The Bonds That Tie Us

@AJPhips

It was too late. Isaac knew it from the moment he heard the horses. Perhaps he had even known it before, though he couldn't explain how or why, and he didn't want to admit it to himself. That didn't stop him from half-dragging Ara across the field in a desperate attempt to break free. They couldn't win this fight, he knew that, not even with both of them at their best. His fledgling powers were not practiced enough to be fully under his control, and Ara was traumatized by her own in a way Isaac hoped he'd never understand. Whereas the Mage Hunters were trained, swift and absolute. If they didn't make it to the forest, they were done for. Isaac's stupidity and stubbornness would get them killed, or worse.

Fifty meters to go. Ara grabbed his arm. At first, Isaac hoped she had snapped out of her trance, but then she pulled back, effectively stopping them in their tracks. "Ara?!" Isaac struggled to pull free, but the tiny girl held on with a strength that by all rights should have been far beyond her slight frame. "Ara, what are you doing?! We need to go!" His breath caught at the glazed emptiness of her eyes. He didn't know what was going on, but Ara was clearly not in control of her actions. "Ara!" He tried directing the energy he could spare, using magic to shape the words like an arrow to try and pierce through the fog of whatever had settled over Ara's mind. Only she could break free of the enchantment that bound her, he knew, but he might have the power to help.

"Go!" Ara's voice was a sound so desperate it made Isaac wince despite his relief. She loosed her grip on his arm, and his momentum sent him nearly sprawling on his face again. But it was too late. He caught himself on his hands and slowly looked up to the two horseman cutting off their path to the forest, to safety, then turned to see a third behind them, blocking a retreat. Running was no longer an option. Isaac's body moved without his command and he stepped back, grabbing Ara's hand as he put himself between her and the Mage Hunters dismounting from their horses.

"Take the boy," the man in the most decorated uniform ordered with a wave of his hand, not taking his eyes off Isaac as the three closed in. He said nothing of Ara, it seemed he barley noticed her presence, but Isaac didn't have the time to process the strange behavior at the moment.

"Stay back," he warned, pushing his panic aside to take hold of the power. It was impossible for him to focus, he barely had enough concentration to keep himself upright. The magic slipped through his grasp, more elusive the harder he tried to grab onto it. "Stay away from us." He knew it wouldn't do anything, but fear had him talking as he pulled Ara closer.

One of the Mage Hunters, a scrawny man with cold blue eyes, gave a hard laugh, drawing a heavy-looking metal collar from his belt. "Isaac Castman, you are hereby taken under the custody of the Mage Tower of Braedon for the unregistered use of magic and the murder of your father, Omar Castman. Stand down or we will use the force necessary to-"

Before he could finish his sentence, Isaac lashed out. The power was like ice, deadly shards that flew from his hand as he threw it out to the man bearing the collar. The Mage Hunter swore, stepped back, but didn't fall. "Ara, run!" He shoved her away from him as the remaining Mage Hunters rushed in. Once Isaac had used magic to defend himself, the game was up. No more pretending, no more waiting, just Isaac and enemies and the power that crackled through the air. It was all right there, he could use it, but it was like trying to collect a hurricane in a cup, impossibly big, impossibly powerful, impossibly beyond his ability to harness.

He couldn't control it, but he could be a conduit.

Isaac didn't know where Ara was. He didn't know what was happening to her. All he knew was a hard blow to his chin. He bit his lip with the force, tasted blood. A rough hand in his hair. His head jerked back. Before they could get the collar around his neck, he grabbed the arm and let the magic free. Whoever had held him dropped their grip with a shout of pain. Magic filled his mind with a rush of white noise, and he closed his eyes- it had too much momentum, it was going to explode, it was going to explode out of him and he couldn't control it and he didn't know if he wanted to, anyway, because-

"Wha-" Isaac fell like a puppet with his strings cut as the air was knocked from his lungs. He struggled to move but found his body paralyzed, caught in some invisible hold. The more he struggled, the tighter the magic held. The first Mage Hunter, the one with the hard eyes, stepped into his line of sight, the energy of the world bending around him in the way it only did for mages. "Gotcha now, you little rat," the man hissed, kneeling to roughly lock the collar around Isaac's neck.
 
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@MJK2431 @Maeriel

Stavros lead Val towards Illian's steed and helped her to sit on to the saddle. He remained respectful not to touch her in a manner that could be considered disrespectful. "Look around my lady... "Stavros said as he took a scarf from his saddlebags and placed it around her wrists, offering her a chance to hide the chains and protect her dignity. All around people were watching her and the other woman fearfully, whispering to one other and making archaic warning gestures. "Nothing about Magic is considered petty in Lorr... Those chain you are wearing are Mage Bane, do not channel Magic while wearing them, it will hurt..." Stavros turned to illian which was still knelt by Elise. The young man looked up at Stavros and said, somewhat incredulously.

[Illian]" Stavros... I think it's her, the woman from the poster, the one we were looking for... "

Stavros frowned and studied the face of the unconscious Mage and had to admit there was some similarity, considering the woman's striking features he voted against mere coincidence. Still, he was not a firm believer in dumb luck and decided not to make any immediate decisions based on mere resemblance. He handed Illian the reigns of his steed where Val was currently sitting and picked Elise up to put her on his own mount's saddle, flopped over it like some caught game downed in a hunting trip. The apparent easy by which he carried the dead weight further suggesting he might be more then he appeared.

Illian took the reigns and looked up at Val, for a single moment the young man seemed free of the anger and vicious hatred he had expressed earlier. Entirely forgetting himself his eyes met Val's and he was caught by the sight of her, as if it was the first time he actually saw her for who she was instead of the stench of Magic that had clouded his perception. He suddenly clenched his jaw and looked away, turning his heart back into stone. These were not people, these were Mages.

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The Mage tower, a symbol of dread and oppression to anyone blessed, or rather cursed, with Magic. The Mage Hunters of Braedon had risen to power as many chapters of the Order did, by controlling not only the Mage themselves but the very use and application of Magic as well.

Be it through funding by the crown for their use in the Royal military, services for the Nobility of Lorr, the selling of expensive permits or governance over the creation of magical artefacts, The Mage Hunters had turned a sacred duty into a lucrative business that shaped the entire realm in their image. Nowhere was this more true in the city of Braedon, where the Mage Hunters were numerous and their chapter headquarters dwarfed the keep of the Baron himself.

The structure was build with the expected pompous style often used by the architects of the wealthy and influential. Gothic elements provided a more dark and dangerous look to remind everyone that the order was a force to be reckoned with. You could see the spires from almost anywhere in Braedon, including the harbour district on the other side of the city where Stavros took them. Far, far away from the Mage tower. Stavros took them all to an unassuming inn that possessed a stable for the horses, a hefty bribe assured discretion from the staff and provided them with with the keys to all three chambers on a single floor. While his estate's wealth was faded he still owned more coin to live of common provisions for a very long time.

Illian had been instructed to accompany Val and lead her by the arm as a nobleman would. The gesture was meant to make sure Val was less treated like a prisoner and more like a ward. The instruction as well as the fact that they were not going to the Mage Tower seemed a source for frustration and confusion to Illian, who question Stavros's plan more then once along the way. An inquiry Stavros seemed less then willing to answer.

Elise was less fortunate, but at least Stavros covered her with a cloak to prevent people from recognising her, allies or enemies. She was chained to a bed while Val was offered a seat at the small table in their room. Illian was tasked to get them some food and water, once again infuriating the young man as Stavros was treating the prisoners with unexpected kindness. Elise would be waking up soon, then they'd be able to get to the bottom of this...
 
Valerie allowed the man to assist her onto a horse, appreciating the care he took in not causing her unnecessary harm. He was making true of his sincerity so far, but she did not also want to allow herself to be fooled into thinking that these men might actually help her. She knew that she could trust very few people. The horrific surprise attack on her people from a supposedly friendly neighboring region had proven that to her.


What did surprise her though was the offering of a scarf to be wrapped around her wrists to at least partially obscure the sight of the chains. The man had nothing to gain from letting her maintain her dignity. It would seem more likely that a military man who had done his job in capturing a criminal would be proud to show off his work, yet this was not the case with this man. This...Stavros, as the younger man had named him if Valerie's memory served her correctly. He truly was becoming more and more odd to her. A man embedded deeply in his sense of duty, yet followed it in unconventional ways. There was something off about him and she intended to find out more.


The younger male joined her at the horse, their eyes meeting for a moment. She witnessed two shifts, the first being in his eyes. It was there and gone so quickly she thought she may have imagined it, but it appeared as if his stone-hard gaze had softened for just a moment. An unknown emotion flickered across his features and made him appear friendlier for a breath that when she noticed the second shift, the movement of his hair away from his ears, she suddenly fit the pieces together.


He's... like me. At least partially. How did he get here? Why was he left here? Why... Why does he carry within him such a hatred for magic when he himself uses it? Perhaps that's why he appears so conflicted... he views it as a curse but necessary tool to get rid of magic.

The kinship made her suddenly feel less alone.


The look he gave her seemed to last a moment too long, the girl breaking her eyes away first at the personal rather than magical intrusion she felt from him and his almost interrogating eyes. He soon mounted though, not before that taint of hatred had returned to his hues. She sighed softly, feeling ashamed that she would be associated with whatever other elf had caused him such grief simply because she was the same race.


Elves wouldn't leave anyone with elven blood alone unless the region they belonged to made it a common and basically encouraged practice. Since he was alone and with a mage hunter, Valerie assumed he must have been abandoned. He was a half breed, and she knew that if the roles were reversed she might come to immediately hate him for the elven half she shared that stood for a past filled with neglect. While halflings were treated no differently in her Elven region, there were many regions where they were regarded as pests and embarrassing examples of 'impurity' which led to them largely being abandoned and raised by a single human parent.


When they were moving along quietly, she couldn't help but whisper a few words to Illian before her mind could stop her mouth from moving. She sat up straight to speak them, finding that the half- human was taller than her by half a head. "I'm sorry for the trouble I've caused. Both today and in the past. Any droplet of shared blood deserves dignity and recognition. I understand why you do what you do. I would do the same if I was in your shoes " She hoped he would realize what she was referring to, the female feeling an odd sense of duty to make up for how he had been wronged by people like her in his upbringing.

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She traveled the rest of the way in silence, grateful for the arm Illian was instructed to offer her as she was escorted into the building, finding the accommodation simple yet comfortable. It was far better than the occasional hay bale she had slept on in the past few weeks. She was relaxed despite her cautious edge, not knowing anything about the menacing Mage Tower on the other side of Braedon that should have been awaiting them. Instead she kept quiet yet observant, always watching Stavros and Illian. She was trying to learn about them, knowing that picking up on fine details could better any chances she had to escape or negotiate with them in a way that she would benefit from.

She sat here now in the wooden chair, her back straight and her heavy manacles through which her hands were bound rested on the table. Valerie's turquoise eyes scanned the room curiously, waiting for 'Viola' to awaken and for Illian to return with some sustenance. Her stomach growled deceptively at the thought of a meal, since she had not had a fully filling one in some time.
 
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*far to the north because I promised a post and I'm excited to get Alfhild Thell doing something. As far as I'm concerned, anyone can jump in on this, so I'm going to leave this post pretty open ended to start with with concern to NPCs, situations, etc so that anyone who wants to, can jump into some role easily. Maeriel will be replying to these so this won't simply die out. Going to wait for AJPhips to post next before I start Vidar, just to make sure that I'm not walking in while the hunters are still swarming the area.*

The door to the dilapidated pub squealed softly as the newcomer entered. A tattered brown cloak dripped cold mountain rain while plated boots carried their owner across the earthen floor. Strapped over it is a pack along with a simple, hand-carved wooden scabbard with a long slot cut out of it to make drawing the long blade it held easier. Underneath the hood, one could see the dull sheen of a metal helm with fading blue paint dimly reflecting candlelight. Underneath helm and hood, ice blue eyes, eyes that seemed to ever grow more and more white as time progressed, darted across the patrons of the village's tavern. She calculated threats, counted faces, and worked to determine as to which she should pretend to be, a slave with her master's permission to be a catcher, or a rebel. Alfhild Thell was, of course, a rebel against Orcish rule and tyranny. But no one needs to know that I walk under the will of the Thells, she thought, not unless I can twist that to my advantage.

Despite her scanning and the evening crowd, Alfhild never broke her stride, never slowed down, and the air about her didn't let anyone stand in her way of the bar. Her demeanor had enough bite of winter to drive away any fool who would imagine her an easy mark. Not that they could tell her her gender yet. Tall enough to be either and with the cloak and armor hiding the rest, no one would know even Alfhild's gender until she spoke. Upon reaching the bar, and seeing no one had the bartenders attention, she turned and leaned her back against it to keep surveying the room and counts off in the common tongue, splaying a hand off from her cloak, "ten copper for a hot meal, five for a room, and three for the gossip of the town."

The movement reveals an armored body, as faded as her helm, but in decent condition. She turns her head so that the bartender can see the shadowed slit of the helmet's visor, flickering in the dim candlelight and says, "and be quick about it. My journey has been unpleasant enough." The bartender can't see her eyes, but they can feel them piercing like twin frozen picks into soft flesh.
 
@MJK2431 @Maeriel

Illian was uncomfortable with the words Val had spoken to him, it did not fit with the image of elven kind he had constructed in his mind. A member of an uncaring, arrogant society surely would not have apologised or admitted to any fault or responsability of his upbringing. The bitterness was not washed away that easily and Illian had long grown past any desire to belong to or identify with elvenkind. "Be silent..." He had replied, he attempted to exert the same pitch of command in his voice that came so easily to his menter, Stavros, but failed to deliver. His voice betrayed his anger and uncertainty, a wish to be righteously furious but unable to find the proper motivation to be so.

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There was a single knock on the door and Stavros rose from his chair at the same table as Val, he placed a hand on the pommel of a dagger even as he suspected Illian on the other end of the door. "Illian?"Stavros Inquired. "Yes, open up already before I drop this!" Illian's voice sounded muffled from the other side of the door, failing to hid his irritation however. Stavros opened up the door and Illian entered holding a pitcher and several empty mugs in one arm and a sack with some food in the other hand. He hurried towards the table and set the pitcher down first,then the mugs and dropping the sack on the table with an edge of adolescent attitude. He then moved away and went to lean against the door, crossing his arms and attempting to look as stoic and commanding as possible.

Stavros had noted his friend and ward's mood and chose not to engage him on it, at least not in the presence of two mages, he made note to address him on it later. Stavros locked the door behind him and went to open the bag, presenting a sour bread, some red apples, a piece of hard goat cheese and a few cured pork sausages. He used his bare hands, having removed his gauntlets earlier for comfort's sake, to break some of the bread and placed it in front of Val together with an apple and sausage. he then used his knife to cut of a bite sized chunk of cheese and added it to the selection of food offered before her. Lastly he served her a mug of weak brown ale, sweet of taste but not to strong not to inebriate anyone, the light alcoholic beverage replaced water in many of the poorer parts as its light alcoholic content was a guarantee there were no dangerous contamination in the liquid. The food was easy enough to eat with the manacles still in place.

Stavros helped himself to a chunk of bread and cheese next and went to sit down just as Elise started stirring, his eyes locked on her and the moment he noticed some form of conciousness returning he spoke loudly so her attention was called to his voice.

"You're safe, there's a Mage Bane collar on your neck so don't try to call upon your gift..."

The mentioning of "gift" made Illian snort and shake his head, he stood more to attention, hand resting on the pommel of his sword and chin raised. If Stavros was not going to make for a threatening presence then he would.
 
Ara barely knew what was going on around her. There were men. Mage hunters and Isaac seemed to be protecting her. He hadn't gotten away, she hadn't warned him in time. She had slowed his escape and now, now all hope was lost.
Abruptly, the fog lifted and Ara came back to herself, feeling more exhausted than she had ever felt before. She lifted her head to Isaac neck snapped with a collar.
She recognised them, and had worn them often in the beginning. Never helped, she would lose control none the less and receive savage burns to her neck. The pain was excruciating and the burns would often get infected and make her sick. After a while, they stopped using them... unless they were punishing her.
Seeing Isaac in one made her sick to her stomach. She was supposed to protect him, and she hadn't. She had made it worse. She should have never told him about her sister, she should have realised earlier where he was leading her and... she didn't even know how to explain what had happened beneath the fog. It terrified her to even think back on it. She needed Lis. She needed her big sister to make this better.

Ara crawled onto her shaky feet, the men seemingly paying no attention to her.
She had to do something to fix this, she had to make this better. There was no one else to rely on, there never was.
With all the strength she could muster in her small, exhausted body, she ran full force at the man in Isaac's face.
There was no strength for words, but she couldn't help the desperate yell from escaping her.
She hit the man at full force. With the surprise of the impact and his crouched position she managed to knock him onto his back, her body on top of his. Her fist flew at him, desperate to do anything to save her friend. The magic inside her was fit to burst burning painfully, but she ignored it, adrenaline blocking all pain.
But that man wasn't the only threat there and she felt herself lifted easily into the air by another and thrown aside.

No, She could feel the fog rising again, the detachment growing.
Stay
As the fog rose around her she could just see the man she had attacked hurl Isaac over his shoulder. They looked ready to depart and she was sat here helpless to stop it. Worse still, she wanted to stay, she wanted to let him go...

@inkdragon
 
"...and then the witch flew up two meters in the air! Funniest thing I've ever seen, I tell ya!" The pock-faced man chortled among the little group of men that surrounded him in his small, humble stall full of cabbages and turnips. He was larger than most of them, obviously chiseled from toiling the fields that yielded the fruits he was peddling in a corner of the courtyard, a donkey with two empty wicker baskets chewing some feed lazily behind him. His soil-encrusted fingers traced the edges of the wide-brim hat he had picked up from the cobble street and wrestled off three other contestants for. His souvenir from a rare mage confrontation against Mage Hunters, likely the most exciting thing that ever happened... near him.

Suddenly a harsh hand lifted the man against the stone pillar of the house erected behind his stall, and it was all he could do not to soil himself. Like rats, his audience scattered. Connor's flint eyes were harsh and his face was menacing as he literally spat out his rage, fingers digging in the man's throat. "Where d'ja get the hat, buddy?"

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Blinding pain. Taste of blood. Elise had never been struck so hard in her life. That had hardly been her first scrap, to be sure, she had quickly learned how harsh life could be once she was on the run from the Mage Hunters and thrust into a life of criminality to quiet the rumble of hunger in her stomach and the rattling of her teeth in the cold. The streets were brutal, you either learned to deal with it, or you died. Lis was here, so she had gone through her share. Not including a powerful gauntlet-punch to her solar plexus. Elise needed no armor, she had learned to use her magic to augment her physique in all manner of useful way. Her magic wasn't flashy and outwards like Ara's, it was discreet and inward, it worked on her muscles, strengthening them to incredible levels. It worked on her stamina, making her resilient and hard to damage. It worked on her reflexes, making her quick and agile and do impossible feats of balance and acrobatics.

Of course, that was when she was able to use her magic, which she hadn't been, leaving her flabbergasted and vulnerable to the Lord Inquisitor's vicious attack. At least, darkness was swift to take her and the shattering pain was cut short... Until she woke.

It was the pain that woke her, not the jostling of the horse as she was carried like a fallen deer, ready to be skinned and butchered. The pain that pulsed and ached in insistent waves like someone's hand shaking you awake rudely from slumber, and it made her want to ball up, and whimper... but she couldn't. The whimper came all the same. Then she heard the voice. It was a familiar prickle in the back of her mind. She'd heard it before...

"You're safe, there's a Mage Bane collar on your neck so don't try to call upon your gift..."

The Lord Inquisitor... Sta... Sto... something... Elise groaned and huffed, blinking her eyes, deep lines between her dark eyebrows as she looked to the ceiling with its... wooden beams. A quick gander around showed her no stone walls, no bars. Some horse nickering told her of a nearby stable. Where the hell am I? Unease settled in her upset stomach to make it all the more uncomfortable. What did these men want with her? Lis spotted the beautiful Elven maiden, sitting poised on a chair, food in front of her... manacles around her arms. Elise swallowed. What had she gotten the girl into?

Elise had little options. The man could be bluffing about the collar, but it was unlikely and Elise had heard enough of its rumored effects. If she were to test the veracity of the veiled threat, she needed to at least gather some strength, to make the likely searing pain worth her while. She needed to bide her time. Safe, she thought ruefully, far from it. She looked at the boy sulking at the door trying to look imposing and grinned wickedly, staring at him before looking at Stra... something.

"Ah, do your worst 'Lord Inquisitor'... we're nothing but lab rats for ya, anyway. I'd let the girl go, though. We've enough on our plate with Orcs at the border to risk the Elves at our flank by tinkering with one of their own. You don't need the girl. You have something more worth your while right here. I'll even play nice, not shatter these chains or snap the neck of the pretty boy. Or I start wailing, or worse... see if this collar of yours can chain a mage of my caliber long enough."

Elise was proud of the lack of fear in her voice. It was convincing! The part inside of her who trembled at the idea of the tortures her sister had suffered in the end lost to the woman in her that thought she deserved this, deserved it for letting her sister so long in the hands of monsters. It was her turn, her turn to pay. Let it come. Do your worst.

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@Scalerender @MJK2431​
 
Valerie was still musing over what Illian had said, or rather the lack of what he had said. A simple dismissal had been all she received to acknowledge her words. Be silent. The words had been convincing enough in authority to keep her mouth shut up until this point where they had arrived at the inn, but not enough to make her wonder that there wasn’t something more behind them. Perhaps she had stunned him…or perhaps he truly did hate her and the elves. Even more so if they possessed any form of the magic he was damned with.

Her thoughts were disrupted by urgent knocking on the door, the source of them most likely the return of the younger male but Stavros seemed cautious nonetheless. It made the elven maiden wonder, since this man seemed powerful both in physique and name. Maybe it was his cautionary nature that had gotten him where he was though.
The smell of the floured sourdough and fresh cheese brought an especially loud round of grumbles from her stomach, the girl scowling at the noise and annoyed at how her body deceived her. She waited patiently though until Stavros himself had eaten before venturing a taste of the cheese, knowing that he had eaten from the same wedge. The elf picked up the dairy product gingerly, needing to keep her chained-together hands in close proximity in order to allow the food to reach her mouth.

Despite her apparent starvation, she still forced herself to eat slowly and carefully, making sure she only ate the food that Stavros himself had partaken of. She ventured at taking sip of the beverage after she had been half-filled, noting it’s odd colour and unusual smell. Atylis had once described such a thing he had experienced while travelling, but she still approached it with unease.

Val lifted the mug to her lips, the smell hitting her before the liquid touch her tongue. She was not surprised to find the taste matching that of the aroma. It may have been sweet to Stavros, but she found it not exactly to her liking. However, she knew it was something she needed and would need to get used to, since it would be a long time until she could once again sample the clear elven wine prepared in giant barrels back home. She thought of the wine’s crisp, light but fragrant and sweet liquid rolling across her tongue as she downed the rest of the beverage she had been given.

She occasionally glanced to Illian while finishing her meal, noticing that his mood had not improved since they had arrived. He was rebelling against Stavros’ actions, that much was clear. Yet he respected him enough to not question him further. She wished she could talk to the younger male further, but knew that the attempt would mostly likely be fruitless if their earlier ‘conversation’ was anything to judge by.

The other woman was waking, Valerie remaining silent and stoic as she spoke harshly to the older knight. She sighed inwardly, knowing that there was bitterness in the female’s words that sprouted from an incident other than what had happened today. Val held her tongue though for a moment, words rolling around in her head that she wanted to structure correctly if she hoped to not end up in conditions worse than the one she was already in. The woman seemed to be trying to help her still, despite the harm it had already put her in and this confused the elf greatly.

"If you find elves at your border, they would let you keep me. In fact, they would probably pay for my death to be orchestrated as violently and publicly as possible. I don't fancy being a lab rat, but these manacles are starting to wear on me and I don't even have to wear that horrid collar. If you want to treat us like animals, don't be surprised when we act like them." Valerie eventually said, her gaze on the table. Her words were not harsh or filled with a sharp edge, she spoke them more matter-of-factly. It could almost be mistaken that she was talking about the weather with her casual, almost emotionless tone. She lifted her gaze after speaking, looking at Illian first for two breaths before turning her gaze to Stavros.
 
@MJK2431 @Maeriel

Illian took a step forward, growling at the Elise's impudence and allowed his temper to flare. How dare she threaten them like that! He would burn the magic out of her for-

[Stavros]"Illian!... I already told you, don't get goaded into acting by your emotions. It's exactly this sort of thing that will put you at a disadvantage. Either keep yourself in check or wait outside the choice is yours..."

Illian stopped in his tracks and opened his mouth to object, pointing at Elise as if about to accuse her of starting it. His eyes met with Stavros's and Illian sighed and nodded. With some effort he composed himself again and decided to walk it of by going over to the table and grabbing himself a mug of the ale. the manner in which he grabbed the pitcher and spilled a little indicated he was still struggling with his emotions. He tried not to look at Val but glanced up at her for a second despite himself, he poured some ale next to the mug and he cursed under his breath.

Stavros's attention then turned to the young elf, ignoring Illian's akward behaviour for his sake, considering her words and weighing them before answering.

"I understand the manacles and collars are demeaning and I'd rather not use them. However trust is entirely lacking between us at the moment and while I am sympathetic to your situation I am still a Mage Hunter, it would be both foolish and irresponsible to allow two unregistered and unlicensed mages to run free without assurance of their intent, much like inviting a stranger into your home bearing an unsheathed blade. I promise you I will release you from your chains as soon as I feel you are not a threat to others, or yourself...."

He turned to Elise, his expression more weary then irritated.

"As for you, I've left my worst behind me a long, long time ago. I suggest we drop the entire obligated animosity and you recognise the situation as what it is. I brough you here so the local chapter doesn't process you as they do with other mages of your "calibre"...By which I assume you are referring to this.."

Stavros reached in his belt and presented the the wanted poster with the sketch resembling Elise, waiting for a moment until she managed to see it and then rolled it back up, returning it to the scroll-case on his belt.

"I thank you for not attempting to blame this all on some sort of mistake... Truth be told I was just about ready to give up on finding you, usually I don't count on dumb luck to find my query but...well...Seems like we both have a thing or two to learn about luck don't we..."

Stavros looked at the elf at the table for a moment , sighed and then looked back at Elise.

"I'm willing to believe the young Lady has nothing to do with you if you say so, I've been doing this long enough to know sometimes Mages stand up for one another and considering the way the local chapter treats people with The Gift I can hardly blame you. This is the same reason I did not bring you to the local Mage Tower, or her, for that matter. From what a friend of mine in this city has been writing me things are not entirely as they should be as far as the order goes. A fact which has been made clear to me after investigating the murdered Sentinel we found this morning.Know anything about it? Does this have something to do with your Sister?..."

There was a complete lack of accusation in his voice. His confidence translated through his voice well, there was no doubt or anger, no derogative tone that many Mage Hunters in Braedon had come to embrace when interacting with Mages. In fact his entire way of interrogation was completely founded on a sense of sincerity and honesty. that and Stavros had long since tired of the flaring emotions on both sides of the fence, they were all people regardless of the gift, and people could relate with one other under every circumstance.

(tag @Maeriel )
 
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The clasp of the heavy collar closed with a sickening click that made Isaac shudder. Though he didn't know what it was, it didn't restrain his motion in any way, the humiliation alone was enough to shock him into silence. This was it. His worst fear had come to pass. Captured as a mage, and with a murder on his hands, as well. Everything was numb, even fear escaping him for the moment. At his lack of reaction, his wrists were manacled in front of him, though they didn't bother with his ankles. A trail of blood ran down his chin from his split lip but he did not try to wipe it away.

An awful shriek had his head snapping up just in time to see the man who held him tackled to the ground. "Ara, no!" he shouted, jumping to his feet- only to have the metal collar around his neck burn red hot. He choked on a pained gasp of surprise as he collapsed to the ground again, concentration lost. What in hells had that been?

But as the enemy mage tossed Ara to the side as if she were no more than a rag doll, there was no time to wonder. "Stay away from her!" he shouted from the ground, letting the magic fly with his words. No sooner had he called upon it, though, than the collar burned hot yet again, and this time, Isaac screamed at the pain.

"That's a Mage Bane collar, you stupid boy," one of the three men laughed. "You try any fancy tricks, it gets worse than that." He dragged Isaac up by the shoulder and pulled the collar to the side to check the burns. Apparently unconcerned with what he found, the man hoisted Isaac over his shoulder like a felled deer.

"Leave the girl. Let's move." Isaac was tossed over the back of a horse, the animal's spine digging into his stomach uncomfortably with every step as his captors set a steady but unhurried pace. He lifted his head through the haze of pain to catch one last glimpse of Ara. They had let her go. He was on his way to the Mage Tower, unable to use his magic, probably to live out the rest of his miserable life a prisoner there, but that was his last thought before losing consciousness, an unsettling mix of triumph and confusion.

Why had they let her go?

@AJPhips
 
When the fog lifted again, Ara was alone. The Mage Hunters, they had taken Isaac, and it was all her fault. She wanted to check how far they were, to follow behind but her body felt heavy and uncooperative as all her muscles shook with fatigue. She couldn't stop the tears from dripping down her face. Why did she ruin everything? The thought of those moments behind the fog sent shivers down her spine. There were moments, she had wanted to thwart Isaac's escape, she had wanted to do nothing to aid him. Was this part of the monster inside her, the monster she was? Did she truly wish ill will on Isaac?
The shame cursed through her as she lay without the energy to move. Her actions made her feel sick. The shame, the stress, the fight that was fought within her all turning in her stomach.
She just managed to roll to the side as the contents of her stomach surged out of her and right then she wouldn't have cared if she would have died right here useless on the floor, if it wasn't for the fact that someone needed to save Isaac. Poor Isaac scared and alone about to face the horrors she had.

Ara needed Lis. Elise always had the plans.
She had magic and friends, perhaps with her help they could free Isaac. That is if Elise would forgive her first.
 
Elise chuckled at Illian's reaction. That's exactly what she expected from a Mage Hunter, but it looked ludicrous on the youth. Like Ara when furious at Elise for mucking up her hair. "Typical Mage Hunter, all brave with a bound, defenseless captive. Careful not to bite more than you can chew, boy."

The elf's words robbed her of all mirth. What are you doing, girl? A diplomatic incident in which the Mage Hunters would be to blame for compromising Lorr politically was likely the only thing that would give them pause and spare the Elven maiden from the horrors of the Mage Tower. Yet the girl basically said they could do as she wanted with her that no one would care, and might actually welcome it. In the back of her mind Elise was curious as to why that was, but she found herself dismayed in losing her only card to keep the girl safe. Clearly, Elise cannot keep anyone safe... Not even herself. At least the maiden had some fire, and some insight beyond her youthful looks.

Quietly she listened to the older male while she allowed her battered, exhausted body to recover from the pain and unconsciousness to a state more manageable, she needed herself to her sharpest were she to dare escape. She'd also need them to lower their guard... Not that easy a feat, but maybe if she acts cooperatively...

Yeah, I'm much more at ease chained to a random bed by two Mage Hunters, Goddess knows where... Elise bit back the comment. Last time a person was bound to a bed it ended... Bloody. She pushed away the thought and swallowed the rising bile that came with it. Were she to escape she'd have to endure the bite of the collar twice. Once to snap the chains holding her arms spread. Then to snap the collar itself. It was child's play to her kind of enhancing magic, but it would hurt. A lot. She wasn't sure she could handle first boosting her stamina. Of course none of it mattered if they were close enough to knock her out again. Or that black hole that sucked her magic away... Whatever it was. Unnerving.

Elise's honey-colored eyes were dull as she looked at the Wanted poster with her likeness. Seems they almost got the nose right this time around. The thought made her smirk. It was quickly wiped away by the man's attempt to sound different than the others. Truth be told he didn't look deceitful, she could generally tell when someone lied to her, but it was a ludicrous thought, so it must be some sort of ruse to get her to confess to the murder.

Does this have something to do with your Sister?..."

The mentioning of Ara and the immediate panicked thought they might go after her caused her power to surge and the collar was swift and exquisitely cruel in its reaction to the magic. The searing pain caused her to grit her teeth, grunt loudly and sputter. But it wasn't the worst. The worst was the thought of her little sister, scrawny and young, being subjected to this pain. The horror and the guilt brought tears too powerful for Elise to stop and her startled eyes looked away to hide the sentiment and their streaming down the sides of her eyes.

"Don't you dare speak of my sister." She spat out behind grinding teeth, staring at the wall away from them as she tried to get a grip on her emotions. "You are the monsters. We are born this way, totally out of our control. You choose to be what you are. Imprisoning people, torturing them, murdering them. Women, men, children. We are nothing but animals to you. Does it matter if I killed this Sentinel? I'm in for the same treatment, there is no justice for mages, you do as you please."


@Scalerender @MJK2431
 
Vidar Thell was singing when he exited the forest and entered the field before Braedon. It was a strange, almost unearthly song that somehow harmonized the common tongue and some other strange language that, to the trained ear, would be recognized as Nordic. It worked well with his appearance, or rather, it enhanced to look of that of a wandering vagabond. His clothes gave him no credit and were quite responsible for this appearance in the first place. Tattered and patched with a strange hybrid of clothes and furs. As if someone had the idea of turning a patchwork quilt into clothes, but forgot all the designs and colors of the world save for brown, white, and black. Even then, no patch was the same size of the other, giving him the appearance, from a distance at least, of a misshapen being. To complete the look, was the dirt. It was painfully obvious; caked over him and on his clothes so as to add an additional shade of brown over everything else.

There are, however, a couple of things that marked Vidar more than what he appeared. First, was his staff. It was handcrafted with skill and swirling designs and strange, rune like shapes. It was another vestige of the Nords, but that wasn't the strangest thing about it. No, the oddest thing was the bright blue flower that was wrapped around it. The flower wasn't tightly wrapped to it, but it still seemed to somehow cling to it and, if one took the time to examine the staff, one would find that there were almost tiny roots that connected it to the staff. It was beginning to droop, but still seemed to show vestiges of life as it hugged the staff. Second, were his eyes. They were bright green, and full of an intelligent curiousity that sometimes crossed into wisdom. Or at least, his right eye was. His left had the milky sheen that marked blindness and was surrounded in a strange scar that looked like a vertical pupil. Vidar was more than vagabond, but at the moment, his song and speech did nothing to help him.

"Se dra is my promise..." he paused in song and proceeded to talk, quite audibly, to himself, "No no, that isn't right. That isn't right at all. 'Se dra' would imply abandonment and the song isn't about that at all. I'll have to wait until the next time I..." He trailed off again, seemingly realizing that he wasn't alone in this field as his right eye, followed in a split-second by his left, locked onto Ara. A grin peeled across his face as he exclaimed, "It was you!" Breaking into a quick jog, he made a beeline for her as he continued to speak. "I felt turmoil coming from not far away and I knew to investigate. But as I approached, I also felt incredible danger. Which, I know, with conflict comes danger, but it caused me to slow before breaking out of the forest as I pondered what it could be. But now it seems that danger has moved off to those walls, while half the turmoil remains here. Which is, to say, you!" He switches from common into the other language again before muttering himself, "Oh right, most humans don't seem to speak this. Sorry about that. I merely said that I started singing and lost track of things. But it's good fortune that I found you before you left again because," by now he's reached Ara and, looking down on her with the same joyous smile he's worn since he first saw her, says "I think you're like me. Just as the other was like me. But they, the danger, were like none of us."

@AJPhips
 
@Scalerender @Maeriel

Valerie balled her hands into fists at the youth’s sudden outburst. He was almost the same age as her, yet held an anger and fury in him she only saw in bitter old men or untamed mysterious beasts that lurked in the Elven forests.

So angry for someone who has his whole life ahead of him. He’s already succumbed to the darkness that is eating away at him because of his initial start in this life. All because of some empty-headed, backwards elf.

Yet again though, Illian backed down with a sharp word from Stavros. It amazed Valerie how willingly he was to bend to this man, how exceptional the loyalty he felt for the knight must be for him to be so ready to listen to him. Her skin prickled when he neared the table she was seated at, her posture upright and stiff, the sensation most likely because of his own powers surging due to the conflict and tension in the room. He poured himself a drink, her eyes already on him when he glanced in her direction. His hues were icy and angry, making the female shudder inwardly despite the cool, calm gaze she reflected back to him.
She only looked away when Stavros and the other woman were finished speaking, the elf’s ears dropping and her brows furrowing at his words and her response. He was right about restraining them, even if she didn’t want to admit it. She would have followed the same precautions as him. She cleared her throat before speaking, her words as cool and deliberate as before. She spoke to Stavros, breaking her gaze on Illian.

“I understand that this room is devoid of trust at the moment. Your ward here wouldn’t look ready to hack my head off if we were all preparing to join hands and skip through the meadows before braiding each other’s hair and make daisy chains. Trust will not be earned or given until some sort of understanding comes between us. For starters, Viola could do with some sort of herbal tea or a loosening of her ropes so that she can make her position more comfortable. Your blow to her solar plexus has at least fractured a rib and caused her to labor her breathing. She’s been wheezing since you placed her on the horse, probably because the ride here worsened the injury.”

She had picked up on the sound vaguely while the girl was unconscious, but now that she had awakened her breathing had intensified with her odd surroundings and confirmed Valerie’s suspicions of the injury. Her assumption was most likely wrong, but she hoped the girl would at least play along so that they could allow her to be more comfortable.
Valerie turned to Viola next, her face softening and her eyes sending her a silent plea to cooperate. She still spoke to Stavros though, despite her gaze remaining on the woman.

“I’m glad you did not take us to this Mage Tower-“ She said the last two words with disgust, knowing by the way they had been spoken before that there was something extremely negative and ominous about the place. “-because if you had, you would be punishing this girl for preventing my unfortunate demise at the hands of men who did not have any legal form of punishments and treatments in mind. The friend who writes to you must be correct, as I can’t bring myself to believe that those worthless pigs of men are worthy of the power they carry. She helped me though, despite the fact that we are strangers and have yet to even learn each other’s names.”

She directed her next sentence to Elise, saying frankly, “I only say that because I know I would not have used my true name when trying to deal with those greedy fools. Despite whatever she may have done in the past or even today, actions like that do not speak of a truly evil person deserving of eternal damnation for being born the way they were.”

Val knew she shouldn’t have admitted to not being cared for or even missed in her region. Stavros spoke honestly though and she knew he would be able to pick up on the deceit in her words if she lied. She also believed that she had learned, even after the small amount of time she had spent with the man, that he appreciated integrity. Thus, she had given him a partial truth, even though it was missing the majority of the story of how she had come to be where she was.
 
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Illian was a bit shocked by the raw emotion Elise showed and it was clear on his face, his attempt to hide it was too little too late and he simply turned away. He had barely sipped his ale and cleared his throat a little as a means to alleviate the stress, it didnt do much. part of him realised the woman was not lying, coloured as her opinion may be on the Mage Hunters Illian was neither stupid or blind. He knew the injustices of which she spoke, Stavros had spoken of them many times in his pursuit to rectify them. Still, she was a mage...a user of magic, and every fibre of his being felt magic was wrong....

But they were born with it, does that make them wrong as well? No, but she used magic, she used it to torture someone.

Illian's expression hardened again, he would not be swayed by crocodile tears and sad stories. He crossed his arms again and glared at Elise. Not forgetting her insults, not forgetting her actions. The elf's words tugged at his conscience however as much as he tried silencing it.

Stavros winced slightly at her words, he could only imagine the fate of Mages in this city to create such hatred and bitterness within people like her. the pain she expressed when mentioning her sister was real and unfortunate something Stavros had heard before. He took a deep sigh and looked down for a moment, hands clasped together and rubbing his palms together thoughtfully. He looked up at Val when she started speaking, he looked into her eyes and analyzed the timbre of her voice. She was being truthfully as far as he could tell. She also had no idea who this woman was and what she was capable off.

He spoke in the same composed manner, sincerety and confidence the two traits more apparent in his manner. The only malevolent intent or deceit that was noticed was that which anyone put there themselves, for he possessed neither.

I thank you for speaking truthfully and your assessment of her character will be noted I promise you that....

He spoke to the both of them, alternating between eye contact with both to make them aware he involved them both in the dialogue

Nothing I can say will undo any injustice done to Mages by the wayward chapters of the realm. I know it is a bleak and meaningless comfort to you but there are those of us who do not condone such actions.. He gestured to the silver seal on his armor shaped like a silver flame enveloping a sword. The Order of the Silver Flame being the most outspoken...

He turned to Elise directly now. I do not condone your actions against the Sentinel, it was cruel and dark and you will face judgement for your crimes... But not here, not in this place were laws are meaningless and men have forgotten the true purpose of our order. I imagine the thought of cooperation is alien to you, but for the sake of your sister I implore you to answer my questions truthfully and I vow, In the name of House Enkilli under punishment of the divine law beyond our world, that I will do what I can for your sister, and that includes taking her away from this city.

I read that she was released from her imprisonment,while odd on its own I did not consider it alarming until you spoke of torture and research... What can you tell me, where is she?

@MJK2431 @Maeriel
 
Truth be told, Elise couldn't really feel anything broken. The hit precise enough or he held back, in either case it indicated some sort of restraint from the man which was not something you could associate with Mage Hunters. Elise dismissed the thought. Any glimpse of her sister that crossed her mind would be clear testament of what sort of men Mage Hunters were. She swallowed the shame of crying in front of her enemies and made of it her armor, her streaked face turning back to them when Valerie started speaking. Elise once heard Elves live a long long time, some said they are immortals, but Mama Kerr said it isn't true. She wondered how long had this one lived...

Elise shifted on the bed, the heavy clinking of the manacles that chaffed her wrists, she coughed for a moment. "It is hard to breathe... and it hurts, which is something my neck does now too, thank you for that. But I'll skip the chamomile and go with mead, if you don't mind, not that I expect you the courtesy, judging by my sister's starved state." Her words dripped with loathing and contempt, then it was too late, she couldn't stop what was bubbling up and go along with the Elven maiden's attempt of making things easier on Lis.

"I'll not face 'judgement' for my crimes, we both know that. The best I can expect is execution, in Braedon I'd consider it mercy, but it may surprise you that it suits me poorly, so forgive me if I will not at all cooperate with you in bringing me to my demise. This... 'Sentinel' you speak of... " Elise scoffs. The man's words... his smell of burnt flesh from where she punished him... She had to swallow not to retch again, growing paler.

"Seven... seven were the mages he violated. Three the mages he helped beat to death. My sister... he claims she's the first in some sort of Field Experiment. He said she's a success, that all had died before her, he disposed of some of the corpses himself, all carved like my sister is. She's being onitored by your 'brothers-in-arms', so I'm sure you can find her better than me." Lis shook her head. "She was 8 when they took her from us, killed my mother when I tried to stop them. The Mage Hunter my father called in on his own flesh and blood said the same thing to my mother. 'I will do what I can for your daughter.' Moments before he skewered her... while aiming for me." Elise spat to the side.

"My only regret is that I didn't have the stomach to make him suffer more." Elise said it full of hatred, but she wasn't sure she actually meant it, the whole experience was like a bad smell clinging to her pores, unwilling to let go, making her restless... she had done much to survive, she had never done anything that awful, regardless of the sort of evil thing the man had been.

@Scalerender @MJK2431
 
A strange voice floated over Ara, though she was able to catch a few words here and there, she understood very little of it. Perhaps her fatigue was causing her to hallucinate. Her body needed sleep so badly but she had to find the energy to get up and return to Braedon, somehow.
The hallucination did not stop and she heard footsteps coming towards her, too tired to even panic at the presence of another, though she knew she should have been wary.
A head popped into her view, grinning at her and talking some nonsense about fortune and danger.
Slowly, her body still trembling Ara managed to pull herself up into a sitting position.
"I-who are you?" Ara started before shaking her fatigue muddled head, "Doesn't matter, I don't have time for- I need Isaac."
After a quick breather, and with stubborn determination, Ara made it shakily to her feet.
This person before her was odd and spoke very unusually. He seemed well built and surely unpredictable. Normally something like this would have intrigued and frightened her, but presently she had no time nor the energy to indulge in such things. There was a much larger issue at hand.

Focusing on the small horsed group in the distance Ara took a trembling step forward and then another. Her weak legs struggled with her weight and she soon found herself falling hard onto her hands and knees.
She growled in frustration, immediately attempting to make it onto her feet again. She had to get there, she had to save him. It was all her fault. He'd be imprisoned and tortured and starved and it'd be her fault. She couldn't let that happen, she had to stop them, she had to help.
"Isaac.." the weary girl moaned desperately as frustrated tears streaked her cheeks.

@Shadras
 
"Issac. Isaac. Issaaaac." Ignoring her question to his identity, Vidar rolled the name around in his mouth a few times before gazing towards the retreating horsemen as well. For a second, his demeanor changed, growing grim, "the other half of your turmoil." Then it flipped back to his smile as he said, "but you're much less turmoil now. More determination than conflict. That is good! It will serve you well for days to comes. But I wonder, will it serve your intelligence?" He walks with her few stumbling steps, making no motion to help yet as she falls again. A soft hiss that comes from him, stirs him into action.

"I've decided," he says, suddenly reaching down and grabbing her arm. Vidar pulls Ara to her feet, wrapping the arm over his shoulders, supporting her. "I'll be your legs. And while I'm you legs, you tell me the tale of why you and your Isaac were out here, where those horses will carry those men, what are those strange markings you have on you, and your plan for rescuing your Isaac. But, if you cannot answer all parts to satisfaction, we'll play it to my plan. I doubt you'll like it as much as it calls for something called 'sleeping until nightfall,' as you can barely stand, let alone attempt rescuing without an excellent plan. The rest of it is quite good, though, involving stealthy infiltration and information, swooping rescues, and room enough for unexpected problems and packmates. Swooping is a good thing. People don't seem to expect it."

He begins to help walk her towards the city walls, trailing after the mage hunters at a significantly slower pace. "I could carry you, if you like," he says, almost as an afterthought.

@AJPhips
 
@MJK2431 @Maeriel

Stavros watched studied Elise as she spoke, discerning weiter or not she was playing them. He wouldn't put it beyond her, as far as the reports went the woman was an accomplished con artist and evasive to a point where she was putting the local authorities, especially the Mage Hunters, to shame.Stavros considered himself quite capable to spot a lie, his years of experience hunting down mages and interogating their loved ones or those that gave shelter had honed his skills in that regard. He couldn't even catch her on a half-truth.

Stavros leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees and sighed deeply as he looked down. He brought a hand to his mouth, stroking his chin thoughtfully as he processed the information he was just given. The Braedon chapter has fallen far deeper then I was lead to believe, even if half of what she said was true....It can't be can it? Egbert's last missive had been very cryptic on this regard, is this why? Was he involved in this...He was right, they came for him.... His eyes went back to Elise, his gaze was hard and unblinking, judging. Without looking away he spoke.

[Stavros]"Illian, I need you to go ready the horses...We need to move at once..."

Illian was listening to Elise's words somewhat stunned, he couldn't believe his ears. She HAD to be lying naturally, the Mage Hunters were forced to use certain desperate tactics but what the woman was suggesting was ridiculous. He was ready to openly dismiss her words, waiting for Stavros to do the same....but he didn't. Illian's eyes went from Elise to Stavros and back, was he missing something? Was she charming him with some spell...Illian closed his eyes ad allowed his sixth sense to pulse.... Nothing, nothing except the items in Stavros's possession and the faint reflection of the Mage Bane items... Before he could try again Stavros spoke, he blinked and replied.

[Illian]"We shouldn't split up Stavros, lets just take them downstairs together where we can secure them before transporting, she's awake and far more dangerous this way.

Stavros rose and moved to his saddlebags, lifting them and bringing them to the table where Val was sitting. He moved with a controlled urgency, taking out a document, wax and ink vial with quil while Illian posed his objection. He sighed and turned to his Squire.

[Stavros]"They're not coming with us Illian..."

Illian's eyes went wide at what Stavros was suggesting, he made an outraged expressing with his arms and opened his mouth without even knowing which part of his many objections was coming first.

[Illian]"What?! You can't.... She's going to...They're...are you..."

Stavros sighed and raised his hand to calm his companion, he gave Illian a moment to silence and compose himself before speaking, moderating the pitch in his voice not to come acros patronizing or dismissive of his young friend's objections.

[Stavros]"I know nothing of this is going as you imagined Illian, but I will explain...You have to trust me, please..."

Illian stared at Stavros, he couldn't grasp what his mentor was doing, nothing of this was making any sense and it felt wrong. He looked into Stavros's eyes, desperately searching for some innuendo he was missing...There was none. He scoffed, shook his head and turned on his heel, grabbing his saddlebag and storming out of the door to do as Stavros had asked, grudgingly to say the least.

Stavros sighed looking at the door after Illian slammed it shut behind him, his gaze falling to the ground for a moment before turning and beginning to work on the document. His eyes traveled to Val for a moment and he asked for her full name and title, nodding his thanks once receiving it and using the information in the document. He spoke as he worked, directing his words to the both of them.

[Stavros]"Illian is young, he still sees the world in shades of black and white, good and evil.... Much of what he feels towards you both is not..."him"... Illian is special, different... But magic, its presence makes him... Hostile... I try to moderate him, make him aware of it but..." He sighs "He's a stubborn lad..."

He glanced at Elise, his next words directed at her.

[Stavros]"You will find it hard to believe Miss Gale but you remind me allot of myself. Almost 20 years ago a Mage killed nearly my entire family, it set me on the course of becoming a mage hunter and for a long time I believed that every last one of you was exactly what allot of people fear. Witches, apostates...monsters. I fought in the War of Bones**, I captured mages.... and... allot worse, all because I believed that there were no exceptions.

As I grew older my anger faded, my lust for vengeance turned into a bitter aftertaste. I can't say it was one great moment of insight that changed my outlook on things, in fact it took far to long for me to open my eyes and it shames me. Mages are people working with the things they were born with just as anyone else. It is not a choice, it is not a curse, it is not even a gift to many...It's just something that happens. Some pursue Magic in the same way men pursue power through other means. The difference is that Magic has the potential to make changes that are allot bigger then those through mundane means. That is why my Order came into existence, to moderate and control... Not persecute and abuse..

One of the reasons I changed is because of the actions of Mages I came across, actions that did not fit the image of the monsters I had made them in to. I do not believe that my actions will do the same for you, but I hope it is a start.

He finished the document, took the piece of wax and held it over the candle on the table. After softening it he pressed it on the document and finally pressed the seal of one of his rings onto it until it hardened. He rolled up the document and handed it to Val, looking directly at her.

[Stavros]"This is a Document of Sufferance, it identifies you as a Mage sanctioned by my Order but not allowed to cast magic. It is the best I can do without putting you under my personal responsibility, which considering the actions I am about to undertake is best for you. This document does not have my name on it. It will get you past any checkpoint without question."

Stavros looked into Val's eyes for a moment and nodded, making sure she understood he was being sincere. he then moved to unlock her manacles. Once completed he moved to Elise, keys in hand and ready to do the same for her.

[Stavros] "I am going to the Mage Tower to find every bit of information about your sister while I still have the chance to move under the Bishop's notice, which wont be very long. Once I have what I need I will come back here and If you are truly that desperate to find your sister you will still be here. Your chances of finding and securing her will be far greater with someone who has made a profession of finding mages. I will also be able to move you past inspections, provided my authority is still recognized. Together we wil have far greater chance of finding your sister and making her feel safe.

But allow me to make on this clear miss Gale, if you are not here when I return I will consider you a fugitive and I will not deviate from my plan to find your sister. I will consider you a criminal and nothing more, I will not listen or take anything consideration. You will be to me nothing but prey as much as I will be nothing but a Hunter to you... This I promise.

He opened her manacles and collar, removing them cautiously and ready to act if she forced him to. He moved away with the same care, grabbing his saddlebag and moving towards the door. Elise and Val's equipment remaining in the room. He looked at the elven maiden.

[Stavros]"Feel free to stay here as well, When I return I can offer you safe passage through the city if required. If what I am thinking is true Braedon will not be a safe haven for you my lady... I will come back.

At that Stavros turned to leave, opening the door and stepping through.

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**The War of Bones, a war between the crown of Lorr and a Count whi had the ambition of independence. He was a powerful Mage and together with a circle of Mages used powerful necromantic spells to raise an army of the dead to conquer his lands and wrest control away from the throne. It was a short war but served as a prime example why Mages needed more limitations and increased the standings of the Order of Mage Huters considerably.





 
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@Scalerender @Maeriel

Valerie was shocked by the sudden change of heart that she witnessed in Stavros, bringing outrage and rebellion from the youth he had as his ward. The elf was herself shaken from the sudden eagerness to release them, wondering if there was some sort of trickery afoot or a hidden agenda Stavros had to follow. Even if he did have in mind some sort of quick demise of them both, he must realize that by sending Illian away and releasing them both he would both be outnumbered and under the influence of both their magic.

Even with his skill and agility, that seemed a nigh impossible scenario he hoped to walk away from without some severe damage.

She watched as he eagerly inscribed the document, reading everything that she could from where she sat to ensure that what he was saying was the truth. She frowned heavily, not understanding why he was doing what he was. Sure he had promised to help her, but with the way she had analyzed his character she thought that above all else he was bound to fulfill the duty and need for revenge against mages he now admitted to having. The document would prove invaluable to her, especially considering the seal it now had on it, although she wondered why he insisted on not signing it with his name when he clearly possessed some form of authority among the Mage Hunters.

"Why are you doing all this? Why place your trust in us and hope that we won't turn on you. After all that you've been through it seems a poorly judged action to simply let us go. Illian would sooner be run over by a horse than let you do what you are doing, no matter how loyal he is to you. I thank you for the document, but I can sense that some sort of events are being set in motion. You are a powerful man, so why not sign your name? The only reason that would be logical is if..."

She came to the realization as she spoke, narrowing her eyes and making her forehead crease with the sudden confusion.

"...Is if you were going to do something so tremendously reprimand-able that your name would become slandered and tainted. Why would an encounter with those you have committed your life to doing away with change that?"

The elf was filled with uncertainty, feeling a sudden release when the heavy manacles were removed. She hadn't realized it before, but the blocking of her magic had brought a numbing, cold sensation to her hands. When the manacles were gone though, she felt a familiar warmth running through her. It was equatable to feeling the warm embrace of an old friend. The girl rubbed her wrists, here ears flicking upward in irritation as her mind struggled to conceive some sort of thought as to why this man appeared to helping them.

When he moved to unlock Elise, she found herself sending up a quiet though to the goddess, hoping that she would smile favourably on them and quiet Elise's fury enough so that she didn't turn this situation into a bloody mess.
 
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