Azi swung hard, falling again into the rhythym of the fray with her mace. Swing, parry, swing, thud, swing. She concentrated all of her efforts on battle, keeping her mind on the carnality of it, the feel of the mace in her hands, the sound of it swinging through the wisp of the being before her, the crunch of dry grass and the feel of lumpy earth beneath her feet.


As the form fell, she called up a chant in her head to aid her in enduring the next battle. Without a moment's pause, she beckoned forth another of the spirits and fell again into the rhythm of battle. Before the battle was ended, Tobyas stood beside her. She felt his blessings upon her as she finished her task, then turned to face him gratefully.

He smiled at her. The scruff of several days afield making him look older, almost like the twenty-five he was. His eyes crinkled up against the sun, and the glint from Azi's armor. She was as bad as Crispian, he thought with a chuckle.


Sweeping his coif back of his head, he spoke. "ou're note sounds very grave, Azi. I am here as a friend, or as your confessor?"

Azi frowned, suddenly regretting the haste in her note. She should have explained more, what was she supposed to do? Mime her troubles to him? She let out a long sigh, looking at Tobyas sadly. He had come so quickly, she was so undeserving of such a friend. What did she want from him? Mercy? Assurance? Forgiveness? None of those things were due.


She looked to the ground, averting her swollen red eyes that burned from endless hours of grief. She thought about speaking, breaking her vow, but decided against it. Even if she could speak, she would be at a loss for words. Instead, she dropped to her knees before Tobyas, taking his hand with both of hers and kissing it in desperation.

Tobyas sighed, sensing what was happening. He slipped his hands from Azi's and reached into his pouch for a small stole of purple silk, adorned with holy symbols. He kissed it and draped it over his neck, then sat on the ground. "Well, daughter of the church, I must release your bound of silence if I am to hear your confession." He blessed them both, and waited.

Azi looked around the shoreline that had been home to her for two days, taking it in. It seemed an odd place for a confession, and suddenly she felt out of place and strange here. A wizard and a mercenary rushed past toward the hamadryads, while an older friar nodded and sipped from a flask as he hurried toward Cornwall. Azi shook her head silently still and rose to her feet, leading Tobyas to the shade of a solitary tree upon the hillside.


She clung to his hand even now, feeling the warmth and light flowing through him even as undeserving as she was. He sat in the grass and she knelt before him with her head bowed. As she opened her mouth to speak, her voice cracked, sounding strange and unfamiliar after her period of silence.


"Are you certain I am alright in speaking?" she kept her head low as she whispered, her eyes following the individual links in his chain boots. "For my sins are so grave that I do not wish to damn myself further."

Toby raisd his hand in a sign of blessing over her head. "May the Almighty bless you as you confess your sins, not to me, but to Him. Please go ahead, daughter," he murmured quietly. "The Almighty will hear in your heart, but as his instrument in the mortal realm, I have to rely on my ears. Even vows of life-long silence are eased for the sacraments."


He smiled kindly at her.

Even with that proclamation, Azi had trouble getting started, but once she began it was as if floodgates had been opened.


"I murdered Hecathia in rage, I spilled blood in the guild hall, I killed Lexi in the process, I broke my vow of silence, I cursed the bishop in my thoughts, I had impure thoughts," she was sobbing now, clenching Tobyas' hand, pressing her forehead to it, "I disobeyed my father, in my selfishness I let Emlae fall to battle, I lost faith and surrendered in battle, letting myself fall, I--" with this she sobbed, having saved the worst offense in the eyes of the Almighty for last.


"I attempted to violently take my own life.."

Tobyas listened to the torrent flood from Azi, felt the emotional buffeting. Her words tumbled and fell from her mouth, a string of faults and failures, short-comings, and finally, at the last her most hidden feeling. He let a silence stretch between them, finally lowering his eyes to the ground.


"Is there anything else?" he asked, waiting, but Azi just kept her head bowed.


"My daughter, some of your sins are most grave indeed, even mortal. It shall take a life-time to atone for them. Rath and Pride. Deadly Sins. You have lusted," he paused, "so you are a mortal of the flesh. You have had impure thoughts. Few minds are ever focused on the Almighty. Scripture does say 'I lifted my eyes to the heavens, from whence shall my aid come?' We are ever supplicants to the Will of the Almighty, hoping to be perfect in His sight, as His love is perfect for us."


"Azaeli Hammerfel, are you truly sorrowful for your sins?"

"More than words can ever express.." She buried her face in her hands. Her burden lifted slightly, hearing his words ring over and over in her ears as she wept.

He lifted his hand, prepared to deliver absolution, and stopped. His hand quivered a moment in the air, his eyes closed. His throat worked convulsively for a moment. Slowly, his right hand grew steady as he left brought forth his holy symbol, gleaming silver surrounding a small reliq of bone.


The absolution fell forgotten from his lips. He pressed his left hand forward as his right dipped into pouch, retrieving oils. Hastily snapping the top off, he plunged a thumb into sacred chrism and marked Azi's forehead even as he called on smiting power of the Almighty to stun her.


As she reeled from the unexpected attack, he knelt over her, reliced symbol held before her, her dazed eyes unseeing as he prayed, sweat forming on his forehead.


"O Glorious Archangel St. Michael, Prince of the heavenly host, be our defense in the terrible warfare which we carry on against principalities and powers, against the rulers of this world of darkness, spirits of evil. Come to the aid of man, whom God created immortal, made in His own image and likeness, and redeemed at a great price from the tyranny of the devil.


Fight this day the battle of the Lord, together with the holy angels, as already thou hast fought the leader of the proud angels, Lucifer, and his apostate host, who were powerless to resist thee, nor was there place for them any longer in heaven. That cruel, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil or Satan who seduces the whole world, was cast into the abyss with his angels. Behold, this primeval enemy and slayer of men has taken courage. Transformed into an angel of light, he wanders about with all the multitude of wicked spirits, invading the earth in order to blot out the name of God, to seize upon, slay and cast into eternal perdition souls destined for the crown of eternal glory. This wicked dragon pours out, as a most impure flood, the venom of his malice on men of depraved mind and corrupt heart, the spirit of lying, of impiety, of blasphemy, and the pestilent breath of impurity, and of every vice and iniquity. These most crafty enemies have filled and inebriated with gall and bitterness the Church, the spouse of the immaculate Lamb, and have laid impious hands on her most sacred possessions. In the Holy Place itself, where has been set up the See of the most holy Peter and the Chair of Truth for the light of the world, they have raised the throne of their abominable impiety, with the iniquitous design that when the Pastor has been struck, the sheep may be scattered.


Arise then, O invincible Prince, bring help against the attacks of the lost spirits to the people of God, and give them the victory. They venerate thee as their protector and patron; in thee holy Church glories as her defense against the malicious power of hell; to thee has God entrusted the souls of men to be established in heavenly beatitude. Oh, pray to the God of peace that He may put Satan under our feet, so far conquered that he may no longer be able to hold men in captivity and harm the Church. Offer our prayers in the sight of the Most High, so that they may quickly conciliate the mercies of the Lord; and beating down the dragon, the ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, do thou again make him captive in the abyss, that he may no longer seduce the nations. Amen."


His hands trembled as he slapping Azi again with oil and blessed water.


"Behold the Symbol of the Almighty; be scattered ye hostile powers.


The Lion of the tribe of Juda has conquered the root of David.


Let Thy mercies be upon us, O Lord.


As we have hoped in Thee.


O Lord, hear my prayer.


And let my cry come unto Thee."


He nearly swooned at the intensity of the hold on Azi, but it was so much less than Mirth, whom he had faced before. His voice rose in cadence and volume as he finished, knowing this round would go the Almighty at least.


"Divine Almighty, we call upon Thy holy name, and as supplicants we implore Thy clemency, that by the intercession of the glorious Archangel St. Michael, Thou wouldst deign to help us against Satan and all other unclean spirits, who wander about the world for the injury of the human race and the ruin of souls. Amen."


He reeled backward, falling to his knees and slumped, soaked through with sweat, trembling, but victorious.