Chancel Gathering (C 2.4, E 2.4, H 2.4, L 2.8)

Location: The Roost
Time: Well after midnight




Shrike, Javan, Zephyr, and Plover have gathered everyone in the chancel to talk. Litch has something to say. Of course, the sick and wounded aren't here. But everyone else has been gathered.

Syd, do you notice that Shrike is standing near you? What's that odd scent you notice on her?

Canary, how drunk are you, and do you grab a seat or stand by anyone in particular?

Helix, the Whispers are completely silent. How is that making you feel?

Litch, they are all here - family and more. Do you have a lecturn or do you simply talk to them? What do you say?

With the Whispers silenced, I become expansive, no longer crushed beneath the weight of the words, but I also become alone. I feel too-large a target in too-open a space.

Being constantly compressed in a corner by the carousing cacophony of Whispers is a burden, but being abandoned by them is in many ways worse. For as much time as I used to spend alone in my own apartment, I'm unaccustomed to working solo.

I tuck myself in a space near the wall, attempting as much as I can, to disappear with the Whispers. I may also be attempting to hide from Edmund and his sanctimonious judgment. It surprised me, admittedly, that he has the clarity to see the Tower as the selfish, cold creatures that they are. But I can't trust someone who worked with them anyway, who wants to afford the people who have already been afforded everything a chance to grow too. Plants only flourish in the light, and the Tower is the reason the rest of us sit in the shadows. I don't want to marvel at their height. I don't want to applaud them reaching for the sun, even if their doing so allows a few extra rays to those of us left below.

The chancel is the best location if you prefer sunlight. With its tall windows flanking both sides of the hall, on a cloudless day it feels as though we have already ascended to our eternal sanctuary, bypassing the pain and suffering of death entirely. The somber tones do suit me, but I too enjoy a change of scenery. It is a holy place. It resonates with divinity, with sanctification.

Beneath the windows are three rows of pews facing each other across the aisle. Though there is a pulpit set off to one side of the raised dais at the head of the chamber, I rarely use it. My preference is to stand in the middle of the platform, merely two steps above my congregation. I stand here now, arms down at my sides, watching them enter and noting those who choose to stand or sit. I had considered keeping this a Talons-only gathering, but Syd has become a part of us - if not one of us - these last few days. He has earned his right to witness our conversation. Canary, her bright yellow jacket giving off more vibrancy in the sunlight, does stand out. But she has proven herself useful in the past and may perhaps also be a future convert.

I'm pleased that Helix came without me having to bid her join. I note how she tucks herself into what few shadows there are in the chancel, out of the sun's view. It is good that you are accustomed to the darkness, young one. Though we may need your own light to shine forth very soon.

I shuffle into one of the pews, sidling along beside Jackdaw. Given the amount of alcohol he has ingested I'm surprised at how well he was able to navigate to the chancel through the elaborate nave. I had been keeping an eye on Canary, but it seems she either paced her drinking much more wisely, or more likely, held back from drinking too much to keep her wits about her.

As I sit and turn to regard Litch, something catches my attention. When Shrike walked past me the air stirred and the scent of cool, crisp air cut through Jackdaw's aura of alcohol. It is refreshing in the same way a cold drink is on a sweltering day. The scent is a vibrant juxtaposition to her dried sweat, dirt, and bruising. Even if she had just stepped out of the bath, and used any matter of oils, I can't imagine how she has produced such a scent.

Looking at her now, I'm surprised by how bruised she is and how many small wounds cover her. Should I have offered to look her over or would that only serve to offend her?

I wonder if she hates me for not being able to do more for Aloe. Should I have lied to her?

I drunk enough that now, it hurts... I rub my temples from time to time to fight it. But I never went under the table, not that far. I stay, as I often do, near the door. Gives me a view of everything and gives me an escape, should I need it.

I note Syd in the pews and go to sit nearby. Helix trying to disappear in the shadows so I won't linger near her. And Litch... well this is his place. We'll be hearing from him soon, I'm sure.

I gave the crew the note to be ready to deploy in case this meeting turns into something more... best to be prepared. But no need to stay on board, just be at earshot.

Most of the eyes in the room are on me. I spread my arms wide and clear my throat. "Sisters, Brothers, honored guests. We - Shrike and myself - have received a special vision from the Grey Wing. Despite the limitations of our earthly means, there may be a way to save the life of young Aloe." I pause to let it sink in. Many of the visions are abstract, left to us to interpret their meaning. This felt more tangible. "It does, however, require a journey to the Abyss. There exists in that realm a certain flower, the petals of which hold the essence of divinity. A cure." Again, I pause, watching, pondering how to proceed.

Litch's opening makes my mouth tighten. He speaks about saving lives, but don't the Talons crave death? The eternal embrace of the Gray Wing? I don't yet fully understand how they hold the two in tension, but as the Voice, I dare not ask too many questions. If they don't believe in my powers, they have no use for me, and as much as I don't want to be a prisoner here, right now being useless might be worse.

Then he mentions a journey to the Abyss, and I wish the Whispers were present. They came from the Maelstrom, they would know more than me what Litch might mean. I feel myself straighten from the wall a bit, alert, listening at first - not to the room, but to my own mind - and then reaching for the Whispers, for a trace of those angry, taunting, knowing voices. Can I beckon them even here?

I listen... and a pit starts to grow in my stomach.

Is this... I suddenly feel like I don't belong here. I should be out on the water... I have a job to do, don't I?

Not wanting to call attention to myself during Litch's moment, though, I fidget in my seat and curse the ache in my head.

Interest. Apprehension. Befuddlement. Eagerness. Wonder. These and many more emotions etch themselves on the faces of my audience. "Any who are willing to voyage on this heroic quest are welcome to join myself and Shrike, to seek this plant and return it and the child back to this world." I announce. "However, any who do venture forth will be forever changed upon their return. Possibly for the better, but mayhaps not. The Abyss is a mysterious realm. It holds more than just our quarry. It has the power of total transformation. Therefore, this journey is for those whose courage is steadfast. For those who seek answers to the questions that trouble them. For those who flounder. For those with something to prove. And..." My eyes lift and scan the chamber, finding Helix. "For those who have been called to a higher purpose."

"Don't do it." The words escape my lips before I realize I'm saying them, and I'm surprised at how my voice echoes in the sacred space. I immediately shift my glance between Shrike and Litch, concerned if I've broken a taboo of the Talons, or further cemented Shrike's opinion of me.

"Don't go. Spend what time she has left - with her. Here. Now." I picture Aloe, with her doe eyes and freckled cheeks, and imagine telling her that all the people she cares about have journeyed to the Abyss to find a cure to restore her body. I try to visualize her response, and I can't see her happy at the thought of the Talons risking their lives, or their minds, to save her. I can only imagine the guilt she would feel if anyone returned marred - if they return at all.

"Please consider a different kind of voyage," I look at Shrike, tears welling in my eyes, "One where she wakes in the morning with you beside her. You enjoy meals together. Tell each other stories. Go for a leisurely ride on your jet ski. Watch the sun rise and fall as many times as you can, for as long as she is able. You hold her when she passes." At this point I'm verklempt and take a moment to breathe in deeply. "You'll still bear scars, and you will definitely be changed."

I take another breath, and emphasize, "Please don't go."

As Litch explains who this journey is for and his eyes find mine, a certainty fills my belly. I have no energy for dread anymore, so instead it feels like acceptance. Perhaps everyone else can choose whether or not they participate, but I have as much a choice in this journey as I do in my current bedroom. It is, for me, if nothing else, a test.

Edmund's voice pulls my gaze away from Litch's cold eyes, and his words paint a picture of something much warmer. A kinder journey with a more certain end - a sad one to be sure, but one that is, at least, known. I can't help but wonder if Edmund has walked that journey with someone before. Perhaps it is a tack he knows too well. Or perhaps he is as naive as the princeling himself.

Plover's closeness makes the absence of the Whispers a little less frightening, but it is her words...her words that make me start thinking. They're so simple, but they...might be enough to solve everything. If I can convince everyone of it. If I can try a dangerous plan one more time. I wish Hard Strike were here to tell me if I'm being stupid or if the plan is sound, but I'm glad she's not. Her son is the true target after all.

I give Plover a small nod, and step out from the wall, away from the shadows. "I have Seen this voyage and the flower, though I didn't know what it was meant for until now. The destination is ethereal, but the journey doesn't need to be." I wet my lips and look at Litch. "We will sail into the heart of a storm, seeking the Abyss that breathes between the drops. The biggest storm will require the biggest ship. The Merrimack will deliver us to our destination."

The Merrimack - a ship in the hands of the Sipps. Lucky won't want to leave it. He'll have to come with us, and if he is away on a voyage, he can't kill Wells. As Plover said "I'll keep you safe when we go." It will give time for his temper to simmer so he doesn't strike out at Wells too early and sink the Sipps in the process. It's a stupid game, but it's the only one I know to play.

That did it. Quiet murmurs begin all around the chancel. Syd pleading with Shrike that the quest is a lost cause. Plover speaking to Helix in words I cannot hear. The others have curious or incredulous looks. Shrike ignores Syd, resolute in her decision. I'm about to continue and call for volunteers, when Helix emerges from the darkness, with a tangible plan of action. I can't help myself, I grin and nod to her. Whether she truly has seen the flower matters not. She - for now anyway - has decided to buy in. I have long desired an alliance with Lucky Strike, and the Sippians by proxy. The Talons are mighty, but the Sippians have numbers and resources.

"Aye, that is our path. All that is left to decide is who will take the journey. We will need some to remain behind, for we cannot leave the Roost uninhabited. Who else wishes to journey the whale road?"

I look to other Talons, I won't argue any longer if I'm the only dissenter - but maybe if one of them agrees with me. Mynah, wondering if I could see any worry for the future of her daughter and husband. I turn to Merlin, curious if he is just interested in following Litch to Hell. Do Javan and Zephyr want the change that this adventure promises? Or do they have a different future in mind? Will each of them do what the Gray Wing, and Litch say, no matter the risk?

Regardless of whether the other Talons sign up for this voyage, I know there's one person I want on our side for sure. I cross over to stand close to Canary.

"I want you to pilot the ship," I tell her softly. "You're the only one I trust to get us there and back safely. And..." I lean closer, lowering my voice to a whisper only she will hear, "you know how I am on the water." I draw back enough to meet her eyes, to see if she remembers how hard the sea is on me. The expanse of waters seems to make the Whispers louder and more insane, and this time we'll be going right into a storm, right into the heart of where the Whispers attached to me in the first place. I wouldn't go so far as to call Canary and I friends, and this ask feels too big for the history we have, but I don't have another choice. "Please."

Here I am thinking... selfish? Thoughts... when Helix makes her plea.

I'm a bit stunned at first, then she starts to make sense. I have other things I should be doing... but... the abyss?

"Ain't no place on the water anyone can say I'm afraid to go..." I answer in whispers as I stare through everyone into the unseen distance. "Even I don't know what's gonna happen... if this is even possible..."

I meet helix's eye, then let my gaze drift towards Litch... and I know this quest may be doomed, but it's for a true cause.

"Since it's you askin' helix..." how she said 'please' melts my heart, "how can I say no?"

I sit quietly with Helix... the right moment will come along to stand up and volunteer... I hear Syd, too... I respect him. I want to hear if others agree, too.

I let out a soft breath when Canary agrees. There was part of me absolutely prepared for her to say no, and the fact that she doesn't makes the flicker of hope in the dark void of my chest glow just a little warmer. I reach over to put my hand on her arm, squeezing it. "Thank you," I whisper, hoping she can hear how earnestly I mean it. I keep a hold on her arm as I look to the rest of the room, curious which Talons will volunteer and which might stay behind.

Plover already said she would keep me safe, a promise I now realize I didn't respond to directly. I wince a bit at the realization and tell myself I will speak to her later. But it's Zephyr I'm most curious about in this moment. She spoke of leaving the Talons soon. Will she take this as an opportunity or...and I see the stupidity in the next question before I even think it...but will she stay with me?

Mynah is feeling distinct unease. She doesn't want to counter Litch, but she just lost a son and now she might lose more of her family for a girl that isn't blood-related?

She's going to approach Litch privately and see if she can help with the selection of who to go (volunteering to go to keep Zeph and Javan from going).