Meeting of old friends

[Vanessa]

Vanessa left the recruiting office, this time by loads of stairs, she didn't want to push her friend too far. When she got outside she looked around eagerly for Hiemalis. She scowled, her Roc was playing hide and seek again. Sighing she looked around and her eyes fell on a wonderful tower. (NB:This is where David/Richard stepped in and helped with the description).

 

The tower stood tall into the sky, shimmering with marble that reflected the noonday sun with a multitude of colours. Graceful arches and buttresses supported the tower, and she wondered how such fragile seeming forms could possibly support the tower.

 

"Probably using his all-powerful magic." She muttered under her breath. "Show-off."

 

You still have trouble controlling your emotions I see.

 

Vanessa started in surprise.

 

How did you know I was here?

 

Outside my tower? You're radiating off irritation like a human trying to get information out of an elf. The doors on the other side.

 

Have you stolen my bird? she sent angrily across the link.

 

Now would I do something like that? This time the message sounded slightly mocking. She's perched on the other side of my tower. Seemed to like the colours and warmth.

 

Vanessa stalked over to the tower, trying to hold on to her irritation but gradually it faded away. She had been too long away from him, and the tower was beautiful. It seemed to radiate peace and tranquillity.

 

As she reached the tower she gently stretched forth her hand, unsure of what she would feel but having to know. She gasped in surprise. The stone was warm and throbbed with life! The damned thing was alive!

 

Technically.The voice was back. In actual fact the dwarfs of Karmas Moran came and built it for me, they owed me a favour.

 

I remember.

 

She circled the tower and came to the door. Hesitantly she pushed, and to her surprise it opened easily. She groaned wearily at the mass of stairs in front of her, then narrowed her eyes. That railing on the right... She stepped onto the first step of the stairs, closed her eyes and gently sent a mental probe onto the railing. She suddenly felt herself begin to rise, the stair twisting and turning as she moved up and up. It seemed to take a lifetime. Then finally the stairs stopped, and she opened her eyes with a satisfied smile.

 

"Well?" She asked inquiringly at the figure that stood in front of her.

 

"Not bad at all." Heinrich grinned. "I'm glad your time searching the lands for Hiemalis didn't diminish what I taught you."

 

Vanessa hugged him tightly, and at was Heinrichs turn to look shocked. "That's for not helping me on my quest." She grinned.

 

Sniffing suspiciously a foul smell of sulphur and blood reached her nose. Heinrichs blood. "You've been on the astral plane again, haven't you!" she snapped. "You know that place is forbidden to you!"

 

Heinrich sighed. "Why don't you come on in and I can tell you about it." He strode over to his chair, which stood, at the head of an oak table littered with paper, bizarre instruments and potion ingredients she did not recognise. Casually Heinrich gestured and a chair warped into existence. It looked suspiciously like a chair from the audience room, but Vanessa decided it was better not to ask.

 

"Fruit punch?" Heinrich inquired mildly.

 

"Don't change the subject! Now tell me what you were doing there, risking everything. It's idiocy!"

 

Heinrich chuckled. "Is that a trickle of steam coming out of your ears?" Before she could reply he hurriedly made a soothing gesture. "Just teasing." He smiled, and then began his tale and explanation.

[Solivagus]

Heinrich lowered himself into the armchair, being careful not to show how much his back pained him. The scars caused by the claws of the demon that had attacked him on the astral plane ached abominably, but there was no way he was going to let Vanessa know that. He made a steeple with his fingers and wondered how much she needed to know before beggining his story.

 

"Why did I go onto the astral plane?" he mused , half to himself and half to Vanessa. "I needed some information. Information about my Staff and about the events in the world that I fail to recieve while I am closeted here. I could always go outside of this place of course, but there are just as many people willing to attempt to harm me outside as there are demons on the astral plane. Indeed, there maybe more."

 

"Why not just change in to some other clothes." Vanessa snapped back angrily. "There's no need for you to carry on wearing the robes of an order that cast you out, especially when it puts you in danger. And you still insist on wearing that amulet, even though it practically pinpoints your location to many of the creatures in this world."

 

"We are all foolish at some time or another." Heinrich replied calmly, a small smile on his face. "Defying your father in his own hall was hardly the most sensible thing you could have done, let alone making his anger worse by telling him the reason you were leaving was to learn from me."

 

Vanessa flushed angrily but refused to give up her argument. "What I did was for the best." she snapped angrily. "My father was wrong to banish you, even if he did have good reason. Humiliating him infront of his people. You know how proud he is."

 

"As proud as almost all elves." Heinrich agreed amiably, the smile on his face growing wider. Angrily and on impulse Vanessa took up a nearby silver cup and flung it at Heinrich. Calmly he held out his hand and the cup slowed before it reached him, allowing him to snag it calmly out of the air. "Are you sure you don't want anything to drink?" He asked calmly, one eyebrow raised.

 

Ignoring Heinrichs question Vanessa went back to her orginal argument. "If you aren't planning to leave this place then why do you need to know what is going on outside? Why do you need to know how to use your Staff when there is nothing to use it against? It's not as if this place will ever be attacked."

 

"Oh but it has, once at least to my knowledge and I would not be surprised if it were attacked again. There are always those who wish to destroy knowledge that does not agree with thier ideas." Heinrichs face took on a sorrowful look for an instant, before going back to its usual impassivness. "At any rate, I did not say I intended to stay here for the rest of my years, merely until I believe I am needed again."

 

Vanessa opened her mouth to argue her point again, then closed it when she realised she couldn't think of anything to counter his logic. He had beaten her again. "Well at least tell me where I am supposed to stay in this keep." she sighed, giving up for the moment.

 

Heinrich shrugged, his face looking uncaring. I would ask around if I were you, there's bound to be someone to take you in. Failing that you could always ask for permission to build your own place, I'm sure Lizard Man will be pleased to have you so long as you pay."

 

"Lizard Man?"

 

"Wyvern if you prefer. It's all the same."

 

"You could at least show some respect! You've been given space to build your tower, a place to stay and do your work, depressing though it is. All that and you call the person kind enough to supply it 'Lizard Man'. It was exactly the same arrogance that first turned my father against you." Angrily Vanessa rose from her seat and stormed out of the room, her only regret as she left was that there was no door that she was able to slam as she left. Her shoulders slumped when she had left the tower though. She had hoped she would be invited to stay in Heinrichs tower, and that he would have told her more about what he had been doing. She knew he had left things out, and that thought depressed her.

 

Stifling the emotions that threatened to overwhelm her she strolled away from the tower, searching for a place to stay. "I can always sleep in the corner of the courtyard." she muttered under her breath. "Serve Heinrich right if I caught cold and caused him to feel really guilty."

 

Created by Richard and Vanessa. The best work is often done by two people working together, if only we were able to do so more often.