Private Tales Secrets of the Shadows

[Dana Kass]

Eleth the Unknowable, his influence always vexed Dana. Whereas her patron brings knowledge and illumination, he brought only confusion and lies. It made her work as a historian and priestess that much harder. But even he wasn't beyond reproach, in the end, whether he be legend, dark one, or deity, his secrets would be revealed by the light of Metisa!

At least, that's what Dana kept telling herself, it was the only way to keep herself motivated while she and her sisters in faith toiled away, decrypting secret correspondences, researching folklore, and solving endless riddles. Fortunately, Eleth's servants have limits to their creativity and were as prone to making errors as any other. Eventually, patterns emerged, repeated half-truths, which, combined with folklore and local rumors, led to an answer. Or rather, a location on a map, not far from Vel Anir. What secrets could lie there? Ancient scrolls? Artifacts? Endless antiquities? She could hardly wait to learn.

Unfortunately, while seeking allies for an expedition, the Dreadlords caught wind of their efforts and generously "offered" to assist. Upon hearing the news, Dana made sure to emotionally detach herself from the possibility of actually keeping anything she found. It would be the property of the government the moment she laid eyes on it.

Not that she hated the Dreadlords, no, she considered herself a loyal citizen of Vel Anir, and they were its protectors. Furthermore, with the coming of the Republic, they showed signs of progress that would please Metisa. But she very much doubted they had much of an eye for an archeological expedition. She wouldn't be surprised if they razed the whole thing as soon as they found it. Still, there was little she could do, she dared not refuse them outright.

That's how she found herself standing in the halls of Vel Aerelos, where she had an appointment to meet in one of the less important chambers. She expected a few representatives from the Dreadlords to meet her. Perhaps a city clerk as well. She wore a set of her formal robes for the occasion, white and purple in color instead of her usual gray. Metisa taught progress, but the citizens and officials took them more seriously when they were wearing traditional attire.

Vale

 

[Vale]

Vale was already in the chamber where a meeting had been called between the Sisters of Metisa and the Dreadlords. Apparently, the head priest was coming to meet them and Vale was curious about what exactly she knew. The young Dreadlord had never crossed paths with them before, mostly because their patrons didn't exactly see each other on the best of terms.

He sat in one of the chairs at the round table, his lean frame leaning comfortably back against his chair as he waited silently for her arrival. There were would be two others with him but standing at the table, a city clerk and a Proctor, each much older than him. They spoke to each other in hushed tones before they motioned for a servant to acquire the priest.

As Dana waited, a young boy would step in front of her before giving a slight bow, "They are ready for you, Miss... Priestess." It was clear he was still working on his etiquette. Either way, he would lead her to the chamber where the others waited and opened the door for her.

When she stepped inside, Dana would find both the Clerk and Proctor offering her a warm smile. The Proctor spoke first, "It is pleasure to make your acquaintance. We are glad you came to see us about this expedition." They more beckoned her but, "My name is Proctor Talgin and this is Clerk Hubert." The older of the two would give a nod. Both of them wore typical robes of their station to accentuate his words. Talgin then gestured toward the last of their party, "And this is Dreadlord Vale." If Dana glanced over at the white-haired man, she would find him staring right back at her but not offering anything else.

The first thing that would stand out would be his eyes, a sharp and icy silver that was piercing. It was as if he simply staring past her clothing, flesh, and straight to her soul. Peeking from his collar would be a black rune, the top half giving away its elvish nature as it almost touched his ear. Even from where she stood, she would also be able to see how the shadows acted differently around him. They were as black as the void and pooled unnaturally around the base of his chair, almost curled around it like a snake.

After a moment, Talgin spoke up again, "Please, can you tell us more about what you discovered Priestess...?" Vale would silently sit there still and wait to see what she answered as they opened the floor for her.

Dana Kass

 

[Dana Kass]

Dana smiled politely at the boy. "Of course, please, lead the way." She followed him inside, keeping her smile perfectly fixed in place as she approached the three officials. While she may not be thrilled to be there, there wasn't any benefit in making enemies now that she was.

She stopped when she drew close enough to hear and nodded at each of them. "Well met Proctor Talgin, and to you as well Sir Hubert." Her gaze shifted to the Dreadlord, Vale, apparently, when he was introduced. She had to admit that he had a rather unsettling gaze, but she met it without flinching all the same.

The shadows around his feet were an equally unsettling sight, but not in the same way. No, it was more an annoyance as she realized one of Eleth's own (directly or otherwise) would be involved in this quest. "Oh hush now Dana. Don't be so biased, having someone familiar with Eleth, as much as one can be, could be a benefit in this." She didn't fail to see the runes on his skin, elvish, she believed, she was surprised a coveted Dreadlord would have anything elvish on their body given their history.

She nodded her greeting to him as well. "My pleasure." She set a hand on her heart. "Now, allow me to introduce myself as well, I am Sister Dana of the Metisian Chapel, here in Vel Anir. My sisters and I extend our best wishes to the New Republic."

She glanced down at her satchel (the only item from her normal outfit she had with her) and reached into it. "As I'm sure you well know by now, we've dedicated ourselves to unearthing lost history and rediscovering things that were lost long ago. In that pursuit, we believe we've discovered a previously unknown hideout, temple perhaps, of the Shadowmancer's of Eleth. Namely those who fled persecution in Fal'Addas many years ago. It should be undisturbed, given their reputation for secrecy, meaning, there may yet be things of value left inside."

Vale

 

[Vale]

Vale took note of how her eyes drifted to the ground near his chair and then to his neck, most likely the rune that was more obvious compared to the others. Ironically, he was just as curious but he didn't reveal that fact yet.

After Sister Dana introduced herself, the two men who were standing would offer another bow for her upon learning of her name. The Clerk spoke this time, accepting the pleasantries and returning them back, "And the Republic thanks you. Please give our regards to your Sisters when you return to your temple." Vale softly exhaled as he prevented his eyes from rolling over, hating the noble process that took place. While he was trained in proper etiquette, the Dreadlord was one to spend most of his time amongst the Undercity and the like that lived there. After a certain amount of time, it started to make him despise "proper manners" and how much time it took.

But with that out of the way, Dana pulled her satchel forward and pulled out the contents. It would be a map and other papers of the riddles and documents they had discovered. Hubert's eyebrows would raise at the revelation and Talgin would pinch his chin as he thought to himself. For the first time, Vale's gaze would separate from Dana and be aimed downward at the papers, claiming his interest more.

Talgin was the first to speak, "Interesting. We haven't heard about Elreth and his Shadowmancers for some time." His eyes quickly shot over to Vale, that point withstanding. "Just on that merit alone, it is worth checking out. These temples can house dangerous items." There was a clear interest in his eyes with the possibilities. "Where did you discover this information?"

After a few moments, Vale would push his chair back before standing up. Each movement would be silent and even as he walked toward's Dana side, his footsteps wouldn't make a sound. When he neared, he would halt a respectable distance away and still towered over her with his lean stature. He gestured toward the papers and spoke with a natural timbre to his voice, "May I?" Vale would stretch a gloved hand out toward the map and place his middle finger in the center before he dragged it back to him. With their proximity as well, Dana could clearly see that scar on his eye and down his angular face.

The Dreadlord peered down at the map and marked the possible location of the temple. As he stared at it, whispers would start to collect around the edges of his ears only for him to hear. They would pick up in intensity, practically becoming the only sound he could hear until he spoke again and made them vanish, "How far out a ride is this?"

Dana Kass

 

[Dana Kass]

Dana drew her map out of her satchel and unrolled it so they could all see. The location was a ways south of Vel Anir, but still within their territory. Which meant there wasn't any political reason for them to ignore it, not that she was convinced they'd care if they did trespass on foreign territory.

She turned her attention to Talgin when he spoke. "That much by design, the followers of Eleth are a secretive lot, and were likely even more paranoid following the ban on Shadowmancy in Fal'Addas." She wasn't at all surprised to see how interested he was in the possibility of finding something dangerous. Danger being what many Dreadlords desired most in life. "My research has suggested as much, although it can be difficult to know what they would consider 'dangerous.'"

"My travels bring me many places, a month ago it was to the outskirts, investigating local folklore. My efforts led me to the house of a recently deceased Shadowmancer, where I found certain correspondences of his," Dana began, recalling her most recent travels. "I decrypted it and found (through the riddles) that it spoke of a refuge somewhere in Vel Anir. I thought the matter warranted greater investigation, so my Sisters and I worked to find and decrypt more writings from Shadowmancer's in the region. It was a tricky process, but a doable one. Eventually we were able to piece together the likeliest location."

She glanced at Vale when he approached. Wondering what he could want, given he hadn't even spoken yet. She watched carefully as he placed his finger on the map, raising an eyebrow when he stopped. "A day's ride for a small company. Anything more substantial would require an additional day."

Vale

 

[Vale]

As the two spoke, Vale's gaze didn't tear away from the map. The point of focus for his eyes was directly where the temple was likely hidden on the paper as if calling only to him. For years, he had been searching for answers to his endless questions. How did he acquire his powers? Where did the runes, etched to his skin permanently, come from? This was one of the first times that Vale was actually able to latch onto something tangible instead of being lost in the dark.

Vale agreed with the priest's assessment about the secretive nature of Elreth's servents but he knew exactly what type of dangers they could face. He was skeptical about these clues suddenly being discovered after years of not even a whisper. It tugged at the back of the Dreadlord's mind but didn't change that they would need to investigate before anyone else heard about the temple.

Finally lifting his gaze from the map, he directed it to Talgin and Hubert, "I'll accompany her and be our representative. As you heard, anything larger will take more time and information spreads fast in Vel-Anir." Not only did he want answers but there was something inside him, wanting and pulling him to go there.

The two couldn't really complain or have ground to do so. Talgin would look toward Hubert before nodding, "Then you have the Republic's blessing. We trust you'll handle this accordingly Dreadlord Vale." There was a tone to his voice that would be recognizable between them. A half nod would only be returned before Vale turned to the Priestess and said calmly, "Follow me Sister, I'll take you to the stables."

Vale would lead her out of the room and through Vel-Aerelos, easing his long stride for Dana so she didn't have to actively keep up. As they walked, silence would fall between them and he made no intention to break it, at least until they left the building. After a few sharp turns, they would eventually end up outside and by a stable, both of them able to hear the snorts and neighs of horses.

As the two approached, a stout black horse would twist its head to spot Vale before it stomped its hooves in the pen. A rare smile pulled across the man's lips as he approached the creature and placed one hand on its neck and one above its snout. The horse leaned its head into his chest and he would lean back into it, whispering in the ear softly before petting it too. After it calmed, Vale would then pull away before turning slightly to Dana, "Are you able to ride on your own or no?" He never knew how incapable priests actually were.

 

[Dana Kass]

Dana continued exchanging words with Talgin and Hubert, satisfying their curiosity and proving her knowledge on the subject. Lest they think she some overzealous fool with no real expertise. But while she talked, she took careful note of the way Vale stared at her map. Clearly, there was something more to his interest than mere professionality.

A suspicion he readily confirmed by offering to accompany her. She opened her mouth but shut it before saying anything, instead smiling again. Knowing they wouldn’t really value her input on who she’d like to come with her. Another suspicion of hers they quickly vindicated by agreeing to Vale’s proposal. How delightful.

She held back a sigh when Vale told her to follow, staying behind long enough to nod and say. “Good day to you, Proctor, Sir Hubert.” After that she turned and hurried to catch up with her impromptu travel companion. Her smile finally lowering once she left the room.

Right to the stables? Quite the concise bunch, those Dreadlords. She noticed Vale’s brief smile when he saw his horse, stifling a slight smile. A feat that became rather easy once he finally spoke up. She set a hand on her hip. “Yes, I’m fully capable of riding a horse, I have spent my fair share of time on the road. The only thing I require is a chance to stop by my Chapel.” She nodded at her robes. “The attire I wear for city meetings is hardly as practical as my usual clothes, not to mention I’ll need the rest of my supplies.”

Vale

 

[Vale]

Witnessing Dana put a hand on her hip before stating she was fully capable, a half-smirk couldn't help but crack across his lips. Well, there was a certain fire in her, to say the least. The woman then nodded to her attire and need of equipment, earning a half nod from him too, "Of course." Vale would turn to walk back to the stable, scratching the side of his own horse as he disappeared for a moment.

After a few moments, he would arrive back with a brown steed, saddled and prepped for a ride. The reins were already in the Dreadlord's hand and acting as a leash before they were handed off. Once given her own, he would walk back over to his mount before heaving himself with ease on top. After he situated his feet and Dana got on top of her horse, he would glance over before murmuring, "To the chapel then." With a soft kick on the flanks, his horse would begin to walk through the street with her.

With the horses, the "ride" to the chapel would only take a few minutes. The building easily stood out, it bathed in a copious amount of light compared to the rest. As they drew closer, Vale would feel the rune in his ribs burn slightly and grow hotter with each step closer. Subtly, he would put a hand against the spot as whispers started to form against the shell of his ear. They grew louder and louder until he eventually pulled on the reins of his horse to make it halt before he got too close. The voices retreated from his head then.

Vale would glance at the chapel and then to Dana, "Go and collect your supplies, Sister. I'll remain outside." The etching in his ribs continued to burn but not as brightly, the Dreadlord's poker face impressive enough to hide the pain. Even though he did well hiding that, it was clear he didn't want to veer too close to her temple.

 

[Dana Kass]

Dana huffed when she saw Vale smirk. Though she supposed she shouldn’t complain, given that’s the most of a reaction she’s seen from him so far, save for when he saw his horse. She pulled herself onto the provided horse and nudged it into a walk, overtaking the Dreadlord so she could lead the way to her Chapel.

She tried to ignore the stares they got from passersby’s, not common to see a priestess and Dreadlord riding through the city. If no one knew there was something going on beforehand, she’s certain someone will figure it out now.

When they arrived she immediately dismounted and started to walk inside, only stopping when she realized Vale was staying behind. That itself wouldn’t have surprised her, but she could tell he was intentionally keeping his distance. She rolled her eyes. “From the way shadows act around you, I can guess why you’re keeping your distance. Although it’s ironic, considering I’m here to gather equipment to delve into one of Eleth’s Temples.”

Vale

 

[Vale]

Vale's natural piercing gaze would reside on Dana for a moment longer as he caught the eye roll, his response simple, "If the time comes I have to take a step in your temple halls, it means we both had a bad day." The words were stated with the natural iron his voice carried. There was no threat laced within the sentence, no humor, just what he honestly believed would happen and how he saw it.

The Dreadlord would bring his right leg over to his left side before he hopped down from his horse. One of his hands would hold onto the reins while his other scratched the cheek of the animal affectionately. He whispered once more into the ear of the creature before he turned to face the priestess, "Or I just prefer the company of Wolf over a room full of priestesses. Much less preaching." Vale threw out as well, the words slipping out with an unknown weight to them. It provided a little window into how he generally felt about her people and dissuaded the idea that it was just his powers. The horse nudged into his shoulder gently upon hearing his name.

Because of the nature of his power and the runes on his skin, the Dreadlord has a colorful past with priests, to say the least. Through the screening process of the Academy, Proctors wanted to be thorough and make sure that Vale hadn't been under the influence of Elreth and a servant. It had resulted in both painful "lessons" and "cleansings" with local priests that had left unviewable scars in his mind.

With a quick peek up towards the sky, Vale's attention smoothly returned to Dana before he said, "I would hurry Sister. I assume we want to reach the temple before we lose the sun completely."

 

[Dana Kass]

Dana raised an eyebrow. How cryptic, any remaining doubts she had about whether he served Eleth were now gone. Still, he, strangely enough, didn’t seem to be trying to intimidate her. Which can only mean there might be something more to what he said.

“My, how creative. I wonder who else performs too much of their craft for you? Perhaps the blacksmith smiths, the teacher teaches, and the singer sings too much for you as well?” she asked wryly. More bored than anything by his comment. She’d heard them all before in her time. Always from some arrogant or bitter soul who thought themselves clever.

She glanced up at the sky. “Yes, I suppose. Although we'll likely be away from the sun once we enter the temple.” With that she walked off into her Chapel and gathered her things. She changed into her usual set of robes and grabbed a small backpack containing travel necessities, such as her notes and an unlit lantern.

Finally, she grabbed her staff on the way out the door, rejoining the Dreadlord outside. She pulled herself back onto her horse and took a deep breath in. “Now then, shall we?”

Vale

 

[Vale]

After her retort with a list of professions and what they did, the only response from him would be a slight cock of his head. As far as he saw it, his point had just been proven and reaffirmed his stance to remain outside. There was a hint of amusement in his eyes but it fled as fast as it came. When it was realized an audible answer wouldn't be given by him, Dana actually agreed with him about leaving and went inside to collect her things.

Wolf nudged his nose against Vale's shoulder and let out a curt snort for him. The Dreadlord glanced at the horse before patting his cheek, "Yes, she does have spirit." He just wondered how strong it would be when they entered his domain.

By the time Dana exited from the chapel, she would find Wolf by himself but tied to a post. If she glanced around, she would find Vale a little bit away and crouched down in front of two children. Both of them watched with eagerness as he held up a gloved hand, two gold coins in between the slits of his fingers. The kids laughed when he performed simple tricks, the coins disappearing, then reappearing in his other hand or behind one of their ears.

The act was maintained until he had heard the priestess exit from the Chapel. Vale's silverine gaze would cut to Dana before he stood up to his full height and returned his attention to the kids. "Get going." Both of the coins were slipped into the girl's hand, a grin spreading across her face before she handed one off to her brother. They glanced up one more time at the Dreadlord before they took down a nearby alley.

To answer Dana's question, he would simply turn and untie Wolf's reins before hoisting himself onto the saddle. Pulling the reins to the right, Vale entered onto the cobbled street before he kicked into the flanks of his horse. The horse would immediately go into a trot as he would begin to set a brisk pace towards the gate and then to the temple.

 

[Dana Kass]

Dana smiled at the children when she saw them. It took a second for her to realize Vale was entertaining them. Perhaps because that’s the last thing she could picture any Dreadlord doing. Let alone the one she’d met earlier that day.

She supposed she shouldn’t be surprised; despite their reputation, they were still human. She tossed the children an additional pair of coins before they left. On their way another pair of children recklessly darted across the road, playing some silly game. “It’s good to see the city recovering from the Civil War.”

Vale

 

[Vale]

The two quickly cut through the streets with the help of their horses. People either heard the hoof beats or saw them and stepped out of the way. One pair of kids decided to charge past and narrowly almost hit both of the horses before they disappeared into another alley. Vale's gaze would follow after them for a little, able to see them a little further in the darkness before he returned his attention to the road.

Dana's words drew him out of his thoughts and he peered over at her before glancing around. It was as if he was taking in his surroundings before he decided to answer, "From a certain point of view." Vale knew the ugly side of this city in and out. He dealt with it daily and after a war, Vel-Anir had been more lawless than normal. It was just a side effect of war as there were more important things to take care of and valuable manpower would be wasted if they completely tried to restore order.

Plus, seeing what she was a priest of, Vale suspected those who entered the temple were not that afflicted.

The two eventually reached the gate, the guards spotting Vale's attire before giving the signal to open the way. When the doors split to let them through, the Dreadlord gave a nod to Dana before he immediately broke off with Wolf and shot through the gate. The roads were dangerous at night and they had time to make up.

Dana Kass

 

[Dana Kass]

Dana raised an eyebrow. "The words of someone who's seen things from another. I don't mean to imply that there aren't lingering problems, but things are better than they were months ago." She slowed her horse to a near halt when they reached the gate. Which were soon opened for them, or rather for Vale.

She mentally ran through all the potential roads to their destination, settling on the quickest one. She was about to tell Vale when she noticed him nod, realizing immediately what that meant. He took off ahead of her, clearly in a hurry. She groaned. "Dreadlords," she mumbled, before kicking her horse into a run.

Vale

 

[Vale]

It was fortunate the priestess knew how to ride as the Dreadlord kept a brisk pace with their horses. Their pace neared galloping but just below that, the slowest either of them being when Vale slowed them to a trot to decipher where to go before resuming again. Dana would find that even though he had viewed the map briefly, he led the way toward the temple, utilizing the route that she had chosen in her head without saying anything. It was like Vale was drawn to it, requiring no need for the map as he just somehow naturally knew where to go, almost directed.

After about an hour, Vale would finally slow his horse down as they exited from the treeline and neared the mouth of a valley. Fully coming to a halt, the Dreadlord's eyes would slowly scan around them as their surroundings were eerily silent. There were no chirps from any bugs, birds, or any other wildlife. Only the gusts of wind that were funneled into the valley were audible. Vale was familiar with Elthreth's work and could recognize it anywhere. Ending his scan by bringing his gaze to the priestess, he gave an upward nod, "We're here."

Swinging one leg over, Vale dismounted from Wolf and dropped to the ground without making a sound as well. Turning to his horse after, he leaned against the animal's face, stroking its snout gently as he whispered something into Wolf's ear. The horse reared its head, snorting for a moment before it began to trot off into the wilderness.

Once that was done, the Dreadlord turned back around before taking a few steps forward and crouched down. He extended a gloved hand to the dirt, his palm pressed against it as he closed his eyes. The priestess would be able to hear whispers then from multiple voices as from the air itself. It was easy to tell they were centered around Vale, almost circling him as they overlapped each other and were indecipherable, at least to Dana. Suddenly though, the Dreadlord would stand to his full height before half turning to lock gazes with the priestess, the whispers having ceased at that point, "Once night falls, I recommend you stay close to me." As it became darker, Vale's eyes would start to glimmer more and more like a feline's.

Dana Kass