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Crusader LordBound by Light; Blessed by Shadow
Ashevelen & Kaelhmor
A TimeMaster and yoshua171 collab.
Ashevelen & Kaelhmor
A TimeMaster and yoshua171 collab.
Step-by-step through a new world with new possibilities. A village, a town, the smallest of settlements, barely a collection of tents. Each was touched by his invisible influence, by the subtle hand of deception, guiding their fates in new directions. Undetectable and far less intrusive than most deities. Those mortals whose lives were bettered by his whims would never know that he had helped them, and that was altogether fine. Yet, Kaelhmor knew, better than anything else perhaps, that oh so few would understand that they would not accept him for what he was but instead for what they thought him to be: a liar, a scoundrel, a cheat.
Near the end, before he'd been whisked to this place on thoughts of a better world, a more merciful existence, somewhere, he could eventually be accepted, even if only through another sort of lie, another veil of deception, he had embraced that role. He'd had little choice, for every other path had been denied him, and so to survive, he'd had to be genuinely vile, if only for the sake of his continued existence.
It had pained him, driven a wedge into the fabric of his soul that had almost split him asunder, almost driven him mad. When he'd been pulled away from it, summoned to this place--if by his own desires or those of another he did not know--it had been a blessing, a relief, a balm. Still, spite had nestled its roots into his soul, and the seeds of old resentment and deep-set rage had sunk in their claws and built a nest for their young so that they might one day wreck their will upon the world. Vengeance. He wanted it; he could not deny that fact, though it once would have been unthinkable, kind and forgiving as he was.
Yet, these gods...though he'd yet to meet them, they did not know him, they had not harmed him...yet. His mind screamed that single word whenever he had the thought, the intrusive worm in his divine skull insisting that though they had not...that they surely would. He wouldn't give them the chance.
Realizing that a dark look had come over his features and that a terrible pallor now rested in a veil across his person, Kaelh took a deep breath and set his mind on brighter things. He had a chance here and through him, so too did the future of oh so many mortals. He could bring about such things that he'd only dreamed of in his so-called 'home,' his birthplace. His once-prison.
So lost in thought as he was, however, Kaelh did not at first notice that he'd slipped onto a well-worn trail in the earth and that some distance away, he could swear he saw and sensed someone. Shrugging to himself, he continued forward. It was not as if they could sense his nature either way. There would be no threat to him, not with the veil he'd cast from darkness and deception. Not with the new power he'd come to master, the Illumination that now rested atop the foundation of his soul, wrapping the power of Deception in a blinding skein of Primordial Light.
Besides, what were the chances of coming across another god in such a place so far from anything important?
—
Once more on the road. This time with an actual purpose. The bazaar still needed exquisite merchandise, which was currently lacking. Artifacts of power, special animals, and the sorts were all in high demand. Her own merchandise was already being sold, but more was needed, if other divines created things that could be sold and that they don’t use, perfect. They can buy them later on if they do end up needing them.
Ashevelen’s form was of an old elf, carrying a bag in two extremely wrinkled hands. If one would look upon her face, they could swear she lived through the creation of the world and will live long after it’s destroyed. Whistling a tune almost as old as time, she walked a well-worn trail. Half-hoping she’ll find mortals that would simply wish to trade with such an old lady thinking it will be an easy trade and realizing way too late that they’re dealing with the Goddess of it.
As she walked, Ashevelen’s senses flared in danger. Raising her head, she looked further up the road. Using her divine eyesight to the fullest of her ability, nothing seemed amiss. Until something moved and kept moving, but then, there was nothing around. Curious. Thinking that whatever it must be, it would be something valuable, she took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Her shadow-sense flared up to 100, and there was something there. Moving yet unseen. Lifting a hand in the air, a cage made of shadow appeared all around her immediate area, hoping that whatever she sensed would’ve been caught in it.
“ Whatever you are, make yourself visible if you understand me. ” shouted Ashevelen as her form changed in a tornado of shadows to reveal her true godly form.
It seemed that the chances were, ultimately, not in his favor as rather suddenly a divine presence flared into being and shadows spread out in a vast cage to trap him. While that fell power strayed far from his form, merely closing off escape, Kaelh nonetheless found himself frustrated that he’d allowed himself to relax. Sucking his teeth–though the sound went unheard–Kaelhmor sighed and as the goddess called out, he braced himself.
Though yet to reveal his presence, Kaelhmor raised his hands in a placating gesture as he removed the hood from his features and subtly flexed his power such that the cloak would release its hold on his presence and visage.
“My sincerest apologies, fair traveler; I didn't mean to startle you,” said the silver-tongued god, each word the truth.
While before, his visage had been one of green and gold, his newly acquired power had changed the truth of his being. So it was that as he unveiled himself, gentle gold-white light spilled off from his visage in shimmering rays that delighted the senses and pressed at the mind. There was something strange about that light as if it were more than mere physical illumination.
Furthermore, peeking from beneath the now shimmering jet-black fabric of his cloak could be seen circling sigils of light etched in his body. Though he was garbed, the illumination still somehow found a way to slip through the cracks. Thus he was limned and haloed in light, rays draping over him like a second veil, though this one did not obscure him.
Taking a step forward, Kaelhmor dipped into an elaborate bow before rising once more to his full height to meet the eyes of the goddess who stood now some distance away. “I mean you no harm and would be glad to converse, especially if you’d be so kind as to dismiss your cage of shadows.”
Smiling lightly, as if faintly amused rather than threatened or annoyed, Kaelh let the quiet hang waiting for her to fill it anew.
As soon as the hood went down, Ashevelen felt the presence of a new divine. Even more curious than before, a divine she couldn’t see was one thing but one that she couldn’t feel, see or hear? That was something interesting. Very interesting. Quickly looking at their form, she quickly realized why. The hood was some kind of artifact meant specifically to hide them from the sight of prying eyes, divine as they may be. A similar ability to her own to hide from mortals but a bit better.
With a flick of her wrist the cage disappeared, and with her right hand, she threw a coin in their direction. Gently.
“ Apologies brother. I took you for a monster. A sign of my deepest apologies, take the coin and throw it at any shadow. It will take you to my realm, feel free to choose anything in the Bazaar as your payment. Now, where are my manners? ” said Ashe with a nod and bow “ I am Ashevelen, Lady of the Trade and Shadows, and may I say, that is a very interesting cloak you’ve got. Haven’t seen something like that in eons. ”
A small smile and a nod from the cloak-clad deity as his hand effortlessly caught the coin. Briefly, Kaelh regarded the trinket with interest before he let his hand fall back to his side. Head tilted slightly as the goddess introduced herself, Kaelhmor found himself chuckling slightly. “It is of little matter, Ashevelen, sister if you prefer. My thanks for the coin. Perhaps sometime soon I will visit this bazaar of yours. As to my nature, I am Kaelhmor, and my domain is that of Illumination.”
Considering his cloak as he did her words, Kaelh raised some of the strange fabric with a hand, rubbing the folds between his fingertips for a brief moment as he thought aloud. “Your kind words are well appreciated, sister Ashe, I thought it might be helpful to sometimes move unseen. After all, don’t we all desire solitude from time to time?” His smile was gentle and bright as he looked up and met her gaze with his golden-green eyes.
Then, moving forward and to his right, almost pacing as he pondered, Kaelh continued. “Lady of Trade is it? I do love a bargain,” he chuckled lightly then, spinning her token back and forth across her fingers. “What do you say to this? My cloak for a favor.”
With a single deft motion, Kaelhmor somehow managed to shift the cloak from his form to a position elegantly draped over his arm where it lay dappled by the light of his visage.
“ Not at all. I enjoy mortals. Losing myself in a marketplace? Traders shouting their wares while trying to attract customers? That’s solitude for me. Alone surrounded by people ” replied Ashe with a wink.
“ The cloak does look interesting, not going to say otherwise but, what favor? What does it entail? For how long? What are the conditions? ” quickly replied Ashe and then started to enumerate all the different types of questions that one might have in a situation like this.
Laughing lightly, Kaelhmor fingered the pendant ‘round his neck as he responded in kind, “Ah, to each their own then, haha. Though I too enjoy some of these things. The activity, the bright minds of mortalkind moving about day-to-day. As to the favor,” he raised his eyes then, meeting hers, “Effective now, I would only ask to avail myself of your shadowcraft, for bright as I am I can only mimic such a thing.”
Stopping several feet from her, he stretched out his cloak-draped arm and flashed her a bright smile.
“A cloak for a cloak, one to move undetected, the other to traverse and hide among the shadows. In exchange of goods, if you will. A trade. What say you, Lady of Shadows; Mistress of Trades?”
“ Hmm, an exchange of goods but not normal goods, are they? I won’t offer you another cloak, that wouldn’t be fitting. I’ve got another offer. I’ll offer you free passage to and from my Shadow Bazaar to any and all locations that someone has used to get inside the bazaar from. I’d say that’s more than fair. ” replied Ashe with a smile.
In truth, earlier that day, she conjured her deep recesses of power and, using the already existing shadow teleportation system, enhanced it tenfold. No longer would one be contained to the location they came in from, but now, one only has to think of a location they wish to arrive at, and if a person has been there before and entered the bazaar through a shadow and that shadow still exists there, they would be teleported to that location…provided that they leave an offering to the Goddess behind in the Shadow Bazaar. The bigger the distance, the bigger the cost. One would be notified inside their mind of the cost, using the Trade Book to keep prices fair, and when they accept, they’ll be teleported.
“Hmm, free passage is it?” Kaelh queried in response, his tone rhetorical, an amused glimmer in his gaze. Pondering her offer, Kaelh slowly began to nod to himself.
“A realm of bargains and exchange. Connecting all and protecting anonymity. A free market, if you will,” Kaelhmor chuckled and then began to nod, “...I like this deal, though I’d ask of you one more thing. You’ve deemed to grant me access to your auspicious home, but I’d bid you grant me one more right in such a place. Though I am no god of craftsmen, surely you recognize the stellar make of this here cloak. So I ask of you this, give me leave to draw ‘pon the essence of your realm, so from such I may create wonders for the world.”
Pausing, he gave her an instant to take in the gravity of his meaning before he flourished one arm, his cloak billowing slightly in the air, catching light, reflecting it, bending and twisting space as it moved. “For this cloak of utter Absence, I ask only for free passage and the material to supply yet greater works to those who will one day be our adherents. What say you to this beneficial bargain, oh Lady of Trade?”
“ ‘Draw upon the essence of your realm,’ you say? Well, that doesn’t sound like something I’m inclined to allow. I can offer you something else, maybe? You’ll get a special offer on the shadow strings that my Umbra produce which would, in other words, mean the exact same thing as the essence of my realm or maybe you want some servants? Say…50 Umbras to change as you see fit? Or some guardians, 20 Satyrs. ” replied Ashe while summoning from her realm one of each mortal species to show exactly what an Umbra/Satyr is.
After a few moments, another creature appeared. A Tarsk, a very big one. A prime specimen. “ Or maybe you would like a steed. These are one of my finest creations, Tarsks, they’re called. Loyal, strong and fast. ”
A counteroffer then, thought the hidden Lord of Lies, veiled by his guise of effervescent Light, illuminating only what he desired. “Perhaps these Umbra might interest me, but riddle me this, fair lady, who’s to say that I cannot garner followers myself? Surely, this saves me some paltry stretch of time, but as you know, we are immortal, rendering such things of little consequence.” Having paused in place to observe the mortal trade that she had offered, an idea struck his mind.
Nonetheless, he did not let such show upon his face as he approached and idly ran a hand over the back of the Tarsk that she had summoned. “I shall endow thee with the cloak, while I acquire free transit to your realm and all places it might be linked. However, as we’ve come to understand, this is an unfair trade, so I will ask of you two small things. The first is this, I would accept only three of your Umbra. These I will teach in my ways and yours as well so that they might spread the gospel of both our doings. Second, I will ask of you this simple thing,” with these words, he met her gaze, his own expression bereft of meaning as he finished.
“I value greatly discretion so that the world may be illuminated only at the proper time. So it is that I request your silence. Speak not, nor record our meeting, my person, or our trade. Should others already know of me or these doings between you and I, you may be free of this oath. In exchange, I will hold you in the same regard, and you may even ask of me a secondary boon.”
Ashevelen smiled at his first argument before replying, " You're saying that you can garner followers yourself but that takes time, resources, and all that. While time ain't nothing to us…it is for certain plans quite important, as you well know. So, why spend time and power to make followers when you can use some already created? "
" I know better than most what the breaking of discretion can do to a business and I usually protect my sources, so, rest assured…this will be between us. And a second boon. Hmm, let's see. I've got this coin, here. " said Ashe while lifting the Self-Printing coin.
" Imbue it with the power to sense if one is being lied to, but this ability should only be available if one of my Umbra has a coin. Can you do that? "
“Certainly,” Kaelhmor replied in regards to her request. As easily as his every movement seemed, he crossed the distance between them and held out his hand to shake. “We shall bind our oath with this coin in hand, and through its power I will endow you with your boon as you have requested.”
As he spoke, a subtle tension gathered upon the surface of his hand, but there was no threat, no danger, no hint of violence, only power gathered and laid bare. Though she could not know it, to shake his hand was a threefold deal, truly a bargain, a trade, a contract greater than any she’d yet to make. After all, it held within it the potential for an Aspect, and the power of two others–one dark and hidden, the other a veil of illuminating light.
Ashevelen, well versed in pacts and the sorts, felt herself being binded to a pact of silence but nothing more. Something felt different but still, a pact was a pact. She wouldn't break it…lest there was a need.
As soon as the pact was done, the Trademaster’s coin shone with light and shifted subtly in appearance. Lifting the coin in the air, Ashevelen looked at it and made a few more to fall on the ground. A gift for whomever might find them.
" Pleasure doing business with you, divine brother. " she replied as three Umbra appeared next to her. Blank versions with no knowledge whatsoever.
" You may need to teach them a thing or two but they're all yours. "
So it was at the moment that their hands were clasped together, with the coin held between their palms that his power blossomed. His eyes widening fractionally, Kaelh nonetheless recovered with a smile, guiding his essence deftly to forge the pact and to infuse the coin with his subtle might.
Thus, as the mistress of trade and shadows lifted the coin into the light she would find it changed, but not only in appearance. Now, any who held the coin could not only detect lies and deception both, but so too could they shine truth upon the matter. With this power, the very essence of Illumination could lead them to the facts and so bring yet more mortals into the light. Likewise, their oath had been bound in a power that Kaelh himself did not yet understand. Still…somehow it felt familiar.
For now, he would put that aside, after all there were proceedings with which he ought to interact. Smiling at Ashevelen, Kaelh then turned his gaze upon the Umbra, heeding her words as he observed them.
At the same time, his mind played across the binding power of their oath. There would be one thing about his work that would likely remain hidden for a time. It turned out that the oath itself was not a thing separate from the coin he’d blessed. For, beyond its capacity for truth, its duplication, and its unveiling of mortal deceptions, so too did the coin hold within it a fourth gift. Bound up as the core of their binding vow, within the heart of the coin’s essential essence, was the power for the wielder to better keep any secrets that they chose to hold within their breast.
For the time that Kaelh had held the coin, aware of the powers he’d bestowed, he’d wished to hold that secret in his heart, and so…even now, after contact had been relinquished, that Secret remained unseen. So it was that for Ashe to break her oath, so too would she break the coin ‘pon which it had been sealed. A fitting punishment for such a thing, he thought, though he hoped it would never be revealed.
“Very good,” Kaelhmor replied, “...I will teach them of us both and send them unto the world to spread the word of our works so that all may know their glory.” Bowing his head respectfully Kaelh then slipped past her and in a flourish, draped his cloak across her shoulders.
“Cherish these gifts as I shall cherish your creations and foster in them greater things. The cloak is Masquerade, the Shadewalker’s Skein. Use it well, fair mistress.” As he began to tread the path once more, gradually growing further, he found a second thought came upon him.
“Ah and do be delicate with the Trademaster’s Coin. It is a precious thing and anyone who comes to possess it ought to be careful with its use.” There was a smile in his tone, though his cautionary words were clearly full with honesty and meaning. That said, he continued onwards, gradually drawing further from their meeting with every step.
It had been fruitful, he admitted, glad that he’d come upon the goddess. Still…now he’d have to find a new cloak. How troublesome.
