Old "friends"

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Lowthor

Idea Man
[18:43] lowthor: Ranik's lightning bolt sent the three swordsmen flying, but then the mage they were guarding raised his staff and howled with laughter. "Did you think it would be this easy Ranik. Your rebellion will fall soon enough, especially without you." Then the mage hurled a bolt of energy at Ranik. He had only a moment to react, and his shield was not full raised when the spell struck. He knew that feeling, like falling upwards and sideways at the same time. Blind for a moment and every muscle aching for a split second. Then he could see again and he was far from home. Not a good place to be, especially with a Balor not twenty paces from him.
[18:43] lowthor: Ranik swore and drew on every drop of magical power at his disposal to try and planeshift. The citadel was normally the easiest place to get to, but with a Balor on his trail it wasn't worth the risk. Instead he tried to aim for a fairly deserted region not far from Gorandor. Freehaven was deserted since the disaster, so that would do. Only he didn't end up there, instead he appeared outside a temple of some sort. Elven by the looks of it, and with a symbol above the door that was worryingly familiar.
[18:43] lowthor: It took him a few minutes to realise where he'd seen it before, something to do with a Seer he knew. Afterall he spoke the language. It was something else though, why did he think of Juscarious and Emerald. Emerald, that was it, that tattoo. He entered the temple and laughed. "Emerald? Where are you?" He shouted, and drew glances from several worshippers.

[18:57] emerald_firegold: Emerald was watching her twins play in the field near their home when she felt the presence that entered one of her temples and heard his call. It would take a moment or two for her remember who this was, he knew her by name though so it had to be someone from the past. Most her followers did not call her by that old name. She sighed thinking this could not be good. If Ranik looked too the front of the temple he would see a statue with offerings around it. The face resembled Emerald but the clothing was flowing robes somethign she never wore when he knew her. The statue was carved perfected in wood, and even the temple even though indoors held still some of her elven roots. Not only elves followed her now though, humans and others as well.
[18:57] emerald_firegold: A woman approached Ranik, it wasn't Emerald, she was human but wearing the flowing robes. “This is a place of peace, good Sir. If you would like we have other room in the back for private mediation..†she offered hoping that he wouldn’t disturb the others. She wore a necklace the symbol that had been above the door hung from the necklace. Emerald back home stood and focused most of her attention on this one temple with its visitor.

[19:00] lowthor: "A place of peace? Well how things change Emerald." He said and nodded to the woman, "alright. I shall go there." He said. He realised he was still holding his sword from the fight earlier, and sheathed it. Then walked to the room. He closed the door behind him and looked around. "Very nice Emerald. Are you going to speak to me then?"

[19:07] emerald_firegold: The woman looked a little offended by his words and until he sheathed the sword she didn't move aside so he could walk past to where she had directed. Once the sword was in place she would step aside and follow him to the room. She remained beside the door for a moment even after he shut it. Then she left back to her duties. For a moment he would receive no answer. There were candles burning in the room letting off some smoke. The smoke would start to come together about eyelevel to him. Slow a face appeared, this was Emerald "What is it you wish to speak of? You are capable of coming to me if you wished." she said. Her voice was softer, almost calming...probaby not to him though.
 
"Beleive me Emerald. This is entirely a coincidence, although I suspect fate's hand in my life once more." Ranik said, and tried to magically get a feel for where Emerald was speaking from.

"Show me where you are, and we shall speak. I do not like this method of communication. Normally those who use it with me have assasins outside the door."
 
Though he wouldn’t be able to tell it from the smoke face she was giving him an amused look at his statement about this meeting being a coincidence. He would see the smile as he spoke of Fate. For a moment as he tried to sense her location the face would disappear from the smoke. She knew he was trying to find her and really wasn’t sure she wanted her children around for when he showed up. After all their last meeting hadn’t exactly been a friendly one. With him trying to destroy her in a circle of fire and all. At least that is the last meeting she remembered between them.

She heard his words and her face appeared back in the smoke. “I’m not fond of it either but for different reasons.†Her face disappeared again and more smoke swirled together until he would see a perfect picture of the field she was in, the picture however didn’t include her. Aside from seeing the place his magically probing would pick up on her exact location as she projected it to him. The smoke would slowly go back to its normal way of curling toward the ceiling. If he wanted to speak to her further he would have to come to the field, she would wait on him there. She was not worried about her children playing here. After all they had their own unique ways of protecting themselves. She had sent them on a hunt for something in the nearby forested area of her home, part of her was always keeping an eye on them though.
 
It took Ranik a moment or two to find the beginning of the path he needed to walk to find here. She was on a higher plane, fortunately she had shown him the way. Mortals rarely gain access to the gods' inner sanctums.

He built up several threads of magic power, and then used them to propell himself as he planeshifted to Emerald's domain. He hadn't changed that much since last they met. He'd accomplished alot, but he was still the same man to look at.

"Well then?"
 
[20:27] emerald_firegold: Emerald waited in the fields for her guest to arrive. When he did she regarded him closely, He still looked like the same man that had tried to destory her. She however had changed greatly. Her white robes were trimmed in silver thread, her blonde hair was longer reaching almost the ground, around her face it was braided and pulled back. Her eyes were green, full of life and peace, but also wisdom and knowing.
[20:29] emerald_firegold: She smiled lightly at his question "What has brought you to my doors, Ranik?" she asks softly. "Coincidence or not.." she did not believe this was coincidence, but her past experiences where what lead her to this idea.

[20:36] lowthor: "This morning I lead an attack on an Imperial shipyard. I faced one of the Emperor's battlemages, and he was able to planeshift me into the abyss. When I sought to return to my own plane, I somehow found that I stood before a temple with very familiar markings upon it."

[20:46] emerald_firegold: She listened to his story and even chuckled lightly at the end. "Didn't fance your time surrounded by demons and fire?" she asked there was a faint undertone of sarcasm in her voice but it was barely noticable "Finding my temple must have been a shock to you." the tattoo was still upon her forehead as it had always been, in the past she had tried to hide it but now there was no reason. "I must admit that it was unexpected to hear someone from my past calling my name from inside the temple."

[20:51] lowthor: "Perhaps the Balor that was taking too much notice of my presence would have fallen to the Bull Sword, but there would have been two others in but a moment." When Ranik mentioned the Bull Sword, his hand drifted uncounciously to the hilt of the blade, marked with the sybolic representation of Kivash.

[21:04] emerald_firegold: At his mention of the Balor she frowned lightly, it was hard having a son named after demons and even harder that he could be compared to one. She had noted his hands movement to the sword, for a moment it reminded her of the blade she use to carry. Smiling she nodded "Yes, you are correct." If Ranik looked around all he would see is the large field with blooming flowers and clear blue sky, to the left was the forested area but there was no house. "What are you battling Imperial Shipyards for?" she asked as turned to start walking motioning him to follow her.

[21:06] lowthor: "My people are at war. We fight to free ourselves from the chains we have borne since Kivash's fall." Ranik knew for certain that what he was standing on, was as much Emerald as the blode he was talking to. Thats how gods and the like work.
[21:08] lowthor: blonde^

[21:22] emerald_firegold: Her expression changed from a calm one to slightly unease as he spoke, for a moment she was silent "I have heard talk at the gatherings about it." she says lightly glancing to him. Ranik was surrounded by magical energy, not just hers but other energies that faded in and out. "I guess with your attention on that you have not visited any old friends."

[21:23] lowthor: "No. I am afraid that I have not. I am aware that the lands you and your former husband sought to conquer are at peace, for now."

[21:29] emerald_firegold: She paused in her steps as he mentioned Juscarius, nodding her head though she continued "The Great Mother saw to its healing, as well as mine." she said softly. "It was unfair to Kara to lose Gambriel that way. Especially since their twins were so small." she sighed and looked away across the flowers, a light breeze had started to blow and made the flowers sway. "Conquer is putting it lightly, though....we both know that."

[21:31] lowthor: "You appear to have changed, and he is dead, there is little point in going into the extent of what was intended." Ranik watched the breeze rippling over the plants. "Strange how your mood effects the weather here."

[21:38] emerald_firegold: She smiled "I have changed if you thought I was still the same person we wouldn't be talking right now...I just wish I could saw the same for some others." she raised a brow at his statement and looked around "Strange?" she asked as if she hadn't noticed. Her eyes trailed to the forest though for a moment. "You are correct that there is no point to going into detail....He paid with his life, unforunately so did your friend, and I paid..." she paused "in other ways" she finished her green eyes turning back to him.
[21:42] emerald_firegold: ^saw = say

[21:43] lowthor: "many payed with their lives in those dark days. I fear with the rise of Chaos in those lands that many more will in the years to come."

[21:51] emerald_firegold: She nodded "Seems you know a lot about a place you claim not to visit," she says lightly. "It will be different than what they faced with us, the Dark Mage, and Katrina." She stopped they were close to the forest now. "It will be a different generation....the children at least grew up in some peace before another battle for life."

[21:54] lowthor: "Some things are hard not to hear about. Scores of red skinned orcs cannot be hidden easily." Ranik slid his hands into his coat pockets. "So tell me about this religion of yours"
 
Emerald shot him a side glance as he spoke of orcs, the thought slipped past her mind to in list his help but it quickly faded. He had his own war and his time in the tribes land was perhaps over. “They are hard not to see as well,†she says. Her lips curled in a smile as he asked about her religion. “Why the interest Ranik? The only interest you showed toward me in the past was attacking. Now you want to make friends?†Her tone was almost teasing.
Her eyes left him for a moment to look into the forest as another breeze blew past them from the forest. As she stared into the forest mentally watching over her children she answered him. “Those that follow me have the sight or have the potential. With me those just coming into their abilities don’t have to be scared and misguided. Most of my followers are neutral or good by nature. Letting their visions show them the path to take, and with it hopefully helping others along the way as well. I provide balance and structure in their lives. The temple you came to was the first and has become a place of learning for the new followers.†She paused her green eyes coming back to him “To you I am Emerald with a dark past. To them I am Elven Seer,†she raised her fingers touching the symbol lightly on her forehead.
 
[21:51] lowthor: Ranik chuckled. "Vampires are my enemy, and they will remain so as long as they stalk the night. You are no longer my enemy because you are no longer one of them."

[22:05] emerald_firegold: She gave a slight smile at his words and nodded "Some of your friends were not so forgiving...then again I didn't curse your children." she remarks with a sigh. She looked to the sky in the distance and even Ranik would see the uneasy storm brewing. "This business of war weighs heavily at ever gathering. The next will be different though. I fear my name will be on the agenda." she says softly.

[22:06] lowthor: "People will fight in your name?"

[22:10] emerald_firegold: She didn't respond for a long moment "Perhaps....to the some of the others I broke a rule of my assending. Some parts of what is to come in the lands will be very much tied to my past....I could not let it come true...." she shrugged and looked at him again smiling "I should not worry you with such things...or speak of it...you have your own worries."

[22:12] lowthor: "That is true. We burnt three ships before my companions were forced to flee and I was cast into the Abyss, but the Empire's fleet can still carry enough Legions to destroy us." Ranik seemed deeply concerned by this.

[22:17] emerald_firegold: Just before she could say anything, the sound of something running through the forest came and within minutes two small children appeared from the forest "Mother we found it!" the girl exclaimed with delight and then quickly went slightly as the boy nudged her and both looked to Ranik. Emerald smiled at the two and took the flower that her daughter offered. "Thank you, now run along home.." she said lightly and ushered them away as they both still watched Ranik. "There aren't many of you left?" it was a question...she could have even seen but her choice was not to look. The children disappeared reluntantly into the forest again.

[22:21] lowthor: Ranik smiled to the children, they reminded him of Errin when she was younger, before she became the powerful sorceress wise beyond her few years. "The Gailan are not a large race. Only a few thousand fight for our freedom from the Empire. The empire has many hundreds and thousands more to send against us. We have the gift of Kivash on our side, but the great Bull God's magic cannot turn such odds to our favour alone."
 
Slowly she turned from the forest and looked back at him as he answered her and her children were now on their way home. Holding the flower she listened to his words. The flower her daughter handed her had bluish purple wide petals that layered on top of each other three times. She nodded her head at his reply, knowing that he was right. For a moment her eyes looked down at the flower and she seemed to become distant, she had heard the talk of his god and the war at the gatherings and she knew the others positions. She had not formed one of her own trying to remain neutral in the matters, but the future may soon make that impossible. One of the overlapping rows of petals slow closed up on itself, the second row half closed leaving the last row as the only one fully open. When she looked up again she would smile at him and hand him the flower. “Perhaps it is time for you to rekindle old friendships, Ranik,†the gentle smile and the look in her green eyes told him he should take the flower and that she had seen something she wasn’t saying here.
 
Ranik nodded and accepted the gft.. "Indeed." Ranik didn't press things any further, he suspected things would become clearer in times to come.

"Your children look well."
 
She nodded at his one word reply. “The temple you found is not far from the tribe lands, its people will return soon to remember their past there and the leader that gave his life for their safety.” She glanced to him and he would know she spoke of Gambriel.

Her lips curled into a soft smile at his mention of her children. “Yes…Innocent and protected from the world below, I only wish that it could remain so.” She shook her head and looked to the horizon again “Skye will return soon and you should probably be getting back to your people.”
 
"And my own children." Ranik said. "Can you use your power here to return me to the temple. From there I can resume my journey?"
 
She smiles lightly and then nods at his question. Leaning close to Ranik she touched her cheek to his “Until we meet again…enjoy the flower..” she says softly and then pulls away with a wave of her hand a portal opened into the room he had left earlier. “Safe Journey, Ranik.”
 
Ranik smiled and nodded. "Thank you. Hopefully it will not be so long until we speak again."

With that said, Ranik turned and stepped through the portal...
 
She watched him go and nodded to herself “Not long at all.” Smiling she glanced around the clearing she stood in and then disappeared from there and went to her home.

Ranik would enter the same room that he had left. The candles were burning low now. He would receive no resistance from the woman that had lead him here when he left but her eyes would follow him out of the temple.
 
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