Destiny Riders

[Nightingale]

Sethyrian

"You will do so only to die."

An immediate hush fell over the room. The mysterious stranger had finally spoken, his dark eyes downcast as he gripped the oaken table and sighed. The old wizard seemed too sedated, too calm in the presence of this stranger, but Garrel was surprised. This thin man had all but interrupted him.

"I think your gatherer knew the secrets... the secrets of this place and its magic. None of you know, truly, where the maps lead. None of you know the consequences of the curses that exist in this world."

He paused, and shut his eyes. Almost whispering, he spoke again.

"I do."

 

[spiritual_love]

Geneva

Geneva listened carefully to his words. Still she didn't understand....we would die?

secrets and magic?

Geneva knew the two were entwined, one was rarely without the other, but this place?

Still basked in invisibility, Geneva peered from her hidden place and gazed at the room they were in. It looked normal enough, she didn't sense any overwhelming wickedness, for that matter she didn't sense any overwhelming holiness.

"I do."

His soft whisper caused her heart to leap. A strange sensation settled within her lil' fae body, she didn't know if it was pain she felt from him, fear, contentment?

Her fingers stroked the curve of his neck gently as she continued to listen attentively.

 

[cuervorose]

Zenae

Zenae listened as the strange spoke, and as the room was quiet to his words. She spoke, softly, "Who are you? I, for one, believe you do know more than we. So please, share the information that you pessess with us. IF you have any interest in seeing this proceed successfully." She added the last, as if wishing her instincts to be wrong, as if pleading unconsciously with him to reassure them that he was not a threat. But she held little hope for that.

 

[Nightingale]

Sethyrian

His eyes opened, and his face frowned suddenly, looking at Zenae as if for the first time, perhaps it was.

Fae, give me strength, he thought, not knowing if the tiny creature could hear this faintest of messages.

"I do not," he replied, matter of factly. "I do not want you to succeed. I do not desire this endeavor to succeed. And the reason lies in who I am... which I will tell you now."

He took a deep breath. So it was beginning. He must choose his words carefully here. Myth and reality would come together in this hour, and here everything would be played out.

"You have all been wondering who I am, no doubt. You are wondering where I have come from, and what I am doing here. The answer to all of these questions you have is much more complex and difficult to answer, even more difficult to understand..." another pause. The room was deathly silent. "I will start by telling you that I am a Sky Elf. The last of my kind. And my name, is Sethyrian."

He could tell by their reactions which of them understood, and which did not. The Sky Elves, those who had erected great towers and pyramids. Those who once built castles and cities in the sky above. The castles and cities that had come crashing down to the ground, and now lied in ruins. He was one. The last? Perhaps.

"The maps... the maps of which your summoner speaks... these maps are deadly. And the places to which they lead, the treasures of which they describe... all are cursed. This magic undid my people. And it will undo any who try and reinstate it. For this reason I have come to warn you..."

He hesitated. Warn them of what? It was this crucial moment that needed all of his concentration. Here was the crux of the matter. He looked at Daine, the picture of wisdom, listening intently, but not letting on what he knew. Sethyrian closed his eyes, drawing breath deep into his nostrils.

"To warn you not to unleash power you do not understand upon this world."

 

[spiritual_love]

Sethyrian.

His name rolled over within Geneva's mind. It was lovely, she thought. He wanted her strength. At that moment, Geneva would have given him anything, the fae had become so taken with him.

As he spoke, Geneva listened. Her mind whirling with all the tales that she had heard of over the many years. A sky elf? They were basked more in myth and legend than the fae.

"To warn you not to unleash power you do not understand upon this world."

Geneva chewed at the inside of her cheek gently. His words flowed from his lips softly. She felt his hesitation before he uttered the words. She murmured softly bidding her ancestors to provide her with the strength to give to Sethyrian.

 

[The GrandMage]

Ven Zapala

He looked at the man that had entered the room, and was barely listening to him speak. Instead, he was trying to place a odd feeling he had. Did he know him? No, Ven had never seen anyone who looked like that. Perhaps it was something about him. Should Ven take him seriously?

He closed his eyes, and let it drop. Bestnot to think too much about things he didn't understand. He opened his eyes again at the mention of Sky Elves. He didn't give a look of surprise, or even a look of confusion. No, it was a look of interest.

A sky elf, ehh? He'd been to a few of the ruins. He looked around at the poeple there, gauging their reactions. He closed his eyes, and sighed. And then came that last statement. "To warn you not to unleash power you do not understand upon this world."

But what was there to understand about power? Power was power. True, how power was supposed to be used was a mystery few could master. But that was why there was wizards. Surely they'd inspect the 'cursed' relics to no end before they'd even attempt to do anything with it. Then again, what wizard's did wasn't his business. Maybe they'd just be so excited they'd use it right away.

Oh well. Wasn't his business. World was destroyed, world wasn't destroyed, why should he care? He opened his eyes again, watching this so-called 'sky elf'. Then again, maybe it was his business. He closed his eyes. He needed his sword.

 

[spiritual_love]

Geneva

As everyone seemed to be deep within thought upon Sethyrian's announcement, Geneva's mind wandered a bit. She thought of her own becoming, how she was rumoured to have been birthed from a rose. Sweet to the smell, but yielding thorns that kept everyone at bay, few would dare to risk being marred by the shapr spines. She didn't remember any parents or kin, just a few other fairies within her life. Some regarded her as being a product of wickedness, though Geneva couldn't understand. Her own life was shrouded within mystery. She could only hope for the answers as she continued upon her journeys, if she continued. Her eyes rested upon her new companion as his watchful gaze rolled over the rooms occupants.

 

[Nightingale]

Sethyrian

And just like that, it was done. His words had them in silence, but he knew they would agree to do the task laid out before them. He lifted his hands, and brought them together in front of his face.

"I am still weary, and I have a long journey ahead of me. I should not be here. But we will meet again. What rightfully belonged to my people should remain dead and buried... with them."

The Sky Elf then turned, and strode through the heavy double doors, which had opened by themselves. The fellowship looked on in awe. Had he done this? What sort of man was this Sethyrian, what sort of Sky Elf? And what powers did he indeed have?

The Fae was still on his shoulder, having not missed a single word. Slowly he looked down, making his way back to the room that had been his lodging. He sighed.

"Do you still want to hear more, Geneva?"

 

[The GrandMage]

Ven Zapala

He mercenary grunted, and got to his feet. "Well, as much as I would love to sit around and continue listening to all the nice little packages this quest for whatever it is has, it seems this is not a good place to apply for a job. So I think I'll go buy myself a horse and be on my way. Have a nice day, all."

He wandered out the doors. Sky elf, huh? Whatever. He'd get himself a horse, see if he could get his sword back, and be on his way. Somewhere there were battles to be fought and gold to be earned.

 

[Steiner]

There certainly appeared to be little life here - Garrel stood and followed the mercenary out - if the quest were not organised soon, he would certainly persue the trail further to the East.

 

[cuervorose]

Zenae

Zenae spoke up "Catch that mercenary, I will personally hire him for this quest. We must at all costs, find this object, and then we will see to it's permanent disposal." She smiled grimly. "Daine, how much time do we have, and where do the trails lead? I myself will prepare for the journey, who here will come with me?" As she posed the challenge, looking at the faces around her...

 

[spiritual_love]

Geneva

Geneva released the cloak of invisibility as Sethyrian left the room. She listened to the murmur of voices behind, curious as to their comments as she looked ahead of the path that thry were taking.

She could feel the tiredness within his bones. His movement was a bit slower, though none else would recognized it. She whispered softly, "Geneva would like to know more..but ye are labored? Perhaps ye need more rest, Sir?"

 

[Nightingale]

Sethyrian

"Ye are labored..."

"No." was his reply. Short, and almost instant in delivery as he opened the door to his lodging and walked in, removing his robe as he did so. He walked to the edge of the small cot, his clothes billowing slightly, looking at nothing in particular. Almost as if on cue, the door swung closed on its own, fastening shut with a slam, followed by an audible click.

The room seemed to darken then, and though it was the same small size as before, it began to seem larger and more ominous. Sethyrian took in a deep breath, as if stifled by something inside of him, underneath his skin waiting to emerge. He lifted his hand, providing a sitting place for his companion, then turned his body and sat on the bed.

"We must not be desturbed, and what I say to you cannot leave this room." He reached back with his free hand, and immediately unleashed his trusses of hair, cascading down his back and to the bed on which he sat. Without waiting for her to agree to his terms, he spoke again.

"Inside of me, Geneva... is a creature. A creature that can barely be contained. That desires above else, to be free and fly upon the daylit sky. But that also desires revenge for what has happened to his kind. Inside of me resides a beast too terrible to watch, and yet to glorious to berate. It is the same creature that was seen coming here, and its liberation will soon come. When that happens, I cannot allow it to be stifled again. You know the creature, the great lord of which I speak?"

He looked at her then, his dark eyes drawing her soul to him, sharing his thoughts with her. Unblinking, he waited for her response.

 

[spiritual_love]

Geneva with Sethyrian

Geneva once again listened as he spoke. She was seated within the curve of his palm, her little limbs tucked beneath the simple dress adorning her slight form. Her eyes were wide with wonder as he spoke with her. She had never been treated such, most spoke to her indrectly, thinking the fae a lesser creature. It intrigued her that he would share this information with her.

"Inside of me, Geneva... is a creature. A creature that can barely be contained. That desires above else, to be free and fly upon the daylit sky. But that also desires revenge for what has happened to his kind. Inside of me resides a beast too terrible to watch, and yet to glorious to berate. It is the same creature that was seen coming here, and its liberation will soon come. When that happens, I cannot allow it to be stifled again. You know the creature, the great lord of which I speak?"

With her head nodding in response to him, Geneva's lips parted to speak, but her voice was lost. Awe and fear coursed through her veins as she gazed at him. Trying to see within his eyes, maybe catch sight of the creature which lies within him. She felt him permeating her thoughts, her body, causing her to tremble. She laid her fingers within his palm as she sat, stroking lightly, tracing a bit of the life line.

"How long do ye have, Sir?" she whispers hoarsely, unsure whether she truly desires the answer, "How long till...till...ye can no longer suppress it?"

 

[The GrandMage]

Ven Zapala

He heard his name. He was being called. Being called back. He sighed, running a hand down his face. He shouldn't go back. He really shouldn't. But he needed the excitement, and even more so the money. He sighed, and turned around, going back to the room.

Even as he did so, he knew he was going to regret the choice. But it was not his choice to make. He was going to be hired, and again be a pawn. True, this pawn had survived a few trips across the board, but it was still a pawn, to be sacrificed at a moment's notice.

"What?"

 

[The GrandMage]

"WHAT!?!?!?"