Tonight was the night. The old woman had said as much. Tonight, the stars would be in the right positions, and her riddles could finally make sense. There was a bad feeling hanging about all of this, however. Too much could go wrong, even when everything went right. The oracle, Jala, had made certain that Vlad knew what could happen, what he might be required to give up. She had counseled him, and told him that, if the omens and signs pointed towards a sacrifice, he would have to give it up, if he was ever to end his curse. The Celestial gods don't bargain with mere mortals, however Exalted they may be.
As Luna reached her zenith, Jala began her ritual. In the center of the dark house, with its shadowed corners and rotting old wood, a circle was drawn, powdered jade mixed with salt, and in the center was set a knife and a cage, in which was a small rodent. Vlad, in the room, watched as Jala set up her ritual, and he noticed the twins staring from the doorway, wishing to watch the women they had taken as a grandmother do her magic. Jala payed them no heed, and as the set up was finished, she only asked, "Ready?"
As Luna reached her zenith, Jala began her ritual. In the center of the dark house, with its shadowed corners and rotting old wood, a circle was drawn, powdered jade mixed with salt, and in the center was set a knife and a cage, in which was a small rodent. Vlad, in the room, watched as Jala set up her ritual, and he noticed the twins staring from the doorway, wishing to watch the women they had taken as a grandmother do her magic. Jala payed them no heed, and as the set up was finished, she only asked, "Ready?"