Apollyon covered his face with his right gauntlet as the man turned into pure light before him. The light flashed and dimmed down after a crackle and a pop. Then with one smooth motion, Apollyon uncovered his face. Just as he lowered his gauntlet the reality of the situation hit him what had just happened. The goddess of all life, the great one which he served was standing there before him. She shone great golden light through her robes. Within the fountain were two gifts from Nira, a wand made of bone but the other was an enchanted golden chestplate that could rival one from his homeland. Apollyon picked up the chestplate and stood still in awe of its shiny golden tone. His distracted demeanor left Apollyon ignoring the rest of the conversation. Before he could blink Nira had disappeared.
The old man and the market dissolved before them, In their place was an unfamiliar woman. She stood confidently next to the fountain. Seline looked at the woman, her eyes wide. Her golden glow cascaded down, enveloping the fountain. Within the fountain, laid two gifts that Nira had left to them. Seline bent down to reach their gifts, she pulled a cool, white wand out of the fountain. She traced over the surface of the wand, it was made of bone.
A cackle that shatters in echoes down the split alleys and busy marketplace erupts from the man.
"Greeheheheheheheheh!" He goes on, louder. "Ze proud man of Arezz bends to kiss ze feet of a beggar man. Who for? Ze likes of ziss Meladrin? How far your templezz have fallen, young Apollyon."He finishes his good laugh and his harsh words....and then there is a glow. A light there in his chest that begins to burn away the robes, his face, the streets, the market-goers, and the many goods around them.
Thenthey are there, at the fountain of Nira and before them both stands a pristine woman with dark skin and a golden glow.
"The Visage of Fate," she says in a deep voice pointing into the fountain's waters. "And for the humble friend who would manage his pride against the needs of another, there is another gift."And there in the water is a wand of bone and a chest plate of golden metal embellished with an enchantment.
Apollyon sees the pleading look in Seline's eyes. He cuts the creepy, sick, Psychotic and above all old man off before he can leave the market. With one swift motion Apollyon bends over and kisses the man's feet. Apollyon then stands up and holds his hand out expecting the wand.
"ZZiisss one does not do ze kissing, zen he can buy it eemself I zuppose." The old man shrugs and begins to walk away."I zuppose, I zuppose. Zo, zey are not as good for ze Cleric as ze Visage of Fate zat I happenz to have..."
Apollyon walked up to Seline and took in the situation unfolding before him. He turned to the old man and asked," Is there any other way we could acquire this wand?"
"Well, ziss is my deal. If you can get him to kizz both of my feet, I would zee it a favor and gift you any of zees wands. Your choize, my lady." He bows with a knowing smile.
He jets, taking odd dragging steps to maneuver in front of her. Boney fingers point at the wands where she'd been browsing. "Zees are not ze good. ZZay are ze bad. You dezerve much more zan ziss trash, my lady. To be one of Elantrizzz, we must have ze bezt, yes. Nira would have it zzzzo. Tell me," he says peering through one narrowed eye at her up and down. "Iz zziss one touched by Nira's gaze. A Clergyman? Perhapzzz---no I see it....ziss one is much more..."
Apollyon walks up to the man in an attempt to start a conversation. After seeing that Apollyon was a Cleric the weary man immediately started pleading for mercy. "I promise i not a criminal please let me go", He pleaded. Before Apollyon could speak the man pulled a sword from his cloth covering and placed it on the ground. "Just take this and leave me be. Its the best sword i have", The man squeaked. Before Apollyon could speak the man ran deeper into the alley. Apollyon was surprised but pleased when he picked up the sword, it was in perfect condition. Apollyon tried to call the man back and explain he could pay for the sword but he was already long gone.
"Ziss lady izz so quizzzzical....what doez she dezzzzzire?" A man in brown rags hisses from an alley on the other side of the street at Seline, pointing directly at her.
Seline continued to walk around the market, entranced by the unfamiliar people that stood around the shops. A wall of wands caught her attention, wood handles glimmered with designs carved into the oak. Some of the more expensive wands were engraved with silver handles and paired with prices that she couldn't dream of affording.
Apollyon looked at all the enormous stands filled to the brim with weapons of all kinds. But what caught his eye was a weary man leaned up against the wall in a dark alley.
Seline followed the clerics down the path, everyone was silent. Beside her walked the bright eyed boy that had aided their fight, his face was blank. No one seemed to know how to respond to the new news of war. "What should we do?" Seline asked.
Apollyon walked along the rough dirt road, without saying a word. His face looked blank and almost in shock of the events that had unfolded just hours ago.
Apollyon covered his face with his right gauntlet as the man turned into pure light before him. The light flashed and dimmed down after a crackle and a pop. Then with one smooth motion, Apollyon uncovered his face. Just as he lowered his gauntlet the reality of the situation hit him what had just happened. The goddess of all life, the great one which he served was standing there before him. She shone great golden light through her robes. Within the fountain were two gifts from Nira, a wand made of bone but the other was an enchanted golden chestplate that could rival one from his homeland. Apollyon picked up the chestplate and stood still in awe of its shiny golden tone. His distracted demeanor left Apollyon ignoring the rest of the conversation. Before he could blink Nira had disappeared.
The old man and the market dissolved before them, In their place was an unfamiliar woman. She stood confidently next to the fountain. Seline looked at the woman, her eyes wide. Her golden glow cascaded down, enveloping the fountain. Within the fountain, laid two gifts that Nira had left to them. Seline bent down to reach their gifts, she pulled a cool, white wand out of the fountain. She traced over the surface of the wand, it was made of bone.
A cackle that shatters in echoes down the split alleys and busy marketplace erupts from the man.
"Greeheheheheheheheh!" He goes on, louder. "Ze proud man of Arezz bends to kiss ze feet of a beggar man. Who for? Ze likes of ziss Meladrin? How far your templezz have fallen, young Apollyon." He finishes his good laugh and his harsh words....and then there is a glow. A light there in his chest that begins to burn away the robes, his face, the streets, the market-goers, and the many goods around them.
Thenthey are there, at the fountain of Nira and before them both stands a pristine woman with dark skin and a golden glow.
"The Visage of Fate," she says in a deep voice pointing into the fountain's waters. "And for the humble friend who would manage his pride against the needs of another, there is another gift." And there in the water is a wand of bone and a chest plate of golden metal embellished with an enchantment.
Apollyon sees the pleading look in Seline's eyes. He cuts the creepy, sick, Psychotic and above all old man off before he can leave the market. With one swift motion Apollyon bends over and kisses the man's feet. Apollyon then stands up and holds his hand out expecting the wand.
Seline looked at Apollyon pleadingly, "Please! I need a wand to practice my magic along with the other Clerics."
"ZZiisss one does not do ze kissing, zen he can buy it eemself I zuppose." The old man shrugs and begins to walk away. "I zuppose, I zuppose. Zo, zey are not as good for ze Cleric as ze Visage of Fate zat I happenz to have..."
Apollyon walked up to Seline and took in the situation unfolding before him. He turned to the old man and asked," Is there any other way we could acquire this wand?"
Seline searched the crowd for Apollyon. He was walking through the shops towards her. He held a new sword in his hand.
"Apollyon" Seline yelled, catching his attention.
To bw continued(Apollyon)
"Well, ziss is my deal. If you can get him to kizz both of my feet, I would zee it a favor and gift you any of zees wands. Your choize, my lady." He bows with a knowing smile.
She looked around before responding, "Im not sure, he was searching for a sword."
He pretends to think a moment. Blinking, still, silent.
After a beat, he cackles. Several loud, rough syllables of laughter that draw the attention of many onlookers in the market.
"I will tell you what....ziss man you walk with. Share ze words wiff....Where iz he now?"
"Oh um, yes I'd like a wand but there aren't many I could afford."
"Oh, a Cleric, yez, yez. I zee it now. Doez ziss one dezire a wand?" He eyes her shoes. "Or perhapz, a better senze of ze fashion?"
Seline took another step back, "Yes, I'm of the clerics."
He jets, taking odd dragging steps to maneuver in front of her. Boney fingers point at the wands where she'd been browsing. "Zees are not ze good. ZZay are ze bad. You dezerve much more zan ziss trash, my lady. To be one of Elantrizzz, we must have ze bezt, yes. Nira would have it zzzzo. Tell me," he says peering through one narrowed eye at her up and down. "Iz zziss one touched by Nira's gaze. A Clergyman? Perhapzzz---no I see it....ziss one is much more..."
Apollyon walks up to the man in an attempt to start a conversation. After seeing that Apollyon was a Cleric the weary man immediately started pleading for mercy. "I promise i not a criminal please let me go", He pleaded. Before Apollyon could speak the man pulled a sword from his cloth covering and placed it on the ground. "Just take this and leave me be. Its the best sword i have", The man squeaked. Before Apollyon could speak the man ran deeper into the alley. Apollyon was surprised but pleased when he picked up the sword, it was in perfect condition. Apollyon tried to call the man back and explain he could pay for the sword but he was already long gone.
"Oh, I'm just looking at the wands" Seline looked at the strange man and she took a step away, "Mine broke before I came to Elantris."
"Ziss lady izz so quizzzzical....what doez she dezzzzzire?" A man in brown rags hisses from an alley on the other side of the street at Seline, pointing directly at her.
Seline continued to walk around the market, entranced by the unfamiliar people that stood around the shops. A wall of wands caught her attention, wood handles glimmered with designs carved into the oak. Some of the more expensive wands were engraved with silver handles and paired with prices that she couldn't dream of affording.
Apollyon looked at all the enormous stands filled to the brim with weapons of all kinds. But what caught his eye was a weary man leaned up against the wall in a dark alley.
Apollyon and Seline walked around the market. Venders were scattered around selling all sorts of magical potions, wands and weapons.
Apollyon sat in silence, but responded after no one spoke. "I have absolutely no idea" Apollyon stated with a hint of shock in his voice.
Seline followed the clerics down the path, everyone was silent. Beside her walked the bright eyed boy that had aided their fight, his face was blank. No one seemed to know how to respond to the new news of war. "What should we do?" Seline asked.
Apollyon walked along the rough dirt road, without saying a word. His face looked blank and almost in shock of the events that had unfolded just hours ago.
As the clerics traveled back from retrieving the Welkyn Stones, news was given of an army advancing on Elantris.