Thread: Tempting Bonds (Neuro+LI)

It was late Autumn in Myth Drannor, a bright cold morning with the first snows of the year dusting open spaces between the trees. The sun was brilliant on the golden treetops overhead, and the sky was perfect as far as the eye could see. In the shadows formed by the still vibrant trees, Nerin Sitelo fought with every ounce of strength and arcane lore he possessed. His opponent was the Eladrin mage Ditar Yabit, clashing with weapon and spell against spell and wand. Steel glittered and rang in the air as he parried crackling bolts of white force, or deflected shining veils of madness that Ditar attempted to snare him with. Nerin wielded a rather unique weapon, in the fact that it was many weapons. At any given moment, he could transform the weapon into anything he so desired. A swordmage generally chose one weapon, and used it for the rest of his life, or at least, of the same type. Nerin, however, found that he could not choose on any singular weapon, thus this one was rather valuable to him, as the bond he had stayed with the weapon, even if it changed form. Currently, it was in the shape of a longsword blade attached to the end of a pole arm Ditar on the other handed, had only a mahogany wand, being a pure mage, and that was enough for him. Dueling was not permitted within Myth Drannor, this encounter was ostensibly an invitation to demonstrate skill through the lists in a tournament of the city's defenders. Nerin had been here for four years, four of which was spent as a Coronal's guard, in skill and duties if not actual rank, and was thus allowed to participate. A small crowd of witnesses watched intently to ensure that the forms were followed. Daried, the spellsinger who had furthered Nerin's arcane abilities stood by to serve as his second. The spellsinger watched with a frown, as the contest was clearly long past a challenge of skill and was a duel in fact, if not name. Beside Daried stood Alliere, her face pale as she watched the two men fight, knowing the reason just like everyone else did. She was almost painfully beautiful, not much older than Nerin. The Genasi was nothing but a rootless Genasi, a wanderer ho came to Myth Drannor, and earned his current position with hard fought skills and determination, and she loved him. Ditar on the other hand, was a proud and handsome Eladrin of a high house, loved her as well, and had come to bitterly resent her feelings for Nerin. Thus, the two defenders fought over some trivial insult that neither remembered now. The onlookers gasped in surprise as a large fireball erupted from Ditar's wand, hurtling towards Nerin. He barely managed to summon a countering ward, the fire licking at his body, but causing him no harm, even as the heat seared the leaves and melted the snow around them in a thirty-foot radius. Rather than retreat, he transformed his weapon into a long sword, holding it in one hand as he drew the symbols of a translocation spell in the air. He snarled the arcane word ...Seiroch!, and was instantly transported behind Ditar, who had lost sight of him. Ditar spun around, sensing him from behind as he brought up his wand, but it was too slow. Nerin slashed updwards in a disarming strike, knocking the wand from Ditar's hand, but carried forward and slashed at the side of the Eladrin's face. His opponent cried out in pain and staggered backward, falling to his knees. Nerin leapt forward, the point of the blade at Ditar's chest. Yield! You are beaten. He shouted. He held his blade still, despite the acrid smell of smoke, and the pain of his singed skin, the ward having apparently not deflected all of the fire. Ditar knelt in the snow, blood dripping from his face. A fearsome hatred burned in the man's eyes as he snarled in rage, the wand resting between the two combatants. I will not yield to you filth! He screamed as he rolled, grabbing the wand and facing Nerin, an even stronger fire ball building up. Something cold and murderous erupted in Nerin's heart, and he struck without a second though. Every sneer, veiled insult, every single sarcastic comment Ditar uttered against him coalesced into a black wave swept over Nerin. Deliberately, Nerin leaned in taking off Ditar's hand from the wrist. Blood splattered against scorched ground as Nerin took a step back, flicking the blood from his blade. He heard the cries of horror from the crowd, and the screams of rage and pain from his enemy. ...Why did I do that? He wondered Dully, knowing that maiming Ditar in that way, when the duel was already won, was a monstrous thing to do. He knew that Daried, and Arielle, and the others who had bee watching were horrified by what he had done. He looked down at Ditar, clutching at the still bloody stump, his dismembered hand still gripping the wand. He looked intently at the cut face of his enemy, and raised his sword again, something in him desired more, maybe an eye next? He had already gone this far, why not indulge a little more. Before he could take a single step, Daried leaped between the two, his arms stretched out. No! This is enough! He shouted, ending the duel. Still, Nerin raised his sword, planning on dashing past him, when the spellsinger suddenly lunged forward, pulling Nerin away. Have you lost your mind? That was cruelly done! He hissed into Nerin's ear as the Genasi stared on. The murderous fury that had consumed him ebbed away, mindlessly sheathing his weapon, his hands trembling. Why did I do that... He asked himself again, trying to clear the destructive impulses from his mind. I... had no intention of crippling him. He finally managed to say, taking a half-step back. Your intentions hardly matter at this point Nerin Sitelo. The spellsinger said with a sigh, looking back at Ditar. You will be judged for your actions... judged severely I fear. Nerin ignored the glares of hatred from Ditar's friends as others tended to the wound. He turned to walk away, and saw Arielle standing there in the same spot, her face devoid of killer, and filled with terror. When their eyes met, she flinched and looked away, tears rolling from her eyes. He was grabbed from behind suddenly, his blade already taken as he was distracted. Three guards stood by him. The coronal has summoned you, you will come with us. The judge spoke firmly, marching him to the halls. Nerin turned to look for Arielle, but she was gone. A day later, he came out of the halls in the middle of the night, a dark cloak around his shoulders as he darted between the buildings. Nerin was careful to avoid the gaurds, finding it rather easy, having knoweldge of their patrol routines. Half an hour later, he finally managed to get out of the city, not stopping until he was a qaurter mile out, sighing softly. He was banished from Myth Drannor, buth e still had his life, for what that was worth... He supposed he would return home for awhile, and figure something out from there. His heart was indeed broken, having lost Arielle, but not having his first love... it would always be so.