Hidden Yuuzhan Vong Enclave

[K'litch Vang]

The more Lotva Shai paves the the course of the plan the more K'litch Vang begins to disect the situation. He keeps his overall calm whlie Lotva Shai reads him but still tells her volumes, his excitement can be seen for brief moments as her plan gets sprinkled with the deaths of many infidels. Then Lotva Shai asks him to speak freely, thats when his eyes dart to the images from the villip that is displaying the images of the Cultural Center.

"I think your plan sounds most favorable, Consul." K'litch says as he pick up the villip and coaxes it to cycle through the images to the planet' communications array. As K'litch Vang looks at the floating image he is half tempted to smile at the thought of seeing that abomination wiped out of physical existence."To plant ourselves covertly among them will stretch our warriors thin, but still favorable as long as the deceit is maintained."

It is clear K'litch Vang can think about the situation and tactical dissect it. It becomes clearer that the reason why his superiors chose him, he can think fast. Given the chance to speak freely, K'litch Vang continues. "Even more that when the Jeedai arrive, we silence any screams they may have. The warriors will be pleased to hear they will be able to give proper worship to Yun-Yammka."

[lotvashai]

"Maintaining our deceit will not be a problem for as long as there are no Jeedai upon this world." She responded quickly, waving off his concern with a simple gesture of one clawed hand,

"Those who possess Jeedai like abilities may not be acutely attuned enough to know what it is they are sensing, at least...this is what the shapers suppose - however, I have tasked the shapers with seeking an end to our Jeedai problem, one that, unlike the work of their predecessors, has no root in heresy."

She prided herself on that particular little factor, it was something the shapers had been unable to do in the initial war, their work had suffered as had they, as a result of their clandestine heresies, and as such, the war had taken a turn for the worse. New protocols had been recovered from old cortexes, once thought long forgotten and a few specialist masters and adepts had brought forth these protocols in order to ascertain much of what they had learned in the past about these perculiar creatures, the Jeedai.
However, the source of this 'force' they clung so tightly to, was the one thing they had never truly understood, they knew what governed it genetically, but 'how' had always been the question upon the shapers lips.

Lotva Shai was confident that their new levels of research would supply the answer soon enough, but for now they would content themselves with conquest - it would appease the warriors and indeed their god, Yun-Yammka, if but for a while...though even sooner, the blood of the infidels would run in torrents, rivers through the decimated cities of this gods forsaken world, and the gods would rejoice at the victory of their children.

Eyes glimmering brightly as these thoughts played happily through her mind, she buried all thoughts of the pain she had not yet discovered a means to embrace and returned that rueful expression K'litch Vang was exhibiting openly.

"Better for the warriors that their screams are not silenced too early, Yun-Yammka, the priests inform me, thirsts for their suffering in immeasurable quantity."

This would also delight the god of war's twin, Yun-Harla, as born out of suffering was the deception of others to elude it, as least that was how it usually happened, these infidels were all too easy to predict when it came to pain - of all kinds. On a physical level they exhibited the most profoundly abhorrent signs that they would do whatever they could to save themselves from their agony, and even more perplexingly, they would sacrifice their selves to save others - save? Was that word ever in their vocabulary, she had to wonder.

Azca had now fallen asleep where he rested in her arms, his breathing falling into a quiet dialogue with her own. He resembled his father with every passing klekket, she wondered idly if people would then start to ask questions...as if they did not already.

"I would prepare for the coming events, but take caution, victory above all else is unquestionable, therefore the planning is everything."

[K'litch Vang]

It is all too clear to K'litch Vang that the plot to destroy these infidels is layer, upon layer, upon layer. The notion not make suffering a part of the worlds perspective is something that makes K'litch Vang salivate as he begins to realize that he is fortunate to have a strong Consul in his midst. "Indeed, honorable Consul. Their screams will pierce the heavens and the Yun-O's ears. Their cries will be a lullaby to them and yet go unheard by galaxy."

K'litch Vang bows his head in respect, he has been waiting so that he can finally remove the infidel stink that clung to him... and burn the infidel clothes he wears. It is then that he bows his head again in respect as he thinks of way to cleanse himself. K'litch had long ago felt the Embrace's touch, but since their Creche's marooning on this planet he had rarely seen the out side of the Enclave.

"With your permission honorable Consul, I wish to embrace pain so I may cleanse my being of the infidel stench. Would you be so permitting to oversee my cleansing?"

[lotvashai]

His compliance with her request was encouraging, it made certain that proceedings and plans would go a whole lot smoother if he continued on this way, some warriors seemed to delight in taking their time over such things as getting along with any member of her caste, a general distrust of Intendants was common place among all true caste Yuuzhan Vong - even other Intendants felt this way when encountering some from another domain or damutek. At least this warriors superiors had seen fit to educate him on such dalliances, she did not wager him being a problem any time soon. And then he surprised her somewhat.

She glanced at him with a rueful gaze, quirking an eyebrow in curiosity as amusement painted her features the picture of her thoughts - this one placed his duty to the gods high above all else, this too was encouraging, he was worthier than many others she had encountered, both in his age and rank range and above. But to ask her to oversee this? Well, he either flirted with the same sensibilities as she, or he knew little about her domain's obsession with the embrace of pain. The expediently cleansing biot was but one of many holy and pure ways to commune with the gods and atone both, when esconced in it's coiling fronds with barbed tethers and white-hot bulbs, it was easy to become lost in your own agony, transcending time and space, the seconds turned into hours, hours into cycles...only when firmly nestled in ones agony could you truly communicate with the gods. But the Shai had discovered far many other uses for the embrace of pain, had become somewhat attached to it for all it's cleansing qualities...amongst other things. Such rumours spread through the castes like a swarm of ngdin thirsting for a blood-spill, but few dared challenge domain Shai direct about it - yet here he was, asking her to oversee his cleansing despite the fact she was no priestess of any sect, and knowing undoubtedly the same rumours that most did.
Interesting.

"Truly?" She queried with an all too amused glint in her otherwise cold eyes, "You have spent much time among the infidels of late..."

Pensively she tapped one long-clawed finger against the chitinous surface that he had placed the villip down upon earlier, it made more sense that he would wish to do so prior to executing this plan, the portents should be good, his faith in the gods circumspect.

"Very well, I shall oversee this." She conceeded, casting her glance back over one shoulder, before barking an order to an unseen aquisition.

From the shadows beyond the oqa membrane, the same creche attendant, who had brought Azca to them, appeared and crossed the space between herself and Lotva Shai silently, taking great care not to cast too much of a curious glance at the clandestine, still-playing images upon the facia of the villip. Lotva Shai handed Azca over to the attendant carefully, and the crecheling stirred ever so slightly, but did not wake from the sleep he seemed to have fallen temporarily into. Good, it wouldn't do to have the warrior see how much of a handful this one had become as a result of his tainting, it already did her a great deal of disgrace knowing that he had been born inside an infidel built thing facility. The attendant bowed respectfully, but as she had been invited to see and not to talk, said no word as Lotva Shai issued instruction.

"Continue with the priest's regimen, I will return to observe his progress in a cycle or so."

The attendant inclined her head, then turned to leave. At aproximately the same time, the Consul turned sharply to face K'litch Vang once more, ominous smile fixed firmly back in place, "This way,"

[K'litch Vang]

"Two days scouting the infidel streets for viable breach points before I was sent to locate Tsaak," K'litch Vang says referring to the shamed slime of Domain Lian. "and with great displeasure was required to wear their dead lifeless clothing to blend in. I feel their stench tainting me and I wish it gone."

When lotva signals for them to move, K'litch Vang follows his Consul's steps, making sure to walk at least 3 steps behind her, towards his impending cleansing. He is well aware of Domain Shai's fetish for the Embrace of Pain, their tolerances spoken of as much as their fondness of that particular biot. It is for the rumors of the Domains tolerances K'litch Vang has chosen Lotva Shai to oversee his cleansing. He keeps his gaze flat and stern to keep any hints of this from the Consul's keen eye; even though he walks behind her, Domain Shai is rumored to have unseen eyes shaped to the back of their heads. He keeps his distance, his silence and most of all his gaze dead.

[lotvashai]

She lead him through the long and winding passages of the settlements subterranean halls, much like those grown upon their own worldships, these natural caves had formed millennia ago, but served their purpose well, it was the least offensive thing about this world, the Consul had mused, and also the most natural thing about it. When here, it was easy to forget that within easy reach was a settlement saturated with inorganic filth, and the infidels that used it so prefusely. Well that would be remedied very soon, and the sooner that time came the better - she had an unsated ire for the infidels that had been deepend by the personal edge this war with them had taken. They had tainted her own son, and for that much they would pay dearly.

She lead K'litch Vang through the winding tunnels, passing through several open spaced chambers with appetures that reached up into the Utan skies, bathing the damuteks and grashals below in much needed light, they thrived here, it was a good sign.
When at last they reached one of the larger sprawling damuteks, she gave cause to halt, raising her wrist to the sensory nerve bundle at one side of the main entrance membrane. From within the nodes exuded a long proboscis with a needle-tipped end that stabbed into her wrist just enough to draw blood.

A second passed, before the membrane shivered and then began to dilate and allow the consul and the warrior through. The light globes that glistened brightly above them illuminated to life as they passed, the damutek was quiet at this time in the cycle, many were out on errunds or general day to day business on behalf of the caste, but this made it a most expedient time for something like a cleansing to go on uninterrupted. Lotva Shai bid another oqa membrane to open, then slipped quietly into the chamber beyond, there, upon the far wall, resting ominously like a silent shadow, hung the embrace of pain. A full sized installation, the damutek's occupants had comissioned the shapers bring it here to better serve the gods, undoubtedly, it was Lotva Shai who had found this most useful.

"You do not wish to acquire the assistance of a priest?" She queried curiously, assuming she knew the reasons why he had asked her, not to mention the fact she had just been there at the right time. Anyone else might assume alterior motives, but her mind was already playing over that scenario...weather this was the case or not remained to be seen.

"They may suggest a cleansing of a more thorough nature, time spent in contemplation." She issued a slight chuckle, she had never thought much of that, save for the burning warmth of the acid baths, and the sheer sting of raw nerves when exiting them. A delight she hadn't exprienced for far too long.

[K'litch Vang]

"Indeed, honorable Consul, a priest would be agreeable." K'litch Vang nods in agreement. He stands there looking at the embrace as it rests naturally inside the cave, noting how natural it looks. "Is there one you would recommend?"

[lotvashai]

The embrace of pain hung inertly in it's holdings against the ceiling of the damutek, it's usually boiling fronds swaying restlessly back and forth amid the exchange of air that had breezed through the porthole of an entrance when the two Yuuzhan Vong had entered.
Lotva Shai imagined it's eagerness, those fronts reaching out to them both to grasp and ensare them into it's fold, to be pulled back against the nubbed and node-surfaced slab of a central mass, and in turn pulled into sheer torment. Exquisite - that was the only word for it, at least the only the Consul could call to mind.

She closed the distance between the creature and herself, brushing away it's coiling tendrills uncaringly, she had not come to give devotions now, it was the warrior who had requested this, and who was she to deny the gods their pound of flesh?
It's attempts to gather her up were put to an end when she passed the creature and entered, instead, a partly opaque blister niche at the back of the chamber, within which she could be heard to be conversing with something, probably a villip, for a brief moment or two before returning.

"I have taken the liberty of locating a most useful priestess, she is young, but has attained the rank with honours." She said graciously, and indeed she meant every word she said, for once. "Nehsta domain Ku."

Glancing at the embrace of pain, still prominent in her peripheral vision, she gesticulated towards it with one taloned hand, elaborately.

"When you are ready." She said with a knowing amusement, she was not certain quite how the warrior would take this, many had fallen to the plague that was lassitude, due to their time among the heretics upon Sekot, though this one was still young, he would have been old enough to remember the war with the infidels, he should still bear the scars and therefore the rememberance, of the old ways. It was not something lightly forgotten after all.

[K'litch Vang]

After hearing Lotva Shai's disembodied voice, K'litch Vang turns his attention to the priestess who has just walked through the entrance membrane. The Yuuzhan Vong priestess is accurately described by the Consul, Nehsta Ku is young indeed. K'litch Vang estimates her to be less than 18 YV years old, even by caste standards she must be considered young. He looks at Ku intently for a few moments who bows and addresses the warrior with a cold, hiss-like voice. "Greetings K'litch of Domain Vang, you wished to be purified?"

"I do, honorable priestess." K'litch Vang replies in a dead tone. He is weary of the priestess' age and possible experience but she comes at the recommendation of Lotva Shai, the one thing that keeps Ku in Vang's favor.

"Then we should begin."

K'litch Vang strips off the lifeless clothing that has been clinging to him for the last several days and lets them lay where they fall. He turns to the Priestess and points to the heap on the floor. "Be sure to burns those."

As the warrior steps closer to the embrace, it takes him into its tendrils like a cradled child in its mother's arms. Holding him here in its grasp, K'litch Vang is relaxed as he prepares for his cleasing. Ku speaks to Lotva Shai as she keeps her gaze locked on K'litch Vang, a curious toothed grin hanging on her face.

[lotvashai]

The consul had every faith in this priestess, she had worked with her before on more than one occasion and knew that this one was born of a bloodline that was elite, or rather, the elite. Few castemembers were fortunate to be born to crecheparents among the elite members of their society, but Nehsta Ku was one of them, as such it had quite literally been expected of her to excellerate in her training- to do so without question, not to fail, as the result was a swiftly judged one from which there would be no reprieve. Death, Lotva Shai thought, and an ignoble one at that, was often an effective deterrant. While the same could not be said of the warrior caste, all true caste Yuuzhan Vong hoped for greatness before the blessed release, it was something they all aspired to - though she often told herself she would content herself with her own rank, should Yun-Yuuzhan find cause to take her life honourably, there was the ambitious part of her that told her the rank of Prefect would be most prefferable right now. If she attained said rank? Well...then there was only one other option left open to her, and that she would take which way she could.

The priestess, clad in a series of elaborately knotted fabrics, all of them living, that shimmered brightly, shifting colours as the creatures that made them up plucked nutrients from the air surrounding them, they seemed to thrive in the alien air like nothing else, but Lotva Shai supposed this was as a direct result of the shapers tampering, rather than a sign that the gods favoured this world prior to it's cleansing of infidel life and mockeries of life both.
Wound round her form, the fabrics accentuated an already lean frame that bespoke of a life lived in depravation, the priestly castes rituals and holy callendar was by far the most extreme of all the castes, and adhered to with strict regimen. Nehsta Ku was a brilliantly gleaming example of this, and bore it well with both dignity and grace beyond her years.

Everything about this one wreaked of allure, and that was with good reason, she was a priestess of the deception sect, and everything they did was laced with double intention. Scored into the palms of her hands were the symbols of the goddess she venerated above all other lesser gods, Yun-Harla, with smaller dainties in the form of carved fetishes to Yun-Yammka, the god of war and closely twinned with Yun-Harla, hanging about her neck on a vine long enough to allow the small effigy to nestle comfortably in the nape of her cleavage.

She padded silently around the chamber, examining the embrace of pain from all angles, whilst carrying in her hands a small bowl filled with smouldering tishwii leaves, used for the basis of purification. When she approached K'litch she wafted the smoke in his direction, allowing him to bathe in it in effect and breathe deeply. The scent was heady, intoxicating and was known for it's properties in allowing seers to interpret the gods visions more acutely.
The priestess came to a halt as the embrace of pain began to gather the warrior up into it's tendrills, then she receeded to the back of the chamber where she uttered something quietly to Lotva Shai, causing the Consul to smile ever so slightly in the process, then she nodded.

Most chose to embrace pain alone, but a thorough cleansing was something else, while many went direct to the priests temples, that was not always convenient, and often the wait was lengthy. Time was something they could have had much of if they chose to, but the gods would not wait for them, they needed to work fast and as expediently as possible. That negated the time for traditional cleansing.

At Lotva Shai's behest, the priestess began uttering incantations to the gods, dedications of blood sacrifice in askence for their presence here. Soon, K'litch Vang would be in unspeakable agony, and he would hear the gods soon enough.

[K'litch Vang]

It doesn't take long for the Embrace to awaken the pain receptors in Vang's body, sending a cascading tidal wave of pain coursing through his body with merciless distribution. This makes him move and fight against the Embrace, something that makes it place more pain into its attendee. K'litch Vang's screams begin to fill the chamber, screams laced with endurance that he uses to fuel his purification as a wave of pain passes and a microsecond later is washed over with another. Vang's body is racked with an undiscriminating pain that he can feel in every part of him; from the crown of his head to the soles of his feet, there is no part of his body that doesn't come alive with the unspeakable pain that would kill any mere infidel.

This is what K'litch Vang had asked for, purification, and it seems to be working. Every second that passes feels like a life age of the galaxy and brings with it the purifying power of pain. The Embrace holds tighter to him as his body wants to arch up but the tendrils around Vang's waist and torso prevent any movement. Vang's eyes are clinched so tight they begin to seep black blooded tears, his nails dug so deep into the palm of his that blood trickles freely. It had only been several klettims since the pain first touched his soul but its effects were becoming sound.

[lotvashai]

The two females watched K'litch Vang with an avid interest, but quite contrasting intentions. Whilst Nehsta Ku continued on with her chanting, the scent of the tishwii leaves filling the small chamber, Lotva Shai cast her critical eye over the proceedings, approving highly of how the young warrior would resist the embrace's otherwise pliant restraints, causing them to wrench his limbs into new and interesting angles, some the warrior no doubt might have considered near impossible before now.
What soured her expression, however, was when he vocalized his pain.

To utter anything more than a hiss as acknowledgement of the agony that must have blossomed upon his nerves, was unthinkable in her domain. It could be forgiven though, he was still young as far as warriors went, and of a different domain to herself, such dalliances were allowed among other, rival domains, though discouraged openly.
She had to mentally fight the urge to stride over there and backhand him until he stopped, but with that thought came the knowledge that he was quite possibly so far gone that he wouldn't even register the strikes as anything more than a glancing tap.

Nehsta Ku, perhaps sensing the change within the Consul, glanced sidelong at her counterpart cautiously, and thought better of mentioning something, doing so would have earned her the ire of one she found most useful in her life as it was - she might have been of lower rank than herself, and well within her rights to berate Lotva Shai for her visible ire, but she was under no illusions as to what would happen if she did so. Resources were valuable currency here on this world, and it was the Intendants who governed them, it would be detrimental to the smooth running of the shrines and temples if she were to anger them in some way. However small that might seem.

Lotva Shai forgot the slight oversight, reaching to grasp the pommel of her coufee at her hip and drawing the vicious, obsidian coated blade from it's sheath. Casually, she drew the weapon across her palm to sancitfy the blade, before looking for confirmation from Nehsta Ku instead of continuing on without much mind. If the gods were in attendance, then she would do this right. There was one thing to be said for the Shai, they never deviated from the true path, even when it was most necessary - any deviation, however slight, was paid for in full, and then some, often with their lives. Perhaps it was this reason alone, that had lured one too many of their kind to unnecessary sacrifice and death, ultimately leading to their disgrace? It was a notion that had crossed the Consul's mind more than once.

The priestess nodded earnestly to the Intendant, signalling that it was fine for her to continue, then watching with ice-cool eyes as Lotva Shai closed the distance between herself and K'litch Vang, still hanging in the embrace, lost in his own white-hot agony.

At this distance, Lotva Shai mused, it was not hard to see that the warrior was laden with much torment, his limbs taut, stretched to their limits or bent back on themselves in acutely painful angles, she could almost feel the deep burn and strain his ligaments must be under. She tentatively raised the coufee, keeping her eyes fixed on his expression for the time being, some subjects had been known to awaken their pain-soaked state and interpret this as some form of attack, and drew the blade in a shallow fissure across his chest, accentuating already existing scars and markings, reopening old wounds.
Obsidian blood welled in the blade's wake, rising in opalescent rivulets to fill the scarred fissures and drip down upon the pale coral floor where ngdin's raced from their niches to gorge upon the spilled metallic-tasting fluid.

The embrace reacted as expected, it's burning fronds reaching around to sear the welts and clean cuts with fiery intensity, their bulbous ends glowing brightly as the scent of burnt flesh filled the air in soft white puffs of acrid smoke.
Lotva Shai batted away one such frond dismissively, causing it to scald the back of her hand spitefully, where a deeply charred welt began to rise where the limb had been struck. If she were to use the embrace of pain, then she would do so completely, no half measures.

She stepped away, laying the coufee in a vat of waiting venogel to cleanse it thoroughly, and watching the display once more. It would be a lengthy process, lasting as long as it needed to, but no one present would consider this time wasted in the least.

[K'litch Vang]

As K'litch Vang hangs in the purifying hold of the Embrace, he feels his body wanting to tear itself apart limb by limb. There had be begins to see things unfold before him. Many in the Embrace of Pain have said to see things that the Gods wants them to see, that is their will and it is a gift to see what the gods have in store for you. K'litch sees a dark horrizon coming over the galaxy and two silhouetted figures standing over it like proud parents, undoubtedly to Vang they are Yun-Yammka and Yun-Harla in all their splendor. He sees the Twn Gods reach for Utapau and each grip it in one hand. The two break the planet in half and K'litch Vang realizes there is much dread and despair ahead for the infidels of this wretched planet.

"Pain is momentary, K'litch of Domain Vang..." one voice says to him.

"...but dishonor lasts eternally." says a second voice, finishing the sentence.

Then comes a new sensation that is the undeniable feeling of coufee marching across K'litch Vang's chest. When it becomes clear to him what he is feeling, hearing and seeing, Vang opens his eyes to see the Intendant place her coufee in a vat of venogel to purify it. At the same time his chest begins to drip blood on the floor of the chamber, K'litch Vang grows quiet. He locks eyes with the Intendant as she watches in malicious excitement over his agony. The searing fronds hadn't reached around to sear the cut closed yet and as it does, Lotva Shai makes it think twice.

K'litch Vang realizes that the enduring yells have only prolonged his purification and the ritual would continue. The blood continues to fall like black rain from Vang's chest but the warrior begins to show a new resolve. He thrashes about as his body is rack with pain but utters nothing, not even a hiss. The coufee's cut has brought Vang back to reality, to the moment, and the pain keeps him from forgetting his resolve. Even so, K'litcH Vang continues to keep his eyes fixed on the Intendant as watches him closely.

[lotvashai]

This second wind that the warrior seemed to have been given, gifted perhaps, did him many favours. The gods would smile upon him as he kept his peace, drew on his pain to give him the strength required to embrace it fully, most favourable indeed.
And as she held his gaze with her own, seeing it as something of a silent resonance and perhaps even a challenge, she nodded once in simple acknowledgement, any further embelishment would have been an insult, and that was not her wish.

Only when she felt the soft touch of Nehsta Ku's hand upon her bare shoulder, did she break his stare. It was instinct, and nothing more that caused her to shoot a glare in the Priestesses direction at her doing what she had, under normal cercumstances, had she been a subordinate, Lotva Shai would have been expected to kill her for doing so without expressed permission. As it was, Nehsta Ku ranked above her, and her intention was no more insult than it was born of harm. She allowed her frosty azure gaze to soften some, lose much of it's harsh intensity until the Priestesses mirrored her own.

"The portents are favourable, I feel the slayer is in attendance." Nehsta Ku uttered under her breath, perhaps not wishing to disturb the otherwise quiescent scene before them.

Lotva Shai allowed a slight smirk to escape the sheath of her lips, before burying it again and keeping her tone even.

"Good, he has an auspicious task ahead of him, the gods favour will go a long way to securing our victory here."

Scarcely had those words passed her tattooed lips, than she heard the sensory biots at the chambers membrane shiver slightly, the transistory ichor falling from it's opaque surface, indicating someone was waiting outside. Both Priestess and Consul exchanged confused glances, before Nehsta Ku nodded without word to her counterpart, the confirmation that she would be allowed to find out who, exactly, had dared interrupt this ritual.

A momentary cycle and exchange of warm and cool air more, and Lotva Shai disappeared beyond the muggy curtain of air that seemed to cling to the surface of the oqa tissues the membrane was comprised of.

The priestess continued on, as though the transition had never taken place, too intent on not allowing the gods attentions to weighn any, too much rested on this and the warrior in situe had spent too much time among the infidels for this to be done in any means that could be considered relaxed.
When the Consul returned however, her expression was far from just that. Confusion painted her severe features awry, but she said no word of what had transpired outside that chamber's confines, and Nehsta Ku was uncertain she could pry without effect. Either way, something had caused the consul's sudden change in mood, but she was quick to hide it in favour of the current situation.

[K'litch Vang]

As Lotva Shai attention is drawn away by the priestess, K'litch Vang sees a flash of light before him and immediately finds himself inside a dark place. Without warning, the dark place erupts in flames and death as the bodies of Yuuzhan Vong and infidels alike strewn the scene around him. Its a beautiful dance of destruction and despair that Vang finds himself looking at, off in the distance he can see the few infidels remaining huddled in a small circle as his fellow warriors move in to send the infidels to their eternal fate. K'litch Vang's silence breaks when he begins to speak, inaudibly at first but grows louder for a moment.

"The path is chosen... soon will the children of the Gods know the truth of the path... darkness will envelop us all and bring us to the end."

K'litch Vang repeats this line several times before becoming inaudible again. The pain sensors in his body keep telling him he is still being purified, there is still a taint on him and would have to endure more. When Lotva Shai leaves, the fronds of the Embrace move towards his chest and seals Lotva Shai's mark from her coufee, the searing pain brings another awakening sensation in K'litch Vang as he watches the priestess with a look of surprising thrill. He wonders if the gods have ever given the young priestess such a grand vision.

When Shai comes into view, Vang can almost make out confusion on the Intendant's face. K'litch Vang may have had his eyes open, but the earlier interruption and Shai's momentary departure went almost completely unnoticed until Vang snaps back to the moment again.