3. Nathen Wingates - Mystran Bard.

Nathen Wingates - Mystran Bard.


  • "Sinful Stratagem." - Journal Entry

    ::The words are pressed firmly into the parchment of paper, each letter scribbled slightly as if written hastily… the page sports a dark red stain of wine in its center::

    _I was in the commons today, after returning from my 'trip' to the library… I'm pretty sure I found the hints and riddles Zyphlin left in the books, and yet something still urks me, dear journal. I do not feel proud, nor do I feel any sense of accomplishment. Not because of the books, but--this is difficult.. I'm not even sure if I know what I'm saying anymore, or how I'm saying it. Let me try and explain.

    The feeling you get when you think you've solved something,like a pimple you thought you'd popped, yet resprouts a tenday after. Or the irritance of thinking you've shaved your facial hair clean, yet spotting a patch that you someway, somehow seem to have missed despite being extremely careful and cautious. O**..::A dark red wine stain blurring the words::...** when you think a little girl is safe after having gone through hell two years ago to assure yourself that its over, only to have a woman sit in your lap, murmur her name to you and tell you she isn't.

    ::A few scribbled out words::

    I asked Hjoichi to get my old case files from the Cerulean Knights for me. I don't have access ever since my quitting due to that crystal situation. I hope he's able to get them for me. I think I wrote her address on one of them, when I brought her home and left her to whom I assume were her parents. She wouldn't just be sitting in old men's laps in the center of the commons. She wouldn't. Perhaps the years pass slower to me due to my elven blood.. she almost seemed my age, now. But she wouldn't! No matter how grown up she's gotten!

    It couldn't of been her anyway. She had the same hair and eyes, but I'm sure it wasn't her.

    There's something I'm not seeing, something I don't quite understand. I hate this feeling.. everything was going so well._


  • "Free."

    _The bard's boots slid across the manor's outside balcony, bathed in Selune's light. His grin unrestrainable whilst he twirled, dipping his neck back. He closed his eyes and grasped the Mystran gospel close to his chest. Inhaling the Jiyydian air deep in his lungs lovingly, he felt it.

    He felt the weave.

    Exhaling happily, his head inclined back towards the sky, eyes closed, still clutching the Mystran tomb close to his chest, his heart, with both hands. His eyes opened sharply, he shot a glance downward at the front yard. A knock at the door–a Jiyydian visiting at this hour?

    Pursing his lips, from the high balcony, he spotted the small figure waiting at the door. He swirled on his heels, hastily making his way inside the estate, setting the book of the lady's mysterious aside. His fantastic red cloak flowing behind him whilst he walked down the stairs, and reached for the door.

    Opening it and offering a chummy grin dowards to the delivery hin, "Evening sir." The halfling glanced up, and fumbled with a bit of parchment, holding it up towards the orange haired bard. "Nathe Winate?" Nate smiled a bit at the edge of his lip, "Nathen Wingates," lifting his finger, and correcting the chap.

    The hin shrugged, "It's f' you, sir. From'at Peltarchian fella. Ra'cule." Probobly Zyphlin, he thought, accepting the parchment. Nate blinked twice, closing the door after a fond farewell. He turned slowly, and strode over to the table... unfolding it, letting his eyes flicker and explore the writing within._


  • Journal Entry…

    _…The crystals are acting up, again. It's faint, but I can sense it. Maybe it's just me. Probobly just me. More demons have been spawning and shifting realms, more and more... always more. You'd think the devils would of done something effective 'gainst them in the blood wars. Hmph. Well, whatever…

    ...I miss Maya. I haven't seen her in a while. I wonder, if she still considers me a crystal freak. Heh. By now, I'm sure your just as sick as I am of hearing the term 'crystal,' in fact... It's become a horrible cliche. Cliche, in this case, meaning a word used over and over until it grows dry and bland. I'm sure the term will never have the same meaning as it used to. Or maybe I'm just rambling.

    Maya... ...almost makes me feel sorry things turned out the way they did. Almost... but then, maybe it's the positive thoughts 'they' pump into my mind whenever I begin to feel sad.

    All these maybe's. Heh.

    I haven't written any songs in a while... I wonder if Zyphlin'd be pissed at me. Anyways, I still have this inkling in the back of my head. I'm probobly just being paranoid._


  • "The student and the tutor, part II."

    Men of five, still alive through the raging glow
    Gone insane from the pain, that they surely know
    Take a look to the sky just before you die
    It's the last time you will

    -M.

    _"I really got to get going, Nate." Lilly smiles as she sits across of him, pushing herself off the flat surface of the rock. He returns the smile, also rising to salute her with a casual wave. "Thanks for the chat, eh? I'll see you later, maybe." He watches as she makes her way west towards the nars pass, thinking on the conversation they had just had. "Yeah, okay, so you had your mind toyed with awhile back," He thinks as he watches her walk off, "I still don't see why Zyphlin wanted me to speak with you… what's he trying to teach me."

    He purses his lips as he thinks, realising that, aye, in some twisted way, Zyphlin Re'cual is still teaching him despite the fact that they hadn't had a real head-on bardic lesson chat in over two years. This lesson, however, is not how to play the mandoline, or birdpipes. It's a different kind of lesson.

    He sits back down, Lilly's figure gone in the horizon. His greenish blue eyes deep and ponderous. "What're you trying to show me, Zyph?" He thinks, scrunching his lips up.

    "You were supposed to ask her something, Nate." He hears a foot press lightly onto the ground behind him, seeing a familiar shadow being cast to his front. Gritting his teeth, he pushes himself up to turn and face the blonde haired headmaster facing him. He takes a moment to gather himself, relaxing slightly, but not quite. He sees Zyphlin standing across the rock, looking blunt as he shifts his clothing from the leather armor into a casual outfit.

    "Heh, no rapiers drawn this time, Z? What's the matter, going soft?" Nate says, keeping a wary eye on his former tutor. "No, I just doubt you'd try anything stupid, Nate. So, did you learn anything chatting with Lilly?"

    The orange haired apprentice takes a moment to consider, before finally replying "Yeah, I learned there's been a helluva lot of manipulation going on in Narfell." Zyphlin smirks, continuing to speak as he begins circling the rock, making little arm motions.

    "That's right. Lilly said she didn't even realise it until it was too late. Lilly told you how invaded she felt afterwards when she finally found out." Nate's eyes followed him, he remained perfectly still, not bothering to turn around whenever the blonde haired bard passed behind him, instead waiting for him to complete the circling. "I still don't see what this has to do with me, Zyph. What're you trying to teach me? Hm? Is it the same thing as always, 'Crystals bad,' is that it? Because I've heard that all before."

    Zyphlin just smirked. "No, Nate. It's not a matter of good or evil. It's a matter of what's happened. Look at the weave, Nate. Look at it. It's so messed up it's killing innate casters. Look what your new patrons have done." Nate frowns, responding quickly with a hint of snippiness. "I know what's happened, Zyph. I know exactly what's going on, and all I can tell you is that it's being fixed."

    He sighed, shaking his head. "Nate, how do you know what their showing you is even real? How do you know their not just showing you what you want to see? Hm? When's the last time you've even tapped the real weave?"

    The orange haired bard grits his teeth, frowning deeply as he hesitates to respond. "Yeah, that's what I thought," Zyphlin continues, "Do you know the two main reasons why someone can end up cut off from Mystra's weave. Well do you, Nate?" His greenish blue eyes harden. "Yeah, I do. And it's only done in extreme cases, because it hurts her…"

    Zyph nods, continuing with the same intentfull tone. "That's right. One is dead magic, but that's not the case here, we're in an immense wild magic zone. The other, though... the other is when Mystra herself deems the caster unworthy, incapable of handling magic in a responsible manner. Think about it, Nate. Think real hard."

    "The weave is being fixed." He snaps back, sharpening his tone aggresively. "No, Nate. To hells with the weave as much as it pains me to say it." Zyphlin's eyes dawn on him, stopping his pacing and standing still across the rock, seeming relaxed, but hinting otherwise. "I watched you grow up, I watched you since your first day in Peltarch. I watched you grow behind that little boy act, I watched you become something that could of been the next great bard, the next Arryn Raven, or Adam Bromley, – the people that apprenticed me in the past. And now..." He continues, breathessly but with a hard tone, "And now I've watched that boy become a shell of a man that he could of been. I've watched that boy get pulled into something over his head, I've watched that boy become possesed and abused, and he doesn't even know it."

    Nate's about to responde snappingly with a quick comeback, but the words choke up in his throat, "..b.." He feels a familiar twitch in the back of his mind, "Complete lies!" A frown crawls across his forhead, his face dark as he watches Zyph.

    A brief moment of silence interrupts the heated conversation. He could be right, Nate considers, as he watches Zyph, who has his eyes locked on him, watching for a reaction. What if he is right? No, doesn't matter, we've still got to do what we've got to do. He probobly is right, we probobly are being influenced, but that changes nothing.

    …Does it? "Ngh..." Nate's frown eases slightly, he takes a small breath. "I'll dig into the crystals for answeres, Z. The really important ones usually require alot of prodding. I'll see... -- we'll see, who's right. For now, I need time to think."

    "Take your time." Zyphin responds quickly, his tone unreadable as he begins to leave, his face turned, expression hidden.

    "...You know where I'll be, if you ever want the answere." Nate calls, twisting his words with a hint of sarcasm, but mostly simply hoping his former headmaster heard him. The blonde haired bard's armor shifts back into it's leather form as he dissapears into the snowy horizon._


  • "Crystalline Arcanist."

    Raise the blade, make the change,
    Re-arrange me 'til I'm sane.

    Lock the door and throw away the key,
    There's someone in my head, but is it me?

    P.F.

    _"Mystra's abondoned you, Nate. You're not even using her real weave anymore, your using that fake weave, that blasphemous creation that the crystals created to mimic your old arcane abilities." …Nate sits on the cliff near spellweaver, like he'd done countless times before. His shoulders slumped, thinking about what Merin had told him previously. Oh, he'd thought about it before, trust your writer on this, dear reader, -- but this time was different in the way that he had just finished discussing the matter with his fellow Crystal Collective members.

    They had all agreed that, aye, the weave he was tapping was not the beautifull array of magnificent magic created by Mystra... but in fact, raw magic spawned and charged into his body by the crystals.

    So, he knew now that Merin was correct, and he was using something other then her ladyship's weave. Shoulders hunched, cheek in his palm, eyes glazed and ponderous as he over-looked the snowy nars pass, the bard wonders: Does it really matter? No, it doesn't. He would still thank Mystra every single day of his life for presenting him with a body able to conduct arcane: The body of an innate, magically-gifted, bard.

    However, with the current change of events, he would not be able to tap the lady of mystery's weave. Not presently, in any case, at least. Perhaps some time in the near future, he thinks... when everything's settled, and the wild magic is cured. For now, though, he would tap the crystal's inner power and manipulate it as his own, he decides, nodding.

    He had changed so much, since arriving to Narfell. From a rookie arcanist, to a Gyspie Camp gali, to a member of the Bardic College, to a proud Peltarchian Cerulean Knight... only to have it all replaced by something other then what he was aiming for. Something better, he thinks, one hundred percent sure of this fact, without a doubt in his hazed and invaded mind.

    A crystalline arcanist._


  • "The student and the tutor."

    -Unlikely meeting.

    _"On second thought, I think I'll stick around – Just to see what you've got to say, just to give you a chance to 'convince me' like you said you'd be able to." Zyphlin stopped in his tracks, finishing his sentance, turning around and pushing a strand of his blonde hair from his eyes. "Confident, as always, headmaster..." Thought Nate, watching him that night in the eastern plains.

    Snowflakes floated to the ground between them as they spoke.

    Zyph had just walked by, probobly planning to ignor his former student as usual, just like all the others do. But not this time. This time he stopped, and was actually giving Nate a chance to explain, maybe even convince him that the Collective's motives werent as evil as he'd pinned them to be. They looked eachother straight in the eyes.

    Zyphlin's were distant, cold and piercing. He was obviously on edge, ready to defend against any attack. Wary, keeping every single bit of focus he had on the allegedly crystal-controlled Nate Wingates. Nate simply smiled, standing a few feet from Zyphlin, snow falling gently around him.

    "I'm glad your giving me a chance this time, Zyph. You're not just walking by and ignoring what's happening around you. You're actually giving me a chance to explain." Spoke the orange haired bard, and the headmaster just smirked. "Actually, I just wanted to see how farked up those crystals made you, kid. Your not even acting like yourself anymore." Nate blinked, then frowned faintly. He hadn't called been called 'kid' by Zyphlin in over a year. It was painfully obvious the amount of respect they had built and forged for eachother over their three years of student and master relationship wasn't exactly kept in one piece after the present happenings.

    "Zyphlin, the crystals arent trying to harm anyone. Their motives are pure and just. They are doing the right thing." The stoic, younger bard replied. Zyph just maintained his sneering smirk, and replied. "Tell me, Nate. Explain to me how you became part of the collective. Don't tell me you went and touched one of them, your smarter then those other idiots. Tell me, Nate." He kept his wryly focused, blue eyes on his former pupil.

    The orange haired bard just took a deep breath, tilting his head and exhaling slowly. "They had to use force, if only to show me the things that make me act different now, Zyphlin. With all the crap that I've seen, all the history, the corruption, all the bloody death and fighting, -- your damn straight I'm not going to act the same, I don't have the energy to fake that amount of cheer." He replied, the blue armored bard before him simply narrowing his eyes, and tilting his head.

    "Oh yeah? Heh, listen Nate, I want you to think about something…" He begun, his voice calm but his demeanor suggesting otherwise. He continued. "I want you to think, if these crystals are really showing you the truth, or what they want you to see. In fact, I want you to do me a favor, kid..." Nathen's eyes presented a glint of interest. A favor? Why? What reason did he have to trust him, now? No one else did. To them, he was just another crystalline freak.

    "I want you to ask Lilly, or Mirk, or Penny about what Bromley did to them some ten years ago. I want you to ask him how they feel about it, too. I'm not saying it was right, but it was for the right cause. And after they tell you what it was, I want you to think about it REAL hard, kid. Think real fricken' hard about what you think you're being told." He stated, with a sharp undertone. What was he trying to do? Why tell him this?

    He then adjusted his rapier's hilt, and turned calmly to begin his way back to the city. Snow flakes still dropping gently around and between the two bards as Nate watched his former tutor and mentor, the man he looked up to while he was growing up, walk away._


  • "Leering Consequence."

    Behind blue eyes,
    No one knows what it's like,
    to be hated, to be fated,
    to telling only lies;

    No one knows what its like,
    To be mistreated, to be defeated,
    Behind blue eyes.

    L.B.

    _His greenish blue eyes seem distant this night, as he sits on the Spellweaver cliff, holding his jaw with his palm. He sighs, his thoughts wandering, thinking, racing… and being shared through-out the collective link. Merin told him he wasn't drawing from the weave. Merin told him, that Mystra would never allow him to do what he was doing, to work for the crystals. Merin told him, that he isn't even using the real weave. Merin told him that it's simply the crystals mimicing arcane power. "Lies, Nate. All lies." He shakes his head, rubbing his eyes briefly, before taking a deep breath. "Total and utter nonsense. I won't believe it. I won't have it." He states out loud, snippily, nodding promptly.

    No one trusted him. Maya had exiled herself somewhere in the nars… he missed her much. But it seemed she was gone now. He hadn't seen her in a year. Zyphlin kicked him out of Peltarch... he wished his tutor would only understand. Merin accused him of being a devil, accused him of being a slave... what babble.

    "I'll be yer frens foreva Nates." He remembered Arielle's smile while she stated her vow. She said he hadn't changed, she said he couldn't be a slave, because he was the same person. He hadn't seen her in seven years, and she came back to Narfell right in the middle of the mess. She still looked the same, she hadn't aged a day. She commented about how he grew up, "Like a beanstock" I believe, she said. That's right, he remembers, seven years had passed since they had last spoken. He was still a rookie arcanist, a new-comer... he wondered if she saw him differently now.

    Nate sighs forcefully, curling his lip and thinking. "What's wrong, Nate?" Kara's voice merged into his thoughts. He replied sighingly, "Nothing… Just wishing things would be a bit easier for us right now. You know... trust issues." She chuckled, then sighed. "All we can do is wait… something is about to happen soon. Something that will help us, I'm sure." He smiled, but just a little. "Let's hope."_


  • "Crystalline Paradise."

    Crystalline; Adjective. Consisting of or containing or of the nature of crystals.

    Paradise; Noun. Any place of complete bliss, delight and peace.

    Tell me why are we
    so blind to see,
    That the ones we hurt,
    Are you and me?

    C.

    _The orange haired bard is not found in the large mansion estate in Jiyyd today. He isn't found huddled over a Cerulean Knights file, working overtime to solve some case. He isn't on duty as a guard in Peltarch, he isn't cleaning the latrines for the bardic college.

    He is laying down, on a flat surfaced rock near Jiyyd, just a few steps off the Eastern Road. His arms folded behind his head, smiling blisfully, bathed in the sunlight. Those greenish blue eyes of his, are closed, and it seems his tale is about to come to an end. When you've finally found what you were fighting for, for so long - Peace, that is - why continue fighting, if you've already found everything, and anything you've ever wanted? The crystals keep him safe, share his emotions, they wrap his mind in a soft cushion and cradle it kindly.

    Peace of mind… but not quite. Not yet, anyway.

    "I don't want to fight Zyphlin, or Maya... Or Meril... or any of my old friends." He thinks, feeling altogether against the whole idea, as he sits on the warm surface of the stone underneath him. "We probobly won't end up fighting any of them, all we have to do is wait, and be patient." Kara's voice chimed in, breathing it's way into his mind naturally and easily. He sighs at that, shaking his head. "We can't be sure. They all think we're working against the betterment of Narfell." Kara's response over the crystalene link is delayed slightly, before finally answering. "I know… your right. But we'll just have to wait and see what happens. Trust your gut, Nate." Nate chuckles out loud, half heartedly, in response. Shaking his head and fending off a sarcastic smile. "That's the thing, Kara. My 'gut' isn't feeling to optimistic about this whole ordeal. Come to think… I feel a bit edgy." He thinks.

    Kara chuckles. "Where are you, anyway?" He asks, she responds bluntly enough. "Still in Norwick, practicing my sword strikes." The bard grins then, feeling altogether amused and sarcastic inside. Kara pauses, briefly, furrowing a brow. "What's with the amusement, Nate?" Drat, she felt it. He snaps his finger, grinning. He takes a moment to consider a proper response. "Well?" He purses his lips, shifting himself on his rock, before thinking casually. "It's simply because you folks have no idea on how to enjoy life right now. Always practicing swords, heck, Thomas too" He feels her stop her movements, furrowing a brow. His senses tell him that the combat dummy she was practicing on is slashed to ribbons. "Responsibility is important. If I want to keep in shape, I need to practice."

    Nate just sighs dramaticly, rolling his eyes as he stretches slothfully across the flat surfaced stone. "Aaah… you realise we'll be fit and healthy with ease from now on, right? What you need is to relax and take a breather. Like the crystals would want us to. Peace and relaxtion, ooh yeah." Nodding to his thoughts as he sits there, smiling. "Tell you what..." He continues, "How about I paint that portrait I promised you? Oh... what was it, seven -- no, eight years ago?" She chuckles, he feels her amusement over the mind-bond created for them. "Fine. A break will be nice. And I think I've gotten enough training for the day."

    "There we go, that's the attitude." He states, cheerily – In his thoughts, of course. Because if he were really stating it, out loud that is, Kara would never hear him. If he tried to communicate with someone in Norwick all the way from his rock near Jiyyd, by means of oral communications well… that would be just plain silly, now wouldn't it?

    ... ...He remembered the day he'd joined the crystal collective. Jarek came up to him, grinning and talking about this treasure he'd spotted near the giantspire. He mentioned that he'd need a bard's magic to help, and asked Nate if he would. Nate never expected it, oh no. Not one bit. So, the bard and the barbarian made there way into the scale singer cave, and everything was going as planned, until... well, to make a long story short, Jarek knocked the poor bard down and out when his back was turned. Let's just say there never was any treasure. Let that be a lesson to you, dear reader. Now, Kara, who had been following them invisibly, was the one who assimilated him. He was subdued, wounded gravely, barely concious. She pressed her lips unto his. Now he thought this was some sort of kiss, and was quite confused. Even more so when he felt her draining something out of him. Nothing organic, mind you. Something spiritual. He still can't put his finger on what. But what's past is past. Let's focus more on the present... ...

    Kara sheaths her sword, with a smile. "I'm on my way. Be there in roughly two hours." Nate just lays back down, making himself comfortable in slothfull bliss. "Take your time, I'm enjoying the sunlight here in the road near Jiyyd, on my rock. My amulet takes care of the cold, and the frost, so all I feel is the lovely sun." He thinks, cheerily. She senses his joyous emotions as his thoughts melt into hers. She chuckles, and grabs her things, making her way towards Jiyyd._


  • "Thin ice."

    _Nate's boots step heavily into the Jiyydian grass as he hastily makes his way towards Bromley Estate. Quickly, keeping his face low, he fidgets with the key and finally opens the lock, pushing the door and stepping inside. Like he's done countless times, with a heavy heart, he steps up the stairs, eyes low and distant, just about ready to give Maya a farewell kiss as she sleeps, grab his things before word came to Jiyyd about the happenings in Peltarch and leave.

    He opens the door to the closet, walking inside and grabbing a bundle of clean clothes. He shoves them inside his pack without a second thought, noticing that Maya's clothes are missing. Not all, but some… His eyes flicker over to the door that leads to the bedroom. Couldn't be... After the briefest of considerations he walks over to it, opening it.

    But Maya isn't spread out on the bed, hugging her pillow and snoozing peacefully. Maya isn't in the magically enchanted pool of water taking a bath or relaxing. Maya isn't praying to tempus for insight, Maya isn't admiring her armor and how it shines in the light. Maya isn't sitting on the couch with her lips scrunched up in thought as she tries to figure out what to eat for dinner.

    ...Because Maya isn't there.

    His eyes then find themselves on her empty clothes drawyer once more, then back to the empty room. His gaze lowers, he pauses, thinking... A small skip of a heartbeat explains it to him, taunting him and laughing at him, 'Your too late, Wingates' ... it skips another, as if saying.

    His hand rests over his left breast. Take a moment to think, Nate. Take a breather, give yourself a chance to consider what could of happened. No, nothing to consider, it's obvious what happened. But what if she's in danger? She's a big girl, she can protect herself, quit worrying. No time to look over the possibilities, Nate. Only time to grab your stuff and leave before word spreads.

    ..."Yeah..." Frowning faintly, with one last grim breath, he reaches over and grabs the bag he'd packed his things. He had to get out of town soon. Word travels fast from Peltarch to Jiyyd. But not as fast as a hasted bard. He still has time.

    Buckling the pack over his back, he quickly steps down the round stairs leading to the lower level of the estate. Closing the door behind him, locking it, and making his way through Jiyyd. Eyes occasionally dancing to the guards, then to the banning sign that had been recently placed. Finally, he opens the gate and closes it softly behind him, before uttering an invisibility spell and dissapearing into the nars.

    Many things to do, tonight. For now, the bard has to get away. Away from prying eyes and impulsive judgements. Away from lynch and pitch-fork mobs. But getting away is the least of his worries, now._


  • Journal Entry…

    _…I heard that the murders werent solved at all. Talgrath was wrong. But he had told me that they were linked to the shadows earlier, linked to the kidnappings. If the murders arent gone, what about the orphans? Are they going to end up getting kidnapped left and right again?

    I'm strongly considering taking Zyphlin up on that guard job I asked for way back when, the day I quit the Cerulean Knights. Jiyyd is a little odd. Not a bad town, just odd... different then what I'm used to. Oh well... He had agreed and understood why I had quit, too. I also need to give him the news that Gildor wanted me to. In any case, people are dying again. I need to find Zyph, soon. Maybe even move back to Peltarch, even if only to help. Don't know how Maya would take to that, though... I need some time to think on it. ~_


  • ((Good story…though I am wondering when Peltarch became Basin City 😉 ))


  • "Controlled Chaos."

    _-Walking down streets.

    Walk down the right street in the city of Peltarch and you can find just about whatever you were looking for. I make my way out of the bardic college, hauling whatever's left and getting ready to finish up my moving to Jiyyd. I march into the commons, seeing my ex-captain Anakore and his lady-friend, Nicahh. Not exactly who I was wanting to bump into, the last meeting between 'Kore and I was a little off-set, a little wierd…

    Regardless, I set my things down and dispel the invisibility sphere that protected my steps. Slumping down against the sundial, drumming my fingers against my knee and loking towards the couple. "Morning Anakore, Nicahh." They turn their gazes towards me and reply, "Hello Nate." A little exchange of polite smiles is done, I've gotten pretty used to that by now though. Everyone in Peltarch hides behind something -- Might as well be a smile, eh?

    Whatever, we continue talking, and I offer them some music. You know, maybe make some money to fill my light coin pouch, which it has been ever since that gnome in Norwick ripped me off. I chuckle at the memory. Clever little Frago.

    They agree to the music and I pull out my mandoline, plucking and strumming at the cords a for a few moments before starting. For a little while I sing "The Skinner, Part III" from my note-book in the bardic college.

    I finish up, a few minutes and no tips later, Anakore says he loved it, and so does Nicahh. Tips bag is empty, doesn't matter. A sleek figure catches the corner of my eye...

    She watches on, amused. Watching behind a masked cowl, leaning on a pillar to my left. Black and silver clothing pulled and strapped tight over her slender self, she claps softly. I smile in her general direction, otherwise shifting my weight and putting my mandoline back in the pack on my back.

    -Turning corners.

    "Nate." She calls me by name. That's funny… my mother specifically told me to stay away from dark clothed masked folk who didn't show their faces and hung around shady areas of the city. Yeah, real funny.

    This was someone I had met before... someone who didn't want me to know who they were. Regardless, she can't do anything, their are Peltarch soldiers everywhere. By the looks of it, she's an elf, but then again she could just be a really thin human...

    In any case, I don't recognise her. "Yes?" I respond, keeping my attitude polite as ever. "A word." She states, making her way west towards the giantspire and beckoning me to follow. I shrug and excuse myself from the happy couple sitting on the bench in front of me.

    As I walk by the stealthy figure, I notice something. Her stride is gracefull, her step, soundless. I know who she is, I just can't place it... stupid bard, you can figure this out. It can't be Divinus, she doesn't wear those kinds of clothes. And even if it was, I've learned to opress and resist her would-be mind magic. So, who is it?

    "Excuse me miss? Pardon my asking but, who are you and how do you know my name?" She continues walking, past the gate, into the giantspire, away from the fire. We walk towards a rock and she stops, standing in front of it. I blink and await my answere.

    And then the oddest thing happens. She dissapears. I take a moment to gather myself, I look around, ready to cast darkness and sprint out of there like a bat outta hell. But she re-appears again, a few paces north. She beckons me along with a slender finger. "This way." Oh real funny, lady. Keep taunting and toying with my nerves like that, I think to myself. Without a word, I follow.

    "Oh what the hell," I think to myself, "She's only able to dissapear and re-appear at will. What's the worse that could happen?" I tag along, pushing and fighting off every single instinct that's telling me to just ignor her and return to the city. You can't be too carefull these days, with all the crap that's been stirred. Like those crystals, or the kidnappings.

    We find a secluded area, a cliff as she pauses and turns around to face me. "Miss?" I querry yet again, to no avail. This is starting to look more and more suspicious and I'm liking it less and less. I have my hand near the blunt axe I have buckled to my belt, but before I can really do anything, she removes her helmet and cowl, shaking her light red hair loose from behind elven pointed ears. She presents a wink of her bright green eyes, coupled with a coy smile. I blink. "Gildor!"

    Turn the right corner in the city of Peltarch and you can find just about anything your looking for: Even old friends. And that's exactly who this was. This wasn't some two-bit wannabe sneak with tight dark clothing, this was a famed and trained stealthy woman who's probobly just as deadly as she is mysterious.

    "What're you doing here? Where were you?" I continue, rambling, my eyes flickering over her and just about everywhere else around my current location. But it's isn't like I'm not happy to see her.

    She chuckles, I settle down. We both sit, get to talking. I ask her what's she been up to, why's she been gone so long. And better yet, why she came back. We keep talking, she answeres my questions, if not a bit riddlish. While we're exchanging pieces of information, I notice yet another strange detail.

    It's probobly just my imagination, but the shadows cast by the nearby brazier seem to be extending and flickering towards the elf sitting just in front of me. Just a little bit... I'm probobly just seeing things. "Stupid bard, your just imagining it. Now quit looking like an idiot and focus on the conversation." I think to myself, rubbing my forhead, lifting my eyes again to meet Gildor's.

    It starts raining. Soft drops start landing gently on the grassy field around us, her red hair gets wet. I have to blink and squint my eyes so that no rain water upsets them, but I ignor the rain for the most part. Too focused on the infamous elf in front of me who just happened to have wandered back into the city that gave her said infamy, and just so happened to have stumbled unto one of my performances.

    She asks me what's been happening, she asks me how I'm doing and how the city is holding up, and I tell her everything. The more we talk, the more I realise she's changed.

    She looks weary, tired, worn out. She looks like butter spread over too much bread. I ask her why and she just tells me that she's focused and training hard. Training hard? For what? I disregard the comment, I ask her if she's staying instead. She shakes her head and continues. She asks me casual questions... how my child, Krystal is. I answere them all. I have no reason to distrust Gildor, no matter when people have told me in the past. She's always been nice to me, at least. Hells, she even helped me get a few keys a while back.

    After a few moments she gets up, I look to her from my sitting position. She warns me not to tell everyone that she's in town, but she asks me to make sure Zyphlin knows. I nod and agree, an easy task. She bends down to kiss my cheek. Then she closes her eyes and takes a deep breath, the shadows cast by the brazier linger towards her. "Gildor?"

    "Hmm?" She responds, her body now half-surrounded by shadows, looking towards me. "It's just, you know... this city, you left a mark in it, and, well, -- It misses you, Gildor." I continue, pulling myself up to face her directly, she just chuckles and winks. "No it doesn't."

    Just like that she fades away, pulled into obscurity, pulled into the steady calm shadows surrounding her, and then poof... nothing. I swear this city gets wierder and wierder everytime I visit._

    ((EDIT Thanks for the compliment Zyph, it was a bit inspired, to say the least. ^^; ))


  • Journal Entry…

    …I quit the Cerulean Knights today. I need a vacation, a long one. I'm going to move down to Jiyyd or Norwick soon, too. I've also taken up a position as a squire for the order of the Divine Shield. They are a respectable bunch... And my good friend, Mariston, is going to train me personally. I hope this all works out. I also hope to spend more time with Maya.


  • Journal Entry…

    (Written with a calm hand.)

    _…Well, the questions posed in my last entry were answered today. Captain Anakore told me about Talgrath's expedition to the sewers, and I also just read the file about how they managed to find the culprits and destroy an evil hidden altar. Apparently, at the end of their voyage, Eli appeared and told them that the souls of the others were at peace, and the shadows wouldn't be appearing anymore. And that the city should be safe...

    Looks like the Eli that spoke to me the other day wasn't the actual Eli... just a figment or, perhaps a part of her soul... or probobly just the same vision as usual...

    I doubt I'll ever see her again, and I'm sorry I couldn't save her. ... In any case, I'm glad she's finally found peace, wherever she is.

    ...Rest in peace, Eli. ~_


  • Journal Entry…

    _…The oddest thing happened today. I was sitting in the Peltarchian commons, alone, by the sundial, thinking about my next move with the investigation, when suddenly, a little girl walks up to me. She tells me, "Nate, there you are!" -- I look up to her and squint, wondering who she is, and then it hits me. It's Eli! She's back, safe and sound. At the moment I almost didn't know what to say. I checked her for wounds, or anything of the sort, and she was fine! Hah! Talk about good things happening to good people! ~

    She only remembered the night of her kidnapping, though. She said she was the one looking for me. Talk about odd. … She didn't remember any of the visions I had or... anything like that, really. I brought her to see Daisy at the Tyrran temple, to see if the shadows had brain washed her to make her forget the events. ... She didn't want to enter the temple. She was afraid, shivering even. I asked the fellow inside of Daisy could come out into the street to examin Eli, but Daisy was busy. Eli whispered to me, asking me if we could leave. She was probobly just afraid of the new building with all the tall strangers inside, or something. So, I said "okay" and we left. I'll bring her back when Daisy isn't busy. Though, I can't help but wonder why she was so afraid of that little temple...

    I brought her back to her parents' house. They're probobly happy to see her. She lives in the docks. She was smiling and giggling, like before any of this crap had happened. ... It almost makes me wonder if it ever happened at all. Almost.

    Eli's safe and sound. I should be happy... but, something doesn't feel right. It's too... conveniant. I spoke with Meril about it at our usual meeting spot, the south Peltarchian fires, away from the ruckas of the city. And he says it is odd, but told me not to worry about it. I'm going to bring Eli to see Daisy as soon as I can. Just to make sure everything's alright._


  • "Diabolic Delirium."

    _My name is Nate Wingates. For over seven tendays I've been combatting and chasing the shadowed, hellish hallucinations that plague the city I live in, Peltarch. The creatures are made entirely of shadow and darkness. They've currently abducted numerous children, little boys and girls who were orphaned after the Peltarchian civil war.

    I'm going to open a bracket here and explain the war. The war itself, was caused by a rat-bastard Tyrran priest named Koreth the Crusader, who's too far stuck up in his own perverted vision of justice to see the total and utter chaos his actions have caused. Regardless, Koreth is now on the run, hiding like the coward he is, and we're left to clean up his mess.

    Now, many people were killed during this war. We won, in the end, but endured many casualties. "Justice was restored, peace brought back to the lands" some said, but not quite. Many children lost their parents, who were soldiers in the war. These children had no place to stay. The Bardic College took some in, aye, and a woman named Ocean Fyne tried to open up a place for them to stay, but by all means couldn't account for all of them.

    But that's alright. It's not like no one noticed the poor, homeless children. Someone did – or should I say, something. This brings me back to the abductions and attacks involving the strange arcane darkness and creatures made purely of obscurity.

    Now your probobly wondering how I got involved with the current state of affairs.

    The reason is split in two. On one hand, I work for the city. I am a cerulean knight, "first and formost," I have to help keep the beautifull jewel of the icelace, Peltarch, safe from magical disturbances.

    On the other hand... I met this little girl one night at the bardic college. She was off to her classes with Eowiel, a teacher who works there. The little girl's name is Eli, her and her friends only wanted to learn that night. Well, just as they were going to settle down and pick up there quills and listen to the teacher, one of those things I told you about earlier appeared. It literally consumed the two boys, leaving only Eli. The teacher and I faught and killed the thing, but couldn't save the two boys.

    The teacher, Eowiel Senella, who's also a Cerulean Knight, ordered me to bring the girl, Eli, to a safe, non-magic zone so she could be kept safe. In this case: The prison. So, I humbly accept my orders, and prepare to bring the girl to the destination. We're on our way, we're outside of the college, when another creature, another shadow-thing rears his ugly face again, appearing in an oscbure patch of magic. I hold Eli's hand tight, but it slips. Yeah, it slips, stupid bard can't even hold unto a little girl's hand to save her life.

    ...

    Anyway, ever since then... more and more kids, orphans, are being kidnapped. Yeah, missing, gone, without a trace, you know how it works. All cases match up. All cases are similar. Every single victim was poor, every single victim, an orphan, living in the slums. The slums that mister "almighty crusader of justice" Koreth created so long ago, thanks to his little war.

    So, I hold the weight of Eli's life in particular on my shoulders. The others, arent directly linked to myself... but Eli's, her existence, presses my responsibility. Anything happens to her at this point, it'll be on my head. I have this rotten feeling in my gut, this guilty reminder that it's my fault she's gone. My fault her life's at risk.

    It doesn't take me long to decide that I want this case, I want it bad. Anakore, the captain of my Cerulean Knights batallion, doesn't object and gives me total control of it.

    For seven tendays, I've been piecing stuff together. Asking my friends for help. Roubanes, Eowien, Maya, everyone I know can help. Especially Roubanes, he's always been there whenever something wicked happens, always been there to lend his knowledge of arcane as a helping hand.

    So, like I said, for seven tendays, we work on trying to find the missing kids, Eli included. One day, I decide to take a midnight stroll. A stroll I regret taking. I'm turning a corner in the Peltarch commons, when suddenly, I hear this voice. It tells me that, if I ever want to see Eli alive again, to go to this specific ware house in the docks. And to come alone.

    I don't have time to notice the guards and commoners standing near me, giving me strange looks. I answere the voice, asking who it is. It doesn't answere, tells me once again to head to the ware house. I think, whatever, this is the first big break I've had. Might as well take a look. I walk back to the commons first, finding my captain, Anakore. I warn him, telling him where I'm going, and that if I'm not back in five minutes, to come on after me.

    I might of been under some serious pressure, but I wasn't about to start making stupid decisions like going into a ware house in the middle of the night without a small back-up plan. I don't tell him why I'm going, though, because if he knew, he'd probobly just want to come with me to begin with. And if whoever contacted me earlier saw that I had brought someone, panicked, and killed Eli before we even knocked on the door, I could never forgive myself. He agrees, not knowing the full details, and I set off.

    I arrive at the ware house. I open the door, and take a look around. Empty? Heh, looked like it, though there was one thing I did see. That one shadow in particular, moving and taking a form, standing sinisterly before me with two red glowing eyes. He proposes his deal: If I stop looking for the other kidnapped orphans, he gives me Eli. I sneer at that.

    Decisions, decisions. I'm presented with a delirium.

    Like I said before, on one hand: I'm a cerulean Knight. Here to serve the city, not to amend my personal guilt.

    On the other: I'm that idiot bard who let the little girl he was supposed to protect get kidnapped.

    I need some time to think this, it wants an answere right away though. I stall it, asking it why it's doing this, who it is. I'm trying to buy time. Too damn bad it ain't selling any. My questions must of made it uneasy, it tells me "too late" and lunges out for me. That's alright, I came prepared for a fight.

    I fend it off, kill it easily enough too, if it isn't already dead to begin with. Then more of it's friends show up, they've been in the shadows all around the dusky ware house all along. I fight them, hold them back long enough, at least for five minutes…

    It was a fight I couldn't win. I shoved my way through them, headed outside, to see the captain Anakore and Chaevre waiting. Thank the gods for back-up plans. They help me fight tthe things off, and we win. Then we head inside, to poke around, maybe find Eli. We hear a girlish scream, then see it... a little girl's body. But it's not a little girl. Not anymore. The thought makes my stomach turn. The body giggles darkishly, and like some sort of puppet, it rises. Shadows lurk and slither across her body... and then, she dissapears.

    Eli... what have the sick bastards done to you?

    The investigations continue. Whether or not that body was Eli's, I wasn't sure. At least not 'till that one night at the Mermaid Inn, with my ex-lover, Shemaright. We had settled down for a casual drink. We get to talking. Her newly adopted child, Tillan I think his name is, was doing great. I'm happy for her. Funny, I haven't seen her smile like that in so long, and every time she does, she always says it's when she's around me. Whichever the case, I don't have time to comment. A familiar patch of darkness appears, behind us. And what's inside just about answeres my earlier querry, too.

    Eli stands there, surrounded by shadows, an unearthly darkness surrounded every single part of her. She shouts out to me, says I killed her, says it's my fault. Am I going insane? Why is it I keep seeing these visions?

    I'm not, Shemaright sees it too. The vision dissapears. She tells me to calm down, getting worked up won't solve anything. I catch my breath. I was in denial for a few moments... telling myself that that couldn't of been Eli, and that Eli was stronger then that. Who was I kidding?

    Whichever the case, one fact remains: The investigation is still on. Shadows are still attacking left and right. People were being killed and the regular city guard couldn't do a thing about it. My colleagues in the C.K. are helping, so are my close friends, like Roubanes or Maya. Giving me advice, helping me look, search the docks.

    There's one other thing that's certain. After all this chaos, all this death, this blood and sorrow... whoever caused it, isn't going to get away with it. Kids are missing, shadows are killing casually, and Eli's become a monster. So, what's certain is the fact that whoever's guilty, is going to pay, tenfold._


  • Journal Entry…

    (Written a slight sloppiness, with a few droplets of ink here and there.)

    _I was sitting in the commons and chatting with Clandra, when the brown haired elf, known as Amy, ran up to us and shouted that the kobolds were attacking. We quickly cast our protective spells and followed her to aid against the attack. ....When we arrived, we saw far scout Hjoichi Olsen and a group he hired, they had sucesfully slain the rushing kobolds.

    We spoke briefly, and everyone seemed alright, until a darkness spread over the foothills. I quickly cast an Ultravision spell to see whether or not it was dangerous, and as expected, it was. The shadows were back, looks like they arent quite done with Peltarch. Hmpf**.**..

    Hochi's group drew steel and arrows, Clandra rushed into it, rapier drawn, I quickly followed after her. That crazy bardess**.** Heh. ... We faught ... them off easily enough, though most were confused with the lack of decent vision. The darkness then evaporated, and I asked Knight Clandra to cast a detect magic, she detected Conjuration, and Necromancy. Among others....

    (A few more bloched drops of ink here.)

    _I think this stupid quill is broken, having a hard time writing without spilling ink from it. I better replace it soon.**..

    That's when more sprouts and clouds of darkness appeared from the ground. More creatures made of shadows presented themselves. Clandra, myself, Hochi**,** Drelan, Amy, among many others fended them off sucesfully. One of the shadows taunted me, too. Saying it was my fault. ...Is it? .... I've been racking my brain trying to figure out a win-win situation for Eli and the other children.... gods....**


  • Journal Entry…

    …With the little knives gone, and visions of Eli becoming more and more scarce, I decided I needed a relieving breather from the investigation. I went down to Norwick to visit Maya. I turned myself invisible, and bought a few flowers along with a bouqet of roses from the flower salesman. Heheh, then I spotted Maya. I layed the bouqet down, still invisible. Then I placed the individual flowers I bought in a row leading to Maya, linking her and the bouqet together. She grinned and had a good time finding the bouqet. I'm glad. Then we headed to Peltarch. We had some fun while I told her a few riddles that Meril and Zyph taught me. It was grand.

    ...An odd thing, though, is the fact that the Umberlean dwarf, Mercy, might have a crush on me. She asked to stroke my hair, right in front of Maya! And then she made some jokes about, well, some rather unsightly relations she wanted to have with me. Hells, Maya thought I slept with her for a moment. Which, is totally false. Well, I don't want to be impolite, but I don't know how I'm going to get rid of her flirting if I don't say something. Mercy even cut off some of my hair when I wasn't looking, and she says she's going to make a love potion using it.

    ...Maybe I should try and get that hair back.


  • Journal Entry…

    …Well, the "Little Knives" kids have left the city. I blew it, couldn't find them in time. Eli's gone and I've got no culprit. Gods damn it. Our last investigation proved to be an odd one, I spoke to Talgrath about the deal the shadows, or whatever the hells it was, wanted to make. He says that Eli's gone, and they've gotten whatever... use... they wanted out of her. The infectious freaks. I still don't know what could posses someone to do this, to kids for goodness' sake. He also says I need to stop thinking about Eli, and start thinking about the kids that escaped. They arent dead, at least not yet, I should hope. He says I have to focus on them, the ones who're still helpable. And you know what? He's probobly right...

    ...I heard a voice that night in the warehouse. It's what proposed the deal. Something urks me, though... We're not dealing with anyone mercifull, we're not dealing with people who would willingly help someone. And that's painfully obvious. It makes me wonder. Why are they offering me Eli?


  • "A devil's deal…"

    _The orange haired bard walks into the commons, broodish and ponderous now. Still, no sign, not a single sign of Eli. Only more murders, and more death. He sits, frowning to himself, that familiar sneer seems to have attached itself permenantly to his face. Where could she be?

    The sound of Talgrath's armor is heard strolling into the commons, the bard looks up with recognition. "Talgrath, hey…" He calls over, pulling himself to his feet and making his way to speak with the six foot fighter. "Hey Nate." He responds, with a friendly nod.

    "Listen, Tal..." Nate lowers his voice slightly, his face grim, as is his tone, which is now a whisper. "You hear about the recent murders in the docks? The three guards, did you find out what happened?" Talgrath frowns, with a nod, responding: "Yeah, I heard of it. I'm still lookin' into it though. You alright? You look pale." The orange haired man shakes his head. "I'm alright... Look, I'm about to go investigate the docks' alleyways for any signs of the missing girl I filed a report on... you want to come?" The massive warrior nods. "Sure thing."

    The two make thier way towards the docks, each keeping a keen eye on thier surroundings. One peers into an alleyway, the other checks behind some boxes. For a few more minutes the continue, 'till finally coming up to an open-doored warehouse. How fittingly inviting. "Hey Tal, check this out, don't see this every day." The tall Defender glances over, disregarding the alleyway he was examining. "Yeah? Hah, an open door. We going in?" The dark clothed bard nods with a sneer. "Yeah, this was near the place where I was attacked last time, too. Let's check it out."

    They open the door, squinting and moving cautiously. The duo, each on their guard, working together to cover every single dark corner of the warehouse with vision. "See anything?" Nate calls over, Talgrath responds with a call of his own, "Nah, nothin' yet. Wait... check this, y'see this door?" Nate glances back, walking up next to the warrior and sizing the door up. "Open it?" They both nod to eachother, and push it open, repeating the earlier process and carefully examining the interior. "Eli, hello? Eli?"

    BAM! The door slams shut. "What the hells?" They both turn, Talgrath reaches for his longsword, Nate tenses his fingers up wryly for spellcasting. Shadows, crawling and slithering down from the walls and pushing themselves teasingly against their feet. "Oh gods..." Nate quickly utters an Ultravision spell upon himself, then as the shadows quickly flood the room in a brisk motion, barely manages to cast one on his friend as well. "Talgrath, get READY!" The bard shouts, knowing all too well what was about to happen next.

    "I am ready, these bastards don't know HOW READY!" Soon, claws, vicious claws begun slashing thier way through the shadows at the duo. Talgrath swings his sword violently, while his partner unleashes the usual raspy banshee's wail: "TELL ME WHERE SHE IS, MONSTERS!"

    The fight continues, bright sparks of light emerge and sparkle from the Bard's finger tips as he heals the Warrior, who slashes and hacks away at the fiends with heroic strength. Echoes of hollow screams are heard as the shadowy assasins are all struck down.

    Breathless, the Bard stumbles to a corner, his enchanted glowing eyes scanning the room dancingly. "ELI!?" A girl, yes that's it, the figure of a girl in the corner. It has to be her.

    "I hate you, Nate! I hate you! I HATE YOU!" Gritting his teeth and pushing himself off the wall, the moment seems to freeze itself with an unnerving calm. "Eli, you've got to listen! You've got to let me help you. ELI!" The shadows dissapear, one brisk motion like a dagger through the heart. So does the little girl.

    "Eli…?" Talgrath's voice breaks in like a ton of bricks. "Nate, calm down. Getting all freaked out won't help you. You alright?" Blinking, gathering his senses, did he just see her, or was that a cruel trick of his eye? "Yeah... yeah, I'm... I'm alright. You?" Talgrath snorts, pushing his sword back in it's hilt. "Yeah, takes more then a few dumb bastard shadows to get the better of me. Come on, let's search the rest of the room."

    They make thier way out of the enclosed room, back into the ware-house. Something had to be there. Anything. Nate pushes aside boxes and shoves his way through crates. "Eli, Eli are you here?" Talgrath kicks aside some debree and squints at the floor, looking for any trace of the missing girl.

    "You wish to have the girl return to you, this is your desire, boy?" A voice, not even above a whisper, hollow and chilling creeps it's way into his ear and down his spine, the Bard tenses up on the spot, pausing. Talgrath looks over, "Hey Nate, you okay?" The bard doesn't respond, his eyes distant… Nate lowers his voice to respond to the shivery question. "Who are you... what do you mean?" He speaks, quietly, Talgrath still giving him an odd look. "Nate?"

    "The girl can be returned to you, but you must be prepared to sacrifice something very dear to you. Hault your search immediately, what has begun cannot be stopped." The bard swallows lightly, letting each eerie articulation shudder their way into his ears. "Yo, Nate? Are you feeling alright?" Talgrath calls over from across the room, furrowing a brow. "Yeah… Yeah, I'm fine... just keep looking." A dismissive wave, though the orange haired man's tone hints dryness.

    "I thought Eli was..." The bard lowers his voice to a whisper once again, restraining a sneer. "Dead? She is gone, yes. However you can still grant her the chance to be loved at least once in her eternal life, for as long as you live, that is. If you are capable of loving such a thing in it's current state." An unnearthly chuckle presents itself from the confinse of the hollow voice's invisible throat. A frown crawls it's way across Nate's face.

    "You know I think if we found out who owns this factory we can gather more clues." Talgrath calls absently, still poking about and searching the factory. The voice continues. "Take your time to think on this, boy." The chilling presence losing itself, Nate's eyes unglaze and blink a bit, focusing themselves on Talgrath. "Huh… what?" Talgrath looks up, once again his brow finding itself furrowed.

    "Nate, honestly man, get some rest. You sound like your losing it. C'mon, let's go see the dock master and ask him who owns this damn place." Nate nods, gathering himself, though his eyes, those greenish-blue eyes of his, they hint an intense, critical ponderation. "Yeah, let's go..." His voice dry, the Bard follows the six foot fighter outside the ware house._