"Now, now, Rhoswen…" came a sinister voice from the shadows, which seemed to shift silently as Lord Raazik stepped forward. "Where are your manners?" he chuckled as he came into view, the dim light of the feeble flame causing his steel mask to shimmer. He was much taller than the elf woman, but she did not falter as she rose defiantly before the Mahjarrat. 

"What do you want from me, Raazik?" she spat his name, disregarding his title. 

"What on Gielinor could I want from you, elf?" he cooed smugly, making little attempt to truly conceal his motives. 

"I am no fool, Raazik." she said, maintaining a stern face despite her predicament. "As a servant of the Unknown Power, you would not drag me to this foul pit without purpose." she explained, her entire aura alive with bravery in the knowledge that confronting the Mahjarrat was a potentially fatal move. The long silence that followed was enough to unsettle even the feisty elf, which was exactly what Raazik had been striving for. Satisfied in the shift in atmosphere, he spoke once more.

"Indeed, you are no fool." he purred darkly. "In fact, that is precisely why you are here. You possess a knowledge that I require, and you shall remain here until you decide to part with it," he said nonchalantly. 

After a moment of silent thought, Rhoswen replied. "You are intrigued by what happened today. With your staff and the Elder Tree." she observed accurately.

"Indeed. What power within that tree prevented me from retrieving my weapon?" he snarled, somewhat humiliated by the scenario he was recalling. He had required the assistance of the Elf to remove it from the bark… He, the Faceless One… Rhoswen merely chuckled to herself, angering the Mahjarrat. "And what exactly do you find so amusing?" he spat, scaring her just enough to cease her laughter. Once she had composed herself, she spoke again.

"The power that bonded the tree and your staff was not of Elven origin, Raazik. It was the power of life itself." she tried her best to explain. "It did not exist within the Elder Tree, or within your weapon. It resided within you, and within our great Lord Arweinydd." she paused, feeling the bitter eyes of the Mahjarrat burning with ferocity. "It was the power of the Equinox: with the Gods gone, the world has fallen into misbalance. only the Anima Mundi and the Unknown Power remain, and so in the absence of deities, Gielinor itself has attached to the remaining binaries: light and dark, peace and domination, compassion and apathy… To Seren and to Zaros." she concluded, hoping she had made her point clear. Raazik huffed.

"This is of little relevance to me. Elaborate or suffer the wrath of my impatience." he commanded. Rhoswen obliged.

"Do you not see, Raazik? One would expect such an ancient being to bear some form of wisdom…" she sighed. "In order for Gielinor to remain balanced, the forces of Seren and Zaros must cooperate. The tree refused to relinquish your murderous tool until it was convinced that the pair of you, as the highest representatives of each faction, would put aside your differences and form a union that would restore Gielinor to its former glory." she sighed once more. "Alas, it seems to have been mistaken."

Raazik considered the elves words carefully. What she said did make sense, and Raazik was not above forming a beneficial alliance in the name of his Lord. But this particular prospect unsettled him… How would the forces of Zaros command control and conquer once more that which was stolen from them, with Seren's weak will of peace and harmony getting in the way? Being as cunning and tactical as he was, it did not take long for a plan to form in the maelstrom of his mind. "Very well," he said, returning to his cool demeanour. "I am willing to discuss the next steps of alliance with your leader, the gracious Lord Arweinydd." he announced in a somewhat glorious manner. Then, his tone stiffened. "But first, you must call him here." 

His words did not sit nicely with Rhoswen, but what was she to do? She knew Raazik was up to no good… But how would the Equinox ever be restored should the paths of the Lords not cross once more? Nodding in comprehension, she attempted to commune with her Lord; alas, she soon found herself mentally blocked by the vile miasma that enshrouded not just this fortress, but the whole wilderness. Her thoughts were lost amongst the memories of the dead and the lurking energies of the abyss that had seeped into Gielinor with the Mahjarrat's return. After several more faithless attempts, she grunted in defeat. "It's no use. I cannot penetrate the sick aura that lingers here." she informed him. "You will have to release me if I am to contact Lord Arweinydd."

Raazik laughed sinisterly. "Oh, nonsense!" he mused, in a tone that was almost friendly. "Your weak mind is simply not accustomed to these parts. It will require more than notions of peace and love to work ones magic in Forinthry. There are plenty of worthy alternatives that would appease these Zarosian lands, but I always find that one feeling in particular is always enough to activate ones true potential." he soothed.

Rhoswen gulped. Beneath his mask, she could tell he was grinning evilly. For the first time, she displayed fear by stuttering. "A-And what might that be..?"

The Mahjarrat chuckled uncontrollably, overcome by sheer excitement as he muttered but one word in response: "[i]Pain[/i]."