sighed and placed a hand on Nezys' pommel.
I felt the geas he laid on you Nezys... the mind that crafted it was not sane, it wants destruction. It desires pain. That kind of mind is not something that should exist, it shouldn't be able to exist, but it does... and it must be stopped.

Nezys was quiet for a moment, though Hethir could feel her thoughts swirling in the steel under his hand.
"Then what about me? What happens when he takes me away and ruins me again... turns me into a twisted thing like he is."
I won't let him... No matter what happens, Nezys, I'm not allowing him to destroy any more of my crew, or my friends. He looked at the sword with a wry grin, if I get lucky I'll also stop him from killing the 'holy men' but we will see just have to see how that goes.

The laugh they shared managed to lighten his mood considerably.

In a Mind of Steel

Consciousness swirled, eddied, and finally stabilized. Hethir could not see his surroundings, but he knew where his mind was.
Nezys...
"What? How are you in here?!"

Shapes, sights and sensations suddenly whirled in a frenzy, and Hethir found himself looking across and endless ghostly landscape. He looked down and was startled to see that he actually had a body. Of sorts, it was more akin to an astral projection than a solid form, but it was still not something he was used to.
"How have you entered like this? No one has ever managed it!"