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Alvinism

Alvin put his hands both aside the face of the silver stallion and looked into it's eyes. He concentrated until he was in metasynth and then formulated the synth recipe of his own. When he came back the horse's face at least started to feel less tense and the creature stood less stock and more at ease. Alvin let go of the creature still looking in it's eyes and then slowly turned away to the others sitting there by the stream. They had traveled nearly all day and were close to the edge of the country. The horses has started seeming sluggish so Alvin suggested they rest till they attempted to brave the next territory. Eckstal and Wovelmlos had taken off their cloaks to wash themselves off in the river nearby, revealing their wholeselves and to what Alvin knew them as. Eckstal was by his telling Alvin a hybrid mix of her grandparents and ancestors. She had the blood and slight makeup of a dragon, snow wolf, human, and even a bit of a horse as her features at least her head shape her snout was similar to that of a wolves but drawn out a little more similar to a dragon. Her ears came up to a point as a wolve's did but followed close to the size of a mule's ears. Her eyes were blue and she had blue hair that draped down to her shoulders. Her back and body was of a thick furry white, her torso and breasts trim and firm resembling moreso human than anything else but her tail was shorter not so hairy and not bushy and moved and resembled more a dragon's tail. Her lower torso and her legs were furry but shaped close to a human lower body and legs, at least a woman's. Her feet were large and were a cross between a dragon's talon's and a wolves' paws. Her claws on her feet were longer and the feet themselves more thicker than Alvin's. Her arms and hands, in retrospect, resembled Alvin's human own except they were furried and had longer nails that patruded from her fingertips. Wolvelmlos was similar in head to Eckstal except his hair color was brown and a little shorter coming to the top of his head and being more bushier and unkempt. His tail not similarly was bushier and his body was narrower and had more an human wolf shaped moreso a werewolf of sorts in shape. Other than that he was very close to Eckstal. "We put excellent time, you can probably rest for a few days before they'd come across us. This is the season most are about. They're more likely to look for us smuggling ourselves with merchants or something," Wovelmlos said putting his cloak back around him locking the clasp around his neck. Eckstal covered her breasts with both her arms as she came back from the river, "Yeah, and I suppose no one will be at the border." She got her cloak still managing to keep herself covered with her arms and put the cloak over her turning away. After a few second she turned back toward them. Her cloak was a little different moreso a robe as it had sleeves, almost a type of coat which was fitted together by three clasps with one at the neck level with her breasts and below them. She gave Alvin a look and smiled for a moment at him and Alvin blinked and balked but let the event slide, "How is your horse doing?" Eckstal looked over at her snow white mare, "She moves gracefully. She doesn't seem the least bit tired and she really seems to move well with me. I am making an assumtion it is because I have ancestry from her own kind." Eckstal smiled again at Alvin and he looked at her again surprised but again quickly went back to what he was doing, "She isn't fatiqued much is she." "No, she doesn't need any boost of energy if that is what you're going at," Eckstal said lessening her smile and looking straight at Alvin. Alvin was sure he was getting the wrong signals across although in the center of his mind the part of it that followed natural rules was awakened already. That in his immediate mind Alvin turned to Wovelmlos but he held up his hand, "No, mine isn't fatigued, I may not have horse blood but I can feel it from animal to animal. I think these horses are just as relieved to get away from those barking dogs as we were." "Mutual cooperation then," Alvin said but the mentioning of the dogs brought all the events way past that had happened in the early morning of the day. He had thought it over with himself about Solidos, he was still there talking over with her trying to figure out her mind. There wasn't much he could trust that he knew about her now. All that was thrown into the grinder. They had been inseperable on their own fronts, a team, Abernous and Solidos. Such that they were about to make the relationship a marriage. Then she had started slipping away and he admitted it because he knew his mind wanted to hold onto it and torment him, he had slipped away too. Still, for the better of the two or for the worse. The way she had seemed to Alvin below his surface feelings he still felt bold in his assumptions. She didn't want to have him put into custody. He could sense that there was something much bigger behind the incident. This made him shiver and wrap his cloak about himself. An ill wind was all he could label it as that was behind the whole ordeal against him. He felt even bolder to say that something was definitely starting. He only knew that it was there and nothing else. Alvin looked around the vicinity to keep his mind off of delving too far into what he knew nothing about, he couldn't keep going in circles with it if there was not much to go with. The small river stretched about ten yards across. Along the sides green thick grass and other than a tree along the bank a few feet from where they rested, the tree lines receeded back from the river a little more than fifty yards making the space easy to see as the river was straight for several hundred yards before twisting away into trees either way Alvin looked. Easy for someone to spot them and but harder for them to spot that someone. Yet Alvin did not think that they could've caught up with them. If the horse farmer had done what he had said they'd be chasing shadows the other way. Suddenly his mind extended into his environment such that his surroundings seemed to be embedded to him and he to his surroundings. He gasped and braced as a vision attacked him through all this: He was standing inside a large rectangular room with large square pillars holding up a high vaulted ceiling but they were at points not at the center in a way if Alvin would draw a line they would enclose the center of the room in a rectangle. This was where he stood and he stood behind a person and he found he couldn't move to see who it was but he was positioned in a way to see in front of the person. The person that stood before him had brown hair and wore a red robe that was embroidered gold near the edges. The man was looking in front of him his hands before him so that Alvin couldn't see them. Alvin looked in front of the man and gasped for there stood Eckstal completely bare with no cloak but standing rigidly still as a stone statue would but she wasn't stone. The man reached forward and Alvin saw his pale human hand extend with all fingers furled out completely open palm down and make a beckoning motion at Eckstal's midsection. Alvin started as the fur and flesh extended toward the man bowling out and sagging. Then the made a cessation motion with his hand and the bowling out stopped. Now eckstal stood there and her belly hung out slightly making her appear fatter there than she was before. Alvin was curious why the process didn't mar her general form but the vision came away and him and his surroundings returned to normal and he looked over to his slight left and caught sight of Eckstal lying facing toward him her cloak wrapped around him. He didn't have visions usually but he had them more frequently than other synthicists namely solidos. Usually when he did he had forgotten to do something or forgotten to uncover more understanding of something. In the case of Eckstal appearing in this vision made him ponder but he already knew the solution. He only had met her as a student in the School of Synth in Iouva which was one of the schools he had taught at and even then he did not know much. Then she came to work for him interested in his therapy techniques and he'd taken her under his own instructions and synthicians hadn't taken up direct instruction since much older times of the country. Taking in of anyone for instruction as such was questionable and if Alvin hadn't been as prestigious as he was he knew it would have been stopped. She came to him as an ordinary Minutian. At first Alvin had done what other Synthicians of the time would do and recommend that she take genralized classes in the school to become Quanician as usually that is the more difficult introductory level and seperates the more serious students from the not so serious ones. The Minutian to Quanician level is moreso different tasks, synth theory, and oddjobs for the higher synth users and hardly ever gets really into Synth Use. The Quanician level is an extreme drill session involving students keeping track of their progress and recording synth sequences and learning the old symbolic language that synth was written in. Then toward the end as students start to run out of air with it's intensity it suddenly breaks out into more individualized concentration and up throughout the final Synthician lvel. Eckstal relented, so Alvin who was moreso interested that he would break the ages of non-personal instruction and that he had someone as interested in taking up personal lessons on his therapy techniques. She was at the later end of the Quanician phase where individualized interest starts lightly becoming of importance. Her official title would be an Ascending Quanician. The next levels up till she became a synthician and complete would be more easygoing and working on specialization and interest of study. She was close to the next level, Keynician. Really Alvin saw that he just needed to give her a few bits of advice and question oriented lectures and he would be able to declare her Keynician. Alvin shook his head and himself out of her synth training tangent. With the vision in mind, he did not know much else about her, he had been so preoccupied with his own self, his classes he gave at the School of Synth, and her training that he never got time to really ask her about her self. Better time than any he went over and sat down in front of her and she immediately woke with a start sitting up. Alvin tried to look as casual as he could but he was sure he was showing a mild troubled expression, "Where did you come from?" She blinked and stared at him for a moment which Alvin knew immediately that the question probed her deeply as she was usually quick to his bold and direct questions. She shook her head at length, "I... I've never known. I can't remember actually... it's a blur when I think about it." "What's your first memory?" Alvin asked looking at her directly now as well. "Coming into Iouva and wandering until..." She stopped suddenly. "What...?" Alvin asked. "No, I don't want to talk about it," Her voice shrunk down to a whisper. "A lesson in mind therapy, to uneasy the mind you can't tense it holding onto memories and thoughts too tight," Alvin said. "It's that it's a blur too," She said quickly looking elsewhere away from Alvin's gaze. "Maybe when you're ready but don't let it tense up your mind, as I said," Alvin replied looking down and away from her. "Okay," she replied slowly. Alvin got back up moving a little away from her and looked up into the blue sky, at the limited amount of puffy clouds, and toward the sun which was three quarters the way through the sky. It was to be watched, usually he treated all his visions as he was taught to through his synth training, seriously. He had corrected all but a few of his visions and if he didn't correct them then they would be haunting him right now. The few that he didn't correct was a corner of his mind he did not usually explore and kept it hidden amid the dark. But as he skimmed the surface memory of them they barged their way back into his mind. They all had the same message to Alvin and visions usually repeat the same theme only when ignored. The first one he had of the type he was standing over a globe of blue and green sparsed about and he went into metasynth and when he came out the globe crumbled away. He ignored this one and after a few more docile visions of the same type, he had a more disturbing vision that at first reminded him of his earlier days when his specialization was in harm and not healing. Not only was it men that were killed by synth from him but there were groups of people all around, women and children. They suddenly exploded from his synth splattering blood and gore all in heaps and all over him. That wasn't all. The ground itself shook violently and split open, stones of fire fell from the sky, the wind and ocean picked up into tornados and tidal waves. But the latest vision was probably the most disturbing to him. He was in a synth death duel. The likeness of never being repeated by civilized people since ancient times. The disturbing part was that it was with Solidos. He knew that they would probably pare blows and hardly do any harm to each other as synthicians usually could counter each other if they were conscientious enough. Not only did Alvin easily beat her. He sucked her life force into his. At that point just as it happened Alvin snapped himself out of that vision. This was the first vision he had concerning himself with Eckstal, and it had been almost half a year since he had took her under personal instruction. Not all she was saying either was revealed to her or told in truth to Alvin himself. If he didn't address it it would pop up again and torment him in his vision. He hoped she would come to and tell him what happened to her after her blurred memories ended. It would shed more light, it may even be the key to what the visions pointed at. "What is the plan," Wovelmlos said suddenly. The action startled Alvin out of his thinking but he had already thought about the plan on the way there, "Umm... we are going to make west. No point in going to the eastern shore it will be too risky and well guarded and synth would also be no use as it's likely to be countered easily." "You're suggesting we make the long two weeks trek west as opposed to the three days journey to the coast east of here," Eckstal pointed out. "We have not choice, don't you agree Wovelmlos," Alvin said. "I am afraid he's right in that he's taking the more cautious and wise approach, Eckstal," Wovelmlos ascended. "Just great," Eckstal sighed looking away up stream and she immediately but slowly stood up. "What?!" Alvin said started to move. Eckstal shot her hand back at him and Alvin stopped as she muttered, "Shhh... I think I actually like your idea. Ummm..." She added a slight head jerk upstream and slightly to the right. Alvin squinted his eyes and looked and at first didn't see anything but then saw a small circular outline of a face, too far away to distinquish anything else but it was most assuridly a face amid the trees. "Lets get to the horses," Alvin whispered urgently and spun around and was face to face with a scraggy human in tattered camouflaged clothing. He was about to utter surprise when something hit him on the back of his head. His vision clouded over and he passed out.

Out of the settling gloom underneath the outline of the branches of trees Eckstal came out toward Alvin wearing her robe but with the lower clasp undone. She settled standing a few steps before him and undid the last two clasps slowly and her bare furry white body shone out to him firm and trim breasts, body, legs. Her light long hair flowed smoothly and freely about her shoulders. She closed in and Alvin embraced her to him feeling her hardened nipples of her breasts press into him before the rest of her soft furry body. They danced a slow few steps before Alvin moved his hands to her shoulders tilting her back and looked into her eyes. She let her head droop back a little giving a wry smile then came to him and started licking him on the left check with her rough tongue that tickled and made Alvin chuckle. Then she started shaking him. Alvin snapped awake and Eckstal jerked back away from shaking him. Immediately he felt water dripping on the top of his head and looked up rubbing it as a lump on it was throbbing and the action immediately smarted so he stopped. They were in a hollowed out square brown rock walled cell with bars at one end which beyond it led into a lantern lit passage. The bars were iron and close together with a narrower square set into the right side which Alvin suspected was a gate. All was quite, almost too quiet for Alvin. "You were smiling and giving a nice long 'mmmm'. What were you doing eating something?" Eckstal said with an uneasy smile. Alvin could not keep a slight shame and embarassment from his dream from creeping up on his face and Eckstal moved her head down to look at his face as Alvin looked down to avoid her seeing him. She looked from low at him for a moment then slowly came up again and Alvin followed her. She looked a little giddy herself now and Alvin wondered if she had suspected. "Hey you two," Wovelmlos said shuffling on his knees up to them. "What the heck happened?!" Alvin said. "We were all knocked out it looks like. You know as much as we do. Some forest renegades or something," Eckstal mused rubbing her head moving it slowly under her hand. "Come'ere," He said to Eckstal but she gave him a look so Alvin got up and went over to her and put both his hands side by side lightly on top of her head and felt the lump on her own head. He extended himself into metasynth and put himself to even out the lump or to make it go back to normal, go away. He also felt the slight pain caused by it and isolated it coming back out of metasynth the lump wasn't there any more. He rubbed her blue hair between her ears, "Feel better?" He moved away as she rubbed her head again saying with a lesser tensed voice, "Yes, it actually does." Alvin nodded and went over to Wovelmlos but he held up his hand, "No, i'd rather let mine heal on it's own." "Now that won't do. Are you sure?" Alvin said slightly unsure what to make of Wovelmlos. "Yes, yes, i've been through worse," Wovelmlos replied waving him away. Alvin shook his head and shrugged a slight bit dissapointed as that was what he liked to do, why he even changed his specialization to therapy and healing. He regarded Wovelmlos as the creature looked away from him. Alvin really didn't know what to make of him. He had only had him for a few months as an assistant mainly of need because of the extra load of Eckstal. Wovelmlos lived out of town somewhere and Alvin did not know exactly where. He did not question anything else because the creature was efficient. He was very efficient having everything he asked for prompt and on time and with a little flameboyance of his own. He had a natural synth sense that seemed oddly disiplined to Alvin. When he'd asked Wovelmlos about it he had gotten, "My parents taught me a few lessons on Synth. I really don't have much of the ability in it though." Alvin was of a mind to test him as he wasn't sure. Just gestimating he thought it would be mid synth level Keynician, and fairly commen in any part of the world, but Alvin knew he was jumping to a conclusion. Though, if he had to follow his instincts he would say that the creature had a very high acute sense of synth that he was somehow barred from seeing. When he tried open testing him Wovelmlos had just shook his head saying it didn't matter as he wasn't concerned and his abilities was his own. Then Alvin tried secret and anonymous testing and gotten uneven results. Though, he never tried any risky or potentially dangerous testing. Just simple events to catch him but Wovelmlos seemed to be ahead of Alvin and to avoid it. In the end Alvin just gave up. Wovelmlos was quiet but he didn't find him bad, just different. "What's the plan now?" Eckstal said smoothing out the fur on her arms facing away from them, and stopped looking over her shoulder at Alvin. "I just woke up, I'll have to think about it," Alvin replied shrugging. "Why don't we talk with whoever their leader is?" Wovelmlos said and just as if they had heard him an officially dressed man in a dark green tunic with brown trousers and boots turned into their passage and came up toward their cell. He was older and had grayed white hair and the lines of age were about his face but his step was slow and sure and his arms still well toned and firm. Alvin was sure he saw a similar likeness somewhere but the memory was not in the light. He stopped close to the bars of their cell and regarded them with a thoughtful look his eyes at ease almost carefree then he spoke in a slow steady mellow voice, "You don't seem the type to usually be out in the part of the woods we found you." "Why did you take us?" Eckstal growled standing up. "Not my doing directly. Anyone which comes in close to my lands can get picked up and brought in so we can ascertain what you are doing here," The man explained. "Your land?" Alvin asked. "Yes, we claim it," the man said. "From who?" Eckstal asked. "As you can tell, we are those who choose to live outside this country while being inside it. We all have other opinions how the Council of Iouva administers to these lands. These opinions have caused us to either to renounce the opinions or to live in somewhat of an Exhile," the man answered. "You seem too respectable and educated to be in aid of these 'other opinioned ones'. I know who you are now. How long has it been, Bergin?" Alvin said. The man bent toward the bars and squinted at Alvin and then suddenly withdrew and his face was alight with recognition and sudden warmth, "Alvin! Now if only you..." He stopped and yelled down the tunnel and a younger dirty man in dirty dusted clothes similar to the others that Alvin saw before darted into and stopped in front of Bergin, "Unlock this cage." The man hesistated and Bergin gave an inquisitive hmm at him and the man darted away from where he came back down the passage and soon reappeared with a ring of keys and promptly undid the lock on the door with the keys. Alvin and the other two came out not too quickly and stood before Bergin. He held out a hand indicating Bergin and turned to the others saying, "Meet a fellow synthician, teacher, mentor: Bergin, the Synthicist of Stealth." "Secrets, concealment, that sort of genre. Fits in perfect with my workings against the Council," Bergin added and made a welcoming gesture down the path and started down it himself with the younger man. Alvin followed him to the end and saw that it split into too directions but what appealed to him was that while one continued into darkness, the other ended at a wall of gleeming light. This was where Bergin dissapeared into with the young man going the opposite way into the darkness and Alvin followed not minding the buzzing he felt as he passed through the bright wall. Before he knew it he stood at the lip of a large open cabinet. After he stepped out of it followed by the others, two middle aged men closed the cabinet doors behind them and went to opposite ends of the room standing at attention. The one had yellow hair and the other one brown wearing a golden tunic over a deep purple colored long sleeved shirt with lightly tanned brown trousers. They now stood in a well lit room with high ceilings that was obviously a dining room, as a large brown oak table took up the center of the room. There was no table cloth but two large small sized candebrellas sitting toward the center and two silver bowls of fruit attop a white latticed cloth were at each of the ends. Chairs lined all around with one at the head and tail of the table. The walls of the room were papered red and had against them to the right wall of Alvin a large mantlepiece above a fireplace. On the other far wall was a large oaken wooden cabinet with clear glass on the front with dishware set inside it on the shelves inside. At the lower end of the piece was several smaller drawers. Then on the far wall was a long wooden shelf which held several paintings sitting on it. It was only on that side near the corner to their left along the wall was a large wooden double doors and near the far right corner. Along the wall with the cabinet they'd just stepped out of had a shelf at the middle of the wall along that side similarly with paintings all the same, and two other smaller cabinets beside the one they'd stepped out of. Beside those were two large paned windows with satin curtains drawn aside and tied with golden colored cording. "I don't understand, Bergin. Why do you bring us to your house in Iouva?" Alvin asked after taking in the whole of the room. "We are? Right back to the center of the base from which we are running from. I will echo Alvin's question," Eckstal said moving to and looking out the window. "I just want to talk. Ever since the Council started pressuring you Alvin, I've missed a chance to talk to you about it and joining my cause," Belgin replied. "You know why then. I was getting ready to leave the coast for Gelcheisday to get away from them and was ready to start out when I was stopped." Alvin explained. Belgin bade them all sit down and Alvin did selecting the nearest chair in front of the cabinet while Belgin asked, "What happened?" "Solidos," Alvin said simply slightly turning away from Belgin as he took a seat across the table. He stopped and his eyes went wide and he gave a deep grimace, "This is very grave. I was under the impression that she hated the council more than you." "But... when I was confronted by her in Theonis she seemed not to like what she was doing. I wish you were there, you know about concealment better than I do," Alvin explained his voice lowered. "How awkward?" Bergin asked. "She seemed to be more apologetic which is like her. But she seemed moreso, such that someone else may have done something," Alvin said standing up and looking out the window intermittenly talking over his shoulder. "It must trouble you. I would not be surprised if the council threatened her with reprecussions if she didn't follow through with it. She was intertwined so close with them especially with that new Syntician Zazir," Belgin replied from the same place he was and Alvin looked over his shoulder and turned around toward him slightly before looking out the window. The City spread out before them down a slight drop of the hill and alongside the sparkling blue coastline that went far meeting the now cloudless light blue sky. Alvin could see the stone cobbled streets interspersed. The city wasn't built on a design as he knew it as it was one of the oldest. At the coast the houses and few story buisinesses and storehouses were closely put together. From that curve nearest the shore the dwellings and building fanned out becoming more spaced apart until at the foot of the hill and up the side with the housing becoming larger as well right next door. Alvin likened it to the rings of a tree that had seen prosperous moist and not too harsh seasons. The house he was in was still the farthest up and always seemed to Alvin to be the head household almost. Alvin was troubled again because of the thoughts and concentrating on the city structure brought him back into focus but only to Zazir so he turned around and spoke his thoughts, "Zazir? Yeah, he's maginean I think or Drakknight, yeah Drakknight. I'd thought there wasn't much more of them in the world anymore. I've always wondered how he got his way onto the council." Alvin suddenly felt a wave of a flutter and started to drift out when there was a pounding on a door that seemed to come from the room next to theirs. Belgin rose slowly tension and preoccupation in his face then he suddenly whispered very urgently, "Go! Go! Go back into the closet. Give this to my men and they'll help you," He took a folded piece of paper from his tunic and slid it across the table to Alvin and immediately dashed and exited through the leftmost door slamming it behind him. "Quick," Alvin whispered and opened up the closet and went through ending up back in the dark passage and the young man came up from the other dark end and confronted them but Alvin was ready and handed him the paper which was immediately taken and looked over. Suddenly the young man turned tail and bolted down the passage and Alvin followed by Eckstal and Wovelmlos who'd just appeared behind him took a few steps down the tunnel toward the other black end when the young man came running back with a small leather pouch held out with one hand before them. Alvin stopped and watched as the man pulled on the drawstring reaching in and bringing out a handful of something. With a quick arc the man threw a stream of dust into the bright sparkling light they'd came from and it went from light to a similar darkness of the passage and they now were in pitch black. "Hey," Eckstal protested. "Here!" A voice said and there was a sound of a kink on stone and the passage was illuminated at a mid glow coming from a white glass orb that the young man was now holding. He beckoned them and went down the passage a ways ahead of them past where it intersected with the passage to the jail and they followed for a little ways until coming to an mid sized carved out cavern with similar orbs set into niches in the stone of the wall that provided a light enough to see well. The hollowed out cavern wasn't very grand and could probably fit a small army of people. It was smooth all round and definitely mined out. "This used to be a diamond mine," the young man said and the glow of his orb lowed down and he put it away inside his soiled clothes. "Where are we?" Alvin asked. "A couple of leagues west of where we came across you," The young man replied and went on farther into the cavern. Alvin moved after him looking around more and was surprised to see an actual small army lounging about looking not too less raggy than the young man was. Some of them were much older than their supposed guide while others were younger. They were all engaged in various tasks such as fencing, checking supplies, having conversations, sleeping, eating, or just lounging. A couple were even reading, and several others Alvin sensed that they were Synth Users. Eckstal mumbled from behind them and Alvin found out why as one of the men had came up to and was talking to the younger man who had stopped to meet him. He gave the older man the folded paper and waited while he looked it over. After a few seconds the man gave a glance back at where they came and at Alvin and spoke a few in audible words aside to the young man who immediately took off farther down into the cavern. Alvin looked ahead and saw that the cavern closed into a wall and a dark outline in the stone at the other end which the glow didn't reach into. "I hope you know what you're doing," The older man said regarding them and rubbing his chin for a few moments before letting his hand drop. The whinnying of horses filled the cavern and before Alvin knew it his and the others horses were brough down the other end by the young man to them. "You are south of where we found you. Head south west of here and you will hit the main road that leads to the village of Hageis farther south and west. The patrols along the border into the land of Ibresen are becoming thick, seems they're either looking for you or looking for us. I think them to be looking more for you more than us. You'd better go," The older man told them as they each mounted the horses and turned to go. Alvin gave his horses a light kick to the haunches and it sprung into a full charge into the tunnel which wasn't very long before turning up and Alvin emerging onto a yard of grass in the open. He kept going across the lawn which went up semi steep to the top of a hill crowned with a few trees silhoueted against the blue sky. He glanced back making sure the others were with him and squinted his eyes trying to find the entrance that they had came out of but couldn't see it so he turned inward and used his learned synth sense, but the synth essence from it was barely detectable making it ideally embedded into the terrain. He turned back ahead and pulled the reins of the horse bringing it to a full stop atop the hill but he found he could only see a few hundred yards and the various hills and dips in between rolled away and to a line of trees but to the south east he saw a thick brown line of a road that came from the line of trees and went to the far right of the large field to another line of trees. "More forest, that'll be good cover," Wovelmlos said skidding up beside him. "Maybe," Alvin said sighing over the situation that had just happened. He was worried about Bergin and what he was going to answer the door to and who it was. The way he'd reacted Alvin suspected it was not going to be very good. If Bergin was taken, would the resistance they went through falter or would it pick up even greater. They were about to reach the road with a few more hills until they would reach it when Alvin pulled back on the reins and his horse responding by skidding to a halt. There was a thunderous sound and Alvin wasn't sure if it was actually thunder from the sky or from horse hooves. The others stopped and came up beside them on their horses. Alvin looked up at the sky and it was still blue and clear with white puffs ever now and then, the sun three quarters the way across the sky. "Either an army on horseback, or a convoy of barterers and merchants," Eckstal's voice rose above the thunder. "If that old gentleman was right then it's a scouting army on the lookout for us," Alvin replied. "I never thought we were that important," Eckstal said. "We must be," Wovelmlos added moving slightly ahead of them but not up the hill. The thundering was dieing down and soon was but a distant sound. "Now, I'm not sure whether to take the road now, if it was that many soldiers on horseback," Alvin said and looked off to their distant right seeing the land slant down and to a distant field of wheat and a farmhouse. "We can turn around and go back," Eckstal said. "We'll probably find the same situation on either main way we go," Wovelmlos said turning back toward them. "Then what should we do? Go through the forest as we did before?" Eckstal protested to Wovelmlos. "We may have no choice," Alvin said and Eckstal turned toward him giving him a hard look. "What about the horses? They can only go across terrain that isn't too sheer. What if we get into that?" Eckstal suggested. "There's bound to be trails around here used by horses, backroads. Let's ask at that farmhouse," Alvin said and oriented his horse on the farmhouse urging it on. They sped toward it their horses at a gallop but when they got to the wheat field the farmhouse was in sad shape appearing not to have been used for some time and the wheat field was wild and full of weeds and had several saplings actually growing in it. Alvin looked for a diversion around the field but it extended both north of them and south over the hill to the dirt road that was now visible. He plunged his horse into the mesh and made to the farmhouse. "What are you doing?" Eckstal called from behind him but Alvin was up ahead of them beside the farmhouse and he started scanning the line of trees several yards away looking for a break. He didn't find one so rode his horse up close to and along the line looking ahead the land cooperating by slowly rising with no abrupt rising. He saw a trailing edge of a wide brown path exposed from under the grass and stopping not far into the field that way but extending into a break in the brush and line of trees there. He oriented on it and behind him heard other galloping so didn't turn around to wait for the others but went up to and stopped in front of the trail for a moment. It winded in clear along the freshly exposed earth but was bordered thickly by trees both large and small with several smaller ferns and foliage intermeshing extending out over the path. It wound slightly to the left and out of sight. Alvin waited for the others to catch up. "I don't know much about this land," Eckstal said. "I can't say I know anything better than you," Alvin said and after a moment started his horse at a trot in and around following the path. They followed it for some time ducking in an out of sharp turns and down dips and up inclines the tree branches sometimes whipping in their faces, giving them a nice sting. Then at once they broke out of the path and narrow passage of trees back into a semi opening right at a river bank. Alvin looked up and down the stream and saw far down the stream to his left near where the river dissapeared curving around a line of trees a bridge. Upon and around the bridge was at least a half a contigent of armed soldiers some on horseback and some standing on foot. "They must be stupid if they think we're going to take the main road. How deep is the river?" Eckstal said looking down stream at the bridge. Alvin dismounted and went to the shoreline and reached in. The width of the river was probably ten yards across and Alvin couldn't reach the bottom without falling in so he cast around and found a stick and stuck it in and compared the wetness to his size and found it came up to his waist. "We could ride them across, I think," Alvin said looking at Eckstal and she nodded so Alvin remounted and gently urged his horse forward and wasn't surprised when it hesitated but after a little more gentle urging the horse started down and in and the water came up to the start of it's barrel of a body but the current wasn't swift and it slowly started across. "I wonder why they don't see us," Eckstal said starting her horse into the water while glancing toward the bridge. Suddenly something whizzed passed them followed by an arrow sticking in the ground a few meters before them. Alvin looked downstream and saw that the soldiers had broken up by at least half and started down the side of the back where they just crossed. Archers were standing upon the bridge and randomly loosing arrows toward them, but their bows were short sized, meant for closer combat, or Alvin knew they'd be hit by arrows by now. "They won't follow us into Quito, will they Alvin?" Eckstal asked. "I don't know, Quito doesn't care much for our land, maybe they will, maybe they won't," Alvin said and was at the opposite bank quickly and he turned around and waited for the others. The soldiers were standing at ready on the bridge and then Alvin watched and they started toward them over the bridge and toward them, "Oh no!" Eckstal protested as her and her horse leapt up onto the bank. "Hurry Wovelmlos!" Alvin urged and Wovelmlos urged his horse and it trounched splashing in the water trying to break into a gallop and then an arrow struck him on the arm and he hesitated before letting out a cry almost falling off his horse but he reached over and touched the arrow and grabbed hold of his reins just in time to keep himself on saddle as his horse leapt up onto the bank. He yanked the arrow out of his arm looking more angry than pained but emitted a grunt slightly off timing. Alvin watched him all the while curious for a moment then he snapped back to attention on the soldiers. Now that they and he were on the same back Alvin noticed that the terrain beyond steadily rose to a forest of oak to either side of the road that continued on after the bridge, "We're going to have go for the forest and try to get ahead of them. It's the only way." He didn't know if it would work but it's the only thing he could say before making his horse go on out of the range of the arrows which were falling with more ferocity as the armies approached slowly but steadily on either side. Alvin started his horse into a gallop and moved on his way up the hill and into the trees followed by the others and he saw several horse riding soldiers detach from the main contingents and pursue them. He was into the forest a little ways before he turned his attention back to his trail ahead but immediately drew his horse to a full skidding halt as there before him interespersed in a file between the trees but not hidden was a whole line of armored calvary. Alvin was about to bring his horse about when an arrow struck the tree next to his head and the horse nearly missing him and going half way through the tree. "That's enough," one of soldiers said coming out of the file of horses and confronting Alvin. Eckstal and Wovelmlos choose that time to ride up and skid to halts similar to Alvin. "We've been watching the buildup of soldiers on the bridge not too far from here, you don't look like you're with them," the mounted soldier said. Alvin looked at the soldier, he seemed young probably in his mid teens, blue eyes under a helmet with an extention in the middle for a nose guard. He wore a tunic and trousers dark blue and green that Alvin knew from his traveling being the traditional uniform of Quito. He was relieved on the inside but not on the outside as he didn't know whether the soldiers would hand them over to the ones after them. Neighing of horses from behind made Alvin turn and the other soldiers were almost upon them. The young soldier of the Quito army looked up and saw them and looked behind him lifting an arm and pointing a finger at them. The whole line moved with a yell and went toward the advancing horseman. The horseman upon seeing them promptly turned an fled. "Who are you to have those soldiers after you?" The man said dismounting and removing his helmet and coming over to stand before them. Alvin seemed to recall seeing him before but he wasn't sure where. He had golden colored hair pulled straight but short. He wore a beard of a similar color. He was well built and Alvin knew he would still consider him a soldier even if he wasn't wearing the uniform. Yet, his gaze didn't seem at all menacing as Alvin expected, more at ease than a man of war demeanor. Alvin replied as he came to stand before them, "I am Alvin Abernous, the ones with me are Eckstal Coewtuiki and Wovelmlos Eliowg." "Alvin Abernous? Really, here in Quito? I don't believe it." The man can to Alvin grasped his hand and shook it. "I feel I know you, sir," Alvin said to him. "You helped my father after his run in with the Bandit Traders of Elieste," the man said releasing his hand and regarding him openly with a broad grin. It hit Alvin very quickly in recollection, "Oh yes. Those theives both in trading and land piracy." "Yeah, you remember they started in North Quito and were nothing short of raiders. Then they'd take their goods and come themselves to barter it at our capital then, Raellaeare," Alvin smiled now remembering exactly, "Chance being I was passing through after that scuffle in the square when your father went to arrest them. Yeah, you're Cerlin you were twelve then. I remember you sitting beside his bed while I was there. You wouldn't leave even when I asked you. How could I forget? Well, how is Brenden anyways?" They were interrupted by a mounted soldier of Cerlin galloping back up to them. He saluted then, gasping slightly said, "Sir... you'd better come to the line, we are getting hit hard." "Sean, you go back to the outpost as fast as you can, get Penn and his contingent and meet us back at the bridge," Cerlin immediately said bringing up his hand and pointing behind him slightly. Sean saluted and galloped away behind them. "C'mon, I think we may need some synth, help us out of this and you will help yourself as well," Cerlin said to them and got up on his horse quickly and charged past them. "What? They can't be serious. Alvin...?" Eckstal protested. Alvin turned his horse around and hesitated sighing not wanting to follow himself but at length he sighed again and said, "To start the healing process you must get the cause taken care of first or you have the disease started over again. To leave them would be no better than I once was." Alvin immediately gave a hi yah and kicked the haunches of his horse which responded by galloping forward. He didn't look back and kept bearing straight ahead the sounds of distant metal clanging and yells getting louder and after a moment got a glimpse ahead at the field and it was a mixed joined fighting flurry with only a few mounted horses from each side and arrows flying every which way. The soldiers that weren't dressed in the uniforms of Quito were dressed in black and gray tunics and trousers characteristic of the council's new uniform they'd just instituted not too long ago. Alvin stopped at the top of the hill just before it started going down meeting the small field before the river. On the other side the archers were still standing letting loose arrows from time to time. The horsemen that were with them were not too be seen so Alvin figured they had joined. He was about to call on synth and add his own sequenced bolts to the flurry of arrow when a bolt whizzed past him a little ways to his right and struck a black and gray uniformed soldier. "Council Elite Soldiers," Eckstal said coming up next to Alvin her hand outstretched before her still shedding sparkles from the sequence. "Yes," Alvin said and entered metasynth intermittenly and in it made several bolts if synth energy fly at the gray and black soldiers that came into clean view of them knocking them down and singing them. He came out at even intervals in a sort of breathing point that Alvin knew was employed in combat synth users so they wouldn't get caught up in metasynth and get in trouble in it. A few arrows started coming their way from different points in the foray as well and they dodged and backed up until they were into the beginning line of trees. "We need to get to those Archers over across the bank, they're surely the main reason the Quito soldiers are getting crippled and confused!" Alvin yelled about the sounds of battle. "Let me," Wovelmlos said who was crouched slightly down by the trees then he stood up fully. "Wovelmlos?!" Alvin cried going starting at him to pull him back down but Wovelmlos looked at him and then at the archers on the opposite bank. Suddenly thunder crackled all around and the sky grew gray and clouded. Then a sheer bolt of lightning struck the ground in the middle of the archers throwing them in all directions visibly scorching and burning many. Half of them didn't move aftewards and the others moved little. The event had made all the soldiers stop and stare where the Archers stood. The council soldiers immediately fled back to their side and away back into the forests and the road back into the land. Alvin gaped at the event then turned to Wovelmlos who was still looking out at the A soldier of Quito detached from what once was the flurry now scattered by a few bodies both moving and not and some weapons and armor scattered about. Alvin recognized the Soldier again as Cerlin. "Wow, well done, Alvin," Cerlin said coming before them. Alvin looked at Cerlin then at Wovelmlos, "You owe that last synth sequence to Wovelmlos here." Cerlin went to Wovelmlos and clasped his shoulder giving him a nod and a warm smile and a, "Thanks." He looked at Alvin and Eckstal still with the smile and turned away moving back to the awaiting soldiers. "Wovelmlos?" Alvin said turning to him who had still not moved much from his stance and gaze but he looked at Alvin then. "Wow," he said and then sat down on the ground resting his arms on his knees and looking down at the grass between his legs. Alvin promptly went and stood before him, "I can't say that I have not suspected anything but what you did there was extraordinary." "I'm sorry, Alvin, I just knew I could do it," Wovelmlos sighed. "You must have a more developed gift than you led us to believe," Eckstal said. Alvin looked up at her and she was looking ahead of them so he looked back down at Wovelmlos and shook his head, "I give up. No sense in trying to get any say out of you." "What did you expect?" Wovelmlos said and Alvin immediately moved over aside Eckstal's left. "Well, this calls for more than a celebration, folks," Cerlin announced standing between his soldiers and Alvin. Alvin looked at Cerlin for a second then away. Alvin did not want to risk getting into any more war, thinking about what just happened started to take affect on Alvin too and he was disqusted with himself, "No need for a celebration," He said unable to hide his low voice and dissapointment. Cerlin looked at Alvin and came over to him and peered at him as he looked down at the ground and said to him in a low voice, "What's wrong Alvin?" "I did not want a scuffle over me. You should have handed us over," Alvin replied looking over the mass of soldiers of both sides that did not move anymore. "After what you did for my father and for the rest of my fellow countrymen, no, never!" Cerlin replied sternly and in finality starting to walk away. Alvin looked after him an edge of bitterness building up in him. There was a time when he would have more than shared in the celebration Cerlin was talking about, he would have wallowed in it, but now it just made him solemn and sorry for those who had just been killed over him. "It's what I do. War? Fighting? We cannot stay out of it, we must forever be subjected to it," Cerlin said back at Alvin and went back to his soldiers who had all this time been standing some with arms crossed watching Cerlin and Alvin and while the others talked to each other. "So we've heard before and from the one who supposedly started this," Eckstal snapped coming next to Alvin giving him a long solemn look. Alvin met her gaze his lips in a half frown. Not about Solidos again. "As far as I'm concerned, you're coming back with me to the keep and we'll sort this out with my father. I hope you have a good story to tell, Alvin," Cerlin announced looking back at him expressionless. Alvin perked up as he included his father in his last sentence. So he was alive, but what was he doing at the old outpost? "Is there anyone wounded?" Alvin said after Cerlin. "A few, but we will go back to the outpost before we heal up," Cerlin said not looking back at Alvin. Alvin gritted his teeth and looked at the small group of soldiers following Cerlin, some of them were limping while some others were clenching their arms and still others were rubbing their heads and necks. Alvin started after them. "Alvin, what about our horses?" Wovelmlos said coming after him. "We'll probably meet them," Eckstal said coming alongside Alvin and they penetrated the forest on the hill again and continued into it's depths some ways through vines and briars and intermeshed plants they finally came upon their horses grazing on an open spot of grass underneath a break in the trees. Upon Alvin and them coming closer to them the horses wandered right over to Alvin, Eckstal, and Wovelmlos. "Now, these horses are an interesting bunch, our own horses were either lost or spooked away, even war horses can only stand up so much pressure and our horses as well never saw hardly any action. Yet yours come right up to you whereas some of ours will probably be gone forever. I want to meet the horse farmer that raised these," Cerlin added with a smile. Alvin chuckled though he felt solemn again the memory made him think about all that had just happened again so he nodded. Cerlin shrugged and turned away and Alvin, Eckstal, and Wovelmlos mounted and had their horses walk at a trot with Cerlin and the others. Alvin came up beside Cerlin mounted and dodged in and out of the trees with him making their way on. "Really, Alvin, where is this horse farmer?" Cerlin asked at length. "He is back in the country we just escaped from, Cerlin," Alvin said sighing. "Oh," Cerlin balked and continued trekking on not saying anything. Alvin picked up the dead communication, "I'm sorry, Cerlin, I got out of the war business so I wouldn't have to see this and to concentrate on the practice of mine." "And a good one at that, Alvin, as far as his excellency and my father are concerned, you can stay here as long as you want. His majesty even said he had a few hundred acres of land for you. Ever since you helped him out and especially after you helped my father out," Cerlin commented with a light smile at Alvin but dropped it. Alvin dropped his voice lower deciding to let Cerlin know some of his plans, "I can't, I must keep going west and get to the other Land across the sea. Something else is a foot. I don't want to jump to conclusions but I don't like what is happening. It isn't just that I am being sought after by them. It's something else." Cerlin didn't say anything to that but looked on ahead of him and Alvin looked at him for a moment before concentrating ahead again himself. They finally broke through the last of the forest and the land spread out before them rising steadily toward the horizon to the blue sky and clouds under past midday now. The outpost was here and it looked older than when Alvin was here last. The design was strategic but simple. It was on a raised part of land and stretched high enough that one could see the river and the bridge where they had just partook of the mini skirmish that happened there, from atop of it's crown. It was essentially a stone bricked tower rising up in the middle of a surrounding outer wall with parapets at four points drawing it into a circle. Flags were draped off the tops and the small banners of similar flags were draped off the narrow slits of windows lining it's outer walls at each level of the tower, displaying the colors of Quito on them in various fashions and patterns to each one. The keeps placement, Alvin automatically judged from his old wartime experience, was a double edged sword, being this close to the forest and having sight at the other strategic point of the bridge made it a fair strategic placement. Yet, being so obscured by the forest as it was and out of the way, there were more than one places to attack it from cover. "Brenden is lord here now?" Alvin asked because he remembered that the lord of the land here near the eastern border was housed sometimes in this keep. "Yes. He had the title bestowed upon him by his majesty last year," Cerlin replied turning toward Alvin and then back to the road that wound around to the keep. "I thought the lords had a castle they stayed at?" Eckstal asked. "We do, it's not too far way, over the rise there off toward the horizon there. My father, even though our Majesty hasn't expressly asked it, surmised that he wanted us to watch the borders so he usually spends his time at the keep here at the top with the other watch. He'll probably see us coming and come out to greet us," Cerlin explained. They soon reached the outer walls of the tower keep and a call resounded out from the battlements atop the walls from mostly obscured guards and soldiers stationed there and two metal and wood outer doors were flung open letting the way open to them to pass inside the walls. The inside had a few fruit trees and a small garden but was mostly sparse patches of grass and earth. Alvin looked back as they passed into the keep and could see the soldiers and guards standing there walking the perimiter in various paces and distances around it. Brendon was waiting for them with two soldiers flanking his sides and back against another set of wood and metal double door which led into the keep. Brendon was much older than Cerlin but Alvin could see the resemblance, they both looked of the soldiery seeming not among the commanders but among the commanded. Brendon's white hair on his head was cut short while his whitened beard was burly. His skin was characteristically wrinkled with age yet he was well set and seemed to Alvin to be able to drag a couple of horses around standing up or lying down or both. He wore a weathered tunic and trousers lightly dabbled with the colors of the nation and on his right breast on his tunic a symbol of lordship was set in there. He was a healthier, though older, and much more fit version of the sickened bed-ridden man he healed long ago. He was all the more warm and came up to Alvin an reached forward putting his hand on Alvin's shoulder with a smile and a quick hearty shake, "I never knew what I'd say if I ever saw you again." Alvin returned the smile back to him as best he could but couldn't help let it fade slightly away, "I wish it was under better times. We would be more apt to talk and be more at ease." Brendon became slightly more solid in his gaze and his smile went mostly away but he beckoned them move on into the keep. The first floor they came into was several rooms wide and long and were mostly storage for arms and supplies but they came into a room nearer what Alvin judged was the center of the keep. Inside the large central room was housed a large round table with chairs all around it. The room was bare except for stone and three doors, the one they came through, the one to the left, and the one ahead. Brendon bade them sit down though Ias did followed by Cerlin and a few of the soldiers who had followed them inside, Eckstal stood and Wovelmlos went to the corner of the room and leaned into it with a wry smile. Brendon didn't waste any time, "Security on our borders has had to be bolstered and patrols scheduled more than regular. You are very fortunate by the Mentors' will to have been in the area at the time. His majesty will most certainly send for you soon once I send my next report to him. "Though, I'll be honest and say the reason we have had to take our patrols and securing up a notch is because your country flaunts our borders and skirmishes have been breaking out recently but none so large in scale to the one you were in. I have heard a report already from my own sources and I can probably sum up that you are out of favor with your country and The Council." "You are very right Brendon. I can safely say we are officially banished but there may be more. I do not want to jump to saying 'conspiracy'... Yet, Solidos almost had me captured when we tried to escape," Alvin explained and wasn't suprised by the gasps and astonished looks from around the table. "Conspiracy sounds more a way to describe what you say, Alvin. But if you won't call it that I won't. If you are indeed banished from your own country then his majesty will declare you most certainly the opposite here. He is on very bitter terms already with your Council right now," Brendon explained in reply. Alvin shook his head as he knew something more was up. As he sat there now in the keep not too far away from the border a chill went up his spine. He wanted to get away and across the sea to where he knew he would be more safe, anywhere in the country he was in now was too close for him to breathe a sigh of relief, "No, Brendon. I can't stay here or in his majesty's rule either. No ill feelings toward his majesty, his hospitality is overwhelming. I cannot stay so close to these borders. Our plans are to go to the western continent." Again more startled gasps then Cerlin said, "Surely..." Brendon interrupted him with a raise of his hand, "His majesty will need to see you Alvin. If he sends for you I must obey, you understand I owe my loyalty to him and most of all to this country. I'm sorry but it is not in our best interests to let you leave now." Alvin stood up immediately, "Then I must visit his majesty now." Eckstal started toward Alvin, "Alvin, what are you doing? You can't just barge in there and talk to the King." "His majesty may permit it for Alvin," Cerlin replied. "Alvin..." Eckstal said to him but her voice trailed off. Alvin looked at Brenden and he spoke, "His majesty is usually in the capital, it is about a days journey give or take from here. I would wish to issue you an escort, Alvin." Alvin looked at Cerlin, "How quick?" "As quick as selecting some, especially those from the capital or around it. Let's go, I can call for them outside," Cerlin replied. They got up and left Brenden with Alvin bidding him farewell cordially. As soon as they emerged outside the keep but still inside the walls Cerlin shouted out a few names. After a few moments several soldiers joined them and Cerlin started talking to them. "This is the best course of action?" Wovelmlos said coming up beside Alvin. Alvin turned to him, "Yes, if we talk to his majesty and explain to him the risk on his people, he may be able to let us pass through and continue west." "Into Relintah? They aren't as favorable toward you, Alvin? You told me," Eckstal said from Alvin's right. "They are creatures of many different combinations, much like you two, and the reason being they don't like me is that I helped wage a war against them long ago. We may have to use Synth to help pass through the area," Alvin explained. "Synth may reveal more than it..." Wovelmlos started to say but broke off to look up at the sky sniffing. Alvin looked up and saw heavy black clouds but then he was hit with more than a feeling of rain, it was synth action and very unmistakable. It wasn't Eckstal, Alvin speculated that the tempest was made by someone within' the council, maybe Ertyn the Atmosphere Mastered Synthician. Ertyn was one Alvin knew wouldn't hesistate if asked to use his abilities. Still looking up at the sky he broke into Cerlin's conversation with his soldiers, "Cerlin, we had better get going now. His majesty is going to need warning to rally his synthicians together. War has been declared." Cerlin looked at Alvin puzzled then he looked up quickly, then slowly he brought his gaze back at Alvin eyes wide and face taunt, "They wouldn't dare." "Yes, they would." Brenden said from behind Alvin making him jump.