While he had found himself wordless at the priest's confession, his companion had plenty of words for both of them.  And River had a hard time disagreeing with what she had to say.  He could only make a guess, but had to assume that she had been the victim of a man like Tachus at some point in her past.  Herself, or someone very close to her.  "I know just the place, milady.  The Dark Mother's sixth circle is for heretics and liars," he murmured.  While had never dealt with Lady Death, she would certainly appreciate the soul she about to receive.  And her circles were well known to him, given the evil spirits he had already bound.  It took only a word and the false priest was sent away, and River had to rest again.  He knelt in a meditative pose for a few moment, sorting through the thoughts of both people.

"If you do not mind, lets rest here for a few minutes.  I've learned what I wanted to.  If there is anything you wish to do here, I will help.  But I need to rest first.  When I bind a spirit… I see into their minds.  Their memories stay with me for a time, and it is disorienting.  And the binding itself is tiring," he explained.  They still had a few hours of daylight, but River wanted to be out of the city before night fell.  He pulled out a canteen filled with water and took a long drink.  Hopefully none of the city's patrols would happen by while he was resting.  "So tell me Mirannda, was it you or someone else harmed by a person like Tachus?" he asked, curious about his companion.  And he wondered how she would react when he told her had been once been a slave himself.

Somewhat deflated, the phoenix closed the distanced between them, opting to sit next to him. "Take your time." It must be a harrowing experience to witness someone's memories when attempting to send them into the eternal afterlife. Taxing as it was on the binder, the toll on the mind seemed worse. There were always consequences to every action, benevolent or otherwise.

His question was natural, a way to fill the void. Her face fell as Mirannda glared at the ground beneath them. "I guess you could say both. Abandoned shortly after birth, I was taken in by an elvish slave. A lavishly rewarded slave. One of the few who lived in a small house nearby, all her food and necessities taken care of, but no coin for anything else. Our mistress allowed her to keep me, another soul to raise in servitude, to be obedient without question. When mother died… I was kept as a kitchen maid, always scalding my hands on washing the dishes."

The scowl etched deeper into her expression. "That time is over, you've escaped, Jaliza. How many can say that." "It's Mirannda, now," she said, her voice low and dangerous. "I don't want to hear that name anymore." For a long time, silence descended between the phoenixes before Mirannda managed to bring her emotions back under control. "I was fifteen when my mistress accused me of stealing jewelry. Despite it being the first time even being in trouble, she ordered me stoned to death. Ever since, I've hated people like her and Tachus." She could feel Elata's torn desires. The avian was always one to try and be affectionate, but knew exactly how prickly the woman can be.

Any thoughts were broken by sudden barks. "Arf arf!" The sound of nails clicking against the stone ground could be heard, tell-tale signs of a dog charging. Mirannda was instantly on her feet, eyes searching for what her ears were telling her was there. The ghostly visage of a cute little puppy charged at River, stopped inches in front of him, bounced from the right to the left and back before running around the spirit-binder twice. At the end of it, he stopped in front of him, resting his head on his paws, hind quarters high in the air, tail wagging furiously. Mirannda broke into laughter, a far more appealing sound versus the angry hatred that seethed forth from her earlier. "You attract all kinds of ghosts, don't you?"

There were times he preferred to be on his own, but others he did not mind the company, and Mirannda was pleasant company.  And his question seemed to open a torrent of memories for her, things that she needed to say to someone willing to listen,  He stayed quiet, allowing her to say what she needed to, only glancing at the phoenix when it spoke, and he could make a guess at what Elata had said, given Mirannda's reply.  He nodded when she was done explaining her reaction, it was something that he understood far too well.  When the clattering of claws broke the silence, River didn't move.  He knew the peculiar echoing that came from a ghost, and a smile broke across his face when he saw the pup.  He put a hand out, allowing the ghostly pup to sniff at him before responding to his new friend.  "Aye, it tends to come with the territory.  Now, just what as I going to do with you?" River said, stroking the pup's head.

There was a whimpering noise from around the corner of the temple, and another pup came forward slowly.  River stayed still, it was clear the second one was quite shy.  "Perhaps you can make a friend as well, Mirannda.  Just move slowly, and let it come to you," he said, watching as the first pup darted over, licked the second one's face and ran back to River.  The second pup came out more, encouraged by the first one and approached Mirannda.  It snuggled itself against her leg and looked up expectantly, waiting to be pet as well.  It seemed like they had both been adopted by the ghostly dogs, and they would be good companions.  At least, once they were clear of the city.

"Let me rest a few minutes more, then we should probably make our way out of the city.  It gets more dangerous here when night falls.  And I understand your story, all too well," River said, his voice growing quieter at the last sentence.  He reflected for a moment, but she had poured out her story, so it seemed only fitting that she know his own.  "I was a slave too, here and over in Parvpora.  I had been sold as an infant, and carried far away.  I was raised to work, and the master's daughter took an interest in me.  When I refused her, she accused me of rape, and the master sent me away across the ocean to someone even crueler.  I could never finish one of his tasks before the next one had to begin, and I was beaten with a whip tipped in iron.  I lasted two weeks before I snapped and turned the whip on him," River said with a rueful smile.  It had been a mistake, but the stubborn pride had been something he'd never grown out of.  "I was thrown in a prison cell to die, but rescued before that happened.  As turned out, by distant family.  The Rosen family has been kind to their wayward son," he added, warmth in his voice as he thought of the people he had come to adore.

Looking out the doorway again, the light was changing.  It was time to go.  "Are you ready?  If we're careful, we should be able to leave without too much of a fuss," River said, pushing himself to his feet and carefully packing away the canteen.  He knew any noise would attract attention they did not need.

Mirannda watched him as he stroked the pup. She wondered how some ghosts went right though things, and others were more corporeal. Was it completely dependent on the ghost and its desires? The way she had felt the rage of the poor woman fill her as she was flung across the room made her curious as to the connection of the emotional state and strength of the ghost. Her contemplations were interrupted by the sound of whimpering behind her.

The phoenix turned to see a shy little creature, another ghostly pup. She looked incredulously at River when he suggested she befriend the little thing. ”Wait, what?” There was no time to truly put breaks on the situation, to ask questions or make futile rebuttals against the whole thing. Mirannda stiffened, her body tense with nervousness as the second little pup was emboldened by the first to approach her. It was those eyes, the puppy begging eyes that melted her heart. Not the way it pressed against her leg, announcing its arrival and saying a tentative hello.

Tension began to melt as she hesitantly reached out to the puppy. Once upon a time, the puppy was alive, and had the softest fur, the biggest eyes. What had happened to them? They were still loving, eager for a friend, and looked like nothing had happened such as malnourishment or some other terrible death. Truth be told, the whole experience was a mix of awe and terrified. Of what, she wasn't exactly sure. She nodded as River requested a few more minutes rest, still petting the shy little pup.

River admitted to his previous occupation, Mirannda's gaze instantly turning to him, full of a horrified pity. His story was shockingly identical to her own. Raised as an infant to work, the false accusations, the harsh punishments, and most importantly, their escapes. Yet, he had found something she had not. A family to call his own.”At least you have someone,” she whispered. As an open book, Mirannda could not hide the longing depression that filled her at the realization, even as she turned her attention back to the pup.

His voice called out to her again, pulling her attention away from self pity to their immediate situation. The phoenix stood, dusted herself off and looked back the way she had came. ”I'm ready to put distance between myself and Rudjek. I doubt I've seen the last of him.” Elata waddled next to Mirannda with each step she took, wings tucked majestically against her body. ”What would you like me to do, cousin?” ”Scout ahead, lethallin. If it gets too terrible, let me know.” With a nod, Elata spread her wings and became airborne, exiting before them. Already, the elvish phoenix was considering how to get River out of here unscathed with minimal effort.

Most of her mana reserves were depleted earlier, and she was still recovering from that. Still, she was not without her back up plans. Together, the two had managed to make it half way out of the city without any hiccups, no detection. Mirannda felt a foreboding feeling tickle her spine. They were getting away from the pyramid far too easily.

Her reaction was pretty much what he expected, though River felt a stab of pity for her.  He was indeed fortunate that he had found his family, Mirannda had not been so lucky it sounded like.  But there was a remedy to that.  "Well, you have me, if you'd like a friend.  Sometimes, that can be the best thing in the world to have," he said, offering her a warm smile.  He already liked her, and it wouldn't be hard to keep in touch with the phoenix.  Plus they seemed to have quite a bit in common, and many things they could converse about.

But it was time to go, perhaps past that time.  It wouldn't be long until something reported the disturbed ghosts to the high priest.  Idly, River wondered just what kind of a force it would take to ensure that Rudjek never went beyond these walls to infect the rest of the world with his madness.  "You and I both, hopefully we can leave without too much trouble," River said, a note of concern in his voice.  It had been quiet, almost too much so for his own comfort.  But in this instance, he would take as much of a quick exit as they could get.

The alleyways were quiet and deserted, and even the ghost pups were wary.  But River had a good sense of direction, and with Elata's help they wound their through the maze of roads without too much difficult.  "I am hoping that he is occupied with whatever other rituals he needs to perform.  He would be surrounded by his troops to keep himself safe, I am sure," River said, trying to be reassuring.  As if to answer his question, a rumbling noise came from the pyramid behind them, and he turned to see a beam of green light shooting into the sky.  He watched only for a few moments before turning back to the outpost.  "That is not for us to deal with, my friend.  We're both too tired.  Lets get to safety," he said, pointing at the walls that loomed not far now.  They were going to make it.

A friend, such an easy thing to offer, an easy thing to exploit. Yet, it was the one thing she was in short supply of here in these lands. Mirannda needed to restart, and forge new bonds. River's warm smile certainly made the concept seem so much simpler than it really was. The phoenix gave him a genuine friendly smile. "I'd like that." And they were off.

"Recuperating from whatever attacks he may have sustained…" She made it sound as if she was hazarding a guess as she absently rubbed her leg. There was no longer any pain, yet the memory of it was still far too fresh for her to forget that it was broken not but a few hours ago. Hell, she even died at that moment in time. She felt the vibrations from the resulting rumbling noise coming behind them, causing her to turn and look at what was happening now. Mirannda frowned at the green light, wondering what the heck Rudjek was up to. "Ya, safety."

She wasn't sure if she was reluctant to retreat or if she was relieved to be turning her back on this nightmare. Together, the pair made it into the walls of camp. People were rushing about, trying hard to provide for the injured. "Either of you hurt?" Mirannda shook her head. "Food and drink over there. Help yourself, and stay out of our way if you please." "Thank you," came her absent reply. Within the boundaries of the camp, Mirannda finally sheathed her sword for hopefully the final time today. A fresh meal was pressed into their hands and they were pointed to a place to rest.

While it was not a gourmet meal, it was still delicious and fragrant. Strength seemed return with each bite, a warmth filling her soul. "So, River, what turned you to spirit-bending, if I may be so bold? And I'm sure you've other questions yourself. If we are to be friends, I'd like to know a little more about you." The smile she gave him was a rare feeling of companionship, one she hadn't shared with a humanoid in a long time.

He took a few moments to enjoy the food they had been given before answering the question.  River had tasted hummus before, and it went well with the freshly baked pita bread.  There were some dried dates too, and plenty of water.  It smelled like someone was roasting meat somewhere near by as well, perhaps he could barter for some as well.  But for now, the hummus was enough.  "Well, my people are from a place called Arri, and the capital is Sularia.  It's a lovely place, perhaps you can visit some time.  My people are called the Rosenites, and we have a rather complicated history," he said with a chuckle before quickly eating a date.  He considered what next to tell her, but the simplest answer was the best.  "I spent quite some time in the library of my… I'll call her my aunt Catherine.  It's close enough.  And there was a book covered in dust that no one had read in quite some time.  So I pulled it off the shelf, and it was about how to bind spirits, and to give them rest.  It wasn't until a servant came in to light candles did I realize I had been there all evening, and night was falling.  The concepts in the book made sense to me, and I started with the basic rituals.  Turns out I'm a natural conduit for that kind of magic," he explained.

There were other things on his mind, and River considered best how to put those thoughts into words.  "My parents were killed by a jealous matron, and I was sold off to slavers.  I was able to soothe their spirits, after I found the mansion I had been born in.  It was still in ruins.  My mother told me my name, then I was able to give her peace.  My father told me where I could find our family's treasure, and I gave him peace too.  Then I set off into the world to learn more, find people I could help, and I came across this place," he explained before taking another couple bites of pita and hummus.  He pulled out a pouch, and showed her the contents.  "Ghosts can be held off by salt, iron also works well.  It can also protect those who aren't spiritbinders," River added.  It was a simple thing, and something that could protect Mirannda in the future.  Knowledge was always useful.

He considered what to ask her, and River finally settled on one question on his mind the most now.  "How did you find Elata?  She seems quite fond of you, and you of her," River asked, figuring that was a good place to start.  There had to be a good story attached to their meeting as well.

She couldn't stop the automatic accessing of the details as he spoke. Arri and Sularia, country and city. How many strong Rosenites might be useful? They were not useful to her, but her former master, and the ties had been severed too recently to realize she was still looking for information for him. River explained about the book, the natural ability for the school of magic.

He spoke of how he came to be a slave, and her heart ached for him once more. Yet he was able to find his parents, and help them in the end. River found resolution. The tidbits of information how to guard herself against spirits were tucked away, just in case she needed it in the future, then he asked of her a question on how Elata came to be her companion. Mirannda's eyes slid over to the phoenix who was perched on a support beam of the cooking tent nearby.

A small smile spread across her lips. It was an easier time for her, that fateful day. "Before I got mixed up with some darker twists of my life, I was a wandering mercenary of sorts. I assisted those without the` ability to defend themselves from bandits, hunted down beasts, retrieved stolen goods, that sort of thing. I didn't ask for payment except from the wealthy who could afford my services, and was selective of what jobs I took." After all, she did not kill the innocent back in those days. That courtesy still remained for slaves, however, no matter what she may deny.

"A village had been suffering because pillagers kept taking their seed for the next batch of crops, leaving them with very little to survive with. They had spent their last coin on that seed, their lives depending on that crop. As payment for assisting them, they presented me with Elata's egg." Mirannda put her empty bowl down and hugged her knees, staring at the footprints before her. "After she hatched, grew, and learned to fly… I've not been the best companion for her. I tried leaving her with a friend, abandoning everything good in my life, but whether or not I wanted it, Elata always found me when I needed her most. Never have I earned her friendship, nor do I deserve it." Her hand reached up and wiped away a solitary tear while Elata fluttered down and placed her hand on Mirannda's knees. Absently, the phoenix stroked the bird between the wings.

The pair talked late into the night about many things. For the first time since she abandoned Sandra, it felt nice to finally have an honest friend she could confide in once more.