Implied Agreements

Only Velentham's father knew the true reason they were on this small plane. And the truth of the matter was that Velentham was a trouble maker. Young in the terms of Celestials, his soul was new, unused to the ways of their kind. Rather than being gracious, Velentham was hot-headed and quick to action. While it helped when eradicating evil, it was a bane when dealing with matters of average celestial life. Velentham tended to want everything, and what he wanted, he would not cease until he obtained. Telfenham knew this and created a plane to take his son. When Velentham grew too rash or impulsive, the faraway slice of Elysium removed him from other Celestials and kept him from getting himself in predicaments. Telfenham could save face, Velentham could mature without incident. This, however, was the worst thing Velentham's father could have imagined.

Velentham slipped through space and arrived at Gilean's side. The man was meditating by the waterfall pond - it was all Velentham could do not to kick him into the water and drown him. Velentham stood straighter and looked down his nose at Gilean. "Get up. We need to speak."

"Have you come to torment me further?"

"If you would like, I can manage that too. But no. We need to speak and unless you want to be on the level of a dog, I suggest you get up."

"What would you like to speak of? Have you decided to send me back?"

"How did you get the rose?"

"I went to Sanria and asked her to borrow it. Might I ask... how did she get the rose?"

"Why would she give it to you... she had to have known. All she had to do was look at it."

"We made a promise, that if she chose to return we would bring her back. Why this... subterfuge?"

"Yes - it seemed so much like she was going to be permitted to come back. That be-armored fool seemed bent on doing damage. No, I offered her a way back without needing any of you." Velentham sneered.

"No, you circumvented the agreement. You know that rose would exert some of the same pull of this place. You should have seen how reluctant she was to part with it, not even knowing any of it's purpose."

"She wanted to stay here. I wanted her to stay."

"Yes, but how much of that was her will, and how much was this place and your influence? That's not love Velentham. Love is what I have, what I was ripped from by your trinket."

Velentham barely kept his ire in check. He knew he should be better able to control his emotions. He should be more like his father, but he seemed always on the edge. He had to get Gilean to agree to his plan, though anger swam visibly beneath his expressions, hidden far deeper was absolute desperation. He had never been deprived of anything he'd wanted. Ever. "Listen... I came here to offer you a deal. A - trade - of sorts."

Gilean's face melted into a look of suspicion, but there also rode a tide of hope. "A trade..." This is exactly what Velentham had hoped for.

Turning the Traitor

Velentham stood staring in anger at his father. Gilean Eosos, known throughout the Celestial realm as a traitor to his race, was in their plane. Gilean, who had said their race was full of haughty, arrogant, hard beings. Of all the people who could have gotten hold of the portal rose that he had given Sanria, it had to be Eosos. "This is ill boding, my son," Telfenham said. At times like these, his father looked his eons of age. The elder Celestial stared into the flames, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "I should have known better than permit such a thing. I could not have forseen the harm."

"Well, Eosos is here, Father." Velentham knelt by the chair of the elder and looked up at him. "If the tribunal discovers that we are harboring him, we're going to be put to blame."

"If we are found not to have turned him over we will certainly be outcast ourselves, my son." Telfenham turned to his son and sighed deeply. "Do you see why getting involved in mortal affairs are perilous?"

Velentham stood up, his fists held at his sides. He looked down his nose at his father. "You continue to say that, but you yourself took a mortal woman ages ago."

"Indeed, and her death and refusal to ascend rended my heart." Telfenham stood up, eye to eye with his son, his white hair spiraling down to his shoulders. "I wish to save you that pain. Our problem now is Eosos. Even if he dies, he will return to Elysium, and when he does, he will tell them what we've done."

"We can keep him here."

"It does naught to solve our problem, my son. Time may have meaning elsewhere and to other beings, but it is an afterthought to us. Eosos will die, and we will be made to pay."

Velentham looked to the perpetually burning flames of the fireplace. He glanced over at his father. "No. He wants to return to that woman and his child. I will ensure that he understands that to return to her means his agreement for eternity."

Dangerous Visitors

'My son, we are in peril.'

At the voice of his father, Velentham sat up straight. He brooded at the edge of the waterfall pond where he had taken Sanria many times prior. His mind was lost in the thought that she could possibly have forgotten him - of all the beings in the multiverse she could have encountered - how could she have forgotten him? Still, the urgency in his father's voice concerned him. 'Are you alright?'

'Yes, but it seems our visitor is the son of Matutinus Eosos.'

'Eosos... you don't mean...'

'Yes, my son. Gilean Eosos. We need to determine what to do right away before we are found out with him in our posession.'

Velentham appeared instantly in the cottage, not bothering with the customary respect of the front door. "Please, I need time," Gilean was saying.

"Matutinus Eosos' son?! Eosos? Here?"

"Yes. That is me."

"Pathetic... a pathetic disgrace. We should return him to the tribunal and let them have their way with him. This should not be on our hands, father."

"You may stay outside until you make your decision," Telfenham said.

"I ask of you, one more time, if not for me, for Claire... and our child. Should they be punished for my beliefs?"

"You are here on the whim of my hospitality. I extend you the two choices. What you do with your mortal shell is of no concern to me."

"I'm saddened by how quickly your compassion can wane, especially for those that have done nothing to deserve punishment," Gilean said.

"You have done everything to earn my scorn. Your words echo for immortal time. It is your misfortune that you have fallen in with those who will be burned by your flame of anger against your own. You are not welcome in this house."

As Gilean walked, cowed, to the door, Velentham glowered in a wash of superiority. "It is tragic that when you exhale your last you will come back to us yet again. Yet another punishment awaits you, Eosos. Eternity is a long time to consider your failings." With a wave of his hand, Velentham opened the cottage door with an audible crack. The priest gone, Velentham turned to see his father's stern eyes upon him. "This is not my fault."

Waiting for a Wizard Part one

Clearly she was tired, Why had it not occured to her that those skilled beyond measures in their art wouldn't have need to any longer visit the guilds?  Certainly would have saved her days camping outside them all, she would have to go to where she woud find one.  Maya had no idea where she might find a wizard, being that she knew nothing about wizardry so she pondered what she did know of them..  They were reserved usually, quiet, liked to study and manipulate, master what they knew, they liked lore, and needed ingedients for their spell componen....  That was it, spell components!  Maya again prayed to the gods for relocation and instantly appeared in the street outside of Tim's magic shop.  Entering the shop Maya almost recoiled at the assault of so many different odours, Shelves were lined with books, and the man at the counter didnt look up as she entered.  The shop was empty, or was it?  She sensed a presence though her eyes, heightened to deceptions as they were, did not see anyone but the man behind the counter.  Maya turned on her heel and left the magic shop to cross the road and wander a few buildings d own toward the edge of town and again found the most recluse spot she could and sat down to watch the magic shop.  Why did wizards have to be so reserved and sneaky, surely the order had wizards and this could be done alot easier.  Her body was starting to ache and she was getting hungry.