RP Log - Finding a hermit is never easy. Part Two.
Taking the path, they follow it through trees that begin to thin a little. Strangely enough, there's the clearing that the map said would be there. Strange perhaps to Theo because from above he saw the river but no break in the foilage. Yet as they step into the clearing, the sky is brilliant blue above and the sun shines warmly down. No snow or ice dares to exist not even upon the hut of the small shack in the center of the clearing. Rising up from the chimney flute is smoke, the same smoke tinted with a herbal essence. The door opens as if invitation to the three.
Theophrastus looks up at the lack of tree cover. "Huh. Didn't see this place from the air."
Faelin tucks the knife away, nodding thanks. "No snow or ice either." She eyes the door, "I'll head in first?"
Niklas holds an arm out to bar Faelin's progress. He peers at the hut curiously. "What's this elder's name?"
Theophrastus spends his time looking at the sky, certainly unwilling to interject anything in the situation.
A voice sounds from the hut, old and male, "If you three dilly dally any longer, your tea will get cold."
Faelin shakes her head, "Zane didn't tell me. Just 'the elder'." She looks to Niklas, willing to delay a moment. In that moment, the person from the hut speaks. Her lips thin.
Theophrastus says, "Three. Watching us."
Niklas lowers his arm from in front of Faelin. Something clearly has the barbarian on edge. He nods in agreement with Theo, "For all we know he could be the one sending the ambush parties after us. Somethin' ain't right here."
The voice sounds again, "A Shadowdancer questioning the ways of a mystic? What would his father say?"
Theophrastus nods. "I agree. You go first. If it's on the level, I'll just offend him by my presence."
"We won't find out unless we go talk to him," Faelin says. She moves to walk by Niklas and into the hut.
Niklas reaches to stop Faelin but she's out of reach quicker than he can grab her. He falls in right behind her then. Using her for what little cover she provides he pulls two small knives from their straps on his armor and conceals them in his palms.
Theophrastus follows last, sword sheathed and posture respectful.
"He would say he didn't raise a fool," Niklas calls back with a bit of a growl. "'Sides, I ain't your average Shadowdancer."
There is laughter and then they make their way in. Inside the hut is enough to sustain one person and that one person is an ancient looking man, his hair long and silver hangs down his back. Gnarled hands, fingers crooked, grip a pot that had been hanging over the small fire in the hearth. Three cups wait to be filled and the old man struggles to pour the hot liquid without spilling a drop, managing somehow to do just that. "Sit," he says as they enter the hut. There are four stools ready to seat them all, one of them a little larger than the others. Perhaps Niklas was expected?
Faelin looks around but moves to take a seat with little hesitation.
Theophrastus lowers himself onto a stool, watching the man, not the room.
Niklas ducks under the doorway all cautious and edgy. Rather than taking the stool he remains standing half a pace behind Theo and Faelin like some sort of body guard. He even crosses his arms over his chest.
"Drink," he tells the three as he seats himself slowly on the smallest stool. "I have been waiting for you. You came in the Dreaming. The Shadowdancer, the Icemane and the Moonfall." His eyes are the color of his hair but he fixes them upon Theo, "You are no Weir. One of you is missing. It matters not. Drink."
Theophrastus takes the drink. "I am Mandrake," he explains, as humbly as he is able. "I am the Dragon."
"It matters," Faelin says flatly. She takes up the tea.
Niklas grunts in protest but unfolds his arms to reach for the cup of tea. Perhaps a bit paranoid he sniffs at it rather than drinking it.
Meanwhile, elsewhere... Being one of the children of the Dreaming, Rae can feel a shift around her. As if the world in which she was standing was falling away, crumbling beneath her feet whilst she herself is lifted upwards. Where it might have been day, it is now night, where it was night, it is now day and she is pulled in and towards a presence.'.
It smells of fresh herbs, perhaps the faintest hint of tea leaves but to be certain of what it contains, they will need to drink from their cups. The elder looks to Faelin, "You have come for the tale of the moon and the black water. Drink." There's something a little hypnotic about his voice and about them, the light seems to fade away as if night was setting in.
Faelin drinks, gulping down the liquid while staring at the elder, gaze fierce as if daring him to not give her the information she needs.
Theophrastus drinks the tea, not quite recklessly, but certainly with less concern than one should normally have when accepting strange drinks from old men,
Niklas takes a deep breath then downs the tea like it was a shot of Whiskey.
Miloslav watches all three drink and behind him the fire in the hearth fades from view as the four are lifted from his hut, drawn into the world of the Dreaming. That is how it feels to those who have been there before. They are weightless and feel themselves tugged through time and space, following the elder until their feet touch down again in a dark ravine. They find themselves with another companion, one they recognize, Rae's feet finding purchase beside her brother's. Faelin recognizes the painted moons upon the wall, one of them bearing a black mark. Beneath the moons are wolves and men, so brightly colored and vivid for they dance together across the surface of the wall.
Faelin looks around, fingers of her right hand curling into fist and then releasing, "This is the place." She murmurs.
Niklas grunts as they're taken to wherever they've been taken. "Dreaming," he says as he looks around. Apparently this has happened to him before. Yellow eyes, suddenly alert but less paranoid, begin looking around.
Theophrastus looks around. His shape is softer here, less defined. "We're dreaming," he says, redundantly.
Rae has a sort of 'how'd I get *here*' look to her. She's certainly not dressed for the Dreaming, in that she's wearing things in her dreams that are very Island and Rebman in nature. There's also a spear in her hand, though it fades away. "Damn. These dreams are always significant," she says to herself, and peers at the wall, then her friends.
All of them can feel the power contained within this place, a dull hum resonating around them. This isn't the Dreaming any more, where they stand is somewhere removed from such a place. Theo's words sound sharper, breaking the spell almost and as one, they can feel the real world snapping back into focus.
Faelin stays still, inhaling sharply as she raises her chin, testing the air. Testing her memories.
Niklas tilts his head when his eyes come upon the images on the wall. There he stares for a moment. "Rae," he says in greeting to his sister without looking to her. He leans closer to the wall, "That's Roman."
Theophrastus snaps back into focus as well, very firmly man-shaped again. "What?"
"Niklas," Rae says, leaning forward to examine the image as well. Then she remembers what she's wearing, who is around, and puts a hand to her chest before leaning forward any further. "It is, yes."
Niklas points to one of the dancing figures painted on the wall, "That one right there looks exactly like Roman."
Miloslav walks over to the wall and places his hand upon it beneath the dancing figures, "There is the Icemane, my brothers have chosen well. He needs purpose that one. Do you know this place?" Silver eyes turn towards the four, "The story has long been forgotten. Let me tell you of the black water and the twin moons."
There is a pool of black water that lacks scent and ripples on the other side of where the group stands.
Theophrastus looks away from the wall, towards the man. "An old story," he notes.
"Niklas, give Rae your cloak?" Faelin murmurs to the tall Weir. She looks at the old man and holds up her right hand. "I have been here before. But I don't know the story."
Niklas returns to standing up and unfastens the furry white cloak he wears to fling it around Rae's shoulders. It's easily five sizes too big for her. "I have no idea about any story involving black water. Is it an Icemane story or a general weir story?"
Rae takes the cloak and seems a bit more sure of herself now that she is properly covered. "I don't think that I know the story," she says, looking to Miloslav with some measure of concern.
"You bear the mark but the time is not yet nigh for the moon is not full in the sky." Miloslav tells Faelin before he leans against the wall and steadies himself, "Long before any of you were born, before even your parents walked these lands and howled in celebration, the many tribes came together. Not often," he admits, "But there were times when they would send us, for we were the mystics of our tribes. Healers and shamans, wisemen and we gave counsel and together we came again on a night when the moon failed to show again in the sky. An entire month had passed with no moon to light the night and so we gathered together to question why."
Niklas moves to stand at his sister's side now and again looks much like a body guard the way he crosses his arms over his armored chest.
Theophrastus is quiet, and a bit withdrawn. Listening, but not making his presence obvious.
Faelin listens, raising her chin a little.
Miloslav looks to Rae, "You walk through the Dreaming, you feel its power and know its caress and lure. We embraced that power, combined all our magics and with one voice we howled our protest, our fear and our question. Where was the moon?" Next he looks to Niklas, "The shadows were dark and my brother, one of your own ancestors danced as we howled." Now he looks to Theo, "The moon appeared to us then but it burned. It was on fire and it fell from the sky, streaking across the horizon and setting all in its path aflame." Beside him on the wall, the figures are actually acting out the story.
Niklas glances to Rae at the mention of an ancestor and lifts a brow.
Theophrastus glances at the painting of the burning moon, looking momentarily troubled.
Faelin's eyes remain focused on the moving figures and she holds silence.
Rae's brows lift as well, and she watches the play of figures on the wall. She looks many kinds of thoughtful, and attentive.
"As one, we followed and it led us to this place. It gauged its way through rock and stone, burning still and only when it sank into yonder pool were the flames extinguished." Miloslav glances back at Faelin now, "I am Miloslav, last of my brothers, last keeper of this lore. Time and war has extinguished our light, as the black water did to the moon. We could not let the moon die. Yes it burned but the water soothed its wounds and together we could touch it. We were able to cradle the moon in our hands, taking the power it offered to us all. We knew what to do, the whispering in our ears told us. Harness my strength for all my sons and daughters. So we did, my brothers and I."
Niklas also returns to watching the figures on the wall but otherwise remains quiet and still.
Rae looks to Miloslav as if she's quite familiar with what it's like to have whispering in her ears telling her what to do.
The figures on the wall stand around a black pool of water, their arms all outstretched towards it and a shining light extends from their hands to the pool.
Faelin's brow furrows as she tries to take legend and fit it into her understanding of reality.
Miloslav slips a little against the wall but he doesn't fall over. "Your father's father's father's..." He coughs and cuts it short, "You understand me, before you, before them, they would all come to this place. When it was time to come of age, they would journey here with our blessing and instruction. Touch the water. Return when the moon is full." Miloslav fixes another look upon Faelin, her hand in particular, "You know of what I speak. You are marked, you are ready to face yourself and come of age. A little late but you touched the water."
Niklas looks from the wall to Faelin, brow lifting again.
On the wall, Roman approaches the pool and kneels to touch it. The little cave figure's arm yanks back after contact is made and he stares at his hand as if it was burned.
Rae does another brow lift. She looks to Miloslav and there's a dawning of something in her eyes.
Faelin looks outright wary. "I know of the mark. I don't know what you mean by coming of age..."
Miloslav turns to Rae, "You must guide those who seek this place. Find them in the Dreaming when they are lost. For this place is where they must come. My time is ending but a new keeper of the pool has been found. He cannot walk as you do. In time, show him how but you will be the one to send them to him before he can find them. The one you fear, he would corrupt this place. Even now he uses it to turn a good man for his own purpose. One of my own sons lost through no fault of his or his sons. Make sure they know this."
Niklas looks to Rae, "What's he talking about? Who's the new keeper?"
Rae's nod is a slow thing, understanding. She has a measure of sureness and seriousness to her that doesn't usually come to the jester's face except for when in the deadliest of battles. "I will keep watch and guide until the true Keeper is ready for his task." She smiles to her brother, cryptic.
Slumping a little more, Miloslav addresses Faelin's question. "When the moon is full, return here. You will be waiting and the challenge must be met." The elder gasps a little and his fingers curl inwards, his hands small balled fists. "Beware the father for his release will also mark the night of the twin moons and then 'He' will take him to unleash him upon his enemies." Miloslav is trembling now, "My brothers, I can see them again. They have waited so long for me."
"No," Faelin says and steps forward aggressively, "You don't get to leave yet." Her eyes are hard, "You know where the father is? Then you need to tell us now. He isn't turned yet and he doesn't have to be."
Even though Rae is looking at Niklas while the elder speaks, trembles, there is something in her that reacts to something felt, sensed. Her eyes glaze over as if she's seeing things that aren't there, and then she moves forward in a blur of motion. Miloslav pitches to the side, and the jester is there to catch him. "Rest well," she whispers.
Niklas unfolds his arms and tenses but makes no other movement.
Theophrastus watches from the back, a pale flame flickering in the back of his eyes. When Miloslav rests, the flames die out and Theo lowers his head.
Held in Rae's arms, Miloslav breathes his last and Faelin's question goes unanswered. A soft glow surrounds the ancient Icemane's body and as they watch, he seems to dissolve into a puddle of light. The light floats up towards the figures that have lined up again beneath the moons. It moves towards the figure of Roman as it makes contact, a bright flash brightens the entire ravine, momentarily blinding those within. Rae can feel weight in her arms again, the body of a young man held with them. Roman has been returned to this world.
Faelin's hands ball into fists.
Niklas reaches forward to lay a hand on Faelin's shoulder gently, comfortingly, "So what just happened?" he asks, sounding very much confused.
Theophrastus looks up, and the flame in his eyes rekindles as he looks at Roman. And then laughs, quietly.
Rae looks completely surprised by the fact that she's now got Roman in her arms. She smiles down at him, winningly, and is very glad for his sake that she's wearing Niklas's cloak.
Roman opens one eye part way and mock whispers to Rae, "Legend says you're supposed to kiss a person to make them wake up." His eye closes and he waits, lips puckering up in readiness. If he had known Rae arrived without the cloak, he might not agree with her.
"The bastard told us a bunch of shit and left the important things for last without clarification," Faelin says darkly. "Zane's father. He's captured. He's missing. He's a good man being turned to 'His' purposes even now. Which means if this ...cryptic moron... had just told us where he was we could have stopped it." She glances to Roman and, for a moment, looks as if she regrets saying all that with Roman's ears there to listen.
Niklas lifts a brow, "Wait... is he the new keeper person?" He points to Roman.
Rae laughs down to Roman and gives him a very light, chaste kiss. And then she lets go and drops him to the ground. "He's the keeper, yes." A look is given to Faelin, and a soft smile. "Seers can only tell so much, Faelin. What we know isn't a blessing, believe me."
Roman's lips turn upwards as Rae's touch his and then he's oofing in protest as he hits the ground. Sure it was only a few inches to fall but that's cold and hard rock. Bouncing back up to his feet though, he's quick to tackle Faelin with a hug. "They showed me something, Faelin. Let me show you." He steps back, reaches for her hand, the marked one and tugs her towards the pool. "I don't know how it works exactly, it's all kind of muddled and I snatch pieces here and there."
"Let's have your father in Tyrus' place, Rae. Then still smile at me like that," Faelin says simply. Then Roman is hugging her and she's hugging him back fiercely. She is easily tugged after him. "I... okay."
Niklas shakes his head and finds a portion of wall to lean on. "I'm still lost."
Theophrastus looks at Niklas. "Mystics. Don't ask me either."
Roman pauses in front of the black pool and looks down, "What do you see, Faelin?"
"Myself as a wolf," Faelin says simply. She looks to Niklas and Theo, shaking her head slightly. "I hardly understand either, darlings." Then she's looking back to the water.
Roman asks Faelin, "What are you doing?" He starts to crouch beside the pool, his hand held up above it with his palm facing down.
Rae moves over to look in the water. She blinks, cocks her head, and then gives it a shake.
Niklas glances down at the water and starts to look away before double taking. He blinks a few times, squints and then shrugs. "When you brainiacs figure out who needs punched in the face lemme know," he says grumpily. "I don't care if it is the guy with the name we don't speak. I'll punch him in the face too."
"The image in the water is pawing. Trying to break through the surface," Faelin says now focusing on that image.
Theophrastus says, "That sounds bad."
Theophrastus does not, though, look into the Creepy Mystic Well.
Roman presses his hand down upon the pool and anyone looking at it can see a wolf within the water, just not any ordinary wolf. The wolf is Faelin but until Roman touched the surface, none could see it. Beside her, Rae's wolf and Niklas' wolf appear but then fade quickly. "They've not touched the water," he says, voice straining as he struggles with his task. His other hand touches the water too and Faelin fades away as the water turns clear. Curled up against the bottom is the form of a man, naked but covered in bruises and cuts.
Faelin tenses, looking down, "He's actually down there?" She looks sharply to Roman, scanning his expression, "No?"
Niklas doesn't look back to the pool either and instead looks to Theo. "Oh, I talked to Niamh. She said she'd like it very much if you attended her."
Theophrastus chats, casually. "Oh? That's good - I'll stop by and see her when I'm back in the city."
Roman is thrown back from the pool and lands sprawled some three feet away. He looks up to Faelin and nods, "He put him in there and I can't get him out. I don't know how." Looking to Rae now, Roman sounds anxious, "She has to be here when the moon rises full but we can't get in His way. None of us can stop Him. Not here, not unless we destroy this place and everyone in it."
Rae looks to Roman and regains that look of seriousness. "We might not be able to stop him, but we can delay Him. I'll come along. I'm very good at playing the distraction." She looks into the water and frowns at it.
Niklas looks from Theo back to Rae, "Rae! Are you talking about who I think you're talking about? The one who's name we don't say? The one Aislin said she actually met?"
Faelin rubs the bridge of her nose, "So. We know he's coming. We ambush him and who cares if we destroy this..." She sighs.
Rae nods to her brother, silently.
Roman gets onto his knees and stares at Faelin, "Because this is where we come of age. That's why we care. When we are ready to pass from pup to wolf, we come here and we touch the water. When the moon rises full, we return and we battle that which we fear. Rae, Niklas, you can touch the water and bear your own marks."
Roman adds, "So Faelin doesn't have to be alone."
Niklas growls low and menacingly when Rae confirms his assumption. He looks to Roman then, "I ain't no pup."
Rae looks to Roman, then the water. She laughs, then. "I've already got two marks. What's a third?" She kneels down and holds her hand out to the water.
"I don't want to battle what I fear. I want to hide, let it pass by, trap it, cage it and move on with my life," Faelin says sharply. She pauses, "Are you alright, Roman? Really?" She glances to Rae, "Rae...You don't need to."
Theophrastus looks at Rae, and what she's about to do, and visibly cringes. "Are you sure that's a good idea?"
Rae looks over her shoulder to Theo with a little grin and chrips, "Nope!"
Theophrastus says, "Maybe that means you shouldn't do it?"
Rae eyes Theo like -he's- the crazy one.
Niklas pushes off the wall and stomps toward Rae to reach down for her hand. "No," he says all alpha-like.
Theophrastus doesn't look like he's joking.
"Rae," Faelin says firmly, "You have some strong fears and a hell of a lot going on in your make-up. Don't do it."
Roman slowly rises to his feet and watches Rae and Niklas, "Niklas, it's her choice. You can't stop her. It's your choice to touch or not." Glancing at Faelin, Roman shakes his head. "I can feel it. When I touch the water, everything your fear, those who have touched the water, I can feel that. My father's hatred, I could feel that most of all."
Rae's hand moves out of Niklas's way, and she continues her quest to touch the water. Her hand hits the surface, and will not press further. She lets out a sharp yip and jerks her hand back with a long hiss.
Sometimes Niklas ain't the brightest star in the sky. When Rae yanks her hand out of the way his has nowhere to go but onto the water. He yanks it free with a roar and cluches it to his chest, dancing around with a wince like he'd just touched a hot stove. A few curse words come out in the growls, plain as day.
Faelin winces and rolls her eyes "Alright. Look. Roman, do you know where we should be. It's late. We've all travelled a while. Is it alright to set up here or what?"
Rae ends up on her ass a foot or so away from the water's edge. She looks down at her palm and laughs a little. "Funny little thing," she says to herself, poking the center of it with the finger of her other hand.
Roman grimaces when Niklas and Rae suffer the ill effects of touching the water. "Sorry about that, I'm not allowed to talk about that bit. I think we'll be okay in here, Faelin." He points to the moon paintings where three black marks now touch the representation of the real moon outside the ravine. "Till the full moon is marked, there's nothing to be done here."
Theophrastus says, "How long?"
Niklas quits dancing but continues to grumble and curse as he looks at his hand. "I swear that if my f'ing hand falls of I'm eating your heart," he says to no one in particular.
Roman shrugs and guesses, "Ten days or so?"
"Are you going to explain matters to your brother, Roman?" Faelin asks.
Roman stares at Faelin, "Are you kidding?"
Rae seems absolutely fascinated with her hand for a few moments, then looks up to her brother. "This hurt less than the one from Sol, at least. Less fire, here."
Theophrastus nods, and comes towards the well. "I'm not Weir; I don't know if the well would even accept me, and I wouldn't be interested if it would. But I know what I fear, and I battle it every day of my life. Ten days from now, if you'll have me, I'll be here."
"No," Faelin says very slowly, "I'm not." She looks to Theophrastus and tucks damp hair behind one ear. "Theophrastus. Thanks."
Niklas lifts a brow, "Sol gave me something but it didn't involve any fire." He shakes his hand off as if something was stuck to it.
The well reflects nothing as Theo gets closer, just a dark pool. "I don't know, Theophrastus," Roman says, "They didn't say anything about that kind of thing." He makes a vague gesture to the painted figures. As for who's telling Zane, Roman shuts up about that.
Theophrastus nods to Roman. "I understand that. But these three were there for me, and short of a clear statement that I shouldn't be here, I'm here for them."
Rae murmurs to Nik, "You weren't around when she was posessed by an evil goddess and dragged me into Hel to be her messenger. I learned why the Kitezhka don't like wolves, that night. And was marked as the bringer of the end of the world." She opens her cloak and points to a rune burnt into her chest. A smile is given up to Theo, affectionate.
Faelin is once more silent, looking into the water.
Niklas can't help but let a smile break his usually dour expression when Theo speaks. "It's been a long day. Where can I shift and curl up?" As far as the mark on Rae's chest.... Nik looked at it but didn't comment.
Roman looks about the ravine, "Anywhere but in the water I'm guessing." He gives the group a slightly apologetic look. "It's my first day. Last thing I remember was something hitting me in the back. So I don't know everything yet."
Poetic License: The small group turn in for the night, sheltered from the winter snow outside and kept warm without need of fire or blankets. When they rise in the morning, having slept without anything disturbing them, they discover Roman missing. Tracks outside the ravine, leading away into the snow, mark the young Icemane's escape from Faelin and having to tell his brother a damned thing.