The Immortality of Agony [Strider]

[Dark Strider]

Lloyd's night had been filled with a combination of meditating, mental training, and casting wards around himself and Lorelei. His kind of magic was particular in this realm, it's essence very unlike that of the kind practiced here, so the touch of his work should go unnoticed in this realm. There were only a distinct few that would probably be able to sense his kind of magic in the world, and luckily for Lloyd, they were on his side.

The night passed without conflict, and the sun rose through a veil of low clouds the next morning. There was a distinct chill to the morning air, as Lloyd stood and allowed his body to stretch from their meditative posture. It wasn't long before Lloyd was out of the room, down the stairs and out into the cool morning air. The streets were quite, lit with the dim early morning light that hangs through fog. Few people were out this early, but there were those dedicated few who went about doing their jobs, guards, merchants, and the various builders and laborers going about to start their days.

To Lloyd, though it was a nice morning, it also meant that he had to be on the constant watch for people behind him, as well as before him, those who knew Lorelei by either reputation or by face, as well as those thinking that he was a mage himself, traveling with Lorelei to whatever conceived destination that people may think of. Placing a reassuring hand on the hilt of his sword, Lloyd turned and moved back into the inn slowly, not wanting to make his emergence and reentry to the building seem rash.

All Lloyd would need now was for Lorelei to awaken and for her to gather her needed things before the two would begin on their venture.

~

When she did join him in the lobby, Lloyd would nod to show a sign of greetings and then move towards the door. He stopped only briefly to hand a small sack of coins to the innkeeper and to give him his word of thanks before walking through the heavy oak door and back into the swirling fog. The fog outside had deepened when he ventured out, something that he noted carefully.

Taking a few short steps, Lloyd looked about for anyone within earshot. Satisfied that no one was around, he cast a quick spell to see if anyone was Scrying the two. With that telling him no one was watching, Lloyd turned and faced Lorelei.

"We are heading towards the city of Lindlem, to the south. It is below the mountains, perhaps four days journey from here. There, we shall meet up with a compatriot of mine where we will receive more information concerning our mirrored goal." Lloyd explained quickly, trusting that Lorelei would understand the need for haste. " I shall open a portal for us to use outside of the city, a day's journey from here. There is a place where the magics are attuned to the currents of energies of this realm, and that is where I will be able to open the portal. But for now, we must hurry. Come, we must begin." He said, finishing his instruction of the needed procedure.

Hopefully, things would allow the two to move forward, for Lloyd spared no time in waiting for a response from Lorelei. Turning quickly, his battle-worn mantle swirling around him, Lloyd began to walk at a brisk pace towards the main gates of the city, intent on getting outside of bow-shot with all possible haste.

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Hey, no problem ^_^. Unfortunately, I didn't have a whole lot of muse for this post. Sorry if it's a little... wanting, haha. Just let me know if you want me to move the two along, or if you want to. I'd be more then happy to go back and work on the post as well if you'd like. Let me know.

[Felypsa]

They skipped breakfast, presumably going to eat on the road. That was fine with Lorelei, who did not want to waste another second longer than was necessary. She followed Lloyd out of the inn and listened as he explained what their destination was. Lindlem. She knew of it, had passed through it before, though not in many years. It seemed that Lloyd knew someone there who could get them information, and Lorelei raised both her eyebrows. When did he get a chance to set up this meeting?

He explained that they would be traveling by portal, but that they would need to get to a place where it was possible for him to do so. That meant a day’s journey, at least. Considering that these portals granted instantaneous travel afterward, they were still shaving three days’ time off of what it would have been otherwise—and who knew what other manner of risks and delays they would have encountered during that time. It seemed like a good deal to Lorelei, and she nodded confirmation before falling in step behind him.

As they headed back toward the main gates of Ebernum, neither spoke, each lost in their own set of contemplation. Lorelei’s urgency matched Lloyd’s, albeit for a different reason. He didn’t trust this city and wanted to be clear of it; Lorelei, meanwhile, was simply anxious to keep moving. The rumors that she’d heard from Tobin didn’t make her afraid for herself—they were leaving Ebernum, after all, which was what any mage hater would want—but it added another layer of worry for what might be happening to Misty.

Happily, they were able to stroll out of the gates without much difficulty at all, and Lorelei took a deep breath of the fresh air. It was almost strange to her how much she’d missed traveling, and how claustrophobic cities seemed to her now. Even Ebernum, which was one of the most beautiful and sophisticated cities she had ever known. She kept pace with Lloyd, her gait one of brisk confidence. She was deeply curious about her unusual companion, and what his stake in all this really was, but she could also tell that he wasn’t the sort of person who would just be open about himself if she asked.

Instead, she asked, “Is there any chance that Ludivich might know you’re trying to find him?” Again, she knew so little about Lloyd’s reasons for this—their interests were in align for now, but what if there came to be a crossroads? And she was at a disadvantage, because Lloyd knew the full reason why she was doing this. But if there came to be a point where he would have to sacrifice her goal—rescuing her daughter—in order to accomplish his…Lorelei needed to be prepared for that possibility.

A bird cawed overhead, and Lorelei glanced up, noting that it was a black bird. Her eyes narrowed in suspicion—it had been a black bird that had tried to take her flute-amulet from her, causing her to fall. It could be that such a bird was only attracted to the shiny quality of her magic talisman, but…she kept a wary eye on it, even as it fluttered away, off on its own direction.

“We should watch out for birds,” she murmured, half to herself, half to Lloyd.

oOc| ughhh so laaate. I'm sorry for the delay. I hope this gives you enough to work with D:

[Dark Strider]

Lloyd's attention turned immediately to the bird that Lorelei was indicating. A crow, or some other similarly colored bird. Nothing out of the ordinary, but Lloyd was far more inclined to take note of something that seemed perturbing and act upon it. Reaching out a hand, Lloyd formed a quick incantation with his opposite hand. Surrounding the bird, there formed a black cage-looking barrier. The bird, reacting to the sudden appearance of the black as night cage, squawked and crowed loudly, flapping its wings, but to no avail.

The cage floated quickly down to Lloyd's outstretched hand. Once it made contact with his gauntleted hand, Lloyd pulled it close to him, studying the creature carefully. Turning the cage over several times, each time weaving intricate spells to study the creature, Lloyd looked with intrigue at the creature. Muttering to himself, Lloyd finally released the crazed bird back into the sky, it flying off quickly in a eastern direction.

“ There is no cause for alarm at the moment, though it was indeed solid thinking to be wary of creatures under the influence of those who might be against us.” Lloyd said, nodding his head in a short acknowledgment of gratitude. “We should continue on.” Lloyd said before turning, once again, towards the road, and moving with a brisk pace.

~

It was several hours later, perhaps five miles from the city, and the land had sloped away to rolling hills and open grasslands, touched with brown and green, the tell-tale signs of life returning to the land. The sun had almost sunk completely below the horizon, only the half blazing orb remained in the sky, casting red and orange streaks of light dancing across the clouds. The air was warmer in the lower elevation, not nearly as crisp or catching as that of the mountain region. Lloyd, having called a halt on the trek, was settled upon a stump before a campfire that he had erected. A neatly placed tent and tarp had been set up for Lorelei, Lloyd finding no need to set one up for himself.

He went about his work quickly, checking the edge of his sword and his armor for chinks in the mail or dents. Once satisfied, he stood and went about the small encampment, weaving different wards that would deter those who sought to harm the two. Spells to shield the two from sight on multiple levels, runes to stop projectiles, and even those to prevent their scent to be carried by the wind. Isolation by magic, but preservation by it as well. Years of training had allowed Lloyd to project these protective measures, and years of training still, taught him that there was always no guarantee that these would stop someone who was versed in the same stitch of magic that Lloyd was. Though it was doubtful, Lloyd couldn't be completely sure that there were those out there who could shield themselves like he could to others.

“I have placed enough wards around our camp to protect us from anything of the night. I will take up the watch. I suggest that you rest for our journey, as we will be heading out in the morning.” Lloyd said, returning to the stump near the fire. “Should you require anything, there is need only to ask.”

And with that, Lloyd positioned himself in a meditative pose and began to focus on the flows of magic around him.

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Sorry for both the lateness of the response and the lack of ideas in it. Lost the muse as I was writing it! ^_^;

[Felypsa]

Lorelei had not been expecting Lloyd to capture the bird with more intriguing magic, but it seemed that she was right about one thing—he was full of surprises. She regarded the caged bird with wariness as he dragged the creature down from the sky and began to spin spells around it. The magic was so quick and foreign that Lorelei could barely follow what he was doing, but she gathered that he was investigating her claim. Eventually, he released it, and she turned to watch it fly away.

“Solid thinking? More like paranoia,” Lorelei said quietly. “I will be suspicious of even the trees until my daughter is safe in my arms again.” But she accepted Lloyd’s reassurance that they had nothing to worry about at present, at least with regards to the bird. Glancing around her once again, she followed her companion.

~

They walked most of the day, resting only when absolutely necessary. It was a slightly more grueling pace than Lorelei was used to—not that she would complain about it, since it was of the utmost importance that they travel as quickly as possible. Everything about this quest was more grueling than she was used to. She almost wished they didn’t have to stop for the night, though her feet smarted from overuse.

Lloyd had set up camp for her, a single tent that caused Lorelei to furrow her brows (were they expected to share it?) until he explained. The wards that he began to cast were more recognizable to her, though she marveled at the fact that Lloyd had enough energy and reserves to be able to sustain so many. Even when Lorelei had been at the height of her prowess, she would have been hard-pressed to keep up such complicated layered spells for an entire night.

The mystery of who, exactly, she had fallen in with deepened.

Even though Lloyd looked to be her age or even younger, Lorelei suspected that he was, in reality, much older. It wasn’t just his magical abilities, though that was a large part of it—it was the way he carried himself, the way he did everything with such effortless confidence, without coming off as headstrong or arrogant. Experience and calm wisdom rolled off of him in waves. She wondered if she would ever get any satisfactory answers from him.

He was not a man of many words—they had mostly traveled in silence all day, speaking to each other when it was necessary—so Lorelei suspected he would remain a stranger to her. As long as he was a stranger who was trustworthy, who helped her achieve her goal, though, she would accept this.

After he sat down to meditate, Lorelei reached into her supplies to eat a cold supper of bread and fruit. She was not much of a hunter, though had they been near a water source, she probably would have tried her luck at fishing. But she had been used to such simple fare for many years, so this did not bother her. While she was eating, though, she began to notice a rather odd anomaly.

Fog was gathering around their camp, which was not strange by itself…but the way it was quickly thickening was. As well as the fact that it seemed to be stopped by an invisible barrier—pooling heavily against Lloyd’s shields. Lorelei frowned. If this were a natural fog, it shouldn’t be stopped by magic…

The mist began to thicken further, and in one spot in particular, began to take shape. A figure. A female figure…

Lorelei stood up immediately and strode as close to the anomaly as she dared. As much as her heart was pounding with hope, she knew better than to breach the wards that Lloyd had carefully placed. She kept her distance, but her gaze was fixed on the figure as the fog continue to swirl and form, sharpening in detail. Pale misty arms reached out to brace against the shield, as though pressing up against a window; pale grey eyes split open on the face, and a mouth too.

Lorelei didn’t speak, fearing that the one word on the tip of her tongue was premature. How sad was it that she would not even recognize her daughter’s face? She had not seen her since she was a child, but she had since blossomed into a young woman…

The illusion, however, opened its mouth and spoke. “Mother…if that is really you…”

Lorelei’s breath caught in her throat, her heart stopped. “Misty?” she choked.

The fog-figure’s eyes opened wider. “I can’t stay—I just wanted to say—follow the trail of ash. But don’t get burned.” She pressed her nose against the ward and smiled brightly. “I knew you were alive. I knew it. Stars above, I can’t wait to see you for real. We have so much to catch up on! But be careful. Please.”

Lorelei was recovering from the shock and reached out to try to touch the misty messenger. “Misty, you precious girl—how are you doing this? What trail of ash am I following?” Please, don’t disappear.

“Magic!” her daughter exclaimed, grinning widely. “And I can’t say any more than that—I’ve got to go, before…” She looked over her shoulder and then instantly dissipated. The fog curled away from the ward, and within seconds, the area was clear again. Lorelei was left standing, staring at nothing.

After a long moment, she spoke, knowing that Lloyd would have borne witness to the entire exchange. “Well? What do you think?” Her voice was flat, emotionless, trying to hide the storm of feelings clashing in her heart.

[Dark Strider]

To say that Lloyd was upset at the sudden apparition of a woman was an understatement. The added fact that she knew generally where they were, or Lorelei for that matter, told Lloyd that someone or something that was akin to his kind of magic was about. That made him worry slightly more. So, a being of a realm akin to mine is about. Interesting... Lloyd thought to himself.

He followed the conversation, keeping to himself and trying to remain as passive as he could, never opening his eyes from his meditation. All the while, Lloyd pressed outwards, searching for a sign of someone or something that was sensing their presence. Unfortunately, he was called upon before he could complete his search by the disappearance of the woman, and Lorelei's question.

"I am none a follower of chance happenings. Whatever that was happened for a reason, whether it be ill or well." Lloyd said, holding no emotion himself. "The end, however, speaks much more than common happenstance. Should that be your daughter, someone or something is watching over her vigilantly. I do not know of this being, yet. But, I will discover the ends to these means."

It was at this time that Lloyd opened his eyes and looked directly at Lorelei.

"Know this. I will keep my end of our bargain and should harm of any sort come to your daughter, there will be no recompense that our adversaries shall receive. It is late, however, and the road is long before us. Sleep, if you are able, for we are to strike out early tomorrow. We shall be meeting an ally along the road, and we will move at a faster pace than before." He said, before returning to a meditative pose and closing his eyes.

Whether the information to the both of them sat well in her mind or not, Lloyd knew that Lorelei would find little sleep that night. Just as well, the sudden appearance of the girl put Lloyd in a speculative state of mind. There were select few that were akin to his type of magic that could trace others through his. His magic was made to cut through other types and to silence others from either finding or harming those under his influence. Only those that lay of the same dedication of magic would find some kind of success against his, and even then little gain. This would take up the thoughts of Lloyd's night and into the early hours of the next day.

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Sorry this is so late and so short! Had a spark of the moment idea as to where I could go with it, but it began to vanish as I wrote. Hopefully this gives you something to work with!