[Quest] Finding What Was Lost (Bob Barton)

[Paragon]

"Bob... I once knew a Bob. I think. Or maybe it was a Ben? Or a BIll?" he shook his head, in confusion. "Master Elwin? Yes, that's right. My name is Elwin. But not Master - there's no need for that. No need at all." He looked over this... Bob, again. Yes, it was something he could heal, he was sure of it. For the mage, though old and broken by time and over-giving, was powerful at magic. Very powerful. At one time, his skills with hypnotism, auristics, and healing were unmatched. He had been blessed by several God's - and yet now they seemed to have abandoned him. A part of him, buried deep inside, willed to fix Bob's problems as if they were his own. But his own problems were unfixable. He would always be broken, wandering the wildlands like a lost soul, but perhaps he could fix another. Would that redeem him, he wondered? "Yes, I can fix it," Elwin said with a definitive nod, "it requires some hypnotism. A lot of hypnotism. Was it a hypnotist who did this... originally?" His words came more fluid than before, as if there were suddenly sense in his world. Sanity came and went like the tide. For a brief moment, he had recaptured the past. He stared into Bob's eyes, pondering on how to break the barrier's in his mind.

[Bob Barton]

"Nope, I don't think I know an Elwin" Bob said when the man suggested that he might have known a Bob. How would that even be possible? The age gap was just so wide. Putting seniority aside, Bob was relieved that he did not have to refer to the man as master as well. It made things a lot more relaxed even if he was aware that the situation was pretty strained. Could have been a lot worst if Bob was made aware of what this man had been too but fortunately that was not exposed at all.

Because Bob was not unmatched at anything but getting into problems and he was not blessed by any gods either. The mark he had, he never used as well except as a reminder that he was in debt to the twins. What sort of a blessing is that? Now he would be in the debt of another since "you can?" That was good since "I know some hypnotism too." Was it a hypnotist which did it? "I can't really remember. All I remember is that I was trying to teach this mage who used to teach me reimancy how to use a sword for once. A break from the usual regime of magic" but it did not work out because the boy was not interested in anything but magic. When Bob got impatient and tried to use a combination of glyphing and reimancy to force back the interest on him, it became a pitch black until he woke up days later.

"But you might be right because otherwise why would they teach it to me?" He might not have been able to use it well but at least it could have helped him be more aware to protect himself from further attempts. His punitive power would be no match for "how much hypnotism are we talking about?" because otherwise he might be able to attempt it on his own...maybe "would you need me to do anything to help?"

[Paragon]

Elwin smiled at the man, nodding as if he knew something Bob didn't. "I have to use my own hypnotism, Bob. I have to delve into your mind, and remove those blocks." He touched at the stone Caern again, as if for reassurance. Something solid, against the frail, wispy mentalities of the world around him - and the world to come. "And on your end... you have to enter your own mind, and face the demons that lurk inside. And then..." Elwin coughed, scribbling something illegible into his notebook. Bob would wonder if this was all a story, or a game to the wizened mage. "You must shatter the walls that have been placed there."

[Bob Barton]

Good enough since even when there was someone trying to teach Bob something, there was always a way for him to screw it up. It was not that he wanted to but he required a special way of learning. Bob could not just follow instructions, he had to try it for himself but here he would end up trying it on himself. With stakes that high he was not even going to consider taking the risk and would be satisfied to just let Elwin do what he knows. But what Elwin was going to do is "delve into my mind?" Bob was not too comfortable with the idea since he never knew that hypnotism could let someone into the mind. His thoughts maybe but not the individual himself. Not only that was called Bob's place for obvious reasons, the contents of his mind were better left only known to him. As an example, there was that time he cheated in...actually that time he fought...no the better example would be the time he took... The conclusion is that everything in Bob's mind was not really nice to a normal person. It is not bad or good, just inappropriate.

The poor excuse was "its going to be crammed in there with the two of us isn't it?" but when he heard the word demon he said that "since its me we won't have to worry about space" since he was one of those lucky ones to get their smartness in Zeltiva. Two important steps that he might have missed hearing though since he was recalling all those not so nice things earlier. "How am I going to enter my own mind" let alone Elwin himself and "how would I...fight...these demons?" Bob asked as he picked up his sword since it should be the proper way for anybody to fight. He will not be able to get that whole thing into his head and he did not want to because the pointed end will be piercing right out. No one could survive that. If they did they might make a fortune in Syliras.

Again with that strange book and Bob tried to sneak a peek to make sure he was not going to end up as some sort of weird experiment like his uncle does when he suddenly thinks up a new remedy. Elwin was a very confusing man. From his ever changing actions to the words he used. First monsters and now a wall. He might as well be adding new things the whole day even if it was only to describe something. "I can...do that?" he said not really as a question but an unsure statement. Walls should be less dangerous than monsters but no one could be too sure when it came to magic especially magical explosions! But that was Bob's own fault for not listening properly about how glyphs actually worked. Bob would wait for some instructions though the idea still seemed a little bit strange though in the end he would still have to go through it so all that was left was to begin.

[Paragon]

"Into your own mind Bob. You go into your own mind, because I'll take you there with hypnotism." Elwin suddenly moved to the man, and tentatively placed his hands on Bob's head. He could feel the man's broken aura. It needed fixing. "Tell me when you're ready Bill. I mean, Bob. And then you'll find yourself in your own mind. Do not fear it - you must be strong and face it squarely. Only then can you break through." Elwin took one hand away from the man's head and deposited his notebook back into his bag. He wondered if this would even work - a little experiment in hypnotism and mental magic. Anything was worth a try to heal this man of his restrictions. Especially when he could never heal his own. Bob's mind was splintered, but the pieces could be recovered, fixed, and placed together once again. Elwin's mind was broken. Some days it seemed fixed, yet the light could be seen through the shattered thoughts, and then the shadows came again.

[Bob Barton]

Sending someone into their own mind with hypnotism. That is something that Bob should learn. Maybe he would ask Elwin when he is done with their current work. Maybe he should not ask Elwin either. Bill? Bob just told him his name only moments ago, after the man was talking about his Bills...or was it his Bens?

The bottom line was with the man forgetting so fast, Bob was a little bit worried if he could even still remember the procedure that he needed to do. What would happen if he went somewhere else like Elwin's or even Jinsen's mind? But the way Elwin put his hands on Bob's head somehow reassured him that he would not get the wrong target right until he took it out to put away that book of his. By then Bob had no choice but to go through with it because he already said that he was "ready."

Ready and waiting with Bob staring off at the wilderness in front of him. Nope, that cannot be his mind and ohhhhhh! It looks like there are some birds flying off...wait it is in the middle of winter. How would that even be possible? If he was the most scholary type like the people in his hometown maybe he would be interested in thinking about that but he will leave it for the birds. Now he would just wait for Elwin.

[Paragon]

Bob said he was ready. Despite sounding unsure, Elwin took his confirmation as a definite, and placed both hands on the man's head again. "Good luck, Ben," he whispered. It was Ben wasn't it? Oh, fiddlesticks, I can't even remember. Despite this, he began to channel Djed, his hypnotic powers being guided by his once attuned mind. This involved him accessing Bob's mind, and then locking the man's vision into that strange world in his head. It was a procedure rarely used, and a dangerous one. If Bob failed, he could end up trapped in his own mind forever, frozen in a comatose state to the outside world. "God's preserve you." Bob would witness a brief fade to darkness, and then would quickly awaken in a desolate world. He stood on a chequered board of black and white squares, and the sky was grey an empty. The patterned, stone floor stretched as far as the eye could see. There was no wind here, and the temperature was an even constant, never changing. There was something eerie about it, a stillness, like a place locked in time. He could move freely in this world, but it would feel like moving through liquid tar. Slow, and convoluted, yet malleable all the same. In the outside world, Elwin moved Bob's frozen body so that he leaned against the Caern, and then sat down beside the man, procuring his mottled notebook once again. All he could do now, was to watch and wait for a reaction. He only hoped he had performed the hypnotism correctly. His mind was not like it used to be...

[Bob Barton]

Wait, where did all the birds go and why was everything so...if Bob could put his experience into words, dull? He did not really believe that he was now in his mind because Bob always pictured himself as energetic, colourful and awesome! This was all...not... Maybe where he was now is just like taking a ship. Yes, his main destination must be what he thought, knew, wanted it to be. He would only have to wait here for a while or otherwise...this cannot possibly be his mind. What did Elwin do? He knew that he should have known something was up especially when Elwin talked about Ben again. Maybe that was the mind Bob was sent to. And the gods? Who would actually need them? Those people are always bad news messing around with other people. Except those twins, petch they should come and help him. That would make Bob feel a lot more confident or that Sagallius person. That one was definitely a symbol, an icon for anyone to look up to. He actually got back at a god and it was the lover of that monster too!

But Bob was alone, all alone in this world of dullness and nothingness. The checkered floor reminded him of one of those strategic games his uncle tried to teach him, to divert his attention away from games of chance. Bob learned quite a bit from that but it was not enough to actually get his interest. With his knowledge about his game his suspicions were confirmed much to his joy and dismay, the confusing look visible on his face at the Caern. He was moving slowly. Very slowly. He could move unrestricted anywhere he wanted on the everlasting board but only one at a time. Like the ruler he always knew himself to be. The most important piece, the weakest... The Kova which ended the 'game' on her demise. Better if he was the god. He could do anything he wanted, be anywhere he wanted even into the bedchambers of the most important person in the world. More importantly, everyone knew in fact that he was the most valuable especially when compared to the useless ruler. It was Ivak who destroyed the whole world and everyone knew it. Another reason why the gods are bad and the world needs more Sagalliuses.

So who was the one who destroyed this one? It was destroyed right? After a while of walking he finally summoned up the courage to say "hello?" before increasing his voice a few times to a shout of the same like an echo hoping that he would find what he needed to and not the culprit of this. He had some suspicions of his own related to himself, demons and walls that Elwin hinted at earlier. How was he going to go against that? "Think you can send me a weapon too?" he shouted out to no one. His voice being the only new wind which has no effect in this world or the one outside. Bob did not even know which direction to get to because it was all the same! Still checkered boxes. Where were the players? The pieces. "Hmmmm, since I am the only one I could be the winning piece..." Bob thought to himself. With that in mind weapon or no he continued to walk randomly until something, anything changed.

[Paragon]

Bob stood alone in a barren plain of chequered squares, and a darkling sky, hinting of this world shrouded in darkness. When he called for a weapon, the response came quick enough. He would look to his hands, and find a sword held there. He was a pawn in a series of mind games, placed by the hypnotist as a block. And now he would have to win. There was a sound from the west - if there was a west - and Bob would turn just in time to witness a knight gallop past him atop an obsidian black horse. The knight came to a stop nearby, dust flying from the dark steed's hooves. He climbed down, stepping onto a white square, and pulled up his helmet to reveal smouldering eyes. Suddenly he moved, his gait like that of an animated statue, stepping forward two squares, then turning sharply, moving right into a black square. He was only three squares from Bob, and now it seemed to be the young man's turn at this twisted mind game. Where the knight had finished his move, he remained frozen in time. Make your move, Bob Barton, the air seemed to whisper.

[Bob Barton]

The weapon that Bob got was a sword? Why was that but...it was better than nothing. Better still since he has been using one a lot especially recently in Sunberth that having one in his hands made him feel a lot more comfortable and secure. Hopefully it would not have to be used because that would mean that, "great!" Bob heard something something familiar coming towards him, galloping hooves a lot like in Killroy's. Turning he saw the form of a knight and his horse, something he has seen himself in Syliras. Those knights might have been stuck up pricks but they were helpful at times and the horse did seem a lot more faster than Bob trying to walk on his own so when he stopped, Bob asked whether "you can give me a ride to..." where was he going to go? He probably could ask the knight as well if "you know th-"

He was cut short from his request when saw those eyes, if they even qualified to be called eyes when looking like that to begin with. "You're not here to hel-eek!" the squeal coming along with a quick hop of shock when he saw the knight coming towards him. The movements it made was quite familiar, like those lesser golems in Sahova made by the less qualified nuits but Bob could not complain much about those seeing that he did not even know how to make one himself. Maybe the odd part here and there but never a moving one. He stared at the knight's peculiar behavior when it suddenly made a turn instead of continuing to come straight at him and then the message came. "My move?" Bob asked himself and who was that speaking to him. It did not sound really human since air had no substance but it even knew his name. "I hope you are not another ghost" he asked aloud because he obviously does not like any of those at all.

Bob just stood waiting for something to happen not knowing what his move is until he finally realized that this was a lot like the game he recalled. He obviously knew that his current opponent was a knight with that horse but what was he? If he was going to have to play, win this game he was going to have to test its rules a little bit himself first. Like all those other games. Games of chance, games of strategy or games of muscle it did not matter. There was always methods for him to use the rules to his favor and come out as the winner in the end. Since the only thing he knew about the game right now was that his opponent was a knight he decided to work on that first. Maybe if he won he could get at that horse becoming a knight himself. Would that be a promotion or a demotion? Who cares! A horse would be a lot better than walking. He was going to have that as his prize.

Following his initial suspicion that he may be the highest ranked but weakest piece, Bob took a step towards the knight. His knowledge about his opponent's piece allowed him to get on the black square without any hesitation because counting on its 'L' shaped movements, he knew that it can never get on the same colour. Could he take another step before the knight's next to find out that his was an even stronger piece or would the knight move immediately after? Bob tested again and continued to try closing in the gap with his opponent each time he was allowed to move unless of course it moved away from the horse. Bob was still testing the rules after all and thinking he might be able to use the horse he would move towards it, keeping in mind to stay on the same coloured tile as his knightly opponent to avoid any of the expected legitimate attack. This does not mean however that he was not wary for any surprises. Bob's own sword which he thankfully got was held at ready to strike out or defend himself if given the chance with a slash or stab.