- and then, after about twenty seconds, the priest's eyes fly open. 

They're glowing gold. 

"You should leave," he says, in a voice that isn't his own. "You are not of this world and do not belong here. You will bring nothing but darkness and ruin to our future." 

"...gosh, okay, if that's the way you feel about it."

"Leave now," Vkandis Sunlord says through the man's lips, and then Cam - or, at least, the air around Cam - is very suddenly on fire. It's a highly precise fire; it doesn't touch the surroundings, and the floor under him is totally non-flammable marble. 

The Son of the Sun collapses in a heap on the paving stones. 

Someone shrieks in surprised terror. Hundreds of soldiers are suddenly brandishing their weapons. 

"Rude," says Cam, showering himself with water and inspecting his pants for indecency. "I'm going, I'm going." He spreads his wings.

His pants are super scorched but mostly still covering his most private parts. 

Nobody tries to stop him from leaving. 

Once he is out of Karse he stops to replace the pants and then comes in for a landing in Haven.

Herald Tantras comes out to meet him. 

"So? How did it go?" 

"Remarkably inhospitable folks! One of them appeared to become possessed and set me on fire."

Tantras jumps a little. "What? I - I've never even heard of that happening before, er, not for real. Sometimes in ballads. Are you all right?" 

"None the worse for wear. Did have to swap out my pants."

"Which I guess barely inconvenienced you! It's - quite something to get used to. Your powers." Tantras shifts his weight from one foot to the other. "So, er, what now? Are you more willing to help us get this war over with and someone more hospitable in charge over there?" 

"I'm a little concerned that the possession means that the other claimant won't like me either!"

"Karis, you mean? She seemed pretty willing to get your help, but - I guess maybe you'd better talk about it. I don't know how possession works. She's not a priest, though, maybe you have to be for it to happen to you?" 

"Maybe. I should go over it with her, anyway."

Nod. "Come in with me and I'll grab people for a meeting?" 

"Sure thing." In goes Cam.

Neither Randi nor Karis are there yet, but Savil is. 

"So? What kind of welcome did you get, over there? Taver told Kellan it was 'dramatic.'" 

"I got set on fire!"

"Rude!" 

Herald Jaysen arrives just in time to hear this exchange. "Sounds just like 'em." He pulls up a chair. "At least they didn't summon demons on top of you." 

"I think even they're not stupid enough to do that in the middle of their own capital city!" 

"How much fire?" Keiran adds, following Jaysen in. "I know you'd've been fine no matter what, but if we're going to send our people in there..." 

"Like, a person-sized amount of fire? I put it out with a few gallons of water no problem. I think the fellow was possessed, I don't know how common that is."

"I've never heard of it happening before." Savil looks deeply unhappy about it. "Damned gods."