|
The Arcane Order |
| Owen arrived at the glade late in the
evening, and as had become the norm, was greeted by hordes of orcs,
trolls, ogres, and other nuisances. Individually, they posed little
threat, but in such numbers, they were deadly. As he walked down the
side of the Silver Arrow, he met Melyanna dashing past, several orcs and
undead in tow. Owen yelled for the stable master to ready his horse and
he and Melyanna began battling the hordes. As the onslaught was slowing,
Azeron appeared to help dispatch the remaining attackers (luckily, for
Owen had exhausted his mana).
After the nightly battle, Owen took his seat inside to scribe his scrolls while Azeron and Melyanna sat beside each other at the larger tables. Melyanna was complaining of how her vision was blurry. Owen had noticed her recent problems, such as her vision and constant fatigue, and found them quite familiar. As Melyanna spoke of a wound that would not heal, Owen, cynical as usual, stated "Az, she'll be as good as Khyrian in no time." Probably not the kindest way to relay the message, but did so nonetheless. Immediately Melyanna shot Owen a look that displayed her extreme anger and contempt. Ever one to ruffle feathers, Owen replied to Azeron's inquiry about the meaning of that statement with a simple "You'll see for yourself soon enough." Obviously shaken about this, Azeron asked Melyanna if the potions were helping, and Owen recalled how he too had used potions to try to supplement the symptoms of the curse. Red potions to rid him of the tired feeling, white potions to supplement his failing strength. He also recalled how gradually the had began to lose their effectiveness, until they became useless to combat the curse. Azeron looked at Melyanna for a long while, then finally Melyanna exclaimed furiously that she was not ill as Khyrian and Owen were. Shortly thereafter the two went into the back room, no doubt to have a discussion Owen had experienced many times with Tessa, of the ill one denying their condition so their significant other would not worry, and of why the ill one kept it secret. No doubt there were statements that a healer should be consulted, that research must be done, now that it affected one they loved. Owen doubted Azeron and Melyanna knew that research HAD been done, to no avail. Silently, he recalled the countless nights in the libraries heralded as centers of magical knowledge – Moonglow’s Lycaeum, his second home, The Mage Tower, the Seat of Knowledge in Wind – none of these held even an inkling of the answer. He knew of the discussions that would occur between Melyanna and Azeron in the coming days and weeks and sighed slightly, finishing his last scroll and making the gestures to teleport him to his home. |
The
Library Arcane: The Lord of the Dead