RP:Sandcastles and Psychics

Synopsis: Trent and Raphaline discuss strange shapes drawn in sand; Later that evening Meri is subjected to visions that leave her in a quite weakened state.

Characters: Trent, Raphaline, Meri,

Location: Cenril

Date: March 14th, 2014

Sandy Beach

Raphaline was relaxing down by the ocean line, her toes penetrating the edge of the waves as they slid up along the sandy shore. Her leather pants are rolled up to her knees, and her duster is piled somewhere else along with the violin case and satchel. As the wind whips around her, the bards allows her eyes to close and her other senses to take note of everything around her. She begins to hum, nothing too grand as she slides her arms around her knees.

Trent was headed westward. The leather jacked that usually graced his form was nowhere to be found; Weapon and satchel non-existant. The metallic hand seemed to be clutching something- A sandwich? It was brought to his lips, a bite taken as he strolled along the sandy terrain, his mind elsewhere. It wasn't until he spotted a form close to the waves that he snapped out of his lull, a moment taken to realize the form was familiar. He pauses his journey, "Raphaline?"

Raphaline takes a moment to register someone saying her name, but when recognition hits her she shifts her body enough to turn and look at him. "Trent?" Her emerald eyes never glance toward the metallic hand, rather it would be rude, instead she looks up and locks her eyes on him. "How have you been?" She inquires, beckoning him over to sit with her on the cusp of the waves.

Trent shrugs a bare shoulder, another bite taken of the meal he had been carrying. "I have been... well enough." he offers after a mouthful. "Just came from work. How about you? it has been some time, hasn't it?" A light smile is offered, although his mind wanders briefly to that first meeting. Slowly he seats himself next to the woman and takes another bites of his sandwich.

Raphaline rums a hand briskly through her wild curls before breaking into a chuckle, a rather sigh sounding one. "A lot happens, but you take it in strides of course." She averts her gaze once more back to the ocean and watches the waves roll over one another for a moment before inquiring, "Where do you work now?"

Trent points with his free hand toward the east. "The docks. To keep mind and.... body.. occupied." he answers, narrowing his gaze at the hand that was stuffing the remainder of his lunch down his gullet. His attention would fall once more upon the bard, a casual smile given. "What brings you out this way? I mean. Do you live around here, or just visiting?"

Raphaline gazes towards the far off docks for a moment, thinking of the ships and the places they had taken her before turning to Trent once more. Her gaze possesses a compassion in them for the blond, obviously not frightened by past events, nor holding them against him. Instead, a grin curves across the soft line of her mouth. "No, my home is quite a ways from here. I visit often, but mainly for the beach." She wiggles her toes a little, burying them in the sand, "Sometimes, this is the most relaxing place in these lands."

Trent nods knowingly. "I never gave it much thought, but it is quite serene here. Life is so hectic that one must stop and take it all in, I suppose." His attention is cast upon the rolling waves, the metallic digits of his left hand begin to claw and dig at the sand, occupied and out of trouble. "Where is home for you, then? If I may ask. Is it a lovely area?"

Raphaline turns towards the city for a moment before looking once more at him, "High in the Xalious mountains. Where trees grow high, the peaks are numerous and the land is peaceful. Up there, it is like time has no meaning, especially when you have lived as long as I have."

Trent's hand ceased its motion, now balled into a fist. It was the word Xalious that seemed be the catalyst for the reaction. "Xalious Mountains... this sounds familiar. I have not been there since my waking, but perhaps I visited long ago. I do recall reading about it in the library." The latter portion of her words now intrigued him. His head tilted, confusion settled into his brow. "How long have you lived?..."

Raphaline knew her frame itself would not give way to her race, but when she reaches up and tucks her hair behind her ear, that the slight point does. "I may only be half elven, but, I've lived twice the lifetime of any human." She knew what library he spoke of, it was further south, near where the mages lived. "The mage library I suppose?"

Trent's lips parted, a soft 'Ah' escaping as he noted the ear. "I should have guessed. Seems like my intuition is slightly lacking." Without provocation, Trent felt his armored hand swing upward, the other quickly taking it by the wrist and forcing it down to the ground. You could tell there was a bit of a struggle, but still he answered, "Yes, you are correct. After all of these ...discoveries in the last few weeks, I thought it best to try and learn what I can. However, it only leads to more questions and fewer answers."

Raphaline looks towards the metallic hand for a moment, sensing it wanted her gone. "I imagine. Magic is not an easy feat to try and discover, even more when magic you don't know may have been used on you as well." She turns her gaze up to the male once more, "Where have your questions turned you as of recently?"

Trent tried his best to ignore the damned thing that was making such a fuss. Sometimes, he swore it merely wanted attention. "I guess most recently, I find myself asking... Why? Why would something like this happen? Why would someone do this to me? Why can I not find anyone that recognizes me, or even the artifact that holds a curse over my being? I find it peculiar. There is much record keeping of the events that have passed in this land, but none seem to hold recognition for whom I may have been? I know the clues are all here. The puzzle pieces are laid out in plain sight. I know it. If only I could just make them fit together."

Raphaline gazes hard at the male as he spills forth his thoughts. She absorbs them, mulls them over before finally speaking, "Sometimes, what we want to know most about ourselves, is something we cannot search for. Sometimes, we have to wait and the information will come to us." She shakes her head, "There are many horrible things that others will do to one another." She reaches over to brace a hand against his shoulder, but as her hands rests, her other pulls back the long sleeves, revealing a horrendous scar that encircles her wrist.

Trent's hand finally settled, a victory in itself. A nod is ushered, words falling shortly behind, "Those are very wise words." he offers. When his eyes turn toward the hand that graced his shoulder, both brow ascend when the scar is noticed. "What..happened?"

Raphaline pulls her sleeve back into place, hiding the scar once more. "I was a slave for most of my younger years." She shake her head, denouncing the need to say more about it. "Maybe, you live too much in what the bad people have done to you. Maybe, you need to look more into the good people around you now. Trust me, dwelling on the past can eat you alive sometimes."

Trent understood the aversion to the thoughts of the woman's history and respectfully let it go. Instead, her latter words would bring a look of both revelation, and yet confusion. "That is... a valid point. However, I can not just let... 'this' go." he retorts, motioning to the metallic nuisance. "This is a problem that must be solved."

Raphaline nods, it was something that needed to be understood. She draws her legs up her chest before responding, "Yes, but don't let it consume your life. Who knows, someone else might end up finding or having the answer you are looking for. You won't know until you look, aye?"

Trent let loose a lengthy sigh and a nod. "Yes, I suppose you're right. I-" before he could finish, something caught his eye. In their idle conversation, the metal appendage seemed to have been at work, using a talon-like finger to trace shapes in the sand. There appeared to be a tower of some sort, surrounded by mountains. Above lay a strange symbol, with F and K on either side. Just below the tower seemed to be a winged beast- A dragon per chance? No words were uttered, the cogs of the male's mind now working.

Raphaline shifts her gaze when he does, noticing the symbols as well. The dragon is not so familiar, but the tower and mountains, well, her mind could think of a few places that might be. "Where in Xalious do you think this is?" She asks, now tracing emerald eyes back up to him, "The mage tower? Or one of the two castles in Xalious?"

Trent could not help but stare upon the dragon. There was something off. "I do not think this is the mage tower. I am certain that I would have been lead there by now. What...castles do you speak of? I do not know these places." The armored digit continued to doodle, flame-like shapes now encompassing the bestial image. Once it had finished, it would then move above the tower and begin stippling repeatedly. "Would you be certain that this is Xalious?" Trent finally asked.

Raphaline nods, "Yes. Xalious is the only mountain range in these lands, even more so with strange towers and buildings." She looks westward, "There is one castle, hidden behind a waterfall. The other is further to the east, somewhere north of the highlands where I live. Both of them seemed to have been abandoned but..."

Trent closes his eyes, trying to recall if anything of this was familiar. It was when his hand lifted and then forcefully slammed into the sand that he would open his eyes. No longer would the artwork be etched into the earth. Instead, it had been stolen into the balled up first of metal, now to fall and be carried as dust in the passing breeze. Was this symbolic? Or was it all simply a teasing ploy meant to annoy the man? "I must prepare a journey, then. I must see these castles. I need to know if they are of significance."

Raphaline watches the artwork disappear beneath the metal hand, but it did not matter, she could remember details. Looking up to Trent she inquires, "I can show you the way." There was no questioning in her voice, nor did it leave any room for him to say no. She knew Xalious, she knew those high mountains better than anyone else. It was her home, and she could not allow someone to wander through it unknowingly. "Which castle will we be heading for first?"

Trent quickly gathers to his feet, his eyes aimed westward. "Whichever is closest I suppose. I will need to gather my belongings. Shall we meet in a bit?"

Raphaline nods, "I will meet you at the Kelay Restaurant. A good place to pick up food before you head into the mountains." She gives him a stern look, "These places are not easy to find without a guide, so don't get any funny ideas, aye?" The bard rises as well, dusting herself off of the sand before making her way over to her own things. "Don't be late."

Trent smiles. It was quite hopeful! "I won't. Thank you..." with that he sets off toward Cenril in preparation. _________________________________________________________________________________

Later that Day...

Transport to Rynvale

Trent had been conversing with the foreman, hand held out as a small bag was placed in its grip. Payment of course. A stern thank you was uttered before he turned and walked away. Halfway down the dock the blonde haired male stopped, lowering himself to the edge to have a seat. He thought it may be nice to rest his legs for a few moments and count the coins he had received. Can't be too careful about payment, can you?

Meri came to the docks for one reason and today it was not to hop ship and sail off to Rynvale. No, she was looking for a certain blonde-haired friend of hers, making good on her promise to pay him a visit down at the docks. Amongst all the bustle and clammer going on at the docks, Meri spots Trent, booted feet bringing her right on over to the male, popping a squat next to the male. “Well hey there, darlin’.”

Trent was amidst counting when the familiar tune of Meri's voice reverberated his eardrum, head turning to place her entirety in his view. "Meri! How are you today?!" he asked quite cheerfully. Someone was in a good mood!

Meri smiles as a direct result of Trent’s good mood. The woman leans forward into the male just a bit, enough to snoop at the coin he has collected. It’s an innocent enough gesture, coupled with a casual question of, “What has you in such a good mood? That coin you’ve collected for all your hard work?”

Trent's armored hand quickly clenches tight around the bag of shiny to prevent any loss. Greedy bastard! With a good laugh, a bare shoulder is shrugged. "I have no idea. Today... just seems like a good day. It is the first in some time I have felt some sense of normality. Even though it's far from so. How are you this day? What brings you down to the dock? On your way to Rynvale?"

Meri ‘s first comment is directed more at Trent’s greedy armored hand more than it was Trent. The thing did seem to have a mind of it’s own. Trent talked to the damn thing too. Why couldn’t she? “Oh stop it. I’m not going to go stealing any of your precious gold.” Blue eyes flicker back toward Trent’s face, shaking her head at the notion that she might be off to Rynvale. “No. Actually. You bring me down here. I -did- tell you that I would come by and see you here, no?”

Trent's hand seemed to understand the woman and almost taunting, perhaps even to piss Trent off, it throws the gold over the man's shoulder and into the sea behind. he wasn't even surprised anymore. Naked hand palming his face, Trent sighed. "I hate you." When he finally looked upon Meri once again, his smile returned, "Oh? That is very nice of you, then. I am very much appreciative for the visit. it's always nice to cross paths with you."

Meri is quick to act. All those coins that were just tossed into the sea are suspended in the air with only the loss of a few coins. Said bag of coins levitates its way back to where two are sitting on the docks, Meri reaching out to pluck it right out of the air. It paid to be a psion sometimes. The woman had no intention of even attempting to keep it to herself, offering it back to Trent with a mischievous grin. “Is it? I couldn’t tell. You’re always so stiff and formal,” she teases. The teasing wouldn’t stop there. In light of her comment, if Trent reached for that sack of gold that was rightfully his, Meri would pull it just out of reach.

Trent blinked. At least three times. "You... are full.. of surprises, aren't you? is that part of your gift?!" he asked in an excitable and interested tone. When the gold moved out of his reach, he laughed, giving a narrowed stare. "I'm sorry, it's how I was... raised? Or perhaps it former training. I don't seem to display my emotions well enough."

Meri smirks at Trent’s reaction to her ‘surprise’, shrugging her shoulders in a nonchalant shrug, “Can’t put all my cards on the table in one sitting, now can I? Or else you might get bored with speaking to me.” Cue a wink. That bag of gold is offered to Trent a second time. Who knows if she is actually teasing or if she really means to give it up this time.

Trent shakes his head, something akin to an eye roll following. "Please. I doubt I could ever grow bored of speaking with you. You happen to be interesting! Then there is the fact that you stuck around, even after two or three mishaps. We were destined to be friends, I can see it." Curious now, he asks, "So what sort of magic is this? Is it learned?" As the bag of gold was offered, Trent leaned in, the sentient hand being the one to reach out to take it.

Meri opted not to tease Trent any further once it was the sentient hand that reaches out to reclaim the gold. She wasn’t interested in provoking it yet again. The bag of gold is relinquished. “I couldn’t tell you if it is learned or not. I guess it could be? Maybe? It’s just something I’ve always sort of done...never really received any training or education on it.”

Trent ponders a moment as the the reclaimed gold is pawed at by metal digits. "That is... interesting. Do you train yourself with it? or have you thought about possible formal training? A gift of that nature could be fairly powerful one day."

Meri is silent as she considers Trent’s question, considering her answer very carefully. It’s still an honest answer, despite the time it takes her to answer. “I mean....I am trying to learn about it. I don’t know many with this ability...just one other person, honestly.” That she is aware of at least. “A psion like myself. I know another who perhaps is not a psion but still has extensive knowledge...Neither would give up that information freely...I’m not sure what sort of deals I’d have to swindle with them or if it would even be worth the efforts....So I study on my own, when I can.”

Trent casts a glance out to sea his thoughts running wild in regard to the new information. After what seemed like an eternity, he asked, "What sort people are they? What do they value most?" Finally he lay his gaze upon the blonde woman. "Depending on what exactly their price may be, I would be willing to help." A light shrug. "I think a gift like that should be looked into. You must try and progress it." Those last words were said with some sort of stern quality that seemed to cause a reaction in the amulet he wore around his neck; For as he said this, it let loose an aether haze of azure.

Meri was very sorely tempted to reach out and touch that amulet hanging around Trent’s neck. The woman just couldn’t help herself. Try as she might to resist the urge, the temptation is just to great and soon a hand is lifted, seeking to take the amulet within the grasp of her fingers quite gently. A wary look is cast toward Trent’s armored hand, half-expecting a reaction and ready to pull her hand back at a moments notice. “I don’t know what their price might be. Expensive, no doubt. I couldn’t ask you to pay any price on my account....but you are right.” A brief pause. “What is going on with your necklace?”

Trent began to respond to her earliest concern, "But Meri. I would not mind-" but soon cut off mid sentence when she asked her question. "What do you mean?" he asked. A new turn of events where about to unfold. It can not be certain if it were merely the amulet itself, the cursed gauntlet, or perhaps even the ability that the woman possessed, but what is certain are the images that would be shown. When Trent's sentient hand lifted and touched the one Meri had fastened around the amulet, almost a life time of shattered memories would flood Meri's mind. Their order randomized, split and broken, barely discernible. Some images stood out fairly well. Blackened skies, terrible beasts and undead. The former Dread Lords and their infamous army of olde. From these would come happier images, nights of camaraderie in a tavern, a woman and sensations of love. Again the images would shift almost instantly, a War, the Knight of Hope, a winged necromancer in black, tattered robes. The images would come very fast and no doubt painfully, a migraine of sorts.

Meri was taken aback by the entire situation, by both the fact that the cursed gauntlet seemed to react in a nonviolent manner for once and by the overload of memories. The one inhales sharply when her mind is flooded with Trent’s memories, holding her breath during the duration of the event. Once overload of memories quit bombarding her mind, the woman looses her hold on the amulet, moving her hand away from Trent’s person so that both of her hands can clutch her skull. Gods she had quite the headache, worse than when she overexerted herself, pushed her psionic abilities beyond her current skill level. No words come from the woman, just a groan of pain.

Trent would not have seen a thing outside his hand touching hers and then watching the woman seemingly become injured- The only clues coming from the way she clutched her head and groaned . "Meri?! Are you alright?!" he cried out, gravely concerned. "I swear you have better not harmed her." he then growled, the words obviously for the suspected culprit. Trent did not want to get any closer lest something else were to go wrong. "What happened? Did it do something to you?!"

Meri looses another groan when Trent cries out, voicing his concern only seemed to cause the woman’s head to throb even more. A most pathetic look is sent toward Trent’s direction, pressing a finger to her red lips. “Shhh,” she says in a hushed voice. “Not so loud. Please.” Meri is silent again, trying to find the words to explain what had happened. She musters up an answer to one of Trent’s many questions, voice still hardly above a whisper. “I don’t know if -it- did anything to me....Or if that did something...” She motions to the amulet.

Trent furrows his brow. "This?..." he asked, taking the amulet in hand. "Are you okay? What did it do?" Trent tugged in the chain to get a better look at the thing. His voice had quieted, not sure what was going on. "Maybe this is cursed as well? Possibly the real issue...?"

Meri ‘s head still hurt like hell. The woman closed her eyes, trying to block out the light of day, trying to ignore the clammer of the docks. Any time there was a loud bang from the men working, crates hitting the deck of the ship or the dock itself, the woman cringed. A slow breath is inhaled and released. “I saw something....A lot of somethings. Your memories maybe?” Most of which Meri couldn’t even begin to describe. The dread lords? A piece of Hollow history that was lost on the woman who was not native to the land. “A woman. One that you maybe loved?” She had picked that much out. “A knight. A war, I think. Robes.” Descriptive. She wasn’t able to pluck out all the details, it happened so fast, her head hurt so much.

Trent stared at Meri in disbelief. "My memories? One that I loved?..... How? Why?..." The man was very much lost in all of this. "Do you need aide? You don't look so well... maybe we should get you out of here." Even with that showcased concern, the back of his mind was burning. What was going on?

Meri was as lost on all of this as Trent was and had no further explanation for what had happened than he did. “I don’t know,” is all she manages to say, one answer for all of his questions.

Trent pushed himself from his seated position, a hand extended once he had fully stood up. "Come, perhaps we should leave this area. Some place more quiet. Maybe you need a little rest." That look of worry still painted his features.

Meri accepts the offered hand, nodding her head in agreement. Regardless if the visions she hand upon touching the amulet had no relation to her psionic abilities, it had still taken a toll on the woman. She felt tired, look tired, her head hurt. Even standing took far more effort than it should.

Trent draped the woman's arm around his shoulder, his arm finding her waist to help keep her upright. Doubtful that she would make it as far as Gualon in her current state he opted for the closest thing he could think of. "We will go to the Inn." With that he would assist the woman to get there.

Beloy Street

Meri appears from the east.

Meri didn’t really feel like arguing with Trent about where she should or should not rest. She allowed herself to be guided toward Cenril’s Inn without any resistance, gladly accepting Trent’s support during the walk. She tried to support her own weight during the walk, tried to be a trooper about it, but would periodically end up leaning against the male during their walk. This Inn never looked better to the woman, who really just wanted to hole herself up in a dark room for the rest of the day and all of the night. Hopefully after some sleep the headache would be gone.

Trent kept trying to speak with the woman, to keep her upright along the short journey. "Here we are... A few more steps." he offered, pushing open the door. Without thinking he tossed his entire day's wages at the clerk and simply motioned to the western room. He had to get that woman some rest!

Outside the Inn

Meri appears from the east.

Meri finally spoke as Trent lead her into the room, noting the way the male tossed his entire days wages at the clerk. “You just overpaid for this room. By a lot,” she pointed out, forcing a ghost of a smile across her lips as she speaks the next part, “But thank you.”

Trent shook his head, "It's just gold. Your well being is far more important. Here, ease yourself." he retorted, as they approached the bed. Gently he would help ease her down onto the bed, still expressive with worry. "You should rest. You don't look too well. Do you need me to find a healer?"

Meri still put up no resistance. The bed was calling her name. She was so exhausted that the well-used bed actually looked comfortable. “No, no healer. I’ll be fine. I just want sleep....” The woman forces herself to stay upright, long enough to remove the sword that is strapped to her back, shed herself of her boots, her weapon laden belt. All of it is discarded haphazardly onto the floor of the room.

Trent took one last glance at his blonde haired friend and slowly took his leave. "I'm sorry this happened. Sleep well, Meri." With that he was gone.