by Greylen » Mon May 12, 2014 4:57 pm
Silvain Quicksilver's story...(Continued)
Talagular was not please with Silvain's report of her first encounter with the Wizard Greylen. Silvain had not left out anything, being completely honest with him how flustered and disarmed she'd been at the suddenness of their meeting. However, they now knew he was in the area and that he was going to be there for awhile, from all accounts.
"Perhaps you should go visit this Greylen at the castle he is building. With your skills as a sorceress, you would even be a benefit to him." Talagular mused aloud as they discussed her next course of action.
Silvain shook her head, "I don't even know where it's located, uncle. It would look completely out of the ordinary for me just to show up there. I'll just need to get an invitation to visit next time he's in town." she stated firmly, knowing her uncle would be loathe to give up any idea that was his own.
"But Silvian, that could be months. I don't want to risk him getting away." Talagular countered, but Silvain remained firm, "We'll try it my way first, Uncle. But if he doesn't come back for two weeks, I'll make inquiries." she compromised and to her surprise, Talagular agreed. "It's your mission, my dear. I'm only here as an advisor." he smiled and patted her arm affectionately. She smiled back.
The next couple of days went by far too quickly. Some new items, some rare, had come in on the last two caravans and she was busy verifying their authenticity and cataloging them for the shop. It wasn't entirely a surprise when she saw him outside the shop, but she was determined to make more of an impression on him this time and quickly checked her hair and smoothed some wrinkles from her dress, just as he entered the shop.
"Hello and welcome back, master Greylen." she smiled at him, the started as a little red Pseudodragon peeked over the top of Greylen's head at her, peering at her far too intelligently.
"Hello Cousin!" a high, soprano voice spoke in her head, as the little dragon gave her a cheery chirp. Greylen chuckled with real glee in his eyes as he bowed to her with a flourish, "As I thought, my lady of the wind. It is an even greater honor meeting you than before."
Silvain quickly recovered and looking around furtively, grabbed Greylen's arm and pulled him into the dimly lit back room, facing him as she closed the door.
"How did you know?" she demanded of him. Angry at herself for being caught so easily. She suddenly noticed that Grelen's eyes were not only blue, but GLOWED blue in the dim light. She smacked her forehead in frustration.
"I see you figured it out already." Greylen smiled at her and Xavier gave her a mental giggle, snorting out loud. "I was truly sure until Xavier here confirmed it. Your masking spells are quite proficient. But please believe me when I say it truly is an honor to meet you. May I ask your full name?" he pulled a box over for her and then sat on a barrel, looking oddly at home there.
Silvain sighed as she sat down, "I'm afraid I can't give you my true name. I'm sure you know the power a dragon's true name has over them." She regarded Greylen, her head cocked slightly. "Though I must admit, our little Pseudodragon cousins don't take to just anyone, and never anyone evil."
Greylen laughed and rubbed the Pseudodragon's head gently as it hissed in agreement, then pleasure. "Indeed. Xavier and I have been together through an awful lot. I don't know where I'd bee without him, to be sure." the tender look he gave the Pseudodragon was far too genuine to be faked, Silvain thought to herself. She wavered on wanting to confide in this strangely charismatic man.
"So what brings a beautiful, young woman, who happens to also be a member of the most feared and respected race of Faerun, to be working as a clerk in a Magic shop?" Greylen asked, looking up again at her pleasantly. "It was certainly a surprise to me when I first saw you and suspected."
Silvain wavered once more, the with another glance at the Pseudodragon, decided to be at least partially honest. "Well, to be honest, I'm here looking for... you." she looked down demurely, though mainly just because she couldn't keep his gaze long without feeling the overwhelming urge to confide in him. That just wouldn't do.
"Me?" Greylen raised an eyebrow, "What do you want with me?" he stated evenly, his eyes narrowing only slightly, but Silvain suddenly felt that same shiver go up her spine as when she'd viewed him the first time through the crystal. The little Pseudodragon, Xavier, hissed again at the sudden mood change and batted at Greylen's ear, evidently telling him something, as he seemed to relax a little, the deadly feeling dissipating.
"Forgive me. I've worked with and been mislead a few times by a pretty woman, who also was a dragon and reacted badly. Xavier assures me you are nothing like Arcana and I need to cut you a little slack." Greylen looked a little embarrassed as he reached back and rubbed Xavier's head again in thanks. "So please, continue. Why were you looking for me?"
Silvain was relieved, the froze at the name Greylen so casually tossed out. Arcana... , "Wait, you don't mean Arcanabethabelidiumzaxifcontanitlar, the red, do you?" she inquired with a nonchalance she didn't feel, her gut tightening further as she pronounced the full name of the dragon who had slain her parents so many years ago.
It was Greylen's turn to be surprised, "Why, yes, I do believe that was her full name. She was so powerful, she didn't care who knew it and so arrogant, she WANTED everyone to know it." he chuckled, then seeing Silvin's face, leaned over and took her hand. "I'm sorry, I've upset you." he started. Silvain snatched her hand back, her breathing coming a little ragged as she glared at Greylen.
"How dare you. How DARE YOU!" she almost screamed at him, her control almost lost as she began transforming back into her true form. Greylen spat out an oath and with it a spell and suddenly all three of them were somewhere outdoors, the half-completed shell of a castle and tower complex in the distance. Silvain completed her transformation and roared with anger, taking a deep breath to freeze this impudent human where he stood.
But Greylen was faster. Suddenly her breath weapon fizzled out, just as she let it go, stunning her. In her minds eye, she could see Greylen casting again, and lunged at him. She only clipped his shoulder glancingly, however, and then she was moving slower. Greylen moved away from her and she tried to take off, to better crush and pin him, but she found she couldn't take off. In fact, she was having a hard time moving at all and it kept getting worse.
Silvain reached for and got clouds from the sky and mist from the ground that suddenly surrounded them, cutting off all vision, but a gust of wind came and blew it all away. She started a spell for a lightning bold, the movements clumsy now, and as she finished, she saw Greylen's hands moving in almost mirror to hers and the spell fizzled out, countered.
"Damn you to the hells." she whispered as her body became too heavy to move at all and could only watch as Greylen walked over to her inert form and with a flourish, created a chair out of the stump next to where she lay.
"Finished, young lady?" Greylen asked, a look of concern in his eyes that baffled her. Why didn't he finish it? Xavier smile wolfishly at her, "Don't worry, Silvain, Greylen would never hurt a good dragon. Especially a woman. But he had to contain you, since I couldn't get through your rage to talk. If you are ready to talk, he will release the earthbind on you."
Silvain nodded with resignation, her rage drained away and her logical mind back in control, and thought back, "I'm in control again. Please remove the bonds." Suddenly she was free to move again. She ruffled her wings and looked at Greylen only a few feet away, but restrained herself.
"It seems I touched a nerve with Arcana's name. But let me assure you, I do NOT work with Arcana anymore, nor do I plan too ever again. In fact, I plan to end that woman's life the moment I can find the shifty lizard's hideout." Greylen barred his teeth in a very unpleasant smile, still keeping eye contact with Silvain. Suddenly it all clicked for her.
"Your research on how to kill dragons. It was to kill Arcana?" she blurted out incredulously. Both of Greylen's eyebrows went up, but he nodded, and so did Xavier, who also hissed angrily.
"Yes, Arcana has lived too long for a being so evil. My friends and I are bending all of our efforts into finding her to rectify that situation." Greylen shrugged with a small smile, though his eyes had that deadly look in them again. This time, the shiver was anticipation. Greylen nodded to Silvain. "So what is your story with Arcana, Silvain? "
Silvain opened her mouth to answer, then the air suddenly cracked and the high council of metallic dragons were all hovering above them both, anger unmistakable in their bearing as they all prepared to attack Greylen.
"Wait!" Silvain roared as Greylen's chair was suddenly enveloped in a prismatic sphere. The shifting lights distracted them all for a split second. Just enough time for Silvain to launch herself between Greylen and the Ancient, powerful, dragons. "Wait, elders, please!" she again roared and the Ancient dragons paused once more.
"Silvain, move. We saw you being attacked and overwhelmed by this man. I vowed to you what would happen if this occured." it was her uncle in his full might as the silver representative to the council. Silvain didn't budge.
"Please uncle, it was a misunderstanding and worse, MY misunderstanding. I attack HIM." she ducked her head in shame, as she bared herself to the scrutiny of the events by the elders. When they were done, there was a collective sigh among the elders and with a nod, all but the gold elder and her uncle teleported away. The prismatic sphere disappeared as well, a chuckling Greylen looking at Silvain as she landed next to him again.
"Well now, that was certainly a close one. I don't think even I could have survived all of them at the same time." he shrugged with a smile. Greylen stood and bowed to the two immense dragons remaining, "Greylen the wizard, at your service, Elders." he intoned politely.
The Gold Elder looked at Talagular and then nodded, "Falsuliam and Talagular at yours, sir Greylen." he intoned back. "You must forgive our impetuous arrival. From the Scrying, we thought you were hurting our young agent over there."
Greylen did not look surprised and looked at the two dragons intently, "I see, so you are the ones who have been scrying me and when you couldn't figure out what I was doing, you send a pretty face to get it from me?" he spoke casually, but a hint of anger was in his eyes as he regarded the Elders towering above them.
Falsuliam nodded his head and sighed, "Yes, and you have our deepest apologies, but you must be aware that the power you have researched and developed could easily be turned against US, if in the wrong hands." he also spoke casually, but his look was anything but casual. "We saw how easily you defeated our young one. How can we allow this magic to continue? If our evil brothers knew you had this magic, you'd be under constant attack from them."
Greylen nodded, conceding a point to the Elder. "It IS dangerous, which is why I am building this place. It will not only be my home, research library and laboratory, it also will protect and if necessary destroy the secrets I have uncovered. I don't intend to give them up to anyone. But I WILL continue to develop them to rid the multiverse of a deadly plague. Arcanabethabelidiumzaxifcontanitlar, the red. She cannot be allowed to exist. My friends and I almost killed her once, but she's like a troll and keeps coming back."
Talagular gasped. "That was you?" he started in awe. "We had heard just rumors about a band of adventurers who had destroyed her mountain fastness. That infernal mountain that made it impossible for us to find her and stop her predatory actions across many worlds." Both Falsuliam and Silvain both looked at Greylen with awe as well.
"It's no rumor." Greylen chuckled as he sat back down. "If you will transform, I'm sure I can whip us up a meal while I tell you what happened to Arcana and her Mountain." he gestured and three more chairs and a small table emerged from the ground. At a nod from Falsuliam, Talangular and Silvain and he transformed into their human forms, the two men appearing graybearded, and sat down. A few moments more and servants from the nearby castle appeared bringing food and wine to laden the table.
"Please eat and I will quench your curiosity" Greylen smiled, indicating the food and pouring cups of wine for them himself. The nodded and began to eat.
Greylen sat back down and after a sip of wine sighed, "It was a hard fought campaign to even get to the mountain. I had four companions, a Rogue, a Palidin, a Ranger and a Dwarf. You'll forgive me if I keep their identities a secret. But suffice to say, we finally managed to track where the mountain would appear next and arrived there just in time to get in." he chuckled and showed his left palm, the anvil etched there shimmered slightly. "When I say it was hard fought, I mean it was only through the intervention of Moridin that I survived that early fight. I owe him much and honor him as one of my gods." Greylen smiled, putting his hand back down.
Greylen Continued, "Once in the mountain, it was constant battle with the kobold army, as well as her other minions. We even managed to save a human female sorceress, named Arcana... or so we thought at the time." he rub the back of his neck in embarrassment. "I'm ashamed to say she fooled us completely until she betrayed us and almost wiped us out. But with a little luck, we managed to survive and we even managed to destroy the device that powered the mountain. However, doing this caused a catastrophic explosion that would have left much of Faerun in ruin. Luckily the Gods were kind and diverted the energy into a temporal time rift that threw her and us into the past." Greylen lifted up his other palm, the five stars of Mystra glowing silver bright. "Mystra saved us again, though she demanded a price and took the ability for me to shapechange ever again." he shrugged philosophically. "It was a small price to save the world."
"Where did you end up?" inquired Silvain, so completely immersed in the story she had stopped eating.
"Well, interesting enough, in the middle of an army of evil creatures, mostly orcs and the like, just outside of what was becoming the new city of peace, Myth Drannor." Greylen grinned at the look on their faces, but Falsuliam and Talagular both shrugged, Falsuliam sighing sadly, "We tried to warn the elves and help where we could, but the army put together there, was greater than any of us had foreseen. We could not stop it." Greylen nodded.
"Do not blame yourselves or be too sad. The vision they had was a noble one. One that my friends and I got caught up in. In fact, we helped defend Myth Drannor until the end, and I actually helped create it's Mythal as one of the few elf friends allowed to learn elven High Magic." Greylen smiled a bit sadly, showing his Gold Ring of the Windsong Tower, but triumpant as well. "Myth Drannor will be rebuilt. I promise you." he paused, taking another sip of wine and a small bite of the roast.
Greylen raised his glass, "To Myth Drannor and all who died to build a better world." he drank and then continued, "Of course there are more than just my own story there, but they are not mine to tell. But at the end, we were again hurled into rift that brought us back to our own time, where we'd learned Arcana was working with a lich to subvert the Myth Drannor Mythal, in the ruins of that once fair city. We traveled to the Mythal room and there, our final battle began. In the end, it took my breaking my Staff of the Magi to defeat her, but we also were blown into another dimension and fear she was as well, though broken and we'd hoped dead. Alas, it seems we failed again in our task and must again prepare for battle. THAT is what I am doing with my knowledge of how to defeat dragons." Greylen finished with a sigh.
Talagular passed in his bite of food, "So what do you mean you failed? Has she appeared again?" Greylen shook his head, "We don't know, but there are indications that she is still alive, but where we don't know. My friends and I have as our highest priority finding Arcana. But it is slow work." he sighed once more, a rueful smile on his lips as he takes another drink.
"So if I might ask a question, Silvain, why DID you go beserk on me after mentioning Arcana's name?" Greylen asked turning to the sliver haired woman. Silvain's face turned hard.
"She killed my parents. And all my clutch mates. I only survived because I was out exploring when she attacked." unshed tears shown in her eyes as she blinked rapidly.
To be continued...
Magic? Who needs Magic?
-Greylen Dragonslayer
