Snippet #2700935

[co-written with almostinsane]

The lights of the inn’s hallways had dimmed for the night. Caspian rubbed his neck, anxious. He thought it a better time than any to speak to Antius as they rested before setting out. He had the covered sword strapped to his back. He rapped on the door to Antius’ quarters.

Antius smiled slightly as he finished writing a page in his grimoire. He did not have a perfect memory, but he could remember enough in the short term so that he could add to his own lore and he had the chance to look up a few tricks while he could. He blinked as he heard the knocking on his door. He stood up to open it.

"Caspian? How can I help you?" he asked in confusion. He eyed his friend. When they were alone, he could feel the aura pouring off him more clearly. It was a mystery he had been forced to set aside, but if he was willing open up to him...

The young blacksmith left the night behind him as he shuffled into the mage's room. He pulled an available chair aside. The light on the desk candle glowed upon his face and highlighted the various folds of his tunic and the polished finish of his spaulders, greaves, and vambraces. The boy's eyes showed a resoluteness of character surprising for one his age.

Before he sat down, he unstrapped the covered sword and placed it on the desk.

Caspian took a deep breath, "I think you should look at it," he nodded toward the weapon.

Antius reverently took the sword from him, sitting down carefully as he slowly unsheathed it halfway. He shivered as he felt the sword vibrate in response to his magical energies. He did not even need to gather his mana.

"It feels alive... Like it possesses an intelligence to it. Perhaps more than one? Or maybe it's fragmented. Let me hold it up to the light so I might see it better. Perhaps it has some runes.... What can you tell me about it?"

Caspian watched as Antius surveyed the edge of the blade.

"I hear...I hear voices. Not my own, coming from that sword."

"Oh, come now, you musn't spill our little secret."

Caspian winced, "I hear them now. One is called Kade. The other is Mara. They say they are spirits dwelling within the sword. What do I do? Are they real? What do they want from me?"

The blacksmith exhaled, he realized that he might have come across as though he had gone mad. Yet, he knew his faculties, and he hoped the mage could see this. Caspian leaned back in his seat and blinked, exhausted.

"What do I do?" the boy asked.

Antius' face became troubled at his friend's distress. Quickly, he sheathed the sword and laid it across his lap.

"There are good and evil spirits. They differ as we all differ. The trouble is that evil spirits can be difficult to get rid of and will often pose as good spirits. We could visit an exorcist or shaman or gather materials for a summoning of our own so that we might better examine and question these spirits. Or we might journey within your mind or the sword itself if need be."

He frowned thoughtfully.

"They will most likely offer you assistance in a stressful situation either to genuinely help you or gain a foothold in your soul. I suggest getting a second weapon until we can be sure of their intentions."

"It's just, the champion of the colosseum, Caliburn, gave me this sword before he left. I don't know why..." Caspian stopped as he stared blankly at the tile floor.

"I never had the chance to get to know him. I have no idea why he would gift you with such a weapon," Antius noted.

Caspian stood up without reason, it seemed, and nodded at the mage. He took the sword and shuffled out the door he came. A couple of seconds later another rap came on the door.

Antius nodded as his friend left and began to ready himself for bed. Then he heard yet another rapping on his door.

"Caspian, did you think of anything else?" he began, opening the door to greet his visitor.

"Caspian?" Lir said, "It's Lir. Were you expecting Caspian? If so I can wait," but as she said this, she had already entered his room and spun her eyes about.

"I never realized my room didn't have yellow hibiscus flowers," she scoffed in amusement.

Then she turned to her friend, "I thought you'd be asleep this late into the night, but I'm glad you aren't."

She noticed Antius' grimoire, her eyes fell briefly, "Magic keeps you awake."

Her fingers traced the ink on the pages. Her face turned grave without a pause in between. Her visage noted Antius. Then she ambled toward his window and looked up to the stars.

The gentle night wind brushed her wiry hair, "I met a man today, Antius."

She paused for a long time.

"Instantly, he made my breath turn cold, and I began to feel an intense pain and fear crawl up my spine like no other before. I could see a darkness enveloping me for so slight a time, but it seemed almost forever," she swallowed.

"It reminded me more than anything, of the things I saw back at the Academy," Lir said, "I told myself that I would tell someone about this. Eolmir Wathren and Aenna Piattas, you remember them? Agents of the academy, like that woman, Ada Capet, killed them because they saw what I saw. Now I am remain the only one who knows anything of..." she paused, her voice faltered, "The things, Antius, that make me shudder in abject horror when I think of them, I...I..."

She shook her head then made straight for the door out of Antius's room without hesitatio, "I fear 'tis getting late. Sleep well," she bade him and vanished down the hall.