The Ultimate Question

[UnderaGraySky]

The sky was gathering clouds of the densest gray, making Skylar's shoulders slump further as she trudged through the city. Her cloak was heavy on her shoulders and she wondered if it was from the weight of the events that had transpired. Her master was dead-- the words grated against her skin, just as the knowledge of being homeless did.

She carried all her possessions with her, which wasn't much. One suitcase was being pulled behind her, magic used to keep it easy to roll across the cobblestone streets. With no destination in mind, she kept wandering, putting one foot in front of the other.

No one was on the streets at this time of night. Any and all knights were currently at her old home, gathering more and more evidence of her master's mysterious death. No statement had been made, but it was as clear to her as it was to them-- whatever had killed the sorcerer did not want to be found.

A cold wind blew open her cloak and she shivered beneath her many lathers of skirts and fabrics. But when her eyes opened, she saw a dark figure standing at the end of the road, eyes glowing an ominous red under a hood. Her throat dried instantly and her heart heaved against her rip cage.

"Um," she managed after a second, trying to swallow the lump that had formed in her throat, "who are you?"

The figure didn't answer. Instead, it took one step forward. Skylar stumbled back a step, frightened. Even though she could not see its face, she had the distinct feeling it was grinning. And then it charged at her and a half strangled scream escaped her throat.

 

[Kolath]

The figure charged closing quickly with the young sorceress, from under its robe it drew a long sword. Along the blade crackled brilliant energy giving the blade a golden glow. Clearly this was a bless blade given only to the select few defenders of one of the many churches of this kingdom. Though the figure seemed to move fluidly there was a slight hesitation in his left step. And clearly in the way he held the sword there was some damage done to the muscles in his upper left arm.

All these and more fact streamed through the head of a young bystander watching the scene unfold before her. Her mind was disturbingly fast and found it easy to collect needed data before acting. She could often tell things about people before they often knew it themselves. It was part of the gift of knowledge that she had been given, it wasn't anything special to her it was just who she was.

Stepping from the shadows she crossed the interposing distance in mere seconds stepping between the you sorceress and her attacker. She never seemed to run or hurry but moved with speed that seemed inhuman. "Fircu Soru Rnu." Her voice was soft and dripped with tenderness the words rolling off of it like water over rocks. It was offset but the scream of agony that those words caused, with those words the attacker's knee cracked bending backwards as a line of force struck it. Only the words and a flick of a delicate hand showed that the woman had done anything.

She turned pushing her own hold back from her face revealing her soft features and brilliant copper red hair, with just the tips of her pointed ears sticking out marking her as elven. Her bright emerald green eyes shone with the power that she had just used on the attacker. Facing the younger girl she held out a hand to her. "Don't be afraid, I'm here to help you. I don't have long to explain but that man is not alone and we have to keep going."

 

[UnderaGraySky]

Skylar had been astounded by the appearance of another figure and more so when she was able to produce such power. But when she spoke, Skylar wasn't sure how to react. What choice did she have?

"Lead the way," she apprentice sorceress said, clutching to her bag tighter, knowing running was probably involved.

It had been stupid to think whatever had come after her master wasn't going to target her next. She had wanted to believe, since she hadn't been harmed the night of the murder, that whatever it was wasn't interested in her.

This proved otherwise.

What else would attack her, this close to the death of her master?

 

[Kolath]

The young elf turned to leave letting her cloak billow out around her as she did. Her mind was flowing with the world around her reading shadows and movements of the wind to see if any other attackers were hidden.

When the man that she had left crippled on the ground spoke She jumped a little being pulled out of her mental exercise having forgotten about him. "Know this protector, no matter what you do, Silence will fall when the question is asked!" he was looking at Skylar with such had and clearly had he been able to get up would have attacked again.

Without missing a beat the elf turned facing the man. Her eyes burned for a moment as she uttered a single word, "Kuaush!" Her voice was commanding and controlled and the even melodic elven sounded harsh for a moment. The man rolled back as though struck by something before laying still unmoving clearly dead.

The elf's eyes returned to normal before she looked to Skylar, "Come the Inn isn't far." She quickly started down one of the side alleys. The inn that was safe for Skylar was a good ten minutes walk away, and there could be many things waiting for them between here and there.

 

[UnderaGraySky]

She wanted Skylar to go with her?

Like she had a real choice...

Skylar followed the other woman, clutching at her cloak. "Do you know what the was?" She asked, voice still a little shaky. Today had been a shock and this recent event was not helping. What exactly was going on?

That had been some kind of demon, hadn't it?

The magic riddling through her body was static and unrestful. She tried to calm it with deep breathes, but found them ineffective as she was hardly able to sustain them while maintaining a heavy strut. The hum of her power was slight, but heavy, and she knew it was causing the hair on her head to coil and frizz. She bit her bottom lip, hoping the pain would distract her.

 

[Kolath]

Moving through the shadows of the alley the elf looked toward the young sorceress and raised any eyebrow a bit surprised that she didn't know. Surely she knew something of her destiny? The realization hit her hard and she sighed deeply before shaking her head. The old sorcerer that had been her master must not of had time to tell her anything so it now fell to her.

"That was a adherent of the Church of Silence. They are the ones that killed your master, and clearly now want you dead." She gently grabbed the young girl pulling her into a small alcove as a group of men were just turning down the alleyway. The alcove was small and the two of them were pressed closely together. The elf held a finger to her own lips indicating silence was needed.