Under Red's Spell (closed)

[IvoryValentine]

From the top branch of a twisted aspen tree, a blue lark watched as a small blue light danced along the forest floor. Tipping it's head back and forth it glared down as the light as it stopped at the foot of his tree. The light began to spin, at first slowly, then gained speed, till it was a blur of blue light creating a ring in the forest floor. Slowly the ring began to rise and from beneath it the bottom of a brown robe appeared. As the ring continued it's way up, it began to shrink till it was once again a tiny blue light. The figure who now stood under the twisted aspen tree reached up. A slender hand slipped from the long brown sleeve and grabbed the light, quickly stuffing it into a small pouch that hung from a narrow leather belt.

The figure, face hidden deep within the shadows of the heavy brown hood began to search around the lush forest floor. As the figure moved about, a second red hem peaked out from under the brown robes, farther catching the blue larks attention. As the stranger moved about, the lark followed, jumping from tree to tree till something else caught it's attention. In fact it caught the attention of all the birds of the twisted forest. Unnoticed by the brown robed figure, all the birds ceased their songs, and froze in place, to afraid to even take to the air and escape.

 

[Nerdtastic123]

He awoke with a start, disoriented. His sheets were soaked and he was covered in a layer of sweat. This was the fourth time in as many nights that he’d dreamed of the Witch. That’s what he called her. Her hair was ablaze and her voice was that of a temptress. She towered over him in his dream and she frightened him. She was otherworldly. She must be. Because nothing in this world could frighten him.

He tentatively poked his spindly legs from the bed. The chill from the stone floor sent ripples of cold throughout his body. He shivered. He wrapped his grey cloak around his shoulders and left the warmth of his bed. As he shuffled his way to the table in the living area of his private chambers, he passed the wall mirror. He again for the fourth time noted how gaunt he was looking. His normally azure eyes had faded to a dull grey that bore an eerie resemblance to his cloak and were sunken in.

He reached the desk. He grabbed a flask, closed his eyes and said a few unintelligible words over it. Then he raised the flask and its contents to his lips. The putrid smelling concoction stung not only his nostrils, but his stomach on its way down.

Almost instantly, the effects were felt. Old broken bones began to knit themselves. Silver hair gave way to locks black as night. His azure eyes flashed with a renewed purpose. Muscles atrophied by age were infused with the power and strength of youth. Gnarled arthritic hands straightened and regained their strong grip. Painful wasn’t a descriptive enough word for how this all felt. He used to only go through it once a year. Ever since he banished the last Dread Mage from Desperia. As the last mage in the land, he could live forever. All he had to do was drink the Elixir of Neverending Nights on the anniversary of the day the last Mage had fallen.

That is until four nights ago. The night the dreams began. When he began to age decades over night. He didn’t know the source of his newfound misfortune. But he would soon find it.

The Mage left his living chamber and entered his library. Immediately, the sounds of the creatures caged here reached his ears. Birds, squirrels, rabbits, every type of creature found in the forest were caged here. Their weak minds were exactly what he needed for his experiments.

He strode past the unsuspecting animals, to his work desk. He sat and began to arrange the crystal orbs on the desk. There were five in all. He could only fully control two at a time, but two weren’t enough for this task. He had to find the source of his pain. He couldn’t afford to play it safe. One morning, he wouldn’t wake up. And then where would he be? Some place he wasn’t willing to think about. So five it would be.

He began to chant the spell from the book opened in front of him. Drawing upon power for the nether, the Orbs began to glow. Green light filled the room. The Mage slumped, spent. And then all was dark. Unnaturally dark.

Somewhere, in the forest, five of his minions materialized. Wisps of black smoke trailed from under their black cloaks. Their eyes glowed yellow and that was all one could see of them. Their bodies were completely covered by the cloaks and the leather gloves they wore.

They moved off in different directions. All hunting for their master. Hunting for the source of his pain. The only thing quieter than their movement was the forest. Even the birds had stopped singing...

 

[IvoryValentine]

Delicate hands searched through the blue green grass for her prize. It had to be her somewhere. Though she knew the danger that her search put her in, the pay far outweighed the risks.

A month earlier a white robed mage walked into her shop. He was looking for a first kiss flower. Ferinia had only read about the tiny red flower once in an obscure text from the area known as Desperia. It was the sort of place that well seasoned mages told their apprentices about to scare them back to their studies. The council of mages used it to remind each other that becoming to powerful was possible. There were so many stories told of the destruction of all mages but one, that no one knew, with any absolution, what had happened and what was just myth. Some of the younger mages believed it all to be just myth.


Ferinia didn't promise anything more than she would look into it. The more she searched, the bleaker the prospect of finding the tiny flower looked. It was a rear flower, even for Desperia. Tiny in size, smaller then the tip of Ferinia's pinky, it grew flat to the ground, with two small, hear shaped leaves on either side. It didn't grow in clusters but only one of these tiny plans, isolated from others of it's kind. It grew in the shade of thick grass. And getting to Desperia was a challenge as well. Located on the other side of the world, normal means of travel would take far to long. There were few spells that could transport a mage that far and even fewer that would leave their sanity intact.

When the mage returned inquiring once more, Ferinia quoted her an obscene amount for just one tiny flower, more money that her very busy little shop usually made in a year. The woman smiled and excepted, adding that she would pay that much for each tiny flower Ferinia found. The red robed thought the white robe to be making fun of her, till 4 large bags of steel coins were set on the counter. "Half now." the white robe said, "the rest when you produce the flowers." How could Ferinia pass this opportunity by?


So there she found herself, half way around the world, searching amongst tangled grasses for something that may not exist. There was more danger here than Ferinia had ever felt before. The forest seemed to hold it's breath with an unnatural stillness. The ground felt hard as stone and the air left the taste of blood in the red robes mouth. Still the pay outweighed the risks. It was hotter hear than she had expected but she dared not remove her brown robe. The beautiful red robes of her order would have been easily seen from a longs ways off, sticking out like a sour thumb. So she worked, hot, on edge and rushed to find the first kiss flower.

 

[Nerdtastic123]

The Shadow Wraiths scoured the forest. Search their master told them. So they searched. And searched. When one would find something of interest, the Mage would whisper to it: “Pick it up.” “Turn it over” “Smell it.” Each time they did as they were instructed, the Mage could feel its weight, or see its underside, or experience its odor in his nose. Such was the gift of the Orbs.

The search only took about an hour. And then, through the vision of his minion, he saw what he was looking for. It had to be. He waited. He watched. He bided his time.

He watched this creature as it moved from clearing to clearing. It was searching for something as well. But what? He’d never seen this creature before. He was fascinated. It seemed he spied on her for only minutes, but when he looked up again, he noticed that the candle had burned to the nub.

He looked back up. And that’s when he noticed it. A shock of red from the hood of the woman’s cloak. The Witch!? Here? In Desperia? How? Why? He almost jumped out of his chair. His breath caught. And held. His throat constricted. His heart stopped. His whole world dimmed and went black. The two orbs he was holding were almost crushed between his fingers. In the seconds before he lost consciousness he was able to whisper two words. Two words that would change things forever. “Take her…”
Then the blackness took him...

 

[IvoryValentine]

Ferinia hates this place. It was so unnaturally quiet. Where there no animals? No birds to sing their songs? There didn't even seem to be a simple breeze. So, always on edge, the red robe continued her search. When the sun was starting to go down and the light became almost to dim to see by, Ferinia found her first kiss flower. A soft gasp escaped her lips. it was so small. So fragile. Ever so carefully she scooped it into a glass vile and put a stopper in to protect the treasure. A whole years earnings in such a tiny thing.

As Ferinia slipped the vile into a pouch on the inside of her red robe, everything suddenly went black as if a black curtain had been dropped over her eyes. The red robe let out a cry of surprise then quickly stepped backwards, escaping the black fog that had blinded her.

Before her stood a Shadow Wraith. Ferinia had never seen one, only read about them. They had been outlawed by the council for they were to hard to control and more often left their creators weak and most ended up dead at the hands of their creations.

Ferinia turned and began to run. As she did, she felt the wraith grab the hood of her brown robes. It yanked her off her feet, backwards and began to drag her through the forest. As quickly as she could, Ferinia untied the belt and slipped out of the camouflage and scrambled to her feet. "Sule deprox degro fet yellowa!" she shouted and pointed at her attacker. A bright yellow slight left the red robe's hands and shot out, hitting her attacker in the chest. The Shadow Wraith let out a cry of pain that seemed to echo in Ferinia's head.

Before the evil thing could recover, Ferinia turned and began to run. She would need a moment to cast the spell to take herself back home but if interrupted she would have to wait a full day to try again. She needed space and time. As she rounded a large willow tree, another shadow dropped over her, this time knocking her to the ground. Before she could react, the red robe felt an icy hand slip over her mouth and she lost consciousnesses.

 

[Nerdtastic123]

“Take her...” The Shadow Wraith moved in. Gliding over the ground silently, it was almost to her when something startled his prey. She turned just as its shadowy tendriled fingers grabbed at her. In her surprise, she lost her footing. That and the combination knocked her off her feet.

“Take her…” The Wraith was trying. It had its orders. And it would do just that. Or it would return to the nether. It was the way of all Wraiths, since He took over. Do his bidding or be destroyed. It had just gotten its hands on its prey when an agonizing yellow burst of light took it back to the nether…

“Take her…” The first Wraith was gone but there were four others. All with the same directive. They were simple creatures, bent on a simple task. This one moved from around a solid willow tree. And abruptly ran into his prey. Literally. It could see the fear in her eyes. The desperation. The fear was real. All Shadow Wraiths innately exude a pall of terror. A look. A touch is all it takes. And its prey was inches from from its fingers.

Its cold fingers gripped her mouth. It knew in that instant, its mission was fulfilled. It uttered the one word of common that it knew, “Complete.” Immediately a darkness enveloped it and its prey.

The forest was gone. In its place was His library. The Shadow Wraith and its prey were deposited in the center of the room. The Mage was lucky that the ports after affect combined with the Wraiths touch, still had her disoriented. He was just getting to his feet when he felt the power in the room change. He knew his Wraith was returning. And that meant only one thing. He had her. Now he just had to keep her. And keep his wits.

He looked for the first time in a score of years upon another human. “Shaak’Ti” His voice sounded so small even in her incapacitated presence. A bubble of grey energy surrounded the Red. He'd never seen a Red. He'd heard that most of their order were women. The woman in front of him notwithstanding, didn't prove, nor disprove that theory. The mage pushed against the bubble. Solid. That was better. With her enveloped in his magic, he felt safer. Now he could begin the questioning...

 

[IvoryValentine]

Ferinia felt the cold stones under her. The room seemed to spin as she layed, face down on the floor, her hood shading her eyes from the light of flickering candles or was that a fire burning in a fireplace? Slowly, the red robed magess pushed herself up to a sitting position but the movement proved to fast and Ferinia's vision was filled with spots. She reached a shaky hand to her temple, rubbing it gently to regain her focus but by that time it was to late.

“Shaak’Ti” the words were weak but Ferinia knew exactly what power they held. Before she could get to her feet, the room took on a colourless quality to it. It all looked slightly out of focus. She knew to well what caused it. It was an old spell used by the bounty hunters of the council to capture renegades, rending the captured mage powerless.

Slowly Ferinia raised to her feet, her hood still hiding her face from her kapter. He last tall and looked strong with broad shoulders. He had the blackest hair Ferinia had ever seen. He's steps were not steady and his eyes seemed almost afraid. With her hands crossed in front of herself, Ferinia addressed the man outside the bubble. "Do I trouble you so that such things are required?" her hand gestured to the bubble that surrounded her.

 

[Nerdtastic123]

It took a minute for the Mage to register what he’d heard. Words from another human. No not just words, but the beautiful melodic tones of the language of the Mages. He was mesmerized. For a very long half a minute he almost forgot who was the captor and who the captive. There was a lump in this throat. He didn’t know why. Why did the woman have such a hold on him? Why was she in his dreams? He’d never seen her before. In fact, he still hadn’t seen her. He’d have to fix that. Soon. He had to know why.

He walked to his desk, the one with the Orbs, and began to arrange them. Feeling the smooth surface of the crystal helped him to order his own thoughts. Knowing he could control the Shadow Wraiths with such ease, helped him control his own emotions. When he felt he could talk with out his voice betraying him, he began.

“Welcome to my home. I haven’t seen a Red in many many years. Desperia hasn’t seen any living human in even longer. Myself, excluded, of course. Of course. I banished them all. All of them. Gone. They told me to be mindful. Of course I wasn’t. Of course.” The Mage paused. Looked around the room. Then back at the Red. “Forgive me, where are my manners? Allow me to introduce my self. I am Lorck. Its not a very flattering name, I know. Not a name fitting a Grey. But its the name I was born with. I was once known as Aellynun the Grey. That was before the Great Fall. Before they took her. It was for my protection, they said. For my own good. But I could protect myself. I showed them.” He paused again. “Magic isn’t allowed outside this room, you understand. It just isn’t. Although I’m sure you noticed the Shadow Wraiths. They are the exceptions. They are here to provide me with whatever I need. You, yourself are proof of that. You are here. You were there, in the forest. And now you are here. Because I needed it. I needed you. Yes. You have haunted my dreams for four nights. And I’ll know why. Or my Wraiths will have their way with you and then I’ll know why. Quite. The choice is yours, Red. Tell me, why were you in my forest…? And why are you in my dreams…?

 

[IvoryValentine]

Ferinia watched as her captor froze, unable to move for a moment then stumbled to his desk. At first the red thought he might be casting another spell, that she might have already pushed him to far. Instead he seemed to gain some composure before addressing her.

Lorck spoke clearly but soon he began to babble. Ferinia had never heard the name Lorck before but Aellynun was a little more familiar though she couldn't put her finger on where she'd heard it before. He rambled about warnings and "her" being taken. That he needed to be protected and that magic was not allowed outside the library but who made such a rule? And who enforced it? Then he began talking about dreaming of her. Dreams that began 4 nights. The same amount of time Ferinia had been traveling by magic to Desperia. He had been warned of her arrival but by who?

A slight smile graced Ferinia's lips. She didn't know the limitations of the grey dome that imprisoned her at the moment. Some spells of this nature could detect a lie and punish the lier according to the casters wishes. "Why am I here? I was commissioned to retrieve 2 first kiss flowers from the forest of Deseria." Ferinia said softly, her green eyes never blinking. "As for your dreams..... I am not sure why you dreamed of me."

Slowly, Ferinia reached up and grabbed onto the hood of her red robes and slipped it away from her face. It fell down to her back. Her red hair had been pinned up in a loose bun with two polished pieces of willow branch. Her eyes remained on Lorck, watching for his reaction past her long eye lashes. "Are you sure it was me in your dreams?"

 

[Nerdtastic123]

“You! It can’t be. They took you,” Lorck stammered. But he knew that it was. Somehow she had returned. De’Aira had come back to him. The story was long. About as long as Lorck was old. Sure, he may look like he’s in his mid thirties, but truth be told, he was well over 150. The Council, before he banished them all to the nether, saw fit to keep Lorck imprisoned in the very tower he claimed his victory. They cast a spell over the whole tower. One may enter the tower, leaving however, well thats something else entirely. He saw her emerald eyes widen as she realized Lorck recognized her. Or thought he did.

Lorck walked to her. He raised his hand as if to touch her. The bubble was between them. “Tek’Ta!” And like that the bubble vanished. The Red was deposited unceremoniously on the floor with a loud thud. “My apologies. For so much. Let’s start over shall we?” He waved his hand and a chair slid across the room for the Red to sit in. “Where shall I begin?” He began pacing around the room. “A long time ago, long before you were born, I’d wager, Desperia was a lush land. Vibrant, even. Everything was alive. The forest was alive. I’m sure you noticed what its become. Every year that passes another acre of the forest is laid waste. A testament to my shame and downfall. I was young. I was in love. De’Aira was a Red, same as you. You could even pass for her twin. Same eyes.” Lorck paused and took a deep breath. He let it out and continued, “Anyway, De’Aira was a Red. I was a Grey. Our union was against the rules. It’s partly what drew her to me. The forbidden romance. One day, the Master caught us in the forest. We were sitting on a fallen tree, talking. Innocuous in and of itself, true, but we were planning. Our escape. We were going to steal away to the forest; there were hundreds of places we could hide. And when we couldn’t hide, we’d shroud ourselves with our magic. That was the night they took her. De’Aira had come to my room frantic. The Master sent two Blues to escort her to him. She stalled them while she ‘dressed’; instead she’d ported herself to my chambers. She knew that her port would immediately be felt by the Master, but she was scared. I’d seen more panic in those eyes than I’d ever seen of love or laughter. I wouldn’t let them have her. The Master was powerful. He was the master. But I’d found secret texts. Texts of the Greens. They vanished with out a trace centuries earlier. Their spell books were hidden in the nooks of the passageways between the Library and the Masters Chambers. I’d stumbled on them one day when I’d noticed a crack in a stone. Three of them. Two months later, I found two more. Within a year I’d found thirteen in all. It took me another year to decipher them, with De’Aira’s help. With her mastery of languages and my talents with the elements new doors opened to us. Powers we’d never dreamt of. I had become more powerful than the Master. It why we were leaving. It why they took her. They wanted to control me. Through her. The Master wanted the texts. He didn’t know we’d already deciphered the them. That was his mistake. When the Master himself came to my chamber to take De’Aira I was waiting for him. The aging master and the young upstart. A tale only read about in legends. He distracted me long enough for the Blues to whisk her away. One minute she was behind me, the next vanished. To where, I never found out. And believe me, I spent years looking. With nothing else to lose, I unleashed Hell on the Master. Burned him where he stood. I burned them all. Every last Mage in the tower. Then I went to the Master’s chambers. To discover where’d he sent my love. But the Master had one more surprise waiting for me. A spell triggered upon his death. Keeping me in the tower. Keeping me alive, while everything else around me dies. And now you’re here. A mirror image of my De’Aira. And just like me, you can never leave this tower…”

 

[IvoryValentine]

Ferinia let out a soft gasp as she fell to the floor, landing on one knee. For a moment she thought the grey was going to attack her, her eyes were the only thing that betrayed her fear, but he merely slid a chair across the room for her to sit on. Cautiously, the red perched herslef on the edge of the seat and listened to the story of Lorck's fall at the hands of his master. And all of it for the love of a woman.

Though the story was sad, Ferinia could not relate. She had been with many men and woman but all out of physical attraction or, on occasion, as a way to seal a business transaction. Once she had even let her lover capture the power that a woman radiates during climax but none of that was love. As far as Ferinia could tell, love only got people into trouble, Lorck was the case in point.

As he continued with his story and the conclusion, the realization of what he was saying became clear. Ferinia sprang to her feet and took a good look around the room. The shelves were filled with ancient books and scrolls. The fire in the hearth kept the chill from the stone tower at bay. The furniture looked very old but clean.

Finally here eyes returned Lorck. He looked torn. As if he was about to cry or scream or burst with emotion. How much of his story was true and what was false just to win her pity Ferinia couldn't tell. And how much could be simple madness? Was he trying to manipulate her in some way? All the Greys she had ever dealt with were masters of manipulation.

If what he said was true and if what she knew of the history of the area, he would be much more than a hundred years her senior. Magic could do strange things to the body and the mind and if Lorck's master was as powerful as he claimed, it just might be possible to live so long and not age a day.

A cold draft drifted from the doorway and Ferinia shivered, rubbing her hands on her arms. "A great many things have changed since you were imprisoned here, I dare to say. There are still rules when it comes to courtship between the orders, but to do with which order a child must be schooled under. Far greater a crime is the death of so many mages." The red robe said off hand as she walked over to the fire place, warming her hands by the flames.

The firelight danced about Ferinia's face as she considered all she'd heard. The polished willow branch that held her hair up, rubbed against her scalp in an uncomfortable way so the magess reached up and pulled them free. Her hair fell down her back in a cascade of red curls. "How do you know that I can't leave?" She asked, turning to face Lorck. As she slid her hands into her sleeves to keep them warm, the fire caught the draft and flared up. Through her thin silk robes, the light silhouetted her body and all it's feminine curves.

 

[Nerdtastic123]

“How do you know I can’t leave?” She asked with such defiance and spirit. Those very words were spoken decades ago by De’Aira, Lorck’s lover. The magess who stood before him took his very breath. Firey red hair framing smooth porceline skin, full rounded cheeks surrounding pursed red lips. Eyes of emerald. She looked just like his De’Aira. Lorck felt a stirring deep with in him. A feeling he’d not experienced since he lost her. This magess was stunning. The way she bit her lower lip while she stood there studying him with such utter disdain. Her lips were so tantalizing. He had this overwhelming thought of just tasting them. Of how they would feel pressed against his. Of feeling his tongue slip past them. She felt pity for him. He hated himself. Hated that he’d make her feel sorry for him. By the moon, he felt sorry for himself.

Lorck couldn’t take his eyes from her. Didn’t want to. He wanted to drink her up. He didn’t even know her name. Yet he knew he wanted her. Needed her. He knew that he was meant for her. More importantly he wanted her to want him as much. He would do anything to get her to want him.

“I know, My Lady, because every living creature that has made its way past these walls has never left. Has died here.” Lorck paused. “But I have a better idea for you.” When she raised her left eyebrow he continued again. “I propose to study the Green Books again. I won’t let you die here. You have my word.” Finally Lorck smiled. His first in almost a century.

 

[IvoryValentine]

Ferinia stood silently in front of the burning fire as she let the mages words sink in. He vowed not to let her die here. To be locked in a tower with a man who's grasp of sanity was loose till she withered and died. To never feel the sun on her face. Never taste a cherry tart from the bakery next to her shop. To never smell the familiar mix of fragrance that greeted her each morning when she opened her doors to the many mages who bought her wares. No, she vowed the same as Lorck. She won't die here. Ferinia would do what ever it look to leave. No matter the cost. And she was sure that Lorck held the key to her escape.

A flirtatious grin slowly appeared on the red's face. She grabbed the front of her robes and lifted then as she slowly walked towards the grey. "Well, let's get to studying these books the green's left behind."

 

[Nerdtastic123]

Lorck led the Red to the library. Out of deference or safety or perhaps both, the Red stayed a few paces behind the rattled mage. She sat at a table while he pulled the books from the shelf. She watched him move about the room. He could see her out of the corner of his eye. Every time he glanced at her and their eyes met, his heart stopped. His breath caught. He was thankful for the first time in ages for the tattered robes he wore, as they managed to cover his groin and his growing excitement. He tried to keep his thoughts on the task at hand but with every furtive glance, every time their eyes met, his lust betrayed him.

After getting the twelve books containing all the information they needed, he returned to the table and sat next to her. For the first time, he caught her scent. Intoxicating was all he could think of. He closed his eyes and let his nose drink her in as his eyes already have. He wanted this Red. Wanted her like he’s never wanted anything else in his life. Not even escape. The way her hair cascaded down around her ears, down her neck.

When she made a move to brush her hair to behind her ear, it revealed the alabaster of her exposed neck. In that moment, all Lorck could think of was kissing that neck. The feel of her skin against his lips. He shifted in his seat to get more comfortable. The Red was reading a tome, her lips moving with the words. Lorck watched those lips. And wondered how they tasted. Would they part for him, or lock tight? Would her tongue search his? Or would she reject him?

For a while all he could think about was ravaging this woman sitting next to him. This woman who so reminded him of De’Aira, his lost love. How her body would feel beneath him. How her moans pleasure would fill the room. How her hands on his skin would feel. How they would pleasure each other. For hours. For days...

 

[IvoryValentine]

Ferinia walked slowly behind Lorck, taking in her surrounding while still keeping an eye on the grey. He was taller than her, and though he was slender, his shoulders were broad when he stood up straight.

Seated in the library, she wasted little time going through the many tomes, looking for anything that might lead her to an exit. There were spells about bringing things of note in through the walls and the spell that let the smoke out the chimney but nothing more in the first few books. As Ferinia studied the old spells and accounts of their accuracy, she could feel Lorck's eyes on her. He seemed mesmerized by her. Ferinia had to wonder if she truly looked like his De’Aira or had it been so long that his memory had warped over time and would have any woman have looked like her to him at this point.

In the tenth book, Ferinia found something of great interest: in the last few pages the spell that imprisoned Lorck in the tower was described, though it was hidden. The spell was titled "Lessons Taught", but there were elements the were far to potent for the description. It said it was a spell to keep young apprentices in line through illusions, but it called for dried Adriano gland of a albino hummingbird. Ferinia stocked it in her store but it was very expensive and so rarely used that she had only sold one in the last 5 years.

The thing that most disturbed Ferinia was it also called for fresh Morel Mushrooms which were a locking agent making the spell nearly irreversible. As she flipped the page another problem surfaced: the last page was missing. Gently she ran her finger along the book binding, feeling the occasional tare of the page that had been removed. "Where's the last page?" she asked, turning to Lorck how seemed to intent on staring at her that it took him a moment to respond.

 

[Nerdtastic123]

"Missing page? What missing page," Lorck was so lost in his fantasy that he didn't even know where he was at the moment. He looked from the book to the Red and back again. Sure enough, there was a page torn out. He looked at the book more closely and noticed that there was a note hastily scribbled on the last page before the tear. He leaned closer and his hand accidentally brushed hers. It was almost as if an electric shock ran thru him to his very core.

The Red pointed to the rip. "Right there. Its been torn out."
He picked up the book and flipped through the pages. And then turned back to the last full page. The Master who imprisoned Lorck here used to keep pages in his private chambers. Lorck saw them on the few occasions he'd had to report to him for one infraction or another. He said to the Red, "The Master's private chambers can be reached through a passageway from here in the Library. I discovered it sometime after the curse. I remember seeing pages on his bed table from time to time. It's worth a look, don't you think?" He walked to a shelf of books and pulled the third book on the third shelf half way out, and the sixth book on the sixth shelf as well. Also the first book on the first shelf. The Red heard a metallic click and the bookcase popped open to reveal a narrow passageway. Lorck spread his arm toward the opening, smiled and said, "After you, my sweet."

 

[IvoryValentine]

Ferinia watched Lorck as he approached the book shelf and as the tattle tail click. A soft gasped escaped her lips and Ferinia tried to hid her excitement as the passage opened up. "After you, my sweet." the mage said with a smile.

A smile still graced her face and she took a deep breath to regain her composure. Ferinia took great pride in being about to hide her emotions but something about exploring the tower, discovering what may lay untouched in it's corners. Slowly he magess stood, running soft hands over her robes, smoothing out any wrinkles that formed when she sat. Slowly, Ferinia walked towards Lorck. As she approached, she could see him hold his breath. She felt a sudden charge of excitement to see his reaction. He couldn't seem to take his eyes of her. At the last moment, just before she reached the grey, Ferinia took a quick step to the side and stepped into the tunnel. "Have you found any traps that I should watch for?" she asked softly as she looked into the dark.