Impending Storm (Closed to Firmhanded Daddy)

[Ambrosia_64]

A century ago, the Kingdom of Rionheart was a center of learning and religion, drawing scholars and the righteous from all corners of the world. King Richard ruled with a steady hand until his death, passing the crown to his pious son Roland. None were so great a man as the Just King, his sense of justice and his holiness serving his people well.

But a darkness began to creep into the edges of his lands, and one day as he was hunting, Roland was attacked, startled from his horse by a dark rider wielding an ebony sword. He fought valiantly but was no match for the mysterious, magicked rider-and when all seemed lost and he would surely be murdered, a fair sword maiden named Adeline Songsword intervened, the barefoot girl from the neighboring village wielding a magical sword of her own with an ancient elven name, besting the dark swordsman and causing him to flee in the face of the sword's power and the girl's skill.

Roland had found his champion.

Knighted and given a small parcel of land, Lady Adeline became a famed paladin known across the land for her beauty, her loyalty, her strength and wisdom-serving as Roland's right hand woman and general to his armies. She served unfailing for several years, unaware Roland's mind had begun to descend into dark madness, that he began to suspect even his most loyal of servants of treachery.

Forging a dark pact with an evil entity, Roland sent his trusted knight on a doomed mission, tasking her with bringing him a relic from a distant land. He was sending her to her doom, and somehow the holy warrior was sealed away for all eternity in a crypt said to be so dark and so deep within the earth, none shall ever find it. In the lady knight's absence King Rionheart began to torture and murder his own people, waging a war within his own lands where many suffered and died. After several horrific years, Roland finally died of pestilence, and the place of Adeline's internment became lost to history.

The legend of his madness lives on, as does the myth of the righteous, unknowingly betrayed loyal warrior-tales of her beauty, her wisdom, her battle prowess-Adeline the martyr and unfailing servant, Adeline, bearer of the magical sword, Adeline, said to be not murdered, but frozen in unending sleep for all time, waiting to be called upon, to lift up her sword in the name of Rionheart once again.

Time turns history to legend, and legend to myth. But the stories live on.

In a cavern on the outskirts of a frozen wasteland, deep within the earth and far from the kingdom of Rionheart, a large boulder in the back of a cavern blocked what appeared to be a small tunneled entrance to an underground lake. Old, rusted armor pieces were scattered along the way, no longer of use to anyone and deposited strangely, as if they had simply fallen off their wearer as he or she walked. A circular shield bore the standard of Roland Lionheart, a lion rearing up in a bed of roses and thorns.

Once through the tunnel, past the odd disarray of armor, one could only see the untouched beauty of the lake. The dazzling, icy water reflected light across the walls, a shimmering sword sheathed in the rock at one side, the clear glass orb on the end of the pommel reflecting that shimmering light. The sword could not be lifted from the rock-it seemed impossibly heavy, strange yet pretty elven scroll work down the length of the blade. It was a beautiful weapon, but attempting to dislodge it was for not. It felt immensely heavy, and seemed to be tightly encased. Odd.

Not far from it, visible in the crystal clear water of the lake-one might be startled to see what appeared to be a woman caught in stone, her serene face just beneath the shallow surface. She looked for all the world as if she were merely resting.

The rock had somehow grown around her slender form, a solid band of it across her slender waist, branching so that it also crossed over one shoulder to trap her against the slab of stone on the lake bottom. Her arms rested lightly on the stone across her chest, almost as if it were a blanket. The hem of her light blue, simple silk dress fluttering lightly around her ankles and bare feet.

She was beautiful, muted skin and fringed lashes, her small nose and full lips, the prominent cheek bones and the slightest, barest hints of points to her ears lending to the notion she was of elven ancestry, even if she herself were not full blooded. A silvery inked tattoo delicately curved around one almond shaped eye, the curves and curly cues seeming exotic all their own. Dark, midnight hued tresses framed her face, the loose braid flowing with the small currents.

The sight was mesmerizing. One could almost imagine her alive...

Because she was alive, frozen in time in this strange and final resting place, the end of her doomed, final mission from a king who conspired against her. What had happened to put the woman to sleep? How did she yet survive beneath the water? What magic was at work here?

 

[Firmhanded_Daddy]

The legend surrounding Roland and his madness was well documented, as was his countless betrayals. No betrayal so virulent than the betrayal of his beknighted champion whom had served him so faithfully. What had actually happened to her however was up to much speculation. Many scholars simply assume she died an ignoble death at the hands of an assassin and lies in an unmarked grave; yet there are those whom believe that the king in his madness sought out the very darkness that had corrupted him and made a dark contract to imprison the beautiful paladin.

There is evidence to support the fact that she was banished rather than dead was there if one was astute enough to look; and he had spent much time looking. The slender fingers of the elven magus had held artifacts from that time and felt the dark power that coursed through the mad king’s crown. He had handled personal effects of the famed paladin Adeline and used various divination magic that instead of failing as it would if someone was dead pushed against what felt like a barrier.

That is when he began researching at the great libraries kept by the worshipers of Julianos. Who could have set such an elaborate trap without tipping their hand? The skill in which this was executed was inhuman and maddening. He froze “Inhuman and maddening” he muttered . He slammed the book he was reading shut and quickly darted to one of the shelves. Scanning it with almost a frantic urgency his almond shaped green eyes latched onto the Daedric runes and he reached out to grab the book. He flipped through it even as he walked back to his table. He settled back into the chair and pushed the book down as he continued to flip pages until he latched onto a fragment of a familiar sentence. Dread filled him as every word nailed home his fears. He felt like cold ice was being driven into his scalp and needles of it were traveling down the back of his neck. “Sheogorath the Daedric Prince of Madness. It connects all of the dots. He banished the one person whom could stand in his way by using a pawn already under his sway that she trusted. By Akatosh.”

He closed the book absently, made his donation to the library on the way out; a rather large one for what they had just given him; and headed for his home. He began packing immediately and it did not take long. There was little to gather other than his spell components, his pack which already had his bed roll attached to it, camp tools. He packed several changes of clothing. He had no need for armor, he did however clip on a sword belt with a short sword attached to it. He also scooped up a long stave bound in several places with iron to add weight and stability.

Finally he gently placed his spell book in a leather satchel and placed two different small thin wands in his pack, one that was made of blue crystal, and one that was carved out of wood, with white quartz at the head.

In less than an hour he was out the door, but how to find his destination? Now that he knew what to look for locating the lost paladin was a simple task. He reached into one pouch and pulled out a clear piece of amber and waved it in a circle and spoke the words of the spell, focusing on the magic. The spell was completed, he placed the amber back in his pouch and focused, slowly turning in a circle, maintaining his focus until-

“By all the gods!”

His eyes resonated pitch black and felt like they were on fire, he sank to his knees and barely maintained his focus on the spell. There was so much evil! He felt his breakfast trying to come back up, but then he noticed something else mixed in with the darkness. He pushed, kicked, shoved at the dark sensations until there was only the other presence. He could sense two good auras mixed in with all that darkness. “Two? That doesn’t make any sense. Unless… She was entombed with her blade!”

He released the spell, she was deep underground, and far away. He could not maintain sensing that darkness the whole time, just that short duration made it feel like he had been kicked in the skull by a horse. The slender elf pushed his fingers through his long blonde hair and gripped his robes around himself. He estimated her location, picturing the land in his mind and realized conventional travel was going to take too long. Reaching into his pack he pulled out a strange ring that had multiple colors on it and a needle depression in the middle of it big enough for a finger. He closed his eyes and placed the ring on his right hand, placing his left thumb on the depression. The ring glowed brightly and the magus disappeared.

He rematerialized in one of the mage guild towers in the frozen tundra. He blew past the other mages who greeted him; this was not an uncommon occurrence for most magi whom used the teleportation device, so the lack of manners was completely ignored. He braced himself in the hall way and cast the spell again. The darkness nearly overwhelmed him this time, he held the spell, studied the distance, he could see the aura’s clearly now.

Releasing the spell he placed the ring back into his pack and stopped just before he left the mage tower. There was a clothing shop for those whom had teleported here and just so happened to have forgotten cold weather gear. The shop did very well for itself, mages were often in a hurry and forgot important details like packing for weather.

The shop keep was a young human woman whom smiled when he approached “Ah master Drakor. Can I help you to some winter gear?”

“Yes, I’ll take two sets of fur lined robes, boots, and gloves please.”

He tuned out for the rest of the conversation, completely ignoring the fact that he overpaid, and why he needed two. He changed his clothing right there, but as he was fully dressed beneath there was nothing indecent about it. He packed away the other set.

He set out into the frozen landscape and he no longer needed magic to sense the darkness. He could feel it like a prickling on the back of his neck. He followed this sensation until he came to what looked like some sort of cavern, with a large boulder blocking it, as if intentionally placed. He swore softly beneath his breath. He had very few offensive spells readied, so he pulled out the thin crystal wand. Pointing it at the boulder, the wand fired a bolt of lightning with a tremendous thunderclap. It struck the boulder and the rock exploded. The mage covered his face with his hands as debris flew everywhere.

He replaced the wand back in his pack and continued into the cave cautiously. He started to notice pieces of discarded armor with the ancient crest work of Rionheart. The armor was rusted and damaged, but he scooped it up as he went, placing the piecing in his pack until no more could fit, then using his rain cloak like a spare bag to carry the rest.

He was dragging a lot of weight by the time he came to the frozen weight, and he set down both his pack, and the makeshift bag of armor with a weary sigh and looked at the woman frozen in the water. He stopped and looked her over for a moment. She was every bit as beautiful as the stories claimed, and more. He felt a sense of joy and elation. He had done what no one else in history had done! He had found Adeline the Champion of Rionheart!

He stood and looked at the blade wedged into the stone. That was not normal. Some sort of enchantment was obviously at play here, he needed to study it. He spoke a few words in the language of magic and his eyes flashed silver white. He could see the aura’s of magic all around this cavern. There were currents of it surrounding the paladin, some surrounding the blade, two different kinds to be exact. “Transmutation magic, necromancy, and conjuration, divination, and protection…” he mused out loud; “Some of that belongs to the sword, the rest must be what is keeping her imprisoned.”

He stepped off the underground lake and began chanting a spell that would dispel the effects, targeting the magic in the lake, and the stone. He could feel the threads of magic starting to give way, he could feel the curse weakening. The spell finished and the lake shimmered. It seemed like something still needed to happen to release the curse.

He felt the wall behind him start to rumble, he turned in time to see reddish orange eyes come to life as the rocks started to assemble into an almost humanoid figure…that was ten feet tall. “Oh by the nine. A rock elemental.” He looked down at his weapons which were rather mundane and not suited for combat against such a creature. He had not anticipated this level of a guardian. Without time to think he reached into his pouch, shouted the words and threw a pinch of ground up dust into the air. The air in front of the elemental shimmered but nothing else seemed to happen. As the elemental continued to form the mage made a dash for the rock where Adeline’s magical blade stood.

“I hope your God does not mind me borrowing this, it may save both of our lives.”

He pulled on the sword and at first nothing happened, but then the blade cleaved cleanly from the rock. The mage stumbled back with a start at how light the blade was. Not only that, but he noticed the lake actually turned into water. The woman was encased in some sort of crystal and she began quickly rising to the surface. As if an unseen hand was guiding her, she was gently lain next to the rock. The prison she was in cracked, and then completely shattered.

The elf knelt beside her and put two fingers on the side of her neck to feel for a pulse. “By the nine! You are alive. We should regroup outside, can you walk?”

As if to accent his words the rock elemental roared in rage and pounded on the invisible wall of force.

He set her blade down next to her and frowned, looking at the elemental. He took a second look at his pack. “Nevermind, stay here, I’ll be right back.”

He dashed toward his pack and pulled the both wands from his pack. He pointed one wand at her and spoke a command word. Her skin shimmered with a comforting warmth as the protection spell surrounded her. He stuffed that wand into his belt and then waited for the rampaging rock elemental to get free.

The spell dissipated and the rock elemental lumbered forward, right as it did he launched a blast of lightning from the wand. There was a deafening explosion inside the cavern as the elemental was decimated by the lightning, but it did not die. The rock elemental lumbered closer and just as it was about to crush the mage he shouted a word of command and launched a wave of flame from his hands. The rock elemental screamed and the force binding it to this world vanished. The rocks simply fell apart.

The mage staggered his way back to the woman. His exhaustion showing on his noble elven features, sweat matting his brow. “My apologies for that. You must be extremely disoriented. You were bound in some sort of magical prison for a very long time, even for our kin. Most believed the mad king had you killed. The fact that I have found you here, only makes me more fearful. The malevolence I sensed in this magic; I have never felt anything like it. I do not believe this curse was cast by human hands.”

 

[Ambrosia_64]

(I hope I might interrupt? : ) )

The woman did not, at first, stir once released. Her pulse was present, seemed to be quickening-but there was no response to his initial words or actions.

He dashed away to his pack, casting his protective spell in her direction-the comforting warmth rousing the fallen warrior from her peaceful reverie. Her eyes opened, revealing startling grey irises with striations of silver, a confused bit of puzzlement before she slowly sat up to see a mysterious wizard doing battle with a rock monster.

Wha...where...?

Her sword had been left near her, and it was this Adeline grasped as she rose to stand, preparing to help him even in her weakened, confused state. She had risen just as the elemental was moving into a position to crush the mage-but flames erupted from his hands, overwhelming and destroying the rock beast for good.

When he turned back to her, he would see the graceful, beautiful paladin standing there silently, her sword lowered in her right hand, her eyes on the pile of rocks, frowning every so slightly. When he moved her eyes moved to him, watching him approach in askance.

“My apologies for that."

Adeline gave a ladylike nod, her lips parting to speak-but he went on.

"You must be extremely disoriented. You were bound in some sort of magical prison for a very long time, even for our kin. Most believed the mad king had you killed. The fact that I have found you here, only makes me more fearful. The malevolence I sensed in this magic; I have never felt anything like it. I do not believe this curse was cast by human hands.”

He only got partway through the second sentence before she seemed to become very dizzy, brow furrowing further, a graceful hand lifted in a 'wait' motion as his words tumbled over her.

"I...you..." Her voice was soft and had a bell like quality to it, pleasant sounding. "Pardon." She straightened, turning away from him to look out into the lake, puzzling over it, the cavern itself. She did not relinquish the sword, and he would see the clear orb now had a wispy, dancing smoke within it, a pale blue yellow color. It had absorbed some of his protection spell, and seemed to be prolonging, even strengthening it. If he glanced back up to her face, he would see she was looking at the sword also, deep in thought.

A curse? Adeline tried to think on the last thing she remembered before waking here. She had been on a quest, she had found the indicated place, she had descended into the mountain...and...? Her memories trailed away, but she felt herself becoming impossibly heavy, sleepy again-it had been so...very...dark.

The sword's orb filled with more yellow smoke-and then the blade flashed, lighting the already lit cavern as bright as daylight. Adeline gripped it tighter, staring out into the water, her free hand running across her forehead as if she had a headache.

"I do not understand what you are saying." She said, finally. She turned on her heel, the movement fluid and graceful. She studied him a moment, not altogether untrusting-just an intelligent weighing of him and his words.

"Who are you?" Yes, perhaps they should start with easier, more sensible things. An introduction, for instance. Giving her time to try and parse what he had just rattled off, to form her questions.

"And who is this mad king? You claim he attempted to slay me?" The dark...? Perhaps Roland's artifact was being sought by a rival kingdom? Adeline wasn't quite catching on to what he had said. Too much too quickly, it seemed.

 

[Firmhanded_Daddy]

(Sorry, I may have gotten a bit carried away )

As he had guessed she was disoriented coming out of the curse. Hundreds of years had passed, yet for her it was merely an instant. He realized that he was throwing a hundred years of lore on a mind just awakened from slumber. His anxiety and his excitement had overwhelmed good sense.

Mentally he chided himself, yet he drew himself up to his full six foot frame and put all his tools aside to show there was no aggressive intent. He made a deep, courtly bow toward the beautiful paladin. “Forgive me. In my haste I forgot that no time has passed for you. I am Drakor Justarious.”

He straightened and focused his gaze on hers. “My lady you have been trapped in a magical slumber for hundreds of years.” He walked over to his possessions and scooped up her breast plate to show her how the rust had eaten away the beautiful inlay.

“I have spent over a year trying to track down the final pieces of the puzzle to where you were trapped and I finally found it. What I found fills me with dread.”

He drew in a deep breath and found the heavy winter cloak to be too much to bear, he shrugged out of it and gently set down her breast plate.

“The mad king was Roland. He was driven mad by an unknown hand; in his madness he betrayed you to this fate believing you to be a traitor. After that many died horribly before he came to his own end. “

 

[Ambrosia_64]

Adeline noted he was taller even than she-at five foot eight, she had been of equal and sometimes greater height than many men of her time. He bowed deeply, and Adeline assumed he must be of this country, as the name was unfamiliar to her, and he seemed to be a powerful wizard.

"Well met. I am Lady Adeline of Rionheart. Songsword." Adeline gave a small bow of her head, her striking eyes never leaving him.

Of course. She was a Lady, and outranked him. She was still watching him closely, silently trailing him with her eyes as he spoke. Her graceful features remained reserved and enigmatic-he would be unable to tell if she believed him or not.

Adeline, of course, did not believe him.

He brought her an ancient looking plate of armor, the woman's eyes lowering to it before she slipped her sword into the loop sewn into her dress, taking the armor from him. Graceful fingers curled around the edge on one side, a hand moving to trace the delicate, rusted remains of an etched, once beautiful design. The furrow of her brow and the horrified widening of her eyes would reveal she recognized it as her own.

"Roland? Mad?" Her eyes seemed to plead with him, almost as if she could not and would not believe it to be true. "I...I was to bring an artifact to him. That was my quest." She said slowly, staring again at the armor. This was plate her king had presented her with personally! She had been so proud to wear it, to bear his sigil on her shield.

The world tilted this way and that before she dropped the breast plate with a clatter, touching at her temples with a small, feminine sound of distress.

"No...you will...you will cease this treasonous talk at once." She intoned, snapping back to some sort of composure, even if it wasn't quite her rational self- a sudden commanding nature to the words.

"The Great King Roland is no puppet, and I must ask you to refrain from besmirching the name of my lord."

She cast a desperate glance around the cavern. "This must be some trick, some illusion." She said feverishly to herself, her shoulders straightening as her hand had gripped her sword in instinct. She drew it once more with a flourish, the swirling smoke now a bright white, filling the clear orb as magic spiraled along her arm and blade as she brought it to bear before her, holding it tightly in both hands-before she thrusted it skyward in her right hand, suddenly the image of all that was righteous, just and true.

Adeline, the paladin. Adeline, the king's protector.

Adeline, wielder of the great and powerful Song Sword.

"You will cease this trickery at once!" The sword seemed to explode in light, the cavern washed with powerful white magic, dispelling even the lingering sense of evil that had been creeping in the stone, not quite banishing it, but throwing it aside and at bay for now, at least around their persons.

If and when he looked again as the light faded, he would see her holding her lowered sword in front of her, eyes shimmering with tears. The wizard still stood there, her armor was still rusted and ancient, and the cavern remained as it had been, the icy water and the broken pieces of stone.

"I...I do not understand." She said in a quiet, nearly heart broken voice-covering her eyes in shame as she turned away from him, took a moment to compose herself. It was difficult, even for a woman as graceful and collected as she.

 

[Firmhanded_Daddy]

As their eyes met, he realized just how beautiful and imposing a presence she had; that only made the sad news he had to deliver more heavy in his heart. His gaze did not waver as their eyes met, he allowed her to search his soul, there was no deception in his eyes.

He watched as she took the breastplate from his hands, he could see the emotion on her face change, the stoic mask fall away to one of despair as she saw the damage time had done to her once resplendent armor. Though he had few material possessions of that nature he felt a strong connection to, he could appreciate how she felt. He could almost sense her despair.

There was a point where he thought she was going to faint and he took a step forward, but she recovered quickly and when she did, she recovered with a vengeance. He could see steel in her eyes as well as in her hands.

“I only speak what is known in the histories Lady Adeline. I do not say this to distress you, or to insult his memory.”

She flourished that sword, and there was a moment where he realized she could kill him, no protection spell in his arsenal remained that would prevent that holy blade from cleaving his body in twain. He had used his strongest protection spells to combat the elemental.

He made no move to draw a weapon, or even defend himself, though as she blasted the room with holy light she provoked one of his protective wards to go off. He vanished from sight only briefly, but the effect of her holy blade instantly revealed him again. His skin also began radiating a soft orange light.

He dismissed the magic quickly as she turned to hide her emotions from him. Elves were often aloof and did not display emotion easily; this was even more true among the highborn. One had to be considered truly close to the elf before displays of emotion were considered common place. When he closed the distance to place his hand comfortingly on her shoulder it spoke volumes. His voice was tinged with sorrow as he spoke in a low, soft tone.

“Finding you, being able to break your curse was one of my greatest joys. Yet I knew this moment would also come with tremendous sadness. I would be the one to give you freedom from your curse, only to break your heart.”

He paused and looked at the pieces of decayed armor with a sad smile. “I cannot restore the honor of the man you served, but you can. What I can do is restore his symbol”

He reverently lifted the breastplate and gathered it with all of the other pieces, placing his hands over the items he began to speak the quiet magical words of a simple spell. Slowly the ravages of time began to vanish from the decayed armor, the rust was replaced with metal and detail as if the armor was newly made. It took several minutes for the repairs to take place, the damage was extensive and this spell was actually not designed for this purpose, he was extending it beyond its normal limitations with the sheer force of his will.

With the last bits of rust gone, he released the arcane energy and sagged back against the cave wall, his chest heaving. He gave into exhaustion for just a moment and let his green eyes slam shut. The cold stone felt good pressed against his skin.

 

[Ambrosia_64]

Adeline nodded numbly, her free hand coming up to rest on his for just a moment-before she was fully composed, if a little shell shocked. He had mentioned histories. Books. She needed to find out what had happened.

She must learn what he knew. Perhaps history had merely portrayed Roland incorrectly. He would have never betrayed her. Why would he? She had served him loyally, was willing to die for him and his banner. She could not believe it. Something must have happened...something she had not protected him against. She, Adeline the King's Champion, had failed him.

She wanted to imagine she had not been frozen in sleep but transported to this time, somehow. Perhaps she could make it back, return to his side, and prevent whatever evil had crept up on him.

She turned back towards the articulate wizard, his magicks glowing in her sight over her ruined armor and his hands. Turning back time, it seemed. She wished he had a spell that could turn back all of time.

She settled on her knees across from him, lifting the shining breast plate presented to her years ago in her wakened life-and apparent decades ago in her sleeping state. He must be exhausted, she reflected. She too felt the alluring pull of sleep-but there should be no need, if what he claimed was true.

And she no longer felt he had cause to lie to her. She studied his face for several, unobserved moments. Other than her mother, Adeline had never actually met another elf. She was unsure her father had even been fully elven-he had died when she was very young. The king had taken a fatherly role to her, once she had rescued him.

Would he have really wished to rid himself of her?

She gazed across the lake, then back to the renewed armor. She could not forget how it looked rusted, ancient, old. She touched her face, running fingers over the smooth skin before lowering and studying her own hands, allowing him to rest, not interrupting what she hoped turned to sleep-for he no doubt deserved it. She would express her gratitude once he was awake.

And yet, without her king, she was without purpose. She again tried to remember how she had came to be here. She had been fighting what seemed like a hundred ebony swords for days or nights on end-a fog of malice and evil never quite taking form but bearing down on her in the caves. She could not extract herself from them. Adeline's head throbbed as she struggled to remember more. She vaguely remembered she had become separated, somehow, from her own blade, and rather than cut to pieces, she remembered the oppressive, heavy darkness and the slow, deadening of her limbs, her eyelids becoming so heavy...!

She snapped straight, wide eyed and a little fearful-as if she would somehow be reclaimed by whatever foul magic had torn her from her life if she gave in to sleep.

"The malevolence I sensed in this magic; I have never felt anything like it. I do not believe this curse was cast by human hands.”

Perhaps she was not without purpose. Rising quietly to her feet, Adeline began to don her armor, tightening and buckling the various leather straps over her gown, pausing to puzzle over the garment itself. Surely this was not what she had been wearing on her quest. But it was what she currently had, so she wore only the upper pieces for now. It made her feel better, more real somehow. And indeed-one could imagine just who Adeline had been now that she was thus attired.

Who Adeline was.

 

[Firmhanded_Daddy]

I’ll rest for just a moment he thought as he sank back against the stone. He had no intention of falling asleep but intention or not soon his chest was rising and falling with the gentle slumber of exhaustion.

Perhaps it was the hand of fate, as it gave the paladin time to quietly contemplate her own situation while the elf magician recovered a bit of his own energies. The rest did not come peacefully however, not in this dark place. This place fed on the dark corners of the mind and even inside him there was darkness. Troubled dreams rose to the surface.

He was back once more back on the island homeland of his birth. He remembered the harrowing dragon fires ravaging the soil, slaughtering the people. The touted magical gifts of his people were merely a stop gap in the wake of the horrible power of the terrible dragons. Elves burned and died in the hundreds, like dried grass in a brush fire. The last memory he had of his parents was of them sending him through a portal as both messenger, and to save his life to plead for help.

Help had come of course and the dragons were beaten back, but not before all that he had known and loved had been burnt away in dragon fire. He never returned home to accept what was his by a right; a Prince in self imposed exile.

He was mumbling words in his sleep in the high elf dialect, a particular version only reserved for those of royal blood, begging, pleading for his parents not to go.

Her armor rattled and it started him out of his terrible dream with a jolt. He gripped his blade and drew it in a swift motion, breathing hard. A wizard he may be, but there was a man underneath there whom knew how to handle a blade. Recognition chased away the darkness and he quickly sheathed his weapon.

“Please forgive me. The darkness in this place unsettles me. There is much more that I must tell you, but this is not the place, will you accompany me Lady Adaline?”

He rose slowly and walked to his pack. He pulled out an extra pair of fur mittens, a pair of fur boots, and a long fur robe that would easily accommodate her plate armor. “Outside this cave it is nearly white out conditions, but we are half a day from a mage enclave. From there I can send us back to my home. There is a great library there, as well as my resources. I can explain everything, show you my findings, and the histories as they have been recorded. You may make your own judgement then and if you believe I have lied to you at that point I shall surrender my life to you for my crimes. Such is a fitting crime for treason I believe?”

Everything was spoken with the same even tone, he spoke about the weather in the same manner as he spoke about his possible execution. There was no hint of pride or deception in his features. His eyes were clear and focused. He was as calm as that lakes surface had been.

 

[Ambrosia_64]

The cavern looked peaceful, but it seemed to haunt even the wizard's dreams. Adeline remembered her attempted banishment of what she had thought were illusions, earlier. There had been a push of a lingering, dark magic. Weakened magic. Perhaps the remnants of an evil that had long moved on.

She could not understand his words, but her heart pitied the tone of them. She had resolved to wake him, a final shift of her armor-when he woke with a start, drawing a blade with wild, unseeing eyes. She was not shocked, nor did she react badly-just a slight, concerned furrow of her brow.

"No forgiveness required, kind Drakor." She said with a smile. And although there was warmth in it, and in her eyes-it seemed just slightly haunted, no doubt a ghost of what warmth she used to carry. It would take some time, one might imagine.

He asked if she would accompany him. She honestly had not considered what to do, otherwise. Roland was dead. Her oath of fealty had been fulfilled.

She watched him, her beautiful face showing little, but he would sense her quiet companionship. "I believe you Drakor." She said softly, even if the words greatly saddened her. "I merely wish to understand what has happened...and what you fear will happen."

Her hand rested on her sword as she thought, the crystal orb containing a slowly swirling wisp of white smoke.

"I will accompany you. I see that you are quite capable, but you may count on my sword to protect you nonetheless." She may have failed Roland, but she was still a knight. If there was justice to be served against...whatever was coming, she would be there to deal it out.

And the articulate wizard? He was more than a source of information, he had saved her life. There were years to live yet, even in this world where the people she knew and loved were gone.

 

[Firmhanded_Daddy]

He was somewhat surprised by her words. Kind? She spoke with such eloquence, yet with a warmth that was not common with the elves. Perhaps she was not full blooded, or perhaps so much time among humans she had adopted their customs? He mused on this as he rose to his feet with a slight smile.

Still how bowed his head in acquiescence of the fact that she forgave his slight. She was after all his superior as far as she knew it, and as far as he considered it.

He could feel the sadness even as he sensed a bond between them forming. Once more he was tempted to reach out to her, but the memories and his nightmares were too raw. He was too raw. He folded his hands into his sleeves instead and nodded his head, a few stray blond hairs wildly falling forward as he smiled in gratitude. “You honor me, Lady Adaline. I am in your debt. I will do everything within my power to help you find the answers you seek and banish the darkness that still lingers in this land. I believe it is this darkness that first poisoned the mind of your liege lord.”

He no longer used derogatory remarks to speak of Roland, to do so would be an insult to her. After all the man was held under sway, he lost a battle he was not prepared for. Few mortals could have grappled with the forces he wrestled with and won.

He set out the boots and tucked the gloves into them, then extended the robes for her with a smile. “The climate is very cold Lady. Once we are out of the tunnel it is I who will need your strength. I will seal this cavern so no one may wander into it by accident, but it will take every ounce of my strength.”

He wondered if he had enough, or if casting this spell may very well kill him. He was already very drained from the day’s activities. It would be smarter to rest, but something was telling him to hurry, that every moment wasted was a desperate moment lost that we could not afford. Not to mention there would be no proper rest in this cave, he could not restore himself in this dark place. The thought alone made him shudder.

 

[Ambrosia_64]

Roland had been so pious. How foul was this darkness, that it had twisted such a righteous man? When had the dark whisperings of madness begun? Had she missed crucial signs before he sent her away on the doomed quest? She hadn't been as close, as observant perhaps-he had had her on various tasks and duties, things he had grown more and more uncomfortable delegating to anyone else. Perhaps, if he had been devolving into paranoia, he had suspected her last.

Adeline tried to find comfort in that.

If he had turned to crimes against his own innocent subjects, perhaps he had done her a favor, attempting to kill her. She had never been forced to break her oath. Adeline had served Roland without question once she had sworn her oath. But there was a greater power she believed in, one that fueled her sword and no doubt her soul. But...if this darkness had twisted the great king, and also bested her...?

Again, she recalled the endless fighting, and again, her head throbbed when she tried to recall exactly what had happened. She had never been bested before...she was not sure how she could prevent it happening again, if she could not recall what had taken place last time.

"You came very prepared Drakor." She said to him, interrupting her own heavy thoughts. "I thank you." She donned the cloak gratefully, then the boots, and a single glove. Her right hand she left bare, still resting on her sword for the time being.

"Yes. A dark malice lingers here, but the full strength of....what doomed me is gone." A careful scan of the cavern one last, final time. She would have slept here for all eternity were it not for him.

"Shall I hold anything for you?" She was unsure if he had meant her physical strength to protect him once he was weakened, or if he was requesting her sword's strength, perhaps to funnel his magic. She supposed he would ask for help if it was a task, and if not-she had already promised her protection.

 

[Firmhanded_Daddy]

He smiled warmly at her comment, bowing his head in acknowledgment of her compliment. “I simply tried to prepare for your needs. I am glad there were not more guardians. I would not have the power to seal this place otherwise.” He reached a slender hand up to brush the blonde strands away from his face and despite the brief rest he had the lines of weariness still marked his features.

He nodded his head at her words. Trusting in her ability to sense evil even better than his. “I am certain that your powers to detect evil are far better than mine, but when divining the energies that led me here the evil was so potent it nearly overpowered me as I got closer. As I came within walking distance I no longer even needed magical assistance to feel the malice. Yet between banishing the curse that bound you, and your own magics we have lessened the hold of darkness here.”

He paused a moment in thought, then tilted his head, staring into her eyes. “When we have prepared ourselves better we should return here and consecrate this place. We cannot leave this evil to fester. It will spread and pollute the land. For now we can simply seal it here however. I believe something like this will require both of us. There is more than just evil forces at work here. I sense Daedric magic. I will have to seal tears in the planes.”

He slid back into the heavy fur robes and pulled his pack back on with a soft sigh. At her offer to carry something he shook his head. “Not at the moment, but I suspect sealing the cavern may leave me quite drained. I may need to lean on you a bit as we make our way back to the enclave. Shall we go?”

He began the ascent back upwards until he could see the brilliant daylight that reflected off the ice and snow. He had to squint against the sight at first until his eyes adjusted to it. Finally the ground started to level and he found himself facing the biting cold and the piercing wind of the frigid land that had imprisoned Adaline for so very long. He turned to her and his features had lost their pleasant demeanor.

“Whatever happens next Lady Adaline, do not touch me, or the rocks, and please take a few steps back.”

He actually pulled his mittens off and tucked them into his belt. Placing both hands on the frigid stone he began speaking arcane words, but then it changed and he began humming, as if he were singing a song. The wind around him whipped violently, tearing off his hood and he began to sway with the song. She could catch glimpses of the side of his face, his eyes were closed, as if he were in some sort of trance, but his face was very wan, and very pale; as if the stone was sucking the life out of him. The rock above him quivered. Then like warm honey it began to slowly drip downward and flow into the empty space. The elf sank to one knee but managed to maintain the sway and the hum of the incantation. Skillfully he tapped into the well of power that all high elves had in the middle of his spell casting; accessing the tree of life and it granted him extra spiritual power. The telltale signs that she had no doubt seen in her life were there. The branches of the tree extended from his forehead and grew all the way down his shoulders to his fingers. However it was extremely rare to see someone so skilled that they were able to do this while casting a spell.

The visual effects of the tree lasted as long as the well of power remained in the individual; which is why the tattoo like effect appeared on Drakor’s skin almost to vanish almost instantly. The cave was almost entirely sealed, and he was on both knees now, sweat pouring from his face, and his breath rattled with moisture in his chest. It was clear that the casting of this spell was bringing him closer and closer to death.

Just as the rock finally touched the cave floor his body could take no more, the swaying stopped, replaced by a horrid wracking cough. Red splashed upon white as blood spilled past his lips. He collapsed against the jagged cliff face, barely having the presence of mind to shield his face with an arm. He coughed violently until the spasm passed and he could breath again.

His words came barely a whisper above the howling wind as his glassy eyes stared up at her. “I may have… overdone it a bit”

 

[Ambrosia_64]

"My poor horse. I hoped she fared well and found a caring owner." Adeline murmured once they stepped onto the frozen tundra.

She did as he bid, observing his magicks with her usual calm demeanor, brow furrowing as he slipped to one knee, then two. Finally, the deed was done and he fell, a look of concern and a movement to right him from the surprisingly strong, or perhaps not so surprising, paladin. "Then I am glad you have my protection." Adeline said seriously, studying him. "Do you require rest?"

 

[Firmhanded_Daddy]

Her words sounded far away and his vision was fading down to pinpoint of light. He was close to passing out he knew, his breathing was still raggedly rattling in his chest as he struggled to maintain consciousness.

He felt her body against his, the comfort of her presence enveloped him and eased the burning ache in his chest. He could feel some of his vitality returning. He found his mind sluggishly trying to analyze this effect even as he battled to remain conscious and upright. Perhaps it was a natural gift of her holy discipline? Perhaps an effect of the holy weapon she wielded? He had felt immense power in that weapon when he wielded it briefly, he doubted she could sense the holy power in it to the extreme that he could. She may be a paladin, but his entire life had been devoted to the study of all things magic and knowledge of magic. Just being this close to the sword he could detect the aura of its power and even without magic detection spells he knew some of the items powers.

Usually magical artifacts took days of study to be able to understand their effect; it was a long, exhausting, and dangerous endeavor. However he was an exceptional talent, not only that this blade was brimming with holy power.

With what little strength he had, he gripped his staff and drove the butt hard into the stone and ice ground. With a trembling arm and equally unsteady legs he began to rise. Leaning heavily against Adeline he managed to make it to his feet. His voice was a shadow of what it used to be, and he swayed on his feet until he surrendered his pride and draped his arm around her shoulder for stability.

“We cannot rest here My Lady. We do not have the supplies to weather this storm, and I do not have the strength to insulate us from the cold. We must make the half day journey to the enclave. Once we are there we can go directly to my home. There is a magical platform that makes teleportation for high ranking magi effortless. Even in this state I can safely take us to nearly anywhere in the world, as long as I have seen it before and can clearly picture it in my mind. Blind teleports carry too much risk. Most magi who blind teleport end up inside walls or caves. That is why you never do them.”

He began to shiver violently. Despite the heavy winter gear the chill was biting into him. It was as if the casting of that spell had taken everything out of him, and considering his blood loss, he may not have enough blood to keep himself warm enough just standing here.

“Ww…we must move. It is just north of here a half day walk.”

 

[Ambrosia_64]

The sword was very old, forged not just in steel but in magic by ancient elves, it's aura a little otherworldly. The holy magic seemed to resonate in both Adeline and her sword, as if the sword had attuned itself to her paladin disciplines.

Underneath the white light the sword had adapted was a strong, ancient magic that was elusive in its definition, though he would be able to sense wards and protections, deep throbbing power of creation and destruction. His area of study and the higher purity of his blood did indeed make much more apparant to him than to Adeline, though one might wonder what she knew of the sword herself.

The real mystery was not the metal...but the round, smooth crystal orb seated at the tip of the pommel. It bore a light grey, wispy smoke within currently, one that spiraled around itself-and gave more clues to the sword's capabilities. The two easily recognizable schools at play here-alteration: perhaps what made the sword so heavy to anyone but Adeline and restoration: the sword seemed to possess a naturally calming, revitalizing quality to it, an innate lightning rod to draw in harmful effects and neutralize them. Combined with Adeline's almost serene aura, it made her a figure of comfort and held certain dark magics at bay passively.

Destruction was another component, but it would be hard to determine the full power of the sword-lightning was there for certain, but what more?

A connection between the woman and the blade could tentatively be sensed, and while seperate each bore strength and their individual magics, together it seemed amplified.

Adeline was a figure of myth and legend, but here, now, she was merely just the woman, supporting him as one might a dear, longtime friend-grasping and throwing her own cloak around him, her slender arm between the back of his and the inside of hers. How the darkness had stolen past her natural aura and her power was a mystery for now, though it must have been terrible indeed.

She kept them moving as fast as she thought he could manage it, keeping an eye ahead but also occaisionally glancing to him in concern. He spoke of teleportation and she nodded, marvelling at such a thing. She herself had never partaken in something of that nature. On the whole, she did not much know of wizards. In her time, in her land, she had been one of the few magical odditites.

Adeline wished she had some way to warm him, but if he felt he could endure the half day walk, she would believe him.

She too was anxious to create distance between themselves and the cave. Though, something nagged at the back of her mind, troubled her.

She would not think on it now. She must get him to warmth and safety.

"Are there many others with your strength?" She inquired as they moved. "Or do you surpass your contemporaries?" There was not a surge of pride or dissension-just curiosity. It would be realized that in her time-Adeline had indeed surpassed all she knew. She was humble, but she had lived in exceptionalism all of her adult life.

 

[Firmhanded_Daddy]

When she put her cloak around him for just the briefest moment he stiffened, but then he relaxed into her frame and sought her warmth. He was too damned cold and exhausted to care about decorum and elven decency to make a fuss right now, besides, it was not like he had not spent all his time and energy this past year finding a way to free this very woman, it couldn’t hurt to let her get close; he just had to find a way to let his guard down. That would be a trick when he wasn’t on the verge of death.

They continued there pace just as much because if they didn’t he would freeze to death, as because they needed to get away from this dark place.

The farther they got from her prison the stronger he felt, and he realized something that his mind was struggling to put into words. The reason that Adeline was imprisoned was likely the same reason he almost died sealing that place. There was some sort of effect that was absorbing magic and life essence. It was barely noticeable to someone just exerting normal effort, but when channeling magical energies, it was like opening a flood gate. He would have to find a way to counter this effect before the next time they went up against the minions of this darkness whom possessed this power, or they may lose.

The icy winds scorched his throat. Occasionally he coughed from breathing in the chilled air, but he did not stop putting one foot in front of the other. As she asked her question he did not answer her immediately. Her query was not easily answered, and he was not sure she would like his answer entirely, or quite understand it.

“The enclave of wizards is made up of all magic. Light magic, of which I head. The magic of Neutrality which has a head. The magic of the Dark Which has a head. We maintain a balance of power so that none become too powerful, too reckless. The enclave was formed after your imprisonment. We believe-“

His words were shattered with a wracking cough so violent that more blood rushed out and flecked his lips. He wiped his it away, gathered a shuddering breath and righted himself and then continued speaking, and walking with her help. Just as they rounded a mound of snow, a tower came into view, he pointed to emphasize his words “- the enclave believes that a dark wizard is the one who set these incidents in motion in a quick bid to gain power. Someone within the court whom was jealous of your position. A very low rank wizard, barely starting out, he would have gain immense power extremely quickly.”

Those pinpricks of light were back and he realized why he was drifting off course he was about to pass out.

“Of the three heads, in raw power and knowledge I am the strongest, but… my focus is not predominantly on combat. I focus on wards, protections, sealings, and knowledge. I do know some war wizardry, but the grey, or the black are much stronger in this fields.”

His knees buckled and he turned toward her. “Adeline. You need to stimulate my adrenaline or I am going to die. My heart is not pumping enough heat, I am freezing to death. Hit me. Sheogorath had many traps in that cave. You need to get my heart to beat faster or I will die before we reach the enclave.”

 

[Ambrosia_64]

Adeline was rather concerned her companion would not be able to complete the trip in his current state. She almost regretted asking him the question, worried the words were sapping what strength he had.

She filed what he said away, intending to ask more questions once he felt well-though she could not place any wizard, weak or no, other than the King's diviners. She did not imagine they could have had the strength to seal her away or corrupt King Roland. Or...could they have, colluding with a foul, old magical source?

Hm.

"Adeline. You need to stimulate my adrenaline or I am going to die."

A look of alarm in those brilliantly colored grey eyes, the whole of her attention on him once more as he spoke, her hand going to her sword as she pulled away from him.

"There is no need for violence, good Drakor-" Adeline said in a soothing, assuring tone, drawing her sword, keeping the blade parallel to the ground in front of her chest, pointed to her right, her elbow bent. The smoke was now an orange brownish tone, filling the orb to the brink. "I did not lead men into battle on pretty words alone."

Her free hand pressed to the flat of the blade and, with a small smile to him, the blade pulsed with reinvigorating magic, passing through and over Drakor's weakened body like a warm, summer breeze. It was a spell that harried men into battle and restored the courage of the battle wearied, encouraged comrades to defend and bolster one another against their common enemy.

It was not overwhelming-Adeline had not unleashed the full potential of it, given there was just the two of them and they did not need an army's motivation.

Still, she hoped it would be enough-she couldn't imagine what hitting him would do better.

 

[Firmhanded_Daddy]

He couldn’t hear her words, nor really see her draw her sword. He was out on his feet. She was now not only using her blade, but supporting his weight. He was not as weak and frail as a most magic users were, even though he was an elf, but still for the paladin it was no doubt little effort to hold him up. He was not burdened with a great deal of supplies, or any armor.

The power she washed over his body did stir his heart, but it took time to rouse him, he had been skirting the brink of the abyss by the time the spell had activated. This time his feverish ramblings were in the common tongue. “I know the throne is my birthright… I don’t care. The dragons burnt everything I cared for! Let the regents rule the land and let me have my freedom. I was just a child when my family was turned to ashes let the house of Justarious remain ashes!”

His eyes flashed open and shattered the ghosts of his past. He sucked in a deep breath of cold air and instantly regretted it. A fit of coughing bent him double, and he reached for his water desperately. He sipped at it to soothe his throat and then looked at her gratefully. Once the cough had passed, he stomped his feet to get the feeling back in his toes and hoarsely managed “I thank you, my lady. You just saved my life.” He bowed low and deeply to her, just as he had before, feeling his strength return, even though he knew it was a temporary fix.

“That should be enough to keep me going until we reach the enclave. Part of the trap that was set which ensnared us both had to do with us being magic users.”

He pressed close again without any hesitation this time. Coming that close to death, it was no time to be prudish. “I did not make the connection until just a short while ago. There was a subtle bit of necromancy in the cave enchantment and I didn’t understand what it was for. Now I do. If a normal person walks into the cave it would very slowly sap out their strength very very slowly. However the moment you open yourself up as one must to use magic it rushes in to steal your essence. Every time I cast a spell it stole more and more of my power, it must have done the same to you. The real question is why did it try to kill me, and only try to bind you. Perhaps it could not kill you. Perhaps the blade, or your God protected you. More questions. All the more reason why I must return later to tear that enchantment apart. I have the power, but before I do, I must prepare a ward against that trap for both of us.”

He had picked up his pace considerably, and he was talking rapidly to keep his mind off his exhaustion and the cold, he was doing everything he could to keep up the forced march. They could see the front doors now.

“Your blade has a sentience, doesn’t it? I have seen the changes of color in the orbs. I know only the most powerful weapons have personalities, but I have a feeling that one does.”

Finally they made it to the front doors. There was no need to know, the great doors came open on invisible hinges and the warmth welcomed them. Drakor didn’t want a lot of fuss. This close to the teleportation platform he could use the ring to bring them up there. He slung his pack off his right shoulder as he soaked in the warmth for a moment and pulled out a ring with multiple colors on it with a depression and a needle in the center. He slid the ring onto his right hand and then slid his left arm around her right arm, turning to look at her.

“Lady Adeline, please hold onto me tightly, and whatever you do, no matter how disorientated you get do not let go. Once the magic stops, we will be in my home. Do not worry if you feel sick, this sort of magic often has that effect the first time or two to people. One of the greatest magicians this world has ever seen could never teleport without a sick up afterward. Just be prepared, this will take you out of your element. Here we go.”

He used his left thumb to press the needle on the ring and a few drops of blood dripped into the depression inside the ring. The blood pooled and then began to glow for just the briefest moment before being burned away by the power of the magic. Soon the warmth in the room seemed to surround them, except that was not what was happening, it was the magic inside the ring as it washed into the magician’s blood and extended outward and enveloped the both of them in wisps of light. At first they were few, but the light rapidly multiplied until it was all different shades and it surrounded them and encased them. Finally there was a sensation of the world completely dropping away as if falling through an icy lake, except there was no water to meet them, only an endless void. When the falling ceased there was wooden floorboards to greet them, the fresh smell of herbs and grasses and earth, and slowly the light shell peeled away to reveal a completely different scene.

They were no longer inside the wizard enclave, they were in a small dwelling; though like the enclave this dwelling had bookshelves lining nearly every visible surface in this room. The scents and smells came from outside, where a door led to a well kept herb garden. A few cursory glances around could show the user that the space belonged to a single mind, not two minds sharing one space.

“The spell is ended. Welcome to my home. We should be safe here for the moment”

 

[Ambrosia_64]

Drakor was apparently someone of importance-and had suffered tragedy, it seemed. Adeline's brow furrowed with concern-but then his eyes flashed open, a deep inhale.

"A small payment towards my much greater debt to you, kind Drakor." She responded graciously, relieved the inspiration spell had worked. When he came close, Adeline once again doubled her cloak over his own. She cared more for his health and comfort than appearances, and for now, they were comrades in arms on top of that.

Necromancy. Adeline's eyes narrowed just a fraction, her lips pressing together. As a Paladin, she held much disdain for the dark magic, and as she listened him to speak, she remembered the foul, oppressive nature of the dark, the heaviness of her limbs before...before? An involuntary shiver, hopefully assumed to be due to cold.

"...I fought this magic for days." She said softly, her eyes troubled, far away. "It was stronger than what you saw in the cave. I grew weak with thirst, hunger, but continued on somehow...even as I knew my strength was slowly failing." She struggled to remember.

"When I became seperated from my sword, there was no longer any hope...I remember feeling so heavy...so tired...a dark oppressive weight on my very essence...I must have been overcome."

Could the dark malicious magic not kill her? Adeline troubled over this. "Perhaps...Roland did not wish me dead, just out of the way?" She realized it was a flimsy, small hope that he had not truly desired her destruction. Her heart was heavy with the notion. "Or...perhaps the sword yet protected me, even seperated as it was from my person." She said more rationally.

He inquired about her sword, and Adeline gave the still drawn blade a glance. She hadn't realized she was still holding it in her other hand, but was reluctant to let it go now that she did.

"There is an old power to it, I am unsure if it knows of itself or not." She turned her wrist to look at the clear orb on the sword's pommel, where even now a single wisp of dark grey smoke whirled lazily. "I cannot pretend to know exact specifics. I am embarrassed to admit that while the heirloom is old and from a great and noble house-my family fell away from such things long before our time." A troubled frown. "My time." She amended.

"When I defended King Roland from the dark knight, I was a barefoot maiden from a small, neighboring village. The title came later. I was knighted on a warm summer day. I was...am very proud of my earned knighthood."

Ah, but the sword.

"The colors of the smoke...they are a response to my will. The magic forms between us, and then the blade directs the magic where I wish it to go. Only the white, and the grey smoke represent what are truly my own powers...the rest belong to the sword, and only the sword." She lifted her eyes from the blade.

"I...was once very famous for lightning on the battle field." She said with a small quirk of her lips.

At last they arrived, Adeline slipping the sword into the loop of her dress and gazing curiously about them. When he slid his arm through hers she brought her attention back, a slightly puzzled nod at his warning.

It was more disconcerting than she had prepared for.

Now it was Drakor's turn to steady Adeline, the lady managing to look rather composed for one feeling so very, suddenly ill. "M-marvelous bit of magic, that-how far did we just travel?" She found her full height again, though her hand strayed towards her head as she frowned at their new surroundings-and then her expression softened into a smile.

"It's...lovely." Plenty of books and the scent of plants-a cozy place. She wondered where it was. She also, pleasantly, felt a bit reminded of her mother's small cabin. "My mother and I, we lived in a cabin on the outskirts of the village. It was very calm there, as it is here."

Oh. Her mother.

Adeline felt a pang of regret and loneliness. Her mother would have had no idea what became of her. Adeline tried to remember how many long years the partially elven woman had lived, but was sure she was no more. Her grandmother had only lived to be 200 years or so old, after all.

 

[Firmhanded_Daddy]

He filed away the exchange the two had about magic. Each piece of information was important, both about her capabilities, and about the enemies magic. He would record it later so he could study it in depth, but for now he needed to rest.

He smiled as she complimented his home and then spoke about her own home. “Then consider this place your home as well. I have a guest room that has not been used in years. It is now yours. I will clear some space to for you to store items. I realize you may not have much at the moment, but we will need to change that. I have plenty of coin to get you whatever you require. “

He paused. There was a dark look on her face. He knew that look all too well, far too well. He closed the distance between them and took her hand in his and squeezed it warmly, kindly. “I’m sorry.” He spoke in a soft, quiet tone. He gave her a few moments, then continued in in that same kind, soft tone.

“Best estimation is you have been in your magical slumber for a hundred years. I do not know what became of any family you had, but after I have rested, I can do use divination magic to try and track them down if you would like.”

He continued a short moment later. “Before we accomplish that however I need to show you one room that you must not enter for your own safety. Please follow me Lady Adeline.” With the spell worn off, his steps were sluggish and slow, but this had to be done before he could rest. If she wandered into this room by mistake she could lose her life, or blow up the entire city. Weaving through the few standing book shelves and away from the gardens there was a heavy metal door made from a strange looking metal with lots of runes and symbols inscribed on it. He motioned to the door.

As Adeline got closer to the door she could feel good magic radiating off the door, almost as powerful as her sword. “place your hand on the door.” He waited for her to do so, and when she did he nodded his head with a smile. “You, myself are the only living mortals who could even touch this door. There are some extra-planar creatures who could. Creatures of pure good. The magic behind this door is too dangerous to be let out into the world. Some of it is powerful good magical tools, some of it is cursed objects, some of it is objects of insidious powers. Nothing with an ounce of evil can come into contact with this door. If it does, it will be incinerated. Only creatures of extraordinary good, and very powerful ones at that can touch it. You could open this door without my permission if you wanted, but the dangers in here are beyond your realm. I am not a student of war. You are not a student of the arcane. This is the only place I ask that you not go. The resulting calamity could be the loss of your soul, this city, the entire dimension.”

He smiled at her softly. “I would give you a full tour, but I do not have the energy. Please forgive me for not being a better host. Your room and mine are not far from one another. The library will be closed now, so we will have to wait until morning to go to the library of Julianos. However my personal library has a lot of detailed records and if you are unable to sleep, please help yourself. Any books you open that have strange runes on them are spell books. If you need me our rooms are right next to each other. I am going to rest for now My Lady.”

How offered one final low bow, and stumbled in the effort, catching himself on the wall. Then he made his way to his room, shrugged out of his clothing, his gear, and crawled into bed and was almost immediately asleep.

 

[Ambrosia_64]

Adeline nodded, a gentle squeeze of his hand when he moved to comfort her.

She followed him, a curious expression when he asked her to touch the door. Hesitating a moment, Adeline lifted one of her graceful hands and pressed it against the surface of the inscribed door. She listened to him, taking his warnings seriously. However, he had no need to worry.

"I would not reward your hospitality with snooping, my friend." She promised with an assuring smile. She inclined her head to his bow and watched him go to his room, a little worried for him. It was good that he was going to rest.

Alone, Adeline moved to the bedroom he indicated, looking around it a moment before she sighed, the calm, graceful expression she had been wearing fading into a weary, saddened one. She moved quietly back to the room they had appeared in, reading the spines of some of the many, many books. She must learn what had happened in her time asleep.

She found a history book on various kingdoms, and found Rionheart with in it. She carried this back into her borrowed bedroom, removing the pieces of her armor she had previously donned over her dress. She would be thankful to have normal padding to don the full suit again.

Settling down on the edge of the bed, Adeline turned the pages until she got to the years of King Richard's rule, then King Roland's. It was a...strange thing, to read about herself, distant history. The book claimed Roland had sent her on a doomed mission. Adeline was still unconvinced...but as she read of Roland's deeds after her disappearance, her heart grew heavy.

This was not the pious man she had served. This was a strange tyrant, cruel and destructive. Had she missed signs of his descent? Had she failed him?

Adeline closed the book. She was tired, though that seemed implausible-wasn't a century of sleep enough? She would think she need not ever sleep again.She slipped out of her gown, studying the simple shift underneath it. As soon as she had other clothing options, she would never don the gown again. It unsettled her.

Lying on top of the blankets, Adeline again touched her face, the youthful, soft skin. How was it she had not aged? Should she be grateful, or perturbed? In a home a hundred years in the 'future', with only a kind wizard for a friend and connection to the new time, and thoughts of her potential failure to her king and oath, Adeline was surprised she could sleep at all. But after several minutes of deep thought, she did finally slip into a light, welcome sleep.

/////////////////////

Some distance away from the dwelling, a black, malicious fog creeped in on all sides. It was stronger than the remnants in the cave, but not by much. As it rose and thickened it came closer-eventually setting off a ward that, of all things-sounded of dogs barking.

Adeline's door opened, the woman confusedly and hastily donning her breastplate and pauldrons. The gown a little looser due to her not tightening the back strings. "Dogs Drakor?" She inquired, alert and alarmed.

 

[Firmhanded_Daddy]

His sleep now that he was home and away from the darkness was peaceful and untroubled; perhaps the presence of the paladin and the holy artifact also helped to ease his passage into deep restful sleep. His strength returned rapidly, and his color rushed back to his cheeks. There was no tossing and turning, or moaning or talking in his sleep. He slept almost like death.

That is until the sound of barking dogs started him awake. As the beautiful paladin had found out once before, the powerful mage was not one to be taken by surprise easily, or unprepared; the barking dogs set off a spell that had been embedded within him. He instantaneously teleported into the magical room that he had spoken to her about and selected a few items that he would use to defend against the coming incursion. After analyzing what happened last time he already had a plan, and unfortunately he did not have enough magic for both of them to engage the enemy directly right now. He needed time to create a more permanent protection. For now he would have to pick one combatant to engage the enemy, and one to perform a more support role and only engage if things became dire.

He plucked a silver necklace from the wall with a large pure diamond gem in the center. The gem was completely flawless and clear as can be. He also retrieved a rather ornate looking staff from one of the racks and carefully examined it. This would do if he had to engage in battle directly to assist Adeline. The Power in this staff was terrible and destructive and would leave nothing in its wake. He disliked using such objects, but they were at times a nessicary tool. He spoke a command word and reappeared inside his room just in time to hear her inquiry.

Shrugging into his robes, he slipped out of his room to join her, armed with his new staff, he nodded his head. “It is a simple spell, there are no real dogs here, but it is a magical alarm to alert of any intrusion. Something is here. I can feel it now that I am awake, without magic, it is overwhelmingly evil. It must be tied to the curse. It followed us so quickly!”

He fingered the amulet thoughtfully, then unclasped it and approached her. “My lady. If I may place this on you. It should temporarily ward you against the vitality draining effect that affected us both. It is normally an item used to repel the attack of powerful undead, but I believe the principle should apply here as well. I only have one amulet, thus I must ask that you engage our assailant in direct combat, while I assist you with protective spells. I will engage if the situation looks grim, as I have recovered most of my strength, and I have a powerful item that should help a great deal.” He looked to the staff, then he gently pulled her hair out of the way and clasped the necklace around her delicate throat. “However if I attack directly, I will not be protected, and risk having my life drained away.”

He pointed to the amulet’s heart. “The amulet will protect you from negative energy attacks until the crystal turns black. Once that happens, the necklace will be used up and will be useless. If that happens, retreat and we will engage together.”

He reached out and took his staff in hand. Unlike the staff he had taken to retrieve her this staff was made of a dark black wood, polished to a shine, there was a thin vein of red running down the center and at the top of the staff was a red piece of crystal. It looked rather sinister. He stretched out both his hands and called out in a loud, powerful voice “Aksth kalath liinatah!”” Small runes that until now had been hidden from sight flared to life all over the house. A wave of powerful energy pushed outward from the walls and a tangible barrier pushed outward about thirty feet from the house.

“That will not last long, but it will be time enough to prepare.”

He noticed in her haste she had not properly tightened her breastplate. He was not a warrior, but he had been an adventurer and known enough warriors, been around enough of them to know the workings of warriors and their gear. He stepped behind her, tightening the strap correctly and then, placing his hand on her shoulder he began to chant quietly. This spell she had seen before, a warm tingle flowing over her a sense of peace and calm a simple spell to hinder attacks from the forces of evil. He moved right into the second spell just as something struck the barrier, this time a tangible barrier formed around the elven maiden. It would be increasingly harder to strike her, one would first have to pass through this force barrier, then through her plate armor.

The barrier started to groan as he launched into the third spell, this one he pulled out some white dust from a pouch and finding some exposed skin on her hand he sprinkled the dust onto it as he chanted. The spell took hold and her skin hardened and turned to granite, without hindering her ability to move. Even the most well aimed blows would be dulled and barely scratch her now. Finally the last spell, just as the barrier shattered a strange sensation seized the paladin. It was as if time around her seemed to slow down, but that was not it. When she moved, she would realize she was just moving much faster than normal. The magus had managed to warp time around her to double her normal movement speed.

“Go now, My lady. That is all that I can do for now the enemy gives us no more time, and besides I have faith in you.”

 

[Ambrosia_64]

"I will defend us both." Adeline said without hesitation. He had rescued her, and was the only friend she had in the world, currently. She would not allow him to come to harm. She couldn't bear to fail anyone else. She nodded about the necklace, thoughtfully studying his staff. She leaned forward slightly, looking to peer through a window. He cast various spells, displaying his talents. The fog seemed to gather, concentrating on just one side of the house, pressing against the barrier.

"You would have been invaluable in my time Drakor. Thank you." She said, a soft smile-before her expression turned serious, moving for the door. "Ah, I miss my horse."

She was moving faster due to his clever spell casting, drawing her sword as she began to walk towards the cloud that bore down on them, her pace quickening as black, scaled beasts began to emerge from the malicious black fog, ebony axes and blades. Most alarming to her were the free standing swords. The worse sense of deja vu struck her. She lifted her blade, that bright light shimmering in the metal-that wave of white light, holy magic sweeping through the ranks. The malice was forced back briefly and Adeline broke into a run, the smoke in the orb shifting to yellow, the blade arching electricity. Storm clouds were appearing out of nothing far overhead.

The monsters surged forward, the black inky fog even faster, concealing them-and washing over even the Paladin. A war cry, and bolts of lightning shot from her sword-but more impressive was the bolts that flashed down from over head, striking enemies even in the dense cloud. Another wave of white light, stronger this time, briefly clearing the fog around her-as the possessed ebony swords bore down on her from all sides. Her swordsmanship was impressive-she fought like a thing possessed, an awareness of her surroundings that told of an innate sense for magic, meeting the blades that seemed to absorb all light, an occasional bold of lightning felling beasts that attempted to enter the fray.

She beat the blades back for another wave of white light-with each flare of holy magic the cloud seemed to shrink and lighten, the swords dropping to the ground. She twirled her sword and turned to meet one of the scaled beasts, catching it's blade on her own as it bore down upon her. The sword began to spark, bits of electricity that then fell into one another and bolted through her opponent, chain lightning moving from beast to beast, dropping them like flies.

Adeline kicked him in the chest and he fell backwards, dead. She was breathing hard, her sword still in hand, waiting for more. Waiting for...there was nothing more here, she realized. That had been it. She straightened with a frown. That...was it? The curse must be weakened. Weaker than she had fought before. She looked at her hands. The speed buff had been very useful. She had not taken any direct hits herself, luckily-though the amulet had indeed began to darken.

 

[Firmhanded_Daddy]

She declared that she would defend them both, and he had expected as much from her. All of the accounts he had seen spoke of her unwavering faithfulness and bravery; her willingness to place herself at the heart of any fray without hesitation. This was knowledge he had before making this voice, and was part of the reason he had decided to go with the strategy he did. Not only would him empowering her to battle allow her to better study what they would face and hone her skills against it, the opportunity would present him with a chance to study her combat technique so he could better compliment her, and to better study the enemy without the need for the concentration of casting spells in combat. All in all this plan suited everyone better.

He smiled at her compliment and bowed his head. “Regretfully I have not had much time to prepare more powerful spells. After this much will change, these incantations are low to mid range spells.”

She hardened her beautiful features and turned to the door and sprung into action. The darkness instantly crashed upon her like a tidal wave and as much as he hated to sit at watch, he knew unless things got extremely dire he had no choice. As she met scaled creatures that seeped out of the darkness and strange disembodied swords she showed them no fear, and no quarter.

He watched the display of holy light and splashes of lightning with quiet resolve. Despite the fact that the barrier had been destroyed there was a clear space around his home grounds that the evil clearly could not enter easily, it had to exert great force to even cross that threshold. When it did, the runes flared as if angered by the intrusion. Any of the scaled creatures who managed to cross that line were stunned by the protective barrier’s force. These creatures were not powerful, they were trying to overwhelm her with numbers; the caster of the barrier being so much powerful than the creature themselves somethings the creatures were even ripped from existence all together.

Most of the force was focused on overcoming the Paladin, but the occasional few broke off and tried to make it toward the magus whom stood stolidly in the door frame clutching the dark black and red staff in one hand. He never had to use a weapon as every creature that tried to come his direction was cut down before the stun wore off. It seemed that a hundred years of slumber had not dulled her skill. He smiled as he watched the battle unfold in their favor, he knew they were being watched, and he knew that this was just a test. He wanted the enemy to see what the pair was capable of doing with minimal preparation.

Adeline had just finished the battle and was marveling at the fact that she had not taken a single blow when Drakor sensed the build up of dark magic above their head. There were no more enemies to be fought, but he could sense the power building up. For the first time he looked shaken. He sprinted out to close the gap between himself and the paladin. If what she said earlier was any indication, she knew little about mage craft, so she had no idea what was coming! “Adeline! Above!” No time for titles or pleasantries.

From the sky streaked what looked like a falling star at first, but that was only because it was coming out of a fold in space. What started out looking like a silver pebble streaking through the night turned into a molten sphere the size of a cannon ball. He flung out his hand, spoke the words of the spell with dizzying speed and another barrier sprung up just in time to catch the object before it struck the duo. Instead of impacting at their feet, it struck the translucent sphere and Adeline got a good luck of what fate she might have suffered. The ball exploded and flames rolled over the sphere, but went no further. The protective orb seemed to absorb the spell and devour the magic. He raised his staff, and the mask of calm was gone, in place was a cold, calculated rage.

“Is this all you have left? To attack my friend from behind? How cowardly you are, and how weak.”

A purplish red light fired straight from the crystal at the end of the staff. It struck an object that obviously Drakor knew was there, even if he may not be able to see. There was a horrific scream, and then the ripple in space shattered like a broken window. Strangely enough nothing but the clear sky remained, there was cloud cover in that area, but there was a perfect hole punched out of it the size of that almost sickly beam that Drakor fired.

He was breathing hard from that small exertion, and he had lost some of the color in his features once more. He let the protective bubble vanish, then turned toward Adeline, his features softening once more; if pallid. “I dislike this staff. The spell it casts is very powerful, but goes against much of what elves hold dear. I grabbed it because it is one of the more powerful in my arsenal without being a large area spell. Still, I know whomever cast that spell at you was not just slain, their entire body was destroyed. Anything touched with a Disintegration spell cannot be repaired, unless repaired with magic of the most powerful kind. The kind of magic that can warp reality itself.”

“There are only two mortals alive that I know of capable of casting that kind of magic. I am one of them.”

He frowned up at the sky and shook his head, he truly regretted having to use that spell, but there had been no other way.

“Watching you fight. I can see why songs were sung of your prowess, and you were turned into a legend. I have seen the best warriors our land has to offer, and you eclipse them all. Not being able to destroy you the first time was no doubt the biggest mistake Sheogorath could have made. With your skill and mine combined, well look how desperate he has become? That attack was weak, but launched to try and catch us by surprise. No doubt he invested a good deal of force behind it too. Which means we have gained a valuable commodity we did not have before; time.”

He started to walk toward the door of the home the two now shared and frowned. He realized she had nothing to change into, and after that battle she might want to do just that.

“Come inside, you may want to relax and bathe after that. I am afraid I do not have any woman’s clothing, but I have some spare clothing you are welcome to wear until we can get you a change tomorrow.”

He put the staff back into the magical vault first, then he dug out a handful of garments for her to do with what she wanted. There was a thin grey robe that would fit her rather loosely, a green tunic that while not an ideal fit would be a lose enough fit to sleep in if she wanted, and a pair of matching slacks. There was embroidery on the sleeve of two scales in balance with olive branches growing up the sides. Perhaps the mages last name would not trigger memory, but the insignia certainly would.