Vlindrel:The Cruel Tutelage of Morganstern

Day 2, 11:00 AM
Forlorin

**Tate ascending the old stone steps to the raised platform at the center of town. As he does he sees the Lady-in-Waiting once more, even after a night has passed, she hasn't move from her spot.**

Tate: ...So do you ever move... From the bonfire, I mean? **As he reaches the top he looks to her, then to the bonfire. He feels a little uneasy, knowing that Ahiga will likely have left already, leaving him here alone.**

Lady-in-Waiting: I keep vigil over the Forlorn Flame, as is my duty, unto the ending of time.

Tate: **He looks down, taking a breath.** Ahiga is leaving to find his spirit, and he'll likely return with it. **He figets with his fingers for a moment, hesistating and trying to think of what to say.** ...You said the fire undoes fate... That we can choose our own path... Are you saying we had no choice at all before? That everything was pre-determined?

Lady-in-Waiting: Existence is a contest of living and dying... Few have the endowment to cozen either of them... Fewer still have the brilliance or fortune enough to do it times manifold more... The foundation of your reality, this contest is, and through it so does fate sway your motions... Through it does fate affect your discerning actions... To defy life, to defy death, it matters not, for one will surely end whilst the other begins... Only through the holy flame does one break this bondage, free to live or die as one pleases, rather than have fate press them ever onwards...

Tate: **He mumbles to himself.** ...What good is my ability to choose if I'm not strong enough to actually do anything?

Lady-in-Waiting: Young witch... Should you aquire sufficient Souls from those you slay... Then by chance you might bring them to me... So that they may be used to embolden your abilities...

Tate: ...What? What do you mean *souls*. **He remembers Caspian speaking about this before, but hadn't though much of it.**

Lady-in-Waiting: This ebbing land is supplied with withering husks... The denizens of kingdoms long since fallen... Their Souls, waning like the land they wander, will be free of their confines... And the vestigal essence within them will seek a new host... This essence is attributed as being Souls, but in truth, it is little more than thin ethereal vitality that escapes the vessel upon its destruction... Bring me this essence... And I will bind it to a new vessel, so that it may vest in you greater apptitudes in Might, Prowess, Affinity, Arcana, and Prominence...

Tate: So it's a fuc- **He stops himself.** It's an experience system, like from a game... **He scratches the side fo his head and shakes it a little, looking at Loki.** This whole place reminds me of a game we played back home...

Lady-in-Waiting: **Her eyes crackle with light for a moment before she responds.** Life and death are games yet, and through the holy flame does thee cheat it... If that is the correlation you understand this as, then proceed, Young Witch... For any passed experience will help you gain ground here... You need only press on... To seek struggle, to seek misery, to seek the end of your journey... Else will you wander eternally... Until fate takes its due...

Tate: So if I kill myself... I'll ressurect at this fire right? **He looks to Loki, who is sleeping on the steps.**

Lady-in-Waiting: You need not doubt the holy flame... You need not fear death... You need only press onwards... As you are free of fate's dicerning manipulations...

Tate: **He turns and walks down the steps, reaching down and picking up Loki as he does.** Let's go have a look outside of town Loki... There's gotta be something out there that'll be useful to us...

**About an hour later, a mile or so outside of town...**

**Tate has been walking down an old unpreserved road, with most of it having been overgrown by plants and tree roots.**

Tate: **He looks around as he slowly makes his way down the path, climbing over a log.** You didn't happen to see a bonfire yet... **He looks to Loki, who has passed out on his shoulder. He rolls his eyes and looks back ahead, stepping over another large root.** Unless I missed one... **He looks back, as if it would be easy to just walk passed something that important.**

**As Tate looks back ahead there's a water-like veil of magic in the shape of a tall rectangle, almost like an open door. Beyond it, Tate can see the interior of some large manor, or similar structure, with an unlit bonfire smoldering about ten yards beyond the threshold. He quickly recognizes it as a portal to another place, and he can feel the magic coming off of it, like a strong breeze.**

Tate: Huh... **Loki wakes and jumps from his shoulder. The little ferret runs up to the edge of the portal and looks around to get a better view inside.** That the inside of some old mansion? **He feels like he should be more impressed, but after falling down here, a magical doorway in the woods seems pretty tame.**

**The inside of the portal looks to be a large room with marble flooring and very high ceilings. The bonfire is within a large circular seal on the floor. Despite being clean, everything looks run down and faded.**

Tate: Well, what do you think? **He walks a little closer to the portal.** Should we go get Ahiga and our Knight in shining armor, or go inside? **Loki sniffs the edge of the portal a few times and looks back at Tate for a moment then back into the portal.** ...Fuck it. **He walks forwards and over the threshold and into the large room, Loki moving through it with him.** What are they gonna do, kill us? **He says it with a little sarcasm, but there's a slight tone of nervousness as he moves towards the bonfire, holding out his hand over it.** Bohnfiah raito?

**A wave of sparks bursts outwards as the fire suddenly crackles to life. Tate feels an ethereal link to it. If he becomes injured, or dies, this bonfire will revitalize him.**

Tate: Well it's a good thing that works just like it does in the game, because I didn't bring my lighter...

**After a moment Tate and Loki hear a metal tapping sound, and a slightly oversized armored gauntlet crawls into the room, moving like "Thing" from the Addams Family. It stops as is nears the bonfire. After a moment it motions for them to follow it and then skitters off.**

Tate: A portal in the middle of the road, that leads inside an old manor with an armor-hand that's walking around by itself and asking us to follow it... **He raises an eyebrow, then looks to Loki.** At least this walk is finally getting interesting... **Loki lets out a yip and opens his mouth like a smile, then turns and starts scampering after the crawling hand. Tate looks back at the portal for a moment, before following after the hand.**

**The hand leads them down a very large and very long hall with no windows or doors anywhere along the hallway. After about ten minutes of walking they reach a large pair of stone doors.**

Tate: **He looks up at the doors.** I'm gonna make an uneducated guess that this *isn't* the exit. **He narrows his eyes.**

**The doors start to slowly open, revealing a large dark room beyond them. After a moment two rows of torches, one of row on the left and the other on the right, ignite with bright red flames, illuminating large pillars and huge bookcases that go several floors up, making it apparent that room is some kind of library. Before Tate can get much of a view of it, a very tall and thin figure suddenly materializes from nothing, a single glowing blue eye staring down at the boy from beneath the brim of a wide black witch's hat. The Witch's features are completely obscured by darkness, despite the torches.**

Witch: **There's a clicking sound, followed by a sudden gasp, like the witch wasn't breathing.** ...No one has come here... **The witch's voice is strange, echoing and shifting in tone between the voice of an old man and a woman.** ...Not for a very long time... **The Witch bends down, it must be nearly nine feet tall, but as it gets closer its face isn't any easier to see, darkness still hiding.** I see potential within you... **It reaches a long arm out to Tate.**

Tate: **He takes a few steps back when it bends down to him, then nearly stumbles backwards when it reaches out for him.** What the hell are you?

Witch: ...What the hell am I? **Its eye turns away from Tate, and it withdraws its hand, raising its hand to its face.** ...Ahh... How rude of me... I've forgotten to wear a face... **It stands up and adjusts its hat, turning it by the brim, and when it does a woman's pale face suddenly appears, as if the light shifts over it to reveal it.** Better? **Her voice changes to something more normal, like that of a young woman, though with the hint of a strange accent.** ...What a wonderous occasion... My name is... **She pauses and her bright blue eyes glass over for a moment.** My name... **She mumbles quietly to herselft.** M... Mor... **Her pupils dialate and then return to normal as she looks back to Tate.** ...Morganstern... **She smiles a strange smile.**

Tate: **He looks at her strangely, then up and down.** ...I'm Tate. **Her height intimidates him, as does the fact that a moment ago she looked like some shadowy monster-witch.**

Morganstern: Welcome to the... The... **Her face goes blank, then she suddenly smiles her strange, but cheery smile, once more.** The Aurelion Estate. I see you have met my... Familiar... **She pauses again, her expression going blank a second time.** ...My familiar... **She whispers to herself, so quiet that Tate can barely hear her voice.** ...What do I call my familiar...?

Tate: **He slowly looks over to Loki with an eyebrow raised, then back to Morganstern.** ...Are you all right? **He says it with an almost sarcastic tone and raises an eyebrow at her.**

Morganstern: **Her smile returns and she looks to Tate.** I apologize... Young Tate, for I have not had company for a very long time. You are hungry, are you not? I see that you have not yet eaten this... Morning. **She looks to the animated gauntlet on the ground next to her, which is her apparent familiar.** N... Noxalas... Yes, that's your name- Noxalas, please wake the attendants, and have them prepare for us a... **She looks at Tate. Her face seems to flicker dimly with a blue light.** Breakfast. **She smiles strangely again.** I sense that our guest of honor is quite famished. **The large armored gauntlet quickly crawls away.**

Tate: **He suddenly realizes that he actually is pretty hungry after that walk, and he hadn't eaten anything this morning either.** ...Breakfast would be nice. **He smiles awkwardly, looking to Loki.**

Morganstern: I'm sure you have many questions, young Tate. **She turns and stands up straight, being even taller than Tate initially expected as her body seems almost to stretch slightly. She begins walking down another hall that Tate didn't even notice before.** I will happily answer them for you.

Tate: ...Did you open the portal... Back there in the woods? **He motions behind him slightly. Loki is scampering around behind him, sniffing the carpet and looking at the walls.**

Morganstern: Noxalas keeps watch for potential magicians. He is the one who opens the portals. **She walks with an almost unnatural posture, almost perfectly upright, and though her long legs are hidden by her robe, Tate can tell that they move with an odd precision.** It has been a very long time since he's found a true witch. Few have been born under Vlindrel's skies as of late... Many who call themselves sorcerers or witches are just fools, playing with trickets and staves...

Tate: ...So he's the one that found me in the forest then? **He has a nervous smirk.** I'm nothing special or anything...

Morganstern: On the contrary my dear, you're quite a rare find indeed... It is your doubt in your powers that makes them weak... I will erase that doubt through tutelage, and you will see your true potential. **She looks ahead as they reach a large pair of doors, then stops and looks down to Tate.** These halls have fostered countless magi through the ages... You will be no different. Why, in just a few days time you will look back on yourself and realize that you were foolish to doubt your potential.

Tate: A few *days*? **He looks at the tall witch and stops, he narrows his eyes** My friends don't even know I'm gone, and we're trying to find a way back home... I don't have a few days.

Morganstern: ...Oh but you do... For I see in you great youth, unlike most anything else here in this wilted world. You have time immemorable, young Tate. All witches do... **She takes a long stride towards Tate and bends down until she's at eye level with him. As she bends down the collar of her robes hangs down, and Tate can see that her pale white skin ends abruptly at the base of her neck, replaced by what looks like twisting dark bronze.** And you are *firelinked*... I see the crackle of that rapacious flame in your eyes... So even death will not have its say... **She smiles another strange smile. Now that she's close, Tate can tell what's so off about it, it's like the smile you'd see on a store manikin.** The Aurelion Estate has a legacy to uphold... And I will *not* be its last scholar. **As Tate stares at her strange face, he can just make out the large blue eye beyond the surface of her pale skin. Her youthful face is an illusion, nothing more than a trick of the light.** So you see... You aren't going anywhere...

Tate: **Seeing her deceptive nature for what it is, he quickly takes a step back, and then turns and breaks into a run as he moves down the hall without another word. Loki jumps up onto his hip and climbs up his back, turning around and sticking his tongue out at the giant witch.**

Morganstern: **She stands up straight and takes a step forward, her incredibly long stride nearly keeping pace with Tate's despite him running as quickly as he can.** You will see in time that your doubts are what makes your spirit ill. **Tate starts to outrun her, though it doesn't look like she's trying very hard to keep pace with him.**

Tate: **He reaches the end of the hall and slides as he turns down into the first hall without stopping. His legs should be sore from all the running he did last night, but the fire has healed them enough that they aren't.** I need to get home!

Morganstern: And once you are done here, you will be capable of wonderous feats of greatness! **She turns the corner, still walking after him at her pace. As Tate runs down the long hall he can see the portal he entered through, just beyond the bonfire, back to the Nabalwald.** You will return home worthy of your bloodline!

Tate: I think I can get by without becomming a prisoner to some monster! **He leaps over the bonfire and sprints through the portal.**

**Just as Tate's about to run through the portal it flashes white and vanishes. He instead crashes into a black marble wall, and knocks himself out cold.**

**A few hours later...**

**Tate opens his eyes. He's laying back on a soft bed in a large room with more bookcases.**

Morganstern: **Her pale face is looking down at him as she's hunched over his bed.** It's been so long since I've had a young man in the estate... I forgot how brash they could be...

Tate: **He looks around.** ...I... **He rubs his head.** ...How long was I out?

Morganstern: Four hours. **She leans back and stands up, towering over his bed.** How are you feeling?

Tate: My head hurts... **He looks around.**

Morganstern: You suffered a concussion. Perhaps it would be best to reset your physical state. **She holds her hand out over Tate.** You are firelinked, after all.

Tate: ...What? **He moves to get up from the bed.** You're going to kill me?!

Morganstern: It will be quite painless- **She points at Tate, and the bed suddenly springs to life, the sheets and frame turning into filigree iron that twists into tentacle-like spikes. All of them quickly spring forward and stab Tate straight through the forehead. She looks to Loki and smiles strangely.**

**Loki lets out a low growl and his fur turns black. He suddenly leaps up at her, screaming out with a high-pitch yelp.**

Morganstern: **A bolt of light flies from her fingertip and hits Loki, a gilded bird cage appearing around the tiny ferret. The cage flies into her hand.** Let's go get your friend... **She stands up fully and starts walking out the room, her familiar crawls after her.**

**Back at the bonfire...**

**The bonfire flashes brightly, and suddenly Tate is sent stumbling out of it. He's in his underwear and beanie, but all of his other clothing hasn't returned with him.**

Tate: **He looks himself over, seeing that he's missing his ragged clothing.** ...Did she really kill me? **He looks himself over.**

Morganstern: **She's already standing there to greet him.** The firelinked revive. **She sets down Loki's cage and vanishes in a flash.** Again... And a again...

Tate: **He looks up at her, nervously. Loki runs over to him and hugs his leg. He looks back at the bonfire.** So it really does work? **He's obviously shocked at having died.**

Morganstern: **She walks around the flame, looking down at Tate.** So that was your first death... You've much to learn, young Tate. **She points at him and a bolt of light slams into his chest. A fitted blue jacket-vest and black leather pants appear on him as the light spreads over his body, then rushes up around his neck to create a short black cape that hangs over his left shoulder.** You want to learn to wield your powers? I want to teach you how. **As she finishes circling around the bonfire she looks to him and the strange vacant smile spreads across her lips.** I see no reason for you to run.

Tate: **He looks himself over, seeing his new outfit. He takes a deep breath.** ...Fine. **He says it defiantly.** I'll try and learn as best I can, but I think in the end you'll find me to be a shitty student... **He looks up at her with stubborn anger.**

Morganstern: I have taught worse. **She smiles again.** Now, come eat... I sense that you are quite famished...

**Meanwhile...**

**After returning to town and searching for several minutes, Ahiga and Caspian quickly realize that Tate is no where to be found.**

Ahiga: **He runs up to Caspian, having been checking the western wall.** I hope he's not in trouble...

Caspian: Perhaps the Lady-in-Waiting will know where he's gone. **He heads for the large bonfire and begins walking up the steps. As he reaches the top he bows his head.** My Lady... By chance, would you know where our friend has wandered off to?

Lady-in-Waiting: The young witch left to find something to aid him in combat... He doubts his own efficacy, and so he sought out something that might grant him strength in the eastern wood... But now he is much farther... Beyond the forest, atop a far peak... I see that he has linked with the distant Aurelion Fire, of which I do not tend...

Caspian: A distant peak? ...Never have I heard of the Aurelion Fire... How has he travelled so far? **He looks up to the Lady-in-Waiting.**

Lady-in-Waiting: Aurelion is a bastion of great magic... Only reachable by those who are summoned to its spires... Home to a faculty of Vlindrel's ancient pedagogues, headed by those great magi with names that have become unutterable... Perhaps he will return with what power he sought... You may rest easy, White Knight, for as you know, the Young Witch cannot die...

Caspian: **He stands up.** So there's nothing to worry over. **He turns to look at Ahiga.**

Ahiga: ...What? He's all alone, in some far off place, we need to go help him!

Caspian: The Lady says we need not worry, Ahiga.

Ahiga: **He looks at Caspian, confused by his lack of concern.** I don't care what she says, he's my *best friend* and I can't just leave him out there by himself.

Caspian: **He smiles slightly.** Forgive me, Ahiga... I've always been on my own, never have I had someone that might worry over me missing... **He looks down for a moment, then back to Ahiga.** But trust me, that no matter what happens to Tate, he can continue until he overcomes what is set against him... Many times have I fallen, but eventually I've succeeded where I've failed... It is our failures that help us learn the most, and make us stronger. **He smiles a little more warmly.** I'm very hungry, are you?

Ahiga: **He looks down, letting out a quiet breath.** Yeah...