In search of memories

[Lethe]

The fiery green orbs darted from left to right as he took in his surroundings. It looked like an impressive city, no one right in the mind could ever doubt that. The city wall looked as thick and powerful as that of a castle. In the distance he spotted a majestic spire that seemed to try and reach the heavens, which he figured belonged to a church of some sort.

Getting closer did nothing to diminish how impressive the city looked. The guards looked attentive and, as far as he could judge, well trained. They held their weapons with confidence at the very least which was more then he could say about the little backwater village he visited before.

So this is Tamasha… No doubt he had been here before. Everyone that traveled a lot had been in Tamasha at least once. But neither his gaping memory nor his journal held any clues about previous visits. Walking up to the gate, the guards crossed their spears, barring his passage.

Removing his wide rimmed hat, he shot them a disarming smile. After a short round of questions they let him pass. Bidding the guards a good day, he put his hat back on and stepped through the gates.

-The smell of freshly baked bread making his mouth water. The cool air of a morning brushing against his face. Children rushing past him, each of them holding food. A man chasing them, shouting, ordering them to stop and return his wares.-

The memory hit him like a brick. Stopping midstride, he clutched his forehead and stumbled a bit. Groaning he pulled himself together and shook it off. An old memory rushing back like that was both a blessing and a curse. It was good, as it meant there was yet another memory that his mind was hiding from him due to the backlash back then.

It was bad because it always left him dizzy and dazed for a little. And as usual, all this did was confirm he had been here before. It did little to help him on his quest. Shaking his head, he continued on his way.

First things first. He’d need to find something to eat and a place to stay. After that, he could explore the city and hope he would find something that would either provide another clue or trigger another, hopefully more useful, repressed memory.

[Vexxus]

Pushing her way through the crowd, now used to the menagerie of people, Vexxus pulled her hood down over her head more. Those who knew her very well could recognize her simply by the sapphire blue velvet of her cloak, but others couldn't see enough of her face to bother stopping her to talk.

She was here for one reason, to find and repossess the item that had been stolen: a necklace made of rare gems and pure platinum. The owner had already paid her, knowing her notoriety for reclaiming items, identifying people, and even hunting them down, on occasion.

In the part of the city where the thief was most likely to be, Vexxus stepped into a nearby alley and faded into the shadow realm. Here she could go unnoticed, as well as being able to read people's emotions better through their aura. Stepping back into the crowd, she scanned, and quickly saw the man. He was nervous, though not outwardly. Moving closer, before she apprehended him, she checked, making sure he had possession of the necklace. Sure enough, she caught glimpse of a shining gem as she peeked under the flap of his satchel. Darting back into a nearby corridor, she returned to the real world, shaking off the temporary daze.

Pushing back her hood, she stepped out in front of the man, into his path of travel, and spoke.

"Give me the necklace." She was firm, but spoke in a normal volume. The man flashed a look of horror, and tried to flee. It wasn't moments later, and Vexxus had her runeblade at his throat. "The necklace, please." She asked again, in the same tone. The man, breathing fast and shallow, promptly reached into his bag and handed her the necklace.

"Thank you. If you steal anything again, I'll have to repeat this. Now go." She said, as she took it from him, and returned her weapon to it's place on her belt, under her cloak. The thief scurried off, almost tripping over himself as he went.

As Vexxus tucked the necklace away safely, a flash of green caught her eye. She met the gaze of two jade orbs peering out from under a wide-brim hat.

[Lethe]

Lethe had stopped to watch a stranger cloaked in sapphire blue dart into a nearby alley, only to return moments later. Although he had to admit, the stranger wasn't really, there. It was like he, or she of course, was traveling in a different plane of existence, parallel to this one. It piqued his interest so he decided to follow this stranger for a bit. And so he did.

The shadowy stranger seemed to be looking for something and thus Lethe's eyes started to dart from left to right to see if he could spot anything unusual. Well, other then the stranger he was following. He almost missed him, or her, darting into yet another alley, though he recognized the woman the moment she stepped out again.

She looked rather pale, though he of course was not allowed to judge being quite pale as well. Too far away to accurately see and hear what was going as she confronted a man, he did notice she pulled a blade on the man and took something from him. As she tucked away something in her cloak, her gaze met his.

The soft green orbs took a friendly and soft forest green color, burning a little brighter as if they conveyed a friendly smile. Looking into the womans eyes, he tried to assess her personality and nodded. This woman did not have the eyes of a thief. Grabbing the rim of his hat he tipped it in a friendly greeting.

"Greetings my lady." He started off politely. His voice sounding friendly and pleasant, in stark contrast with the demonic aura he gave off. "That was quite an interesting trick you did there. Not many would be able to spot you I'd wager. Oh, where are my manners..." Extending a hand, the glowing orbs changed to small arches, making him look like a glowing smiley face. Their color was warm and inviting. "I go by Lethe, might I have the honor of knowing your name?"

[Vexxus]

As he addressed her, she was cautious, but not afraid, as there was an air of warmth behind his darker outer appearance. He mentioned her "trick", and introduced himself as Lethe.

Returning his gesture, she shook his hand firmly but with all the grace of a summer breeze. Her smile revealed many sharp, stark white, but hauntingly perfect teeth, as she spoke. "Vexxusaria," She used the more formal version of her name, thinking it appropriate as he had addressed her fairly formally. "Most call me Vexx, or Vexxus." She added, so as not to seem too regal.

After introducing herself, she returned to the topic he had opened with. "What trick were you referring to?" She asked, wondering if he really meant what she thought he did. She was also curious about the intriguing green orbs that had been so peculiarly welcoming. He appeared to be some type of mage, with all of his garb, complete with a sturdy wooden staff. He did not look old or senile, so she knew the staff was not likely for the use of supporting his weight.

He appeared lean and strong, and young, by his voice and actions. Vexxus had not paid attention to this particular person while she was in shadow realm, and now secretly longed to know what he was like under all of his concealing clothing.

[Lethe]

He noted she gave a firm hand. He liked that. It always bugged him when people did not use a firm hand when shaking hands. It made him feel like they were afraid to touch him or something. Nodding at her name the glowing orbs indicated another smile. "While a beautiful name, Vexxusaria is quite a mouthful indeed."

Beckoning her to follow him, he started meandering through the city. "Well then, Vexxus, the 'trick' I was referring to was, of course, how you moved across a plane parallel to this one. Not many people can do that. Especially while still looking on this plane."

Looking up at the sky, he chuckled. "Then again, you do not seem entirely human." As he said that, he raised a hand in a reassuring gesture. "Oh don't worry. I have nothing against non humans. As far as I remember anyway. ...Remembering can be a little hard for me at times..."

The glowing orbs adopted a green color that seemed to overflow with sadness as their brightness dimmed. It lasted for only a moment however, as they sprang back alive. "So Vexxus, do you know a nice inn around these parts. I think I have been here before, but my memory is sadly failing me. To be honest, I don't even have any clue as to where we are right now. And would you permit me to buy you dinner so we can talk some more about that interesting little trick of yours?"

[Vexxus]

Vexxus followed the peculiar character, curious about someone who seems to know more than most. Her heart almost skipped a beat when he seemed to know exactly what she had done, and even that she wasn't human. But again, there was something about him that let her relax.

When he said something about not being able to remember, Vexxus could feel the sadness, and almost felt it well up inside of her as well, as though she couldn't remember something as well. As he moved on, she shook her head, shrugging the feeling off. Had she forgotten something? A hole in her memory seemed to stare at her, a void formed out of the width of regret, puzzlement, and awe all at once. She winced as the feeling filled her, but allowed it to drop to the background as Lethe asked a couple questions.

"Well, there are a couple different inns, but they can be a little expensive unless you are used to the minimums," She paused a moment, as the thought flashed through her head. Of course, the woman whom she had retrieved the necklace for owned one of the best inns in the region. "But, I believe I can get a bargain for you." Her eyes twinkled, and Vexx thought about how much she loved knowing so many people.

"As for dinner, it would be an honor to join you." She thought a moment before continuing. He seemed trustworthy enough, and he already knew she wasn't human. "But paying won't be an issue...as I don't really eat." She gave a smile with an expression that seemed to apologize. Her icy blue eyes searched for any sign of fear or confusion in the man.

[Lethe]

Neither fear nor confusion could be seen in the glowing green orbs. If anything, they seemed cheery and full of curiosity. "Not at all? Not even to merely enjoy the simple pleasure that comes with eating a nice meal? Such a pity, food can be so delicious." Slapping his stomach, he laughed. "Though one would not know it by looking at me I suppose. But I do enjoy a good meal. In any case, let us not dawdle and get inside."

Casting his gaze skyward, his eyes turned to slits. "I very much do not like the look of the clouds coming for us. I'd rather be inside by the time the rain starts, so please, lead on my dear lady." His voice pleasant and friendly, he none the less kept his words formal. He was curious about her to be sure but as of yet, they were mere strangers that had just met.

Following her through the bustling city he looked on in amazement. The towns and villages he could remember paled in comparison to what he saw now. Still though, in the back of his head there was that nagging feeling that all of this should be familiar to him.

Upon arriving, he noticed the name of the inn, "The Weary Traveler" and he gasped in distress as he clutched his head and nearly buckled over. Grasping for support, he grabbed Vexxus by the arm as he wheezed, the green orbs nearly extinguished.

-A flash of lightning illuminating the nightly sky. Seeing the words on the weathered sign. A feeling of joy. The sound of thunder rolling past him. The faint smell of roasted chicken coming from the other side of the oaken door.

People dancing. Singing along with bawdy tavern song. Ale flowing freely. A woman sitting next to him, smiling. Her eyes twinkle as she laughs. Grabbing his hand as he rises, she follows him to his room.

The loud thunk of his oaken staff hitting a fellow patron on the head. Losing balance as yet another yanks on his cape from behind. Rolling across the floor, he gets up and oversees the chaos. A mug of ale soaring right past his head.-

That and more he suddenly recalled. Still wheezing, the fiery spheres once again started to reignite. Finding his balance he shook his head as he rubbed his eyes. Looking at Vexxus he smiled. "I am so sorry you had to see that. I hope I did not frighten you?" The first drops of rain were descending upon them and he pointed towards the door. "Come, let us hurry inside. No use in getting soaked."

He was still wobbling on his feet when they entered and he made a beeline for the nearest table in a shadowy corner and sat down. It was obvious he was still a little shaken, but he seemed fine beyond that. Calling over a maid he ordered a mug of ale for himself and dinner before turning to Vexxus. "Are you certain you don't want any food? Some ale or wine perhaps?"

[Vexxus]

It was true, Vexx had tasted a few things out of curiosity, and some she rather enjoyed. Mostly, she did not want to take someone's money needlessly, when she did not physically need the nutrition.

As they neared an inn's tavern, Lethe commented on the weather moving in. Vexxus had noticed, but was used to the storms that brewed over Tamasha, though she understood that it was not always pleasant to get soaked by the rain. She smiled and obliged in leading the way to the tavern, when Lethe almost collapsed. As he grabbed her arm, she reflexively turned and reached under his other arm to support him. He phased out for a moment, and then returned. She was more concerned than afraid, as he apologized and hurried into the tavern.

Following him, she started, "Are you sure you're ok...?" but waited to continue until he sat down. When he asked her if she wanted a drink, she gave a thankful smile, and decided to accept. It would be nice, and she didn't want him to be offended in any way. "Sure, I'll have whatever you have. Thank you." Looking around, she took in the familiar scene. She hadn't been in more than a few times, always with a visitor to the city. It wasn't a high-end place, but slightly above middle-class. She felt comfortable there, but there was a coldness that night, and there was no fire in the hearth yet.

Turning back to Lethe, she inquired about his lapse. "You almost collapsed out there...are you ok?" She tried to focus in the dim light, which surprisingly made it easier to make out his silhouette. She could see some short pieces of hair above his ears, and as his head turned slightly she could make out a strong jawline. His eyes were always animated, either growing brighter or dimmer and changing shape with his emotions.

[Lethe]

((Just to make sure, but Lethe has normal eyes, the glowing orbs are just a little trick to help convey emotion and information and such that you would normally get by looking at someone. Since his face is usually hidden within the shadows of his cloak and hat however, you can't see it.))

Noticing her studying him, he grabbed his hat and took it off. Revealing his face, he grinned. "I hope you were not expecting something more dramatic or impressive." His face was surprisingly ordinary. It was an honest and friendly face. " The glowing orbs are just there for show since people can't see my face when I wear the hat. And..." Putting the hat back on, the orbs reignited.

Turning into angry looking slits, they took on a vile green shade as wisps of green smoke appeared at the outer edges. Taking his hat off again, the lights disappeared once more. "It's quite amazing how looking like that scares off would be robbers." Snickering a little he quickly turned serious once more.

Taking a sip from his ale, he stared down the cup. "As for being all right. Yes, I am quite all right now, no need to worry yourself on my account dear lady. I assure you, it happens all the time... Though some moments are worse than others." Looking at her for a bit, he sighed and shrugged.

"I suppose I might as well tell the story. You see dear lady, my memory is... scattered and missing. All I have left are fragments and knowledge. I could not tell you who taught me, or where, but I know of several ancient languages. In fact, as you might have already noticed, my current 'name', is not an actual name.

Rather, it is a word from one such ancient language. One that I felt described my persona. So I decided to use it so people had something to call me by. It means, 'He who forgets'. For that is me. I forget. Some memories however, are not lost. They are merely hidden deep within my mind. At times, they will rush back to me. Sometimes spontaneously, but more often than not, they react to an outside stimuli."

With a deep sigh, he drank some more of his ale before continuing. "I have been here before and seeing the inn... it triggered several old memories. When they come rushing back to me though... It makes my head spin as I need to process it. One time I had so many return at once, I actually blacked out."

[Vexxus]

As he whipped his hat off, Vexxus blinked a couple times, chuckling lightly at her own imagination. Of course she had wondered if he was disfigured in some way and wanted to hide his face, or if he was actually human himself. An ordinary face, however friendly and charming in it's own unique way.

As he put the hat back on, the glaring stare caused her to draw back slightly, feeling foolish after his gaze returned to the normal, inviting glow.

"That's a useful trick," she commented, smiling. Lethe explained a bit about his past, and how his memories were not all there. She let out a breath of amazement, always sympathetic of those who have to go through such things regularly.

"That must be rather exciting and frightening at the same time...Of course you want to know what you forgot, but the impact upon your mind must be great.." She knew of tolls on the mind and body, and told him more about her "trick".

"My trick you mentioned earlier often has a similar jolt, though not exactly the same. You see, when I switch...planes, as you call them...I use up a little more energy than I do in this one, but I only feel it when I return, all at once. If I exhaust myself to the point of collapsing, I will not feel the effects until I return...and then they all come at once. It is both convenient and inconvenient.

While it allows me to keep using the powers I need while I need them, without being interrupted by physical exhaustion, it takes a great deal out of me when all is said and done."

[Lethe]

"Ah that seems very much like a double edged sword indeed." Lethe responded while nodding. "It seems to me that one must know oneself pretty good, or one might even kill oneself. Still, it is an interesting trick." One of waitresses placed his dinner on the table and he thanked her with a polite smile, though he remained silent until she had left again.

Taking a bite, he made a soft, gleeful squeal. "Uhmhmm... I say, this roasted quail is exquisite. Exquisite I say!" Rubbing his hands, his mouth started watering as he looked at the rest of his meal. "I do beg your pardon." He told Vexxus as he cast a glance towards her. "It has been a while since I had a quality meal. But please, if I am not being too intrusive. I would love to hear more about your race."

Smiling at her, he took another bite of his food and shuddered with delight at it's taste. "Truly magnificent. Here." Putting a piece on his fork, he held it out towards her. "You absolutely have to try this my dear Vexxus. It shan't disappoint your taste buds I assure you."

[Vexxus]

Vexxus had never thought much about death, not since a long time ago. Now, she wondered. Would it actually be possible for her to kill herself from exhaustion? Over the years, she had become stronger, but there had been a couple times where she returned and was unconscious for several days. Once she really wasn't sure how much time had passed. It could have been weeks, or months.

Pulling her mind back, Vexxus focused in order to grant his wish of hearing more about her race. Before she began, he offered her a piece of the quail dish he had ordered. "Thank you," she smiled, taking the piece off of the fork with her fingers. The crisp, salty skin matched perfectly with the succulent meat of the bird, and Vexxus closed her eyes for a moment, sighing and savoring the flavor.

"Mmm...Food even immortals-" she paused, but went on without much hesitation, to avoid saying such things at that moment. "would enjoy." She was going to say "food even immortals enjoy" but that would give her away immediately.

Picking up her goblet, she sipped at the drink casually. She started speaking before he had a chance to digest the subtle hesitation. "I honestly don't have a lot of information about my race, as I left when I was very young. I do know that you won't see any others. No, I'm not the last....they are not extinct, they are simply on a different plane of existence."

[Lethe]

Vexxus had made a slight miscalculation there. Lethe was an intellectual. One who took great pride in noticing what others did not. And his battles were verbal ones more often than not. Besides, it was an odd thing to say, 'food even immortals would enjoy'? Coupled with that very minor hesitation... Yes, she had planned to say something else.

Nevertheless, he dismissed it. The woman was friendly and provided pleasant company so far. So he would let it slide and pass it off as if he had missed it. Let her have this minor victory. He mused. With verbal sparring matches, choosing which to win and which to let slide was important. Losing one could be just as important as winning. It could cause the other to feel more secure by underestimating his wit.

Insisting on winning when the other obviously did not wish to talk about it was also not the smartest thing to do. That could be seen as nagging or being overly intrusive. Thus, he merely took another bite of his delicious meal while listening with great interest to everything Vexxus had to tell.

"Ah." He said when she told him they resided on a different plane. "It seems you forgot I saw you too. So who knows, maybe one day I'll have the pleasure." Smiling at her, he drained his tankard of it's last remaining drops and belched. "Oh, pardon me. That was rude." Resting his elbows on the table, he put his fingertips together and looked at her intently.

"Well then... now that food and pleasantries have been taken care off. I would like to discuss some more serious matters my dear." The jovial tone in his voice had disappeared and his friendly eyes changed into a stern look. "You see... I have come here for a reason. As I told you before, I have visited Tamasha in the past, but I have no recollection of this visit. I am looking for someone. And to me, it is of the utmost importance that I find this person.

Earlier, you said that it must be exciting and frightening to try and regain my memories. About how I want to remember. There was a slight error in your wording there. It is not that I want to know, though surely it plays a part. No, it is not that I want to know, but I need to know. This is of the utmost importance my dear lady. For you see... Hidden deep within my fragmented memory, there is knowledge about a cataclysmic event.

That event was averted and the world saved. The ones behind it however, escaped with their lives. Perhaps I am merely paranoid. But I need to remember what happened that day. And what they were trying to do. So that I can make sure they cannot try again."

He looked at her and sighed a little. "Surely I sound like a raving madman." He told her. "I do not blame you if you do not believe me. Nor do I truly care. I do however, need someone that knows the city. So... would you be willing to aid me, my dear lady?"

[Vexxus]

As he belched and apologized, Vexxus smiled, shrugging and shaking her head knowingly.

"It's just a sign that you've thoroughly enjoyed your meal!" she said.

Lethe began taking on a serious tone, telling her the real gist of his journey here, and asking for her assistance.

Vexxus looked on somewhat in awe of what the man was saying. A cataclysmic event? She believed those happened every day, more or less. There is always a close call somewhere where something could have gone worse than it did, but something always prevented it, somehow. A lot of people call it the "triumph of good over evil", but Vexxus saw it simply as the world surviving simply for the sake of being alive.

In any case, she did believe this man was one of those with the power to provide that protection for the world. She could hear it in his words, see it in his actions, there was something very peculiar about him.

"It is not that I don't believe you. You probably wouldn't believe me if I told you that I was a dragon sometimes, literally." She chuckled jestingly. Raising an eyebrow, she met him with a query of her own. "But I must warn you, trouble has a way of finding me often times. You may find yourself in more than your own share. I am glad to help, and I'm always up for something exciting, but perhaps that is what draws me to danger as well." It was true. She had been in more than her share of dire situations, and even so, she loved it. There was a certain excitement that she couldn't live without.

"But I do assure you that I will pledge my absolute loyalty to defending you if any danger comes by my hand. I believe that one should take responsibility for anything they cause, as long as they are able to do so. In fact," A somewhat grim smile crept over her face. "I do believe that is the same reason you are chasing these memories. You believe you had something to do with it...no....more than something to do with it." She sat back, putting a few fingers upon her chin. "Perhaps you were the cause of it." She stopped, hoping she hadn't crossed a line.

"Oh, sorry...I tend to get carried away with my theories. I don't mean to draw any false conclusions...I'm simply jabbering on about as to how I would think. Please, tell me what you wish of me. If you wish my help the whole way through, I will be happy to provide it. There will be a lot of surprises, but you will get to know anything about me you wish."

[Lethe]

He watched her mull over what he had just told her and could see she believed his words. Or at the very least, believed he truly believed them. He chuckled at the thought of her becoming a dragon, now that would be an interesting sight to say the least! Other then that, he remained silent throughout her monologuing. As she mused about him being the cause, his mood visibly darkened.

"That possibility..." He choked on his words and swallowed before continuing. "Is what I fear more than anything. I do not know what transpired that day... All I know is, that I was there." His eyes gazed off into the distance, no longer looking at the present. His voice sounding grave and far off.

"Darkness. The air around me all damp and the powerful magic flowing freely.I hear a woman screaming. Pale, green light starts to illuminate the cavern. Swords clashing. Arrows and magic are flying everywhere. The pale green light instilling fear and nausea. Channeling energy, I prepare to cast a spell. A cackling sound, the mere thought of the sound sending chills down my spine. I releasing the spell. Blackness. Total and complete darkness."

Shaking his head, his mind returned to the present. "That is all I remember... The memory is vivid. Whenever I think of it, I can see it all happening clearly before my very eyes. Like it is happening all over again. Even that green light that illuminated the cavern makes me feel nauseas again."

He slammed a balled fist on the table and his eyes snapped up looking at Vexxus. "I have to make sure Vexxus. That is why I came here. To find a wizard. I have seen him in my memory. I have visited him before. But I cannot remember his name or where abouts. He was an important person in my past. The few memories I do have make that much clear."

He grabbed her hand and looked deep in her eyes. "The reason I am asking for your help is twofold. First, you know the city. I could spend days here just trying to figure out who to talk to. Secondly. You warn me that you may attract and drag me into trouble... Trouble does not concern me. Trouble tends to find me as well. So I need someone that can take of herself. So please, if your previous statement still stands after hearing this. Help me locate this mystery wizard from my past."