Request for an Audience (Maddyn plz. Private)

[Reldass Treem]

As he stumbled out of the Aediles office, a quick spell from Dusk settling his mind, Reldass spun and faced his Vysstichi companion, the sun having set awhile ago and he glared at his friend and he made a move towards the blades that he wore and as he did he termbled once more, his knees buckling and he fell to one knee. Dusk watched and all the while he crooked his head to the side and he swore violently, his features taking on a pained look. Something had indeed happened back i nthe city of the Vysstichi and he understood that whatever, Reldass's sister had done it had awoken that which should not have been awoken, and Dusk looked at his long time friend and some time enemy, and he drew his sword letting it hang by his side. His Vis reserves were depleted and he could not help Reldass, except to kill him. All the while, he stood by, and he could hear the thunder that approached, though it was not in the sky, he could hear it all the same, and with each boom he visibly shuddered. They made a scene, one Vysstichi standing over another sword drawn flinching every so often while the other rested on one knee.

Reldass had no clue what was happening, the three personalties in his head had gone quiet and for the moment, he was nothing but a shell, with no mind claiming dominion, and then the three jumped. They looked at each other, in his mind, in their realm of mist. the mage eyeing the Warrior, and vice versa while the madman looked at each of them and muttered something about the spider keeper coming for them. Every so often though, they all three jumpbed as one as that booming thunder rolled in the recesses of Reldass's soul. They felt him coming, coming back fro mthe deep, back from wherever the Church of Faith had banished him. They knew that if Reldass of Past came back something would happen but they knew not what. Would the body suddenly regain its Arch Magi powers? unlikely, but would the body then be able to hold its former minds power? It was frightening, and the three hid behind the locked inner barriers that hid them and the core of Reldass's mind from himself.

The thunder closed in like an anvil and Dusk watched as did the three as the darkness crept forward to the door. The Mage and Warrior tightened as the door shuddered beneath an unseen blow, and the madman chuckled and started hopping about, hi s eyes wild. All the while, Dusk stood ready his hand on his sword. Another shudder, and dust rained down from the ceiling as they stood the mist gathering about their feet. Then, silence, and Dusk, along with the three sighed in relief. A foolish thing, for Dusk found himself flying back through the air in the waking world, and he slid in the wet snow his sword landing in the snow yards from himself, he did not move, knocked out as he was. Snow caked to his form. Inside the room, the mind, the doors blew inwards and he stepped into the realm of his own mind once more. His white hair pure and contrasting to his pure ebon skin. His delicatly pointed ears righteously cut to precision and his black clothing, and hooded robe a perfect fit. His gauntleted hands swept outwards pushing the sides of his cloak behind him as he revealed the twin Jalat marked blades that were his. Indeed, he had failed his god and been banished by the Church, but he had been gone for a long time, and now that he was back he would command again.

Eyeing the three cowering persona's Reldass of the Past chuckled a deep booming velvet lines thunder and he closed his eyes, letting his power soak into the body that had been stripped of its power, and a frustrated sound erupted from the minds throat, and he opened his eyes and he demanded of the three,

"What is this? Where am I? Where are the armies, and where is my power?"

None of the three spoke, save for the madman who chanted,

"Long gone are the armies of Jalat, long gone is your power to, stripped by the Whore and her followers, you are nothing once more Reldass of Jalat, you are nothing, but a spider on a pole"

The other two whipped their heads around to stare at the madman in sincere horror. Looking back at Reldass though, they saw him in consideration. Finally as if to himself, Reldass nodded. He realised as much, and he knew that he would have to seek Jalat out, and he would have to regain his body once more, and his power. Perhaps Jalat would bless him once more to be his Knight, or at least he could tell Reldass of his failure, and send him to the Umblat, one final time. Closing his eyes, Reldass reached out, and yanked the strings that held his body. His massive power, being hidden for the most part, for the body could not handle it all.

In the waking world, Reldass opened his eyes and he stood, his eyes burning fiercly as he walked over to where Dusk was. Picking up the little form, he walked to the nearest alley and he set down his long time friend. Drawing his sword, he smiled a wicked smile, that twisted the corners of his mouth and he lifted his blade and settled it above the heart of Dusk and at the moment of his downward strike into the others heart, he offered his prayer and request,

"Jalat, Lord of Death. It is I, your loyal Subject Reldass Treem, from so long ago, when I warred for you against the Church, I have failed you, it is true, and I wish to be granted an audience, to explain my failure, and to accept punishment, if that is your wish, and if I am deemed worthy. Take this blood, and soul. I offer it to you, My Lord"

Then he waited, his task complete, for a response.

[Maddyn]

There was always some who fed upon death and corruption, the flip sign of the coin of everything that was good in life. And so it was in the cover of night that Reldass found himself with at least one watcher who found the Vysstichi curious. Not curious in the kind of way that invites further study of the normal kind but the curiousity of a cat that wonders how long it can keep it's prey alive in spite of horrendous physical injury. Jalat would very well stalk the night, but no Aeternian Knight nor Wraith nor Daemon would mark his presence. They existed for sure, but why waste good henchmen on such a little dreary town like Frigid River?

The answer was simple, it wasn't wasted. Certain events had taken place within the little town that'd drawn certain peoples attention over the decades even if few now spoke of them. The kind that took quite a few pints before a drunkard would dare recollect the stories and rumours that had build up about the place - the war around Port Alyxandrya had been bad but that was distant. Here, the Lady Sarista, the former Thane of Frigid River had once reigned. And her sister had caused quite a stir. The Prophet of Jorel had met his death here once before Jalat's hand had been forced and the death reversed.

Plunging the blade downwards, sword wounds were never quite as clean and honourable as bards would try and get away with. Few words rhymed with entrails and gore. Of shattered marrow and slit arteries. Death wasn't quick to claim Reldass' fallen, but that was alright. It wasn't the actions that led to death that was important but rather the severing of connection that held the soul to Life.

Above, sitting on the wall was Rosencrantz.

Not sitting above it, or on a ledge but against it - ninety degree's and not apparently aware of the fact gravity should've caused a rather painful impact against the ground. Few would've noted the arcane weaves that held him in place and forced gravity to not so much as ignore the Human as it did pretend he wasnt there. Garbed in finery, simple was best here for the man and his cloth was done in fine blacks and azures, silver buttons and by his side a rapier was sheathed. Thin, well build and in short the kind Nobles aspired to be physically but tended to fall short when it came to weak chins and even weaker lineages.

Pale skin, perfectly chiseled features and dark green eyes. His hair was shoulder length and black in a ponytail held back with a silver clasp and hanging upon his right shoulder do to the angle in which he sat.

Sighing softly, he pushed off from the wall. Faster than the eye could follow, Rosencrantz was standing there being Reldass looking at the sword thrust corpse in dismay. Not speaking though, more interested in just watching and trying to find out what was the purpose in this. When the body died, it wasn't any good to anyone really...

[Reldass Treem]

As he waited, the mind of Reldass long gone felt the disturbance that the new arrival caused, and he noted the way he seemed to simply be at his side, but he did not speak, rather he tried to figure out if he knew the creature. For he had been Jorel's hand on Telath for a long time before the Whore's forces had decimated his own forces and forced him into the pitiful remnant of a body that he had. Long ebon fingers steepled in front of him as he looked at the corpse, watching the blood ebb from it, and he waited, wondering if the other would act before the wound closed and the blood sealed off. He would not voice his suspiscion, that was up to the other. In his mind he felt the other three stir and start to bicker, start to argue as to what they should do. A blast of power silenced them and sent them skittering into the corners of his mind. Sighing, and watching the steam from his mouth move along the air, he did not turn nor do much of anything, just simple words,

"Serale, tell me, have I fallen beyond redemption in Jalat's eyes? Are you here for punishment? Or are you here for something else? The corpse is yours for whatever you might take it for"

His voice was soft, and carried no farther then the other figure, but he knew that the man, if one could call it that, would understand his comments, and hear them well. He wondered if it was a servant sent by Jalat, or if it was just a wanderer, drawn by the unleashing of his own minds power. Either way it really bothered him little, he had seen such creatures before, and he did not fear them, though he respected them. He had served with several during one of the great wars, and indeed in the last battle that had shattered his great power, several undead had been key in the fight, though as fate would have it, it mattered little in the end of it all. He was still here, broken and shattered. Yet at least now his mind was his once more, and perhaps that would be enough, perhaps he would once more find his way into the great lords service, and then he would regain his former powers.

He shifted his feet slightly, the snow crunching within them as he sorted through the memories that were in his head, the unbroken ones and he finally placed himself in Frigid River, a small town it was of minor importance from what he remembered, and yet he was here, so maybe there was some purpose in it, perhaps he was in some strange grace of the lord he had served for so long....thoughts of Jalat prompted another question,

"Did he take the soul? Was he pleased? Jalat knows I can provide many more from this pitiful one"

[Maddyn]

Reldass was insane Rosencrantz soon confirmed by the Vysstichi's words, and thus a liability when he came to feeding. Luckily though such wasn't a necessity for him, no longer at least but rather more of a hobby like drinking fine vintage wines. The insane were always bad for the digestion, and in his experiences it didn't do for his kind to drink from such. The blood was corrupted just as much as the mind - and Vysstichi always had that Aeternian taste like ochre that always made the Human want to brush his teeth for a month.

"Oh no, everyone can be redeemed in Jalat's eyes child..." Rosencrantz mused without humour. Contrary to popular belief, so many stories about his kind false and the subject of rumours. How long until the traitor Dainli'laen completed his treachery in the name of Prophecy and spoke out against his kind? Too soon... far too soon. "Redemption of His kind always comes with your death... the final one, the important one is always his to claim and none can stall such. "

The corpse, that made Rosencrantz wince. It was cold, the blood wasn't flowing through the heart and already he could smell the blood destablising, that which renewed his being was lost. The corpse was nothing - Jalat might have liked it, he might not have. Perhaps Reldass had done Ioannes' work and killed him at the prescibed time and place... if so, then Reldass had done Ioannes' work and thus nothing had changed. Such was the way of the Gods and Goddess' fickle... never knowing who one truely serves.

"Jalat is the Gatekeeper, the Cold One... he would claim that ones soul but pleasure? Nay... just another soul to usher past the Umblat for Ioannes' judgement child... though one must question why you would wish his cold embrace..."

[Reldass Treem]

Reldass was faintly amused by the words that the Nosferatu spat out, what a cocky arrogant creature, though, Reldass supposed it was typical. They played their whole, smarter then thou crap and yet they were just a bunch of arrogant old creatures that loved to look down on the mortal beings and pretend that they were so much smarter and wiser then the rest. Though, Reldass knew better, the questions posed were idiotic, though he did have some good points about Jalat. Shrugging he just spoke,

"Why? Why not, I have had it before, served him before, led for him before. I simply want that which I have lost, granted back to me, or at least in some measure returned"

He paused then, his hands cletching and rolling to loosen up, his fingers cracking as he did so. Bad habit, but one that was era's old. His eyes flickered once more, his vision blurring, a nasty side effect of his having a Archmages mind and a nothings body, the power was starting to leak, and if he did not find some way to fix his body, or do something about it, it would rip him to pieces, his mind was harder and harder to block off from the world, and the archmagi scent oozed from him, and he knew that sooner or later, some wannabe hero druid or thaum, or just some undead, or necro looking for something to do, would snap his neck.

Looking at his companion, or whatever the creature was, Reldass asked,

"And you, what brings you out into the night? Food? Or just boredom?"

He truly wondered at that, for usually the Nosferatu were busy playing their stupid games, or just being smug arrogant watchers, that laughed at the dumbness of the world, and yet did very little to change it for the better that they thought they knew. What a whiney lot, what they could use was a fresh perspective....Reldass pondered that idea for a moment, then let it pass, he wouldn't mind it, but he didn't know if he could handle the idiotic dress code that seemed to infect them all...looking at himself he realized he couldn't really talk...

[Maddyn]

Rosencrantz smiled, philosophy was something the Vampyre had always enjoyed even if it was going to serve very little purpose here. It was one of the realities of Vampyrism - one became what they ate... drink too much from beasts and the diseased and sooner rather than later the body changes in accordance with his Diety's whim. The Diety that hid behind the moon and smiled upon every soul who wished to live forever, who would do anything to be eternally strong or beautiful... there might be few Vampyres upon Telath but their power was because of people's own insecurites.

"You wish for death?" he queried, finding that a rather normal thing. Many wished for it, but were too weak to take their life... or it was always tomorrow or the brightening after. Conviction was all important in life and death, going through such uncertain always seemed such a poor way to remain concious. "You wish for power?" he continued in that amused tone of voice, calmly inspectin his fingernails to remove a thin layer of dirt from underneath the nail. Ripping it off rather than removing the dirt, and watching it grow back perfectly clean and as strong as before.

The last words though made the Human laugh, a mirthless chuckle as he literally vanished from behind Redlass and strolled a moment later down the front of the allyway. "Food? No, have an apple though - they're apparently good for you as my father once said." he continued, tossing a small red apple at the Vysstichi. "Boredom? No, there is much within this pityful frontier town if you open your eyes... and then open them again. No, curiousity in who would defile the streets and thinks to dream, nightmares of grandour that serve no purpose. Vysstichi, your kind are not wanted here..."

[Reldass Treem]

OOC: Hamlet!! I got it!! Its Hamlets best friend!!

IC: Reldass chuckled as he caught the apple offhandedly in a ebony palm. Not doing anything but merely holding it, Reldass shurgged, indeed such things were often said to him, though not of late. He paused to think about what the Vampyre had said and he wondered, did he want death? Perhaps, did he want power? Not so much for the power itself as for the very fact that it would allow him the privacy of eternity to contemplate life and its simple pleasures, though many of thsoe would be denied to him. Yet, what did he care? They were after all simply part of a mortal coil, and if he had this power, then he could take from those that still loved wrapped in their fleshy tombs, yes he could take from them what he had wilingly given up.

Looking at Rozencrantz, Reldass peered at the Nosferatu, and just like that lost sight of him, then heard his voice from the mouth of an alley elsewhere. Not jumping or whipped around, Reldass simply turned to face the creature, speaking as he did so,

"Death, Power, the two are the same and yet so different. Perhaps I wish to live forever in lonesomeness, perhaps I simply wish to never age, to never die."

He stopped then cracking his knuckles as he walked towards the Nosferatu. Taking a bite of the apple, Reldass let the meat of the fruit slid down his throat and he looked at the Vampyre his eyes looking at the undead thing and wondering what it felt like, what was it like to be such a thing, such a arrogant creature, that felt as though it could show off its speed, or what not. Such ignorant arrogance. How it annoyed him so, yes he would not be so arrogant if he was ever a Nosferatu, he would be simple and yet elegant. He would be a watcher, and yet he would study and learn all that there was to learn in the world.

[Maddyn]

'Tsking' softly beneath his breath, Rosencrantz found such a notion ludicrious. Everyone aged, everything would eventually die - it was the way of Telath - none could truely cheat from Ioannes divine plan just as they couldn't cheat themselves out of the inevitable future of succumbing to Jalat's cold embrace. Everything died, even Gods and Goddess' would eventually given enough time and the dwindling of power - Diana Herself had proven that Goddess's could once be mortal which meant too they could be returned to such a state of being and killed again.

Everyone aged, each brightening meant they were one brightening older than the one before. He knew what Reldass saught to make, he wanted to be young forever, not ageless - such was impossible. A frank invitation, but one Rosencrantz wasn't inclined to accept - Reldass would live and die but another insane denzion of Telath.

The thing was, people like Reldass with such foolish notions were those that gave his diety their own power and faith. The want for immortality, power and beauty... such trivial notions and wishes without any understanding of the consequences that could be borne from such desires. "Then you shall find out one way or another then youth how foolish you truely are... I trust you'll learn one brightening, but until then... enjoy your apple." Rosencrantz replied with a toothy smile, turning to leave Reldass where he stood over the cooling corpse.

OOC:
*grins* Aye.

Cheers, Maddyn