Godsdrink
Nothing of note happened on the road to Godsdrink, which Nalaea was glad for. She had completely forgotten how long the journey was to Godsdrink from Port Sulala on foot, and they arrived not long after sunset. Looking around, the village seemed slightly bigger than she remembered, but she supposed that happened once it became well known. Seeing the tavern was still just a tavern, she was satisfied. Once they walked inside, she smirked as the Barkeep waved at her.
"A pleasure to see you again!" He shouted. "Come, come!"
"The pleasure is mine, old man. How's everything?" Nalaea asked, glad to see a friendly face in the Empire.
"Can't complain. Going to stay more than a minute this time?" He asked slyly.
"That depends." Nalaea said, gesturing at the gauntlet. "Lady Vordea gave me an impossible task. I need to take it back to Karand."
The barkeep just laughed in response, and turned his attention to the other rangers with Nalaea. Nalaea meanwhile went over to the gauntlet and looked at it carefully. Pure black, no signs betraying its age. She opted for the simple approach first and tried to pick it up. She could feel it give slightly, but it was as if she was trying to pick up a rock with just her pinky finger. Examining it some more, she noticed she was able to move the joints of the glove, including flexing the fingers.
"Hmmm." Nalaea said, rubbing her chin. Taking a stick out of her pocket, she clasped it in the fingers of the gauntlet, and tugged it lightly.
"Captain what are you doing?" Jhaan asked as he watched Nalaea.
"I have an idea."
Nalaea managed to get the gauntlet to turn ever so slightly before the stick snapped. Annoyed, she threw the two pieces out of the window. Motioning to Jhaan, they tried to lift the gauntlet together, but it didn't move any more than when just Nalaea tried. Defeated for the moment, Nalaea sat down on the stool in front of the gauntlet. The other Rangers whispered among themselves until a female Ranger came up to Nalaea.
"Captain, what if you tried to put it on?" She asked. "Okay I know that sounded sacrilegious but-"
"No that's a great idea, Arryn." Nalaea said, cutting her off. She rubbed her chin, looking at the gauntlet with a glimmer in her eyes. "She never said we couldn't after all. You go first."
"What?" Arryn asked, the fear evident in her eyes.
"Arryn I'm not stupid. I know all of you harbour some sort of resentment for me. It's why I haven't slept in over a year." Nalaea said, turning to stare Arryn in the eyes. "Yes, I made you see the glory of the Goddess, you see what I see. But I was still the one who stole you from your home, who broke you down and remoulded you. My transformation was voluntary. The rest of you didn't get to choose."
Nalaea's words were not lost in the noise of the tavern, and the other rangers took notice, and waited to see what Arryn would say.
"Even if what you say is true," Arryn began, after some thought. "What could we even do about it? You could order us to die and we would brainlessly carry out that order without even thinking about it. You've trapped us in our own bodies."
"That's not true. You can leave any time you wish." Nalaea countered, clasping her hands together, and putting her feet up on the counter. "The fact you don't means you agree with me."
"There's a hierarchy, even to chaos." Jhaan replied, placing his hand on Arryn's shoulder.
"Indeed." Nalaea answered, unclasping her hands and catching a bowl of nuts tossed at her by another ranger. "So Arryn, put your hand inside."
Arryn gulped. Ultimately, Nalaea was right about everything. Seeing the signed death warrant a year ago from Princess Valmaris did make the choice a lot easier, though. Better to live an unreasonable life under the grip of your race's greatest enemy than to die like a dog, though. Steeling her resolve, she thrust her hand into the gauntlet. To her surprise she didn't immediately die, or catch fire, or vanish, or any other number of horrible things she expected. However, when she tried to lift her hand, nothing happened.
"Captain, I still can't lift it." Arryn said, turning to try to look at Nalaea.
"Yes I can see that. Alright, take your hand out." Nalaea said with a sigh.
Arryn nodded and removed her hand, only to find it gone, a bloody stump in its place. "C-Captain..."
"Shit!" Nalaea yelled, leaping to her feet. "Jhaan!"
"Already on it Captain!" Jhaan yelled, grabbing Arryn's arm and chanting. "Luonto Luonto!"
As Arryn's hand slowly regrew, she calmed herself by slowly breathing in and out. She looked accusingly at Nalaea for a moment, before remembering the idea was hers in the first place and softening her expression. The other rangers had already formed a wall around the gauntlet, and now Nalaea and Arryn were quite close, along with Jhaan.
"Now what?" Arryn whispered. She was close enough to Nalaea that she could see the pores on her skin. "And don't tell me you're gonna make everyone stick their hand in it because I will fight you if you say that."
"No, I'm going to do something even more reckless." Nalaea said, looking at the gauntlet.
"Captain..." Jhaan said, but Nalaea had already thrust her hand inside.
"Now Rangers, witness me!" Nalaea said, snapping the fingers of her left hand as she phased out of reality, taking the gauntlet with her.
"Captain!" Arryn shouted as she saw both elf and gauntlet vanish.