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The Mother of Dreams - Episode 5 (updated February 1st, 2005)
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<blockquote data-quote="RangerWickett" data-source="post: 1986384" data-attributes="member: 63"><p><strong><span style="font-size: 12px">Episode Five: The Bigger Man, Pt. I, Section IV</span></strong></p><p></p><p>Lacy could see that, more than anything right now, Allar wanted to talk to her alone. So of course she stayed near to Hunter, sitting at the edge of the ferry. Dozens of lanterns flooded the small ship with light, even though the sun was not quite yet set. They were mid-harbor now, heading toward the northern shore where Hunter had said he could find them a place to stay. Four men rowed the flat-bellied boat, and amid the chatter of other passengers, Lacy could hear Arthur talking amiably at Allar while Allar tried to watch her without looking.</p><p></p><p>“Isn’t that beautiful?” Hunter said. </p><p></p><p>Lacy looked at him with surprise. He had whispered as if they were the only two on the croweded boat. Leaning close, he pointed west to the setting sun as it passed behind two of Seaquen’s bridges.</p><p></p><p>“The canal here winds west to east for twenty miles total, but this stretch of canal is straight for seven miles. At the right time of year, our shadows would stretch all the way to the far side of the city.”</p><p></p><p>“What day is that?” she asked. She wanted to sound sultry. “I might have to stay.”</p><p></p><p>“No idea, actually,” Hunter laughed, no longer attempting such heavy-handed romance. “Why don’t you stay behind anyway? Won’t take more than a year.”</p><p></p><p>She laughed and leaned into him casually. She could never lean against Allar.</p><p></p><p>* * *</p><p></p><p>Tri’ni came up on deck first, blinking at the fiery gold of the sunset. She sighed and walked toward the railing, trying to get closer to the brilliant sky. The Wayfarer’s theater ship was long, and she was fully to the forecastle before she heard David calling for her. That returned her to all the questions she had hoped to leave behind, and she tensed. Again she felt cold, even though this city was hotter than any she had ever been to before.</p><p></p><p>David came up behind her with trepidation. She could hear his timidity even above the heavy thumping of Babb’s hooves on the deck.</p><p></p><p>“Tri’ni,” David said. “Come on. We should meet up with the others. I don’t know how the city gets after sunset.”</p><p></p><p>Babb huffed. “More fun than this. I think we should take Trin out for some drinks.”</p><p></p><p>“Goodness no,” David said. “She’s too young.”</p><p></p><p>“She’s eight years older than me,” Babb said, laughing. “Hey Trin, come on though. Let’s get off this ship.”</p><p></p><p>Tri’ni looked back to the sunset. She asked, “Where is the magic in that?”</p><p></p><p>David said, “That’s just a sunset. You’ve seen lots of those.”</p><p></p><p>Babb put a hand on her shoulder, and she reached up to hold onto it for a moment. She felt suddenly overwhelmed. The world was too big, too open, and she felt like she was falling through it and would never find her place. She heard Babb tell David to give her a moment.</p><p></p><p>She cried for a moment, then wiped her eyes with her fingers and wiped her fingers on her shoulder. Babb pulled his hand away, and they both laughed nervously. She was about to apologize to him – she cried so often, and she knew they were uncomfortable with it – when she saw a boat passing by them sixty feet away, with something following it, seeming to pull down the water.</p><p></p><p>* * *</p><p></p><p>“Trouble,” Allar said, sitting up straight suddenly and glancing to the rear of the ferry.</p><p></p><p>Hunter, who was leaning back with one arm over the railing, picked his hand out the water and nodded. “Yep. Invisible boat.”</p><p></p><p>“What?” Lacy gasped.</p><p></p><p>The ferry rocked as some struck it from behind, and from empty air appeared a wide rowboat laden with a dozen men. Those at the oars stood and picked up swords at their feet; two men at the front tossed grappling hooks to connect the two ships, sending the passengers on Lacy’s ship into a panic. </p><p></p><p>From the rear of the other ship, a brown-skinned Dorisian man in whirling blue robes shouted, “Attack! Sieze the white-haired mage!”</p><p></p><p>“Yep,” Hunter said. “That’s Chester.”</p><p></p><p>Hunter leapt up from his seat and held one hand high, his ring flashing with blue light. With his other hand he made a sweeping motion, and the other ship rocked as the canal heaved beneath it. Three of the attackers tumbled overboard, but they landed on the water as if it were solid ground, though they looked surprised to not be drowning.</p><p></p><p>“Nice trick Chester,” Hunter called, casually waving his hand. The three men sank into the water as nature intended. “But, um, <em>I’m</em> the water mage here.”</p><p></p><p>The passengers at the front of the ferry set up a crazed din of screams, some of them jumping overboard to escape the attack. Lacy had stood up, but was fumbling trying to undo the peace-bond on her sword. Allar slit his peace-bond with a belt dagger and leapt past her and Hunter, drawing the black scimitar to keep the attackers at bay.</p><p></p><p>“Who are these guys?” Allar shouted. “Hunter?”</p><p></p><p>“Hold a moment!” shouted the Dorisian man to his crew.</p><p></p><p>The nine unarmored men on the ship stood in two rows with swords in their hands, ready to rush past Allar to reach Hunter, while the three in the water struggled back aboard their own ship weaponless. The passengers on the ferry crowded at the far end of the ship, as far as possible from the coming battle.</p><p></p><p>Arthur came up beside Lacy, beginning the motions to cast a spell. </p><p></p><p>Hunter held up a hand, unconcerned. “No rush. Let him make his speech. He gets a kick out of it.”</p><p></p><p>Paying no heed to Hunter’s words, the opposing mage held his hands forward, fingers clenching the air, as if he wanted to show physically that he was trying to make a grab for power. Tossing back his clean-shaven head and puffing out his chest, he thrust out a hand dramatically. The passengers behind them cringed and gasped, but Lacy felt for a moment like laughing.</p><p></p><p>“I am Chesteval of the Crescent Islands, and my quarrel is with the hydromancer, not you.”</p><p></p><p>“Right,” Allar said, waving his sword at the warriors waiting to attack. “It’s these guys with you who have the quarrel with us. Got it.”</p><p></p><p>“Do not mock me,” Chesteval shouted. “It is I who shall be the elemental master of water.”</p><p></p><p>Arthur choked on his own laughter and turned to Hunter. “I really hope this guy doesn’t replace you.”</p><p></p><p>“So Hunter,” Allar called over his shoulder with a laugh, “you like having rivals, don’t you?”</p><p></p><p>Still seeming unconcerned with Chesteval, Hunter frowned. “No. No, I’m pretty sure this is my only one. Were you thinking I had another?”</p><p></p><p>Lacy felt a pang of sympathy as Allar’s shoulders slumped slightly. Hunter was being a bit heavy-handed. Plus, it had been a long time since she had seen Allar fight, and he had always been dazzling to behold. </p><p></p><p>She turned to Hunter briefly to catch his eye, then said, “Allar, clear a path through the guards so we can hit the mage.”</p><p></p><p>Simultaneously she heard Allar mutter, “All nine of them?” while Hunter said, “Hey, I can hit ‘im from here.”</p><p></p><p>“Enough!” Chesteval shouted.</p><p></p><p>With a crinkle of his fingers, the enemy mage conjured a sphere of icy shards before him, then hurled it at Allar.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="RangerWickett, post: 1986384, member: 63"] [b][size=3]Episode Five: The Bigger Man, Pt. I, Section IV[/size][/b] Lacy could see that, more than anything right now, Allar wanted to talk to her alone. So of course she stayed near to Hunter, sitting at the edge of the ferry. Dozens of lanterns flooded the small ship with light, even though the sun was not quite yet set. They were mid-harbor now, heading toward the northern shore where Hunter had said he could find them a place to stay. Four men rowed the flat-bellied boat, and amid the chatter of other passengers, Lacy could hear Arthur talking amiably at Allar while Allar tried to watch her without looking. “Isn’t that beautiful?” Hunter said. Lacy looked at him with surprise. He had whispered as if they were the only two on the croweded boat. Leaning close, he pointed west to the setting sun as it passed behind two of Seaquen’s bridges. “The canal here winds west to east for twenty miles total, but this stretch of canal is straight for seven miles. At the right time of year, our shadows would stretch all the way to the far side of the city.” “What day is that?” she asked. She wanted to sound sultry. “I might have to stay.” “No idea, actually,” Hunter laughed, no longer attempting such heavy-handed romance. “Why don’t you stay behind anyway? Won’t take more than a year.” She laughed and leaned into him casually. She could never lean against Allar. * * * Tri’ni came up on deck first, blinking at the fiery gold of the sunset. She sighed and walked toward the railing, trying to get closer to the brilliant sky. The Wayfarer’s theater ship was long, and she was fully to the forecastle before she heard David calling for her. That returned her to all the questions she had hoped to leave behind, and she tensed. Again she felt cold, even though this city was hotter than any she had ever been to before. David came up behind her with trepidation. She could hear his timidity even above the heavy thumping of Babb’s hooves on the deck. “Tri’ni,” David said. “Come on. We should meet up with the others. I don’t know how the city gets after sunset.” Babb huffed. “More fun than this. I think we should take Trin out for some drinks.” “Goodness no,” David said. “She’s too young.” “She’s eight years older than me,” Babb said, laughing. “Hey Trin, come on though. Let’s get off this ship.” Tri’ni looked back to the sunset. She asked, “Where is the magic in that?” David said, “That’s just a sunset. You’ve seen lots of those.” Babb put a hand on her shoulder, and she reached up to hold onto it for a moment. She felt suddenly overwhelmed. The world was too big, too open, and she felt like she was falling through it and would never find her place. She heard Babb tell David to give her a moment. She cried for a moment, then wiped her eyes with her fingers and wiped her fingers on her shoulder. Babb pulled his hand away, and they both laughed nervously. She was about to apologize to him – she cried so often, and she knew they were uncomfortable with it – when she saw a boat passing by them sixty feet away, with something following it, seeming to pull down the water. * * * “Trouble,” Allar said, sitting up straight suddenly and glancing to the rear of the ferry. Hunter, who was leaning back with one arm over the railing, picked his hand out the water and nodded. “Yep. Invisible boat.” “What?” Lacy gasped. The ferry rocked as some struck it from behind, and from empty air appeared a wide rowboat laden with a dozen men. Those at the oars stood and picked up swords at their feet; two men at the front tossed grappling hooks to connect the two ships, sending the passengers on Lacy’s ship into a panic. From the rear of the other ship, a brown-skinned Dorisian man in whirling blue robes shouted, “Attack! Sieze the white-haired mage!” “Yep,” Hunter said. “That’s Chester.” Hunter leapt up from his seat and held one hand high, his ring flashing with blue light. With his other hand he made a sweeping motion, and the other ship rocked as the canal heaved beneath it. Three of the attackers tumbled overboard, but they landed on the water as if it were solid ground, though they looked surprised to not be drowning. “Nice trick Chester,” Hunter called, casually waving his hand. The three men sank into the water as nature intended. “But, um, [i]I’m[/i] the water mage here.” The passengers at the front of the ferry set up a crazed din of screams, some of them jumping overboard to escape the attack. Lacy had stood up, but was fumbling trying to undo the peace-bond on her sword. Allar slit his peace-bond with a belt dagger and leapt past her and Hunter, drawing the black scimitar to keep the attackers at bay. “Who are these guys?” Allar shouted. “Hunter?” “Hold a moment!” shouted the Dorisian man to his crew. The nine unarmored men on the ship stood in two rows with swords in their hands, ready to rush past Allar to reach Hunter, while the three in the water struggled back aboard their own ship weaponless. The passengers on the ferry crowded at the far end of the ship, as far as possible from the coming battle. Arthur came up beside Lacy, beginning the motions to cast a spell. Hunter held up a hand, unconcerned. “No rush. Let him make his speech. He gets a kick out of it.” Paying no heed to Hunter’s words, the opposing mage held his hands forward, fingers clenching the air, as if he wanted to show physically that he was trying to make a grab for power. Tossing back his clean-shaven head and puffing out his chest, he thrust out a hand dramatically. The passengers behind them cringed and gasped, but Lacy felt for a moment like laughing. “I am Chesteval of the Crescent Islands, and my quarrel is with the hydromancer, not you.” “Right,” Allar said, waving his sword at the warriors waiting to attack. “It’s these guys with you who have the quarrel with us. Got it.” “Do not mock me,” Chesteval shouted. “It is I who shall be the elemental master of water.” Arthur choked on his own laughter and turned to Hunter. “I really hope this guy doesn’t replace you.” “So Hunter,” Allar called over his shoulder with a laugh, “you like having rivals, don’t you?” Still seeming unconcerned with Chesteval, Hunter frowned. “No. No, I’m pretty sure this is my only one. Were you thinking I had another?” Lacy felt a pang of sympathy as Allar’s shoulders slumped slightly. Hunter was being a bit heavy-handed. Plus, it had been a long time since she had seen Allar fight, and he had always been dazzling to behold. She turned to Hunter briefly to catch his eye, then said, “Allar, clear a path through the guards so we can hit the mage.” Simultaneously she heard Allar mutter, “All nine of them?” while Hunter said, “Hey, I can hit ‘im from here.” “Enough!” Chesteval shouted. With a crinkle of his fingers, the enemy mage conjured a sphere of icy shards before him, then hurled it at Allar. [/QUOTE]
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