RP:Sabrina Meets Eliason

From HollowWiki

Alareik burst onto the scene! Well not so much burst as stalked... The lycan was quite busy stalking down some of the dinosaurs that where rumored to haunt this stretch of forest. A rather loud growl of his stomach would inform anyone what he was here for. A certain feline had gifted him a steak from a raptor... Now he was hooked on the fantastic creation. Slowly his nose hit the air and he withdrew his rather impressive bastard sword.


Sabrina would have simply come another way had she not become such a creature of habit, a dangerous choice in these parts to be sure, a fact that Rohk was growing weary of. Sabrina walked mindlessly, silken waist length ebon tresses swayed about her hips in an inky fashion; smooth and shining, careless but kempt. Her eyes are not visible as her delicate steps take her gracefully along the path- point being that her visage is positively obscured by a crown of blackened locks that was near attached to the book clutched in her pale small hands. Green viney tendrils seemed to spread from about the bindings of the worse-for-wear artifact she was so mentally entwined about. Rohk had her guard, as per his usual, his sauntered steps noisily dragging the earth in his wake- twin tails etching out tiny canyons as they swayed in synch with his person’s trusses. The massive beasty was an oddity, even in these lands with his chin coming clear up to the Elfess’ shoulder- nearing fifteen hands at least. She was small, even for one of her kind but even still this only made the Hell hound appear even more towering than his actual self. There was a distinct tapping of a glistening stave hitting the back of her left calf in each stride. The bow appeared to be well taken care of either by the due diligence of a skilled and crafted killer or simply because it was beautiful enough to be decorative, even the string that bound it to her form sparkled like enchanting dew ‘pon a spider’s web. Sabrina needn’t observe the world around her or the goings-on from point A to point B, as it were often times these things (if not curious enough to grab her attentions) remained irrelevant at best. Rohk’s ears perk, tuning in to a low gastrointestinal rumble. He stops, twin tails rising a hairs breath from the ground and his lungs frozen in silence. Sabrina’s feet come to a dead halt, pointed ears twitching in response to Rohk, not the potential threat stalking about. There was a distinct smell of dog in the air- not the usual burnt metal smell coming off her companion, but a feral meaty creature smell; Outdoorsey and the like.


Eliason sits on the large branch of one of the trees at the edge of the jungle. These were not his lands, but the Lady of his town had taken to hunting in these parts and the Commander was awaiting her return. Urgent business fills the majority of his thoughts though he is vigilant. Not only are the beasts of these lands dangerous, but he was in Eboric's territory and the tentative peace that had been established between the two territories was always at risk. Sapphire eyes sweep back toward the meadow at the odd sounds, both of Sabrina and Rohk's approach as well as the tell-tale growl of Alareik's stomach.


Alareik was half starved and only a quarter crazed at the moment. Turning his nose picked up various scents... None of these new scents screamed raptor or food. Along his shoulders the runic tattoos seemed to pulse keeping his anger and rage in check. Finally his need to find and label these scents won out. He kept on moving for a few before his gaze fell upon the beast beside the small woman. Almost instantly the lycan's hackles rose a low throaty growl escaping him. Wait... no he wasn't a beast... A hand slipped to his head slowly wiping the blood from his nose before merely giving a small wave to the duo...Now where was that third scent?


Sabrina closes the book silently, former green tendrils withdrew; unraveling themselves from her thin pale wrists and slithering back into the bindings of the book as the final dusty thump of the pages seal themselves from the prying eyes of lesser creatures. Her head cants sideward as does Rohk’s as if an unseen puppet master orchestrated their movements in tandem. Emerald eyes fixate on the Lycan male before her; emerald orbs entirely too luminescent to be the natural reflection of morning light- besides the sun was behind her with the meadow and that simply wouldn’t make sense. She is still for the most part, save for the heavy book slowly being clutched with crossed arms to her front, the edges of the piece fizzling into nothing as it returned to its home above the River Vibrance in Larket, leaving her bare hands clutching not but themselves before her. A flickering glance to the veritable wall of vines and jungle trees to the south to which was going to be her destination. Rohk didn’t like the situation, the book left, which usually means danger, but the smell of only human and dog perplexed him. For the time being the human in a tree would go unnoticed.


Eliason looks upon the scene before him with a curious eye. Odd that such a harmless looking woman would be wandering around these parts, hell-hound at her side or not. And the sight Alareik standing before her would have the paladin's hackles rising had he been a beast himself. Though he's heard that Alareik's pack is making their home in Chartsend, he has never actually met the man. All the Commander sees is a large man with a sword standing in the path of a girl. Sweeping his leg over the edge of the branch, the big man drops to the ground several feet below and moves in the direction of the others. Perhaps his presence will diffuse whatever situation may be building. For now, his weapons would stay firmly in their holders as he approaches and tries to take a friendly tact. "Hello," the paladin calls out, "fine day for meeting new people, eh?"


Alareik turned slowly to the sound of the newest voice. Alas today's hunt would have to be called short. With a small wave to the new man the lycan turned and vanished into the jungles.


Sabrina blinks at the human bouncing nonchalantly into view and forces a pleasing – yet unalarmed smile in his direction. She performs a proper curtsy, as proper as the bow would allow, and elegantly utters a fine greeting to the gent. “As fine a day as one could ask for, Sir.” Her voice wasn't particularly loud; it was akin to her size and just as delicate, just as nonthreatening. Rohk, on the other hand was not as deceptively sweet. He simply snorts at the male, grey scales reverberating to a delicate amber glow with each step that closed the distance between him and his person. Sabrina, having failed to respond to the first casual wave of hand had not pondered the idea of the Lycan speaking. Most of his kind in her travels were feral and so Alareik had gained a fair amount of curiosity from the fair Elfess. She presumed the glowing ‘doodles’ against his skin had something to do with his humanoid nature and she toyed with the idea of somehow removing them. A barely noticeable smile crept across one corner of her pink lips, but it was fleeting. She watched him disappear into the jungle and all her attention was on the lone human. Once vibrant eyes began to dull into a minty and far less luminous hue. The longer the book was gone the less creepy the shade became.


Eliason watches as the man bounds into the jungle at his approach after that odd wave. Stopping several feet from the Lady, the paladin offers a low bow before turning his sapphire gaze upon the hellhound. "Peace to you. I mean no harm to you or your friend..." He then turns a smile to Sabrina, noting the change in her eyes silently. The man had seen many strange things in his 24 years of life and he's found that not reacting usually has a better effect. "These are dangerous lands, milady. Though I see you are well protected." He waves a hand toward Rohk. "You have nothing to fear from me, though. I am Collin Eliason, Commander of the Chartsend Joint Forces."


Sabrina gestures toward the jungle as the evidence of the former company vanishes. “ I suppose you scared him off.” Rohk quite liked being talked to like a coherent and aware being without the usual explanation of minding ones tongue. Scales hide turns again to cold and dusty grey and a very formal bow is then returned to the Commander. The massive beasty sits- proper posture, with both tails curls in front of him in the same manner a soldier would present arms in a show of non violence. It would have been unclear to those who hadn’t often donned themselves with Sabrina’s company ( the list was few in any case) that the absence of the book stripped the eerie essence of her being. “Fear, in general… is overrated, Commander Eliason” She offers a genuine smile this time and a small breeze picks up the faint scent of salt and sandalwood from her hair.


Eliason 's lips twist up in a small half-smile at the woman's words. With a shake of his head, he turns his sapphire gaze between the pair. "He probably had better things to do... I'm not very scary, after all..." Crossing his arms over his chest, the man examines the hellhound's form and nods approvingly. Few would know why he would know to speak so plainly to what most would assume to be a mere beast, and he will not reveal his knowledge at this time to this stranger either. Instead, he redirects his attention to the woman at her next words. "Overrated as it may be, it is useful when held in control." His nose catches the scent of her on the dry wind and he offers another short smile. "I can see that you are not from these parts..."


Sabrina laughs lightly at his humor. “ Surely a soldier strikes more fear than a girl and her pup.” Rohk snorts loudly. That girl had a way about getting under his scales. She nods, pleased the Commander was at very least knowledgeable enough to figure out when something is out of place whether necessity deemed it worthy or not. He was a different kind of human- so far. “I have been to enough places that strange surroundings do not a feared girl make.”She steps closer to him, eyeing him up (way up) and down. He was a good three, maybe four hands taller than she. “Serenity.” She announced herself as per her usual practice. After all, if he knew she was not from here it would be curious to see what else he might figure out.


Eliason finds her laughter appealing and returns it with a low chuckle of his own. The hound's snort also elicits a smile from the paladin, though he is careful not to outright laugh at the creature's plight. His own eyes take in the sight of the Sabrina as she eyes him, the girl's lack of fear intriguing him. "Lady Serenity, then. I am pleased to meet you. And I have to say... If you do not fear things in this place, then I would probably do well to fear you. I know enough to see that things are rarely as they appear..."


Sabrina smiles invitingly. “Just Serenity. I don’t need Rohk teasing me later about the ‘Lady’ Bit” She gestures to the statuesque hound . Her smile fades. “You don’t need to fear me, I am basically harmless.” There was some truth to what she said and the stiff fading smile hid a little pain behind the thought. She seemed suddenly uneasy with where the conversation was going. “I wouldn’t come out here alone, which is certain.” She dons a brighter smile like a child with a secret she can’t wait to tell. She was never alone, even when he can’t be seen Rohk is never far. She begins playing with her hair, her arms hanging down her sides and fiddling with the very ends, twisting them around the tips of her fingers. Rohk had enough and was bored. He gave a short passive huff and excused himself to the jungle in search of that dog.


Eliason shrugs and waves a dismissive hand, his eyes briefly following the hound's retreating form. "Well, if it makes you feel any better, I'm not afraid at the moment. The flashes of emotion that pass quickly across her features bring a grim smile to his own scarred face. "Do you make your home in Venturil?" He gestures toward the nearby town. "If so, you shouldn't let Lord Eboric see you talking to me. He doesn't approve of Chartsend citizens being in his territory. I wish that Lady Alicia would find a new place to hunt."


Sabrina thinks hard for a moment, soft lips sifting through her most recent catalogue of memories “ Eboric, Eboric…uh uh, Eb…or..ic.” No familiarities with that name come to mind though she stops trying as her lips form the name “Alicia.” Damned memories, sometimes they didn’t come in all the way. Sometimes it was just static. She vaguely encounters a vision of Alicia and a Raptor. “She is an amazing healer” she states like a recorded message. “Or maybe not.” She frown cutely as the memory passes and shrugs. “Never heard of either of them. And quite frankly I do not think I approve of this so called Lord Eboric.” Her voice imitates a very snobby and nasal version of the name. “Besides, I can talk to whomever I want.” She was almost defensive in delivering that epiphany, complete with a stern nod.


Eliason stands silent as Sabrina talks through her memories, or lack thereof. His eyebrow rises curiously as she speaks of Alicia being an amazing healer followed by a firm statement that she's never heard of either of them. All of this brings about an amused smile as the woman finally seems to return to normal with her stern nod. "Of course you can, I agree." Idly the paladin reaches up and touches one of the slowly healing scars on his face. "I suppose that sometimes it's better to not know of the leaders of Hollow's territories. I can't think of one that I fully trust anyway."


Sabrina’s eyes follow the Commander’s idle distraction. Squinting as if peering at a very distant object she interjects something about healing his scar for him, but in Elvish. She looks into eyes waiting for him to respond before adding “Your eyes remind me of being sick.” That did not come out at all like it was meant to and she spits out in rapid fire a brief explanation of how they were pretty like the ocean but from a distance because water made her sick and followed it up with a tedious explanation about why she couldn’t swim followed by an uncomfortable silence that made her want to cry. She bit her lip hard enough to make I bleed. “I’m sorry. ”


Eliason lowers his hand and watches the woman's rapid-fire words and explanations. The elven words she speaks go right past him since he does not understand any of them, though they are beautiful to hear. Many times, he thinks to interrupt her and tell her that she doesn't have to explain, but he can't seem to get a word in without seeming rude. When she finally ends with her apology, he wants to step forward and touch her shoulder, offer some sort of comfort, but he is unsure if it would offend her. Instead, he merely offers her a kind smile and a dismissive wave of his hand. "No need to apologize Serenity. I wasn't offended." Almost involuntarily, he reaches up and wipes a drop of blood from her chin. Dropping his hand he lowers his eyes. "I'm sorry. I should keep my hands to myself. I could heal that for you, though if you want."


Sabrina’s fists were balled up and the gentle breeze shifted noticeably. Her hair was unnaturally still despite of the shift and if by coincidence Rohk reappeared at the treeline. Her eyes were wide and there was a deafening silence as if sound was robbed from the entire vicinity. He touched her, and nothing happened. She begins to breathe again, slowly. “Sabrina, my name is Sabrina.” There was a jostle of shrubbery noting Rohk had disappeared again and that sound returned as quickly as she swept it away. She smiles reassuring him all was well. “It takes too much for something so small.” In her experience the energy had to come from somewhere and the small nibble would heal scar-less by itself in no time. Hardly worth the expense, still she tried again to offer her help since his wound was sure to scar over if he kept meddling with it. “Virtually painless though, if you want me to fix that there.” She readdresses the previous distraction.


Eliason looks around as the wind shifts and all goes silent, wondering what was causing the unnatural occurence. Surely it couldn't be this woman causing it to happen? The hellhound's presence is noticed at the edge of the treeline then disappears almost as quickly. And then she speaks her name and his head cocks to the side. "Sabrina... it is a beautiful name, milady." Her refusal of his healing touch is met with a shrug of his shoulders. "It would be nothing, but I will honor your wish. As for my wounds, they will heal on their own in time. My calling does not allow for me to be wounded for long."

Sabrina cants her head quizzically to the side. “You could loosely translate that to River too…” she changes the subject abruptly “… excuse me but your Calling?” She momentarily contemplated what the definition of what his words meant. Common was an outright butchering of basic speaking principle and she remained unclear, stupefied. “You won’t heal because it affects your … screaming?” And now she looked upon him in a manner that was quickly reverting her ideals about humans.

Eliason takes a moment to consider her questioning, a smile lighting up his features at the misconception. Considering the best way to word his response. "Calling... it means the profession or job that you feel the most inclined to take on. I am a paladin. I am a servant of Arkhen and it is through his power that I am able to heal others and to fight against evil. As a paladin, my wounds are healed quickly, it comes with the job."

Sabrina’s mouth opens wide with an accepting nod of her head and visibly flushed cheeks. There were not many who could embarrass the young Elfess and she was pleased at her mistake. “Oh I see, so it is as if it is calling you.” She tried miserably to reuse the word and have it apply and hoped it went over well. Still nodding she unties a tiny scroll of parchment from her belt loop and with what is assumed to be a self inking quill, a tiny gold one that would fetch a fair price on nay market, she jotted down the information. She stows her new treasure in its previous place and tucks the quill behind her ear, lodging it firmly to adorn her contrasting trusses. “Is it hard to be a paladin, with what I have read you people have to give up a lot.” She loosely related paladins to monks- but with swords.


Eliason thinks on her words for a moment before finally nodding at her interpretation. "Yes, that's exactly right." His lips twitch upward into a smile at the flush in the woman's cheeks and the way in which she writes down the information. "It can be a difficult life..." His eyes grow distant and actually fill with tears, though none of them pass his lids. Quickly shaking away the recent memories, however, he tries to shrug away any further explanation. "How about you? Do you have an occupation?"

Sabrina contemplated finding a calling, assuming every human had one. “My occupation” she thought for a full minute about what she did for a living and proudly ended up with “I kill people, well, not always people. Just things. I kill things.” Still there had to be an easier way, a less dirty way to life and if there was one to be had she was gonna have it. “How do you know what your calling is? Is it dictated to humans at birth or can anyone get one.” She was still obviously unclear about a ‘Calling’ in its entirety. Being face to face with a human led her to believe that it was monetarily based. “Would I be able to procure one or would I have to take someone else’s?” She was very interested indeed, leaning in hungrily awaiting his answer like a child awaiting their sweets. In that moment she regarded his flash of emotion and was rendered silent. He was deeper than he looked, and as it turned out, he was growing on her even if he was just human.


Eliason scratches his chest lightly, the deep, scabbed wound under his tunic itching like crazy. Her description of what she does for a living leaves him feeling a little confused, but he chooses not to pursue the subject too quickly. Instead, he turns to inquiries. "Honestly, some people never find a calling. You can't buy it, steal it, or find it... But you know when it comes to you. You just feel with everything that you are that you are doing what you were meant to be doing..." He furrows his brow as he tries to come up with a suitable word to explain it... "Seere!" He speaks the elvish word for peace. "It is what you feel in your spirit when you have found a calling."


Sabrina nearly squees with excitement. “Why didn’t you just say that then?” She slaps his hand away from his chest. “In that case I am what they call a… a um… well what I do is I acquire information. I do not necessarily believe in good or evil and I acquire information indiscriminately.” She lays her hands out and open and a form begins to take place upon them. First a grey wisp of smoke that slowly solidifies and turns a dingy brown, forming the edges of a very ancient artifact known as the Book of Ara. “I am the Keeper.” She explains in little detail of all the information gathered in the book but does not open it. Tiny green vines reach outward and play with her fingertips, spiraling up her wrists to get a firm hold. “The book can not be taken, it must be given.” Her smile is beaming now, boasting that some of the greatest wizards in history have written in the book including a Hollow resident who used to host the Academy of Magics in Larket right here in Hollow.


Eliason cannot help but laugh at Sabrina's excited talk. Though he doesn't fully understand what sort of information she gathers, he nods along with her short explanation. His eyes grow wide, however, when the book appears magically in her hand with the vines twining about her hand and arm. "It's beautiful!" he explains at the sight of it. He has seen many books in his day and read as many as he was able, but never had he seen anything like this one. He feels a strange energy pulsing from the pages, crying out to his spirit in a way that he's never felt. "It... is it.." he feels weird asking this question about a book, but he is too intrigued..."is it alive?" Sabrina nods happily, and then shakes her head indiscriminately. “Define alive…” She bites her lower lip, stroking the binding like it were the spine of a large cat. Her hair falls with the cant of her head and she gestures a place for them to sit by simply plopping down, book in hand and opening the artifact somewhere in the middle. She grins wide “It doesn’t really matter where you open it, you will be shown what you need to be shown regardless… for the most part, unless you are looking for something in particular that could be categorized as… never mind. It is a very complex process.”

Eliason settles on the ground across from the woman as his eyes continue to take in the sight of the book. "Alive... I mean it has the feel of having its own spirit, like it is aware of itself. I've never seen a book that feels that way..." He nods at her explanation of how the book works and his sapphire gaze rises to meet hers. "I won't pretend to understand the process. I'm but a simple soldier..."


Sabrina nods. “Then yes, the book is very much alive, except in the effect it can’t die or feel pain or stuff like that.” Her eyes darken ever-so-slightly as her hands brush against the pages. “It is said that it feels through its environment, I haven’t discovered what that means but I am not of the House of Ara, the last human of that house died a couple years back when the book vanished.” Her eyes grow darker still but her talking slows considerably. “The book was meant for Humans and non-magic folk. It is supposed to have a grosser effect dependant on the carrier’s ability, but I have yet to notice any incidences.” Her hand stopped petting the pages and her eyes were drawn downward as pearlescent script began to swirl about the pages in a beautiful mesmerizing glimmer of foreign tongue and pictographs, displaying recipes for unworldly things. A glow grew constant since the book reappeared and the air itself grew heavy around them. “It is all very consuming.”


Eliason finds himself holding his breath as Sabrina speaks. Her words are reverant, almost as if the most holy prayer was being uttered for the first time before him. His eyes latch onto the shimmering and swirling lettering that is completely foreign to him. Her final words elicit a nod from him, though he tries to come up with words that befit the situation. But no words will come as he the book hold his entire focus now.


Sabrina didn’t have to explain the words and pictures to Eliason. The book was opened for him, the pages were splayed before him, and unless his will was aware enough to deny the information presented to him he would somehow come to know it. As the second passage comes to form, and unbeknownst to the two sitting who were overwhelmingly preoccupied with what was before them, Rohk had crept up beside them and quite suddenly let out a painfully loud bark that startled Sabrina into slamming the pages shut and forcing her to scream out Elvish profanities . Sensing that split second of fear the book vanished in the same manner it had before, but this time leaving red welts where the vines pulled themselves from her flesh.


Eliason : The images and words that appear on the page sear themselves into Eli's mind. At the moment, they are nothing more than meaningless scribbles, but somehow he knows that they carry great meaning for his future. That he will never be able to forget them or will them away. He is so wrapped up in the book and the information that it chose to share with him, that the paladin does not see the approach of the hellhound. The bark issuing forth from the creatures mouth nearly sends the man from his own skin and he automatically reaches for his sword, though the situation becomes clear long before the weapon is actually produced. Instead, the man begins to laugh and he turns to meet Sabrina's gaze. "Thank you for showing me..."


Rohk took off as soon as Sabrina found her wits, kicking up dirt and rock in his mad-dash for the tree line. The hound was impeccably fast but his snicker could still be heard as a poorly thrown rock bounces shortly behind him. Sabrina is brought to focus soon enough by the cheerful laughter of the Commander and the air is light around her. She rubs her arms, the welts reddening deeply and beginning to itch. “I don’t think the book likes me though.” She looks down and holds her pale red-stinging arms out to him, her bottom lip poking out appropriately. “As much as I am endeared to learning about it I must do it quickly, I feel like it is telling me… I dunno, it’s stupid.” Her cheeks flush yet again.


Eliason sombers as she speaks to him again. Unable to help himself, the man reaches out to lay a hand over the reddening welts on her arms. Hoping that he is not overstepping any boundaries, he whispers a soft prayer. As he speaks, his hands begin to glow softly and a soft chant lifts from his lips. If she allows her pain to go, the wounds on her arms would begin to fade and reappear on the paladin's own arms as if he has just taken her pain upon himself. Whether or not she allows this to happen, he would follow by staring into her eyes and softly whispering. "It's okay... Tell me."


Sabrina’s eyes dim to a pale cool mint as she forgets for the time being, feeling his warm hands upon her stinging flesh. “It wants me to find a new Keeper, I was never meant to have it.” She lets his healing take its course, the welts minimizing until she feels a strange and foreign peace invading her. She was sad by her revelation now that she said it aloud, and the peace was drowned by sadness. She was quite fond of the book. Emotion was ever reflected in those enchanting orbs, and now they cast downward as if she only just realized she had to give away her only child for its own good. “Will you help me?”


Eliason pulls his hands away and sets them awkwardly in his lap as he regards the woman before him. The sadness in her eyes at the revelation pulls at his heartstrings and he finds his emotions mirroring her own. "You don't want to let it go... I can see that. What do you want me to do to help?" For some reason, the man seems unable to help his desire to make this woman smile and he lifts a hand to touch her cheek gently. "It's alright... I'll do what I can for you."


Sabrina catches his gaze with viridian return, small flecks of gold flickering as the light plays across them. His eyes really did look like the ocean, she thought. She takes in his features and feels a little pathetic confiding in the Human. Suppose it would take a certain kind of Human to find someone the book needed. It started with Humans after all; it should probably go back to where it came from. His hand graces her porcelain cheek and only then did she realize how silent she had become, and for how long. “Your eyes really do remind me of being sick.” She grins cutely.


Eliason allows his fingers to trace the curve of her porcelin cheek for a moment, trying to offer some level of comfort to the saddened visage. Her words, however, immediately elicit a return grin and his hands drop once more to his lap. Strange how she can so easily manipulate his emotions... "I shall take that as a compliment," he offers in return. Taking a breath, he turns his eyes to the edges of the jungle. It would seem that the question of what she needs from him will go unanswered for the moment.


Sabrina moves to stand, simply pushing up against crossed legs effortlessly to an upright position. Her pants, as well as her jacket had become dusty, and so she frowns. Her hands rise with a purposeful heave of her chest, breath held for only a moment before it is released. Her fingers splay out, her ample chest falls and in a small tuft the dirt separates from her garments and falls faster than gravity can take it to the ground at her feet, leaving her semi-effortlessly clean. Her eyes follow his to the tree-line which is surprisingly calm given its ideal killing local. The sun was no longer high and before she knew it she lost half her day. Offering a smile to the still-seated Soldier she offers to help him up by hand (not by earth) after which she offers him a cordial curtsey and strolls off to the treeline in search of the wandering Rohk.