Private Tales Odd Company

[Luc]

A little over a month had passed since Luc and Nayella made their escape, managing to elude the mage hunters but remaining on the run since. A little over a month and Luc still knew so little about his fellow hunted. There was still a tenseness in the air, but as the days bled on it seemed to vanish. Of course Luc never expected for the Blight Witch to ever drop her guard. He had pieced together who she was quickly, realizing the storied witch was actually real thanks to her unique magic.

It was late that much was clear, but for once they did not move from their encampment, or rather the abandoned cave they now claimed as their own. Nayella seemed comfortable there, setting a small campfire ablaze to keep them warm. Of course, things could never be normal with the Blight Witch and the fire burned green. Though curious, Luc never asked what provided it's green hue and just accepted it as another quirk of his present company.

Dinner had long been consumed and in truth, sleep should have been on his mind. They had traveled for days, placing them closer to Vel Anir then Elbion at this point. They had not been harassed in days yet the one he followed kept a grueling pace. He did not know what fueled her but she seemed unpased. Luc on the other hand was sore, tired, and dirty. Despite this, he did not complain. He would never complain.

When pressed about why he wanted to follow her, Luc had but one thing to say. "You will teach me how to survive."

And she had. He could not feed himself and had grown rather skillful at the act he was accused of performing. He looked to the bedroll he had taken, and smirked. Pinched from an unsuspecting merchant who went to ease his bladder in the morning. Luc had taken it clean off his horse and wondered how long before the man came to notice it had been missing.

A clap of thunder brought his back from his daze and Luc was reminded of the second reason they did not continue on this night. The storm raging outside.

"I see the worth of finding this place now... Fortunate of us to have stumbled into this cave." Luc said to Nayella.

The fire flicked, casting a eerie dance of shadows all around them. It was dark, dank, and cold. He could think of a thousand other places he would rather be. But he would not complain. Not now... Not ever.

 

[Nayella]

Nayella did not respond, she seldom did.

Their rapport, if it could even be called that, was tenuous at best. She had allowed the boy to travel with her only because she could see an advantage in it. He was another set of hands, someone she could use, and in emergency a powerful battery to fuel her magics.

That was the most important part.

The hunters had seemingly abandoned their quest for now, Nayella having been unable to sense any of them for quite some time now. It surprised her at first, but she figured they had simply lost her trail.

Whether or not that was true she had no way of confirming, but she most certainly hoped that it was. If her plans were to succeed she would need to keep heading west to the barons. There she could find what she needed, and once she had that...a tight smile perked on her lips.

"We'll move on after the storm." She commented dryly, entirely ignoring his comments.

Nayella wasn't very good at conversation.

"There is a trading post to the west." Her fingers laced around a small leather cord at her waist. "We'll take what we need from there."

 

[Luc]

As often, she ignored his attempts at conversation and replied with bare facts. Despite failure after failure, he still attempted to initiate some form of conversation however. If he could do that, then he began to probe her mind for the knowledge she surely had. In the meantime, he remained ever watchful. What he couldn't learn from conversation, he learned from watching her.

The way she moved, the way she behaved, both serving a useful teachings he could in fact learn from. He had become aware at how stealthy he was becoming having mimicked her to some degree. He was eager to test this out against the trading post she mentioned. Purchasing items was out of the question and instead, the pair would take to thievery and the irony of it all was not lost upon. From the accused to the guilty, he mused as he sat opposite of her.

"And then how far to our destination from there?" He risked asking though he expected little in reply.

 

[Nayella]

For a moment Nayella simply remained in her contemplative silence.

The words did not come easy from her, none did. Conversation was not a craft that had ever been taught to her, and with the Crown it only became more difficult. Her lips thinned for a moment, her fingers tapping against the top of her knee, almost as if she were contemplating her answer.

Finally she grimaced, then spoke. "About a week."

That was what she estimated anyway. Travel had taken more time with the boy on her heel, but he provided a certain amount of cover for her. The Hunters were looking for a lone woman, not someone traveling with a partner. It helped to have cover, plus he would make for good bait eventually.

At least she assumed.

"If we take the road." Which she planned to this time.

 

[Luc]

If we take the road. He mulled over her words. They would be able to travel faster then they had been moving through the brush. Still, moving along the road presented dangers of it's own. Staring into the fire, he began to formulate the beginnings of a idea.

"We need clothing... My attire screams of Elbion.. And yours..." He sentence when unfinished as he quickly realized he was commenting on her appearance. "We are far to noticeable is what I am saying. Perhaps at this trading post I can secure us two cloaks... And if we are to travel, allow me to talk..." He was fully aware of her clipped words. "We can present ourselves as traveling siblings to those of a curious nature."

 

[Nayella]

She blinked.

Them? Siblings?

Nayella supposed if she were wearing a cloak that would work, though with the crown it would present slight difficulty. Still, it was better than moving slower and taking more time. A moment passed. "Very well."

Not that she had to like it.

The roads were the fastest path, but it was also the most dangerous. There were rumors of Witch Hunters in the area, and worse; Templar. That wasn't even to mention the cretins that were hunting her from Elbion, nor those that were after Luc. Though, perhaps they would be thrown off.

It was a small hope, but still.

 

[Luc]

She agreed with little protest and for the moment, Luc felt elated having contributed something to their grand adventure. Looking to her with weary eyes, he decided to prod further and risked asking. "I... I heard stories about you.. The Blight Witch they like to call you... They talk about how you stalk the darkness and bring plague to where you go... Unimaginative stories... I know see." He nodded to himself as he spoke.

"But... Why did you leave Elbion.. You.. You studied there, did you not?" He asked in a meek voice. He was sure stories and rumors that he heard painted her as a former student, much like himself. He wondered what could have driven her away.

 

[Nayella]

Blight Witch.

She supposed it was an apt enough comparison. The crown did give her certain powers, the ability to spread her plague and do as she pleased with what it touched...well, save for those creatures that had thought. Those she could only speak to, whisper and influence rather than control.

"They lied." She said simply.

It was not the whole truth, but then again Nayella did not know it herself. She only knew what she had discovered, could only tell what she herself knew beyond a doubt. The Maesters of Elbion had told her one thing, so had her tribe, and it had all been a lie.

"I left to find my own way." She frowned. "They didn't like that."

It wasn't the whole truth, but close enough for her.

 

[Luc]

"They are good for that... The lies... A great deal of instructors were jealous of my skill and my master... Sort to make us look like thieves.... Lied to anyone who would listen... " Luc grumbled, recalling the events that lead him to his own departure.

"I suppose I'm like you now... Finding my own way... And maybe when I have... I'll return... I'll show them what I have learned..." He continued on. From the tone adopted, there was no loss of love between the half elf and the College of Magic.

 

[Nayella]

She scoffed.

It was a tell of what she thought of the idea of 'returning' to Elbion. The only way she would do that would be to tear the whole place down, burn it and see it rotting outwards from the core. Her fingers tightened for a moment, a hint of amusement drawing through her at the thought.

Eventually. "First we avoid their hunters."

Nayella dismissed the conversation, deciding that it would be best not to drive fruther into it. She would only end up angry, and she needed the boy yet.

"The city will give us some cover, but not for long." She reminded him. "We'll have to be quick."

 

[Luc]

"Quick.... " He repeated, committing what he knew was not just a suggestion but more so an order, to mind.

"My lady..." He said in a low tone. He hadn't a clue as to what he should call her in terms of title, thinking master to forward. She had not taken him on as an apprentice and in truth, he was keenly aware there in this situation, he was more closer to being a tool for her then a student. Choosing Lady seemed appropriate until she corrected him. "Might I ask a question?"

 

[Nayella]

Nayella perked an eyebrow. "I am far from a lady."

The witch almost seemed amused by the title though. There had been more than a few who'd used it before she'd...well, been traveling through the woods. Most had ended up choking on their own vomit for the affront, though Luc knew better than to try again.

She assumed.

"Ask your question." Nayella added bluntly. "But don't expect an answer."

She really had to work on her conversation skill.

 

[Luc]

He was observant enough to catch the rising of her brow and assumed she was amused to extent, but judging how clipped her response was he found it wise to not call her such again. Instead he focused on his question on hand.

"Your magic... is rather interesting.. Though I only attended the college for a scant two years, I do not recall hearing of such... Can you perhaps tell me more about it?"

No harm in asking though he assumed he would not be rewarded with much in the way of an answer.

 

[Nayella]

For a second Nayella hesitated, staring at Luc with a slight frown.

How much did she trust this boy? Did it matter? He would end up with his throat cut at the end of all this anyway...at least she was almost sure that was how this would end. For a moment she frowned, and then she began to speak quietly. "I call upon the blight."

In truth, she did not understand it herself.

The magic that lay within her, the plague that seemed to cling to her flesh was a part of the crown. It was an artifact she had found within the depths of Elbion's College Vaults. She had stolen it from there after it had called to her for what seemed like weeks.

"It's a disease." She mused. "Festering and always there."

She glanced at him for a moment. "An extension of myself and my will."

 

[Luc]

The last part resonated with him. He was still young and impressionable, and having not completed the full length of time studying in the college he was still eager to learn despite his natural talent for grasping the arts. He knew there was room for improvement and he wanted to grow.

"I see..." He said getting the bare explanation from her. "It seems it.. Degrades what you cast it upon... Does it work on only organic material?" He questioned next then pause. "I know you won't answer if you do want.... "

He suspected there was only so much information she was willing to part with concerning herself. In which case, he'd ask another question. Like preventing his aura from leaking out. As far as he could tell, she had sneaked right up upon him because she could read the power leaking from his body. If he could learn how to conceal it, that would make this trip all the more easier for them.

 

[Nayella]

"It works best on living things." It was a vague answer, but about as much detail as she would be willing to ever part with.

Blight magic was a dangerous thing, more so than he could imagine.

Nayella was by no means shielding the boy from that bit of knowledge, but the truth was even she did not understand it. The power came to her mostly through instinct rather than intrinsic knowledge. The crown gave her the ability, or rather, granted her access to it.

Without the crown she could still do it, but to a much lesser degree.

"Do not concern yourself with my magic." She told the boy. "Just the days ahead."

 

[Luc]

Luc found himself thankful for the small amount of information she was able to provide but found himself lowering his head as she informed him to not concern himself with her magic. "Fair enough... I..."

He paused, biting his lower lip as he was unsure if he should continue however. "I was wondering if you could help me learn how to suppress my magical aura... I couldn't sense that you were there until you attacked... If we are to survive together, for now, it might be helpful for me to learn this.. Especially being that we are being sort after."

He tried to sell her on the benefits of learning something he hadn't the chance to. If their was a way for him to lower his imprint, he'd try and learn it, otherwise, Luc was just an open book for those who could see.

 

[Nayella]

She frowned. "It depends on the magic you use."

It was a trick that she had not learned herself, as with much of what she did. Nayella had only been an apprentice when she'd fled Elbion. Her knowledge within the Arcane had neither been vast, nor truly complete.

There was no shame in that for her, just a simple fact.

The Crown had managed to teach her much in the ways of magic, but only in the magics that applied to it. She could suppress the blight, she could even make herself small within the presence of others, but she could not transfer that over to powers that she did not have control over.

"College Magic." She frowned, it was what those at Elbion taught most often. "Is simple enough to disregard. One must simply cast the proper spell to hide."

She stared at Luc, frowning still.

 

[Luc]

Despite his natural talent for elemental magic, his teachings had been, so to say, by the book. He was now realizing that with no mentor, he was going to have to show himself what to do. That meant keeping up with what he already knew, but not being afraid to explore either. Plus, there was the matter of the item he had taken from his master... He had no intentions of using the magical artifact, but admittedly it was becoming tempting with each day.

"Thank you..." He said realizing how annoying his prodding must have been. "I'll rest up now... When you are ready to move."

He gave a bow of his head and then retreated to the confines of his cloak. Rest would not come easy however, he had much on his mind. Besides. He may have appeared like a lost puppy following after her. Truth was, she terrified him to no end.

 

[Nayella]

Sleep did not come to Nayella, it rarely did.

The crown did its best to keep her alert, the rot pushing her mind ever forward and forward as it continued to drive her. She did not enjoy it though. There had been a time when sleep had come easily, when rest and good bed had been all she looked forward to.

Now she did not even remember what a bed felt like.

The Witch knew she was broken in that way, knew that a piece of her was missing. Comfort, a soft embrace, all of those things were missing from her memory. It was the price she payed, a cost that the blight exacted upon her. She missed it, though in truth she could not have said why.

Thus while Luc sleep, the Witch simply waited.

She stoked the flame, closed her eyes, but she did not sleep.

 

[Luc]

A gentle breeze carried the lancolate shaped leaf upon the wind and Luc watched in amazement it danced about, beautiful and graceful. He watched as it flashed in and out of sight, a burst of green as it turned just right to catch the glow of the sun. The leaf continued it's performance, spinning faster as the wind grew more turbulent. With each passing moment the leaf spun about, it's performance twisting from that of a elegant dancer to a frenzied performer. The skies grew darker and the the rumbling of distant thunder reverberated in his chest. Flashes of lightning painted the sky and the leaf was forever lost, replaced with the threatening approach of a powerful storm.

And then the howling started. Long and mournful, primal in it's existence. The storm itself was alive... And it was approaching. He saw it before he heard, the arc of lightning parting the sky, tendrils of pure energy stretching out into the darkness like a web which moved quicker then the eye could see. He watched as it raced forward, it's destination clear as it moved towards him in a blinding speed... And just when it reached him, he heard the following roar.

Boom!

Luc's eye's snapped up and he shot up from his spot beside the fire, brow coated in sweat and his chest heaving from the dream. He had a dazed look upon his face as sucked in breath after breath. He was clutching at his chest, trying to make sense of the eerie dream before his attention shifted to his companion. This had never happened before and he was wondering if she knew why he was gripped but such a odd dream. Unbeknownst to him, raw mana leaked from his body, fading out of existence once leaving his body but one undeniable truth was clear. Whether he realized it or not Luc was connected to a rather old and strong magic.

 

[Nayella]

The Witch watched him, her expression blank, her eyes half glazed over.

The crown on her head seemed to pulse, the raw mana leaking from the boy seeming to call to the artifact. A slight frown touched Nayella's lips, her fingers scrunching into a small fist before they unfolded just a moment later. Her chest rose and fell in a steady breath, her gaze dropping from the elf and folding to the flames.

Interesting. The thought ran through her mind, though it was not her own. It seemed to echo, ringing again and again until she cleared her throat.

"Eat something." She told Luc. "We'll leave before the sun rises."

Easier to avoid being seen that way.

 

[Luc]

His mind was a jumbled mess, trying to make sense of a dream which quickly faded from recollection. He sat there, gasping for air in a cold sweat hand still clutching at his chest, or rather what rested on top. He had taken great measure to not reveal the gem which hung about his neck on a thick leather cord and he nearly ripped it free from under his shirt. It felt strangely cold against his skin and he believed it to be the culprit for the strange vision if it had not somehow been caused by Nayella. At the moment, he didn't know what to think or believe. He was just sure of one thing. This had never happened before... Not until he asked about her magic.

Blinking away the daze which fell over him much like the storm in his dream, Luc went through the motions of eating a small meal, wild berries and a tough half loaf of bread. Slim pickings but currently, he tasted nothing as he chewed and swallowed. His mind was wandering to the dream, picking at the snippets he could recall and before he realized it, it was time to go. With out much to gather, Luc was ready to move on just as the sun began to crest the horizon. By now, he deamonor had returned to what Nayella should have suspected to be normal for him, but more importantly, the surge of power which filled him was all but gone, faded with no promise of returning.

 

[Nayella]

The Witch continued her silence, apparently finding no reason to question or even probe the boy further for his abilities. Instead she watched quietly, consuming no food herself but instead focusing upon the elf himself.

An oddity.

That was what she would have called it. Her masters at the College might have been able to explain it, in fact she was all but sure that that the boy had run for this exact reason. They must have poked and proded, explored and done as they had always done. Lips thinned for a brief moment, fingers lacing against her skin.

After a time she finally stood from her place, gathering up what little belongings that she still had before gesturing to Luc. ”We will need elder-root, and vasela.”

Two types of flowers not uncommon in this part of the world.

”They will help you contain yourself.” At least well enough to not be found by mage-hunters.

 

[Luc]

Her words lit a fire in his eyes and he seemed anxious as he stood in place. The idea of containing his magical abilities was welcomed as at the moment, he felt like a open container. If he could hide his signature, he stood a chance of surviving in the wilds. It was this inability that caused Nayella to happen upon him and he counted himself lucky that she hadn't killed him and taken him in. There was no telling who he would meet later on down this road of life on the run and he would take every advantage he could get to survive.

"I've worked with elder-root before but I've only heard of vasela.. Could you describe it? I can run out now and find some before we depart." Eager to begin he was as he looked to her, bright blue eyes wide and trusting.