Stormy night

[Talwyn]

Hail fell from above, and as she turned her gaze upwards and noticed the blackened sky, Lethe sighed as she pulled her hood closer. This downpour wasn’t going to end anytime soon, nor did it do anything to improve her mood. Trudging along the muddy road, she heard her eternal tormentor complain.

We should find shelter… I don’t want you getting my body all weak and sickly by staying out in this stinking weather.

She felt disgusted at the fact she could do little but agree with the idea of finding shelter. Not that the idea was a bad one. Far from it. She just couldn’t help herself from feeling on the inside whenever she agreed on something with her unwanted companion.

“Marvelous idea.“ She grumbled. “I would have never come to the conclusion that would indeed be the wisest course of action on my own.” She could feel the sickening presence grin at her sarcasm. “And where would you suggest to start looking? The road just stretches on with nary a village in sight!”

Fine, be that way. I’m just trying to look out for us you know.

As she was about to give a heated response, Lethe stopped herself and pushed the unwanted intrusion back to a corner of her mind. No sense in giving the murderous shrew what she wanted. Focusing back on the road, she spotted what looked like a village off in the distance.

Picking up her pace again, she almost wept with joy. A village! Food. A warm bath. A soft bed! Oh how she longed for those three simple things. When she finally arrived, she immediately took that warm bath she had been longing for before going back to the common room. After sitting down and ordering food, she finally relaxed a little as she waited patiently.

[HoudiniDerek]

Kerodi awoke to the feeling of rain and hail on his face For a moment, he was disoriented. He did not know what he was doing outside in a storm, nor why he was laying down on the ground. Blinking quickly, he searched his memory and found he could not remember anything significant. In fact, his last memory was three days ago.

Confused, Kerodi sat up. Immediately, he gasped in pain and nearly fell again. He managed to grab a tree trunk and hold himself up. Looking down at his body, he could see he had the left side of his robe shredded. In a flash of lightning, he saw that it was slick with his own blood.

Kerodi stared intently at the blood on the robe, but no memory came back to him. That was worrying for a number of reasons. Slowly and surely, Kerodi was able to use the tree to climb to his feet. He looked around and realized he was on the back side of a village, facing the back entrance to an inn. Slowly and methodically, he made his way around to the front and entered.

He was in the common room and the storm had most of the patrons elsewhere. He saw a young girl sitting at a table and managed to nod in her direction before collapsing to the floor..

[Talwyn]

((FINALLY, someone posts! HURRAY! \o/))

As her dinner arrived, Lethe was overjoyed as she stared the steaming bowl of stew. Food. Taking a bite, she noticed a young man enter the tavern and nod at her. She did not recognize him and, based on her silence, assumed Eris didn’t either. Seeing him collapse, she gasped and got up with several other patrons as they rushed to the young man’s side.

Looking at him, she noticed his robe had been shredded and that he had been bleeding a lot. The other patrons stared in shock and did not make any move to help the man. “Is there a healer in this village?” She asked the serving girl that stood next to her. The girl shook her head. “He’s over at the next village to help with an outbreak of pox.”

With a sigh, Lethe kneeled down next to the collapsed man and touched his forehead. He felt feverish. “I require water, as cold as possible, bandages and some cloth.” Getting up again, she felt Eris’ presence stir.

He’s as good as dead already, let’s kill him and be done with it.

Ignoring her, Lethe got back up and looked at two of the bigger men surrounding the man. “Please carry this man over to a bed, he requires aid as you can clearly see. So stop standing around like statues and help me.”

Her voice sounded dignified and full of authority, causing the patrons to leap into action to do as she had requested. As the men placed her patient on a bed in the room next to hers, she grabbed the single chair in the room and placed it beside the bed.

“You may enter.” She replied as she heard a knock on the door. The tavern owner and a serving girl came in with the items she had requested. She gave a nod while drenching the cloth and placed it on Kerodi’s forehead.

Turning to the tavern owner, she dismissed him. “You may leave. As for you.” She looked at the serving girl. “Help me take of his robes.” Both did as they were told without a thought. Together, they cleaned the wound and bandaged him up.

Gazing out the window, Lethe shook her head. “I do hope the weather gets better soon… We probably need some herbs but I can not go out to look for them with this storm.” The serving girl gave a sad smile before leaving the room.

Sitting down next to Kerodi, Lethe replaced the cloth. “Before I left on my journey, I was a healer myself. “

Yes… and before that we were close to destroying the whole world! Good times, good times.

“Oh do be quiet you.” She snapped back a retort. “As I was saying, I will do everything I can to make sure you will get better.”

[HoudiniDerek]

Kerodi was standing high on a peak in the Ularian Ridge. He had made it his home for many years and it was a nice place, secluded from the world, but high enough to see glimpses of it all. He had lived there because he was safer there and the world was safer with him there too.

Now the wind was whipping his robes and chilling him to the bone. He felt a storm raging and he could feel it try to tear him from the top of his lonely peak. Try as he might, he could not move. Something was keeping him from being able to gain the comfort and safety of his abode.

Thrashing against the invisible bonds, Kerodi heard a murmur. He looked around, trying to hear the tinny voice above the roar of the storm. A brief vision of a woman's face appeared, green eyes intent, and then the storm and everything vanished.

Kerodi was standing again on the peak, but looking out, he could see that the world had changed. Valear appeared to be a smoldering mess and he did not know why. Gathering his strength into a burst of magic, he tore through his immobility and thrashed awake.


Kerodi sat upright in bed, in a room he did not know, confused as to what was happening. Beside him, a woman sat, her green eyes staring at him intently. He only had time to stare for an instant, realize what was happening, and then he blacked out once more.

[Talwyn]

((BTW HD. Could you please stop using the colored fonts? It's hard to read @_@))

Somewhat startled at Kerodi's sudden movement, Lethe tried to say something to calm him down. Before she got the words out of her mouth however, the young man's eyes closed as he blacked out again and his head fell back down on the pillow. Dunking the cloth in the cold water, she wrung it out and placed it on his forehead once more.

Why are you wasting our time with him? Just kill him, go to bed and move on tomorrow. .. After we leave behind a bloody mess of course.

Lethe shook her head sadly. "With the proper care I can save him. It is the right thing to do. So I shall do what I can. Now, unless you have something constructive to add, do cease your insane rambling and leave me be."

Grabbing Kerodi�s hand, she squeezed it gently. Although she knew he could not hear her, she whispered softly. "Do not worry. I am nothing like her. I will make sure you survive this ordeal."

Throughout the night, she did whatever she could. Although that did not amount to much more than changing the bandages, or reapplying cold water to the cloth on his forehead. Eventually though, fatigue caught up with her. Resting her head on the bed, she closed her eyes for a moment and fell asleep without realizing it.

[HoudiniDerek]

Kerodi's eyes opened weakly, the lids seeming to press down on the eyeballs. He was tired and sore, but he could not remember why. He remembered he had been going somewhere...but that was who knows how long ago.

Blinking his eyes rapidly, he sat up, pain coursing through his side. He stifled a grunt of pain and saw a girl with her head resting on the bed. Confused, he looked around.

He saw piles of bandages and water and he felt a dull throb in his side. Moving gently, so as not to wake her, he felt his body and found the source of the pain. Moving aside the blanket, he saw several bandages down his left side from his chest to his pelvis.

Suddenly, the moment came back to him when he had awoke during the hail storm. He could still not remember much before that, but it was something. He had stumbled to town and blacked out in the inn. He looked at this girl again and realized she had been there when he blacked out.

Feeling better for having put something in a semblance of order, Kerodi moved softly and stood. He gathered a new robe from his pack since his old one was missing and proceeded to dress. Using the leftover water, he managed to wash and he felt better.

He was trying to figure out what to do when he saw the head of the girl on the bed start to stir. He stayed where he was, but very politely said, "Good morning."

[Talwyn]

“Mmm… morning” She mumbled, still half asleep. Opening her eyes slowly, she saw the empty bed and sat up straight, looking startled. Swirling her head around, she looked around the room until her eyes rested on Kerodi. Getting up, she straightened her robes a little and took a step towards him. Placing her hand on his forehead, she looked surprised.

“I do say, you seem to recover quite fast don’t you? The fever is not nearly as bad as it was when we carried you up here.” Putting her hands on her hips, she looked at him with stern eyes. “Still, I find it unwise to be up and moving. You were in critical condition and could have died.”

Her eyes and posture looked like she was used to people listening to what she said. Yet there was, without a doubt, relief mixed in there as well. “So back to bed you. Now.” It was obvious she would not budge as she grabbed his arm and dragged him back towards his bed.

Gracefully striding over to the door, she looked over her shoulder. “I shall return momentarily. If I find you out of bed, I will be angry.” With that, she disappeared into the hallway. Reaching the common room, she asked the tavern owner to prepare some soup, as well breakfast for herself and left the tavern.

Sometime later, she knocked on the door to Kerodi’s room and went in, carrying a tray holding a steaming bowl of soup, cheese, bread and herbs. Putting the tray on the night stand, she sat down on the chair and grabbed the soup. “Do you need help or can you manage on your own?” She asked as she offered him the bowl.

[HoudiniDerek]

Kerodi sat in the bed, resting comfortably, but confused by the young woman who had helped him. Why in the world had she done so? He could see no benefit to her and she seemed to believe he was a mere man who had no knowledge of magic, so what was there to gain?

While she was gone, Kerodi checked his wound and saw that it was cleaned well and that he had no infection, which had been a worry. That, coupled with minimal amounts of a healing magic, allowed him to feel decent, but rest was probably a good idea...and he dozed.

When she returned, Kerodi rejected her assistance politely and watched her peripherally as he ate. There was little talk while they ate and it was not until both were done that Kerodi ventured to speak.

"Thank you for your kindness. I don't know who you are, but I appreciate your help. I am in your debt. My name is Kerodi. What's yours?"

[Talwyn]

Her face turned red when he spoke to her and she quickly swallowed the last of her breakfast. “Ah, goodness gracious. My apologies. My mind was preoccupied to such an extent that I neglected to properly introduce myself.” Giving him a small smile, she extended her hand. “Good to meet you Kerodi. I am Lethe.”

So… you gonna introduce me? Or should I take over and do it myself?

Lethe opened her mouth to give a retort but thought better of it, afraid she would look weird if she were to talk to herself. “Where are you from?” She asked her patient instead as she studied him closely. He looked like the scholarly type with his robes. Which made her wonder if he picked up on the fact that lethe was not really a name, but a word from a long forgotten and ancient language.

[HoudiniDerek]

Kerodi nodded his head at the introduction and found the name odd, but did not say anything. People rarely gave their real names upon meeting people. Kerodi usually did, but he had met many in his journeys that had not, so it did not bother him. Lethe had helped him and that was what was important.

"I live in the Ularian Ridge, many days away from here," Kerodi said instead. "I left my home a couple of weeks ago to travel, but I can't seem to remember anything between leaving home and waking up in the storm yesterday."

Kerodi shrugged and smiled, still worried but not dwelling on it right now. "Do you ever have that happen?"

[Talwyn]

When Kerodi asked her if she had ever had the same happen to her, she looked away. Yes, it had happened to her before. In fact, her very first memory was of waking up in a bed with no recollection of anything that had happened before. Even now, there were times that Eris managed to take over so swiftly and with such force, that her own mind got drowned out to such an extent that she could not remember what happened while Eris was running rampant.

She felt ashamed of those moments. On a rational level, she knew it was not her fault. But, she could not help feel responsible anyway. Balling her hands into fists, she gave a nod. “Yes, there have been occasions of such throughout my life.”

Giving him a small, weak smile that did not reach into her eyes she swiftly changed the topic. “The Ularian Ridge is quite faraway and traveling all that way is no small feat. Do you by any chance recall why you left or your destination?”

[HoudiniDerek]

Kerodi stood, needing to move some to help his muscles stop aching and his body mend. His internal magic was helping numb the pain and heal the wound, but it was necessary to stay limber as well. He did a few bend exercises as he listened to Lethe.

"I was headed deeper into the Selkia. There are some Gnome tribes that sent a messenger my way, wanting to trade some information for some of my work." He stopped stretching and grinned. "I told them I would be there with the coming of the new moon, but I'm not sure what day it is now, especially with the storm last night and not knowing how long I laid on the ground injured."

Kerodi sat back down, feeling his magic help soothe his newly elongated muscles. It was nice to see that he had not forgotten his magic in the time he had lost. He was not sure he could go back to that part of his life again.

"What about you? Where are you headed after you leave this village? Or were you planning on staying here?"

[Talwyn]

Watching her patient with care, she noticed the subtle healing magic coursing through his body and gave a small nod in understanding as she realized why he was healing so well. When he asked her where she was planning on going she seemed to think about her answer for a bit. “I am… searching for someone. It is imperative that I find this individual… I fear however, that I am presently unable to disclose further particulars.”

Or you could just admit that you have clue who we are looking for or where to start.

Her mood seemed to darken a little as Eris mentioned this. Whoever she was trying to find, she was not looking forward to the encounter. “Also, we are at present a few days shy of the new moon. I know not how deep you must venture into the woods, but I gather you should be able to meet them on time if you leave today or tomorrow. You appear to be healing well.”

She looked him over and nodded. “Your healing magic has hastened your recovery without a doubt.” Her eyes showed a hint of amusement as she gave him a friendly smile. Rising from her seat, she took a couple of steps towards the door and paused as she grabbed the handle. The darkness she had been chasing… She had sensed it earlier.

Even if it wasn’t in the deeper parts of the forest, it was in the same general direction. She longed for some company, but could she risk it? The new moon, the first of the harvest season, was coming closer. And with every day, she could feel Eris grow stronger. Could she risk joining this man, knowing her hated other self was close to wresting control from her again?

[HoudiniDerek]

Kerodi was counting the miles in his head and initially missed the recognition of the fact that he had magic. He was thinking that two solid days of travel would give him time to heal and make it there and did not notice the connection at first.

As Lethe headed towards the door, he looked up, his eyes curious and cautious as he stared at her? "How did you know that I had magic at my disposal?"

Kerodi, suddenly a bit wary, ceased his magic use on the wound and concentrated on forming it into a ball deep in his being. He had recently learned of a group of magic suckers as they were called by the uninformed, but they were power absorbents. He had learned to tame the magic instinct, but had not done so here, weak after his injury. He leaned against the bed, not wanting to sit, waiting to see what she would say.

[Talwyn]

Noticing how Kerodi was readying his magic to defend himself, Lethe sighed. The young man had seemed like pleasant enough company. Until she mentioned his magic.

He's threatening us! Kill him! KILL HIM!

Lethe's head started to pound as her counterpart started hammering away at her consciousness. Situations such as these seemed to entice the psychotic mass-murderer residing deep within the crevices of her mind. With her hand still on the doorknob, she partly turned to look at her patient.

Her eyes were friendly, but stern as she raised her free hand and a billowing mist of a noxious and nauseating, green color formed around her. "It is but a trivial matter to see and feel the ebb and flow of the ethereal energy used to power spells. I do hope you were not foolish enough to believe yourself to be the only one to wield such power."

A symbol made of green energy appeared at the palm of her outstretched hand as the mist started filling up the room. Emerald flares of power started to crackle in the noxious cloud as Lethe's eyes stared straight into Kerodi's. Her voice was friendly, but determined.

"Now, I have no intention of any kind to harm you boy. If I had, I would have done so last night whilst you were rendered incapacitated by your wound. Instead, I spend the better part of aforementioned night to prevent your untimely departure from this mortal coil. With that said, I will pose to you a question.

Can we settle this downstairs with a cup of tea like civilized people, which has my own personal preference. Or do you wish to try and see which of the two of us can pack the bigger proverbial punch?"