Jigano tilted his head at Loren as the man made his offer, considering that he had told them already that the snake had refused to abandon its duty to save its life before, when the Spire was collapsing all around them. Still, it wasn't as though it wasn't worth trying again. "It's struggling," he said quietly to the mage. "It had much greater clarity when I was here before. It might need a little help returning to that state, though."
The snake's answer was simple but unambiguous, though, and Jigano nodded to Adam with a wry smile. "'No Ascended' is its only request. It let Roana pass before, so I believe it. If you and Loren want to go on ahead I'll stay here with Wessex and see what we can work out."
He only shrugged at Wessex's comment, slanting a glance at her with a raised brow. "The Voice didn't do anything to help clean up the mess she made, regardless of how she made it, and all the evidence points to the Ascended being used to spread it - without their knowledge, so no, I'm not blaming you. But I am concerned about it happening again someplace else. Given that I nearly died from it once, I hope you can understand why I don't want to risk anyone else, especially people we might otherwise make allies of, finding it racing through their home because the Voice takes a dislike to them... or wants to try and force new converts with a plague that only being Ascended can save you from." It certainly put some of the previous plagues of the Hollowed Grounds into an interesting new light, as he was reading through old histories and journals, but for the moment he just shook his head and stepped towards the snake, hands outstretched.
"I can try and help you think more clearly, if you'll let me," he offered, remembering his talk with Evie in the woods and feeling the warm energy gathering in his palms. If the snake permitted, he would try to heal some of the mental fog that seemed to afflict it.
Jigano gives Adam and Loren the nod that it's safe for them to go ahead and offers to try and clear the snake's mind with healing magic if it accepts.
The snake's answer was simple but unambiguous, though, and Jigano nodded to Adam with a wry smile. "'No Ascended' is its only request. It let Roana pass before, so I believe it. If you and Loren want to go on ahead I'll stay here with Wessex and see what we can work out."
He only shrugged at Wessex's comment, slanting a glance at her with a raised brow. "The Voice didn't do anything to help clean up the mess she made, regardless of how she made it, and all the evidence points to the Ascended being used to spread it - without their knowledge, so no, I'm not blaming you. But I am concerned about it happening again someplace else. Given that I nearly died from it once, I hope you can understand why I don't want to risk anyone else, especially people we might otherwise make allies of, finding it racing through their home because the Voice takes a dislike to them... or wants to try and force new converts with a plague that only being Ascended can save you from." It certainly put some of the previous plagues of the Hollowed Grounds into an interesting new light, as he was reading through old histories and journals, but for the moment he just shook his head and stepped towards the snake, hands outstretched.
"I can try and help you think more clearly, if you'll let me," he offered, remembering his talk with Evie in the woods and feeling the warm energy gathering in his palms. If the snake permitted, he would try to heal some of the mental fog that seemed to afflict it.
Jigano gives Adam and Loren the nod that it's safe for them to go ahead and offers to try and clear the snake's mind with healing magic if it accepts.
