Private Tales Secrets of the Water Temple

[Alistair Wren]

Sitting a canoe drifting lazily down the Iuk-u' Delta, Alistair Wren sat with his back up against the edge, Maho Sparhawk's spellbook in his lap. Little islands of green dotted the delta, springing with bamboo. He was very far East, just off the coast of Nagai, where a temple stood at the end of the delta. Water sloshed around the side of the canoe, the lulling motion of his guide's oar calming him down. She stood at the end of the canoe and pushed the oar steadily, guiding the canoe around an island in the center of their path. Reaching around, Alistair scratched the back of his head as he considered the pyromantic runes, as well as ways to counteract them with hydromancy.

Water splashed up against his elbow and he looked around, to see his sleeve trailing along in the water. He quickly grabbed it, pulled it up and squeezed it out, then went back to reading the spellbook.

The sloped roof of the temple peeked through the clouds, far away in the distance. One eye trailing up, Alistair reached around and lowered his hand above the water. He creased his brow and fed his will through it, forming a perfect bubble of water, which he levitated into the air. He controlled it as the canoe moved, spinning it around with his hands and adding more water to make it bigger. Through the translucent surface of the water, Alistair saw a man, most likely a warrior, sitting on one of the little islands. Startled, he jerked upright and suddenly lost his concentration. The ball of water burst, spraying the canoe and himself. He quickly panicked and dried off Maho's spellbook. Luckily, not much water had hit it. He closed the spellbook's clasps and attached it to his belt, then looked up to face his guide.

"This is far as I'll take you, Misser Ren," she said in her thick accent.

Throwing her a pouch of coins, Alistair pulled himself to his feet, "thank you."

His guide rowed him around to the island where the man was standing. She steered the canoe up to the bank and docked it, then nodded to Alistair, waiting for him to get off. Grabbing the hems of his robes, Alistair pulled one foot out of the canoe and stepped onto the shore. He walked onto the grass, straightened his robes and squeezed out the hems, then looked up to see the woman steering the canoe away.

He gave her a slight wave, then stood at his full height. As he turned around, he could see the man approaching him. Soft, brown eyes widening, Alistair took a few steps back, apprehensively gripping the hems of his robes.

"Hello there," was all he said.

A pause followed. Letting his robes go, Alistair placed a foot forward and approached the man, "where are you headed?"

His empathetic senses surged, letting him know the man was not threatening. As he approached him, a smile crept onto his features and he ran a hand through his hair. He wondered if the man was also going to the temple, or if he had already been there but couldn't defeat the demon which guarded it. Either way, he did not seem like he had any ill-intent.

 

[Karl von Stehlen]

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.”
― Martin Luther King Jr​

"General Kenobi. You are a bold one."
Perhaps of all things the knight was expecting to see, this one was lower on the list of things he'd prepare for. The robed man seemed rather out of place compared to the scenery he was currently standing in...then again, Karl himself wasn't exactly blending in with the fauna.

Even before the canoe had approached, one could have heard the steady rhythm of what was presumably a sharpening sound. When the lot had finally approached, they'd observe the sound coming from the direction of the sat figure. In his hand was a sword, it's grip resting in one hand while the other hand gripped onto a whetstone, bring it up and down the blade in repetition. Laying next to the armored man lay resting was another sword, although neither swords looked to be anything particular. In stead, it was the shield that was more interesting to look at: A kite shield with the symbol of the iron cross. A warrior no doubt, and an well armed one at that.

As the lot approached, the knight would take notice, lifting his helmeted head at the sound of the rowing. He did not seem to concern with their approach, momentarily returning his focus back to sharpening his blade. Yet another glance at the charge indicated that they approach.

They might be passersby or they might be trouble.

Either way, the armored man decided to move to meet them. Perhaps they knew somthing about what was further down the path...

Rising from the ground, the knight sheathed the sword he currently held into his lower scabbard, before bending over to pick up his shield. Strapping it to his arm, the armored man proceeded to pick up the remaining sword and approach.

It took him a moment or two, but he was on the banks of the flowing waters, watching as the robbed man disembarked himself from the canoe. Was he a scholar? Or...a fellow of more magical specialty?

What or who he is might have to take a backseat for now, as

"Greetings..." The knight nodded, his facial expression conveyed a deep indifference to the robbed man. At least that's what it seemed for the moment "...the temple over yonder...I seek somthing within..."

A pretty straightforward response, though the armored man saw little need for subterfuge, least for the moment. Perhaps his brother might have kept a higher level of desecration, as to keep an element of surprise handy. But the robbed man seemed nice enough...for now...

Perhaps she really was rubbing off on him...

"And what about you?...What brings you to these lands?"

 

[Alistair Wren]

As Alistair stepped out of the canoe, the clash of steel against steel drew his eyes to the man sitting on the island. He looked very out of place, as did Alistair, but it was comforting to see somebody who looked like he had come from the same area as he had. He was sharpening a sword, and by his side, sat a shield with the emblem of a cross on the front. Grasping his robes, Alistair stepped onto the bank and waved to his guide, he steered the canoe away.

The man continued to sharpen his blade as Alistair approached. Hands clasped, Alistair beheld him plainly, as though he was content to stand and watch. The man eventually stood and walked over to him, and the ends of Alistair's mouth rose into a meek smile.

The man, who liked like he was a knight from Alliria or somewhere nearby, slid his sword back into his shield and stood before Alistair. He towered over him, and looked like he could have caved his head in if he wished. Swallowing a gulp, Alistair shifted his eyes apprehensively and stifled a bout of laughter, hanging his head to look at the ground. The man greeted him, and mentioned the temple that they were both seeking. Despite his size and outwardly fierce appearance, he seemed civil enough and not as though he meant Alistair any harm, so the mage let go of his breath and relaxed his shoulders.

"You and me both," Alistair nodded.

The man then asked what brought Alistair out so far east, to which the mage raised his eyebrows, "there is a tome on hydromancy in that temple, I need it for my practice," he said, tilting his head in the direction of the temple.

There was a moment of pause as Alistair walked up the bank. Smoothing down the front of his navy robes, he shoved back the wisps of hair that fell around his forehead and rested his foot on the slope of the hill, giving a nod of acknowledgement to the man, "I haven't traveled far, at least not as far as you might think, I'm staying with the dragon keepers of the Spine."

"What about you? What's in the temple that you seek?" He asked, an eyebrow raised.

The water trickled around them, birds resting in the reeds. Shoots of bamboo dotted the island, where a wooden bridge lead to the next one. The air was very humid and Alistair was sweating beneath his robes. Raising a hand, he mopped up sweat from the back of his neck and fanned himself with his sleeve.

"My name's Alistair Wren, by the way, what's yours?"

 

[Karl von Stehlen]

"Hydromancy?..." The knight begun. Though his expression did not change, it seemed that there was a hint of concern coming from the knight's words. The only thing the armored man knew about hydromancy was that it had somthing to do with water and magic. Which was kind of contradicted the item he had sought..

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"So what does she like?" A stern faced figure

"Um...somthing...warm?" The knight responded. Interactions with his brother were always so awkward, mainly because the two were equally inept at visualizing their emotions. Even now, their conversation were more akin to deadpanning...as the knight looked away. "...usually...me..."

The stern looking man raised an eyebrow, before speaking his next piece. "Then why not present yourself as this..."gift"?"

Most people might have been embarrassed at the idea, but the knight took the matter at face value and shrugged. "My duties...won't allow me to spend all my time with her..." As the knight spoke, he brought a hand up to rub his neck. "...I would like to give her somthing for her to keep on her travels...when she's not with me...in case I'm not around to...provide...the warmth..."

"I see..." The stern looking man said, clasping his hands, his dagger like gaze still on his brother...but the knight was not meeting his eyes. A moment passed by in silence, the armored not sure what his senior felt. It had taken sometime to tell him about...her...even now with his dilemma. Suddenly, the stern man stood up from his desk. The knight looked back up to see his brother moving the bookshelf latter sideways, before ascending towards the top shelves. He watched as his brother retrieved what looked to be file, glossing over it to make sure the contents were present, before sliding down the ladder. Walking over, he handed the armored man the file.

"It's not going say it's going to be easy...but..." The knight received the file, opening it up and peering inside. The first word that caught his eyes was "fire"...

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The armored blinked when the robbed man asked for his name, seemingly zoned out for a moment, snapped back into reality by the young man in front of him.

"My name is Karl..." The knight responded, almost haphazardly, his eyes now refocused on the individual in front of him. Was his intel wrong? "...I, uh...I seek somthing rather...different...from the temple..."

Frankly, it had been the complete opposite of what Karl was looking for, but everyone he had asked of the temple had said the same thing...

"If you do not mind my inquiry...but...how did you hear of this particular temple?" The armored man asked, almost abruptly. Perhaps the thing he sought was in another temple? "And if you do mind...perhaps sharing...what sort of information do you possess?...."

 

[Alistair Wren]

Alistair stood on the bank of the island and beheld the man plainly, the hems of his robes damp. He asked about hydromancy, and judging by his expression, had only a vague idea of what it was. There was a pause between them, filled by the rush of the water as it flowed around the island and the vacant stare of the armored man who stood before Alistair. For a split second, he appeared as though he was in a dream, then snapped back.

Gripping his robes, Alistair walked forward and met the man at the foot of the hill in the middle of the island. A wooden bridge stood on the bank on the other side and lead to the other islands in the delta, before eventually reaching the temple.

The man introduced himself as Karl and Alistair smiled.

"Alistair Wren," he said happily, his cheeks dented with dimples as he smiled. He extended a hand for the man to shake if he wished, then rearranged his robes beneath the sash and belt around his waist.

Karl said that what he sought in the different was very different to the tome on hydromancy. Alistair raised an eyebrow in curiosity. He was intrigued by what the man described and wouldn't have minded seeing it for himself. Tilting his head contemplatively to the side, he tapped a finger against his chin in thought.

"What is it that you're looking for?" He asked, silently wondering if the Karl's prize was related to the fire demon that guarded the temple.

Karl then asked how Alistair had heard of the temple and if he knew anything more about it, to which the curious young mage perked up. He knew the answer to that. His navy eyes widened, glinting sapphire as the light passed over them.

A finger raised, Alistair said, "I read about a fire demon in my master's spellbook and reseached it's wherabouts, when I discovered the location of this temple." A nod, and he lowered his hand, his long sleeves brushing the grass as he walked around the side of the side of the island. "The fire demon guards the temple and must be defeated with hydromancy, only then will the spell within the tome be unlocked," he explained, following a long, assured nod.

"So what about you? Why are you going there?" Alistair asked, reaching around to scratch the side of his head, "because depending on what it is you seek, we could maybe help each other out."

 

[Karl von Stehlen]

Upon the mention of the word "fire demon", Karl's expression lightened, as if a load had been lifted from his shoulders. It was good to know that he wasn't chasing a red herring, a water demon he was less prepared for...

"Um...I'm...actually looking for this demon itself..." The knight said, as he began rubbing the back of his neck, looking away further as he thought about his objective. "...I've been told that this particular demon, once slain...produces a gem that is said to be capable of providing, er, "eternal warmth"...or somthing of the sort...I...I seek this particular gem...and I've also been told this was the easiest way to find a demon of such...caliber...was this temple..."

Karl didn't say why he was after the gem, just glancing over to the general direction of where said temple was. There was still a good chunk of distance to cover, and he wanted to be rested up before he encounter certain fiery dangers...

Perhaps having a scholar type would be useful after all...Karl only knew as much as his brother had told him...and even then, Karl didn't have much to work with. The only thing he really knew was what he was able to gather from the denizens living nearby. This one seemed to know what he was looking for and the dangers that he'd encounter...besides, it seems that to reach his ultimate destination, he needed to slay the demon...they had common goals.

More hands makes light work, after all...

"I suppose it wouldn't hurt to work together...we are moving in the same directions, after all..." Karl said, looking back to Alistar, relaxing the grip on his sword. "...you seem to know what your doing, and I must admit...I may end up being grateful to have you along...couldn't say I knew much about the...water tome, or what not...magic in general...I suppose..."

 

[Alistair Wren]

Karl rubbed the back of his head and revealed that the fire demon Alistair had read about in Maho's spellbook was what he was looking for after all. Brow creased, Alistair tilted his head to the side as he listened to him explain why he was after it. He placed a hand on his hip and looked down, tapping his chin in thought. He was certain he had read about how the demon transformed into a spherical gem once destroyed, which must have been the prize Karl was seeking.

"You're correct about that," Alistair nodded, "the demon forms a perfect, spherical treasure once destroyed." He looked up and raised a finger in the air, making his point.

Karl did not reveal why he wanted the gem, and Alistair did not ask, not wishing to intrude on the man's reasons. He was correct in saying that the water temple was the easiest way to find such a demon, as they didn't exist in the Western part of Arethil. Gripping his robes, Alistair walked around the side of the island to where Karl was standing.

He said it wouldn't hurt for them to work together and Alistair's eyes widening, flashing with a sapphire glint. He nodded enthusiastically and adjusted his robes, eager to set off towards the temple. His eyes lowered, and he saw Karl's hands wrapped around the handle of his sword. He raised his hands and took a step back.

"Hey, easy there, I want to help you," Alistair said, his tone calm and reassuring.

When Karl relaxed his grip on his sword, a wave of relief overcame Alistair. His shoulders slumped and he sighed, a hand held over his heart.

"I'd be happy to lend my magic," He chimed, "shall we go, then? The temple is just across this bridge," he said, pointing to the bridge on the other side of the island.

 

[Karl von Stehlen]

"I know..." Karl nodded, his grip shifted on his top hilt as he looked over, but never letting go. It was not going to be an easy quest, that was to be certain. But, at least he had another pair of eyes to watch his back...one with the ability to see magical things that Karl couldn't see. Maybe things wouldn't be as bad as he thought.

"Alright...let's go..." The knight took the lead, gripping onto his pack as he did, mindful to keep one hand on his blade in case anything were to get...too interesting...

The two would begin their journey together through the remainder trek to the temple, it's majesty complimented it's mystery well...as it towered above all else in the nearby vicinity.

As he trucked forward, Karl decided now was the time to exchange Intel, maybe prepare a little for what was to come. "You know anything more about the temple we're approaching? Besides the fire demon? You seem to know a lot about this particular place..."

Karl thought about what the robed man had said earlier...he was after the hydromancy tome for his studies, was what he said. Was he some kind of...mage? Wizard? Karl had only seen the occasion trick or there...but most magic he had interacted often were inanimate objects.

Wonder what it was like to be a dedicated magic user...

"So...what studies are you pursing...and, er...why this tome?..What's so special about it?...Instead of, you know...any other tomes?" Karl remembered passing the market district of Elibon and seeing some things that seemed to resemble tomes on sale. They seemed pretty basic though...compared to what this one was going after...

 

[Alistair Wren]

Karl nodded assuredly, and said that he was already aware of the properties the fire demon held. When his hand remained on the top of his hilt, Alistair shrunk into capelet, stifling a bout of laughter to hide how uneasy he was. With a nod, he gripped his robes and walked around the side of the island, following Karl to the bridge. Wrapping his hand around the railing, he walked after the Knight, who remained silent as they headed towards the temple.

Silence hung over the delta, disrupted by the high-pitched notes of a flute and the rush of the water as it flowed around the island. Alistair and Karl crossed the bridge and stepped onto the next island, while Karl asked Alistair a question about the temple.

Alistair held onto his robes as he stepped onto the back. Looking up, he scratched the back of his head and said, "it was built as a place for the locals to pay tribute to the delta, so that it flowed during their harvest season." As he walked, he explained what he knew about the temple, which wasn't much, since he only knew what he did from Maho's spellbook. Letting go of the railing, he stepped onto the next island.

Bamboo rose from the center, obscuring the view of the large, stone bridge on the other side. Leaning against a shoot, Alistair walked around, then squinted. He raised his hand to his brow to shield his eyes from the sun and looked at the temple in.

"There it is, excatly how it looked in the scrolls," he affirmed.

The closer they walked, the more humid the temperature became. There was a presence on the air, something uneasy.

Withdrawing, Alistair shuddered, then reached out with a hand and fed his will through the water which surrounded the island on which the temple stood. He blessed it, earning a grant of protection for Karl and himself.

Karl then asked about his studies, which brought a smile to Alistair's face. He was always happy to talk about his work.

"I have a degree in healing, but I'm currently majoring in hydromancy," he nodded. Deep dimples etched into his cheeks as he smiled, and he tilted his head towards the temple. Since he studied hydromancy, it would explain why the tome was of interest to him. Chuckling slightly, he turned around and blew a raspberry, blowing a wisp of hair out of his face.

He gripped the railing of the bridge, then stepped onto it.

"But I'm doing a supplementary course in healing to help with my hydromancy degree," he said, his tone bright with enthusiasm. A pause followed, and Karl asked about the tome, to which Alistair perked up, his eyebrows bouncing, "this tome contains a technique designed to quell anomalies created by fire magic that ordinary hydromancy can't combat, so demons and fire giants and the like," he shrugged, then turned around to walk across the bridge.

He failed to mention that he was hoping the technique contained within the tome would assist him in avenging his master. Saying nothing, Alistair walked ahead, muttering slightly in thought as he approached the temple.

 

[Karl von Stehlen]

"Huh...so it really is a college..." Karl had heard much about the College of Magic, he'd even pass by the district a couple of times when he was on a courier mission. The young knight had heard many stories and rumors of the college. Most were conjecture levied on by those not inherently gifted with the powers of those belonging to the institution. But in truth, Karl didn't have much else to base his perspectives on....

It was hardly a place for the likes of him to wander into. His was the pursuit of somthing said to be a bit more direct and practical, at least to some. Was it really? The knight truthfully didn't know, he didn't really have anything else to compare...

Karl would continue to listen to the young lad go on and on about what he was doing. Sounded interesting enough and made sense. Water tome to counter other magical elements, at least that's the way he made it sound. Kinda like a rock-paper-scissor kinda game, except with the elements. Certainly better then Karl's method of tackling such beasts; beating the every daylights out of the monstrosity until either one of them was dead.

As Alistair went on, watching as the mage's expression went through somersaults as he explained through what he was doing. Karl had seen people smile and shine before, but he himself had always kept a neutral face. Never really somthing he was used to, too much time emulating his older brother, probably...or maybe it was genetics...then again, his sister didn't inherit such a trait...

Either way, it seemed he was quite enthusiastic despite the task ahead of them. Perhaps it was just the subject? Or the outcome?...The knight can only wonder as he watched his compatriot cross the bridge, faintly making out that he was saying somthing...though what he said, Karl couldn't be sure.

"I hope what we are about to embark on doesn't affect the locals to much...if this place truly is a tributary to their gods...let's hope we don't upset them too much..." Karl wondered, mostly to himself, as he followed behind Allistair, gripping his sheathed sword a little tighter. "...it's curious that a fire demon would be guarding such a tome...is it attracted to somthing, I wonder?"

Hopefully, not human flesh. It would be mildly inconvenient if that was the case.

"Any ideas how we are planning to extract the tome? That is, without potential catastrophe..." The knight figured the mage knew enough about what they were getting into. Alistair's realm of expertise, right? Major and everything. If they needed something to be pummeled...that would be Karl's job...