War of the Immortals

[Isolde]

Isolde looked at him and the flames of the fire flickered in her eyes.
"The elvin lands, I do not know and pure evil," She answered his questions as rapidly as she had shot off her arrows.

Sensing that he needed more, she settled herself on the ground and began her story.

"I come from the elvin lands where I am apprenticed to the most powerful elvin mage there, Tadrien. He has fallen victum to a dreamless sleep and his powers grow weaker the longer he sleeps. No mage in my lands could cure him so I was sent by the elders to find someone who could."

"I was traveling along my choosen path when I beheld a man fall to the ground on a spear of lightening. He was not injured but cursed and screamed instead. I got up and prepared my bow and arrow and challenged him when he disappeared into a black portal. As the portal closed, I closed my eyes to a flash and when I had opened them, I stood here."

Pointing to where his hand rested on his abdomen, she said,"I have treated your wounds with what magic I know. You will feel pain and have to heal naturally now but you are in no danger of bleeding to death."

"Now that I have answered your questions I have one of my own. Why are you dressed as a mage but carry no powers."

Seeing his surprise at the direct statement she explained,"I have a 'sensitivity' to magic. I can pick up on the aura of magic as naturally as I breath air. However, I do not pick up any signs around you."

 

[Angelus]

"It is a long story but I think that we are not going anywhere so I can tell you. I am a white mage but I have been cursed with the ability to feel the death of every white mage in the lands. There is also an evil mage named Garath who has somehow allied every black mage into one powerful force, one powerful enough to destroy everything. We do not know who he is yet but he has the help of an dark god but we do know that he intends to destroy everything, even the gods."

He then sat up, wishing that he hadn't before he continued, "The reason that you didn't feel any magical energy from me is that I can not use my magic. It is as if I have been cut off from it, the only way that I can use it is if a woman named Adriana who has the special ability to dispel magic is with me but without her here I am as helpless as a kitten."

 

[Isolde]

Isolde listened to the mage's tale and nodded.
"Then the question that we must answer is-how do we leave this place?"

"As long as you are with me and my arrows an sword hold out you will be safe. I do not plan to let you die, especially after all the effort to save you," She smiled at him to soften her words. She was not used to dealing with humans and so was a bit nervous about interacting with them.

"You will find me a better warrior than a mage, though I was able to learn some before my master's affliction. I was taught the ways of an elvin warrior before my 'sensitivity' was discovered and I was apprenticed. So now I am neither a warrior or a mage but stuck between the two."

 

[Angelus]

"I am neither at the moment so I will have to rely on you. You must be an excellent fighter though because you dispatched those things without any trouble whatsoever. I owe you my life and intent to pay the debt in full, as to getting out of here I do not know because I do not feel like walking out in the ice and snow out there and I don't think that either of us would last if we did go out there."

Cristian thought of the rest of the group and said, "I think it would be best to stay put anyway because if we go wandering and someone comes looking for us then they will never find us and we will both freeze to our deaths out there." He then pointed outside and saw that a storm was beginning to brew outside of their shelter.

 

[Isolde]

Isolde looked to where he pointed and nodded agreement.
"Your words are wise, mage," she said.

Looking him over, she added,"And should you wish to repay my actions this day I ask only that you seek to find the cure for my master. But, if what you say is true than the death of this evil mage may be that which will save him. In that case I ask that I be able to join you in your quest to bring him down."

 

[Angelus]

Cristian nodded in agreement.
"I would be honoured to have you as part of the group. I wish that I could help make this fire larger but without my magic I am next to useless. And I will do everything that I can to help your master for he sounds like a very wise man if he has been attacked as he was. Maybe he had some way to destroy Garath and when Garath found out he afflicted him with his waking death."

 

[Isolde]

Isolde shrugged,"I do not know but I guess we shall find out when the time comes. I only pray that it will not come to late for my master."

"If you will permit me to make us more comfortable. I must admit, my magic will seem like parlor tricks to you but I think I can manage a few spells."

At his nod, she reached into her sack and found 6 seeds which she planted where the cave entranced narrowed a bit before it became a cavern. With a few gestures and some words spoken, she stepped back and watched as vines sprang up from the ground entertwining and interlocking around each other until a wall of vines were formed. With another gesture, the vines thickened and hardened to finally construct a wall of sturdy vines.

"That shall keep out the cold and the storm," Isolde said as she came back to the fire. Reaching into her pouch again, she took a small amount of black powder and threw it on the fire while chanting in a sing song voice. When she stopped chanting and looked at it, the fire seemed to glow with a blue flame and also seemed to leap higher than before.

"And that will keep the flame burning until I do not need it anymore. It will stay hot also."

She then realized who she was talking to and the fact that he probably knew all of this made her blush a bit. She sat down and looked at Cristian.

"I am afraid it is the best I can do. I wish I could offer you a blanket but mine is on my saddle which rests on my horse which is where I left it on the road before I came here. I cannot conjure up anything for I am not that powerful. I have learned simply to manipulate the things around me. The simplest of magic. But I think that we shall be warm enough until help arrives."

 

[Angelus]

Cristian put his hands up and felt the feeling coming back into them. He then looked into the flames and thought If I had my magic the Isolde would not have to use her powder, I feel so useless. Just then a jolt hit him and he knew that another white mage had died.

 

[Isolde]

Isolde leaned forward and steadied Cristian with her hand. She asked no questions-he had told her his tale of sorrow-but reached into the second bag on he waist and produced two sticks of dried beef, handing them to the mage.

"Eat," She bade him,"You will need your streangth for healing yourself."

 

[Angelus]

Cristian took the stick of dried beef and said, "Thank you. You have been most kind to me but I must ask you a question. In your studies have you ever found a way for a mages essence, his life force and power to go into another one because I need to restore my power and I think I know of a way but I don't know if it is true or just another myth."

 

[Cryo]

Ether Sat in meditative prayer. Infront of him, a rare candle of blue flame burned. His legs were crossed and his arms were gripping his Ice Saber, pointed upward.

He was back in Christians Tower. The Study to be more precise. Behind him, Adrianna was roughly tied to a chair, and steeming in anger. Lokken was pinned against the wall with a blanket of ice, prone and helpless for as long as Adrianna was there. He showed his anger by shouting and jeering at Ether, attempting to distract him. But distract him he would not.

After aproximetly 20 minutes, when the candle was half melted away, Ether traced a perfect circle in the air with the saber, as wide as he could without moving his body. The point of the saber created a while line glowing in mid air. The circle siddenly enveloped into itself, disipitation the image of the bookshelf and revieling their white magi friend and an Elven woman.

The Portal Wavered and the Powerfull magic from evil mages and dispelling magic from adrianna tempted to end the Angel Gate spell, but this spell was not magical in nature. It was clerical, and maintained by the will of Ether's god.

-------------------------------

Christian and Isole looked up to see an image of a blue skinned human crouched in prayer in a dark room. Chrisitan smiled in apreciation, Isole waned in Caution.

"This must be some kind of trap! WHo is that!" she asked.
"Wait, that's Ether. A friend of mine. He must have summoned a portal to help us. Let's go through!"
"You are certain of this character? I sense a power in him that may not be evil, but is definitly not good either."
Christian nodded.

 

[Isolde]

Isolde chewed thoughtfully on her own stick of meat as she thought back.
"My master was always one for a good story and he would often regale me with legends of our people as we sat by the fire at the end of the day."

"Once, he told me of a great mage who fought in a war with his fellow mages by his side. The enemy was powerful and they fought long and hard. The solidiers around them died one by one. Soon only the mages and a few soldiers were left while the enemy still numbered mightily. The mages bonded together to allow their waning energies to strengthen and they fought on. When the first mage fell, all among them felt his death but the great mage was the most powerful and found he could 'call out' to the spirit of the dying mage and, at the moment the thread of life snapped completely, the great mage was able to guide the spirit to join with him and so thier magic did not wane with death but grew stronger."

"Once the great mage knew he could do this, he used the connection to 'guide' the others to join with him even after death and so in the end, the great mage stood alone-the only survivor of his brothers and, with a huge bellow, he gathered the energies stored within him and caused the enemy to burn in the fires of hell itself."

"When my master was done with the tale, I aske him if it was true and he said that he had known the great mage himself-after this war had happened. For, as you know the elvin folk live to a great age."

"I then asked my master if the power of the great mage diminished after the battle was done and he said no, that the spirits of his fallen brothers stayed with him of thier own accord to help him in all that he did in his later years."

"The key elements seem to be a link with the other mage and the willingness of the spirit to be guided to join with the living. My master warned me that if a mage should try to take and unwilling spirit and force a joining, that the magic weilded would be wild and out of control. He also said that he has never seen anyone be able to make a connection like the mages had and said that he believed that, barring another war such as that, that only the gods themselves could make a bond that strong again."

She sat back and watched Cristian to see the effect of her story. It was then that she saw the portal.

[Edited by Isolde on 01-03-2001 at 04:45 AM]

 

[Morgoth]

"Damn you, you don't know what kind of memories this brings back. Like I told you, I amno longer the ambitious fool. Now I live only to serve Belial. Get me out of this sheet of Ice or even Cryo won't be ablo to help you", screamed Lokken. "Woman, loosen your powers, if you do, I will regain my magic and free you", he shouted, anger billowing up in him.

 

[Angelus]

Cristian listened to Isolde's words and knew that there was a chance, that the white mage's who had died would not have died in vain. He closed his eyes and raised his head to the roof of the ceiling, calling out to his god.
Talthos, my god- the god of magic. I, a humble servant ask you if you could honor a wish for me. I request that you give me the power to draw the spirits of the fallen white mages into me and make that bond strong.

Suddenly the god's voice appeared in his head Only now do you realize what our plan was. You are to be one of the lights of this war and were to be given this power before but when I saw the self pity that was in your soul especially with the loss of your magic it sickened me. Why should I give you that power now. Tell me mage for it is not a light thing that you ask.

I know that what I ask is not a simple or light thing but I have learnt that my magic isn't everything. I have to rely on everything and everyone around me and not just on my magic as you have shown me. I request this so that I will become one of the lights of this war and restore the balance even at the cost of my own life.

There was a pause and Cristian sat there, his eyes closed and still looking up at the roof of the cave when suddenly he heard his god's voice in his head again, Your request is granted but use your power wisely for if you do not then I will be forced to destroy you. Now go and restore the balance.

With that the god's voice vanished and Cristian slumped forward, exhausted until something slammed into him and he heard several voices talking in his head and felt new power coursing through him. He opened his eyes suddenly and looked at Isolde then at the portal, "Come, we are getting out of here."

 

[Isolde]

Isolde

Isolde did not need to be told twice. She grabbed her bow and stepped though quickly. The sight that greeted her caused her to quickly place an arrow into the bow in her hands and pull back...the arrow was aimed at the elemental's heart.

"What trickery is this," She exclaimed, looking towards the girl tied to the chair and the man trapped against the wall,"Do you call us to trap us also? So, help me, I shall pierce your heart for your deciet."

 

[Angelus]

As soon as he walked through the portal the first thing that greeted Cristian was Isolde standing there, an arrow pointed at Ether. He raised one hand and said, "Don't, he is a friend- I would ask you not to kill him."

He looked over at Adriana who was tied to the chair and said, "Let me get those off of you."

He looked at the ropes and the next thing that any of them knew they had fallen on the floor. He looked at Lokken and then at Adriana, "Could you please release him, or he will be angrier than he already is. Now, if you will excuse me I have to change."

Cristian walked to the door to his private chambers and opened it then walked in, closing the door behind him. After he took off the tunic and what remained of his robes he pulled a fresh pair of leggings out of the clothes chest that sat at the end of his bed as well as a tunic. After he put the leggings on he looked down at his abdomen and saw how nasty the scars were and knew that he was lucky to be alive.

 

[Angelus]

Garath

Garath was awakened when he felt some sort of power explode. He looked around and saw that everything was as it should be but something still bugged him, in the back of his mind there was a feeling that something was definitely wrong. He hurried to the large room that held his scrying mirror and willed it to show the cave. When he looked at it he saw that there was nobody there, they had vanished.
"No!" he shouted out, causing the guards in the room to rush out.
He then willed it to show the white mage and saw him standing there, changing his clothing until the mage stopped and looked up, straight at the mirror.

 

[Angelus]

Cristian

Cristian felt that someone was watching him, more importantly one of the spirits that was now in his body told him and he looked up. He knew that that was where the person was watching him and said, "You didn't kill me. You have lost your chance to watch us also."

He put both hands outwards to either side of him and cast a spell of protection over the entire tower. In his mind he heard whatever had been watching him scream out in pain.

 

[Isolde]

Adriana was steaming. First Cristian, her only friend, is whisked away to somewhere unknown, then she finds herself in a place of boiling Lava with no one willing to help her find him, then she is knocked unconscious and, when she wakes up, she is tied to a chair with yet someone else ordering her to use her power. And then when Cristian came back, he was a different person-she could feel it. He had losened her bonds with one wave of his hand and then walked off as if she did not exist. She guessed she had served her purpose. Well, she was fed up.

Brushing past all of them, she went into her room and through the door into her forest. She was so confused. She did not know what was going on.

Angrily she shouted to the air, somehow knowing Cristian would hear her,"Mage, you lied to me! You told me I would have free will when I really have none. No matter what I do, everyone will order me around and tell me when and where to use my powers. I was better off in my tower. Ether and Lokken have already proven that. And you...you do not need me anymore. I do not know where you gained your new power but I do know that I am not needed-so LEAVE ME BE! I choose to stay here from now on and I wish no one to come to me-not even you."

Throwing herself down on the ground she closed her eyes and wished the world away.

 

[Isolde]

Isolde watched the girl storm pass and felt something strange. She felt the little bit of magic she possessed gone. It was there no more and she knew the girl had something to do with it. Strangely, she still retained her sensitivity to magic and it told her several things at once.

First that Adriana possessed not a magic but an abscence of magic-sort of an anti-magic that could be wielded just as well her own conventional magic could. Second that the man named Ether was not affected by the girl's prescence and so his magic must not be based on the common magic principals. She also sensed that he was a neutral entity-her master had once said that neutrality could be as dangerous as evil due to the fact that the only concern was the goal that the person had in mind and the willingness to use who and what they could to get to that goal.

Third was the man they called Lokken. He was powerful, she could sense it but it was confusing also. There were many threads of magic running through this one of each alignment-good, evil and neutral and it disturbed her greatly. His power diminished in the girls prescence but did not extinguish which confirmed his power.

Looking around she shook her head,"Isolde, what have you gotten yourself into now?"

 

[Angelus]

When Cristian returned he looked around the room and saw that there was one person missing, the one person that he needed to see. He walked over to the door and knocked on it, "Adriana, can I come in please- I need to see you, there is something that I need to tell you."

When there was no reply Cristian looked at the door and knew that he could open it but he knew that Adriana wanted her privacy and he was not going to go barging in. He walked over to a chair, picked it up and took it over to near the door, sitting down on it.

 

[Isolde]

He was there, she knew he was. Sitting and waiting for her to admit him. Well, at least he had kept his promise to never invade her privacy. She was tempted to keep the door locked forever and simply live out her time in silence but, then again, she had made a promise of her own which she now was breaking.

She did not see why he wanted to see her but, a promise was a promise so she called out,"You may enter, Mage."

 

[Angelus]

As soon as Cristian entered the room he noticed the look that Adriana had given him and knew that if she could she would kill him. He stood near the door, not wishing to get to close to her and said, "Adriana, why did you come in here? Is it because of what I am or what I have done- if it is something that I have done please tell me what it is and I will do anything I can in my power to make it right, that I promise you."

He knew that what he had just said would do nothing to mend whatever it was that he had done but he knew that he had to try for now more than ever he needed a friend.

 

[Isolde]

Adriana looked at him and looked away.
"I have come in here to get away from everyone, Mage," She said, bitterness in her voice. "I almost wish I were back in my tower. At least there I was never knocked unconscious and tied up."

Sighing she shrugged her shoulders, trying to explain her feelings.
"I have gone from total solitude to being bombarded with people-all who wish to use my 'talent' for their own purposes. Ether and Lokken would use me against each other and I know that, if others know of me, they will be all too eager to use me also."

"And your disappearance has shown me that you cannot keep it from happening. Besides...you are strong enough where you do not need me anymore. You can take this evil on your own and win, I know you can."

Adriana bit her lip before she added,"And I do not trust myself. When I went looking for you, I found that I,also, can misuse my 'talent'-just as I feared would happen. I got so mad at Lokken that I lashed out without clear thought. My only intention to hurt someone for taking you away. My anger fueled me and soon I could tell I was out of control-but I COULD NOT STOP!"

"I could not have stopped if I tried and, what scared me, was that I did not want to stop. I wanted to distroy someone or something for taking my only friend away from me."

"As I have said before, you do not need me anyway so I choose to stay here where I can at least feel free even if it is just another self imposed prison."

 

[Angelus]

"You are wrong, I do need you and the one difference between me and anyone else is that I will not make you use your ability because I can see in your face how scared you are of it. But if you wish to stay here I will not force you to come out. I can not do that, I will not do that for that is your choice; always has been your choice to make and you have made it. And you are wrong, I can not destroy this evil by myself, you are right- I have grown powerful but at a cost. Do not ask me what that cost is for I fear to tell you, the only thing that I can tell you is that you are my closest friend and I will do everything to help you but if I am hindering you then I will do nothing and let you make your own decisions as it is your life and the one thing that I or anyone else can do is run it."

Cristian then looked at her and said, "If you wish for me to leave then say the word and I will and make it so I or anyone can not come in. Do you wish that?"