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[Collab between @areussunrael and myself! Lead in story thanks to @k-sunrael!]

The familiarity of Quel’Danas assisted him. His birthplace wasn’t one he was unfamiliar with over the decades, or even centuries. Ward after ward, rune after rune, even out in the gardens, the Eventide estate was protected more heavily than he anticipated. He slithered about using the darkness as his ally, avoiding guards one after the other. On top of guile was magic that assisted him. A slight mental suggestion incepted into the minds of his targets helped him avoid those that might cross his path. A premature visit to the bathroom, a decision to patrol down the right instead of the left, small choices here and there that averted interception of his presence helped him land his feet on the outside ledges of the highest tower in the eastern wing.

Luckily for him, the Lady enjoyed a cool breeze coming in from the seaside. He casually walked in the window and didn’t attempt to hide his presence. If he knew she was in there, she knew that he was outside and chose not to act. “Lady Eventide…” he offered in greeting as he sauntered about, a slight limp in his step.

He sniffed at the air behind his mask, a familiar smell of smoke and alcohol wafted about the room. “Is that… a hint of bloodthistle paired with a bit of red wine? Very refined if I say so myself.” Areus commented.

The Matriarch would be found in a rather lounged manner, her feet propped up comfortably and each hand held just as he suggested due to the scent in the air. Her gaze slowly lifted to meet the man’s, head tilting not quite out of curiousity but moreso in approval. The wine stained lips curled into a soft grin as she nodded to a vacant chair to her right, adjacent to the table that held the remainder of the wine and an empty glass.

“Areus.” She stated simply, returning her vintage once more to enjoy the taste. “Refined, indeed. Care to join me? I assume you might be here for a bit, seeing as you took such detail in making it to my chambers in the manner of which you did instead of simply asking for me.”

“I do relish a challenge,” he responded with a hidden smile, “However, I relish an opportunity for drink and conversation with an old friend even more.” The man shifted into the empty seat, pouring a glass for himself next to her. “Remind me to bring you something from my own reserve next time we meet. I suppose I was remiss in planning because I was so motivated to see you.” he responded, removing his own pipe and lighting it with the flash of his fingertips: a simple trick for a spellflinger. He tilted his mask down just enough to situate and puff from his elegant pipe, “For what little it means, I did miss your company, Elenaris. It’s been some time, hasn’t it?”

She retained her gaze toward him for the time it took for the masked figure to find his seat and pour his glass. A simple breath filled her lungs, the rise of her chest preluding to the slow release while her attentions turned once more toward the horizon just on the other side of the balcony. “Ah, Areus, you are quite the charmer, hm?”

A single inhale came as her lips cupped the small pipe between them, the trail of smoke soon following. Lids lowered as she relished in the often frowned upon vice, placing it at her side as she no longer needed it. “It has not been that long, though I suppose if you miss someone’s company then you miss it despite the time.” As the words flowed, she found herself looking over to him yet again. “And yet, I feel as though there might be something you want as a more likely outcome.”

He sighed lightly, taking another puff from his pipe. He reached over to the wine to give a light sip. “You certainly do have taste. I prefer the more bitter stuff though.” he commented. His eyes found hers and and an appropriate reply. He placed the glass back down before he opened his left hand, attempting to hide the wince he held due to the pain at his side. An orb formed within his palm consisting of shadow energies swirling with no end. The energies found form and converted into a raven that flapped its wings. “I understand that you’re delving more into the darker side of our talents. Embracing the shadow. I wouldn’t dare presume my experience is more well-versed than yours into the darkness because each of our journeys are distinct and unique. However… I would caution you as you step closer to the void. That is the purpose of my visit and my desired outcome.” he continued, “The line between sanity and justice become a little more convoluted with each step we take toward that darkness. You are a paragon of Light, as is my brother, his wife, and to an extent their daughter- your apprentice. But… both you and her dance about a dangerous line that’s very easy to cross. She errs on the side of caution. I feel… the draw of power is more prominent in you. You were never one to allow others to decide your fate or strength, where I think Kaevia takes after you and draws hers as well. But…” his voice took a darker tone, “She is more cautious in delving to the darkness. However, conversely, this would be an appropriate source for you to bolster your own strength… at a price.”

The dim glow of her green hues held over him as he spoke, ever growing interest with each word. With yet another sip of the wine, she found herself chuckling lowly as a simple gesture came in the form of denial. “Oh, Areus, I suppose this is coming from a place of concern?” Her tone was low, dripping with the tinge of sarcasm as she inquired of her friend.

“The public may view me as a beacon of Light, a shining star among the night sky, or even a guiding hand through a bitter and dark path… but that is not what I am and you should be far more aware of that than most. The Light left me years ago, and I in return shunned it from ever having any power over me by any means.” The woman leaned toward him, her weight resting upon her arm that rested against the chair. She reached her own hand outward, after having set aside her glass, swirling it through the gathered shadow energy that levitated above Areus’ palm. “However I am curious, what makes you so sure that I seek to delve further into the void?”

He sighed, “Because, the void calls to you. It calls to those who seek it and embraces them. In the same manner as those paladins and priests who seek to worship the Light find the Light… the Darkness finds those who want it. I know you tread a different path, I was just afraid you’d dive down into it further than most and drown into it. Especially with the draw it has to you. I’ve taken an item that rightfully belong to those who serve my niece, but I felt its hunger. And I felt its desire to connect with you. Nothing good can come from this, but it isn’t my place to obstruct it.” he muttered out as the shadow raven in his hand collapsed, the dark energies spinning yet again to form a simple stone. “Whoever contracted my niece drew her to danger by doing so, I couldn’t let her take possession of it lest I risk it corrupting her. Yet here I am, drawn to its object of obsession and asking you to turn a blind eye, and not accept the voices that escape from it.” The diamond shaped relic spun and shined a purple hue along the runic incantations carved onto the small stone.

Just as quickly as the shadows faded, her eyes fell to the familiar item. The twitch of her lips upward in a smirk came almost unknowingly to her conscious mind, her features slowly turning into something darker. “I told Whitstan not to give it to her, at the very least it fell into better equipped hands.” A silent moment came over the two as she spent the time to take in every little minor detail of the item. “And if I were to agree to your...pleas of concern for my, what would you call it, well being?” The movement of her head to offer her yet another gaze over Areus came in a bit of a jolt. “What would you do to it?”

“Lock it away.” he responded, “It’s too precious and near to the void to destroy. It might be what makes or breaks our war against the Legion, or even further enemies away in more distant stars. I can’t risk it getting into the wrong hands. But… yours, might be the right ones. However I’m sure you sense my hesitance. If it corrupts you, there’s a lot that I imagine I’d be responsible for… for instance…” he paused to take the glass into his hand once more, downing it all in one go. “If you’d lose yourself to the darkness and harm others, their blood would be on my hands. And if ever you became a threat to my niece, no matter how good of friends we may have been all these years… I would have no choice but to silence you, permanently.” he shook his head, “That’s not something I wish for, nor something I wish to be the man responsible for initiating. I don’t mean this as a threat. Please, consider your options before you act in this. That’s all I ask. That’s all I’m here for. The darkness calls for all three of us, even little Kaevia. I just don’t want it to consume you.”

She held her hand just inches away from the relic, her gaze falling once more to it. “Your concern is properly placed, understandable and welcomed even...I suppose, however I feel this is exactly where my path has been leading me for quite some time. As for your plans to remove me from any equation that might bring harm to Kaevia, trust me when I say that I expect you to do so, even go so far as ask for your word to be promised upon in such regard should I fall so far that such a time would come. I leave it to your hands alone, Areus.” Her words were abrupt and harsh as her hand turned to offer her palm upward to him in request. “If curiosities await you, I will be sure to offer what I might find from accepting this into my possessions.”

A slight dip in his head came from him. Not quite a nod, but rather a resignation. She had entrusted him with something he had hoped to avoid by warning her. Yet at the same time he had asked for this very responsibility by mentioning it. “I would appreciate any insight you might garner… and… I do offer my word for that I would keep that promise. I pray that the day I need to execute that promise never comes to pass.” he responds as he lightly raises his hand with the floating stone in hand to pass off to her gesturing palm.

Feeling the stone fall into her hand, it carried the weight further than what a simple pendant would, though of course it was obvious to the two of them that it was not such a thing. She retracted her hand, bringing it closer to her person before slowly curling her fingers around it. “And as do I, dear friend and I will surely do my best to veer away from that fate for us all.” With that, she found it in herself to take the chain in hand that held the stone itself and placed it around her neck. “Oh, and of course, should I come across anything...interesting, you will be the first to learn of it.” She added, taking her glass of wine back up and sipping yet again.

He offered a gentle nod as he poured another rather expensive glass from the elegant pitcher. “Well, let’s pray for the best and prepare for the worst. In the meantime, I hope you don’t mind me finishing your costly wine.” he replied, a playful wink offered her way as he took another puff from his pipe. The friendly banter and joking would have to be carried on as long as it could, for this could be the very last moment he held an amicable conversation with the Lady. He was overwhelmed with concern, yet, he held hope. A hope he would pray wouldn’t betray him. Nevertheless, he was prepared to uphold his promise. He tipped the glass toward Elenaris, “Cheers.”

#void thing

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