Closed The Price of Dreams

[Vanari]

She watched in equal mixture of fascination and worry as Miro dipped his hand into the canal. The Ravosalaman was so close now. Though the vagrant knew in the most logical and practical sense that a Stryfe would not likely harm a citizen without reason, some deep, instinctive voice was telling her there was danger in this magic. Whether it was an issue of "could be" or "would be" remained impossible to know, but it still left her feeling a little uneasy. Oh Morwen, here it comes! Ari held her breath as the Ravosala drew near, its tip mere inches from the block of ice. Crack! She held back a gasp, shoulders rising just a fraction. The impact sent the Ravosalaman stumbling forward and he glared up at the Stryfe in peevish surprise. For one, harrowing moment Vanari feared he could pitch over into the icy water, but to her overwhelming relief the man caught his balance at the last tick. "What in Rhysol's name is this?" he demanded. Miro chuckled in amusement. In mirth. As if there was nothing at all concerning about toying with this unwitting victim. And, though up until then she harbored a mostly fuzzy, vague-ish sense of trust and camaraderie for this mysterious masked kin, cold shivers of muted alarm now prickled up along the girl's spine. Unable to interject, any more than she could run or find similar joy in this act of thinly veiled extortion, Vanari wrung her hands worriedly behind her cloak. She watched as the Ravosalaman become thwarted over and over again. It was something truly to behold, the way Miro turned water to ice as effortlessly as others breathed or blinked. Incredible, and dangerous. Not to mention that tone of voice; it had become significantly more threatening. Why hadn't she realized this before? Just do it you dolt, the Vantha found herself hissing at the stubborn boatman inside her own head. Do it before you get hurt! Fortunately, the man ended up forking over his five, precious gold mizas and Miro happily let him go. The ice melted back into its watery origins, but the Ravosalaman did not seem keen on leaving just yet. Ari eyed him with nothing short of utter exasperation. He'd better not be stupid enough to try anything; five gold was a small price to pay for one's life, however unfair it seemed in the moment. She was unable to exert more urgent mind threats at the man, though, as Miro had now returned his attentions upon his new companion. Ari's eyes went wide as the Stryfe handed her the money. She hadn't been expecting to be the recipient of the rewards of this little stunt and was half afraid the Ravosalaman would be angrier than before. The girl accepted the money and cast a wary glance toward the canal. But when she looked, it was clear the man had gone. Good. At least that was done and over with. "T-Thank you," Ari stammered, unsure of what else to say. She was spared the effort of struggling though as Miro spoke again. This time, he offered even more lavish compliments on her eyes, the trademark of her--of their people. And then he suggested something truly frightening. Vanari found her senses growing...clearer. Which was strange, because she was no drinker or addict or someone with poor living habits whatsoever. It was no where near time to feel sleepy or drowsy either. But curious wonderings aside, the vagrant was sound of mind enough to know one thing: Rhysol scared the living shyke out of her. To her immense relief, Miro seemed too focused elsewhere--again--to notice her reaction. Ari fought to calm herself; it was a harmless thing to say. Everyone within Ravok would speak those same words, whether or not they meant them. It was always safer to err on the side of Rhysol than that of another god's in these parts. One never knew who would be listening, and if the right ears heard words of dissension...she gulped, remembering that night she and Ria had witnessed the massacre. The girl almost jumped out of her skin when Miro spoke again, but his words caught her interest once more. A creature from another world? Unable to resist, Ari listened on, and gasped in surprise as a silver orb of ice formed right beside the masked Stryfe. At Miro's introduction, the Vantha's eyebrows rose. "Well then, hello Ender!" she beamed, eyes shifting gold one moment, then orange the next, before settling into more greenish hues. A mischievous grin replaced her smile of wonderment. "So, what are your thoughts about your partner here?"

[Miro]

Miro was a bit puzzled by Vanari's odd behavior. She seemed worried, though she knew that the wizard could protect her. The way she hesitated, it was confusing. The Chained One thought they were having fun. It seemed that perhaps they did not have the same idea of a good time. The Vantha was not a real Ravokian, not able to understand. Beauty and naivete were a dangerous combination, especially in a non-citizen. Perhaps this was not the best city for her.

Ender too was surprised, but for a different reason. He understood that not all people were so cold and heartless. There were good people in this world, the kind that would not wish suffering on anyone, even if they were to benefit from it. Such people were rare in Ravok, but they did exist. Sadly such people often did not fare well here. The Familiar could agree that such people should say farewell to the city and never look back. What surprised him was the question he was asked.

The Irylid had interacted with people before. It was not often that it happened, but he had done so many times. The most common question were about his home, his people, how the bond worked. But to ask the Familiar's thoughts on his partner, that was a first. The response was one of monotone, each word said precisely in rhythm. "My master, he is many things. Powerful and brilliant, but weak and foolish too." An act of spite, but the creature had only begun.

Ender had a lot that he held against his master, and a lot that he could not normally express. Normally it would result in an immediate backlash and be ignored. But now, in this situation, these things could be said. Though these things could not be said plainly. There was a game to be played. "Miro is a man of conflict. He does great things, but often for the wrong reasons. And he can do terrible things, but for the right reasons. But he is also a man who understands balance." And it was a game the Familiar played well.

"You may fear the act you have just seen. Think to yourself, that is the behavior of a villain, a madman. Well, you would not be far off, really you wouldn't. The world has not been kind to Miro, and in return, he is oft unkind to it. For long he has had nobody to rely on but himself. He has had to witness things, horrible things. He has lost many people, sure, but the worst of it was that he had lost himself. But no longer is he lost, without a cause. Miro found Ravok, and Rhysol found Miro. This city, it is perfect for him, a vile man like him."

Beneath the Mask of Many the Chained One grimaced. His anger overflowed and was perceivable by his Familiar. In return the wizard could sense the enjoyment the creature got from his reaction. Right now it wouldn't do to scold the Irylid. Perhaps to discredit him, though that was not exactly the wisest thing either. If Vanari's faith in Miro was going to be restored, it would have to happen by embracing and explaining the slanderous statements. Easier said than done, that was for sure. A lot of bad was said, and there was not much that could fix that.

Miro grasped the orb and squeezed it firmly. He spoke a stern order through their telepathic bond, his mental voice more hiss than anything. "Return to your sealed form, now!" The creature did as it was told, which was good. It meant that there would be no more corruption of the wizard's image. "Ari, you have to understand, Ender is just being bitter. It is not that he is lying, but rather that he is distorting things. We've all had to do things to survive." The words stung bitterly true. The change to undeath was the prime example of this. It was a choice between death and undeath.

The undead's tone was frantic, full of worry of what the woman might think of him. He walked a step closer to her and made a move to reach for her, but halted his hand. "I have made choices I am not proud of, done things I didn't want to. I know I look it, but I am not some monster. I am just a man. I am as the world has made me, and I do only what I have to. You understand, don't you, Ari?" He took another limped step toward the Vantha. "I do the things I do because somebody has to. Without the vile, there are none virtuous. I found that to be true the day they called me hero."

Though any nobility to the actions of the Chained One were completely absent. There was not a single act he performed that came from a decent place in him, even now. He so desperately wanted to cling to a part of his past that made him happy that he manipulated this young woman. Miro sold himself some unfortunate soul. A man who lost everything. The truth was that he was a monster, completely selfish, eager to serve only himself. He staggered forward again and gently reached his hand out. "I would never let anything happen to you Ari, and this place is dangerous. Stay with me, won't you? I'll take care fo you."

[Vanari]

Ari stared in surprise at Ender's silvery form. The Irylid, as Miro had called it, must be a true friend indeed to speak of his partner with such brutal honesty and conviction. So the magic wielding Stryfer had his share of merits and flaws. Strange concept to come to terms with, as she had always seen Ravok's enforcers from afar and never known any of them as an individual with traits other than ruthlessness, but interesting nonetheless. And oh, how far Ender was from being finished. The more the entity spoke, the more confused Vanari became. Which, she supposed, was what Ender seemed to be going for, much to his partner's growing wrath. He would use words like villain, madman, vile, but then proceed to defend Miro as someone injustly wronged and justly returned. It was more than a little perplexing, but fascinating as well, in a morbid, unsettling sort of way. Not unlike her interest in the city itself and its patron god; she knew that by all rights she ought not to even have set foot within Ravok. But here she was, still itching to know how this particular tale ended. Maybe with her throat slit in some gutter. Maybe not. Only one way to find out. If Voria were here, she might call her daughter stupid for taking such risks. But Ari had decided long ago she couldn't very well spend the rest of her life hiding under her blankets, waiting for the world to stop being so dangerous. It was ludicrous to even think about, and oppressing enough for two lifetimes to have tried to live by. Out here, she could die a thousand different ways. And that was the way she preferred . With color, or flare, or even great tragedy. Not with plain, overabundant snow or old, arthritic age. "Then does this mean," Ari asked, half joking, half serious, "that you're saying the city is vile too?" She looked around her and gave a tiny shrug. "It has not been so bad for me. But, maybe I just don't know it well enough." Ender himself--herself?--itself?--was a puzzle as well. Introduced as a friend but forced to take on the mundane form of a bracelet when not asked to speak. She couldn't decide if it was for practical reasons or for more sinister ones. Of course, the only way to find out would be to ask. The Vantha, however, was now much too focused on Ender's magical form. She'd never seen anything like the Irylid and could not make herself peel her eyes from its icy body. It reminded her of home, how it glistened and gleamed in its translucent beauty. Suddenly, without warning, Miro grabbed his companion and squeezed. He seemed angry for what the Irylid had said and presumably sent Ender's orb like form back into the shape of a silver bracelet. Ari was a little sad to see the fellow go but said nothing of it to avoid further conflict. She felt a bit bad about it all, as she had been the one to initiate the subject in the first place. But, just before she could tactfully apologize, the Stryfe began to speak again. Morwen, he sounded so...concerned. Almost like Ria had when she--ah, best not think about that now. Ari listened to his explanations with a hint of alarm, which heightened for a moment when Miro reached for her, then shrunk away again when he halted himself. It was difficult, deciding whether to be frightened or trusting of this powerful man. The Vantha supposed she could be both, though that was no less comforting. Miro's words were rational and radical all at once, which ensnared her attention even more. She understood well enough that where there was light, there would always be shadow, too. But this whole concept of someone needing to be the villain...well, that was something new to chew on. And chew she did. All the while Miro limped closer as though he were a cold traveler and she an inviting hearth. Ari was torn. She wanted very much to offer her friendship. As a vagrant, she knew loneliness, knew what it felt like to want nothing more than a warm shoulder to lean against. But at the same time, a part of her hesitated. As tempting as it sounded to finally have someone else take care of her instead of doing everything by herself, the Vantha felt unwilling to let that part of her lifestyle go. Even for just a bell or two. She held onto it stubbornly, if only due to sheer habit. Then she looked at his outstretched hand and her mule-headedness wavered. Ari returned the gesture and smiled up at Miro. "Alright then, Mr. Wizardy Stryfe. I stay with you today, and in return you keep me safe." She thought for a moment, then added, "What do you do in your spare time, Miro? Other than trap ravosalamen to amuse visiting Vanthas, of course." With careful movements, Ari withdrew a little wooden flute from her pack. "I would offer to entertain you in return, but I'm not very good at most things." To demonstrate, she blew into the flute in an attempt to play the only song she knew. It was probably the most terrible thing anyone had ever heard. She winced in apology once her point was proven. "So what shall we do next?"

[Miro]

Ender was worried for Ari, able to sense what his master felt. It was a twisted desire, selfish and sour. No doubt the Chained One wished to keep the Vantha around, perhaps as some sort of permanent guest. It was not completely unheard of for him to do such a thing. And that look in his eye, it was a familiar one. There was no doubt it meant trouble.

Miro took a few deep breaths as Ari spoke to him. It was a bit of a relief for him, but his heart still ached with high tensions. The young woman, she was so charming, pleasant to be around. It was a relief from the burdens of Returning, to be so bound to his cravings. She was something pure, sweet, and it was indeed hard to let such a thing go.

As she finished asking her questions, there was only one thing the wizard could think. He had mostly composed himself, but he was far from calm. Though the soft voice that eased past his lips would offer no hint at this. "It is truly a pleasure to be around you Ari. I would enjoy it if we could do this often. I am always up to fun things. Whatever whims strike me. There is always something new and interesting to explore."

The Hypnotist exuded his Djed and wrapped his hypnotic aura about the young woman. He filled her with emotional responses of happiness and comfort as he eased near to her. His words poured smoothly over her as he intensified these feelings. "I would love to take you home with me. You could live at my place, share adventures with me. I'll keep you safe, take care of you. Just your company is entertainment enough."

It was an attempt to do exactly what Ender feared, to keep her around. Miro intensified these feeling as much as he could manage, but knew not if he could influence the girl. He so desperately wanted her to stay with him however. The undead's eyes held a sense of despondency about them. Another emotional response was pushed, this time of compassion. "It would make me so happy if you'd stay with me. Please, Ari, it would mean so much to me."

[Vanari]

There it was again, that strange feeling of complete comfort and safety. What was it about this Stryfer that brought about such emotions? True, he seemed very powerful, and in more ways than just rank. This much Ari could deduce, even in her more muddled states. But this was...odd. Too strong and too sudden. For a flicker of a tick the Vantha wondered if he was casting some kind of spell. It certainly didn't seem impossible, or at least it wouldn't have if she wasn't under such a heavy blanket of contentment. It made things hard to analyze or question; it was like she wasn't even entirely awake in that moment. Vanari might have succumbed that day. She came awfully close, that much was obvious, but the one obstacle holding her back for the first eighteen years of her life ironically came to her rescue at the most unexpected of times. The all too familiar sensation of complacency--she'd lived under its suffocating reign for so long that it was only second nature for her by now to fight it as soon as it began to grow. If she stayed in one place too long or became too comfortable around a particular group of people, the vagrant did the only thing she could: She left. But somehow, this had gotten far more complicated than rightfully possible. Because now she was feeling overwhelming amounts of sympathy and compassion for Miro. The poor man...so alone, and so misunderstood. Or at least that was what she had gathered from their brief yet poignant meeting. "I--" Vanari stuttered, torn between shock and a bundle of other mitigating feelings, "I've never...truly lived with someone. Not since I left home. Isn't that...wouldn't that be...improper?" The Vantha flushed and looked down, trying to keep herself from giving herself a good punch to the face. Since when did she ever care about propriety anymore? She did now, it seemed, though Ari suspected it had very little to do with actual propriety and more with the wizard himself. There was just something about Miro's gaze. Something possessive and desperate that made her question her very presence. Before, she had been naive, wanting nothing more than a new friend to play with. Now, she was beginning to wonder if she ought to be truly, undeniably frightened. At that very moment, a disruption in the distance stopped her thoughts in their tracks. It was the ravosalaman from before and he had a customer, who was stepping out of the... Oh, gods. It was another Stryfer. "A-Are we in trouble?" Ari whispered, unable to take her now inky, almost indigo eyes off of the approaching figure. She couldn't afford getting caught. And in think that, another realization dawned violently on her head. Oh, how stupid she had been to be staying in the presence of one of the Ebonstryfe. Only now did she think of the true scope of Miro's power. He could do virtually anything he liked with her--deport her, sell her off to slavery, put her under interrogation after her recent trip to Syliras--if he felt the whim to do so. And now there were not one, but two Stryfes about to enter her life. She couldn't think, couldn't speak. The fear that now occupied her mind over-ruled all others. So the lass did the only thing she could in that moment. She ran.

[Nemesis]

Miro

Knowledge :

Skills

Skill	XP
Familiary	+3
Intimidation	+1
Hypnotism	+4
Negotiation	+1
Observation	+1
Philosophy	+2
Rhetoric	+2
Socialisation	+3
Storytelling	+2

Lores

*Ari: Not Marked by Morwen
*Ari: Travelling Storyteller
*Ari: Vantha

Micellaneous :

Injuries

*None

Loot/Expenses

*None

Vanari

Knowledge :

Skills

Skill	XP
Busking	+1
Negotiation	+1
Observation	+4
Philosophy	+2
Rhetoric	+2
Running	+1
Socialisation	+3

Lores

*Ender: An Opinion of Miro
*Ender: Miro's Familiar
*Familiary: From Another World
*Miro: Ebonstryfe
*Miro: Hero of Alvadas
*Miro: Marked by Morwen
*Miro: Master Reimancer
*Miro: The Masked Man

Micellaneous :

Injuries

*None

Loot/Expenses

*+5gm from Miro

____________________________________________

Notes

*Lovely thread!
*Different side of Ender, loved him, and loved seeing what Ender thought... though he really needs to learn how to hold his tongue! There's a time and a place! now that Vanari is back in Ravok... will there be another meeting?!

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