"Back again?"
Melchior ignored the jibe and instead took his time shaking the rain from his cloak. Undoing the silver clasp from his neck, he hung the cloak next to the store's front door. Melancholy glanced up momentarily from the map she was studying.
"You know, you really ought to have your arm looked at."
Melchior flinched involuntarily at the mention of his scars but stayed silent. Slowly he unbuckled his sheath and set it next to a stool. A quick rummage through his pack revealed a polishing cloth and oil. Slowly, methodically, he pulled his sword from the sheath and set to polishing it. Closing his eyes he let his hands slide smoothly over the blade. This was his routine for clearing his often confused thoughts. But today, thoughts were not fading so quickly. Concentration seemed out of his grasp and before he knew it the blade slipped out of his hands, ringing clearly as the metal struck the stone floor.
"A bit agitated, are we?"
Melancholy had taken off her glasses and was looking intently at Melchior. Sullenly, he picked up the sword and sheathed it again. He leaned the sheathed sword against a stack of parchment as he walked to the store's small window, . With crossed arms, Melchior stood looking as the people of Westbridge moved through Common Square. "You're going to have to say something eventually." "How do these people not care? You'd think it wasn't sitting up there, waiting for its moment." "Plenty of them care, my boy. You've just not given yourself a chance to find those that do." "Oh, I've found some that care. Indeed." Melchior turned to Melancholy, clearly angry. "Jihad. Seriously? And now they have Emalia believing their insanity. They won't stop until this world is ashes, and she believes that somehow this is a GOOD thing?" "I'm sorry to hear it. She seemed like a good one. Someone you would have..." A dark look from Melchior cut her short. Nodding, Melancholy said, "I am sorry." "Perhaps it's time to just give up. We've heard nothing, we've found nothing. Let these Jenovese have their way." "You can't let a setback like this throw you. Have faith that we'll find it yet. You can't let the progress we have made slide to the wayside." Putting her glasses back on, Melancholy tapped a point on the map she'd been studying. "Now come over here. Give me hand with this map."
Melchior sighed and pulled his stool over to Melancholy's desk. There was little use in arguing. She was right after all. Everything he'd done over the last months had been to one end; Melchior knew he wasn't about to throw it all away.
They would find the sword. They would use the sword if they could. Or they would find someone to use it in their stead. It was to be another long night of study.
In New Thalos
Colin found the New Thalosian market square to be exactly what he had hoped for. Countless vendors and stalls seemingly offered anything money could buy. A myriad of scents assailed him: perfumes, incense, smoked meats, and the occasional unwashed body. The crowd of people doing business in the square made it quite easy to keep one eye on Emalia as the other surveyed the offerings all round him. As Colin watched Emalia she entered a shop that dealt in pets. "What a strange choice," Colin thought to himself, but he welcomed the chance to purchase some proper supplies. After all, it was much easier to watch a stationary doorway than a moving target.
"You there!," called a olive-skinned vendor who sat turning an unknown animal on a large roasting spit. "A big man like yourself needs lots of meat to feed those muscles. One copper a slice, two for a sandwich. My wife baked the bread fresh!"
"Sorry friend," Colin replied with a slight grin, "you're barking up the wrong tree. But I'll give you that copper if you can help me out. Where can I get some clothes, and maybe a couple of blankets? Somewhere close."
"Halan's right over there. It's not the fanciest stuff but he should have what you need."
Colin tossed a copper coin to the man and made his way over to Halan's stand, all the while keeping watch over the door to the pet shop. Indeed, the selection of clothing and fabrics laid out on Halan's tables was surprisingly vast. Colin quickly picked out a nondescript shirt and cloak which were not so much necessary for their warmth or protection, but for their ability to conceal him. After a moment's consideration, he picked out a medium weight blanket. "Not that I need it," Colin thought to himself, "but it's good to keep up appearances." "That's 12 silver friend." Halan informed Colin.
Colin glared at the man, knowing he was being ripped off. "How about I just slit..." Colin stopped short there, the glare vanishing. At that moment he saw Emalia emerge from the pet shop, wheeling a large wooden cage before her. "Is that a tiger?" Colin said aloud to himself. He quickly fished out 12 silver pieces and placed them before a bewildered and somewhat shaken looking Halan.
Colin quickly moved into a better position to see Emalia, who abandoned the tiger right outside of the shop and started heading quickly towards the east. Just as he began to follow her something else caught his eye, an exceptionally short woman who seemed to be paying as much attention to Emalia as he. Colin would probably have not even noticed her had it not been for the monkey who was perched upon her shoulder. Thoughts of the spies that Emalia had once mentioned immediately sprang into his head. "This can't be good." Colin thought.
Colin's dread intensified as the small stranger began following Emalia eastward through the crowded square. "At least this makes it easy to keep an eye on both of them." Colin thought to himself as he threw on his new cloak and set out after the both of them.
The three of them made their way eastward through the city, one after another, two stealthily ducklings following an unknowing mother. After some time they arrived at the eastern edge of the city. There were a great number of docks jutting like fingers into a huge expanse of water. Colin positioned himself behind a stack of wooden crates as Emalia stopped before one of the docks. She seemed to survey her surroundings and suddenly lifted into the air, pausing only a moment before flying off over the water.
"Damn." Colin cursed under his breath. "If only I could be free of this damned..." Colin's thoughts stopped there and his attention quickly shifted to the small woman who had also been following Emalia. She was headed over towards a dock where a quick-looking sailing vessel was anchored. Deciding there was not so much need for stealth not that Emalia had flown off, Colin walked over closer toward the woman, busying himself with inspecting some crates waiting to be loaded. She approached a man who looked the be the captain of the vessel and Colin watched as they spoke. The ship captain's demeanor indicated the two were at least acquaintances and they talked for some time. Although Colin was only able to catch small bits of the conversation it was enough to gather she planned to sail on the vessel in the direction Emalia had headed.
The small woman departed to prepare for her journey and Colin made a quick decision. He removed his cloak, pulled himself up to his full height, and approached the captain of the vessel. "It looks like you could use another hand loading your ship. I'm strong and I work cheap."
The captain surveyed Colin, a shrewd look on his face "Normally I'd tell ye t'move on. I don much like strangers. But, it just so happens I need to step up me schedule a bit. I want all of these loaded in the next 20 minutes. Get that done and I'll give ya 5 silver." "Agreed." Colin said with a nod and quickly got to work.
The crates were large and heavy yet easy for him to handle and the work gave him a great opportunity to learn the bowels of the ship. When the work was done it was not difficult to load the last bit of cargo into the ship's hold before the journey began... himself.
"You there!," called a olive-skinned vendor who sat turning an unknown animal on a large roasting spit. "A big man like yourself needs lots of meat to feed those muscles. One copper a slice, two for a sandwich. My wife baked the bread fresh!"
"Sorry friend," Colin replied with a slight grin, "you're barking up the wrong tree. But I'll give you that copper if you can help me out. Where can I get some clothes, and maybe a couple of blankets? Somewhere close."
"Halan's right over there. It's not the fanciest stuff but he should have what you need."
Colin tossed a copper coin to the man and made his way over to Halan's stand, all the while keeping watch over the door to the pet shop. Indeed, the selection of clothing and fabrics laid out on Halan's tables was surprisingly vast. Colin quickly picked out a nondescript shirt and cloak which were not so much necessary for their warmth or protection, but for their ability to conceal him. After a moment's consideration, he picked out a medium weight blanket. "Not that I need it," Colin thought to himself, "but it's good to keep up appearances." "That's 12 silver friend." Halan informed Colin.
Colin glared at the man, knowing he was being ripped off. "How about I just slit..." Colin stopped short there, the glare vanishing. At that moment he saw Emalia emerge from the pet shop, wheeling a large wooden cage before her. "Is that a tiger?" Colin said aloud to himself. He quickly fished out 12 silver pieces and placed them before a bewildered and somewhat shaken looking Halan.
Colin quickly moved into a better position to see Emalia, who abandoned the tiger right outside of the shop and started heading quickly towards the east. Just as he began to follow her something else caught his eye, an exceptionally short woman who seemed to be paying as much attention to Emalia as he. Colin would probably have not even noticed her had it not been for the monkey who was perched upon her shoulder. Thoughts of the spies that Emalia had once mentioned immediately sprang into his head. "This can't be good." Colin thought.
Colin's dread intensified as the small stranger began following Emalia eastward through the crowded square. "At least this makes it easy to keep an eye on both of them." Colin thought to himself as he threw on his new cloak and set out after the both of them.
The three of them made their way eastward through the city, one after another, two stealthily ducklings following an unknowing mother. After some time they arrived at the eastern edge of the city. There were a great number of docks jutting like fingers into a huge expanse of water. Colin positioned himself behind a stack of wooden crates as Emalia stopped before one of the docks. She seemed to survey her surroundings and suddenly lifted into the air, pausing only a moment before flying off over the water.
"Damn." Colin cursed under his breath. "If only I could be free of this damned..." Colin's thoughts stopped there and his attention quickly shifted to the small woman who had also been following Emalia. She was headed over towards a dock where a quick-looking sailing vessel was anchored. Deciding there was not so much need for stealth not that Emalia had flown off, Colin walked over closer toward the woman, busying himself with inspecting some crates waiting to be loaded. She approached a man who looked the be the captain of the vessel and Colin watched as they spoke. The ship captain's demeanor indicated the two were at least acquaintances and they talked for some time. Although Colin was only able to catch small bits of the conversation it was enough to gather she planned to sail on the vessel in the direction Emalia had headed.
The small woman departed to prepare for her journey and Colin made a quick decision. He removed his cloak, pulled himself up to his full height, and approached the captain of the vessel. "It looks like you could use another hand loading your ship. I'm strong and I work cheap."
The captain surveyed Colin, a shrewd look on his face "Normally I'd tell ye t'move on. I don much like strangers. But, it just so happens I need to step up me schedule a bit. I want all of these loaded in the next 20 minutes. Get that done and I'll give ya 5 silver." "Agreed." Colin said with a nod and quickly got to work.
The crates were large and heavy yet easy for him to handle and the work gave him a great opportunity to learn the bowels of the ship. When the work was done it was not difficult to load the last bit of cargo into the ship's hold before the journey began... himself.
A Timely Rescue
Dorian wakes up in the Hall of Mirrors. An angel chants next to her. Looking around Dorian sees Khyron and smiles weakly at him then says, "Thank you" before fainting back into darkness.
Prayers Answered
Emalia was closing the gap fast between herself and the eager water below. She really hadn't thought this through much at all, and felt incredibly stupid that this was how she was going to die. In the middle of nowhere, until she either became fish food, or her body - bloated and unidentifiable no less - would wash up on some distant island. She could almost smell the rot of her own flesh. She looked up again, "Please, Apprentice, if you are there... I believe you are... save me. I know I've had my doubts, I know that I've recently been worried what path to choose, but if you lend me a hand-"
"Man overboard!" Emalia heard the cry somewhere in the distance. She turned, noticing for the first time a rather large boat. It was sleek and even with its size looked thin - obviously made for cutting through the waters at high speed. Its sails fluttered in the wind, thrusting it quickly along the waves. On deck, several men, built with corded muscles, vainly fought with rope to turn the sails. On the deck, amidst the vainly working men, a very short woman raced to the rail.
Emalia was unable to speak, much less ask for help, with her shock being so deep. The Apprentice *had* heard her... he had answered her prayer... he- *Splaooonkshhh* The short woman hit the sea water like a rock. Emalia's mouth fell open even as she drifted further down. Amazed, she watched as the woman that had dropped from the merchant ship resurfaced and swam toward her.
"Gotcha," she barely heard the woman whisper. As soon as the feeling of something solid touched her feet, Emalia looked to the woman, then to the boat, then to the heavens, and passed out with the words, "Thank you," wafting from her lips to be lost on the breeze.
"Man overboard!" Emalia heard the cry somewhere in the distance. She turned, noticing for the first time a rather large boat. It was sleek and even with its size looked thin - obviously made for cutting through the waters at high speed. Its sails fluttered in the wind, thrusting it quickly along the waves. On deck, several men, built with corded muscles, vainly fought with rope to turn the sails. On the deck, amidst the vainly working men, a very short woman raced to the rail.
Emalia was unable to speak, much less ask for help, with her shock being so deep. The Apprentice *had* heard her... he had answered her prayer... he- *Splaooonkshhh* The short woman hit the sea water like a rock. Emalia's mouth fell open even as she drifted further down. Amazed, she watched as the woman that had dropped from the merchant ship resurfaced and swam toward her.
"Gotcha," she barely heard the woman whisper. As soon as the feeling of something solid touched her feet, Emalia looked to the woman, then to the boat, then to the heavens, and passed out with the words, "Thank you," wafting from her lips to be lost on the breeze.
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