Crusading into Oblivion

[Tobias Stalt]

Closed to Alyssa Snow and Siegfried

Crusading into Oblivion

[Tobias Stalt]

All creatures suffer from a darkness. It is a universal truth of the world that, when looked at through a secular lens, cannot be denied. Men inherently desire to be shaped as gods in their own right. The once great Raiaera, a marvel of the ancient world and testament to the end of decadence, whispered haunting echoes of its fall to Tobias. His first steps into the city sent a malefic chill through him.

Beinost was renown the world over as "the beautiful city," but it's legacy was one steeped in death. There was a strange quality to the architecture that smacked of history; elven accents that glowed brilliant shades of gold, purple, red and blue greeted the once-soldier with contrived warmth, which he attributed to their necromantic origins. It was difficult to believe any of this came from dark magic. "I dislike this," he announced shakily. His unwavering stride clashed with his words, each step taking him further into his fears.

"You dislike most things," Alyssa joked, a cheery smile on her face. She found that contrasting Tobias' outward mood often soothed his malcontent. While she was able to put on a lighthearted face, she felt the same unease that the man alluded to. "You would do well not to cling to them so." She threw him an offhand wink. Tobias blinked and glanced away.

Raiaera was a relic of a time long past. The magic that remained was a fragmented fossil of power that had been broken. Aftershocks of that mystical sunder in still rocked those attuned to the world's magic into modern times. "Can you feel it?" Alyssa murmured in discontent as a strange aura of power washed over her, and Tobias shot her a cautious look.

"You know I can't," he admonished. That the girl, Snow, felt a problem in the world's magic in this place put Stalt on edge. "What do you feel?" He felt inadequate in these times; while others like Alyssa were gifted with senses that understood or even recognized the Tap's touch, Tobias was dead to it. In league with Maguses, Sorcerors, and Seers, he was little more than a brutish pawn.

"I'm not certain," she admitted, "but I hardly think it's dangerous. At least not for now." Alyssa offered Tobias a reassuring smile. "We have a purpose here, Stalt," she reminded him. "We have to keep moving forward. Raiaera was the heartland of magic during the old days. Any mysteries it holds are worth unraveling."

"Some secrets are best left undisturbed," he muttered. Tobias hardly trusted the magic that already existed in the world; if there were a means of releasing more, he believed it was best not to tamper with powers like that. "Maybe the Tap was cracked for a reason," he went on, "maybe it knew that people would inevitably attempt to exploit it for evil. Maybe it caused itself to break so that humanity would never harness its full potential."

Alyssa shook her head. "Such a pessimist," she chided. Tobias huffed indignantly, but he did not dispute her words. "The story goes that a bard wielding a magical sword of great power fractured the Tap because he was unable to control the weapon's power," she explained as they walked through the sparsely populated streets, cobblestone paths and uniform buildings stretching out in every direction. "It was an accident."

Tobias smirked and threw a sideways glance toward the white haired woman. "It sounds like a hidden lesson to me," he mused. She raised an eyebrow, but nodded slightly to bid him to say more. The youth obliged. "A man dabbling in power beyond his control caused irreparable damage to an otherworldly phenomenon."

"That's certainly one outlook," Alyssa allowed. "I doubt the story was contrived for the sake of teaching an object lesson on values." She held out a hand toward a gnarled tree limb that stretched across the path before them. Black as midnight, the bark seemed to recoil from her touch, and the gun mage frowned. The touch of death magic still lingered, even so many years after the Corpse War. It was like walking through the ruin of a dead world. "You do have a brilliant mind, Tobias," she told him softly, "but you're too negative for your own good."

Tobias drew back from her kind reproach, turning his attention toward the path's end. They had come to their destination: the small bar called "Edge of the World." It was a drab place on the outside, evidence that it may have predated the magic that renewed Beinost and been a part of the former city, but Tobias had nothing to confirm that suspicion. When they entered, song and dance assailed their senses. Rhythmic harmonies melted together in an orchestral array that soothed the mind and calmed the body. Tobias looked even more paranoid. "She said we would meet the Elf here," Tobias told Alyssa, referring to Leona. The elf could easily have been anyone in the room, but Leona was rarely wrong. In fact, Tobias hardly recalled an instance where she had erred. "Let's have a drink," he offered, and for once, Alyssa beamed at something he said.

"Yes, lets," she replied, and Tobias dropped a few coins on the table. They sat down next to one another and Alyssa looked around, but Tobias just smiled as the serving boy came around and exchanged their coin for mead. "Do you expect we might encounter some connection to the broken Tap?" She asked he question all too eagerly, and Tobias jerked his gaze up at her. Others had heard the girl, and there were several eyes on the pair now.

"No," Tobias replied curtly. Many of the gazes fell away at that response, but Tobias still felt eyes on him. "It would serve you well not to speak of such things so openly." He did not mean to chastise her, but he needed to stomp out the flames before they fanned. Too many ears had just become privy to very delicate information, and in Raiaera, the Tap was a part of every day life. The former soldier leaned in, and he whispered, "you can already feel it," he told her. "It's all around us here. It's even stronger in Raiaera than anywhere else."

Alyssa opened her mouth to speak, but Tobias held up a hand. "Hail friend," he said to the man approaching, "have you been expecting us?" Tobias flashed a winning smile and lifted his drink heartily.

[Siegfried]

Alone, in the corner booth of the Edge of the World bar, Siegfried sipped at his stemmed glass of Raiaeran Merlot. As the rip touched his lips and floral notes of the dry red teased his taste buds, the high elven soldier peered down on a missive from one Leona Stevvains. It bore a broken wax seal with half of the ornate design on top and the remainder still adhered to the bottom. The message was a reply to a request for aide Siegfried had issued several weeks ago during his trip in Corone. He set his glass down beside the parchment to gloss over it once more.

"Dear Lord Siegfried Alfhiem,

My name is Leona Stevvains, current leading authority of a private organization dedicated to the research, restoration, and advancement of magic in Althanas. I understand that you are in dire need of able men and women willing to brave the blighted lands which cripple Raiaera. Though our organization is small, I can assure you our agents are specialized and efficient at what they do. That being noted, I have elected two individuals to your temporary service. One of them is a well known figure in your rival nation..."

Siegfried rubbed at his chin in contemplation. An agent from Alerar in the homelands of Raiaera's High Elves, the true rulers of the land, would not be met with pleasantries. Regardless of his current status, anyone who paid their loyalties to the Exiles over the Mountains of Dusk had no right to step foot on these blessed lands. Siegfried sighed. These times were dire, and the elven swordsman had to loosen his ties to old traditions. Luckily, this contact was not one of the Drow.

"He will be traveling with a young blonde woman. I have instructed them to meet you at the "End of the World" bar in Beinost on the eleventh cycle of the fifth moon. They should arrive by boat late that morning. The young man will carry a sword of blackened Dehlar and the woman will be carrying an odd pair of weaponry strapped to her thighs. She will also be carrying a large contraption on her back. You can confirm their identity by asking for their "proof of judgement". They should be able to display to you two cards: the King of Pentacles and Queen of Pentacles..."

"How bizarre," the elf commented for the fourth time since reading over the missive. He didn't care for the ambiguity of the letter, nor the fact these two had not been named in the missive. It didn't settle well. Siegfried brought his glass to his lips for another draw of wine.

"Once you have confirmed their identities, inform them of the nature of your request. They may be hesitant, but they will accept. Afterward, they are yours until your task is complete. I wish you the best in your ventures.

Sincerely,


Leona Stevvains"

Siegfried drained the glass dry and set it aside. Gently, he folded the paper up to mate the two broken halves of the seal. It came together to display a chalice within a star, surrounded by the makings of a pentacle, and a single sword stemmed through in the background. He took a deep breath and tucked the missive into the neckline of his tunic. He settled into his seat and kept a watchful eye over the moderately populated bar.

"Do you expect we might encounter some connection to the broken Tap?"

Siegfried turned his attention to the source of the question. Two newcomers waltz in from the streets, catching more unwanted attention than they desired. One was male which carried a rather hefty looking blade hidden away in its scabbard. The other was a young blonde. Siegfried glanced toward her legs to notice two odd looking contraptions strapped to both of her thighs and a large, wrapped object slung over her shoulder. The Bladesinger placed his hand on his chest over where he tucked the missive.

"It has to be them," me muttered.

The elven soldier rose from his corner booth and wove himself past the several cheery patrons enjoying drink and song with one another. He approached their table and immediately, the male hushed his companion. The boy raised his glass with a hearty smile and warm greeting, but his eyes betrayed a sense of caution.

"Perhaps," Siegfried responded. "May I see your 'proof of judgement'?"