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Post by jenee on May 31, 2008 21:35:44 GMT -5
It was dark out when the sorcerers made it back to the Dragonlands...clearly still very late. The only source of light present was that of the moon's, which allowed the decent amount of light needed to see. Ricoda paused to make sure everyone was there before turning to what they had ended up in front of. They were currently standing at the base of a cliff, which towered high above their heads...almost as large as any volcano around. She approached it, scanning the surface of it until she apparently found what she was looking for. She pressed a hand against the cool surface and mumbled something under her breath. Different marks began to illuminate from that point, stretching out in different directions until the rock the marks ran over began to move, gradually forming a gap in the cliff. When the process was complete, Rin walked through the entrance. Instantly, an eerie glow from the marks along the walls made it possible to see in the long tunnel ahead. Without looking back, the elf began to walk down the passage. The other female sorcerer followed after her, while the one who had made the vortex paused to catch his breath for a moment. Using so much magic over such a long distance was draining. Finally, he followed the other two, and stopped to look back at Jacyln. "Coming?"
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Post by m!chelle--✗ on Jun 1, 2008 13:44:27 GMT -5
Jaclyn, who had been watching curiously, with a wary glimmer of wonder in her eyes, snapped back to attention, looking at him. her eyes narrowed, and she gave a curt nod. Squaring her shoulders, she readjusted the pack she carried, and marched after them.
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Post by jenee on Jun 1, 2008 14:08:57 GMT -5
Rin led the way through a labyrinth of tunnels, clearly having followed the same path countless times before. Finally, the main tunnel led to a large pair of wooden doors, with an odd mark carved into the woodwork...the same mark that all the sorcerers kept hidden from view by either sleeves, cloaks, or, in Rin's case, bandages. Rin waved a hand, and the doors slowly creaked open. The large, circular room inside was already illuminated by glowing blue marks along the walls. Torches were also placed along the walls of the room, and the walls around them stretched up a few stories high until they curved to form a ceiling, in which a giant chandelier was hanging from, its candles alight with an eerie blue glow. At the far end of the room, across from the doors, there was a stone platform raised a few feet above the floor, with stairs leading up to a magnificent chair placed in the middle of it. There was currently a black-cloaked figure seated there, his face shadowed by the hood of his cloak. However, the light from the marks on the wall, the torches, and the chandelier above glinted off of his eyes...which were, at that moment anyway, a color of deep blue. He remained still as his three followers walked up towards him, their footsteps echoing off the walls. "Nicely done," the figure spoke, his voice cold and dark. His head lifted, and his eyes settled on Jacyln for a moment, then he drew his gaze back to the three. "So this is the Charter Mage?"
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Post by m!chelle--✗ on Jun 1, 2008 14:15:57 GMT -5
"Yes, I am, and I can speak for myself." Jaclyn's words whipped through the air, clear and cold, followed by a steely glare.
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Post by jenee on Jun 1, 2008 14:35:30 GMT -5
Rin shot a glare at Jacyln, but the man seemed unfazed as his attention was fixed back on Jacyln. "Clearly," he muttered at her remark. "I would normally welcome a newcomer to our organization, but you're obviously in no apparent mood for that, are you?"
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Post by m!chelle--✗ on Jun 1, 2008 14:37:54 GMT -5
She pursed her lips to a thin line, and gave a shake of her head, eyes never leaving his. "Sorry, but I wasn't exactly pleased by the... situation, when first given the idea. I didn't get the most pleasant welcoming committee." She returned the sour glance to Rin.
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Post by jenee on Jun 1, 2008 14:48:37 GMT -5
The man smirked and glanced at Rin. "Is that so?" His apprentice shrugged, her arms crossed. Then, after his eyes flicked between his three followers and Jacyln, he rose to his feet and began to step down from the platform. "My name is Xoran, and from now on I expect respect from you. The same goes for anyone here," he said, stopping a few yards away from Jacyln. Rin and the others stood off to the side. "When you're needed, I expect you follow whatever orders I give you...and keep in mind, I don't accept treachery or disobediance kindly. Am I understood?"
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Post by m!chelle--✗ on Jun 1, 2008 14:51:10 GMT -5
Jaclyn put on her prettiest smile, grinding her teeth behind it. "Succinctly," she replied, doing a little curtsey.
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Post by jenee on Jun 1, 2008 15:02:57 GMT -5
Xoran's eyes narrowed, but he decided to ignore this and turned back to Rin and the other two. "Ricoda, I want you to go and check in on Hiram," he ordererd, indicating the other sorcerer who had originally been with Rin and the other two, "and find out the condition of the other Charter Mage. Varen, go ahead and show our newest member where she'll be staying. Evra, you're dismissed."
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Post by m!chelle--✗ on Jun 1, 2008 15:15:40 GMT -5
Jaclyn turned stiffly, spotting the other male sorcerer. She took a step toward him, face carefully calm and collected now. Then she focused on his face for the first time, and stopped short. She got the strangest feeling in the pit of her stomach, and the weirdest feeling of déjà vu. Did she know him from somewhere? It wasn't possible... So what in the world wad making her so uneasy? She frowned slightly, and pulled herself back together, straightening up, and hoping nobody had noticed her momentary lapse.
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Post by jenee on Jun 1, 2008 15:21:08 GMT -5
Varen nodded at Xoran, his eyes shadowed and grim as he turned to the large doors, walking through them with Rin and Evra following after him. He barely glanced back as he continued on his way, and just took it by assumption that Jacyln was following him.
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Post by m!chelle--✗ on Jun 1, 2008 15:28:43 GMT -5
Jaclyn blinked, and hurried after them, still unable to keep herself from staring at Varen as he lead the way though the maze of tunnels. She shook herself, frown deepening. She should be thinking, paying attention, memorizing this prison of stone. She had to concentrate on what was going on, what she was doing, and most importantly, how to find Jyrra and get back to where they belonged.
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Post by jenee on Jun 1, 2008 15:36:09 GMT -5
Varen continued along in the mass of tunnels, remaining at his brisk pace until he came across a passageway lined with wooden doors. He turned to one of them and opened it. The room illuminated as he stepped into it, like the other rooms did. The room was lighted mostly by the marks, though a few torches were present. He remained by the door, reaching into his pocket for something. When he found whatever he was looking for, he drew his hand out, which held a folded piece of paper. "Here," he offered to Jacyln. "It can get confusing navigating around the tunnels. One of the guys around here drew out a map for me when I first came here, but I don't need it anymore."
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Post by m!chelle--✗ on Jun 1, 2008 17:20:50 GMT -5
"Thanks." She reached out to take it, and flinched when his hand brushed across hers. Her eyes flashed upward to his face, and she pulled away abruptly, feeling a blush creep onto her cheeks. She blurted out the first thing that came to mind. "What are all these marks? They seem a lot like the Charter Marks, but they're unfamiliar to me." She tore her gaze away from Varen's face to gaze curiously up at the walls.
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Post by jenee on Jun 1, 2008 18:20:51 GMT -5
Varen's expression was unreadable as he turned his attention to the marks. "Oh, those," he muttered, frowning slightly. "Those originate from an ancient language that was used by sorcerers to control their power. The language was written in symbols, and used to represent powerful spells, or put spells into effect. It was also spoken to summon powerful magic from within oneself to use. It's how a lot of us put our magic under control. Of course, there are different kinds of magic, so it doesn't always work for every sorcerer. For example, since Charter Magic already uses different kinds of marks, I doubt it'd do anything for you or any other Charter Mage." His eyes darkened, as he glanced down at his right forearm, which was wrapped with a strip of cloth. He hesitated, then began to unravel it. "For example," he muttered, pulling it off once it was loose enough. "Xoran puts this mark on all of his followers...it seals a certain spell in place and presents a connection to his magic that he can use to his advantage." He held out his forearm for Jacyln to see, his expression still unreadable.
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