Tale - Part 2 -
2008-06-08 @ 09:19:47
Tale - Part II - "Dew before morning"
// So, let's begin the second part.
Once a boy and a girl met each other. It would not be a surprise, but the boy's name was Vane Quelaron - a banished student, and the girl's was Ciann Mairi - a girl who was officially deceased. They met each other on the road between the Academy and the city of Otanurn. Generally, they were quite pleased to see each other, but Ciann was coming back to the Academy, and Vane was coming too, but in the opposite direction. Ciann didn't expect to see him in a place like where they were at that time - on a road heading from the Academy via Otanurn, Ust'lye and Crandar to Alotus - so that's how the dialogue looked:
- Vane? What're you doin' here? A punishment? - She did not actually like him, but possibility of him being punished made her feel quite sorry for him.
- Yes, something like that. In addition, because of you. - He said that calm as always.
- Er? What're you talkin' about? - she wasn't hiding confusion.
- You had better ask Rath. He suffered the most.
- Where's he? And what's goin' on?
- Come with me. There is no point in returning to a place where you are counted as dead.
- Now I don't understand anything! - She became a bit angry.
- Relax; I will explain everything in a while. By the way, it has been over a week since you left, where were you? - He set her mind at rest.
- I was to Otanurn, got some money 'n' bought the herbs. Harvestin' them isn't a job for me.
- As it can be expected from you, but it doesn't sound like something that would take you ten days.
- I'd to wait for the delivery in the shop. They've got one once a month and sometimes more rarely.
- It's a small town after all. - He pointed out.
- Indeed. - She agreed - But I still know nothin' about your and Rath's situation.
Vane explained as much as he could, but Ciann still did not understand everything. However, she decided to go with him to Alotus to find Rath, although it is about eight days of wandering. After three days, they arrived in Ust'lye, and then Vane's plan began. He asked some people, if they had seen Rath of the Asandam, an auburn-haired boy with an upside-down half-moon-shaped birthmark on his forehead. Of course, no one knew that boy, so Vane and Ciann headed to the west, to Crandar in the Belatoa Province. Mairi didn't know why it was so important to ask about Rath since Vane knew where he is and it was obvious, that he would avoid the cities, at most go through them at night, so that people couldn't see him. Everything she heard as an explanation from him was: "You will find out soon."
The dusk was approaching, so Vane decided to pitch a camp while there was still brightly. That was the second part of his plan. He ordered Ciann to go to bed, because he had to guard her and their things. Moreover, this was the third part. The fourth and final part fulfilled itself five hours later - a Rantesan assassin of the Pure Blood attacked him at midnight. It turned out, that one silencer is not enough to kill the second-level Kanos Seal mage, which Vane was, while the assassin possessed only the first-level Ssen Seal - but Vane wanted only to catch him and ask some questions. He gave him a moner brew, which had been prepared by Vane when Ciann went to bed. A moner potion in an even small amount causes something like intoxication; it makes people more susceptible to suggestions and less conscious, so it is quite helpful in interrogations. Vane asked why Rath is so important for them, why they want to kill him. The answer was rather obvious: "He is a foreigner. Only pure Rantesan can live on this world. The rest's place is Nerival. Now, kill me. I am your enemy." However, Vane told him to do one thing for him. He had to clean some tower out of all the monsters that lived there for years. The tower was located between Nales and Kerdon, in the southern-central part of the kingdom. It was the old fortress of Senani Quelaron - Vane's grandfather. It was so important for him to take it back, because Senani was the founder of his family and a great mage with third-level Quilal seal. He died during the battle under the Great Wall in 228 - royal chroniclers and historians had written it in annals and chronicles, but no one could be sure about that - there were no corpse - it was stolen or destroyed in the warfare - the chronicles tell, but there are many strange theories about what happened that day. However, when the assassin went to the tower, the potion, which he was forced to drink, stopped working and he became fully conscious. He left Senhar, as he didn't have to obey Vane's orders anymore. Ciann got up, but didn't participate in the combat. She preferred to stay in the tent and watch the fight being hidden at the same time. What she saw surpassed everything she had seen up until then. She knew that Vane must be a bit strong - he is not so stupid if he had dared to point people from school out their mistakes. She became afraid - or even terrified - of him, went back to the tent, sat and covered herself with a blanket waiting in fear for her former classmate. After sending his temporary servant to the tower, Vane came to Ciann and tried to calm her down and when she fell asleep, he got outside to guard the camp. This time, there weren't any secret agents, nationalistic assassins, paid murderers, ordinary thieves or any other criminals that may disturb them. Mairi woke up after five minutes and couldn't sleep for the rest of the night. She was thinking of Vane, his power, and that she wasn't so nice for him at school - he would undoubtedly attack her if an opportunity happens. However, he didn't want to kill her - she was the reason of his banishment, but someone else was responsible - Seeatean Chatar - and he was Vane's main target.
The Sun was rising, the dew was disappearing and the Astananis - cold nocturnal wind - started getting warmer - Naargand met a new morning. Ciann was a bit tired - she hadn't slept at all, but it was time to get up, pack things and continue the journey to Alotus. She carefully looked out of the tent and even more carefully got out. Vane was standing in the same place during the entire night and this bore Mairi's anxiety. At last, she asked:
- Were... were you here... the whole night? - Only her curiosity forced her to say anything.
- Yes. - He slowly turned to her - Don't be afraid of me. You are not the one I hate as you believed me and agreed to join me in order to find Rath. - This made her confused, but brought some positive feelings.
- Whom do you hate then? - She asked after a while.
- Guess.
- Chatar? - She inquired timidly after waiting some time.
- Correctly. - His famous composure and confidence was emanating from him.
- But aren't you goin' to kill him?
- I am. - He said.
Mairi became more confused, but one could sense satisfaction in her glance and mimic - she was not just a weak and heavy-hearted girl after all and didn't like Seeatean. They packed the camp and started to go. While wandering, Ciann remembered what she had noticed at night, and her curiosity was not decreasing, so another question was asked:
- Vane, I just recalled - why were you standing the whole night in the same place?
- Why are you asking?
- If I were you, I would be tired, at least bored for sure. - She still feared him, but confidence won again.
- If you have an Arunic seal - Quilal, Kanos, Vahira, Risri, Ssen, Oai, Salyn or Ayuz - you are connected to that element. My Kanos makes me feel good when wind surrounds me and the stronger it is, the better I feel. - Just saying this made him feel good, because for a moment he had someone to tell it.
- Aaah... I see. - She said being interested - But when did you get a seal? I believed that it's... eeeh... difficult.
- It is, but if you have determination, it becomes easier. Furthermore, if you grow up being treated worse than a victim of chauvinism, it becomes much easier - the hardest thing to do is a choice.
- What choice? - And again, she needed a while to answer with another question.
- The most important choice of every mage - you have to be sure about your element. You can only have one seal and cannot change it to another one.
- I also want to gain a seal. - She didn't know, why she said that.
- Do you know your destined Aruna?
- I think... eh... Fire! - As she said this, a great feeling of warmth and certainty seized her.
- Then find the nearest Ssen summoning stone and tell it your request.
- Do you know where it is?
- There - he pointed south-west with his finger - it isn't far from here. Go, if you want that.
- Aren't you goin' with me?
- It's your mission - it has to be accomplished by yourself only.
- I don't know if I want to, but I'll go. So long.
She headed to the Ssen stone, and Vane continued going to Alotus. Another person had just abandoned him.
// So, let's begin the second part.
Once a boy and a girl met each other. It would not be a surprise, but the boy's name was Vane Quelaron - a banished student, and the girl's was Ciann Mairi - a girl who was officially deceased. They met each other on the road between the Academy and the city of Otanurn. Generally, they were quite pleased to see each other, but Ciann was coming back to the Academy, and Vane was coming too, but in the opposite direction. Ciann didn't expect to see him in a place like where they were at that time - on a road heading from the Academy via Otanurn, Ust'lye and Crandar to Alotus - so that's how the dialogue looked:
- Vane? What're you doin' here? A punishment? - She did not actually like him, but possibility of him being punished made her feel quite sorry for him.
- Yes, something like that. In addition, because of you. - He said that calm as always.
- Er? What're you talkin' about? - she wasn't hiding confusion.
- You had better ask Rath. He suffered the most.
- Where's he? And what's goin' on?
- Come with me. There is no point in returning to a place where you are counted as dead.
- Now I don't understand anything! - She became a bit angry.
- Relax; I will explain everything in a while. By the way, it has been over a week since you left, where were you? - He set her mind at rest.
- I was to Otanurn, got some money 'n' bought the herbs. Harvestin' them isn't a job for me.
- As it can be expected from you, but it doesn't sound like something that would take you ten days.
- I'd to wait for the delivery in the shop. They've got one once a month and sometimes more rarely.
- It's a small town after all. - He pointed out.
- Indeed. - She agreed - But I still know nothin' about your and Rath's situation.
Vane explained as much as he could, but Ciann still did not understand everything. However, she decided to go with him to Alotus to find Rath, although it is about eight days of wandering. After three days, they arrived in Ust'lye, and then Vane's plan began. He asked some people, if they had seen Rath of the Asandam, an auburn-haired boy with an upside-down half-moon-shaped birthmark on his forehead. Of course, no one knew that boy, so Vane and Ciann headed to the west, to Crandar in the Belatoa Province. Mairi didn't know why it was so important to ask about Rath since Vane knew where he is and it was obvious, that he would avoid the cities, at most go through them at night, so that people couldn't see him. Everything she heard as an explanation from him was: "You will find out soon."
The dusk was approaching, so Vane decided to pitch a camp while there was still brightly. That was the second part of his plan. He ordered Ciann to go to bed, because he had to guard her and their things. Moreover, this was the third part. The fourth and final part fulfilled itself five hours later - a Rantesan assassin of the Pure Blood attacked him at midnight. It turned out, that one silencer is not enough to kill the second-level Kanos Seal mage, which Vane was, while the assassin possessed only the first-level Ssen Seal - but Vane wanted only to catch him and ask some questions. He gave him a moner brew, which had been prepared by Vane when Ciann went to bed. A moner potion in an even small amount causes something like intoxication; it makes people more susceptible to suggestions and less conscious, so it is quite helpful in interrogations. Vane asked why Rath is so important for them, why they want to kill him. The answer was rather obvious: "He is a foreigner. Only pure Rantesan can live on this world. The rest's place is Nerival. Now, kill me. I am your enemy." However, Vane told him to do one thing for him. He had to clean some tower out of all the monsters that lived there for years. The tower was located between Nales and Kerdon, in the southern-central part of the kingdom. It was the old fortress of Senani Quelaron - Vane's grandfather. It was so important for him to take it back, because Senani was the founder of his family and a great mage with third-level Quilal seal. He died during the battle under the Great Wall in 228 - royal chroniclers and historians had written it in annals and chronicles, but no one could be sure about that - there were no corpse - it was stolen or destroyed in the warfare - the chronicles tell, but there are many strange theories about what happened that day. However, when the assassin went to the tower, the potion, which he was forced to drink, stopped working and he became fully conscious. He left Senhar, as he didn't have to obey Vane's orders anymore. Ciann got up, but didn't participate in the combat. She preferred to stay in the tent and watch the fight being hidden at the same time. What she saw surpassed everything she had seen up until then. She knew that Vane must be a bit strong - he is not so stupid if he had dared to point people from school out their mistakes. She became afraid - or even terrified - of him, went back to the tent, sat and covered herself with a blanket waiting in fear for her former classmate. After sending his temporary servant to the tower, Vane came to Ciann and tried to calm her down and when she fell asleep, he got outside to guard the camp. This time, there weren't any secret agents, nationalistic assassins, paid murderers, ordinary thieves or any other criminals that may disturb them. Mairi woke up after five minutes and couldn't sleep for the rest of the night. She was thinking of Vane, his power, and that she wasn't so nice for him at school - he would undoubtedly attack her if an opportunity happens. However, he didn't want to kill her - she was the reason of his banishment, but someone else was responsible - Seeatean Chatar - and he was Vane's main target.
The Sun was rising, the dew was disappearing and the Astananis - cold nocturnal wind - started getting warmer - Naargand met a new morning. Ciann was a bit tired - she hadn't slept at all, but it was time to get up, pack things and continue the journey to Alotus. She carefully looked out of the tent and even more carefully got out. Vane was standing in the same place during the entire night and this bore Mairi's anxiety. At last, she asked:
- Were... were you here... the whole night? - Only her curiosity forced her to say anything.
- Yes. - He slowly turned to her - Don't be afraid of me. You are not the one I hate as you believed me and agreed to join me in order to find Rath. - This made her confused, but brought some positive feelings.
- Whom do you hate then? - She asked after a while.
- Guess.
- Chatar? - She inquired timidly after waiting some time.
- Correctly. - His famous composure and confidence was emanating from him.
- But aren't you goin' to kill him?
- I am. - He said.
Mairi became more confused, but one could sense satisfaction in her glance and mimic - she was not just a weak and heavy-hearted girl after all and didn't like Seeatean. They packed the camp and started to go. While wandering, Ciann remembered what she had noticed at night, and her curiosity was not decreasing, so another question was asked:
- Vane, I just recalled - why were you standing the whole night in the same place?
- Why are you asking?
- If I were you, I would be tired, at least bored for sure. - She still feared him, but confidence won again.
- If you have an Arunic seal - Quilal, Kanos, Vahira, Risri, Ssen, Oai, Salyn or Ayuz - you are connected to that element. My Kanos makes me feel good when wind surrounds me and the stronger it is, the better I feel. - Just saying this made him feel good, because for a moment he had someone to tell it.
- Aaah... I see. - She said being interested - But when did you get a seal? I believed that it's... eeeh... difficult.
- It is, but if you have determination, it becomes easier. Furthermore, if you grow up being treated worse than a victim of chauvinism, it becomes much easier - the hardest thing to do is a choice.
- What choice? - And again, she needed a while to answer with another question.
- The most important choice of every mage - you have to be sure about your element. You can only have one seal and cannot change it to another one.
- I also want to gain a seal. - She didn't know, why she said that.
- Do you know your destined Aruna?
- I think... eh... Fire! - As she said this, a great feeling of warmth and certainty seized her.
- Then find the nearest Ssen summoning stone and tell it your request.
- Do you know where it is?
- There - he pointed south-west with his finger - it isn't far from here. Go, if you want that.
- Aren't you goin' with me?
- It's your mission - it has to be accomplished by yourself only.
- I don't know if I want to, but I'll go. So long.
She headed to the Ssen stone, and Vane continued going to Alotus. Another person had just abandoned him.