Vandashira leaned over a cauldron, cold eyes gazing into the bubbling
crimson liquid within as she gasped, eyes clouding over as she saw-for lack
of a better word-what had transpired at the Academy.
A paw clutched at her heart as she saw the battles, the violence as beasts died, her own powers as a seer sufficient enough for that. With a gasp, she drew back from the boiling crimson fluids, held in a large stone cauldron she always used when she wanted to 'see' something or simply appease her own religious aspects. When mixed with materials to make it almost corrosive, it became a deadly trump card as well when it boiled as such.
Argith was dead. Idiot, she thought angrily. He had been a poor choice as a mate. She hadn't been able to learn much else, though. Such were the tangled webs the powers of a seer wove.
Vanda's eyes flicked to a bundle near the cauldron by an altar and she sheathed an odd dagger at her belt, growling to two attendants, "Remove that thing, it's all used up. I need something fresher...younger. Likely more then one too..."
The attendants nodded and walked to the bundle. It was clear this unfortunate had been of large size when he still breathed; which hadn't been too long ago.
This game was ceasing in amusement, Vanda thought irritably. She only hoped Tazak and his group would prove capable of dealing with the problems.
One never knew how these power plays would end. Vanda swore to have Snowshadow's head at the end of this one though.
When Jald Nightson awoke we wondered where the hell he currently was. He lay in a rough bed, shirtless and bandaged in some places, his sword was gone as well.
"You're awake at last." He knew that voice.
"Eroket Nightblade." The emerald eyes focused upon amber ones as he saw the ermine sitting in a chair by his bedside. The ermine's paw flicked out, holding a dagger to Jald's neck.
"Don't even move, Jald. I don't trust you enough for that. You've done far too much for me to ever trust you."
Jald shrugged, not at all concerned by the ermine who could end his life with a quick motion of his paw, "I expected it anyways, Eroket Nightblade. I taught you well didn't I?"
"You taught me how to fight, that's all."
"True, true. So, you bound my wounds? And where's my sword?" He felt a bit ill as if he already knew the answer to the question.
"Me? Nope, I wouldn't waste any good healing on your sorry hide. When the battle was over and Argith was dead our friend Morik had you cared for. As for your sword, you broke it yourself when Argith was wielding it."
Jald's eyes widened and Eroket felt he may have been a bit too casual in giving that news, but Jald relaxed after a few minutes with a sigh. "It was probably for the best anyways. I'd rather see Serion's masterpieces destroyed then in the paws of beasts like Tarl Argith."
"There's more. We've found where Vandashira is located."
Jald grinned, "You always were efficient. So, where is it?" He knew the answer of course, but wanted to see if Eroket trusted him enough to tell him.
"Last time I checked, we were rivals and not allies on this hunt."
"Last time I checked, I was fighting on your side, kid. I'd prefer us as allies rather then enemies. Plus, if you're going to wherever the hell Vandashira is, you'll need my help. I'm damn good with any sword; you've seen that for yourself."
Eroket had indeed seen Jald's skills with most any kind of sword and couldn't refute his claims. However, the ermine didn't want the ferret along for obvious reasons of trust-or lack thereof. Boneflower was already convinced to invite that stoat guard Morik along and Eroket had accepted the aid of a creature known as the Masked One who had been left behind when Vanda's agents fled the Academy, a creature who seemed odd yet helpful and Eroket couldn't rightly turn down much help. Still, to accept Jald Nightson...
"What happened to that backstabbing traitor Davrag?" Jald spat the name out as if it were excrement.
"No clue. We haven't found him among the dead or among the living who fought with us. Add that to a good amount of missing soldiers and factor in Davrag was dressed as an Academy Master..."
"He's got a head start then, damn him! He left me to die and went ahead on the hunt probably thinking he could claim credit for me!"
"Smart guy," Eroket muttered, masking his own contempt for Davrag with sarcasm.
Jald threw the young ermine a glare and sat up, resting his back against the headboard, "Only another reason to bring me along. I'm a better fighter then Davrag plus he thinks I'm dead so I'll have the advantage on him."
"If you think you've convinced me with that, Jald Nightson..." Eroket's amber eyes narrowed, "You expect me to trust you? You murdered Kalis!"
"Yes, his death was my fault. I've regretted it for three years now."
"Why? That was the reason why we banished you, you know. I'd have thought you would have loved taking up with amoral mercenaries and killers on the streets."
"If your hatred for me really so deep, boy? Is it difficult for you to understand beasts can change?"
"Can Davrag Joris change?" Eroket retorted, "Because I honestly don't care if he can or not. I may when I've separated his head from his shoulders."
Jald smirked sardonically, "Let me guess: You challenged Davrag, he accepts, you fight, he kills you. Such a waste, do you not agree?"
"One on one with no tricks? Davrag would-"
"Davrag would cut you down! I've seen that stoat fight and he's twice the fighter and ten times the heartless killer you are! You think he'll ever play fair? Then you're an idiot. Did you play fair with General Visla or did you attack him from behind? Trust me, fair or unfair, Davrag would be more then a match for you."
"So, what are you suggesting now, Nightson?"
A smile flickered over Jald's face, "I was four times the fighter and ten times the heartless killer just three years ago. Get me a schianova and a longsword from the Academy and let me go with you; Davrag can keep the heartless killer bit, but I'll make you into a fighter better then he or I could ever dream of."
Eroket hesitated and rose to his feet, "I'll...talk it over with the others."
"You do that, kid. When this is over, I'll understand if you don't want to ever see me again."
"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it." Eroket replied. With a nod, he exited, leaving Jald to his thoughts and recovery.
Boneflower sat by Morik Ferin, watching the Masked One from across the room, "Kolma then?" The figured chuckled, "I wondered how long it'd take for one of them to find out where she was hiding.
"You make it sound like you knew already," Morik muttered.
The Masked One shrugged, "So what if I did? I didn't, mind you, but if I did, big deal. It's done and over with and I never saw either of you long enough to give out information. So, Morik Ferin, who will be the new Academy head?"
"Undecided. It certainly won't be me, my friend."
Boneflower sat back, not getting involved just yet. The Masked One shrugged, "Especially as you're going with us, correct?"
"Well, it's not decided-"
"O' course yer comin'," Boney interjected with a cheery chirp, wrapping an arm around Morik's shoulders. "We need the extra company!"
Morik swallowed and laughed a bit nervously, drawing a smirk from the Masked One that no others could see, "Indeed, Morik Ferin. Our trek would be long and boring without your articulation and interesting humor."
If he were not so certain the Masked One had no sense of humor, Morik would have thought he had just cracked a joke, "yeah, yeah...I'm more worried about what we'll do about Jald Nightson."
"He's coming with us." Eroket's voice rang through the room as he walked in, his amber eyes narrowed as if he despised the prospect, "We talked. He's almost healed anyways. He just requested a schianova and a longsword for the road. He offered to train me...to be a match for Davrag Joris." "That's good, right, Erry?" Boney smiled and Eroket sighed. "I'm not sure...so, you? Mask? Why are you helping us?"
"My master ordered me to assist you in disposing of Vandashira. They have been enemies for a very long time." He replied calmly, "Before I entered his service three years ago."
Eroket froze suddenly and to the surprise of all in the room he walked to the Masked One's quiver of arrows and ripped one from the bunch, revealing dark blue fletchings, "So...you weren't really sold as a slave then, were you?"
"Oh, I was. I was fortunate to be sold to one who didn't keep slaves and recognized a valuable agent and ally when he saw one." The Masked One smiled, "How did you know?"
"I only knew one other who ever fletched his arrows with this shade of blue. Compliments your eyes, hm?"
The Masked One laughed, the cold exterior seeming to fade into an almost boyish quality as he reached up to untie the strings of his mask. "I never could keep anything from you, Eroket."
The mask fell away, "It has been a very long time." Eroket nodded, even if Boenflower and Morik wouldn't recognize the face, he certainly did. "It has been too long. Nice to see you again, Deran Arakias.."
A paw clutched at her heart as she saw the battles, the violence as beasts died, her own powers as a seer sufficient enough for that. With a gasp, she drew back from the boiling crimson fluids, held in a large stone cauldron she always used when she wanted to 'see' something or simply appease her own religious aspects. When mixed with materials to make it almost corrosive, it became a deadly trump card as well when it boiled as such.
Argith was dead. Idiot, she thought angrily. He had been a poor choice as a mate. She hadn't been able to learn much else, though. Such were the tangled webs the powers of a seer wove.
Vanda's eyes flicked to a bundle near the cauldron by an altar and she sheathed an odd dagger at her belt, growling to two attendants, "Remove that thing, it's all used up. I need something fresher...younger. Likely more then one too..."
The attendants nodded and walked to the bundle. It was clear this unfortunate had been of large size when he still breathed; which hadn't been too long ago.
This game was ceasing in amusement, Vanda thought irritably. She only hoped Tazak and his group would prove capable of dealing with the problems.
One never knew how these power plays would end. Vanda swore to have Snowshadow's head at the end of this one though.
When Jald Nightson awoke we wondered where the hell he currently was. He lay in a rough bed, shirtless and bandaged in some places, his sword was gone as well.
"You're awake at last." He knew that voice.
"Eroket Nightblade." The emerald eyes focused upon amber ones as he saw the ermine sitting in a chair by his bedside. The ermine's paw flicked out, holding a dagger to Jald's neck.
"Don't even move, Jald. I don't trust you enough for that. You've done far too much for me to ever trust you."
Jald shrugged, not at all concerned by the ermine who could end his life with a quick motion of his paw, "I expected it anyways, Eroket Nightblade. I taught you well didn't I?"
"You taught me how to fight, that's all."
"True, true. So, you bound my wounds? And where's my sword?" He felt a bit ill as if he already knew the answer to the question.
"Me? Nope, I wouldn't waste any good healing on your sorry hide. When the battle was over and Argith was dead our friend Morik had you cared for. As for your sword, you broke it yourself when Argith was wielding it."
Jald's eyes widened and Eroket felt he may have been a bit too casual in giving that news, but Jald relaxed after a few minutes with a sigh. "It was probably for the best anyways. I'd rather see Serion's masterpieces destroyed then in the paws of beasts like Tarl Argith."
"There's more. We've found where Vandashira is located."
Jald grinned, "You always were efficient. So, where is it?" He knew the answer of course, but wanted to see if Eroket trusted him enough to tell him.
"Last time I checked, we were rivals and not allies on this hunt."
"Last time I checked, I was fighting on your side, kid. I'd prefer us as allies rather then enemies. Plus, if you're going to wherever the hell Vandashira is, you'll need my help. I'm damn good with any sword; you've seen that for yourself."
Eroket had indeed seen Jald's skills with most any kind of sword and couldn't refute his claims. However, the ermine didn't want the ferret along for obvious reasons of trust-or lack thereof. Boneflower was already convinced to invite that stoat guard Morik along and Eroket had accepted the aid of a creature known as the Masked One who had been left behind when Vanda's agents fled the Academy, a creature who seemed odd yet helpful and Eroket couldn't rightly turn down much help. Still, to accept Jald Nightson...
"What happened to that backstabbing traitor Davrag?" Jald spat the name out as if it were excrement.
"No clue. We haven't found him among the dead or among the living who fought with us. Add that to a good amount of missing soldiers and factor in Davrag was dressed as an Academy Master..."
"He's got a head start then, damn him! He left me to die and went ahead on the hunt probably thinking he could claim credit for me!"
"Smart guy," Eroket muttered, masking his own contempt for Davrag with sarcasm.
Jald threw the young ermine a glare and sat up, resting his back against the headboard, "Only another reason to bring me along. I'm a better fighter then Davrag plus he thinks I'm dead so I'll have the advantage on him."
"If you think you've convinced me with that, Jald Nightson..." Eroket's amber eyes narrowed, "You expect me to trust you? You murdered Kalis!"
"Yes, his death was my fault. I've regretted it for three years now."
"Why? That was the reason why we banished you, you know. I'd have thought you would have loved taking up with amoral mercenaries and killers on the streets."
"If your hatred for me really so deep, boy? Is it difficult for you to understand beasts can change?"
"Can Davrag Joris change?" Eroket retorted, "Because I honestly don't care if he can or not. I may when I've separated his head from his shoulders."
Jald smirked sardonically, "Let me guess: You challenged Davrag, he accepts, you fight, he kills you. Such a waste, do you not agree?"
"One on one with no tricks? Davrag would-"
"Davrag would cut you down! I've seen that stoat fight and he's twice the fighter and ten times the heartless killer you are! You think he'll ever play fair? Then you're an idiot. Did you play fair with General Visla or did you attack him from behind? Trust me, fair or unfair, Davrag would be more then a match for you."
"So, what are you suggesting now, Nightson?"
A smile flickered over Jald's face, "I was four times the fighter and ten times the heartless killer just three years ago. Get me a schianova and a longsword from the Academy and let me go with you; Davrag can keep the heartless killer bit, but I'll make you into a fighter better then he or I could ever dream of."
Eroket hesitated and rose to his feet, "I'll...talk it over with the others."
"You do that, kid. When this is over, I'll understand if you don't want to ever see me again."
"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it." Eroket replied. With a nod, he exited, leaving Jald to his thoughts and recovery.
Boneflower sat by Morik Ferin, watching the Masked One from across the room, "Kolma then?" The figured chuckled, "I wondered how long it'd take for one of them to find out where she was hiding.
"You make it sound like you knew already," Morik muttered.
The Masked One shrugged, "So what if I did? I didn't, mind you, but if I did, big deal. It's done and over with and I never saw either of you long enough to give out information. So, Morik Ferin, who will be the new Academy head?"
"Undecided. It certainly won't be me, my friend."
Boneflower sat back, not getting involved just yet. The Masked One shrugged, "Especially as you're going with us, correct?"
"Well, it's not decided-"
"O' course yer comin'," Boney interjected with a cheery chirp, wrapping an arm around Morik's shoulders. "We need the extra company!"
Morik swallowed and laughed a bit nervously, drawing a smirk from the Masked One that no others could see, "Indeed, Morik Ferin. Our trek would be long and boring without your articulation and interesting humor."
If he were not so certain the Masked One had no sense of humor, Morik would have thought he had just cracked a joke, "yeah, yeah...I'm more worried about what we'll do about Jald Nightson."
"He's coming with us." Eroket's voice rang through the room as he walked in, his amber eyes narrowed as if he despised the prospect, "We talked. He's almost healed anyways. He just requested a schianova and a longsword for the road. He offered to train me...to be a match for Davrag Joris." "That's good, right, Erry?" Boney smiled and Eroket sighed. "I'm not sure...so, you? Mask? Why are you helping us?"
"My master ordered me to assist you in disposing of Vandashira. They have been enemies for a very long time." He replied calmly, "Before I entered his service three years ago."
Eroket froze suddenly and to the surprise of all in the room he walked to the Masked One's quiver of arrows and ripped one from the bunch, revealing dark blue fletchings, "So...you weren't really sold as a slave then, were you?"
"Oh, I was. I was fortunate to be sold to one who didn't keep slaves and recognized a valuable agent and ally when he saw one." The Masked One smiled, "How did you know?"
"I only knew one other who ever fletched his arrows with this shade of blue. Compliments your eyes, hm?"
The Masked One laughed, the cold exterior seeming to fade into an almost boyish quality as he reached up to untie the strings of his mask. "I never could keep anything from you, Eroket."
The mask fell away, "It has been a very long time." Eroket nodded, even if Boenflower and Morik wouldn't recognize the face, he certainly did. "It has been too long. Nice to see you again, Deran Arakias.."