Contacts & Allies

by **Hadrian** on June 8th, 2012, 10:56 pm

Hadrian accepted that answer and moved on, careful to keep Trente in that state of detachment, where he could still think and feel, but from a distance, with more perspective, and while he could hold his tongue, he could not utter a falsehood. A clever tongue might twist the truth, but Hadrian would sense flares of yellow in his aura, and the faint tang of something like brimstone in his nostrils. Mostly his sense of auras defied the boundaries of the five mundane senses, but sometimes there were impressions that could only be called a color or a sound.

"I have been handed a project that requires extreme secrecy and discretion. I have no desire to bring you to harm, and, bearing that in mind, if I hire you, will you have the integrity to keep faith with me, or will it require a Grand Oath?"

by **Trente** on June 8th, 2012, 11:35 pm

Trente had never performed a Grand Oath, not knowingly been acquainted with one that had, however he was familiar enough with the procedure to know that he did not want to perform such a thing. The question was, did he have the integrity required to commit to secrecy without knowledge of what he agreed to? He thought of the worst, assassination? Genocide? It was funny, though his lips didn't move. He actually didn't care, horrible things happened, and at worst he has forewarning to run if necessary. He wondered to himself, silently, why he bothered with the association. Were those men and women in danger he would leave to save himself. Was he a coward? Thoughts for later, he suspected. He felt guilty... But he spoke the truth.

"Good intentions are appreciated, though not absolute." He said with a relaxed, unwithheld voice. "I would serve in full faith, or respectfully remove myself from your plans, consequences pending upon forthright knowledge. However, either would be executed with unhindered disgression, and outright secrecy if required. I am chivalrous enough to uphold my oaths without the aid of gods." A single word defining his childhood, chivalrous. Chivalry. He was Syliran by birth, without question. His past had undone much, but his speech still spoke true of his upbringing.

Patiently he awaited what came, his attention was peaked. He had not, despite Hadrian's assumption, though the man had burdens beyond that of a Professor and an average man. He was hungry for the knowledge now, even though he sensed he may regret his curiosity later. Never had he shaken that curse, so prolific in Mizahar. Curiosity.

by **Hadrian** on June 9th, 2012, 5:50 am

"Then swear that you will serve me for the Summer, to keep secret what must be kept secret even beyond your employment should it cease with the season. An oath witnessed by the gods is not necessary, but I will have truth and your chivalry behind your word, at least. Say, I, Trente Ostentatoire-Criard Eclatante, will serve you, Hadrian Aelius, for this Summer of the 512nd year after the Valterrian, that I will keep my work a secret even beyond the term of my employment, which may or may not be renewed at Summer's end. Should I find any task morally repugnant, I will quit this service early. Say that, if you please, for I have tasks that need doing, the sooner the better."

It was fair to Hadrian's mind, who might have been a lawyer, or haggled as deftly as his father had his interests lay with the law or trade. But he was merely a professor, and given to strange tasks because people knew he was capable and trustworthy, or at least thought they could buy his service. He, too, was Syliran, and considered his word his bond.

by **Trente** on June 9th, 2012, 10:27 am

Trente understood, and it showed. The language was plain to him, and the terms fair, beyond kind in fact. The term "serve" specifically tickled him, and along his skin, still feeling foreign and far away something prickled. He did not fight it, not focus upon it. He felt free from all sensation, clear of thought. He wondered what other applications this ability might have, as visage gave forth that of agreement.

His eyes flexed, effortlessly, and seamlessly, swirling with vivid blue, with an undercurrent of relaxed and deep warmth. His eye did not alter hue, but they tumbled and mixed as if acrobatics, of molten glass in the hands of nothing short of a master. Seamless was this change, accented ever so slightly by a tightening of the eyes, rise of cheeks, and adorned by the corner of his lips hinting at a smile.

"I, Trente Ostentatoire-Criard Eclatante, will serve you, Hadrian Aelius, for this Summer of the 512nd year after the Valterrian, that I will keep my work a secret even beyond the term of my employment, which may or may not be renewed at Summer's end. Should I find any task morally repugnant, I will quit this service early." The oath came freely from him, without much demand on his keenly focused mind, the memory seemed to stick firmly there in his consciousness, he wondered if it would remain after. He accepted the possibility that the mage may for his will to adhere to these words. This did not scare him, for he did not fear the oath. As much as he feared the mage himself, for due cause.

He was complimented by Hadrian's keen memory, to recall his name so well, and wondered if that clarity it what the Professor held at all times. Beyond this he had to wonder if he had traveled to that office of his own accord at all, a thought that would never leave him. Constantly he would test his will, though silently. For the moment, however, he less the sensation take him, if Hadrian was so devious none could be done in that moment about it. Instead he pondered upon the man's words. Things that must be done. Something so urgent to use magic so blatantly? Perhaps this would be interesting, perhaps this is exactly what he searched for in Zeltiva.

He had promised himself patience, to settle, to stop journeying like a lost boy, and partying as one. But, till that moment doubt had grasped him so firmly he could not bare it. Hadrian, he gave promise, however. Promise of a place in Zeltiva where Trente would influence, could matter. He nodded, confidently to seal the deal.

by **Hadrian** on June 12th, 2012, 3:48 am

Hadrian nodded when all was said and done, urged Trente's mind silently out of its suggestible trance, offering the mostly unnecessary words for show: "When I have finished speaking, you will blink thrice and return to your previous state of mind. Now."

As Hadrian's aura extricated itself from Trente's, their energetic fields only touching each other's in passing the way all auras did, he dispelled the illusion with a snap of his fingers. There was power, and then there were the trappings of power, the razzle dazzle to hide the truth from those who might suss out what one was doing.

"I hope you won't divulge any of my abilities, either. One wants to promote a sort of mystique, but one doesn't want to become a target. More than one already is." He found it odd to be speaking in the third person. "So I need you to find me a few people who are discreet and capable, but for the time being, you should only speak freely of the details to me and to my assistant, Lucas Arias, whom you will meet. This is what we are going to do..."

END

by **Paragon** on July 2nd, 2012, 3:51 pm

Adventurer's Loot

Hadrian's Loot :

Trente's Loot :

Great thread. You made something which could have been dull a pleasure to read. Trente, I must say you write your characters dialogue fantastically! - if you have ANY questions or concerns about this grading, don't hesitate to PM me.