back to basics

"Some honeymoon this is turning out to be," Menhara murmured as she pulled the hood of her cloak around her face. Fear shone in her eyes, though she fought to hide it, and she stepped out of the Yawning Portal with quick, purposeful steps. Behind her, she knew Taryn tended to Quaster's wound, and she felt a small tinge of guilt at her lack of concern for the man; her confidence in the healer's ability was strong, though, so it was merely a passing thought. She moved through the streets quickly, lost deep in thought. She cursed her ex-husband under her breath for keeping her out of the room while Berion and Taryn tended Basalt; it was a foolish thought, but she felt there might have been something she could have done. Now there was something - a demon, she wondered, or merely an angry spirit? - loose that took Basalt's body and used it to wield enormous power. She had poured a good deal of her own power into the shield, and it had only served to delay him. Finally, she reached her destination, and she stepped into the library with a silent nod to the guard. As she pulled her hood back, her fingers brushed the bump on her head where she had been hit. "I'm too old for this," she muttered to herself, the phrase having come much more frequently since her birthday. She could not, however, ignore the danger posed to her friends. She needed to study. She needed to find some way to tap into even greater powers. The library, its shelves of books far taller than she, was as familiar to the woman as her Church. Before the birth of the twins she had spent hours on end here, studying all she could, and if she had one regret about her life it was that she no longer studied. It showed in her magic as well; just as her fighting had become poor after arriving in Westbridge, her hold on her power was slipping with disuse. Lights for her children, her own flight, the occasional musical creation - all were simple tricks to her, nothing more. As she surveyed the shelves of books, however, it was these that she realized she must focus on. Years before, Trista had begun her instruction in magic by speaking on each wizard's core, their focus. She had drawn upon it in her attempt to detain Basalt. Floating from the ground without a thought, she scanned the books until finding a tome she'd passed by years before. Taking it into her hands, she nodded and returned to the ground. She would claim no mastery, but if there was one area of magic she felt she had the firmest grasp of, it was the elements. Air for her flight, water to keep her dry in the rain, fire to keep her children warm, light for so many reasonsand earth she had been dappling in with her music, though she knew this was easily her weak link. The book carefully held in her arms, she moved to a table and sat. Lighting the candle with a brush of her fingertip, she opened the tome and began to read.

Peace rejected

Elbryan sits down at his Desk and takes out his Quil and paper  and begins to write a note.

Dear Quaster
In regards to our temporary peace.  I have decided to call it off.  I have seen Fafnir walking about this very day Thursday the 11th of Hammer, wearing the insignia of your church. I do not wish war, but if you insist on allying with  those such as fafnir.  I have no choice but to reject you and  tell My fellow Followers of Kossuth to do the same. No reply is needed I have seen all that I wish to see of you. I have had enough of your lies, and your deceit. And if it is war that must be had then it is war that  you will get.  Everything lies in you hands, but know one  thing.  As long as Fafnir is counted a friend to you.  You  will never know peace from us.

Elbryan of the FLAME

Elbryan waits a few minutes for the ink to dry and walks out  to the Market Square. Elbryan looks around and seeing nothing better to put the note on, he tacks it to the bench. Either Quaster or Menhara are bound to find it there. But he hoped that it would be Quaster.