Returning Magic (Private)

[Darkbloom]

Oh! He had forgotten about that part of negotiations. Come to think of it, they hadn't been properly introduced. "There's one more thing we're forgetting. The single most important thing of adventuring. My name is Lightbloom. And you are, Ms. Changeling...?"

 

[Maeve Valor]

She looked at Lightbloom wondering what she was really getting herself into and then put her hood down fully showing her long hair and snowy face. "Meara... Meara Terrakal," she said holding a hand out cautiously for him to shake as is Human customs for making a deal.

 

[Darkbloom]

"All right, then it's a deal. Won't be easy to find that tome, but it'll show up somewhere. You really believe it's in this town somewhere?" He scratches his head, but finds it difficult to get at since his hair is so thick. "As for a translator, i might know someone. My scholarly background as a researcher lets me know where or who I need to find if I want something translated." He was taught about some human customs, so he shakes her hand.

 

[Maeve Valor]

"Splendid, let's get going. We're burning daylight," she said feeling odd that she will be working with someone as she began walking at slow pace so he could catch up back in the direction of the town. She was always somewhat of a lone wolf. Even though she was very good with speaking to people, she always got an itchy feeling whenever she spent too much time socializing. Although she didn't know what exactly to make of this partnership yet.

 

[Darkbloom]

In one step he has caught up to Meara. "I see that you're trying to walk a bit slower, but we can go at whatever pace. I've got decently long legs." He was a head taller than she was, making it seem like he was a wizard's tower with legs. And everyone knows, even the people who just heard stories about wizards, that they really liked having their long spiral staircases and research towers taller than any other building or structure around.

 

[Maeve Valor]

"Very well," she nodded and they were on their way. It didn't take long before they were back in the town and as Meara arranged in her head, they started looking the shops around the upper ward going through many shops planning to end up in the old district.

 

[Darkbloom]

Throughout their searching, they see that none of the shops they visit in the upper district have what they're looking for.

"Eleven shops and no sign of it. Maybe this isn't the right area?" He scratches his chin.

 

[Maeve Valor]

"Maybe not, but we have to keep looking," she then pointed to a building. "That's the only building we haven't checked in the Rain Crown area. Let's check there last and then call it a day."

 

[Darkbloom]

"Certainly. Might be something in there."

They go to the last shop for the day. One of the several book stores in the area. The locals really must enjoy reading with all the bookstores around. The bell jingles as they walk in, and an elderly woman comes to greet them.

"Good evening, my dears! What a lovely couple you two look like! How can I help you?" She sips tea from her cup, obviously not knowing that Lightbloom and Meara aren't a couple.

 

[Maeve Valor]

Meara looked to Lightbloom and then back to the woman and pointed a finger up to correct, "Um actually we aren't- Oh never mind." She waved off the comment she was about to make and then continued, "We are looking for a special tome. I've heard that it's written in ancient Elven. Do you by any chance have something like that in your shop?" She had asked not really having any hope in her actually saying yes.

 

[Darkbloom]

The elderly woman appears to be deep in thought. "I don't know... I'll check in the back." She hobbles off to look in the back of the store, assumedly because the more expensive books are back there.

He takes note that she didn't bother correcting the elderly woman. He takes very close note, in fact, for pondering about later. Lightbloom starts looking at the shelves. "Worth a shot. The worst that could happen is not finding anything."

 

[Maeve Valor]

"I guess you're right," she said looking around then looking over the counter to make sure the lady was still gone. She then sneaked around behind the counter to check for any books that might be hidden there. She wasn't planning to steal it if she did find it, but she did want to know if she was going to hide any books that would be potentially it from them. She placed one of her hands on the counter in case she needed to jump over real quickly.

 

[Darkbloom]

While Meara was looking through the books, a piece of paper fell out between the pages. It reads: dear X, it's been reported that an ancient tome was found. We know not where the tome is now... But it must be close. Lives are at stake here, not just yours and mine. From,

And that's it. The name at the bottom has been torn out of the note. Very suspicious...

Just then, the footsteps of the elderly woman could be heard returning to the room.

 

[Maeve Valor]

"Just why did he put X? Is she part of a secret organization where everyone keeps their identities secret? And why are lives at stake because of this tome? Just what kind of content does this script hold?" She thought. She scrambled to place the note back in the book she was just looking at, put the book back under the counter, and then attempted to jump back over the counter with ease. The last thing she wanted was to get onto an old lady's bad side. Let alone a suspicious old lady.

 

[Darkbloom]

When she tries jumping over the counter her foot catches the edge, making her trip. However, with her nimbleness in acrobatics she minimizes a quarter of the crashing sound she makes when hitting the floor. It's still loud enough for the whole building to hear, though.

 

[Maeve Valor]

"Shit," she cussed in Elven and then stood up straight acting like she didn't do anything as the woman began to come back to the front counter. She was embarrassed by her attempt and she dared not look over at Lightbloom in case he thought it was amusing.

 

[Darkbloom]

They don't really have a lot of time to dilly dally, as a voice of an old grumpy man yells "HEY! WHAT WAS THAT NOISE?" they hear another pair of foot steps coming down, all the while the man is shouting, "RUFFIANS! I'LL GET THEE GOOD! I WAS A MASTER ARCHER IN THE ARMY SOME YEARS AGO!" Some things are knocked over in the back, probably because that's where the bow and arrows are. "DAMMIT! I KNOW THEY'RE HERE SOMEWHERE!" the old man keeps searching and cursing as more and more things fall down.

Lightbloom lightly taps Meara's shoulder. "Time to go." He swiftly walks to the door.

 

[Maeve Valor]

"Yep," Meara said following close behind running out the door. Once out the door, she didn't run too fast so as not to attract attention and briskly walked a couple of buildings away ducking into an alleyway motioning for Lightbloom to follow suit. "Okay those geezers know something. I came across a note that confirmed the tome is definitely here in town, what's more is that it mentioned how there were many lives at stake, theirs included. Something big is going on here. I'm not sure what, but what ever it is, that tome is the key." To Meara, it sounded like innocent lives could be at stake and that was something she could not allow. As much as she disliked the Humans, she still did not have ill-intentions towards those such as the children and the disabled. "Ahem, so it seems like this tome should fetch me a pretty penny," she said still trying to act like she was in this for the money.

 

[Darkbloom]

Just as Lightbloom closes the door, an arrow pierces the door, sticking halfway out. He is uninjured, having stood to one side of the door. Maybe the old man lost his touch with the bow since the last war.

And now they have escaped, safely hidden away in the alley. "Huh. Yes, that is rather interesting. I'm sure we've looked absolutely everywhere in the upper district by now. For now, best to get some sleep. That way, we can think about what all is happening with clear minds. Mine has become quite foggy after all this time spent awake." His gaze reaches her eyes, as if it's the first time seeing them. At least, it is from this distance. Her silver eyes are mesmerizing. He wants to look at them closer, but he pulls himself away. "Right, back to the tavern..."

 

[Maeve Valor]

For a moment there, she could have sworn that he slightly leaned closer to her which made her freeze. But when he was back on topic suggesting that they get back to the tavern she agreed, "um, yes, the sun will be going down soon. " "If he did lean forward, it might just be the exhaustion getting to him," she reasoned as they walked back to the tavern.

Once they were back, she looked to the counter and located Burt. She then confidently walked up and promptly put down some more coins for him, "I will have that room for another night as well as some ale before turning in."

 

[Darkbloom]

Burt nods and takes the coins, putting them away in a lockbox while he gives her the same room number and key. A few seconds later, he finishes pouring the Alex and slides it her way like all good bartenders do.

Lightbloom also tossed coins onto the table to renew his room for another night, and goes away to sleep without a word. He seems to have a good amount of things on his mind.

 

[Maeve Valor]

On most long days, Meara likes finish things off with a nice mug of ale. She sat in silence going over the events of the day while drinking. Teaming up with Lightbloom, going to many shops trying to find that damn tome, finding out that the tome had a foreboding mysterious circumstance behind it. She had the feeling that this partnership would end up being a long journey ahead of them so she better get used to working with him. At this last thought she sighed and drank the last of the mug before going to sleep in her own room.

 

[Darkbloom]

The next day...

Normally Lightbloom only needs to meditate four hours to get the same amount of rest as a human does in eight hours, but he slept in rather late this morning. He didn't think they were in too big of a rush, so he spent fifteen to thirty minutes just lying awake in bed, wondering if he should get up or go back to sleep. eventually, he sighs and gets out of bed, takes a shower to smell fresh, and walks to the bar.

Burt is there as seemingly always, cleaning beer mugs and glasses until they're squeaky clean.

 

[Maeve Valor]

Meara had a good night's sleep and woke up groggily with bed head. Lazily, she looked at the clock placed on top of a desk in the room, and was surprised that she had slept in as late as she did. It was very much unlike her so she quickly got dressed in her normal clothes putting on her hooded cloak and combed out her long, white hair before briskly walking into the main room of the tavern. There she saw Lightbloom already at the bar so she went and joined him there opening with, "I hope you had a good rest, something tells me that today will be yet another long day."

 

[Darkbloom]

"Yeah, what's the next area? I think we're exceptionally close to finding it today." He finishes his 12th cup of water as he stops talking. It's not that he won't drink ale. Only when he's looking for something important. He'll probably loosen up after finding the first temple.