The Library at Night

[Guest]

Marek rubbed over his chin, his fingers rasping over the stubbles. “Good, that gives me time for a wash and a quick shave.” He rummaged in his backpack to find his shaving utensils. “I can’t meet after morning service. There’s a training scheduled at that time, so I’ll be running through just long enough to grab a few bread rolls and go meet with Bane.”

“After the training, is that okay?” Zinia had mentioned he only had a few burns to get ready and so Marek settled for giving her a quick smile as he hurried past towards the baths. Further talk would have to wait.

He felt better after splashing cold water over his body and face. As he soaped his face and wet his shaving blade his thoughts turned towards the dream. That there had to be a deeper meaning had become obvious after the brief talk with Zinia. Unfortunately, that revelation helped only so much to finding an explanation.

The few interpretations his tired mind could come up with, he was hesitant to accept. It was too early to stick to the dark scenario’s that came to mind when recalling Father Damrod and his theology class. Even though he had to admit it did fit. In fact, it fit too well. Still, obvious solutions weren’t always the right ones and Marek doubted he had full insight in the dream and its hidden meaning.

Marek was still musing over Zinia’s words and last night’s dream when he headed to the temple for morning service.

[Guest]

Despite the various grumblings about ruined sleep and whispers about strange portents, service was a pleasant revelation for the newcomer. All of the order joined to welcome the morning and commune with Illuminatus. The feeling was similar to meditation but stronger and even more empowering as the light within each of Lumi's followers contributed to a larger more powerful experience.

However, High Priest Ybald did address some disturbing concerns in his sermon. The high priest spoke at length on the necessity of contemplating any divine messages before hastening to act upon them. He urged those who might have vivid recollection of the dreams that seem to have troubled many of the order to confer with him in private afterward. All morning classes were to be cancelled. there would be a general assembly of the followers of Light at the first mark of Tradetide. Until then, prayer and study were urged upon those who did not have specific duties assigned them.

At the end of the service, Marek felt a hand on his shoulder. Bane had sought him out.
"Well, young Vellion, this is one morning where you'll have more than my training to blame for discomfort. Tell me, did you share in the unrest that seems to have troubled so many?"

[Guest]

The service had been an enlightening experience for the young man, and with relief he noticed again how different this Light was from the one overpowering last night’s dream. He gave heartfelt praise and thanks to Illuminatus for His Light. When the service came to an end Marek looked over at the High Priest and the score of people who filed in his direction. Although he recalled his dream vividly, he was hesitant to join the queue. If at all possible, he’d prefer having a better understanding of its meaning before claiming Ybald’s time.

He was about to leave when Bane’s hand came down upon his shoulder. He turned and smiled when he saw who it was. “Given a choice, I’d take the discomfort of your training at any time.” The first of a grin faded upon his mentor’s next words and Marek nodded. “I think so, although I am not too certain what it means.” A frown creased the young man’s brow. “In fact, I am not even sure if it isn’t a reaction to the class I attended yesterday. I dreamt of an overpowering, all consuming light not unlike the light of Dominicus Father Felton spoke of. Did you have dreams as well, Sir? What do you think they mean?”

Marek rubbed his neck and glanced away from the other man. An awkward silence fell as he sought for the right words. Still at a loss, but wanting to say –something- about his earlier behaviour, he blurted out an apology. “Sir, about yesterday? I want to apologize. I had just had a rough encounter and my temper is a problem that needs working on, but that’s no excuse.” As he spoke, he had raised his gaze to meet with Bane’s. “I am truly sorry.”

He shot another glance to the people waiting to speak with Ybald, trying to judge how much time he’d have before the crowd lessened. “Do you think we could get one of your trainings in before the High Priest is free or did you have other plans, Sir?”

[Guest]

Bane frowned at the mention of the dream's content.
"Best not to jump to any interpretations. Let those with more experience in such things examine the visions firsthand. I was one of those few who managed a sound sleep last night."
The paladin looked a bit uncomfortable about not sharing in the experience, as if stung.

He regarded Marek's apology with a chuckle.
"Don't be so quick to apologize: you may be cursing my name before the day is out. I understand temper, and you can be sure that it will be more of a useful tool than a hindrance to your judgment by the time I am through with you, lad."

Bane's eyes followed Marek's glance toward the high priest.
"Well, I'm sure you've time," he snorted, "We may all be equal in the eyes of Illuminatus, but you can bet there'll be a hierarchy of holiness to determine who gets first dibs at Ybald's time. Certainly time enough for a spar, however I have received a request that you make yourself available to Father Gamble in the library as soon as possible."
His eyebrows raised quizzically.
"Temper or no, you seem to have made some strange impressions and acquaintances for someone here only one day."

[Guest]

Marek suppressed his first impulse to joke about gladly trading his nightmare for a sound night’s sleep. He would not have enjoyed being excluded either. Nodding in silent agreement to Bane’s assessment of the queue, Marek turned away from Ybald and his gathering to focus fully upon Bane.

“Making strange impressions? Me? I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Marek mocked at his own expense, chuckling. “Don’t get me started again. I’ve been reeling since I set foot upon the Isle.” He was heavily exaggerating, a light smirk upon his lips. “I blame my temper…. if you could turn that into a tool -no matter how- I promise no complaint will pass my lips.” The young hothead was not jesting this time. He had been in enough trouble already to be grateful for Bane's aid in managing his temper.

“I guess I should head to the library, Father Gamble doesn’t seem the type to request haste unless necessary.” The young man had liked the archivist from the first moment and was eager to think well of him. “Could we train after? If your schedule permits, Sir. I would not want to miss it.”

He waited for Bane to dismiss him before hurrying to the library.

[Guest]

"Very well, once Gamble has done with you, come find me in the courtyard."
Bane dismissed his student with a nod.

Getting to the library turned out to be more of a chore than expected. With normal routines in disarray, there were clusters of priests and paladins throughout the halls. A particularly large group was gathered at the doors to the library. Four senior paladins stood guard, keeping what was growing into a noisy crowd at bay.

One of them, who looked to be about Marek's age (and probably a recent promotion) blocked the novice's path into the room.
"Sorry, son. The library is closed."

[Guest]

Marek pushed himself through the crowds with as much discretion as possible. An occasional ‘excuse me” sounded when he was forced to press through with a bit more insistence. This is worse than getting to Ybald, he thought with some exasperation.

By the time he reached the guards, it had become clear something was up. Glancing over his shoulder, he silently thanked Bane for dismissing him before the crowd’s growing numbers had made reaching the Library impossible.

Clever Gamble, after Ybald’s call to study upon the dreams, there’d be a rush on the library. After the first few got their information, no one would have been able to find anything anymore. The Aurelian can be content. This is no small revenge.

He nodded to the young paladin. “I’m Marek Vellion. Father Gamble requested I’d report to him in the library as soon as possible.” After having explained himself, Marek waited to be granted access with as much courtesy as his impatience allowed.

[Guest]

The guard was about to question Marek further, but Zinia appeared from within the library.
“There you are!”
She grabbed Marek’s arm and pulled him past the guard and into the library. The guard tried to protest but the young woman was clearly moving to fast to slow down for any questions.
“That oaf would’ve kept you there for marks trying to verify your identity and orders,” the healer whispered as she guided Marek into a circle of folk standing around a great brazier that had been moved into the main chamber of the library.

There were, if Marek counted, twenty-five people gathered together in the circle - Zinia and Marek made the total twenty-seven. Some were very old, some were younger even than Marek. Some wore armor and bore the weapons of paladins; others were garbed in grand robes of priestly rank, while still others wore healers’ robes or the simple garb of scholars or servants. Men and women were about equally represented. Father Gamble stood next to the brazier. he smiled to regard the latest arrivals.

“A Healer Zinia and Novice Marek. Please take your candles...”
He held out two thick white candles each about two spans long.
“... and light them in the brazier. Then join the circle.”
He indicated two empty spots near where he stood.

[Guest]

About to demand the Guard open the door for him, Marek found himself interrupted by a female whirlwind named Zinia. Before either he or the young paladin could object, he had been dragged into the Library. The young man looked oddly at the crowd gathered around Gamble and glanced to the woman at his side. She was already moving on however, and since there really was no time for questions, he followed her and accepted a candle from Father Gamble. He greeted the archivist with a nod and a smile, then did the same to the crowd in general.

Why had Gamble gathered all these people around him? Was he about to attempt a cure for the Library? Marek lit the candle in the brazier, turning the candle between his fingers for an even flame. After last night’s dreams and Ybald’s call to the congregation to study upon their meaning, he could well imagine Gamble wanted to try for a solution. But why all these people? And why wait for –him-, Marek? Would it not have been much easier to just grab one of the many waiting outside? Twenty six people, he counted, not including himself.

The novice waited until Zinia had taken her place and moved to fill last remaining spot. <I>Funny, there’s twenty six of us</I>, he mused as waited for Gamble to explain the circle to its participants. <I>I wonder if he asked Bane to send me over because he needed an ‘M’.</I> Marek shook his head with a mental snort. <I>Yeah right. He knows you like to stick your nose in everything that’s new and strange. The man’s doing you a favor. Now, how about repaying him by paying attention, eh?</I> He held his burning candle before him and turned his gaze to Gamble, waiting for the Priest's further instructions.

[Guest]

"At the request of High Priest Ybald, I have called you together to attempt a purification of the library. As you all know, certain magickal mayhem seems to have rendered our center of information rather ... useless. I have been looking into the possible causes and was nearing a conclusion, but recent events dictate a more immediate solution. Each of you has been chosen for both an aptitude with the magickal gifts of Illuminatus. You also represent a cross-section of the entire population of the temple - all levels of experience, areas of expertise and so forth..."

Gamble instructed the group to concentrate on the song of Illuminatus that each had experienced when first called at the oracle's pool. Zinia was there, helping the young paladin to focus.

“Marek, this is just a larger version of what we attempted, of what you accomplished, with your experimenting yesterday. Allow the light to grow outward from yourself and merge with the rest of us. We will be focusing on the library as an entity: a body, if you will.”

[Guest]

Marek fervently hoped Gamble knew what he was doing. He had only worked with these energies once before and on a very minor scale. In comparison, the task at hand seemed momentous and Marek could only hope he wouldn’t disappoint the archivist. Offering Zinia a nod and a half-smile in gratitude for her explanation, Marek focused on the candle flame and set to work.

He followed the steps he had been taught, finding the core and focusing on the Light within. The candle flame had vanished from his vision as he drew his focus inward. When certain he had a good hold on his concentration, he pictured the pool where he had heard Illuminatus’ song. His memory honed in on the humming tune, and Marek concentrated until it filled his mind.

Pushing his vision outwards towards the boundaries, Marek envisioned these boundaries flimsy as gauze and concentrated, expanding the Light within just a tiny bit further. He went no further than this. Tiny beads of perspiration formed on the young man’s brow and a prayer formed in his mind as he waited for either correction, confirmation or Gamble’s signal to continue.

[Guest]

Marek's efforts paid off as a warm nimbus of light enveloped him and grew. His prayers joined those of the others gathered and the light of each grew outward with very little effort required. Soon the holy light had expanded to cover the entire area. Marek found himself open to the energies of his fellows and felt a strange sense of overlap.

Don't fight it,Zinia's voice advised, allow yourself to become part of the totality. It is Gamble's intention in drawing so many of us from different backgrounds. Each will cover and catch a unique aspect of the purification so that the total will be more thorough than any individual might manage.

Gamble guided the group through an expansion of the god's Light and joined them together to scan through and "heal" each section of the library. When they were done, many marks had passed. Each of those gathered was exhausted - both physically and mentally. The separation of consciousness that ended the ritual left one feeling drained and somewhat empty. Part of it was the energy that had been expended. Part was the loss of connection to the unity of the ritual group.

Gamble addressed those gathered and commended them for such sacrifice of both time and energy. After a brief prayer of thanks, he dismissed them. The library was reopened and those who had taken part in the ritual gradually began to drift off in search of rest. Zinia had slipped away quietly - probably back to her quarters.

Bane was waiting at the library's entrance to see what had become of his would-be pupil.

[Guest]

The young man paid vivid attention to the process of cleansing, marvelling at the group working in unison and Gamble’s skill. He saw Zinia had been correct; the ritual very much resembled yesterday’s exercise when he had healed the bruises on his body. Although the scale of <I>this</I> healing daunted him, Marek noticed the similarities in Gamble’s approach. During the first few marks, he watched closely as Gamble found the damaged sections and began the repairs.

As mark passed after mark, concentration became a chore that siphoned all his strength. Clinging to the group’s energies, he kept his own part up despite the trembling of his knees and the perspiration soaking his hair. By the time Gamble was ready to separate the group, Marek was swaying with exhaustion and raising his head for a parting smile to Gamble and the others felt like lifting a mountain.

“Smart girl”, he murmured when he noticed after a burn or two that Zinia had left. Images of a soft bed and visions of sleep swayed happily through his mind as he left the library. “Bane!” Despite the overwhelming fatique, a big grin spread on the young man’s face and he made his way over, leaning against the wall beside his mentor. “It’s good to see you, Sir. This ‘reporting’ to the Library was a tad more than I had expected.” He didn’t ask to be excused. Once already he had failed his mentor and he’d rather collapse than disappoint Bane again. If Bane felt a rest was deserved, he’d offer it and that was that.

[Guest]

Even someone with as harsh training habits as Bane had could see that Marek was in no shape for any form of exercise. He gave his charge a sympathetic clap on the shoulder.

"That would be an understatement of the most extreme kind. Considering it is now Eveningtide, I shall have to excuse you from my own regimen for today. Perhaps you'll be in better shape for a spar tomorrow. I daresay if I'd known what Gamble was planning I might have made you unavailable for it. Magick has ever been a sore point with me, for I am not very trusting of it."
Something in his tone suggested he wasn't very good at it.

"Perhaps, considering your aptitude, we should find another to mentor you through this stage of training."

The older paladin escorted Marek back to his quarters.
"But for tonight, rest. Please. No more late night escapes to let Gamble drain you further - although I daresay he will be long in recovering from the ceremony."

[Guest]

Too exhausted to contribute much, Marek stumbled back to his quarters with Bane, listening while his mentor talked. That was.. until Bane threw him the curve. At the mention of an other mentor, the young man’s back straightened and he shot a look of sheer disbelief at the older paladin. “What?! Hey now! At least give me a chance first?”

“Sir, Gamble’s talk of magickal aptitude is very flattering…but what good is that against a man with a blade? If Illuminatus allows it, I’d be able to mend some of my wounds after battle, but I’d have to get to that point first and right now, the average five year old with a stick is a tougher opponent than I am.” Marek protested, his usual fire sparked by the other man’s words. “Please Sir, don’t decide until after the spar tomorrow? You’ll find I need your training!”

Although not the polished plea he would have delivered under better circumstances, Marek’s words were driven by a profound respect for his mentor. He wanted to take every lesson Bane could teach him, swordsmanship as well as the promised help in mastering his temper. Biting his tongue for fear of saying too much, Marek parted from Bane with a few words of gratitude for the escort and a final pleading look.

Once inside his room, Marek crashed onto his bed, simply laying there with his arms folded behind his head. After perhaps half a mark, the young man pushed himself up and pulled off his boots, tossing them into a corner. He lit a candle and knelt before the flame, a prayer of gratitude forming on his lips. Another day on the Isle had passed and again he had learned valuable lessons. The young man bowed his head as he addressed his Lord, praying for the wisdom to put the lessons to good use when the time came.

[Guest]

Bane looked thoughtful at the novice's plea.
"No, no, son. It's not meant to deny you the training you need. I'd be glad to be your sword master and teach you what i know. However, the special gifts you seem to be exhibiting deserve special focus and so it might be best for your actual mentor to be someone who understands such things better. That is all. Now get some sleep, young man. We'll have much work to do on the morrow."

*****

The exhaustion of the day's efforts made it difficult to muster up the energy even for prayer. But once the candle was lit and Marek called upon Illuminatus, the weight shifted off of him. It was as if the god himself lifted Marek up and out of his cell. Warm, soft light enveloped the young paladin. He found himself floating high above the Isle. So high in fact that he could look down and see all of the vastness of Tazlure laid out below him, like a map.

Poor Bane... he never did trust all of his gifts. But do not judge him too harshly. He led a rough life from the moment he was born and his endurance and quick blade were all that kept him alive until he came into my light. He is correct though in discerning a different plan for your development.

The vision (if it were a vision) shifted. Marek found himself flying across the heavens to a different region of Tazlure altogether. Past the isles and oceans to a great mass that could only be the Western Continent.

I am sending you out to aid others in need. To perhaps open the way into their hearts for my own Light to replace that which is in flux. And to aid those followers of the Mother of All that you may encounter. More I cannot convey. The Aether fights even this small enforcement of order onto the language of dreams. Just remember to believe in yourself, your gifts and your faith. My light will shield you when you find great need, and my light will pierce the darkness of deceit. Use what you have learned as well as these gifts I bestow.

Marek found himself clothed in armor that shone with light. His helm was crowned with two stars and his shield was the sun.

Will you be my Journeyman?
It was not entirely a question, but a response was plainly required.

[Guest]

OOC: Hello Marek, your story continues here when you wake up from the vision and thanks Scytale!

[Guest]

Basking in the warm, soft light of his God like a puppy, Marek felt at home for the first time he’d arrived on Oracle’s Isle. A smile curved as Illuminatus spoke of Bane and he nodded in immediate understanding. Bane was a man he held in high regard. “He is the kind of man I’d be proud to learn from.” He replied sincerely as he watched with keen interest how his cell had evaporated and the Isle was but a small dot on an enormous map deep down below.

Marek vaguely registered the continents flashing by <I>~Was that really the Western Kingdom?!~</I> as he listened to Illuminatus’ plans with growing elation. Oh, how he wanted this! The tales on the Isle of past deeds of valor had kindled a restlessness in his soul, a desire to <I>act</I> that made his perceived inactivity all the more wrangling. Not only would that end now, but he was also offered a chance to serve his Lord. He <I>wanted</I> that chance. But… was he ready?

<I>Do not speak to me of doubts. There is no place for doubt in the life you choose.</I>

Vividly recalling his Lord’s words when he had first arrived, Marek swallowed his initial response. <I>I am not ready. Everyone says so!</I>
Everyone?
Illuminatus had been right; there was no room for doubts. Security and conviction warmed the young man’s heart and he nodded with emphasis.

“My Lord”, he replied. “This is more than I had ever dared hope for. Yes, I will be your journeyman and travel where I must to protect and spread Your Light.


OOC: Great post, Scy! Thank you for everything

[Guest]

Thread Skilled

Theology + *
Pray + *
Manipulation of Energy + *