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shamrock_uk · 06-15-2006, 07:02 PM

Nivram and Detheriel.

Nivram turned to address Eruwin, but his thoughts wandered away elsewhere, to Zakaria’s strange death. Nivram had not particularly liked the man, but he had still tried to save his life, and he was sure that his spell had succeeded, he had felt the hole through which Zakaria’s life force was slowly seeping away close. Nivram was almost certain that only external intervention could have taken Zakaria’s life after he had cast his spell.

Nivram glanced at Eruwin, who seemed to be awaiting a reply.

“I helped because…” his voiced trailed off as he glanced at Detheriel. “I’m sorry, we’ll have to talk later, I have to take care of something now.”

A faint throbbing feeling in his shoulder was the only thing, which reminded Nivram of his wound now, and the dressing on it was clean, but he knew that contrary to magic, simple bandages could easily be reopened, so Nivram would have to watch what he did.

Detheriel was just showing Isokla a note, when Nivram addressed him.

“Could we have a word, Detheriel?” he asked in an uncharacteristically quiet voice.

Detheriel cast a small questioning glance towards Nivram at his tone of voice, but acquiesced to his request without a word.

As he drew alongside his wounded companion, he got straight to the point and questioned him. "You have more of that drink on you, don't you? After your little brush with the fates you've decided to come clean? Is that it?"

“No...well yes of course, but that is not what I wanted to talk about.”
Nivram put a hand on Detheriel’s shoulder and drew him away from the group and most importantly away from Isokla.

A colorful bird spread its wings in a nearby tree, just waking from its slumber.

“I think we have a problem, Detheriel. If you help me, I promise to get rid of all of the booze.”

Detheriel laughed out loud at that one, startling the freshly awoken bird into flight, then quickly lowered the volume with a hand in front of his mouth. He even had the grace to look a little sheepish at the noise he had just caused.

Still, his eyes twinkled with merriment at his next words:

"My dear Nivram, your head must still be muddled from your fight if you thought for one moment I wouldn't be taking that drink from you anyway!"

"I won't risk a knife in my back to satisfy your vices," he continued more seriously.

"Now, you may as well spit it out" he asserted, briskly. "I'm not the sort of man to be bribed and I make no promises of aid. Yet I fancy that you'll want words with me all the same" he guessed.

“Did you see how Zakaria died?” Nivram asked.

"I didn't witness it, although at a pinch I'd say he let one of his blasted spells get out of control."

"That's the problem with these wizardly folk you know" he remarked, wagging an authoritative finger in the air. "They forget how unnatural it all is and mark my words, but isn't it the death of them all?"

Nivram looked behind him with suspicion playing in his eyes, as though he feared that someone could overhear what he was going to say, but no one was near, and he breathed an audible sigh of relief.

A slight easterly wind picked up rustling the leaves on the trees and helping drain out any sound of what Nivram said.

“I have to tell you something about his death. But I’ll have to start by revealing a secret about myself. During my travels and a short spell of studying I picked up quite a bit of knowledge about healing magic, and while I don’t consider myself a master, I am quite adept at using this type of magic. I am trusting you more than I have trusted anyone else of this group so far, and I ask you not to tell the others about this little secret. I prefer telling them myself should the time and conditions be right.”

Nivram paused, checking for listeners once again.

“For one thing, it is useful when I need to rapidly sober up, but it is also useful when wounds need healing. Now, you know that me and Zakaria weren’t exactly close to each other, to some it might have even seemed that we were mortal enemies, but still that does not mean that I would have simply let him die. When I collapsed next to his body, it was not because of my own wounds, but because of the energy it had taken to stabilize him, and some energy needed to conceal what I had been doing. I am certain that my spell had worked, yet still Zakaria lies dead, not fifty yards from here.”

Nivram let Detheriel think for a moment, then got to his conclusion.

“Isokla was the only other person next to Zakaria at that time. I fear there may be much more to this young lady than what we have so far observed…”

Detheriel grinned at that, falling back on his ever-present levity, as he digested the shocking news.
"I fear you have been somewhat slow on the uptake my friend, if this only crosses your mind now!"

Some might think it odd and even inappropriate that he took amusement at times like these. For Detheriel however this was not disrespect but simply how he coped with the darker parts of life. He had spent more than his fair share of time in relative isolation and had learnt to take comfort from this side of himself. It spoke to him when he was most in need of support and many a long cold night had been spent in intricate conversation with it, chasing his thoughts endlessly, much like a dog might chase its own shadow.

A look at Nivram's face however reminded him that this was not the time for such behaviour and he forced himself to present a suitably grave appearance for the older man. He needs support, not your idiocy he reminded himself sharply.

He rested a hand on the other man's shoulder.
"Worry not" he reassured Nivram, "for I shall take your secret to the grave if needs be." He couldn't help but warm to the man at the selfless way he had attempted to save the life of Zakaria. It can't have been easy he thought to himself.

"What you say about Isokla is troublesome...you're certain of this?" At Nivram's earnest face, he raised a hand to stave off any comment.

"Yes..yes, of course you are."

He thought for another moment.

"The question now is what you would do about it? We have, after all, harboured at least one killer in our midst before. I cannot speak with authority, but I have never felt threatened by Isokla, despite the unknown in her."

He looked pointedly at Nivram. "You wish to confront her?" he asked.

"Even kill her?" he couldn't resist adding with a slight twitch of the mouth.

"These are all questions that must be answered before I shall decide on a course of action."

[ 06-15-2006, 07:17 PM: Message edited by: shamrock_uk ]

06-15-2006, 07:02 PM	#73
shamrock_uk Dracolich Join Date: January 24, 2004 Location: UK Age: 42 Posts: 3,092	Nivram and Detheriel. Nivram turned to address Eruwin, but his thoughts wandered away elsewhere, to Zakaria’s strange death. Nivram had not particularly liked the man, but he had still tried to save his life, and he was sure that his spell had succeeded, he had felt the hole through which Zakaria’s life force was slowly seeping away close. Nivram was almost certain that only external intervention could have taken Zakaria’s life after he had cast his spell. Nivram glanced at Eruwin, who seemed to be awaiting a reply. “I helped because…” his voiced trailed off as he glanced at Detheriel. “I’m sorry, we’ll have to talk later, I have to take care of something now.” A faint throbbing feeling in his shoulder was the only thing, which reminded Nivram of his wound now, and the dressing on it was clean, but he knew that contrary to magic, simple bandages could easily be reopened, so Nivram would have to watch what he did. Detheriel was just showing Isokla a note, when Nivram addressed him. “Could we have a word, Detheriel?” he asked in an uncharacteristically quiet voice. Detheriel cast a small questioning glance towards Nivram at his tone of voice, but acquiesced to his request without a word. As he drew alongside his wounded companion, he got straight to the point and questioned him. "You have more of that drink on you, don't you? After your little brush with the fates you've decided to come clean? Is that it?" “No...well yes of course, but that is not what I wanted to talk about.” Nivram put a hand on Detheriel’s shoulder and drew him away from the group and most importantly away from Isokla. A colorful bird spread its wings in a nearby tree, just waking from its slumber. “I think we have a problem, Detheriel. If you help me, I promise to get rid of all of the booze.” Detheriel laughed out loud at that one, startling the freshly awoken bird into flight, then quickly lowered the volume with a hand in front of his mouth. He even had the grace to look a little sheepish at the noise he had just caused. Still, his eyes twinkled with merriment at his next words: "My dear Nivram, your head must still be muddled from your fight if you thought for one moment I wouldn't be taking that drink from you anyway!" "I won't risk a knife in my back to satisfy your vices," he continued more seriously. "Now, you may as well spit it out" he asserted, briskly. "I'm not the sort of man to be bribed and I make no promises of aid. Yet I fancy that you'll want words with me all the same" he guessed. “Did you see how Zakaria died?” Nivram asked. "I didn't witness it, although at a pinch I'd say he let one of his blasted spells get out of control." "That's the problem with these wizardly folk you know" he remarked, wagging an authoritative finger in the air. "They forget how unnatural it all is and mark my words, but isn't it the death of them all?" Nivram looked behind him with suspicion playing in his eyes, as though he feared that someone could overhear what he was going to say, but no one was near, and he breathed an audible sigh of relief. A slight easterly wind picked up rustling the leaves on the trees and helping drain out any sound of what Nivram said. “I have to tell you something about his death. But I’ll have to start by revealing a secret about myself. During my travels and a short spell of studying I picked up quite a bit of knowledge about healing magic, and while I don’t consider myself a master, I am quite adept at using this type of magic. I am trusting you more than I have trusted anyone else of this group so far, and I ask you not to tell the others about this little secret. I prefer telling them myself should the time and conditions be right.” Nivram paused, checking for listeners once again. “For one thing, it is useful when I need to rapidly sober up, but it is also useful when wounds need healing. Now, you know that me and Zakaria weren’t exactly close to each other, to some it might have even seemed that we were mortal enemies, but still that does not mean that I would have simply let him die. When I collapsed next to his body, it was not because of my own wounds, but because of the energy it had taken to stabilize him, and some energy needed to conceal what I had been doing. I am certain that my spell had worked, yet still Zakaria lies dead, not fifty yards from here.” Nivram let Detheriel think for a moment, then got to his conclusion. “Isokla was the only other person next to Zakaria at that time. I fear there may be much more to this young lady than what we have so far observed…” Detheriel grinned at that, falling back on his ever-present levity, as he digested the shocking news. "I fear you have been somewhat slow on the uptake my friend, if this only crosses your mind now!" Some might think it odd and even inappropriate that he took amusement at times like these. For Detheriel however this was not disrespect but simply how he coped with the darker parts of life. He had spent more than his fair share of time in relative isolation and had learnt to take comfort from this side of himself. It spoke to him when he was most in need of support and many a long cold night had been spent in intricate conversation with it, chasing his thoughts endlessly, much like a dog might chase its own shadow. A look at Nivram's face however reminded him that this was not the time for such behaviour and he forced himself to present a suitably grave appearance for the older man. He needs support, not your idiocy he reminded himself sharply. He rested a hand on the other man's shoulder. "Worry not" he reassured Nivram, "for I shall take your secret to the grave if needs be." He couldn't help but warm to the man at the selfless way he had attempted to save the life of Zakaria. It can't have been easy he thought to himself. "What you say about Isokla is troublesome...you're certain of this?" At Nivram's earnest face, he raised a hand to stave off any comment. "Yes..yes, of course you are." He thought for another moment. "The question now is what you would do about it? We have, after all, harboured at least one killer in our midst before. I cannot speak with authority, but I have never felt threatened by Isokla, despite the unknown in her." He looked pointedly at Nivram. "You wish to confront her?" he asked. "Even kill her?" he couldn't resist adding with a slight twitch of the mouth. "These are all questions that must be answered before I shall decide on a course of action." [ 06-15-2006, 07:17 PM: Message edited by: shamrock_uk ]