It was early yet. }{ open

[deraj]

It was early yet. The barkeep hadn’t yet cleaned up the mess from the night before when the mysterious young man stepped in through the open door, his scarlet cape blowing in the strong summer breeze. A storm was approaching.

“Looks like you could use more than a drink, son.” The old barkeep leaned his broom up against a wall and pulled out a stool for the sickly man. The mysterious stranger only nodded and sat down. Without an exchange of words, he poured the man a stout drink.

He gave the bartender a nod and downed it in one gulp. The old man raised his eyebrows and decided to leave the bottle out. “Want to talk about it?”

“I’m not sure it would help much. How much do I owe you?”

“Don’t worry about it. You look like you could use it more than I need the money…The name's Ron.”

The stranger lifted the bottle in a salute to his philanthropist, “If it were any other day I would have insisted but I thank you all the same, Ron.” He took a swig from the bottle, forgoing the glass. “Deraj, at your service.” There was a pause of understanding between the two.

“That’s one nasty storm brewing out there.” The old man gave out a sigh of aggravation. “The rain chases the strangest crowd in.”

Under his breath and with a hint of desperation, Deraj said, “That’s what I’m planning on.”

[Summerchika]

The town was quite a place, Ainutsa had to admit. She enjoyed how alive it was, but it was a little overwhelming. Having smelled the storm on its way and wishing for a bit of a break from the bustle of the town outside, Ainutsa decided to slip into a place that had seemed open for the public. At least, she had seen people enter it before, so she hoped it was open for her entry.

Trying the door uncertainly, she found it open so she cautiously entered the place. There were not many people inside, quite different from the streets she had left. She took a little calming breath and shut the door behind her. She had been to a place like this before, she thought, but she still did not have much of an idea on what its purpose was.

Her eyes a settled on the person seemingly in charge of the place who was talking to a quite impressive looking man. She caught a bit of their conversation with her Elven hearing; the older man seemed to be aggravated with the rain, and the other man wanted strange company. This was truly the odd place.

"You want strange company?" Ainutsa asked in honest interest and curiosity.

Biting her lip quickly to keep her mouth closed, she realized it was too late. Her mouth was too quick for her control sometimes. New experiences tended to loosen her control on her insane curiosity.

Still standing by the door, she waited for their reactions uncertainly, wondering if she had done something wrong by this town's standards.

[deraj]

"You want strange company?"

Deraj sat up and laughed in surprise. He turned and beheld the beautiful woman biting her lip as she hovered in the doorway. He smiled and waited as if in consideration before responding to the question she obviously regretted asking.

“Perhaps strange is the wrong word. Though, I imagine your company would be much more pleasant. Might I buy you a drink?”

[Summerchika]

When the man at the bar laughed and turned to look at her, Ainutsa waited with nervous bated breath, but the look in his eyes made her relax a little. At least it seemed she had not crossed any social lines.

At his words, Ainutsa smiled a little. He seemed nice. Her initial opinion of people almost never failed her, oddly enough. She took a step away from the door way before answering, taking another moment to consider him. Though he gave off a large and rather intimidating presence, he looked not too much older than she.

"I imagine my company would be both strange and pleasant." she said honestly. "Well, hopefully pleasant." she amended. The few people she had met thought her company pleasant, but she had not met many people. "And I imagine your company would be both interesting and pleasant as well."

Curious and satisfied for her safety, Ainutsa walked over to the bar where the impressive man was seated. She stood a little bit away from the bar, unsure as to what to do next. Should she sit? This place was a very different experience for her.

"A drink?" she asked, honestly curious and a bit confused. She had only had water before. You had to buy water here in town? Or did they have different drinks in town? Quite curious, she looked into the man's eyes for an answer.

[deraj]

He only smiled at her odd responses. Deraj was a little thrown off that already he enjoyed being around her. He was about to pull out the stool next to him and offer it to her but then she implied the idea of buying her a drink seemed foreign to her. He didn’t let his surprise change his expression this time, as he didn’t want to offend the young lady.

He merely smiled, gazed into her pretty green eyes and said, ”Upon giving it a second thought, you may not care for these kinds of drinks.”

She remained standing and Deraj began to realize that alcohol consumption might not be the only thing foreign to this striking young woman. He stood. “How about a walk to the park instead? It would be a shame to spend what is left of a nice day inside.” He looked out of a window. “The storm shouldn’t be here for a few hours yet.”

[Summerchika]

She would not care for these kind of drinks? What did that mean? She looked around, noticing the odd colored liquids in bottles behind the counter. She had never seen such things before, and she decided to trust the man on this matter. Something told her he was probably right, though Ainutsa was still curious as to what they would taste like.

When the man stood and offered to go for a walk outside instead, Ainutsa smiled. "That would be very nice." she replied sincerely, appreciating his thoughtfulness.

She thought she knew what the park looked like, having overheard a conversation between two small children beforehand. If it was outside, Ainutsa thought that she would very much like it, perhaps more than this place.

Following his gaze to the window and the very pretty pre-storm sky outside, Ainutsa analyzed the sky. Looking up at him, he was quite tall, she agreed with his observation of the sky. "The storm does not seem to be in a hurry." Even if the storm would be strong, it would not be in for a while. Either way, she was not worried. She had been through many storms in her lifetime.

Stepping backwards, she waited for him to lead the way, not knowing how to get the this park. Once again her curiosity had led her to a good person. She really would have to learn to trust her curiosity's urges.

[deraj]

Deraj was happy that she agreed to go to park. He had always enjoyed everything about those precious moments before a storm. Seeing her step back, he got the impression that she did not know the way so he took the lead.

Once out of doors, Deraj seemed more at ease. The dark of the tavern was not the best place for him right now. He had too much on his mind and the burden threatened to crush him body and soul. Of all the people to show up in that tavern, he wasn’t expecting this curious playful creature that now walked with him through the streets that were now mostly empty.

He had planned on recruiting some gullible adventurer or some half-witted sword for hire to help him on his next venture. He did not know what exactly awaited him in the mountains but the thought filled him with dread. He did not know the price of immortality but he was getting desperate. If he did not make it to that forbidden place soon…

He looked to the woman who walked beside him. “Forgive me. I’ve forgotten to introduce myself. I am Deraj.”

[Summerchika]

Following the man outside the dark place filled with the colorful liquids, Ainutsa walked beside him, enjoying the smell of the coming storm. The man beside her seemed to be more comfortable out under the sky.

Studying him discreetly, she noticed the way he walked. He had a noble set to his shoulders and he seemed older than what he appeared to be. She had seen the set of his shoulders before on many a traveler, though he was good at covering it; he was pressured for something. Time, perhaps?

It was not her place to pry, so she stayed silent until he turned to her and spoke. Smiling, she gave him her name in return. "I am Ainutsa. Thank you for keeping me company, Deraj." She tried out his name on her lips with a smile.

"I am excited to see this park." She added. This was true. She was not certain what it was, but she was excited to see it. The children had sure seemed excited to play their make-believe games there. "Is it beautiful?" she asked, wondering what it would be like.

[deraj]

“Thank you for joining me, Ainutsa. It is an honor to be accompanied by such a lovely elven woman. The park is very beautiful, though perhaps its gardens possess a different kind of beauty than that of the forest. Truth be told, I was surprised to meet you in the tavern. If I might be so bold, you don’t seem like the type of person to frequent such places. “

He tried to scan her face for a trace of some aside kindness and honest curiosity but found nothing. She was genuine through and through. He could not find any hint of malignity about her.

If only there was some fault about her I wouldn’t feel so bad trying to get her to come along with me tomorrow. I don’t want any more innocent blood on my hands. I can’t put this stranger in harms way... Calm down, Deraj. The day is yet young. I’m sure some vagrant will drift into that tavern later tonight during the peak of the storm, someone with no living ties to this world. Heck! You might even be doing that poor soul a favor. Perhaps you mistranslated that horrible old moldy text after all. Perhaps no one has to die. Perhaps the blood was just part of some metaphor. Perhaps they just go away happy with the treasure and you can bind your soul in peace.

Suddenly, Deraj was hit in the head with large rubber ball, which brought him back from his dark reverie. He shook his head and picked up the ball. A veritable army of small children rushed up to him. They never said a word but just looked up at him and smiled. “Oh, you want this?”

They all quickly nodded in unison.

Deraj gave a grin and went to hand it to a little girl but suddenly it turned into a flock of doves that flew high above the children. The birds circled in the sky, weaving in and out of one another, until they all collided upon a common point and exploded. However instead of feathers and blood, the children were showered with candy. The children merely stood there agape as they were pelted with sugary treats.

“Oh excuse me,” said Deraj to the little girl. “I think your ball is under your bonnet.” And sure enough, it was under her hat. The children broke into laughter as they scurried off with their ball and candy.

[Summerchika]

His assumption was correct; she had not been to a place like the tavern before. In fact, she had only been to the town a few times and had never ventured in doors. Today had been the first time she allowed her curiosity to take advantage of the weather and go inside. Apparently, it had been a place to which only certain people went.

"I thought to try something more different." she replied. "But perhaps it was too soon." Becoming more eager each day to experience the world outside her forest, she had not wanted to keep her explorations to the outdoors. The extent to her experiences indoors had been her grandmother's cabin when she was young.

Looking up to Deraj's face, she noticed him scanning her face then musing about something that made his face go dark. Did he look worried? Unsure, she watched him for a little, then was on the verge of asking if he was alright when a large round thing that she had seen children in town play with before hit Deraj in the head.

"Oh!" she exclaimed in surprise. She looked for its source and saw the children running and gathering around Deraj, their faces alight with smiles and mischievousness.

Watching Deraj's interaction with the children, Ainutsa smiled. He was quite patient, even doting with them. When the ball burst into a flock of doves, Ainutsa jumped in pleasant surprise. She looked up at their circling feathers, again surprised when they burst into candies that children loved.

Like the children, she gaped at the falling treasures. Had Deraj done that? Looking down to the girl whose ball was beneath her bonnet as Deraj had pointed out, she laughed lightly as they ran to play.

"Did you do that? That was absolutely a joy to see!" she exclaimed, a laugh still in her voice. She looked up at Deraj with a grin. "You are quite the man; I do not think that will be the last you see of those children. You have won their hearts for a long time yet." This she knew from experience; the children were not unlike the little creatures of her forest. Once fed, they kept showing their adorable faces, asking for more.

"How did you do that?" she asked. She had not seen things like that done openly in the public before. In fact, she was not sure she had seen things like that at all, excluding what her grandmother had done when she was alive.

[deraj]

Deraj laughed. “Thank you for the compliment. I’m afraid that was some of my handiwork. I’m glad you enjoyed it… though perhaps some explanation is in order.”

He gestured for them to follow in the direction of the children. “The park is just over there. Hopefully they will be content with their candy long enough for us to talk.”

[Summerchika]

Laughing, Ainutsa followed his gesture to begin walking toward where the children had run. "I would love to know how you accomplished that." she said, becoming more comfortable after seeing his kindness toward the children.

Her grandmother had never taught her that type of magic, assuming it had been magic Deraj had used. Her grandmother had said that there were other, more important things Ainutsa needed to learn before, as if she needed to be prepared for something. Ainutsa had always thought her grandmother just did not believe she could learn it, not being human like her grandmother had been.

Continuing her thoughts in a different direction, Ainutsa spoke while they walked toward the park. "I have only seen one other person do such things. Is it uncommon?" she asked, her curiosity winning over her control again. "Oh, I am sorry, I should wait until you explain." she realized, putting more effort into controlling her curiosity.

[deraj]

Deraj only laughed. “No, no that is alright. It is as good as a place to start as any I suppose. It is really a relief to see someone with an honest desire to know. There’s hope for the next generation yet. To answer your question, it isn’t too terribly common nowadays or at least what I would actually acknowledge as real magic. There are plenty of mountebanks and crooks out there but once in a while you will come across someone who knows the arts.”

They had come to a large wooden gazebo that appeared to have been neglected in the recent months. It was covered in honeysuckle and other flowering vines.

“Here, this should be a nice place to sit and talk.” And with a wave of his hands, the ivy parted of its own accord and they walked in. Once inside, Deraj nodded to the ivy and it fell back into place. He giggled. “Perhaps the children won’t know where to find us when they run out of candy.”

A strong warm gust blew through the gazebo, releasing the heavenly aroma of the honeysuckle.

[Summerchika]

Next generation? Was she that much younger than he? Either way, she was glad for his open and kind demeanor. She felt herself relax, which really was not so good. When she relaxed, her curiosity had much more of a free reign than it should.

Magic was uncommon. Then where had her grandmother learned it, she wondered. Her thought was cut short as they came to a large structure made of wood that had become ensnared by the nature around it. It was a beautiful sight to behold.

Deraj waved his hand and the vines opened for them. Her mouth slightly open in surprise, she became excited as they walked inside. She felt that another puzzle piece of her past was to be put into place. It was a long shot and quite a coincidence for her to find it here, but she felt the hope nonetheless.

Laughing at Deraj's notion, she looked through the vines in search for the children. As a strong, comforting air blew through the gazebo, moving Ainutsa's hair into her face, she turned to face where it was coming from. The smell that the wind released from the vines surrounding them made her eyes close in pleasure.

"You are correct." Ainutsa spoke, her eyes still closed. "This park is very beautiful."

Opening her eyes, she turned to face Deraj, a smile still on her face. "The vines, they moved for you." she stated. "How?" she asked softly, very curious. She knew how she had been taught, but she wondered if there was more than one way. Realizing she may have soundd rude, she added quickly, "If you do not mind me asking."

[deraj]

He was glad to see that she seemed to be enjoying this place as much as he was and he laughed at her surplus of curiosity. He began to play with a flower, still on the vine, with his magic as he spoke.

“The precise details may be a little messy to get into right now but basically it works like this. Once one is truly in tune with that which is, one can influence and manipulate reality howsoever one wills. You become master of reality in a sense… but that ownership goes both ways.”

Deraj’s demeanor again grew grave and deathly serious. He continued as if he were not talking to the beautiful Ainutsa at his side but as if to himself. He spoke as if he were looking back upon his life and were fighting back wave after wave of regret. “You must have that respect or else it will consume you.” Just as he finished these words, the flower caught fire and though the tiny inferno raged on, the flower clearly remained unharmed.

“Some foolish souls choose to make deals with eldritch creatures to gain their so-called power but that never ends well. That power is ephemeral. They never truly own it. For a while the entity with the real power goes through the motions and leads the magician to think that he is in control but as soon as the infernal thing has what it wants, that would be magician typically doesn’t last long.” He clenched his fist and the fire went out and the flower was still as magnificent as it was before he ever worked his magic upon it.

He looked to Ainutsa and smiled, once again the amiable magician who enchants rubber balls for the amusement of children. “I must confess though, in all my days I have never seen or actually spoken with an elven mage. I am not sure how it might work for your people. Was this other mage you mentioned also an elf?”