EZ_Minz
06-15-00, 05:46 AM
Minz looked up at the black clad figure. Eyes strained to focus. "Marina? Oh Marina, I have done such ill. . . . Innocent blood stains my hands." The word tumbled out of Minz as he held up his hands for Marina to see. The clean, pale hands trembled. " . . . a mother I took . . . and one my age . . . a good friend to someone. . ." His voice trailed off, leaving only the sound of the breeze.
Marina simply nodded. "Come young one. We must away."
The two made there way down in silence. Slipping into and out of the shadows as they went. A shallow cave presented itself as a brief hiding place. "Stay here Minz, I shall return." With that Marina slipped off to destinations unknown. She returned some hours later with another, a fingerwagler of some sort. Minz simply stared woodenly at his hands.
"Is this him?" the caster said, unbelief in her voice. "He is too young."
"Aye," Marina replied. "Now, to business and off with you."
The caster nodded and began to chant. Blue lights flickered around him. A slight tingle and it was done.
"There," said the caster "None, shall be looking for a young wood elf. Be safe."
Marina handed the caster some coins and bid her farewell.
Minz looked up at Marina. "Don't you see?" he said "They will simply follow the trail of blood. It will lead them to me no matter what."
Marina arched her eyebrows, not understanding what he said. "Come Minz. You are going to be alright," she said consolingly.
Through the Commonlands and through Kithkor they traveled. Stopping only to drink from a small stream. Marina's sharp eyes and nimble gait a stark contrast to Minz's empty stare and wooden trot. The two stopped for the night in Highpass Keep.
Marina had food brought up. "Minz you must eat!" she stated.
"I cannot bear it," was his empty reply.
Marina had sent word to he beloved.
        I am at Highold with our young friend. Come at once.
The simple note was dispatched with all the haste that platinum could buy.
Morning came and much to Marina's delight, Cerawyn waited below at the tavern. They greeted as husband and wife, having spent much time apart. Cer slapped Minz on the back, "Come now laddy, chin up!" clearly trying to raise Minz' spirits. "you're in no worse a pickle tha I've ever been."
Minz mustered a melancholy grin and the three set off. "I've a port for the tree of us to the hall. We'll have you out of reach of Sir Azzwyp in the blink of an eye."
At the spires in North Karana a caster waited as promised. Cer paid him and he began his magiks. As promised, the three were in the Toxx forest in the blink of an eye.
Denadra, Lythe and Branline waited at the guildhall. A table with four chairs sat waiting. A rough earthen pitcher of mead and four wooden glasses adorned the simple table. Additional chairs sat on the perimeter of the room. Upon seeing him Lythe rushed out to embrace her former apprentice. Tears welled in her eyes as she beheld his forlorn image. Minz returned the hug, but pushed her away after a moment.
"I do not want to sully you," he said.
Lythe @#%$ed her head and was about to question this remark when Denadra told her "Hold your questions Lythe, there is time enough for such." Denadra was the picture of control. Her eyes steel where Lythe had been soft. Her visage a proud reminder that all deeds of the Elder Dragon reflected on her. Branline stood at her side, taking in the entirety of the gathering.
The four sat down at the table, while Cerawyn and Marina sat against the wall. Mead was pored for all. Bran gulped his and pored another. Lythe ignored the glass offered and Denadra sipped slowly. Minz placed his hands on the table and took a tentative sip. Only to cough it back. Marina knitted her browns in concern. Cer placed his hand on hers and whispered in her ear.
Waiting just a moment after all had settled, Denadra spoke, "Minz, we have heard many thing recently, but nothing from you," her authority hung in the air. "Tell us what happened."
Minz looked up, but could not hold Denadra's gaze, returning his eyes to his hands. He relayed the events of the last days: the offer from Mephisa; the cottage; the young sons of Sir Azzwyp; the killing of Lela; Mephisa's glee at Lela's death; his escape from the gaurds; his killing of Rhikki Martin; escape to the common lands and Marina finding him.
Denadra simply listened, giving up nothing, and noting every detail. At the end of the narrative Denadra asked simply, "it is all true then?"
Without looking up, Minz answered, "Aye, the blood of the innocent stains my hands." Holding his hands before the assembled, Minz beheld the blood as it dripped down his fingers and hands, staining his tunic and forming pools on the table. Raising his voice "Can you not see?? Have I not offended. I AM VILE AND THIS PROVES IT!"
Wildness flickered in his eyes. Horror struck his face as a hammer.
In a flash of movement Minz stood up. Hurling the chair against the wall.
Hands went to the hilts of weapons. All at the table were thrown into instant reaction. All save Denadra. She say, stock still, her eyes locked on Minz.
"Minz, there is no blood on your hands," she said calmly. "You are OK."
But Minz no longer saw his guild mates. He beheld the images of his victims in their place. Lela told him beguilingly that there was no blood. Her throat open, as a second smile, grinning at him malevolently. Beside her, stood the young bard Rhikki, a gaping wound in his chest. All around him wore the faces of these two.
'NOO! NOOO! NOO! YOU ARE DEAD," Minz yelled. In an instant he turned and sprinted out of the room. Madness griped his mind as the forest around him whirled out of control.
Minz Elandril
Jester of the Order of the Elder Dragons
*Wooosh*
"Hey was that just Minz?"
Runner of the Hills
Marina simply nodded. "Come young one. We must away."
The two made there way down in silence. Slipping into and out of the shadows as they went. A shallow cave presented itself as a brief hiding place. "Stay here Minz, I shall return." With that Marina slipped off to destinations unknown. She returned some hours later with another, a fingerwagler of some sort. Minz simply stared woodenly at his hands.
"Is this him?" the caster said, unbelief in her voice. "He is too young."
"Aye," Marina replied. "Now, to business and off with you."
The caster nodded and began to chant. Blue lights flickered around him. A slight tingle and it was done.
"There," said the caster "None, shall be looking for a young wood elf. Be safe."
Marina handed the caster some coins and bid her farewell.
Minz looked up at Marina. "Don't you see?" he said "They will simply follow the trail of blood. It will lead them to me no matter what."
Marina arched her eyebrows, not understanding what he said. "Come Minz. You are going to be alright," she said consolingly.
Through the Commonlands and through Kithkor they traveled. Stopping only to drink from a small stream. Marina's sharp eyes and nimble gait a stark contrast to Minz's empty stare and wooden trot. The two stopped for the night in Highpass Keep.
Marina had food brought up. "Minz you must eat!" she stated.
"I cannot bear it," was his empty reply.
Marina had sent word to he beloved.
        I am at Highold with our young friend. Come at once.
The simple note was dispatched with all the haste that platinum could buy.
Morning came and much to Marina's delight, Cerawyn waited below at the tavern. They greeted as husband and wife, having spent much time apart. Cer slapped Minz on the back, "Come now laddy, chin up!" clearly trying to raise Minz' spirits. "you're in no worse a pickle tha I've ever been."
Minz mustered a melancholy grin and the three set off. "I've a port for the tree of us to the hall. We'll have you out of reach of Sir Azzwyp in the blink of an eye."
At the spires in North Karana a caster waited as promised. Cer paid him and he began his magiks. As promised, the three were in the Toxx forest in the blink of an eye.
Denadra, Lythe and Branline waited at the guildhall. A table with four chairs sat waiting. A rough earthen pitcher of mead and four wooden glasses adorned the simple table. Additional chairs sat on the perimeter of the room. Upon seeing him Lythe rushed out to embrace her former apprentice. Tears welled in her eyes as she beheld his forlorn image. Minz returned the hug, but pushed her away after a moment.
"I do not want to sully you," he said.
Lythe @#%$ed her head and was about to question this remark when Denadra told her "Hold your questions Lythe, there is time enough for such." Denadra was the picture of control. Her eyes steel where Lythe had been soft. Her visage a proud reminder that all deeds of the Elder Dragon reflected on her. Branline stood at her side, taking in the entirety of the gathering.
The four sat down at the table, while Cerawyn and Marina sat against the wall. Mead was pored for all. Bran gulped his and pored another. Lythe ignored the glass offered and Denadra sipped slowly. Minz placed his hands on the table and took a tentative sip. Only to cough it back. Marina knitted her browns in concern. Cer placed his hand on hers and whispered in her ear.
Waiting just a moment after all had settled, Denadra spoke, "Minz, we have heard many thing recently, but nothing from you," her authority hung in the air. "Tell us what happened."
Minz looked up, but could not hold Denadra's gaze, returning his eyes to his hands. He relayed the events of the last days: the offer from Mephisa; the cottage; the young sons of Sir Azzwyp; the killing of Lela; Mephisa's glee at Lela's death; his escape from the gaurds; his killing of Rhikki Martin; escape to the common lands and Marina finding him.
Denadra simply listened, giving up nothing, and noting every detail. At the end of the narrative Denadra asked simply, "it is all true then?"
Without looking up, Minz answered, "Aye, the blood of the innocent stains my hands." Holding his hands before the assembled, Minz beheld the blood as it dripped down his fingers and hands, staining his tunic and forming pools on the table. Raising his voice "Can you not see?? Have I not offended. I AM VILE AND THIS PROVES IT!"
Wildness flickered in his eyes. Horror struck his face as a hammer.
In a flash of movement Minz stood up. Hurling the chair against the wall.
Hands went to the hilts of weapons. All at the table were thrown into instant reaction. All save Denadra. She say, stock still, her eyes locked on Minz.
"Minz, there is no blood on your hands," she said calmly. "You are OK."
But Minz no longer saw his guild mates. He beheld the images of his victims in their place. Lela told him beguilingly that there was no blood. Her throat open, as a second smile, grinning at him malevolently. Beside her, stood the young bard Rhikki, a gaping wound in his chest. All around him wore the faces of these two.
'NOO! NOOO! NOO! YOU ARE DEAD," Minz yelled. In an instant he turned and sprinted out of the room. Madness griped his mind as the forest around him whirled out of control.
Minz Elandril
Jester of the Order of the Elder Dragons
*Wooosh*
"Hey was that just Minz?"
Runner of the Hills