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Post by GX1997 on Jan 2, 2015 18:57:10 GMT -6
"Nothing, really, besides a few bedtime stories from my childhood, which I'm sure aren't very accurate portrayals of their people or culture," Elia said as she studied the mountains, and looked for landmarks to narrow down exactly where they were.
Does he read minds now, too?
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Post by Neo on Jan 2, 2015 20:33:43 GMT -6
"That doesn't surprise me," he replies, sighing a bit. "Unfortunately, that's really all they're relegated to nowadays. The Dwarves were an incredible people once, and contrary to common belief, they did possess magic. The magic of the Dwarves was born of fire and rock, of iron and steel, and it was quite the force to be reckoned with. The ancient Dwarves built a sprawling network of underground cities and technological marvels all across Austur, each larger and grander than the next. The grandest of these cities by far was Gorgath, the ancient capitol of the Dwarves, and home of the Mountain King. It was a truly incredible place... In its prime, Gorgath made a mockery of even the Cleatian royal city."
A mask of melancholy and nostalgia briefly passed over his face, but it quickly vanished. "Anyway, there is a point to this little history lesson. In order to access their many cities and outposts, and so only they could access them, the Dwarves built gateways using the ancient magic. These gateways could only be accessed by speaking a passcode, or phrase, in the old tongue. This is the very first thing I will teach you, Elia. I will teach you how to speak and read the ancient language of the Dwarves."
He made no mention of her silent thought, the one she was obviously having, though he did grin slightly. I may not be a mind reader little one... But I can read people better than most Type 4 Mages. Your earlier comment about the temperature, your inquiry about my coat, the facial expressions you so desperately try to hide... Even your eyes. These things tell me far more about you than any magic could.
But, at least for now, perhaps it will be better she thinks so. The time will come when she knows his powers in full, but for now, it's better she's kept in the dark about what he can truly do.
The pair finally crested the summit of the pass. The slanted lands spread out before them, a forested slope that turned gently upwards into the mountains proper. Towards their left, the land of pine and grass sloped downwards, back towards the base of the mountains. While there was no obvious cliff, the end of the slope was deceptively steep. A tumble from that would hurt. Badly.
In the distance, the tallest peak loomed, and while the mountain appeared relatively close, Vincent knew from experience it was anything but. "Well then. We may as well try to pass the time with some productive conversation. So tell me Elia, why do you think you cannot control your powers?"
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Post by GX1997 on Jan 2, 2015 21:10:47 GMT -6
"It's a long story. But, looking at those mountains, and considering that you bothered to ask in the first place when you probably already knew it was a long story... I guess we'll have more than enough time for stories, won't we?" Elia watched his expression as she spoke, and although it wasn't surprising to her that it didn't change, she knew he must have come to some conclusions about her background already. "I was raised near these mountains, so I do know a couple of things about travelling in this area. And while that sinks in, and you draw more conclusions from it, I'll go ahead and say that these mountains are really where my story begins."
Come on, show some kind of reaction, please. Let me know you're actually listening. If you aren't, then there's no need for me to walk around, wearing my heart on my sleeve, while telling tales of my twisted childhood. At least listen. It will be so cruel if you aren't.
"There is a place not very far into the mountains where children from my village would go when they were old enough and felt they were ready, where they would go to figure out what type of magick they could use. It's nothing that they couldn't have done at home, it's just that being able to make it there was a sort of rite of passage. No one ever went alone though. You were supposed to take a friend or two with you, but never one that was also ready to find out about their magick. It was a day for a child to be special, and celebrated, a day all for them, so having someone that you had to share it with was very disappointing."
She could recall the day she visited the valley so vividly, that as she walked she almost swore that she could feel the same winds from the storm that was higher in the mountains on that particular day. She started walking just a little faster as she sunk farther into that memory, almost as if she wanted to put distance between herself and something else in it.
"I only really had one friend at the time. The village was small, and there really weren't many other children our age. He was older than I was, so when it was his turn to go, I went with him. I was supposed to be too young to find out about mt magick, and that was fine by me. It was his turn, and I would get mine within the next year or so," she said before her face turned deadly serious, "But nothing ever seems to go according to my plans. I assume you've already figured out what happened in that valley."
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Post by Neo on Jan 2, 2015 21:33:05 GMT -6
"I have my guesses," Vincent said, his expression cool and unchanged. Then he smiled, and his cold facade melted, if only for a moment. "But this is your story, my girl. And from what I gather, you haven't told many people about what happened, have you? You can tell me, Elia. Get it off your chest. I'm a very good listener, I assure you. And you won't find anyone who understands what you've been through better than I. As I've said before, you and I are alike in many ways."
He increased his pace to catch up with her, and then fell in step beside her, waiting patiently.
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Post by GX1997 on Jan 2, 2015 22:21:46 GMT -6
"By sheer coincidence I stumbled onto my magick while I was there. And what do you do in that situation? You don't want to upstage your best friend, but you hope he'll understand too. And you're scared for what being a type-1 means for your life. Really, really scared. I had actually been picking flowers elsewhere in the valley, which was something I also did at home in the meadow. When I came back empty handed, he knew something was wrong, and then he saw how upset I was. I didn't have a choice, I had to tell him. He seemed to be alright with it, but I still promised not to tell anyone else back home, so that he could have his spotlight for the day. Then he told me he had figured out what magick he could use, after he had been experimenting for hours. He said he was a type-7, and I felt horrible, because I knew that he felt hurt. But I believed what he said, that it was okay. And now I know that, and so many other things, was a lie. Evidently he always held it against me."
So you are listening after all...
"Oh, and it gets even better when you know just how much I took away from him that day. He lied about being a type-7. He's a type-4. He would have been a hero in our village, for having such rare magick. And I messed that up a few minutes after his revelation. But he was no fool; he lied to me, and to our village for years, and it gave him the perfect opprotunity when he decided to betray me. How was I supposed to know that the type-4 influencing my actions to keep me from escaping all that time, was him?"
"If there is a god of irony in one of the old pantheons, could it be that he is the one who has orchestrated the events of my life? Do you feel the same?" Elia asked as a brief diversion before she went on to more recent memories. "Eventually I had to admit to my village that I am a type-1, and things spiralled out of hand at a frightening pace that I was never able to even imagine possible. I feared being manipulated, possibly even taken away from my home by force, more than anything else, and I refused to use my magick."
"I became so paranoid that I left my village. When I sought refuge, I wished to find a place where I would never have to reveal what I was, and where I would never need to use magick. I found that at the monastery, where the followers of Kryla worshipped. I knew I had found the perfect place to spend my next few years at, at least until I was ready to go back to the outside world. Magick was forbidden there, unless it was absolutely necessary for someone to live. So I very rarely ever used magick there, only when I was alone and needed it."
And there it is. That's why I never learned to control my magick. I never tried. And now, there's this new power...
"I may have had a tendency to define a 'need for magick' as a 'need for enough light to read a book'," she added as she turned to Vincent, with a smile that was a mixture of shyness and mischievousness that she hoped would hide her emotions.
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Post by Neo on Jan 2, 2015 22:59:17 GMT -6
Vincent saw her smile for what it truly was, and it reminded him so much of Lena and he that his eyes watered. He turned away before she could see, and sighed. She thinks she cannot control her magic because she was never taught how to... But that's not it at all. I could tell her the real problem, but what would that serve? No. I can help her find the answer, but in the end, she must be the one to find it.
"I believe I understand now," he said, and there was a hint of something else in his tone, something that belied the true meaning of his words. "I will do what I can to help you learn, but it will not be easy. The road ahead of you is a long one, and I am not an easy master to train under. You must be willing to do what I say, when I say, no matter how absurd you think the lesson is. And above all, you must open your mind and be willing and able to let go of your past and everything you once knew. Knowing this, do you have the resolve to continue? If you do not, say so now. My powers have mostly recovered, and I can take you anywhere in Austur in mere moments. You have but to tell me where, and I will drop you off, and you will never see me again."
He was surprised to discover that thought actually pained him. Without Silver, Gorgath was an extremely lonely place... And she really did remind him of Lena. But he needed to know if her resolve was true. Otherwise, there would be no point in going further.
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Post by GX1997 on Jan 2, 2015 23:45:15 GMT -6
"Do I... Do I really have anything to lose? There's no place for me to go. The only person I trust that would take me in happens to live in the same place as one of the monsters who wants to manipulate me. You're the first person I've met in years who knew about my power and didn't obviously want use it for themselves..." she said as she stopped, and tears ran down her face.
I just hope it's true. I want to just be 'Elia' again, not a pawn in someone's plan...
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Post by Neo on Jan 3, 2015 15:20:28 GMT -6
Vincent wanted to kick himself. He needed to test her resolve, true, but it wasn't his intention to make her cry... Damn it... The one thing I can't deal with. Now what am I supposed to do? I've never been able to cope with a woman's tears...
He wanted to dry her tears, no he needed to. It was a need that burned within him as strongly as the Forges of Gorgath. But she needed to let it go, and he couldn't interfere with that... Vincent stopped at Elia's side, and took a shaky breath. He placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, and while it was obvious he was feeling really uncomfortable and awkward, he still gave his best smile.
"You can stay with me for as long as you want, Elia. You are under my charge now, and I take that very seriously. No harm will befall you, and no one will try to manipulate you again. You are as safe as safe can be. The Emperor, or anyone from Cleatia for that matter, cannot reach you now. Not without declaring war on Shiryu."
He felt pleased with that. He never thought being a member of the Pantheon would prove so useful. Still, if he was going to play at being the 'cryptic mentor', he was off to a rocky start. He was sorely out of practice... And for that, he blamed his dragon.
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Post by GX1997 on Jan 3, 2015 18:24:54 GMT -6
Elia held her hands together, the lowered her head and simply looked at them before she closed her eyes, trying to stop the tears. "I would give anything, do anything, if I could just get a fresh start. A new life. I'm willing to do everything I can to leave my past behind. I'll try to learn anything you tell me I need to know."
"I was never the strongest person, but with everything that has happened lately, I've become so fragile... I'm sorry. I'm so sorry..." she said as she hid her face in her hands.
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Post by Neo on Jan 3, 2015 21:01:30 GMT -6
Vincent had absolutely no idea what to do. He didn't have the first clue how to comfort her, and he didn't even know if he could... She had been through so much for a girl her age. And everything he had said so far had only served to make her more upset. After standing around helplessly for a few seconds, he finally threw caution to the wind and comforted her the way he used to comfort Silver. He simply held her while she cried.
This certainly isn't helping my enigmatic persona or anything but... Ah, screw it. She'll have plenty of reasons to hate me later. But for now, I can at least give the girl an arm to cry on.
"Better?" He asked after a couple minutes, smiling kindly.
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Post by GX1997 on Jan 3, 2015 21:18:39 GMT -6
Not exactly. I've only reminded myself of how I can't seem to do anything on my own anymore. I've let myself become so helpless...
"Whatever you may think right now... Please don't blame yourself for anything... Not when you've only been trying to help me. The blame rests on others, and more than anything else, myself. I have to remember how to pick myself back up again..." she said, and although her tears had already dried, she kept her eyes tightly shut.
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Post by Neo on Jan 3, 2015 22:46:29 GMT -6
Vincent inclined his head in understanding and stepped away. "Those are wise words Elia, but they are difficult to live by." He turned back towards the mountain in the distance, and started walking. "I want to show you something," he said to her, over his shoulder. "I think it may help."
He didn't elaborate further until a few hours later, when they stood in front of the mountain itself. The mountain towered above the sloped lands and forests like a giant Leviathan, and it loomed over the open plains below them like an angry god, casting a tremendous shadow over the land. A narrow, barely visible trail led up the steep mountainside to the right, which climbed far up the mountain, and eventually to the World Tree sapling. Vincent walked up to the mountain and pressed his hand against the cold rockface. He spoke under his breath, his voice barely more than a whisper. With a great heave and a sound like thunder, a massive slab of rock and stone slid aside, revealing a passage of inky darkness beyond.
"Don't be afraid," he told his student, and led her inside. The stone door closed behind them, enveloping them in the blackest of night. However, Gorgath soon began to stir. The city noticed its Master had returned, and it woke to greet him.
One by one, torches lit themselves all over the massive city. Vincent and his young student stood on a high balcony of stone jutting out of the mountainside, with a single stairway to their right leading down below, where the great capitol of the dwarves lay spread out before them, stretching on for miles and miles. The city was built in a circular fashion, with the Palace of the Mountain King at the very center. Houses of rock and clay and stone lined the outskirts of the city, with houses of brick and gold and silver and even mythril thrown in among them. While the density of gold, silver and mythril houses, as well as those of iron and steel, increased the closer one got to the heart of the city, there seemed to be no other method of placement. In fact, the placement of the more opulent houses seemed to be almost completely random, with even a few gold and mythril houses in the outskirts. While the ancient and proud city of Gorgath had obviously seen better days, it was also quite apparent someone had been taking very good care of the city. In the flickering light of thousands of magic torches, the city almost appeared alive, and it took on a mystical hue, as the light reflected off all the gold and silver. In the center, the giant palace of gold and silver and steel and mythril shone like a small Sun.
It was a truly wondrous sight to behold, like one was stepping into the pages of a fairytale. Vincent heard Elia's sharp intake of breath, and smiled. "Welcome to the ancient Kingdom of the Dwarves," He announced rather dramatically. "I give to you Gorgath, the City in the Mountain, the seat of power for an entire age. Tell me Elia, what do you see when you look out across this balcony? Look closely."
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Post by GX1997 on Jan 3, 2015 22:56:00 GMT -6
"A place that is very lonely, now that the dwarves are gone. And I'm guessing you live there..." she added the last part as she pointed to the palace.
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Post by Neo on Jan 3, 2015 23:40:26 GMT -6
He nodded. "Yes, and yes. It is very lonely here now, and I do live in the palace. I was appointed Steward and Caretaker of Gorgath by the last Mountain King, the Great King Gorin Evening-Heart. Now let me tell you what I see, Elia. I see a city that has stood the test of time. Weathered and beaten, broken and stripped of its dignity and pride... But still very much alive. This city has taken everything time and war and sorrow can throw at it... And, by some miracle, it has survived. Do you understand? This city is like us. It offers me hope, that no matter what I go through, I can find some way to survive and become stronger. Gorgath has plenty of hope, Elia. There is enough for you as well, should you need it."
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Post by GX1997 on Jan 3, 2015 23:58:45 GMT -6
"So it's been through all this, and survived centuries..." Elia muttered as she walked towards the edge of the balcony. "Does that mean... Do you think I have the potential to be as strong as this place? To take all the negative...and somehow make something positive out of it?"
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Post by Neo on Jan 4, 2015 0:14:45 GMT -6
"Precisely," Vincent replied, grinning slightly. "I couldn't have said it better myself."
He joined her at the edge of the balcony. "Well, would you like a brief tour of the city before you turn in for the night? We should probably save the full tour for later though. I still need to whip up some dinner after all. We will officially begin your first lessons bright and early tomorrow, so you should try and get all the rest you can tonight. I won't lie to you, learning old Dwarvish is grueling."
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Post by GX1997 on Jan 4, 2015 0:34:18 GMT -6
Now I have to learn another language?
"Does it have any similarities to other languages that are still in use? I already know-..." she stopped speaking after her stomach growled loudly.
And I really wanted to look around... Now he's going to suggest that we go and have dinner, so I won't be able to see the city today... I guess I should have answered that question first, before my stomach growled.
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Post by Neo on Jan 4, 2015 0:47:20 GMT -6
Vincent gave a knowing smile, and a light laugh. "Easy there, little Lioness. I'll tell you all about the language tomorrow. For now, let's go grab a bite to eat. Come on, I'll show you the city on the way."
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Post by GX1997 on Jan 4, 2015 11:38:32 GMT -6
"Did you just give me a nickname?" Elia asked, incredulous at that particular display and the other seemingly out of character behaviors he had shown during the last two days. "When you told me the first time that you were going to train me, didn't you imply that you were going to be cryptic, and really tough? Because so far, you're doing just the opposite."
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Post by Neo on Jan 4, 2015 16:41:20 GMT -6
Vincent merely grinned, a wide toothy grin. "I did imply that, didn't I? In fact, I'm fairly certain I even outright said so... Ah well, it's a good thing we haven't started your training yet then, hmm? Don't worry, you'll have plenty of reasons to hate me soon enough."
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