A Meeting of Magic

[Miro]

60th day of Fall, 513 AV

Miro had as planned met Rayage in Ravok. A bit later than one would hope, but none could be faulted for being delayed by the wilds. And unexpectedly enough, he had also run into Alric, a man who had all but disappeared from the face of Mizahar. These two were old friends, but not the wizard’s only one’s. Last season, left alone in a foreign city, he had made one other. This man who was also his personal servant was also a trusted friend. And though each man knew Miro, they did not know one another. They were each valued, each offering their own contribution to the undead’s existence. If these great men were to come together, only Lhex knew the results. And this was the plan on this day.

Plans for them to meet had already been put in place, for the most part. Lessomm was tasked with delivering a message to the place Alric had been staying. One to meet here, and after doing that would return quite promptly. Rayage had also been taken care of, being told days ago to meet at his residence. Only Lessomm was expecting to meet anybody, and that was only due to leaving the message for Alric. It would be a surprise for each of them, and with any luck all would react well. One never truly knows, but as long as Alric is compliant, the rest can be made so. Truly though, if they could accept Miro, then accepting each other should come quite easily. He was by far the worst of them.

There were many things that the Chained One needed to discuss with each member, but there was also a group conversation that he wished to hold. It was based around the reason of their trip to Ravok in the first place, to catch the rogue wizard Forus. It was not something simple to do, and it had been apparent since the start that it could not be done alone. Lessomm was at least with him already, or trying to be. He had standards, and Miro was only faking his. It was beyond hard to compromise, so he had to feign it. But he had an idea of how to obtain allegiance with the man. It was his ideal for the man when first meeting him. He was willing to serve, and took a risk all knew not to take.

If Lessomm were initiated under Miro as his apprentice, he would be bound by more than access to Miza. He would instead have an even greater allowance. It was something he had wished to find for some time now. Untapped potential, and from one who had pledged himself to the undead. Already he called him master, but soon it could mean something new. Alric and Rayage had already been initiated, and they too were ready to learn. The wizard’s personal servant however had not made that agreement, but would be given the chance. With luck it would be before even Rayage or Alric arrived.

To accept Miro’s magic meant Lessomm would have more access to power than any apprentice before him. Miro wished that he could induce a trance on the man, make a painless awakening into Reimancy and Leeching. The initiations were the harshest he had ever encountered, yet the results were immediately available. It only took training towards mastery. And with the right master greatness could be forged. Along with the initiation would come Hypnotism to assists him towards finding his true potential as an apprentice. The best way to serve the undead was to give him power.

Though it was not quite like that with Rayage and Alric. They were established masters themselves, and their magic was incredible. Underneath Uldr’s will Miro was lost. He was not ready to entirely dedicate himself, though saw few alternatives. At least each of his friends had their own fates, and he could take his part in assisting them. They would each likely return the favor. Perhaps even guiding him to realize something currently beyond his grasp now. For now he would settle with asserting his role as master. He planned for his initiates to each develop their skills in a unique way.

[Rayage]

oocObtaining new body in thread with Miro.

It was late in the season, and things seemed gloomy. The idea of capturing the rogue wizard was harder than Rayage had anticipated. Even with Miro’s help the city of Ravok was immense and maze-like in the channels which made up the floating streets. Within the maze chaos ruled, and with chaos came confusion. Ravok was an interesting choice to hide away in, and the wizard wondered if there was something deeper behind the choice in city. Was this wizard ‘Forus’ in line with Rhysol or perhaps hoped to gain something by stealing from Sahova? A rite of passage almost. The possibilities were almost endless, and the worst thing was they knew almost nothing about their target except that he is a wizard. A skilled wizard at that to make it off Sahova with an artifact in hand…

Rayage shook his head, the whole adventure so far smelled of something more, something far worse than what it first appears. Silently the wizard cursed Qiao for sending them out with such little information, but perhaps that was the point? Perhaps there was no concrete information on this person? How do you start to hunt a man without a face? That is the question right there, and it was one that they needed to figure out. The nuit had figured that this is what Miro wanted to talk about when he arrived. So far the alchemist had nothing of any real value to add, but as he made his way to the place which the reimancy master resided he would think about it.

The Alchemist himself had assumed a new form, and with the ring given to him by Karte the form cloaked him in the illusion of life. The body actually looked alive, and besides the fact that the nuit had all too ‘nuity’ body language and perhaps the smell of rot mixed with a strong scented perfume, points of view on certain subjects, no movement of the chest or need to blink, it would be hard to tell that he was a nuit at all. The body was obviously male, a muscled brute looking guy. It was obvious that he wasn’t someone that just anyone messed with, and with looks alone it demanded a certain amount of respect. Standing at six feet with broad shoulders and a blocky build, the guy was almost a wall of muscle. The hair had been shaven from his head, leaving him bald, but still the look seemed to suit, and perhaps enhances the aura which the man held.

A cloak of deep purple with the mark of the Ouroboros clothed the man under which revealed a shirt of maroon, long sleeved, made of cotton. Pants were dark leather, something between black and brown, tied together with a black belt and black dyed leather shoes. Miro would notice that these were the clothes that the kid had bought for him in their time in Zeltiva. Rayage had kept them still, and they were in fairly good condition as the nuit barely wore them before switching bodies in Sahova. It felt too appropriate to wear them to the meeting, and so the nuit did.

Finding the space which was Miros was harder than the nuit had anticipated, as each place he passed looked like the rest. The boy was not specific in his instructions, but having arrived at the door which he hoped to be Miros the nuit took a moment to, all too politely, knock.

[Alric Wilmot]

Alric had left the shabby inn in his battle robes, rapier at his side. He had a headache and was honestly rather irritable. He had found out about Miro's missive rather late, and had been rather put out because of it. He had not slept well, having nightmares of his father's demise. He hadn't had them before coming to the city, and it was beginning to wear at his mind. Not to mention, he was still coming to grips with Miro's new state of existence, and Ravok as a whole. The place was a seemingly lawful city, until you realized how absolutely nonsensical some of the laws were. Alric was always keeping people at bay using hypnotism since he wasn't a citizen. In short, Alric found that he was being stretched thin. Hence his current attire. He didn't wear the silvery robe Miro had granted him when they first met, mostly because Alric had yet to get used to its weight. His battle robes were actually better about distributing the weight of the metal pieces to allow him to not notice their wear on him until late in the day. He walked past several unsurly characters, all of them human. Unlike Alvadas, Ravok did not really have much in the way of diversity. There were humans, and the occasional exotic slave, and that was it. Not that it bothered Alric, of course. It was just something he noticed. He really did not have an opinion one way or the other. He passed by a few well-dressed individuals, and briefly wondered if there was any sort of nobility here in the city. Alvadas had richer families in the past, his own among them, but never a nobility. He was curious how they might function. He squeezed his eyes shut as the headache drowned out his thoughts. His irritation forced a growl in his throat, though he tried to suppress it. Today was not a good day for him. Nightmares, and headaches were becoming all too frequent. He hadn't been mugged, though, or really accosted in anyway since entering the city. Alric did not know if that was luck, or the fact that he appeared to be so much better off than he was. If a nobility did exist, they might have substantial pull in a city dedicated to the god of lies and betrayal. After all, those were the bread and butter of an aristocracy. As he turned a corner to find Miro's home once more standing where he left it ( something Alric had never gotten used to, no matter how many times he traveled), he found a large brute of a man in front of Miro's door. He was an intimidating figure, and the color drained from Alric's face. Was Miro expecting company? Quickly, Alric tapped his mark and became invisible. He did not bother making an illusory copy. He approached the man as silently as he could, to observe him more closely. He wore a purple cloak with the Ouroboros on it, underneath which the man wore a long-sleeved maroon shirt with dark leather trousers. The seal drew Alric's attention, it being the same as the one on his own cloak. He remembered Miro commenting about the silver cloak back when Alric had fixed Ender. A powerful Alchemist had created it. Could this man be the Alchemist in question? Curious, Alric stood where he was. If Miro let the man in, then it was reasonable to assume that the man was friendly. If Miro attacked, then he would have extra help in the form of an ambush. Either way, Alric decided waiting was the best thing to do. Jumping into the unknown was no longer a habit of his. Too many people died that way, and Alric was getting all too familiar with the fact that he was but a mere mortal.

[Lessomm]

As told, Lessomm had delivered the note to one of Miro's colleagues quite early, hoping that the same-day invite would not be taken too harshly by the person who it was written out to. Without knowing the contents of the letter, Lessomm could only grasp at a few imaginary straws in order to come to a conclusion. His master had mention something about people coming over to visit but that was all Lessomm really knew. He was quite concerned about the amount of people, though, as the master's abode didn't really allow for many visitors at the same time, even though it was amost double the size of Lessomm's own room. Over the short and busy season they had spent together, Lessomm had noticed that his master was very occupied with his magic and not so much in the social circles. There had been times when his master had left him alone to travel the city for some reason unknown to the servant. At first Lessomm had been highly disturbed by these trips, thinking that his master wasn't happy with his services and progress. Over time he had learned to accept the master's trips as they were, just trips. Perhaps he went looking for some more personal company, perhaps he sat alone somewhere, enjoying the view. It wasn't Lessomm's place to question his master about it. He was quite happy and surprised to hear that his master was expecting guests. The early morning market was already in full swing as Lessomm arrived, a short detour from his original plan. With a skilled eye, Lessomm browsed through the goods that were out in the stalls, ignoring the shouting owners of the goods as they tried to get rid of their products. Guests meant the need for drinks and food, possible some snacks or some fruit. Lessomm hadn't been informed about any lunch or dinner arrangements so he figured they would just come over for afternoon tea and biscuits. Or afternoon drinks and dried fruits in this case. Stopping at one of the more promising fruit stalls, Lessomm scanned the selection in front of him. He picked out a few dried apples, some cherries and elderberries and a few currants. He also asked for the price of the apricots but decided against it after hearing the prices for a single pound. Instead, Lessomm decided on some raisins, which immediately became the most expensive item in his bag. From there, he walked through the city, enjoying the morning buzz created by shops opening and people heading for work. There was one more stop he had to go to in order to settle in fully into his job. So far, his master had had him focus on his magical training and there were a few occasions were he had missed the items during his job. But today that would end as Lessomm walked into the Odds and Ends. There were no specialized shops in town for these items so Lessomm made his way to the one place where they probably had everything in store. Having spent many hours already in the shop, spread out over the past season, Lessomm quickly walked through the store and picked up everything he needed. Two bottles of wine, nothing too expensive and high class, a broom and a brush for cleaning. As he walked to the counter to pay for everything, he couldn't help but notice the basket of biscuits at the counter. He had a selection, about twenty, wrapped and put them in his bag together the brush. The mugs were stored in a seperate bag and placed carefully on his back, tying the rope around him to keep it in place. The keg he stuck under his arm, supporting it unseen from under his clothes with one of his extra hands. The broom he held onto with his free hand. Lessomm arrived with his bag and slightly lighter money pouch at his master's room in one of the many NHC buildings around town. Dressed as usual in his black pants and black swallowtail coat, covering his white shirt, he knocked politely for a moment and entered afterwards. Over the season this had become more familiar, from Lessomm knocking and waiting for his master to open the door to Lessomm basically stepping in and out whenever he felt like it. "I'm back, master." Lessomm placed the bag from his back onto the bed and the bag with brush on the table, after finding a non occupied spot on it and immediately went to work on the room. The guests would be arriving sometime in the afternoon and, although there was no mountain of work that needed doing, Lessomm prefered to finish early. As usual, Miro's room was a mess everywhere except for the bed, since he never used it unless he had a lack of storage space. Being undead came with a few perks. Lessomm bent over the large desk in the room and starting sifting through the papers. Most of them had half finished runes on them, the bulk of those Lessomm's own work. Some of them had much more professionally drawn version of the scribbles on them, which Lessomm carefully put aside for now, stacking them in one corner of the table. All the other scraps and scribbles were stacked together. There was not a lot of space for putting things in a NHC room so Lessomm took a few liberties here and there when it came to cleaning. He tapped the papers on the desk, making sure they were not just a pile of paper but a seemingly sorted and well taken care off stack and put them away in the open shelf. The writing quill was put away in the right place, next to the inkwell, which he screwed shut. Lessomm took the small handbrush from the bed and went over the desk surface, clearing off the dust and dirt from it, throwing it on the floor. His cleaning moved from the desk to the floor as he switched to the broom and started sweeping the floor as well, starting from the balcony side of the room and working his way past his master, doing his best not to disturb him too much, and towards the door, which he opened, sweeping everything outside into the hallway. From there, Lessomm swept down the hallway, taking up dust and dirt from every resident of the floor and swept it all out the end door, making sure the dirt and dust formed a small pile in a corner somewhere, out of the way of everyone passing by. A small room required little to no work, especially if the occupant had no human needs to take care off like sleeping. As the late morning passed and turned to the early afternoon, Lessomm arranged the visible items so it didn't look like his master had just tossed them there because there had been no other place to put them anymore. He folded whatever clothes were lying around and put them in the wardrobe before closing it. Moving over to the bed, Lessomm started to open the bag there, taking out the two bottles of wine carefully and placed them on the desk. As he did it occured to him that he had completely forgotten about the glasses for the wine. Or the plate he would serve the fruit and the biscuits on. As his master had no need for sustenance he also had no need for containers for said sustenance. "Excuse me, master. I forgot to buy some cups for the wine so I'm going out for a moment to buy them. Is there anything you require while I'm out?" Lessomm spoke quietly to his master, not wanting to disturb him any more than he already had.

[Miro]

Miro had a great many things on his mind, so many memories flooding through his mind. Alvadas, Zeltiva, meeting Alric and Rayage. Being opened up to the possibility of being surprised by magic again. He was not the only one in the world who was capable of great things, and he knew that each man had his own trade. But it was always magic that drew him in, everything else of the world that seemed a tool. Quite the opposite from many wizards he had met in the past. Time would drag on for him, so he decided to pass the time with conversation.

However it was not the usual causal conversation he had grown accustomed to. Ender was now a trusted confidant, but he did not know everything. The blackened arm seemed to not just be an arm anymore. It was seeming to spread, and he hadn't quite noticed how far down it had spread until recently. It seemed to move to the lesser used parts of his body. And even further too, for the wizard now limped slightly when using his left leg. He had checked his flesh while out of Ender's sight, found it had all darkened to the same pitch black that his arm was. Before long it seemed his entire left side would be gone, soon after the right would follow. What at that point happened he feared.

This thing inside him, Ink he named it. Uldr caused him to wish for it. To chain him with those cravings, it was all he could wish for. Yet it cut his power greatly, tarnishing his perfect body. He wondered if he had been fooled by it, yet found its influence addictive. It had found how to twist his cravings, pump emotions, dark thoughts, use his whims and desires. Everything the wizard felt or thought, it knew, along with just how to twist his darkness into malice. It seemed now the things roots dug deeper into his mind. Ink's emotions seeming to mix and combat Miro's own. Yet he never truly could place blame on it.

Under it all the wizard felt scared, angry, wished to deny it as a threat. Ink had helped him, guided him, been protective. The fact that it took his arm seemed a fair trade. But to take more now, the rest of his body? The undead felt foolish enough to question it. "Ink, tell me, why are you spreading? You are taking my body from me, making me weak. Or is it that you wish to claim it as your own body? If it comes to that I will slice you from my flesh, piece by piece." But he then felt a shock of disappointment before the whispers drifted into his mind. "Quiet your mind, think clearly now. You are fearing what is happening, but you should not." With all of the doubts and explanations the Chained One had, it would not be hard to quell his suspicions.

"We both heard what you wished for, I very clearly. You wished for my very essence to be absorbed into your being, all of its power, all of its dominance, yours. My power and dominance is your power and dominance. It is what you wished for, and it is what I am bound to. I am not responsible for this spreading, but rather the wish granted. The cause of the spread must be divine will, out of our control. Do not fear it however, for I only wish to guide you on your path to power and domination. As I always have, and as I always will." Though it was apparent that Ink's greatest skill was its ability to lie. With full access to the mind, deception was effortless.

The dark infection was spreading of its own will, a result of the wizard giving in to it. The more this happened the more influence Ink seemed to gain. However the ability to read thoughts and feelings only went one way. Miro had almost entirely accepted the explanation he suspected the most. But there was only one way to truly quiet his mind, and that was to assert dominance. But as he had learned, brute force to discipline was not the technique to be used on an ally. Constantly training positive reinforcement worked much better for lasting beneficial results. Yet to even think of doing this spelled it out for his target to see. The spell would be read exactly as it was cast.

At least it satisfied the Hypnotist to be so blunt. He could follow the proper technique and act brutish. Try to force the magic in over their will. Or as he hoped, to to reinforce an already existing will. The wizard held Ionu's Light in his right hand, and crossed his arms as he sat on the bed facing the door. It was an awkward position, both in being propped and holding his staff. His good arm rested atop of his slung arm, the wood of Ionu's Light grazing the blackened flesh of his hand. The Djed path to it immediately available, and the ability to flow Hypnotism in its mind ideal. An emotional response of sincerity was streamed. Quite the difficult emotion to emulate however, and he could only struggle through it.

However the suggestion he would push was clear, and it would be both on the conscious and unconscious mind of Ink with their link. "All of my power, all of my dominance, is Miro's." It would have to do, at least for now. The urge to dominate others surfaced, and it was quickly enhanced, though withstood. It would only satisfy him to have everyone present. Lessomm had recently finished cleaning and was preparing to set food. Before he he realized that he was without dishes to serve them on. Miro smirked at his servant. "Worry not, and do not leave. I have our problem solved, only requiring a little of my Djed." He stood from the bed and left it a mess. His limp hidden as well as he could as he walked to his servant.

There was plenty of room on the table, and he had an idea in mind. Though to use earth, he would need to take consideration to the strength of the stone. Miro held his staff near the surface of the table and began to emit Res from it. First he created a large platter to cover the vast surface of the table, quite thick, likely too large on its own to be held. However it was made stable enough that it could support weight if lifted properly. He made several plates, some customized to hold specific items, but most notably in the center four identical eating plates. Each quite thick and holding a slight roundness to the shape. To go along with the plates were four cups. These cups, essentially rounded shapes with a hollow core. They hadn't a handle, and would likely require two hands to drink from.

The entire set was transmuted to stone and Ionu's Light was brought back to the ground. He spoke as he prepared to move himself, a simple bit of acknowledgement. "Always pleased to help you to serve me. You are doing a fine job Lessomm. Ready for the guests, quite excellent. Even without being told, you have prepared well. I am having two guests, so be ready to receive them." He hobbled over to the nearest part of the bed a few steps away and dropped his body against it. Now both sides of the bed were wrinkled from use, and his arm slumped down to the floor. Lessomm would continue to set up for a while before readying to receive guests. He hoped the man would take a seat, but expected he would stand in wait.

To pass the time the undead released his staff, allowing it to gently roll some distance away. When it had drifted far enough to stop he hesitated with a grin. "Return," he said, Ionu's Light jumping back to his hand where it was easily caught. Again he released it, saying the magical word, experiencing the magnetic connection. To see his bond with the staff so advanced, it truly pleased him. He would never have to be without it for long. But it was not the only thing that pleased him. Lessomm was actually worth the money he cost. He would be worth the pay even if he demanded a reasonable rate. It was satisfying to know everything would be perfect for the guests. The wizard would look quite accomplished.

Miro stood and pointed his staff at Lessomm. "If you are done with that, the bed could use a fix. Be sure to offer Alric a seat and food, however let Rayage take them at his leisure. Alric is a proper gentleman, and Rayage is an eccentric professor. They are not your typical guests, and proper respect must be shown. Not that you ever leave me to worry." To pass the time he took one of the two available seats at his desk and looked over the food. None of it looked worth putting inside of him. At least not now, though if the others would, perhaps him too. For now he would just continue to wait.

It was not all that much longer that a knock was heard at the door. This one, a bit heavy, though obviously restrained. Miro grinned and spoke with joy in his voice. "Lessomm, the door, quickly." He stood and raised his voice louder still. "Come in, welcome, finally you arrive." All before seeing who it was. With the heavy handed knock, he suspected it was Rayage. The new body he had taken was large, and quite a welcome change back to normality. And indeed the wizard was right, the Alchemist had arrived. The purple steel-cloth cloak looking somewhat odd on the body.

"Ah, Professor Rayage, nice to see you. You are looking quite fine today. Those clothes are perfect on you, and of course your cloak. Though I must admit, it is unsettling to see the girth of your arms through the sleeves. Please, come in, make yourself at home." Miro stood behind his desk and gestured towards the man who had greeted the Nuit at the door. "This is my Lessomm, my personal servant. He is here to help make you comfortable and assist you in any way possible. You may take a seat as you please, remove that heavy cloak, or even eat, if you really want to. Alric will be here soon, and I am eager for you to meet him. Wait until then for chatter, for our business is quite important."

Miro continued to stand and was going to continue on, but was interrupted by another knock at the door. "Lessomm, the door, please." The Hypnotist was at the door, politely invited in. The door was closed and the Reimancer clasped his hands together with an ambitious smirk. "Good, we are all here now." He again gestured to Lessomm with his good arm and staff. "Alric, this is my personal servant Lessomm. Please allow him to ensure you have a perfect visit. But before that, I have business to attend to." Now he addressed the entire room, ready to set things in motion.

"I have gathered each of you here for a very simple reason, I value you." The Chained One gave a rare kind smile and turned his attention to Alric. "Alric, my oldest friend, come to see me from Alvadas. The only person who truly knows what I am like inside of this body I wear. You opened my eyes to the possibilities in expanding my magical talents." He then turned to Rayage and gave a chuckle. "And Rayage, the sagely professor. Your wisdom has given me direction for some time now, and your pool of knowledge is so deep its darkened to blackness. Your talent in world magic is practically without rivalry."

It was true that these men were two of the greatest wizards he had encountered, but that was only half of their purpose here. Each had much to give. The other half of their purpose was to receive, and decide if they would accept being his apprentices. Have their vows of Reimancy officiated. "You both share skill in magic I have not encountered elsewhere. Talent beyond most mortals. You each are my magical offspring, born of my Res. This act comes with a promise, that of being raised. To accept me as master officially, all that I have to offer is yours. My knowledge, my skills, my resources. It comes only at the cost of loyalty. Though I know loyalty already exists within each of you already, or else you wouldn't have even been initiated."

Miro turned himself to Lessomm. "Come Lessomm, stand by your master." He nodded at the servant pleasantly, though spoke to the others. "This man is much more than my servant. Lessomm is a trusted friend, one who I believes has a great potential. Like both of you, he is a practicing wizard. Yet unlike you, he is not an initiate to Reimancy." The wizard placed his staff on the bed and his hand on the servant's shoulder. His dull eyes staring at the Eypharian with sincerity in them. "I would like to offer you the same promise, and offer you the chance to become my apprentice. An apprenticeship unlike that already present with these two. You would become my Personal Apprentice."

The Chained One gave a satisfied grin and removed his hand. "All of my Miza, you can have access to it for whatever you need. As long as you are as faithful as you are now, it shall be yours to use wisely and as you see fit. Access to Reimancy training as well as any other skills I may provide, whenever you wish. The full benefit of my resources, in only exchange for your absolute dedicated loyalty. But do not make this decision now. I wish for you to see with me where the initiates who came before you stand on the offer." He offered an upturned palm to them and beckoned their gather before him. "Rayage, Alric, come before me and tell Lessomm and myself your answer."

Miro raised a single finger in the air as a hint to pause. He had very little left to say in the way of guiding them. "Whether each of you accept or deny my further assistance is entirely up to you. To be my apprentice, one must maintain loyalty. To betray it would break our bond and label you an enemy, one likely to be killed. However considering the men I am talking to, the risk is but a warning of common sense. There is no risk to either of you, as long as you do not need to raise arms against me. And I expect that if either of you do, it is a just move, and I am the one at fault. To accept means you will have everything promised to Lessomm to gain yourselves, only needing to vie for time." He brought his hand up to brush his hair back and forced a sigh.

"I only ask you each to explain your decision so that Lessomm may know how you feel. Afterwards, I encourage you to converse and meet one another. I know that Rayage and I have business that should be discussed. It would be greatly appreciate if you would be a part of it as well Alric. And I expect that Lessomm will be here to hear it too." Things were a bit tense for Miro, but he held onto his confidence as well as he could. "I have dominated the conversation long enough, and I am quite satisfied. I have said my piece for now, please, have your say."

[Rayage]

The door was answered, but not by someone he knew. The nuit frowned at the newcomer, but heard Miro’s voice inviting him in. The boy did not let him know there would be other people attending this summon. The fact that Miro thought the need to hide the fact that there would be other people Rayage found almost disturbing. He held no grudge against others, but knew the boys tendencies to be overly trusting, and that aspect of his personality Rayage loathed.

Giving the other a hard, piercing stare the nuit didn’t take his eyes off of him as he allowed himself to come in, ”Miro, you didn’t tell me there would be others.” his voice seemed dissatisfied and far away as if his mind were elsewhere, thinking of the mission the two of them were sent on. The undead filed away his note to talk about such a subject for a later time, as Lessomm was introduced. It was only when the man was introduced that Rayage let his gaze lift from him and turn towards Miro as he took in his surroundings. The room was small enough, provided safety from the elements, but it was nowhere where the nuit planned on staying for long. The small space made him feel almost trapped, and anxiety was creeping into his mind. He was far too used to his spacious lab.

Before anything could proceed any farther another knock on the door came, and let in was another person, another one which he was unfamiliar with. The nuit kept on his cloak as he too took in the newcomer. The cloak was his armor, his shield against the outside world, and although it wouldn’t do much good against magic he still felt safer wearing it, especially in the growing ‘crowd’. It was a mark of his pride as an Alchemist!

Miro went on, announcing that he had gathered them all here for a reason. The boys ego was about as big as Rayage’s. He talked about oaths of loyalty, and other nonsense. He was obviously making a show for Lessomm, and everyone else in the room. The nuit’s stare never left Miro as he talked, his frown growing deeper as time passed. The Alchemist was not amused by the offer proposed, and when the naive boy was done explaining all the nuit could do was let out a dry, coarse laugh.

The professor held himself higher and straighter as ever as he finished his laugh, and took a step towards Miro, ”You should already know my answer, Miro.” he told him, lifting his eyes from him and allowing them to drift over to the other two, ”I have no intention on being bound by absolutes. As you know, it is magics way to break all rules, and such a promise could never be, realistically kept.

He went on waving a hand, ”Wake up!” he gestured towards Miro, ”From that dream you are having. You cannot simply ask for loyalty, it must be earned. It is not something to be sworn, but an understanding. It hurts me,” the nuit smiled a wicked smile as he said those words, ”to think that you have to ask for my loyalty as if it is not clear where I stand.”

”You are still the optimistic fool I first met in Zeltiva, Miro.” The professor spat that out, ”Only older.” his gaze moved towards the others, looking them over, ”And if you don’t trust me enough to tell me there will be others, then I can see where your opinion of me lies.”

The nuit paused, as if contemplating something, and a finger reached for his lip, setting itself on it he began again, ”However,” the word was a whisper, ”we all have our secrets.” The other mages in the room made Rayage unnerved. The most unnerving thing was that he didn’t know what each is capable of. He forced a smile, gaining back a fake confidence, ”Absolutes are not a thing to deal in Miro. Tomorrow is a new day, and the circumstances today might be different than ‘morrow’s. Everything changes, remember that. So, I will not accept your offer,” the nuit seemed to choke on the last word, as if saying it left a bitter taste in his mouth. ”That does not mean that we are not partners. We are equals, not master and apprentice.” and if anything, the shoe should be on the other foot, or so Rayage would agree.

[Alric Wilmot]

Alric smiled when he saw that the man was indeed known to Miro, and after he was let in, Alric quickly removed his invisibility and knocked on the door. He was greeted by another man, a servant, it seemed. Alric made a quick note that this man's name was Lessom before seating himself. Miro quickly introduced both the large man, Rayage, and got everyone up to speed. Although Miro did not say that the large man was the Alchemist who had made the cloak, Alric was fairly certain that he was. As Miro explained, they were all well-accomplished magic users, and the man had an Ouroboros design on his cape. Lessom, though Alric had initially concluded that he was but a servant, seemed to be as much a part of their gathering as himself. Though Alric remained silent to be polite, he had many questions. As Miro went on about oaths of loyalty, no... more akin to fealty really, Alric nearly scoffed. What had happened to the Miro he knew? Was he always so paranoid and eager to subvert? This desire to assert dominance was beyond merely his familiar, Ender. Though access to his funds would be useful, Alric was confident he could acquire funds through some other means. Alric would not bow to Miro, friend or no. He may be an eccentric, but he had his pride still. Besides, Alric only had one master. Alric bit his tongue, thinking of a way not to offend his friend. He would sign nothing where everything was expected of him, and little expected of someone else. But, as he was contemplating on what to say, the large man, Rayage, Miro called him, spoke. He was apparently more insulted than Alric had been. And he made it quite well known. His speech was rather well civilized, far more than Alric had assumed from appearance alone. He smiled at the small discrepancy, it was almost enough to make Alric forget his headache. Finally as the man calmed down over his long rendition of "no", Alric thought to have his say. "Miro, we are friends, I want you to know that. But do not assume that I am easily controlled or manipulated. I've dedicated my life to that art and recognize it well. I appreciate that you would be willing to teach what you know, But I should point out that I am perfectly capable of teaching myself. I had no teachers when learning my discipline. Even your gold, though welcomed, I can earn. Yet at the same time, you ask for a bond that is already there for rewards I can obtain myself. The answer is no Miro. I will sign nothing, especially of magical origins. But know this, I am a man of my word. I will help you and support you, and remain your friend until one of us dies. If that is not good enough for you, then I am afraid we will have grievance. Much like Rayage over there pointed out, we are equals. Though our strengths and weakness differ, we are masters in our chosen crafts. If you want help or assistance, it will be through cooperation, not subversion." Alric nodded his head slightly, before catching Miro's eyes. He didn't know what was going through his undead friend's mind, but he decided that whatever was going on was not to his liking. If Miro became angry, he might do something foolish. Alric had never met a mage as powerful as Miro, or even himself. He did not want this folly to lead to blows. So he took in a deep breath and exhaled, expanding his influence to the entirety of the room. He sat back and used his relaxed posture to radiate feelings of serenity and peace. A subtle emotional tug on the subconscious, to keep anger stifled. He almost forgot about Lessom, but as the last moment, directed the same pulse to him as well. It was doubtful it could stem great rage or grief, but that was not its purpose. Alric merely wanted to stifle moderate feelings of the like. Even Rayage seemed rather heated when rejecting Miro's offer. Alric shuddered to think the damage that might be caused by a slighted wizard's ego.

[Lessomm]

As Lessomm tried to wrap his head around his master's ability to create usable cups and plates out of thin air, his master explained about the guests they were expecting. Apparently, both were highly intelligent people, as one was considered to be a proper gentleman and the other a professor. Brute strength didn't fit either concept. Lessomm casually patted down the bed, working the wrinkles out of it his master had created by sitting on the bed. Not a very difficult task but one Lessomm enjoyed. Making the bed was an important part of a butler's day and since his master had no need for a bed it was a nice change for Lessomm to have to spend time on it. He got cut short in his work as a heavy knock sounded from the door. He immediately moved from the bed, leaving it presentable to the guests, and turned his attention to opening the door for the guest. The entire frame of the door was filled with a person. A big man seemingly unable to fit through the small door that provided access to Miro's room. Lessomm stood eye to eye with the man, although the size of the man's body would probably fit two or even three times Lessomm's own. He stepped aside, bowing towards the guest as he pulled the door open further, allowing the guest to enter. Behind him, his master was already addressing the new arrival. Lessomm immediately took a mental note never again to link "eccentric professor" and "tiny, glasses wearing guy". The sight of Rayage did away with any such thoughts. Before Rayage had even properly entered Miro's room, Lessomm could already sense that the man wasn't happy in the slightest. As Rayage passed him by, his giant frame, combined with the subtle pressure of a practiced magic user, Lessomm found himself drawing on his own magic. The shield spread itself out, invisibly, over Lessomm's body, starting from several different points at the same time, connecting to itself as it spread out further. Before the shield could finish, however, Lessomm managed to get himself in hand and forced the shield down again, swallowing as he did. He closed the door behind Rayage and was about to offer the man a chair to sit on when a second knock introduced the second guest. Lessomm opened the door once again, bowing and motioning towards the inside of the room, inviting the guest in. At least Alric didn't look like he was intending on either beating Lessomm to death with one hand or potentially burning him to a crisp. Alric looked rather normal, considering the company he was in. Lessomm smiled as Alric passed him by and he once again closed the door behind him. With Rayage already occupying one chair, Lessomm invited Alric to sit in the only other chair in the room. As his master started to talk to his friends, Lessomm set himself to work. The wine wouldn't serve itself. With practiced hands, Lessomm undid the wax sealing the wine and grabbed hold of the head of the cork. The wine bottle opened with a slight pop as Lessomm pulled the cork out, quickly glancing over the guests to see if he had disturbed them perhaps. Neither of them seemed to be paying attention to him. He poured the wine into the cups his master had formed out of thin air just a moment ago when he heard his master calling for him. Looking up from the wine, Lessomm saw his master nodding, facing him. Surprised by the sudden attention, Lessomm put the wine down and moved over to stand by his master, doing his best not to stare at Rayage's huge body. He stared back at his master as he felt Miro's hand on his shoulder as he spoke about promises and apprenticeships. It was all a little too much for Lessomm at the moment, so he stayed quietly next to his master. His master removed his hand from Lessomm's shoulder, leaving the butler unsure of what to do next. As he listened to Miro's speech, it became clear that he was finished with Lessomm, so the young Eypharian moved back to the drinks and the snacks. Constantly keeping one ear to listen to his master, Lessomm continued with the wine and fruit. The cups were unwieldly as Lessomm managed to pick two up from the table. "Master Alric?" Lessomm half whispered, half spoke to the young gentleman as he offered him the cup. Whether he accepted it or not, Lessomm would move behind Alric and approach Rayage as well while his master continued to speak. "Master Rayage?" He offered the cup of wine to the giant man. Moving back to the table, Lessomm took the third of four cups and placed it on the end of the table, near his master, who continued his speech. From the selection of fruits and the biscuits he had bought earlier this morning, Lessomm carefully filled a plate with them. Holding the plate in one hand, he once again approached the young man and offered him the plate. He approached Rayage as well, although his master had told him that the man might not partake in any of the eating. Lessomm really hoped he would otherwise Alric would have quite a bit of eating to do on his own. As Miro finished with his speech, Rayage reacted in a way that was quite expected from a man with his... physique. He laughed in a rather rude fashion and immediately started to oppose Miro, something Lessomm found hard to swallow. He straigthened his back as he listened to Rayage's reply, both hands behind his back, where the fists he formed were hidden away from the eyes of the guests. The smile on his lips remained, however, and nothing changed in his stance that would betray his thoughts. As he listened, Lessomm had to admit that Rayage was right, at least in the largest sense of his answer. Lessomm had no interest in agreeing with Miro being a fool. But it was true what he said about loyalty and earning it. Alric, on the other hand, lived up to his reputation as a gentleman. He brought his answer up carefully, making sure not to hurt any feelings while he did. But in essence, his answer was the same as Rayage. Neither would bind themselves to Miro, although both of them agreed that they were friends or equals or partners. Where Rayage's answer had drawn feelings of anger from Lessomm, Alric's answer managed to cool things down a bit. As the man sat down, Lessomm couldn't help but look at him. Lessomm felt more relaxed, more at peace as he watched Alric sit. There was a man who could diffuse a potentially dangerous situation. Considering Miro's introduction of everyone in the room as particularly powerful people, Lessomm was glad to have Alric around. Turning back to the cups and plates, ready to serve his master with some food, should he so desire, it occured to Lessomm that he was also supposed to reply, as the two others had done already. Not sure whether he was supposed to or not, Lessomm turned to his master for help, looking for signs of Miro deciding to speak again, possibly lash out at the two men for denying him. He waited for any sign from his master before finally speaking himself. While he wasn't happy with the answer the two other men had given, he had to admit that he thought the same way. "Master, I am forever loyal to you and if you deem it necessary for me to become your reimancy apprentice, I, without hesitation, will do so. Although, personally, I feel as though trying to learn multiple disciplines at the same time might confuse me and hinder my progress." Lessom bowed deep towards his master, his left arm crossed over his chest, the fingers of his gloved left hand touching his right should. His right hand rested on his back where his coat split into the two signature swallow tails. Unlike the two masters before him, Lessomm only spoke these few words. He swallowed quietly before standing up straight again, looking Miro in his cold, dead eyes. For the second time since he had first opened the door, Lessomm felt his Djed seep out of every pore of his body, forming a thin shield layer over his skin. And unlike the first time, he made no attempts to stop the shield from covering him entirely.

[Miro]

"Rayage, Alric, Lessomm, how difficult free will has made you." Miro could not help but to have this thought hearing each reply. But it was not as if he truly expected them to be subservient of him. Each of them had already taken the agreement proposed walking through the door. Being in the presence of a master wizard, one capable of deciding who will live and who will die, if they are better off dead to him, they will be dead. And just how far his trust went was proven by the fact that he could take things so well after receiving such an answer. Even to have calmness seep into his tensed muscles.

Though, he would have at least hoped for the trust extended to his allies to help sway Lessomm's mind to prevent an answer such as this. If two great wizards were willing to sacrifice a bit of freedom for his teachings, then surely it would look some great opportunity. He would have to spin things in another direction, though he would not fret at being forced into a situation where he would have to weave deception. "Of course you are all loyal to me, and already I knew you would react this way. Rayage, Alric, do you really think that I would limit you in any way. If you had in the past allowed such limitations, surely you would not be as accomplished as you are now."

The Reimancer sighed and gave a dirty look to Rayage. Admittedly he was disappointed with the Nuit. As he spoke to the giant undead, he pointed dramatically. "Neither you or I would dare to break the bond formed between us, and you damn well know this. We just have trust enough to allow the other to take a few courtesies without asking. And will you quit being so dramatic? Maybe you spent a bit too much time in that last body. Truly I am surprised you are not able to see the true intention in this act!" Perhaps the Chained One shouldn't have mentioned body switching, but it needed to be said.

Then his attention turned to Alric. He did not point, though he did flash a toothy grin. "If you think I am doubting your capability to teach yourself, do not. Though I still insist on giving you instruction, both of you, cost free. You needn't sign anything, but have already made your intentions known. Both of you have. From both of you I expect loyalty, not obedience. But what master can be loyal to another without first being loyal to himself? Simply enough, I agree to us being equals." Now came the part of the tactful lie. This one he was proud of, for he found it quite clever. It was a twist on the scenario, one none would see coming, for it was not originally intended. "I intend to reflect your own views of our relationship back unto you."

Miro chuckled to himself. "Rayage, I will trust you as you trust me, based on your actions. Knowing that throughout eternity, everything is subject to change, even our alliance. Know that even in loyalty, some reserves remain held." Though he shrugged and shook his head, as Alric's answer had been much different. "Alric, we will be friends until you reincarnate or join me in eternal unlife. At which time I am reminded that given enough time, everything can change. I know that you are a dedicated friend, and only allow boundaries between us that we establish out of respect. And that if either of us crosses that respectful line, we will not hold reservation to bring back equal footing between us."

And finally the Reimancer made a grand gesture, bowing and sweeping his arm before him. The man he bowed, his personal servant, Lessomm. "However, you are unlike them, both loyal and willing to serve. This was for you, to see what I hope for you someday. I do wonder, are you first a servant, or a wizard? Someday I hope that you will serve yourself before me, and only be bound by your bonds with allies. Though I do forget, not all men are raised to be professional wizards. And that I can respect, for that choice is yours to make. Though know that a master can clear the confusion and nourish your talent. Only in a willing student" A sad end to his claim to power and domination.

Though they had much more to work out. "There is something we all are to discuss though. Rayage and I, now that he sees your reasons for being here, would like to share our plan for arriving in this city. Since the day of my arrival, I have been searching for a man, a Nuit. Forus, a wanted criminal, one who has stolen from Sahova. He is a wizard, one who has come here, yet so far we are unable to locate him. This is a problem, as the longer we take, the further away he gets. We are to retrieve him, as well as an item taken from the Undead Isle. And Alric, if you can use your skills to help track him, you will be kindly rewarded. Just name your price."

Miro waved his hand dismissively at them, unwilling to say much more. He hadn't a chance to pout at his failure, and knew that Forus as well counted as a failure. "I have taken the liberty of putting another asset onto the trail, though you needn't worry of him yet. I am sure it is awkward for you, since only just meeting, but Rayage shall take things from here. It is his task after all, and he should have the greatest motivation to see it to completion. Professor, do take over, tell them all about it." Though there was a lot else he wished to accomplish. The chemistry between his friends was not developing as he would hope.

"What do you think Ender? Are they going to clash, or will this turn out well? I fear that without a nudge they will soon be at ends. And I fear my Hypnotism isn't enough to influence them all. So far I have withheld casting on them, out of respect of course, but can excuse it in their best interest." Ender had returned much of his former passive personality since Alric had helped him find peace through Hypnotism, and no longer held harsh feelings of his master. His opinions were often cold and logical, a mostly unbiased view. This often made his suggestions both effective and agreeable, as he sought to serve his master above all. "I doubt you can convince them all, but Alric could. You need only to convince him, much like with me, that it is for their benefit. And if you use Hypnotism to enlist his help, then perhaps you stand a chance. Just pray you’re skilled enough to manipulate one of them." Definitely a suggestion worth considering. Though it would be difficult to pull off.

[Rayage]

The nuit smirked silently as he heard the rest of the arguments, all matching his own assessment of the situation. It seemed even the servant which the boy picked up wasn’t as a loyal as Miro expected him to be. This entire scene amused him. Rayage made no movement towards anything which was presented to him, no tea or biscuits for this undead. It would just rot in him, and that was something which he would like to avoid. He already has a hard enough time concealing his undead nature.

The professor waited for the child to take in everything which was said, and react like he thought Miro would. The boy never took rejection well, from past observations, but instead of a murderous aura the air remained quite calm and relaxed. Rayage relaxed a bit when he realized that the other wizard was going to solve things with words rather than the sheer force of Reimancy. It was unexpected, but a pleasant surprise nonetheless. It seemed that their kinship was more important to Miro than complete domination; however he realized that all of them were dancing on a very thin line with the wizard. He made note to be more careful in future endeavors. He wasn’t dealing with just any mortal, after all. Having seen the aura of the wizard once, the darkness present in it had been burned in the nuits memory. A golden darkness, a great darkness, a hungry one, a devouring one, for the nuit had seen a glimpse of the wizards true nature behind the masquerade of words. It was something that Ray had been weary of ever since.

However, it seemed that this darkness was being withheld for now. It was only logical that Miro not burn bridges, and he was being very political about his words. A small shudder spread through the nuit and a frown grew on his face as Miro mentioned his habit of switching bodies, a hint to the alchemists own true nature. The ring given to him was supposed to help him immolate in with regular society, but with Miro spouting about his state of undeadness made it hard to hide from anyone. What if one of these wizards had it out for nuits? Suspicion once again rose up in the nuit, and a tense pursing of lips made an expression of being uncomfortable. Though Miro seemed to trust these people, Rayage did not.

The talk of ‘professional wizards’ amused Ray, but he made no comment even after Miro stroked his own ego, for the professor knew that wizards today are leagues away from the wizards of yesterday, the wizards before the Valterrian. Miro was right for the most part, only a willing student can be great. A teacher himself, he knew all too well that the willingness of the student is what brought about success. A nod in agreement with the words was all which was offered.

Then the floor was Rayages as Miro gave up the entire reason they were in Ravok. The nuit was floored, and rage entered his face, the frown deepening and a scowl written on it. This wasn’t just something you announce. They were on a very important mission. His frustration with Miro only grew as more details were released, and even expected to be given by the alchemist himself. An almost laughable concept, but the nuit composed himself and looked at everyone present. The gaze was filled not with trust and respect, but one of a wizard scorned, a plot of something more. His mind was turning, debating what he should give up, if anything.

Clearing his throat the nuit placed his hands down on the table, relaxing them on the cold stone surface, ”What Miro says is right. We have come here in search of a Sahovan wizard named Forus. He escaped with a relic of unknown powers. It’s valuable. Valuable enough for them to send two Sahovan masters to retrieve it.”

”Miro seems to trust you. However, don’t mistake his trust for my own.” Ray wanted to make himself clear in this, ”To apprehend Forus we have been given a set of djed shackles as the wizard is dangerous. The known magics he wields are Voiding, Projection, Shielding, and his specialty is Magecraft. Forus’ research in Sahova focused on sound and its ability to affect the mind, more especially how it can help or hinder a mages ability to cast magic. We have no information on the relic stolen, but I have reason to suspect that it falls under Forus research.”

”My mission to apprehend both Forus and the artifact and take them both back to Sahova” Rayage ended the rather brief explanation of the quest he had been sent on.