Beyond the Dawn of Ages

[Wolfsong]

Notes from the Diary of Grand Sage Ethinine
I miss Neoman. Ever since he passed on his legacy to my shoulders and retired to light-knows-where, I have felt no end of the weight resting on me. I never knew the responsibilities he carried on his shoulders till now. I wish he was here to help me.
Jadis is doing well. He has taken to being king quite well, though I;m sure none of us will ever forget how hard he struggled in the beginning. Still, he's doing quite well now. Shaddoc is still his constant shadow, and they still vanish every now and then to the chagrin of the nobles. Still, even they are adjusting now. Thank goodness for that.
Reveka and Arren are doing alright, considering. Emagine is finally waiting on death's door with no going back. It hurts, I know, I feel their pain. But at least they have each other...they'll have it better than I did.
Callysta and Demetrius are doing well. Sometimes I wish I hadn't chickened out that night, but now that I've become Grand Sage, I suppose I can't ever now. What I have ahead...I could not share with anyone. She'll be much happier elsewhere.
Things are peaceful, its wonderful. But I'm reminded of the time Alistar was Hand and Wings of Light, when all was quiet. I guess I just can't get used to the fact that the Dark is really gone. Its been three years since we all fought together and defeated the Dark. But I will get used to it, surely. After all, things are so nice, so quiet, so wonderful. I shall be fin-----------------________________________________



As said, its been three years. There is little change in the world as we left it in AND. Jadis is king, Arren and Reveka still Hand and Wings of Light. For those who played these characters, you are welcome to do so again. For all others, you have three options:

1) SPECIAL POSITION: Ethinine has two apprentices. They be there only for mastering magic, or they desire to potentially be Grand Sage someday. Its up to you, but there are only two, so first come first serve.
2) a noble, close or otherwise to the king, friend or foe
3) Someone living in the castle or the country surrounding.

There are no areas covered by the miasma of Darkness, and the lands that haven't been walked in centuries by people are being rediscovered. Its a new world out there.
Character Sheets are as follows.

Character Sheets:
Name: if noble or apprentice, state here after name.
Age:
Appearance: Optional
Personality:
Power: Segmented to Arren, Reveka, Jadis, Ethinine, and his two apprentices
Other: anything else you want to add.


I'll post my sheets later. Welcome back to AND (for those wanting to see the original story, check here: A New Dawn)

[Wolfsong]

Here are my characters.

Name: Jadis Coragna, of the family line Solfire
Age: 25
Appearance: golden brown hair tied back in a ponytail out of the way. His eyes are dark brown. When not in the royal robes, he dresse in his familiar black. Still despises the fancy clothes, but has come to tolerate it, at lwast better than he used to. His sardonic smile stil crops up every now and then.
Personality: still somewhat dark and morbid, though he has matured since taking the throne. Still has his odd sense of humor. He spaces out sometimes, where he does not notice anything.
Power: as the Left Hand (as dubbed by Reveka) of Light, he carries some power, but he has made no use of it and as such has grown rusty.
Other: astonishing agility and speed, which saved his life back when his foster family was slain many years ago. Though he has accepted his true family line, he has kept his foster family'sname to honor their memory.

Name: Ethinine Etheral, the new Grand Sage.
Age: 22
Appearance: his hair turned white prematurely. Once, he tried to slixk it back, but it eefused to cooperate and he has since given up on it. His eyes are a pale green, thoughtful and often far away. Wears a bright cerulean robe with draping sleeves and ends that touch the ground. He wears a silver belt and deep blue sandals.
Personality: keeps to himself, but he has grown stronger since his ordeal I the Dark. Weak from an illness that almost killed him as a child, and haunts him since.
Power: a master of elemental magics
Other: still loves Callysta dearly, though he would never tell her now.

[ClaecElric4God]

I'M HERE! Sorry for the horrific lateness. Aaaaagh, time to sift through the old pages of AND and figure out what I'm doing with my character...


Name: Shaddoc Wise
Age: 21, I guess? (Speaking of, why is Jadis 25 now; did I miss something?)
Appearance: Average height, short black hair and brown eyes. As something of a right hand to the king (or left?), people try to use that logic to dub him a noble and force him to wear fancy clothes, but whenever he can get away with it (which is quite often considering his icy stare and anti-social aura), he sports his casual attire of leather pants and a simple shirt. He's not seen to carry his bow around as much as he used to, though he's just as proficient with it, and never goes without his dagger either at his belt or snug in his boot, depending on his class of garment.
Personality: Shaddoc has actually opened up a bit more since he's been forced to interact with nobles and other people of importance in the last few years, and though it seemed impossible, he's become even wiser, and has gained much experience in a lot of areas. In spite of the fact that he's opened up more, however, he gives the impression of being even more closed off than he used to. This is due to having spent so much time around stuffy nobility and other annoyances. Too much interaction with others has caused him to wish to spend more time to himself. He can be diplomatic when he needs to, but otherwise prefers to keep to himself or with Jadis. All in all, Shaddoc is quiet but polite, not prone to engage in useless chit-chat, but incredibly sharp and observant.
Other: In Jadis' time as king, Shaddoc has developed a newfound sense of extreme loyalty. He doesn't leave Jadis' side when he can help it, and is ever watchful and overly suspicious of any unkown or untrusted individuals who get too close to the king. At times his overprotectiveness can get a bit ridiculous, but Shaddoc has never been one to care what other people think.


ODD GET IN HERE.

[Wolfsong]

Accepted Claec, welcome to BDA (thank you so much...*gets teary-eyed*)

[Vio13]

Hmm, I feel unclear with a lot that's happening with this world, and what the main goal of the characters should be or how powers work... But I still wanna join ;w;
I'm going to submit 2 characters, can one of them be an apprentice? (I'd like you to decide which one if either)
Name: Cusick
Age: 20
Appearance: Has dry, blond hair which looks quite damaged or bleached. It is a fair length for its poor health, able to cover most his neck in the back. He's rather pale with dark circles under his eyes which he inherited from his parents, but are made worse by his sleeping patterns. He has brown eyes and tends to wear green tunics or simple tan work clothes of poor quality.
Personality: Cusick is very strange in several ways. Since he was young he didn't seem to much care for others. He is not shy, but he seems to have little empathy and has difficulty relating to his peers on any sort of deep level. Though he is not necessarily anti social, as he has no trouble interacting with others when he wants something or thinks he will gain something. He might not be the most effective communicater, though. Unless he's trying very hard to kiss up to someone, he's usually a bit sarcastic or blunt in his speech. He often likes to keep to himself and study, though. He'll study most things he finds applicable, but found a particular interest in creating poisons and such potions if they can be called as such. He'd be content to study by himself most days if he didn't have his own agenda. He is not naive of what goes on outside his study by any means.
Power: ???
Other: I have his last name written down somewhere but can't get to my notes right now. Also Cusick isn't fully developed but I'm hoping this will help with that. He comes from a poor background but refuses to talk about what happened to his parents and how he ended up getting off the streets when he was young.

Name: Romana (from a noble background?)
Age: 23
Appearance: Brown, wavy hair, brown eyes, and peachy skin. She tends to dress in white when it is appropriate.
Personality: Romana tends to be a little bit naive but ultimately strives to see the best outcome for everyone in most situations. However, this doesn't make her a good leader by any means as she has a short temper and tends to be rather bossy. She tries to be kind, especiallybwith strangers, but it doesn't always last long. She has a habit of getting annoyed over small inconveniences. She has an enormous amount of respect for authority and tries to show it whenever she gets the chance. She sees things as very black and white and doesn't tolerate people who operate in Grey areas or sympathize very well with such people. People she deems as good will get all the help and support they could want from her. She studies in helping the wounded and sick, finding this to be the most noble pursuit.
Power: ???
Other: anything else you want to add. I also need to get her last name from my notes.

[Wolfsong]

Well, if you want me to pick...Romana then.
Accepted Vio! Here's some world details to help you out:

The capital rests on the base of a mountain (I've never really named the place...I outta do that) and The Grand Sage's home resides inside that mountain, though more to the side away from the city. Parts of the city are built on the mountain's slopes, but those tend to be the homes of the rich people.
The surrounding world is vague deliberately, because it is currently somewhat 'undiscovered'. In the last story, it was covered in a Dark miasma, and was not safe to travel. Now that the miasma is gone, however, the people are starting to explore the world around them again.
This will mean a lot of freedom with terrain, though the first thing visible is the forest that makes a half-circle around the base of the mountain on the side away from the city.

The goal of the characters, at this point, would be Exploration and perhaps getting used to a world without the constant threat of being attacked. Don't worry about the main plot - I'll get that moving quickly.

As for powers, that's a varied thing. Certain people have certain gifts, and these are varied in strength. It typically takes long practice and experience to master them, however.

Does this answer your questions? Don't hesitate to ask if you have any!

[Vio13]

Alright, cool : P She'd probably be more tolerable for Ethenine anyhow~
Okay, all of that is pretty helpful to know. Though I'm curious, are the powers a common or uncommon thing? The 'certain people' aspect is what I wonder about ^^ ;

[Wolfsong]

Relatively uncommon. Most are just regular people.

[Vio13]

Okay, that's what I was assuming, cool! Thanks for your patience here, that takes care of all my questions for now, though I'll probably have more later ^^ ; (I like to know details) should I just PM in that case? (sorry if it's too much from me)

[Wolfsong]

No Vio that's perfectly alright. Pming would probably be better, considering how crowded thesw things can get.

Okay! I intend to start soon, I just have one more person I need to bully--ask to join.

[ClaecElric4God]

I considered it, but simply can't bring myself to write another character. AND was the only RP I've ever done with only one character (that's sort of weird, actually), and I enjoyed it a lot. I feel like in this story I have to pour all my effort into Shaddoc. He's too awesome to have to share a story with other characters.

[Oddood198]

Name: Antor Erias, Apprentice to Ethinine.

Age: 15

Appearance: Antor is a boy of slim figure and modest height, standing a full head below most men, he still has a good bit of growing to do. He is thin and wiry, and actually quite strong, though he looked almost skin-and-bones scrawny a while ago, he is beginning to fill out a bit.
Antor has medium-length brown hair that is neatly combed to either side, trimmed to stay out of his eyes at any given time. He has matching brown eyes, that are sunken a bit deep into his face, and the skin around them has creases and lines beginning to form.
Most of the time, Antor just wears a loose-fitting green robe with a large hood. Standard apprentice wear, he supposes. He is never without the satchel that hangs at his side or the canvas sack he carries on his shoulder, both full of... magic supplies.

Personality: A bit timid, a little jumpy, and sometimes acting a little paranoid. Antor is always as polite as he can be, often becoming horrified at skipping the tiniest social rite or ritual, such as using the wrong fork or forgetting to add a title when addressing someone. While polite and skittish, Antor often keeps to himself, preferring to shut himself in his room for hours on end to practice or study his magic, and he has a great value placed on personal privacy. If he suspects someone is watching him, he always just packs his things up right away and goes as far and fast away as he can until he's satisfied he is once again alone.
Antor doesn't think extremely fast on his feet, and he prefers to be able to plan and prepare ahead of time before doing much of anything. As such, he abhors surprises of all natures.

Powers: Has a good grasp on magical theory, although his knowledge of the subject far outweighs his actual skill. Still, Antor is a clever student and makes up with wit what he lacks in power.

Other: Oh, you know, just this and that. Antor has his past, his skills, his associates, a skeleton or two in his closet. Much like everyone else, really.

[Wolfsong]

Sorry it took me so long to get around to this, but accepted Odd...this should be fun.

Alright, I'm gonna get this thing going sometime this week, most likely tomorrow. If anyone has any last-minute characters they want to submit, now's the time.

[Wolfsong]

Right then...lets get going.

Prologue


Reveka
The castle town spread around her, dark and silent. It was devoid of all life, save the strange flickers in the shadows. They spread thickly over the city, covering everything in its thick cloak.
Reveka blinked, surprised; what was this? Pulling her cloak tightly around her, she ventured deeper into the silent city.
As she progressed, the streets grew darker, filled with a malignant energy. Shivering, she drew upon her power and summoned it from inside her. A pair of glowing, beautiful white wings appeared on her back, surrounding her with a soft glow. Feeling comforted, she stared ahead into the shadows.
She nearly screamed.
Little monsters, creatures composed entirely of Darkness surrounded her, closing the path behind but clearing the road ahead. They chittered at her, and she instinctively knew they wanted her to keep moving. But to where? Drawing her Light ariund her, she started again on the road, herded by the shadowlings around her.
The castle gates rose before her, tall and silent. She paused there, something catching her eye. A long black cloth, like a scarf perhaps, was pinned to the wall by a knife, and it hung lifelessly. A dark unease filled her, but she continued on warily. No human walked these halls, but the shadowlings made her path clear to her; they were leading her to the thrine room.
Jadis was seated on the throne, but he was pale and slumped forward; he was dressed in his regular gear she noticed, but his head cloth was missing. Fearfully she came towards him, her dread growing. "Jadis?" she whispered. His head rose at her voice, and she screamed. His eyes were blodd red and filled with an ancient evil. She staggered back, but the shadows wee blocking her way.
Jadis grinned, a normal gesture for him but only terrifying now. He stood, and he was suddenly clothed in great black robes that billowed around him. He started toward her in a slow, leisurely walk, his hand slowly extending. Reveka found she could back away no more and, panicking, tried to flare out her Wings. The Darkness consumed their Light, however, and her Wings shattered; Jadis was almost there, hand extended reaching for her. Screaming, she threw up her arms
and woke up.
She was staring at the ceiling of her room in the Grand Sage's mountain home, seated in her rocking chair. She blinked, disoriented, but her head cleared quickly. She sat up straight, grimacing. What...it took her a moment to realize she'd been dreaming. Relaxing, she smiled at the familiar surriundings she loved so much. It was just a dream, a nightmare composed of the pain of the past. The Jadis she'd seen had looked quite like that when he'd been nearly consumed by the Darkness. It was an unpleasant memory. She sighed, rubbing her temples. Ethinine had followed Neoman's lead and had asked her to inform him of any strange dreams she had. Neoman had believed her dreams to be prophetic but she didn't. Ethinine had so much to worry about already anyway, she didn't want to worry him over something so trivial. Honestly, the Darkness was gone, that's how it was and how it would stay.
She suddenly remembered that Arren was gone, out exploring somewhere. She sighed, slumping dejectedly. No matter how she pretended, she really missed him and wished he was here. Particularly with their mother so ill. But perhaps this was his way of dealing with it, maybe.
Sighing, she rose from the rocking chair and started preparing to sleep. Apparently she really needed it.

Jadis
"This is a long bloody pointless headache!" Jadis growled, scowling at the patiently suffering Ethinine.
"I know, but they're gonna keep coming with this proposal until you do something about it."
Jadis stared at the paper angrily, then tore it to shreds. Ethinine shook his head wryly, "You would do that wouldn't you?"
"Its stupid," Jadis groused. "He has the whole valley to himself and a booming production crop line down there, and he's upset he doesn't get the whole mountain range too? Ludacris! He doesn't even have the ability to mine!" Ethinine smiled vaguely, but Jadis could tell from his eyes that his thoughts were far away. He sobered then, remembering something. "How is Emagene?" he asked quietly.
Ethinine sighed, lowering his head. "She won't last the week."
Jadis bit his lip. "How are the twins holding up?"
"I haven't told them yet. I think Reveka knows its coming, but..." Ethinine sighed, straightening. "Well, you clearly don't need my advice, and I really need some sleep."
"What, is the court too boring for you?" Jadis asked with a grin. Ethinine chuckled.
"Good night, your majesty. Good night Shaddoc."

Ethinine
Much, much later that night when everyone was asleep, Ethinine sat at his desk in the study, considering. Despite how well the people he knew said he was doing, he still felt so inadequate. Neoman could probably figure out a cure for the ailing Emagene, or at least ease it to the twins. He felt so helpless, so alone. That, and having apprentices of his own! He was supposed to give them a lesson on controlling their gifts tomorrow. But he still wasn't entirely sure how to do that. It was one thing to learn it from his own master, but to teach it? How was he supposed to do that?
Sighing, he took up the diary Neoman had given him, telling him it would often be a friend when he had no one else to talk to, and started writing.
I miss Neoman. Ever since he passed on his legacy to my shoulders and retired Light knows where, I've felt no end of the tension...
The scratching sound of the pen was a simple, constant sound and it helped him relax. The candle flame flickered suddenly, but he didn't notice.
Its been three years since we all finished the Darkness together.
He sighed, managing a smile. The candle flickered again, revealing a different shadow on the wall.
But I will adjust, surely. After all, things are happy and peaceful. I shall be fine, so----
He was suddenly jerked backwards out of his chair. The candle flickered once more before something blew it out, plunging the room into darkness. He struggled, opening his mouth to cry out. A hand clamped down over it, longer than a human hand and cold, so very cold. His hands were twisted painfully behind his back and he was pushed face-first into the ground, a boot heel digging into his back.
"Could you do that any louder?" a raspy, irritated voice snapped. "Do you want to die at the Angel's hands?"
"Oh chill, he's off somewhere and besides, everyone else is asleep two floors up. Its fine," another much more relaxed voice responded; at least he sounded human. "Put the blindfold on."
Ethinine tried to pull away but to no avail. The blindfold went over his eyes and something that tasted like cloth was shoved into his mouth and tied in place.
"Just tie him up quickly, I don't care how many miles away the Angel is, I wanna be far far away by the time he gets back."
"Will you two shut up?" a third voice, this one directly overhead, hissed. "Hurry up."
His hands were bound almost behind his neck and a cord was looped around his chest to keep them in place. Ankles were tied to his thighs and these were also tied together. He could barely move at all now, Hands grabbed his arms and threw him onto something - it felt like a particularly bony shoulder.
"Mission accomplished!"
"Have we escaped with the target yet? Dimwit."
"Gentlemen." The voice, low and deep, was filled with clear implications that shut the two up thoroughly. Ethinine felt his kidnapper start moving, his mind racing furiously. What was going on?
Sorry Romana, Antor. Guess those "lessons" I didn't even have planned are really not gonna happen now.
The group vanished into the night, unseen, unnoticed, their mission very much successful.

The Next Day...
It was a bright, cheerful day. Everyone awoke, and began about their business....

OOC - well, you can all start posting now. Have fun, and if anyone have any more questions and or needs some more world info, lemme know.

[Vio13]

((Oh wow! Hope I do this right, that was a hard act to follow))
Cusick urgently shuffled around his crowded room, ducking under hanging plants and skirting around an array of tables that left little walking space. It was a well practiced movement by now. Shattered glass and scattered papers had proven excellent teachers to which paths were acceptable in such a mess. From one corner of the room, he reached for his typical clothes, from the other he grabbed certain notes. He paused on occasion to make his way to one of the tables in order to write a line or two more of his thoughts. There was no special reason for the hurry, it was simple routine.
"Out of rodents again, again! Where did I set those traps? That left shelf has the third page. Should I speak with that woman on my way to collect amanita or on the way back? I'm sure I left the traps further out this time." Cusick paused in his thoughts as he found the last page he had been searching for. He quickly strung the pages together for his outing and plucked his hat out from underneath a pile of loose papers he'd tossed aside during last nights supper. Pulling his hat on he quickly pushed his way outside of his home, blinded for several moments by the sudden sunlight as he walked a familiar path. If anyone was careless enough to stand too close, it was their own fault if he knocked into them. He took a moment to acknowledge that he had managed to avoid a run in this time as his eyes adjusted to the day. He stopped abruptly, recalling a more recent objective he'd added to his list of things to accomplish. He looked off into the distance, guessing how far away his destination was. There were a number of people he needed to tend to. He'd nearly forgotten them among everything else. People could be quite the annoyance, even the slightest neglect to speaking with them could end up withering any favors he had gained from them. And he was going to need quite a few favors to get where he needed to be. He glanced down at the papers in his hand for a moment, weighing how long this extra chore would take him. With a slight glare in the direction these burdens lived in, he changed his path and scurried on towards them. A few pleasantries would be all he needed to bother with for now.

Romana slowly pushed the folds of her dress from one side to the other, trying to work them out of the fabric entirely while she focused. She had arrived to her destination early and ended up finding somewhere to sit while she waited for the appropriate time. She was near enough that she wasn't concerned about losing track of time. She did feel some form of concern growing in her stomach, though. Considering these lessons to come were something she was somewhat unfamiliar with, she didn't hold much resolve in facing them. It was only appropriate to appear for such an event, however. She couldn't possibly back down with her tail between her legs at this point. She didn't care to have anyone around to witness any error she may make in an unfamiliar subject, but there was a certain promise to this. She had put it off for too long in order to study what she'd considered to be more fruitful topics, but now didn't she have to accept the foolishness of such a decision made in her youth? If she was away from the sick, another could take her place, but this talent she'd neglected could prove to be more unique than what she'd been dabbling in. It would be useful in some way if she studied it as often as she had studied health. Or she could hope it was something to be grasped in such a way. Still, to have someone see her unskilled attempts in such a thing...
Romana stood, unable to sit still like this any longer. If she was to be early, she was to be early, there was no reason to work herself into such childish concerns. To be of her age and entertain such thoughts... she'd been living too comfortably if she could still afford them. With a huff she returned to the place she was to meet Ethinine and that... other one. The name seemed to escape her for the moment. She looked around, her concern beginning to shift to a new matter. She wasn't all that early, was she? Had she gotten the day wrong?

((If I made any mistakes, please let me know ;w; ))

[Oddood198]

OOC: Bugger all, this is late. By the by, have I mentioned how much I hate doing character intros?



Antor sat at his desk, brightly lit by a collection of candles whose light dimly stretched to the rest of the room. Many scribes, he knew, would use only the bare minimum of light while they worked; it was cheaper, easier to manage, and had less risk of causing an accident. But Antor always found that using less than a comfortable level of light strained his eyes, and he feared it would hurt his vision. As a result, his working area was more cluttered with all the little candles, but he could see much better and the overall quality of his work improved, he thought.
His quill pen glided smoothly across the parchment paper he worked on, guided by fluid, practiced motions; he had done this hundreds of times before and would do so hundreds of times again. That was the price of his skill; mindless repetition and hours upon hours, hunched over candlelight while he wrote and drew.
Antor took a second to glance up at the window sitting above him and saw that the sun was rising, meaning it would soon be time for him to meet with the Grand Sage and the other apprentice. He scribbled a few last lines and then set his quill pen aside, straightening his back as he looked down at his work. The scroll was covered in lines of characters and symbols, decipherable by few anymore, and Antor among those few. It wasn't so much what the scroll said that was important, but what it meant, and that importance was doubly so for Antor.
The young apprentice gulped as a fresh pang of guilt came over him for what he had done, and what he was doing, but he swallowed those feeling and put them aside. He had dwelt on it long enough; he knew the meaning of his decisions.
He picked up the pen again and brushed the long feather across the scroll, making sure all the ink had dried, then he rolled the parchment up and slid it into a thin case, and placed that in the bag with the others. The apprentice stood up from his seat, stretching for a moment to work the stiffness out of his joints, then made his preparations to leave for the day. He slung his satchel over his head, then hooked it onto his belt to prevent it from swinging around as he walked. Then, he took the canvas bag he had placed the fresh scroll in and checked to make sure he had tied it shut, then slung it over his shoulder. Finally, he picked up his intricately carved staff and walked out of his small apartment, pausing as he did to turn the heavy door locks shut and test their sturdiness, then he began his trek to the meeting place.

Antor's "apartment" was really just a small, re-purposed storage room in a far wing of the castle that got little use anymore. He had come from his family's home on short notice, and didn't bring much, or have time to make arrangements elsewhere. At first, the castle staff had tried to put him in a guest suite, as befitted a young noble such as himself, but Antor had protested, saying that he would prefer to stay in a small, private room instead. And besides, this way, he was close to the kitchens, so he could get a snack whenever he needed.

Before long, he arrived at the meeting spot and found that he wasn't the first; the other apprentice, the noble girl, was already waiting there. No sign of the Grand Sage, though.
Uncomfortable and cautious, but not wanting to seem rude, Antor stopped a few steps from the girl and bobbed his head. "Good morning, ma'am." He greeted her.

[Vio13]

((Better late than never I s'pose. Oh gosh, it's 4 am, I should not be writing. Ah well))
Romana noticed a man of indeterminable age as he made his way to the area she was standing in. She lowered her hands and clasped one over the other to keep herself from playing with them. She turned her head away to keep from staring, but found her gaze quickly called back as they greeted her. She was surprised by the voice of him, it sounded younger than she'd expected. She felt her face break into a sunny smile as if by instinct, though she didn't know if it might be necessary. She found her mouth moving before her mind had really registered who this person was. "A fine morning to yourself as well, sir." She had a feeling she should know this man as she took in his face, feeling that perhaps she had owed him a less dismissive response. He was youthful, she could see that clearly now, though she wondered at his health. He looked well groomed enough that he should be taken somewhat seriously.
Romana's jaw flexed slightly as she realized that he was most likely her fellow apprentice. Her smile tightened as she forced it not to waver at realizing her error. She was silly to forget, but now that she remembered she wasn't alone, she recalled she had failed to think of his name. The silence had lasted a few uncomfortable seconds by then, however, and she rushed to fill it. "I haven't seen Ethinine at all today, though I've been here an hour" she said, hoping he might know something more. Though she noticed as the words slipped out of her mouth that she'd perhaps given too much information. She reached up and pushed her hair from her shoulder, biting her tongue lest she laugh nervously and completely draw attention to her mistake. If Ethinine was much later she might already win a poor reputation in the eyes of this... Romana glanced over her fellow apprentice, could she call him a man? He did have a boyish look in some ways.

[Oddood198]

An hour? The other apprentice had already been here for an hour, and Antor himself was just arriving now? His chest tightened and his heart almost skipped a beat as dread set it. How had he been so careless? He was so sure this was the right time to meet! But, why was the Grand Sage also late? Wouldn't he have been expected to be there before either of his apprentices?
And thinking on that, Antor noticed something else that struck him as odd: this woman had called him simply 'Ethinine', instead of Grand Sage. Was she on friendly terms with him? Did he prefer to be called by name, rather than title? It seemed improper to him that someone so important as himself would be called only by his first name, as if his position meant nothing. Perhaps this woman was simply close enough friends that it was acceptable for her to refer to him casually? Best to call him by his title, Antor decided, and if the Grand Sage wanted to be called by name, he could say so himself.

"R-rather strange, for the Grand Sage to not have arrived yet. I would have expected him to be here by now."Antor replied, keeping his voice calm and level despite his inner turmoil. Unsure what to say, he desperately grasped for something to chat about to prevent the mood from becoming uncomfortable. "I-it, um... It surely is a fine morning, isn't it, Miss..." His voice trailed off, leaving his sentence incomplete, and his eyes widened slightly as he froze in horror, realizing his mistake. He didn't know the woman's name!
No, no, it was all right. Calling her simply 'Miss' would be fine, right? Having stopped mid-sentence, it may have sounded a bit odd, but maybe she wouldn't notice. If he played it off correctly, then maybe he could make his mistake seem like his intent. Not daring to look the woman in the eye, for fear his own would give him away, Antor turned slightly and looked up to the sky, leaning casually on his staff, trying to seem as nonchalant as possible and look as if he was enjoying the "fine morning."

[Vio13]

((These two are so nervous/awkward right now, it's lovely xD ))
Romana nodded in agreement "Rather strange, indeed" though with how early she'd been, it hadn't seemed quite so strange until recently. Her smile that had started to relax into a more genuine state tightened again at hearing Ethinine's proper title. Her mind whirled, realizing she'd said his name aloud so casually. Somekind of excuse might be needed, but for the time being, she decided to stick with using his name around this fellow apprentice lest inconsistency reveal her inappropriate speech.
She perked up when the boy trailed off, he was asking her name. Romana felt a sense of relief, such a question would allow her to finally learn this boys name. This time she wouldn't forget it. "Romana... Leyen" She informed him gladly. She wasn't even concerned that in giving her own name she had spoken haltingly. She fussed with her hair somewhat, pushing it over her shoulder. "Now, I'm afraid you have me at a disadvantage" she couldn't help but laugh, wasn't that what a lady ought to do in this sort of situation? She didn't think she'd ever seen her mother ask such a thing with a straight face. She tried to meet his eye, though he'd seemed distracted by something. She glanced into the distance, hoping to discern what it might be before deciding it was nothing of consequence. Now if only Ethi-- the 'grand sage' would arrive, she could be perfectly content with the day. At least, until she found something else to get hung up on.

[ClaecElric4God]

The light shining through the small window was a rude awakening for Shaddoc. Ruder than usual, as Shaddoc was usually up before the sunlight broke the horizon. But the head cold he'd been battling for a week now was still plaguing him, and he'd found himself worn and ragged from it. With a groan he slowly pushed himself up, scolding himself for allowing the sun to rise before him. However, the fatigue wouldn't loosen its grip on him, and Shaddoc collapsed again with a sigh. He lay still for a moment, trying to get his bearings. Before he could make another effort to get up, Shaddoc lapsed into a coughing fit. When the coughing finally subsided he found himself sitting up, and took advantage of that position to quickly push himself to his feet before the bed could reclaim him.
With a sigh Shaddoc stumbled to the window, resting his hands on the edge as he leaned out into the sunlight and let the warmth soak in. He stood hunched, with his head so far down it almost touched the sill. But when he heard the sound of unfamiliar voices, he raised his head slowly.
Shaddoc's window faced the courtyard, where two people were standing and looking somewhat unsure of themselves. Shaddoc tried to remember where he'd seen them before, but his mind was still groggy, and it took him a moment to recall that those were Ethinine's new apprentices. And if Shaddoc further recalled correctly, Ethinine had planned to do some sort of lesson with them; as well as Ethinine tended to plan things, anyways. But the question was, why were the two standing down there looking confused? If nothing else, Ethinine was always punctual, and it was unlike him to keep people waiting. While Shaddoc puzzled over this, his thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door. Putting a hand to his forehead, Shaddoc turned away from the window, leaning against it with his arms crossed in an effort to keep his balance yet look somewhat functional.
"Come in," he offered.
The door opened softly, and a young woman entered with a wash basin and a cloth. Shaddoc sighed. When was he going to get it through people's heads that he didn't want to be waited on hand and foot?
"Good morning, Sir Shaddoc."
Shaddoc bit his tongue. If he kept trying to correct these maids on calling him "Sir" he was just going to give himself a headache.
"Thank you," he said in some exasperation. And to the woman's surprise, Shaddoc simply took the basin and poured its contents on his head, letting the cold water wake his senses. "That's all," he said, handing back the basin and waving her out the door. Bewildered, the girl quickly shuffled out, closing the door behind her.
Shaddoc used his own shirt to wipe his face and dry his hair before changing into a fresh set of clothes. This was going to be a long day and he would just as soon crawl back into bed and let it pass him by. But there was much to be done. As much as he dreaded it, he needed to find Jadis and finish the conversation they'd begun last night. Shaddoc had worn himself out trying to reason with him, and he didn't much expect today to be any different. But Shaddoc was also well aware that he was probably the only one besides Nigal who could get through Jadis' thick skull. Even Ethinine with his infinite patience would probably reach the end of his wits trying to deal with the pig-headed king.
Looking out the window again, Shaddoc saw that the apprentices were still there, and still no sign of Ethinine. He decided it would probably be a good idea to find out what that was about so the two newcomers weren't left floundering helplessly for any longer than necessary. Hopefully Ethinine wasn't sick in bed, having worn himself out by taking the weight of the world on his shoulders. Between trying to fill Neoman's shoes, taking on apprentices, and now recently worrying over Emagene, Reveka, and Arren; Ethinine had too much strain on his already relatively weak system. Shaddoc sighed. He wasn't really sure what he could do to help.
Shaddoc headed down the hall, nodding politely to those he passed but making a point to avoid getting stopped in conversation. At the end of the hall Shaddoc found Jadis' personal chamber, but when he knocked he found the room empty. Of course; it was late in the morning and there was no doubt that Jadis was out and about - probably avoiding him. This was going to be a very long day.
Deciding to put off his manhunt for Jadis, Shaddoc instead headed for the courtyard to see what he could do about Ethinine's apprentices.
"Shaddoc!" An unfamiliar voice stopped Shaddoc in his tracks. Turning, he saw a young man, perhaps 18, striding towards him. He looked vaguely familiar, but Shaddoc was drawing a blank. "You can't have forgotten me already!"
Shaddoc narrowed his eyes, wracking his brain.
"M...attemeo?" Shaddoc ventured to guess. The boy's face brightened, indicating that Shaddoc had guessed right.
"It's been a long time! After the battle against the Dark where you and the Heroes of Light saved the world, I committed to become strong and be able to protect the people as well. I just finished my apprenticeship in Cadmiel, south of here, and returned to study the sword under Nigal. It's so good to see you again!"
Saved the world? Shaddoc resisted the urge to chuckle. Isn't that a bit extreme?
"What brings you here?" Shaddoc asked, deciding he could spare a few minutes for the excited youth. It was good to see Mattemeo, and the boy had definitely grown. Shaddoc was glad to see that he had pursued his goals and grown into a competent young man from the quiet and helpless youth Shaddoc remembered. However, nowadays Shaddoc wasn't sure how far sword skills would get him. The country was so peaceful that he would be better off learning a practical trade.
"Well," Mattemeo replied, shuffling his feet a bit. "I understand that he's nobility now, and we're not on the same level as we used to be..."
"You'd like to see Jadis, wouldn't you?" Shaddoc asked with a kind smile. He could understand that. Though Jadis had never paid any attention to him, Shaddoc had observed Mattemeo as a boy, and knew that he thought extremely highly of Jadis and thought of him as an older brother figure. And it was understandable that Mattemeo would be nervous about trying to gain an audience with Jadis, who was now king of the country.
Shaddoc clapped Mattemeo on the shoulder.
"Don't forget that you're a man as well now, Matt. And while Jadis may be king, he's still the old Jadis we knew. Granted, I have no idea where he is, and I've been looking for him myself. Ask around and if anyone seems annoyed with you, tell them Shaddoc sent you. And if you do find him, let him know I need to speak with him as well."
Ignoring Mattemeo's extravagant words of gratitude, Shaddoc waved a hand and turned back to enter the courtyard. When he arrived he approached the two, nodding politely.
"Has the Grand Sage kept you waiting?" He asked.

[Wolfsong]

OOC - Great posts everyone!

Jadis
Well, yesterday had been a ridiculously long day. He'd been counting on that, and particularly that head cold, to escape before Shaddoc started trying to reason with him.
Yes, he knew he was being unreasonable. But every now and then a king's allowed to do that, right?
Psh. King. He was used to it, but he was still sick of the whole deal.
Counting on Shaddoc's mental exhaustion to keep him out cold, Jadis woke before the sun had even shown over the horizon. Changing quickly into his comfortable clothes - a gray shirt with a black belt around his waist, a black jacket with a tail descending to his knees, dirt brown pants and black leather boots, and finally a black cloth tied around his head just above his eyes - He promptly escaped out the window.
Another inconsistentcy. He remembered an age-old lecture from the head of the guard about seeing to the safety of the king and all that, but then they had this friggin' huge window in his room practically next to his bed, perfect for assassination purposes, and not even a guard outside.
Yes, these were peaceful times, but he still found it funny.
He visited the North Tower first. The place had been the hidden sanctuary of the Heart of Light, and the place Reveka had recovered her shattered soul, but now it was empty. Still, there was a sense of peace that filled the air inside the tower, like a gentle reminder of home.
After that, he just explored the grounds again. He did nothing against the servents, their jobs were busy enough already, but it was a good way to keep an eye on the nobles and others' aspirations. With the fear of the Darkness gone, they could now focus on each other and positions of power, so he tried to keep a step ahead. Problem was, he lost his patience with them so easily...
Thank the Light he still had Nigal and Shaddoc. He'd go stark raving mad without them.
Much later in the day, past the time people would start noticing their king was missing again (not that those outside the palace grounds ever seemed to find out), Jadis leaned against a wall in one of the courtyards, hidden by rose bushes, content with his lot. He felt better, but still didn't want to face that issue again. He'd probably come back later, maybe late afternoon. Nigal would keep things running till then...
He heard footsteps, and saw one of Ethinine's apprentices enter the courtyard, looking somewhat uncertain. Jadis watched a moment, then mentally shrugged and closed his eyes, resting.
Some time later, he heard voices, and saw both of them were there, and seemed to be making an awkward attempt at conversation. He smiled indulgently, but not unkindly. Poor them. Must seem like so much, an apprenticeship to one who was not only a hero, but was also the Grand Sage.
Poor Ethinine too. Jadis grinned wider, sympathetic but also amused. Their situations were actually quite similar, holding positions they didn't really want but had taken up with no real choice.
Jadis was about to slip off and finish his cat nap elsewhere when he heard another voice and stopped cold. Thrice-blasted ill luck, Shaddoc! Jadis didn't ordinarily dread seeing his best friend, but when faced with the knowledge that said friend would continue the lecture of last night, he didn't really want to see him right now.
Trapped. If he moved, Shaddoc would see him. If he stayed, Shaddoc might see him. He wasn't worried too much about the apprentices, he was hidden well from their eyes, but he knew Shaddoc would likely find him.
Going as still and silent as possible, Jadis closed his eyes and waited to see what his fate would be.

[Vio13]

((Hm, was gonna wait for odd, but at this rate... well I'll see what I can do. Also, I'm not sure that Romana should recognize anybody or not? So... hmm))
Romana glanced up at the sudden interruption, though she was far from upset by it. She perked up, turning to the man "Not terribly long, sir." Nothing seemed terribly overboard about her statement. She did feel terribly out of place, though. Certainly she was not used to being around many people whose status she had to constantly be considerate about. She had not been around many of even equal status since she left her parents home, let alone this kind of place where the potential to be rude through ignorance of who someone might be was greatly increased. All she could really do was smile and hope she hadn't caused offense, though it was easier now that she hadn't misspoken right off the bat.
((Sorry for the shortness))

[Oddood198]

The newcomer had approached from directly behind Antor, who wasn't even aware of him until he sprung his question on them. The young man jumped, supremely startled at the sudden addition to their conversation. He whirled around with a face rather resembling a deer coming face to face with a pack of wolves. Antor was very bad at surprises.
The young apprentice slowly turned to face the new arrival, trying, and failing, to plaster a polite smile on his face. "O-oh, n-not at all, s-sir." He stammered, "W-we're just a little early is all. Yes, no, the Grand Sage hasn't kept us waiting at all!" He chuckled nervously and blinked a few times, trying to recover from being spooked.

[ClaecElric4God]

Shaddoc cocked his head and smiled at the reactions of the two. They were so different, but at the same time he sensed the underlying nervousness in the girl that was painfully evident in the young man. Oh how Shaddoc missed being naive and shy and unfamiliar with nobility and courts. He'd left his simple country life far behind him to follow Jadis to a place like this.
"I'm glad to hear it," he said, taking an extra moment to pat the young boy on the shoulder, for some reason. "If you have any troubles, don't hesitate to ask for help."
Nodding and smiling once more, Shaddoc wandered casually over to a nearby bush, coming to a halt on the other side of it. Shaddoc leaned against the wall and shoved his hands into his pockets, staring up into the sky.
"So would you like to explain yourself without making a scene?" He asked quietly, still with his face turned toward the sky. "Or do I have to make a public example of a king who shirks his duties?"
Head still pounding, Shaddoc waited for the reply. Whatever Jadis did, he was sure this was going to be a long, long day.

[Wolfsong]

OOC - sorry Claec that's someone else's job :3

Jadis froze, then quietly cursed under his breath. Yeah, he knew this was coming.
"I'd really rather not," he replied calmly, then suddenly leapt up, vaulting over Shaddoc using his shoulders, having the added effect of pushing him over. Grinning at his success, Jadis broke for the nearest exit.
A loud THWACK suddenly came out of nowhere, and Jadis collapsed, clutching the back of his head and moaning. An older man stepped from the archway, one of the mock-swords resting on his shoulder. He had grey in his hair, but still walked with a youthful step; this was Nigal, captain of The Band, a group of soldiers who's single purpose was to protect the kingdom. He bent down, grabbing Jadis by the collar.
"And a good morning to you too, Jadis. I understand how you feel about this recent issue," he said, yanking him to his feet. "But I thought we'd reached an understanding about this before." Jadis winced as he turned his head, trying to meet Nigal's eyes without flinching.
"But I'd already dealt with it," he managed, though it came out much more whiny than he'd intended. He saw the look in Nigal's eyes and flinched again. "Sir...please no. I was enjoying my morning for once."
"Come on, you, there's work to be done." Jadis tried to pull away, but Nigal held him firmly, nodding his greetings to Shaddoc. "A fine morning to you. Is there a problem here?" he asked, glancing at the two apprentices

[ClaecElric4God]

Shaddoc sighed, watching Nigal round up Jadis. He was relieved that Nigal had showed up; he was the only one who could really get Jadis under control, after all. But he was a bit irritated that Jadis had blown him off so easily. He hated being so easily outmaneuvered. If only he could shake this stupid cold.
Shaddoc nodded a greeting and his appreciation to Nigal, then turned to the apprentices, waiting for their response. It did seem awfully odd that Ethinine hadn't shown up yet...

[Oddood198]

What... what just happened? Was that the king? Was the king in a bush? Did the king just jump out of a bush, knock a man down, an get beat by an old man with a sword?

I should have stayed home this was a terrible idea. Antor thought as he watched the scene unfold before him. That was the king, wasn't it? He thought he recognized him, but it really was hard to tell when he was covered in dirt and leaves rather than royal finery. And who was the man hitting him with a sword? Could he get away with that? Was that just a thing that happened here?
Antor remained quiet and still as things played out in front of him, not wanting to draw any undue attention to himself. And yet, as the older man asked the other if there were any problems, they both remained silent and turned to the apprentices. Huh? Had the man been addressing them? Was Antor supposed to answer? He glanced at Romana, as if to take a cue from her, then back at the others, keeping his expression as politely neutral as he could.

[ClaecElric4God]

Shaddoc waited a moment, but both of the apprentices just seemed to give a blank stare. After the silence went on awhile, Shaddoc turned back to Nigal.
"It would seem that Ethinine has yet to arrive. It's unlike him to be anything but punctual; do you have any idea what might be keeping him?"

[Wolfsong]

"Can't say," Nigal said, his eyes narrowing. He glanced at Jadis, who sighed and stood, brushing himself off.
"Yeah yeah...sorry sir." Stretching under Nigal's stern eye, he managed a wry smile. "I'll take care of stuff here while you go check on him. You two!" He pointed at the apprentices. "You two come with me, we'll find something for you to do while you wait. Shaddoc?" And he started for one of the doors.
Nigal watched them go, then immediately turned and started out of the castle grounds. A strange, unpleasant feeling had sttled in the back of his mind, one he could not drive away.



Ethinine came to with a gasp, his chest tightly constricted. His eyes opened but he couldn't see, nor could he make a sound. His body was paralyzed, and he could barely even breathe.
There were voices in the background, difficult to make out as he tried to focus on them, a single grip on the world around him.
"So we messed up again?" That one, that was the one that had sounded human, at least more than the others.
"Well how were we to know? He wasn't specific! He just wanted the Grand Sage, he didn't say which one!"
"Well that's his problem not ours."
There were faint sounds, like muffled punches being thrown. There was suddenly complete silence, and he suddenly felt the presence of a hand on his shoulder.
"He is merely a child," a quiet, musing voice resonated in his ears - no, it sounded like it was directly in his mind. "They all were. And yet they caused the greatest shattering of our world, more so than the darkness itself did. Only children..." Silence. The pressure disappeared from his shoulder, and he was left once again in empty oblivion. Then he heard it, a low chuckle that echoed in his ears.
"Lets see if you can alter the world once again."

[Oddood198]

Antor froze, going straight and stiff as a board as the king himself ordered him and Romana to follow him. Was that OK? He was the king, was it all right for mere apprentice to accompany him throughout the castle? After receiving a direct order, was it all right for them not to?
Trying as hard as he could to keep breathing and moving like a normal human being, Antor fell in behind the king. He had to hurry a bit to keep up with the taller man's quick stride, but he made absolutely sure to hang back a respectable distance and then some. He was an apprentice, barely of higher standing than, say, a common servant, breathing in too close a proximity to the king was probably a crime of some sort or another. Again, Antor told himself he should have just stayed at home.