Prologue:


This thread continues from where the Price of the Fall left off. I know Crispian put a lot of effort in on that thread, and inspired and fueled this character of mine, Arcalan. Hence I was unwilling to let the story die out completely, and so now begins the tale of a different event, in which I hope many will participate. This is just a short post to get me going, else I'll never get round to starting it.


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"Stare not too long into an Abyss; for if you do the Abyss stares also into you."

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The League Hall had known much rejoicing over the past few days, but little had been seen of Crispian. His workload in the expansion of the guild and it's constant maintenance had become mountainous. Between his own troubles and the absence of one of the Seneschals, Toorc, Crispian had been hard pushed to keep track of all that went on.

He sighed and looked up from his paperwork, to look at the filtering shards of light catching the dust in the room. He was shut up in a dark room when the sun blazed forth in it's glory outside. In truth he felt he was almost in hiding, for still much was outstanding between the cleric Tobyas and himself, since the curse that drove him into Toby's arms was lifted. He sighed again. No use this sitting about pondering things in a drak and musty room, better and healthier to takein the air, and pay visits on a few Guilds who he had neglected the friendship of in his past months. He rose and donned his cloak, sweepig out through the League Hall, and waving to his friends who were there this afternoon.


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That eve many in the League Hall were perplexed. A constant stream of sobbing could be heard from one of the upstairs rooms, and this strange noise was compounded by the heavy rumbling coming from outside.

Apolexi emerged into the Hall trundling her mini-pult along. The mad little contraption had already cost Asotrem a good deal of time and money fixing the roof and a broken door, and had earned Lexi a sound spanking for lying about the damage.

Dracarn, Marshall of the League sat by the fireside polishing a blade. He looked up on hearing the mini-pult's distinctive advance.

"What on earth is that thing doing inside here, Lexi?" he asked.

"Going to help 'Archy'.. she's upstairs sobbing in her room and I'm going to find out what she's doing."

Yardo the frair looked up from his tome and his ale to see what was going on.

"Why is she crying?" he asked them.

"Going to find out now" said Lexi loading a shot into the mini-pult "She won't let anyone in, so I'm going to make my own entrance"

The quick hands of Dracarn grabbed the shot out of place.

"ou'll do no such thing" he commanded her, and began to make his way up towards Arcalan's room. "Arcalan?" he inquired at her door "Arcalan?"


The sobbing stopped.

"Please.. please just <sob> let me be.. I'm so sorry.. I must speak to Crispian.." she replied in a shakey voice. Apolexi joined Dracarn and Yardo at the door.

"COme out Arcy" called Lexi, sliding her twin blades from her sides "I'll make it all better whatever upset you..."

"Please Arcalan" said Dracarn "Let us help you. Crispian isn't here right now, but as a MArshall I could perhaps.."

"No" came the voice "No I owe him this much.. <sob> I hurt him so much Drac<sob>arn... I hurt you all..."

"What are you talking about Arcalan? What happened?" asked Yardo, so concerned he mometarily sat down his ale.


A scratching noise was heard as Lexi carved a single line down the door with one of her jambyas "Aww Archy, come on out then.. one quick slash and I'll end your misery"

Yardo looked startled and Dracarn glared at her "Put those away right now!" he barked.

Lexi jammed a mithril blade into the door up to the hilt then pulled it out leaving a hole in it's stead.

"No!" yelled lexi defiantly turning to face him, weapons in a combat stance.

"I SAID NOW!" he retorted, and her arms dropped to her side.

"es sir" she said somewhat abashed. Her buttocks remebered what Dracarn's gauntlet felt like falling on them, and she didn't feel like another lesson about behaviour so soon. Her face redend, and she went downstairs to put away the mini-pult.

Dracarn could glimpse Arcalan through the hole, face down on the floor seemingly praying. She wore simple robes instead of her usual cloth armor.

"Arcalan, very well we'll let you be and pass your message on to Lord Crispian when he gets back. I hope though in time you'll grow to trust us enough to help though"

Muttered prayers and tears were his sole reply.


As Yardo began to retake his seat and say an arrow prayer for Arcalan, upstairs Arcalan rose and looked at the hole. That little brat would pay dearly... in time. She smiled at the thought. Now she'd just have to keep this up till she could speak with Lord Crispian, and set her plan in motion.


<<More later>>

<<knows what happens next and can't wait to read it >>


/bump

<tired of being manipulated in stories and sharpens his sword while pondering>


/nump

 

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<puts on his rubber glove and walks over to the Crispian Doll on his workbench... c'mere Sooty>

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It was nightfall when Azi awoke by the fire in the great hall. She shivered slightly, trying to recall when exactly she had come back. Her sudden sleeping fits were growing in frequency.


((Edit: See the RP thread "The Power")


Dracarn and tashtego were in the hall, talking over the war, women, and fine ale. Dracarn saw Azi awaken, but had not the heart to wake her sooner, assuming she was badly in need of rest after some testing battle.

Azi had indeed been through a lot. The Sorceress D'Vena had brutalised her mind in an attempt to gain control of her, and the battle with her physical body had been equally grueling. Still, all that had passed, and Dracarn was proud to see she remained as full of spirit as ever.

"Hail milady Azi" he said looking at her stifled yawn "Did you sleep well?"

She flushed a little in embarassment and nodded "Aye friend, very well thanks. How is everyone?" she asked.

"Ah'm well thank ye Azi" said Tashtego. He smiled broadly to her, but underneath his grin he worried for her constant spells of drowsiness. His natural gifts warned him all was not right with her, but in the flickering firelight that bathed the room he hid it well.

"Azi, how well do you know the lady Arcalan?" began Dracarn, his mind returning to her weeping earlier in the day.

"I know her well enough" said Azi with a tight curt smile. Arcalan had tortured Crispian and herself with rumours and lies, and had been a force of great unrest in the League. Azi recalled their early meeting when a rooter had charged her from behind, almost snapping her spine in two. As she was trampled into the dirt she swore she saw Arcalan smile, and the beats left that Cabalist untouched.

Dracarn missed or ignored the tension in the reply and continued his line of thought.

"Perhaps ye'd be good enough to have a word with her then? She's shut up in her room, and won't come down." He had poured himself a whiskey as he spoke, and raised it to savour the aroma. Flames danced behind the glass, making the amber liquid sparkle as though alive.

Azi looked a bit shocked, this was unusal for Arcalan "Certainly Dracarn, I'll see what I can do" she said, and the three of them proceeded upstairs. Dracarn knocked heavily on the door and then withdrew again to allow Azi and Tashtego to speak with her. He felt prehaps he'd intimidate Arcalan a bit, since she didn't know him so well.

"Lord Crispian?" Came a voice with a hint of a tremor in it, and a sniffiling noise.

"No Arcalan" said Azaeli as she leant in to the door "It's me, Azi"

"Oh Azi" came the reply "Oh Azi I'm so so sorry, I am so very sorry"

"Now lass yeh've nothing to be sorry for" chided tashtego gently "Come out and tell us what's the matter?"

"Oh Tashtego.. if only you knew... I've done terrible things.. terrible... I wasn't strong enough.. she was too powerful for me Tashtego..."


Azi grew more worried at this. "Can we come in Arcalan?" she inquired. The door opened a crack and revealed eyes rimmed red with hours of weeping, and a face tear stained but still beautiful to behold. Behind her a few candles gave light to the room, a fairly sparsely decorated room save for the banner hanging on one wall that stretched to the floor. It's design was ancient, and it was no doubt a memento of a hunting trip to some forgotten place. Arcalan opened the door yet wider to allow them entry. Tashtego slipped in behind Azi, saying not a word but sitting crosslegged on the floor once Azi was settled on the stool and Arc had returned to sitting on her bed.

"Now lass" he said to her in a soft voice "Whit's troubling ye so much?"

"Tashtego.. since before I met you I have been working for the downfall of the League. I have lied and opened sore wounds, I have hurt and slandered all of you who have been so good to me" her eyes brimmed again "I have been a monster, stabbing at you all for the kind love you have shown me.. I betrayed the League, and put you all in danger" She slid to the floor and buried her face in her hands crying inconsolably.


"What's this?!" exclaimed Tashtego "When and how Arc? Speak more!" Azi made a gesture towards her to touch her, to comfort this woman who had been the vilest enemy to Crispian and his friends. She withdrew her hand without bestowing a comforting touch.

"Oh Tashtego.. Lexi wanted to kill me earlier.. and so she should... I want only to see Crispian first.. I should have been stronger... I must see him.. only he knows what I feel.." Arcalan spoke in broken sentances and sobs punctuated her speech.

"When I have spoken to him I'll turn myself in to the King's Men"

Tashtego's anger and bewilderment died as his compassion and love stretched out to this poor wretch.

"Tell me whit has been done tae harm us lass, an accident, aye?" he began.

"Too weak" repeated Arcalan, hugging her knees and rocking to comfort herself, calm herself.


Azi could hold back no longer "I may know of what you speak Arcalan" Tashtego turned to look upon her wondering what she meant. "Do you speak of D'Vena?"

The name brought violent rocking and renewed tear threatend to flow. A tiny nodding was just barely perceptable from Arcalan.

"We all suffered Arcalan" Azi continued "It was you who sent that tome to me wasn't it?"

The magical grimoire of D'Vena had served as a trap to bring Azi into the heart of D'Vena's sanctum, ultimately resulting in the sorceress' botched assault on Azaeli's mind.

Again Arcalan nodded "I was too weak Azi. She was so compelling, so very very strong. I should have resisted her."

"Wait wait!" implored Tashtego "Did ye enter into a willing pact with the witch Arcalan?"

"NO!" Arcalan almost screamed. Fool, she thought, doesn't he get it? She reigned her emotions in again, she couldn't let anything slip here. "Tashtego no indeed, I fought her, fought as hard as I could every day" she stared into the middle distance, trying to picture what posession would have been like "I was a prisoner in my own body"

A flicker of recognition from Azi told Arcalan she had hit the right sentiment.


"Oh Arcalan" said Azi "Crispian will forgive you, I know that. We'll see what he has to say as Seneschal of course, but don't be rash. I too understand what you went through" and saying this she reached out to squeeze Arcalan's hand.

Azi nearly threw the hand away from herself in the backlash. A wave of icy evil flooded through her as she squeezed that slender hand, such as she'd felt the chill when she first met Arcalan. The face before her contorted, it seemd to Azi, into a mocking grimace of evil, and she quickly dropped her hold on her, shuddering obviously.

Tashtego looked from the poor girl on the floor to Azaeli and saw the shudder. "ah.. just a chill" explained Azi quickly, her mind racing.


Tashtego took up where Azi left off, and gripped Arc's hand in both of his. "e fought her Arc, and tha's whit's importan' here. Ye are made stronger fightin evil, and evil comes in many forms. I'm proud to hae ye in the League. We'll get ye through this Arcalan, believe me. Bein on yer ain isnae good fer ye, ye have to come among us, so's we kin help ye. No matter what comes from this ma Heart will always be with you. Will ye remeber that?"

She stared into his eyes and her pupils grew large. She filled her expression with gratitude. "Always" she said in a half whisper. "Tashtego, I cannot know what's to come of this, but if I live, I wish to know you better" she replied, touching his strong arm with her other hand "And no matter what, I thank you for these words, and the peace you have given me in this moment"

His broad smile showed it was a speech well recieved, but Azi looked distinctly uncomfortable. She rose to her feet and made to leave. "I must go downstairs Arcalan, perhaps you'll.. join us later" and with that Azaeli departed the room and went downstairs to find out how well Dracarn knew this woman.


Tashtego long stayed with Arcalan hearing her story of how she blackmailed her way into the League at D'Vena's command, and how she had sent the tome to Azaeli. She told him how she could not belong among such a proud and noble fellowship as the League, and of the agony of seeing the faces of those she betrayed smile upon her. Their love was misplaced, she had served them th role of an enemy, though they heaped kindness on her in return. Tashtego nodded and soothed her, told her how it was that the person she truely was had a home here, and of his pride in her spirit when it shone through in her charitable acts, which could not have been D'Vena's bidding.


Eventually the two came downstairs, having been convinced that company was better for one in her distress, and Arcalan waited for Crispian to arrive back.

As she sat waiting Phalos, Sorceror and now Marshall of the League entered. He was the major recruiter for the League, a man who had brought them many new faces and rejected many unsuitable ones. He was a good judge of character it was said by all, and so on his very first meeting with Arcalan he'd taken a dislike to her.

They had hunted together often, most notably in Cornwall against hunters and later Moor Boogeys. There she had mocked his ability, and when a tragic lapse of concentration ended in the death of Jashen and Phalos both, she chided him endlessly. It was fortunate that Tobyas had been able to bring them back, unless you looked at it from Arcalan's point of view.


As she met his disdainful gaze she quickly dropped her eyes. Would the deception fool him too? It remained to be seen. Azi had dropped into a light sleep in her chair, which afforded Arcalan her oppertunity to speak with Phalos quietly. Fortunately for her chance took a hand in the proceedings. A newly initiated woman by the name of Hecathia entered the Hall. Phalos immediately became agitated, for he had promised this woman shelter in the League against his better judgement. Secretly he had passed the word to many of his friends that if she commited the least of dubious actions word was to reach him as soon as possible so he could expell her. The woman was an infiltraitor of 9 seasons standing, but she gracefully swept through the hall as though she were a noblewoman in her own home.

"Greetings Hecathia" said Dracarn "I trust your interview with Marshall Phalos went well then?"

She looked at him with barely concealed contempt "That one" she nodded her head at Phalos "Talks too much. He's a very foolish man."

Dracarn rose to his feet. Cheek from lexi was one thing, but this refugee was quite another, and he'd have some respect. He placed his whiskey down on the side table and stared at her.

"MARSHALL Phalos is a highly ranking member of the League, and as such you WILL show him respect" A contest of wills was shaping up here as all could see.

"Hmm" sniffed Hecathia "Well if you'll excuse me I have actual important things to attend to" she sneered and turned to leave from the hall, wrapping her cloak around her as she left. Phalos was shaking with anger inside, but restrained outside as was befiting of his station. He barely looked up when Arcalan approached and said:

"Dear Phalos, sweet sorceror, I would like to.. to apologise for all the names and insults I have heaped on your good reputation. I am very sorry for the hurt I have caused you... everyone." she began to back away, unsure how long to spend speaking with this dangerously perceptive foe. Azi had already been slightly off-beat about her performance, and she didn't want her having an ally in her suspicions.

Phalos looked up into Arcalan's eyes. He held her gaze for a long moment, and then said simply "No need to apologise, from what I understand it wasn't your fault at all."

Arcalan made a genuine gesture of happiness, which seemingly tipped the scales in her favour. Phalos noted her acceptance of his forgiveness and was convinced the League would find it's pet viper turned into a worthy companion. The distraction of Hecathia had played to Arcalan's benefit.


Dracarn was over in the corner as Arcalan withdrew to the fireside to speak with Tashtego again. Something in the flash of Azi's eyes to Tashtego said "beware friend" to him, but he was too concerned for Arcalan's health to heed Azi's worries. She would naturally be wary of this former foe.


Azi sat down next to Dracarn, and as the League hall filled up with people returning from the hunt this eve Azi found time for a near-whispered conversation with Dracarn...


((OOC: passes Talking stick to Azi ))

/morning lift

 

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/bump just because Im going to work and cant post right now =P

Ilara left the guild hall quite satisfied with herself. She had found a place here... time, something she needed. The guards would never even guess of looking for her in such a prestigious order, and thus Silkhand's (Essyllt) attempted murderer would now find time to wait them out. Thanks to the trainers in the guild of shadows... her clerical trainings were now thrown out to the wayside. She learned new skills, and most importantly, how to disguise oneself and to look like another. She remembered back to that poor confused girl of Relic, Apolexia, and noticed that she was now a legendary smith... so the first thing she did was to steal away all her shields she had made the day before to sell. Now, she had funds to work with, and all the time she needed to act...

/bump till I can gather my notes to take the stick from azi =P

/bump, will have the next part posted by Monday afternoon, promise!