((This thread is to explain Sess'sth's return to Gobiath after 6+ ingame years away. It is linked to the oooold Fire Seer boardquest.))
....................
Prologue
....................
The fight was won. But at what cost?
The red lizard soared through the air, plummeting toward the battlefield covered in piles of broken metal and bloodied corpses. He had not his halberd, his sword, his armor. As the black tower beside him seemed to rise faster than he could fall, he watched his reflection chasing him in the obsidian wall. Moden was dead. And he was sure Cloud had fallen too.
The crimson dragon that soared above Sess'sth was the last thing he saw. As the lizard whispered his last word, unable to be heard under the great noise of the dragon's wings flapping slowly, Sess'sth hit the ground. He had no time to think of Kincent, of Chuirion and Maktan. No time to remember his fallen comrade Tobias the sailor, or the slain Brian and his Monks of the Light. The tribe of red lizards was lost in time, all slaughtered alongside their fallen chief, the wise one, at the broken gates of the tower. The dark goblins turned to dust in the midst of combat, and the monks raised their arms and cheered. Yes, the fight was won. But at the cost of so many fine men.
The lizard did not witness the collapse of the mammoth tower, the escape of two of the Fire Seers. He did not see the multiple dragons encircle above the battleworn fortress, spraying fire onto the last of the followers of the Twin Shadows as the monks rejoiced. He saw nothing more. He was lost like the others.
-----
Darkness. A great sea. Was he dead? Did he exist?
No answer.
The flame. Where did it go? Had every Seer fallen?
Silence.
And the tribe, the monks. What of them?
...Nothing.
Alone. Alive? No... Not quite. Maybe for a moment, but not anymore. Now. Now only darkness.
Darkness.
Darkest darkness.
Destiny... Define Purpose...
Nothing really mattered anymore.
----
Flames surrounded the creature. Caressing him, cleansing him, they flowed ceaselessly over his greatly fatigued body, his bruised and broken corpse. He stared into the sea of white flame for a great period of time, and he questioned. He wondered. He was given no answer. He only lay there, waiting for something that wasn't coming any time soon, if ever.
---
He found himself sliding in and out of consciousness, if he even had experienced such a thing as consciousness. Perhaps it was all a wretched dream, an unending nightmare. Perhaps this was truly what existence was. Maybe this was death. Maybe...
--
He saw his parents. A great hulking giant of a creature and a small, slender flowing being. Were they too dead? Was he, even?
-
The great line that represented the shifting from one vision to another became nothing. The heavens and earth were no different, the boundary that once divided them was no more than a blur that merged them. This was his life. This was his death. Which way should he go from this point?
And so he waited. He waits. He will continue to wait. Nothing mattered anymore...
Homecoming
Moderator: Gamemasters
Home.
The sounds, the scents. Familiar.
When he opened his eyes, the red lizard saw darkness. Blue darkness. The gentle current swept him away as he listened to the soothing whisper of the calm sea. So hungry, so weak was the lizard. He could do little but lay there, floating.
When he found himself face-up in the ocean, he stared at the red rising sun, the old ship that bathed in the orange light. "O'er here," he whispered. But he was just too tired to make his voice heard. Where was he? Was he truly alive?
As the ship passed him by, no more than fifteen feet between the ship's hull and the lizard's body, Sess'sth realized the vessel was slowing. He could see the anchor lowering into the water, the ship sailing onwards weakly, until it eventually came to a stop after a single tug on the chain which had buried deep into the sandy floor of the shallow water. A dock.
With slow movement of his tail and legs, the lizard brought himself closer and closer to the docks, the shore under them. He paddled with his claws patiently, weakly, until he had finally dug them into the sand, bringing himself out the the nice, cool water. He lay beside a support of the docks and gathered more strength.
"So, yeh aren' dead, aftah all!"
Sess'sth looked over at the small, stocky figure. A dwarf, easilly.
"Yeh have been floatin' ther fer a good while now. Couple days, ev'n." The dwarf grinned a bit, his orange beard glowing bright in the sunrise. "Ah assumed yeh were dead, seein' a red lizard floatin' in th' water lifelessleh," the dwarf said with a large smile, examining the lizard. "So, yer jes' normally tha' color? Hmm!"
Sess'sth nodded once, slowly and weakly.
"Yeh look tired, hungreh. Le's get yeh t' the inn!"
The lizard lost consciousness.
When he awoke, Sess'sth found himself in an old room lined with plaster walls, the floors wooden and creaky. The bed he lay in had darkened grey sheets, atop the small table next to him was a silver plate with two sliced fish and silverware. The lizard licked his lips at the sight of food, and began to reach over for the plate.
"One of the finest dwarves I've ever had the pleasure of meeting, that Brutus." Sess'sth looked up from the plate he had grabbed, bringing his gaze the the open door. A human stood there, young and full of life. His shoulder-length brown hair danced a bit in the little wind that entered through the open window. "Nice to see you awake, good lizard! I cannot believe that the sailors left you out there, though. I am Patrick, the innkeeper. I trust that meal you are having is to your liking?"
Sess'sth nodded once after setting down a half-eaten fish, and answered with a raspy voice, "Yes, very good. I thank you for your hospitality."
"Oh, 'tis nothing, good lizard! Are you feeling better?" Patrick took a few steps closer to the lizard, smiling.
"I am," Sess'sth replied, returning a weak smile. "Where... Where am I?"
"Where are you, you ask? Why, none other than the trade city of Ardalika!" Patrick went over to the window, admiring the view. Sess'sth pondered for a moment, trying to remember something.
"Am I... anywhere near Gobiath?"
The human looked back at Sess'sth, furrowing his brow as he thought. "Gobiath, Gobiath... Sounds familiar. Oh, oh! Just northwest of the elven isle of Tol Vanima?"
"Tol... Vanima? That doesn't sound very familiar," the lizard replied with a frown. "Does the city Trollsbane sound familiar to you?"
"Hmm," Patrick shook his head, "I'm afraid not. I just remember Vanima because we used to import some fine wood from there. Very peaceful place. I believe someone mentioned some city on Gobiath, though... Let me see... Varsh, something. Varshikar?"
Sess'sth shook his head, "That isn't familiar either. How about... Silverbrand? Northerot, Greenbriar?"
"No, I'm sorry but none of those are familiar at all to me. Only Vanima. Are any of them, perhaps, known for something? Perhaps, a certain good they produce and trade?"
"Well," Sess'sth pondered, "Silverbrand is known for its smiths, seeing that it is a dwarven city. Greenbriar is probably known more for farming, because the halflings live there. And Northerot was still in ruins when I left, torn by a great war. Trollsbane has a little of everything."
"Well, let me go find Brutus again. He'll probably know of a dwarven city known for smithing! He's been looking for a good place to trade with; we haven't recieved large iron shipments for months now. Not since Ronas." Patrick began to walk to the door. Sess'sth's eyes widened.
"That would almost be a year ago, if it was Ronas!"
"What...?" Patrick turned, looking at the lizard with a confused face. "It's only Irmas. I'll be right back with Brutus."
"Irmas..." Sess'sth stared at the now empty plate.
What year was it?
The sounds, the scents. Familiar.
When he opened his eyes, the red lizard saw darkness. Blue darkness. The gentle current swept him away as he listened to the soothing whisper of the calm sea. So hungry, so weak was the lizard. He could do little but lay there, floating.
When he found himself face-up in the ocean, he stared at the red rising sun, the old ship that bathed in the orange light. "O'er here," he whispered. But he was just too tired to make his voice heard. Where was he? Was he truly alive?
As the ship passed him by, no more than fifteen feet between the ship's hull and the lizard's body, Sess'sth realized the vessel was slowing. He could see the anchor lowering into the water, the ship sailing onwards weakly, until it eventually came to a stop after a single tug on the chain which had buried deep into the sandy floor of the shallow water. A dock.
With slow movement of his tail and legs, the lizard brought himself closer and closer to the docks, the shore under them. He paddled with his claws patiently, weakly, until he had finally dug them into the sand, bringing himself out the the nice, cool water. He lay beside a support of the docks and gathered more strength.
"So, yeh aren' dead, aftah all!"
Sess'sth looked over at the small, stocky figure. A dwarf, easilly.
"Yeh have been floatin' ther fer a good while now. Couple days, ev'n." The dwarf grinned a bit, his orange beard glowing bright in the sunrise. "Ah assumed yeh were dead, seein' a red lizard floatin' in th' water lifelessleh," the dwarf said with a large smile, examining the lizard. "So, yer jes' normally tha' color? Hmm!"
Sess'sth nodded once, slowly and weakly.
"Yeh look tired, hungreh. Le's get yeh t' the inn!"
The lizard lost consciousness.
When he awoke, Sess'sth found himself in an old room lined with plaster walls, the floors wooden and creaky. The bed he lay in had darkened grey sheets, atop the small table next to him was a silver plate with two sliced fish and silverware. The lizard licked his lips at the sight of food, and began to reach over for the plate.
"One of the finest dwarves I've ever had the pleasure of meeting, that Brutus." Sess'sth looked up from the plate he had grabbed, bringing his gaze the the open door. A human stood there, young and full of life. His shoulder-length brown hair danced a bit in the little wind that entered through the open window. "Nice to see you awake, good lizard! I cannot believe that the sailors left you out there, though. I am Patrick, the innkeeper. I trust that meal you are having is to your liking?"
Sess'sth nodded once after setting down a half-eaten fish, and answered with a raspy voice, "Yes, very good. I thank you for your hospitality."
"Oh, 'tis nothing, good lizard! Are you feeling better?" Patrick took a few steps closer to the lizard, smiling.
"I am," Sess'sth replied, returning a weak smile. "Where... Where am I?"
"Where are you, you ask? Why, none other than the trade city of Ardalika!" Patrick went over to the window, admiring the view. Sess'sth pondered for a moment, trying to remember something.
"Am I... anywhere near Gobiath?"
The human looked back at Sess'sth, furrowing his brow as he thought. "Gobiath, Gobiath... Sounds familiar. Oh, oh! Just northwest of the elven isle of Tol Vanima?"
"Tol... Vanima? That doesn't sound very familiar," the lizard replied with a frown. "Does the city Trollsbane sound familiar to you?"
"Hmm," Patrick shook his head, "I'm afraid not. I just remember Vanima because we used to import some fine wood from there. Very peaceful place. I believe someone mentioned some city on Gobiath, though... Let me see... Varsh, something. Varshikar?"
Sess'sth shook his head, "That isn't familiar either. How about... Silverbrand? Northerot, Greenbriar?"
"No, I'm sorry but none of those are familiar at all to me. Only Vanima. Are any of them, perhaps, known for something? Perhaps, a certain good they produce and trade?"
"Well," Sess'sth pondered, "Silverbrand is known for its smiths, seeing that it is a dwarven city. Greenbriar is probably known more for farming, because the halflings live there. And Northerot was still in ruins when I left, torn by a great war. Trollsbane has a little of everything."
"Well, let me go find Brutus again. He'll probably know of a dwarven city known for smithing! He's been looking for a good place to trade with; we haven't recieved large iron shipments for months now. Not since Ronas." Patrick began to walk to the door. Sess'sth's eyes widened.
"That would almost be a year ago, if it was Ronas!"
"What...?" Patrick turned, looking at the lizard with a confused face. "It's only Irmas. I'll be right back with Brutus."
"Irmas..." Sess'sth stared at the now empty plate.
What year was it?
It had been days since he saw land. For countless hours he stared into the calm, textured waves as they aimlessly tossed themselves upon one another. He stared, and he pondered. He questioned. Even now, the lizard had a hard time accepting what had happened to himself. To the Fire Seers. To the monks. The dragons. But he was on his way home. On his way back to a once familiar world. Perhaps, one day, everything would come together. But that was not this day.
~~~
"This it, lad?" The dwarf returned from his back room with a brown, tattered and rolled parchment. The old Brutus hobbled over to a low, round table and set the paper down, unfolding it. And lo! It was indeed the map of Gobiath. But... it was different. The lands seemed to have grown, the islands more numerous. So alien, the place seemed, yet few features were obviously familiar. The lizard's index finger traced ink shorelines as his eyes seemed to flicker, yet constantly fixed on the map. A calm smile revealed itself upon the lizardman's long face, and he turned to the small dwarf.
"Can you take me there?"
"Well," the dwarf grinned, "Ah 'ave been plannin' t' travel there fer makin' trade arrangemen's. Ah'll see what Ah can do."
~~~
The ship's rocking had brought drowsiness into the lizard's dark eyes. He found himself standing at the bow of the vessel, looking into the two parting waves at the foot of the boat. This was the fourth time he found himself there with the setting sun behind him, glaring at his back. Not too much longer, he thought.
As he turned to go back into his small, cramped cabin, Sess'sth found himself staring into the eyes of an elven maiden. She stood just mere feet from him, her green eyes shining bright against her fair skin and long, flowing hair, colored brown with thin white streaks here and there. Her smile was intruiging, her thin figure attractive. The young woman (at least in elven standards) took a step closer to the red lizard, cocking her head to one side. He stared into those entrancing eyes and found himself with a loss for words.
"What's wrong," she asked in a warm, quiet voice after a slight giggle, "Never seen a woman before?"
Sess'sth closed his eyes for a while. "Not for a long time."
"Mind if I join you, mister lizard?"
The elfess sat on the corner of a crate, leaning towards Sess'sth.
"Of course not," he smiled, "I would rather enjoy the company."
"Yes, the traders are awfully dull, aren't they?"
The elven woman patted the crate next to her, smirking. "Come on."
And so he took a seat.
"You show great hospitality for someone of my kind," the lizard whispered with a half smile. "Most sailors on this ship have given me a glare or less. None have even thought about giving me the pleasure of sitting in his or her presence. Though, I must say, I would rather be in yours than that of any of these sea hardened tradesmen."
"Why, thank you!" The elfess brought a few strands of hair behind her ear, exposing the beautiful, pale thing. "I knew I would be right about you. You're so much different than the others, and I do not mean to offend! You have life, charisma! Tell me, good lizard, why are you here? Why have you made the same foolish mistake that I have by boarding this ship filled with boring old seamen?"
"I'm going home," the lizard simply, "to the town of Trollsbane: a place I have not seen in at least half a decade."
"Home, you call this place, yet you haven't set foot in it for such a long time. Can you truly call such a place your home, master lizard?" The fair elfess raised a single eyebrow, bringing her face closer to his.
"Perhaps not," Sess'sth sighed, "but it's the closest thing to home that I have got." He brought his gaze to the ship's railing. The sun had already begun its slumber; only a small slice of the great orb was visible over the horizon. The lizard's eyes found their way back to those of the elfess.
"And you, miss elf. What brings you here? What could possibly bring you from the lush forests and ivory cities of your homeland?"
The elfess frowned slightly as she turned her head downward in an absent manner.
"I'm weak," she exhaled a whisper, "so I have chosen the weak path in running away from my problems."
"I see. And what, if I may ask, is it that you are running from?"
She looked at him again, but with different eyes. Half open, half closed, a slightly dumb expression that demanded attention.
"You may, and it is a long story." She closed her eyes as the haunting ghosts of the past sent whispers through her long, slender ears.
"My brother is dead. After his... tragedy, I fled from these great forests and beautiful elven cities of which you speak. Four months ago, he was slain."
The lizard blinked a single time and sat straight up again, away from the woman. "I'm... I'm so sorry," he said with less than a whisper. "I have witnessed death strike time and time again, and always has it shaken my very being. Can you... can you not come to face his death? To... to visit his grave? Is that why you have fled?"
The elfess shook her head slowly. "I've been exiled for what he has done. He has brought shame to our race." The maiden paused for a moment, as if gathering her thoughts. "He... he was slain by a guardsman after refusing exile." She brought some stray hairs back to their place, continuing. "He was a sailor, a tradesman like the men you see here on this boat. But his ship... so beautiful, I cannot believe how he could live with himself in using it for..." The woman shook her head quickly.
"For... for what? What happened?" The lizard held out his hand, as if to stroke the face of the elfess, but the claws stopped in the air soon afterward.
"They smuggled many things in that ship. Many... bad things. Stolen things, too. Many of the crew members were thieves. You... you might even call them pirates. But not my brother, no! He only kept the ship in order, he... he turned the other way each time a new item was smuggled on board. He was paid very much."
The lizard nodded once with a frown. "It is awful, how corrupt this world is, is it not?" The elfess nodded once, slowly. She fell silent for a moment. "Yes... Yes it is," she said finally.
"Since that day I have wandered the seas just as my brother did. But I don't smuggle anything. I don't see what he saw in sea-life. Maybe he only did it for the coins... But I've become sick of it, rarely stepping on land. And when I do come upon land, it isn't for more than a few days. I think I am done with this way of living."
"Good elfess," Sess'sth interrupted slightly as he tried to smile. "What your brother did was his own business, his own choice. We all have our paths to choose in this wretched and corrupt world. We can only do so much for others. I'm sure you would have done everything you could to help your brother, were he not to... to pass on. Perhaps he is still listening, perhaps you still can."
The elfess smiled weakly, "Yes... yes, perhaps he can. I thank you, good lizard." Her smile widened and she scooted slightly toward Sess'sth. He nodded once slowly in return, a large smile across his face. "Anything to help a fellow traveller of the twisted roads of life."
Sess'sth furrowed a hairless brow for a moment, and looked at the elfess. "I'm so sorry, I never asked you your name. Might I have the pleasure of knowing it?"
"Of course, good lizard. My name is Zainya. I'm sorry for not introducing myself before."
The lizard nodded. "Sess'sth, and I too would like to apologise."
The elfess brought her gaze away from the creature and spoke into the wind. "Tell me of this home of yours. This Trollsbane. Would you?"
Sess'sth nodded again. "Of course."
.......
The tower remained. Though toppled to the ground, the black spire lived on. And so did the demons within it. It remained in one piece as if it was untouched; not a single scratch could be seen on its slick surface.
Sess'sth stood there, staring at the corpses surrounding him. Man, goblin, lizard, it made no difference now. The rotting piles lurched and soared like waves in the sea. And then they engulfed the lizard, and he was no more.
.......
When he awoke, Sess'sth could not feel the heavy rocking of the ship. He left his bed, ignoring the old plate from the night before when he took his supper to his room alone.
"It is still."
He opened the door to the outside world and looked out for a moment. The ship had stopped. And before the lizard stood an angry looking Brutus, battleaxe in hand.
~~~
"This it, lad?" The dwarf returned from his back room with a brown, tattered and rolled parchment. The old Brutus hobbled over to a low, round table and set the paper down, unfolding it. And lo! It was indeed the map of Gobiath. But... it was different. The lands seemed to have grown, the islands more numerous. So alien, the place seemed, yet few features were obviously familiar. The lizard's index finger traced ink shorelines as his eyes seemed to flicker, yet constantly fixed on the map. A calm smile revealed itself upon the lizardman's long face, and he turned to the small dwarf.
"Can you take me there?"
"Well," the dwarf grinned, "Ah 'ave been plannin' t' travel there fer makin' trade arrangemen's. Ah'll see what Ah can do."
~~~
The ship's rocking had brought drowsiness into the lizard's dark eyes. He found himself standing at the bow of the vessel, looking into the two parting waves at the foot of the boat. This was the fourth time he found himself there with the setting sun behind him, glaring at his back. Not too much longer, he thought.
As he turned to go back into his small, cramped cabin, Sess'sth found himself staring into the eyes of an elven maiden. She stood just mere feet from him, her green eyes shining bright against her fair skin and long, flowing hair, colored brown with thin white streaks here and there. Her smile was intruiging, her thin figure attractive. The young woman (at least in elven standards) took a step closer to the red lizard, cocking her head to one side. He stared into those entrancing eyes and found himself with a loss for words.
"What's wrong," she asked in a warm, quiet voice after a slight giggle, "Never seen a woman before?"
Sess'sth closed his eyes for a while. "Not for a long time."
"Mind if I join you, mister lizard?"
The elfess sat on the corner of a crate, leaning towards Sess'sth.
"Of course not," he smiled, "I would rather enjoy the company."
"Yes, the traders are awfully dull, aren't they?"
The elven woman patted the crate next to her, smirking. "Come on."
And so he took a seat.
"You show great hospitality for someone of my kind," the lizard whispered with a half smile. "Most sailors on this ship have given me a glare or less. None have even thought about giving me the pleasure of sitting in his or her presence. Though, I must say, I would rather be in yours than that of any of these sea hardened tradesmen."
"Why, thank you!" The elfess brought a few strands of hair behind her ear, exposing the beautiful, pale thing. "I knew I would be right about you. You're so much different than the others, and I do not mean to offend! You have life, charisma! Tell me, good lizard, why are you here? Why have you made the same foolish mistake that I have by boarding this ship filled with boring old seamen?"
"I'm going home," the lizard simply, "to the town of Trollsbane: a place I have not seen in at least half a decade."
"Home, you call this place, yet you haven't set foot in it for such a long time. Can you truly call such a place your home, master lizard?" The fair elfess raised a single eyebrow, bringing her face closer to his.
"Perhaps not," Sess'sth sighed, "but it's the closest thing to home that I have got." He brought his gaze to the ship's railing. The sun had already begun its slumber; only a small slice of the great orb was visible over the horizon. The lizard's eyes found their way back to those of the elfess.
"And you, miss elf. What brings you here? What could possibly bring you from the lush forests and ivory cities of your homeland?"
The elfess frowned slightly as she turned her head downward in an absent manner.
"I'm weak," she exhaled a whisper, "so I have chosen the weak path in running away from my problems."
"I see. And what, if I may ask, is it that you are running from?"
She looked at him again, but with different eyes. Half open, half closed, a slightly dumb expression that demanded attention.
"You may, and it is a long story." She closed her eyes as the haunting ghosts of the past sent whispers through her long, slender ears.
"My brother is dead. After his... tragedy, I fled from these great forests and beautiful elven cities of which you speak. Four months ago, he was slain."
The lizard blinked a single time and sat straight up again, away from the woman. "I'm... I'm so sorry," he said with less than a whisper. "I have witnessed death strike time and time again, and always has it shaken my very being. Can you... can you not come to face his death? To... to visit his grave? Is that why you have fled?"
The elfess shook her head slowly. "I've been exiled for what he has done. He has brought shame to our race." The maiden paused for a moment, as if gathering her thoughts. "He... he was slain by a guardsman after refusing exile." She brought some stray hairs back to their place, continuing. "He was a sailor, a tradesman like the men you see here on this boat. But his ship... so beautiful, I cannot believe how he could live with himself in using it for..." The woman shook her head quickly.
"For... for what? What happened?" The lizard held out his hand, as if to stroke the face of the elfess, but the claws stopped in the air soon afterward.
"They smuggled many things in that ship. Many... bad things. Stolen things, too. Many of the crew members were thieves. You... you might even call them pirates. But not my brother, no! He only kept the ship in order, he... he turned the other way each time a new item was smuggled on board. He was paid very much."
The lizard nodded once with a frown. "It is awful, how corrupt this world is, is it not?" The elfess nodded once, slowly. She fell silent for a moment. "Yes... Yes it is," she said finally.
"Since that day I have wandered the seas just as my brother did. But I don't smuggle anything. I don't see what he saw in sea-life. Maybe he only did it for the coins... But I've become sick of it, rarely stepping on land. And when I do come upon land, it isn't for more than a few days. I think I am done with this way of living."
"Good elfess," Sess'sth interrupted slightly as he tried to smile. "What your brother did was his own business, his own choice. We all have our paths to choose in this wretched and corrupt world. We can only do so much for others. I'm sure you would have done everything you could to help your brother, were he not to... to pass on. Perhaps he is still listening, perhaps you still can."
The elfess smiled weakly, "Yes... yes, perhaps he can. I thank you, good lizard." Her smile widened and she scooted slightly toward Sess'sth. He nodded once slowly in return, a large smile across his face. "Anything to help a fellow traveller of the twisted roads of life."
Sess'sth furrowed a hairless brow for a moment, and looked at the elfess. "I'm so sorry, I never asked you your name. Might I have the pleasure of knowing it?"
"Of course, good lizard. My name is Zainya. I'm sorry for not introducing myself before."
The lizard nodded. "Sess'sth, and I too would like to apologise."
The elfess brought her gaze away from the creature and spoke into the wind. "Tell me of this home of yours. This Trollsbane. Would you?"
Sess'sth nodded again. "Of course."
.......
The tower remained. Though toppled to the ground, the black spire lived on. And so did the demons within it. It remained in one piece as if it was untouched; not a single scratch could be seen on its slick surface.
Sess'sth stood there, staring at the corpses surrounding him. Man, goblin, lizard, it made no difference now. The rotting piles lurched and soared like waves in the sea. And then they engulfed the lizard, and he was no more.
.......
When he awoke, Sess'sth could not feel the heavy rocking of the ship. He left his bed, ignoring the old plate from the night before when he took his supper to his room alone.
"It is still."
He opened the door to the outside world and looked out for a moment. The ship had stopped. And before the lizard stood an angry looking Brutus, battleaxe in hand.