(Previously in the Tavern, the night before...)<br/><br/><div style="margin:20px; margin-top:5px"><div class="quotetitle"><input class="button2 btnlite" onclick="if (this.parentNode.parentNode.getElementsByTagName('div')[1].getElementsByTagName('div')[0].style.display != '') { this.parentNode.parentNode.getElementsByTagName('div')[1].getElementsByTagName('div')[0].style.display = '';      this.innerText = ''; this.value = 'Hide'; } else { this.parentNode.parentNode.getElementsByTagName('div')[1].getElementsByTagName('div')[0].style.display = 'none'; this.innerText = ''; this.value = 'Show'; }" style="text-align:center;width:100px;margin:0px;padding:0px;" type="button" value="Show"/></div><div class="quotecontent"><div style="display: none;">During another episode, Mordankell had been pacified by a dark robed man, he had met the night before. Mordankell, now bound to a chair, tells Sain of his plight....<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">"Look... this condition is a danger to those around me. And what's more... the longer I sit here, the longer she is locked in that cave..." Mordankell said, "It's time I made the exchange."<br/><br/>"She?" Sain replied, noticing his face redden, "There is a woman involved?"<br/><br/>"Bunny... she was... is... the only woman to ever love me. She went after the demon who has, for years, sought to destroy me. She went only to try and locate him so that we could defeat him together." He says, "It seems she found him. He has her now. He awaits me there."<br/><br/>"Hmm..." Sain tilts his head, lost in thought, "Perhaps...maybe not...no..." He ignores Mordankell's quizzical look.<br/><br/>"If you'll release me... I can show you." Mordan kell says. Sain nearly scoffed but remained emotionless.<br/><br/>"You will bring me to the Demon? Is that wise?" he asked. Mordankell laughed.<br/><br/>"No, I have something else in mind." He said, "The Demon is many day's travel to the west."<br/><br/>"By foot?" Sain interrupted. Mordankell quickly nodded, "What do you have in mind?"<br/><br/>"Perhaps you are right to be wary. You see my pack there? On the floor beside the hearth? Inside you'll find several scrolls." He said, gesturing with his chin towards his bag, "One of the scrolls is older than the rest. Pull it out." He watched as Sain retrieved the scroll in question and unrolls it across the table, revealing a detailed map of the area.<br/><br/>"The two long mountain ranges to the northeastern corner of the map... you see them?" he asked.<br/><br/>"Yes."<br/><br/>"If you look carefully, you'll see they are not perfectly parallel." He said, "They meet to form a small valley. Most have no knowledge of this valley."<br/><br/>"I see." Sain grunted.<br/><br/>"Within, is empty forest. The cave I seek is located at the top of the highest peak." He continued, "The problem lies in the smudge you see there... at the eastern edge of the valley, just at the only traversable entrance. That smudge shows up, in exactly that shape and location, on every map of that area I could find." Sain stood, crossing his arms to inspect the map.<br/><br/>"And under this 'Smudge'?" he asked.<br/><br/>"I've no idea what could lie within... but I do not for a moment believe it is merely a misplaced blot of ink." He said, "As you can see... anyone wishing to enter the valley will be forced to cross through that area."<br/><br/>"A cartographer would not simply draw a smudge where something of mystery lie... Most would ignore that something is there or make note of the anomaly." Sain said.<br/><br/>"No... it seems to me the smudge was created after the maps were drawn. Strange how it could happen to all copies of the map, however." Mordankell commented.<br/><br/>"Ah, it was removed. That would make sense. Someone is trying to hide something." Sain said.<br/><br/>"Even stranger that the smudges on all the maps were identical." Mordankell pointed out.<br/><br/>"But for every map to be altered this way.....Perhaps an organization is responsible?" Sain said.<br/><br/>"Or a very powerful spell."<br/><br/>"So this Demon is in the valley?"<br/><br/>"He is in a cave, at the top of the highest peak. The only possible route to reach the peak is at the far western edge of the valley." he said, "So I aim to go there. In doing so, I'll remove the danger from my friends here... and free the woman who currently serves the sentence of torture that was meant for me."<br/><br/>"Again, by foot." Sain muttered.<br/><br/>"No steed could make the climb." Mordankell said. <br/><br/>"Ah, no. I don't mean by horse." Sain said. Again a quizzical look from Mordankell, which Sain ignored, "Perhaps this smudge could indicate a barrier of some kind."<br/><br/>"It could be any number of things." he said, straining against the ropes to pinch the bridge of his nose with a sigh. After a moment of silence, Sain spoke again.<br/><br/>"Have you considered finding a way to fly to this valley if it's inaccessible by ground?" he asked, Mordankell chuckled.<br/><br/>"Perhaps you have learned a way to sprout wings... I, however, am earthbound." he said. Sain became serious and glanced over his shoulder at the Tavern door, then around the room to see if they were truly alone.<br/><br/>"There are more things that fly." He said.<br/><br/>"None of which are inclined to take passengers. Nor are they friendly..." Mordankell said. Again Sain checked the room for more company, "Speak your mind, friend... It is far too late for secrecy..."<br/><br/>"I suppose. I doubt you would judge me in your situation." Sain replied.<br/><br/>"I am hardly in a position to place judgement."<br/><br/>Sain sighed and slowly lowered his hood showing his long snow white hair and pointed ears. Standing he pushed back his cloak, large onyx wings uncovered from behind him, sending a gentle flurry of feathers floating to the floor. Mordankell's eye widen in surprise.<br/><br/>"I needn't sprout any wings when I was born with them."<br/><br/>"So... not only am I tainted by evil... but I'm also hallucenating?" He gasps.<br/><br/>"Not at all, sir. And you are not the only one tainted... I was born with wings of ivory, yet because of my study of the dark arts, they have become as they are now." Sain said.<br/><br/>"Explains your fondness for light..." he muttered.<br/><br/>"Or lack thereof." Sain corrected. Mordankell chucked and nodded, "I could be of assistance. I have other, talents, that would be of use."<br/><br/>"Why would you do that? She is of no use to you... nor am I..." he said, eyes narrowing.<br/><br/>"Why would I need a use of you or your woman? Can I not just help in good faith?"<br/><br/>"I am still left wondering why..." Mordankell said.<br/><br/>"I have my own motivations." he said. Mordankell sighed.<br/><br/>"Very well." he said, "So long as you understand I go into this fully expecting that I shall not come out of it. Endanger yourself if you wish."<br/><br/>Sain noticed Mordankell shift in his seat and struggle to get comfortable.<br/><br/>"Do you feel another episode?" Sain asked. Mordankell clenched his jaw and shook his head.<br/><br/>"I'm... alright." he said, "I... should go for a walk. Clear my head. You... mind?"<br/><br/>"I can. Do you need observation?" Sain asked. Mordankell shook his head.<br/><br/>"So long as I avoid meeting with anyone else, I'll be fine." he said, "And I'll be careful." Sain snapped his fingers, releasing the enchantment on the ropes, letting them fall to the floor, releasing the man from the chair. Mordankell stood and held out his hand for Sain to grasp, shaking firmly.<br/><br/>" I... intend to evade the others. I cannot bear to have them with me on this venture." He said, "I aim to slip out of the tavern in the early hours of the morning tomorrow. If you are willing, I'll meet you ten miles west of town, near the old well... That should be enough distance to lose anyone who might follow."<br/><br/>"I will meet you there. I should gather some provisions for the journey." Sain said. Mordankell began repacking his map into his bag, then shouldered his pack while turning to the door.<br/><br/>"Till then, be safe my friend." he said, then exited the Tavern.<br/><br/>Sain pulled his robes over his wings once more, glanced down at the table for a moment, then headed back to his room to pack his things...<br/><br/></span></div></div></div><br/><br/>The night wore on, Sain found the bed uncomfortable, but then again Human beds were too hard and too small for him to be comfortable. So like always, he resorted to sitting upright and meditating the whole night, focusing on his studies and resting his body in the process. A few hours later and he decided to leave, figuring he could do the same here as at the appointed meeting place, of which he had a good idea the location.<br/><br/>A small bag of provisions and the rest of his items were retrieved from the end of the bed, then stuffed into his robes, seeming to vanish into nothing beneath them. It was a spell that had served him well in his travels, often confusing many who saw him stow his items. His experience with summoning Demons and opening portals to the Demon realm allowed him to do the same beneath his robes, where he placed majority of his belongings inside ending up in a dwelling where one of his Demons currently resides. He was surprised she had a place of her own in that hellish world, but gladly offered him a closet to store his things. With his magic he was able to store and retrieve anything he wished by reaching through dimensions, and he found it very convenient.<br/><br/>With his things stored, he finally dropped a few coins on the nightstand for the room, shouldered his scythe, then opened the window to make his way to the roof. In the cloak of night, he uncovered his wings and jumped off the Tavern, rising into the air off towards the agreed meeting place.<br/><br/>He knew as he neared the old homestead that he wasn't alone. Sain kept hight in the sky as he circled above, knowing he wouldn't be seen against the night sky with his dark robes and black wings, but he watched intently at the ones who were with him. Not being able to hear much from this height and the wind rushing in his ears, he decided to make an appearance to find out why he could not lose the people Mordankell decided to abandon.<br/><br/>Sain landed quietly behind the ruined Homestead far from the well and quickly covered his wings under his large cloak, making it look like he was simply wearing a heavy pack beneath it. Covering his head once more to hide his ears and face, he continued on to approach the group, speaking only when he was sure Mordan had noticed him, while the rest did not.<br/><br/>"Mordankell. You said you would be alone." Sain said, leaning on his scythe.