Names and Meanings

Mikilos never has liked it down here. A lack of magic just feels... wrong... but, it's certainly safer by most standards. So the elf makes his way down to the cells, wicker basket in hand. Magic in the regular sense might not work, but the magic of fresh food is universal.

There's a rumble of movement from the furthest cell, the one that holds the occupant that has been here the longest - aside from the prisoners themselves of course. Menel pokes his head out from the cell after a brief moment and spying Mikilos cheers from what looks like a soured mood. Even so, the smile is strained and his usually sky-blue eyes are dim with emotion. "Mikilos! Nice to see you. What brings you to my... door?" There's slight hesitation there and a sigh to follow.

Mikilos says, "Fresh bread, sweet jam, chilled cider... and a rumor of an eventful morning. You okay?"

Menel's smile almost blooms into a real one. Right up until Mikilos mentions the eventful morning and then his cheer fades away like light fading into the night. He motions for Mikilos to join him just the same though. "Come in, come in. I guess I shouldn't be surprised that you've heard. It was.. a /circus/ out there this morning. I'm... I'm fine." His tone suggests that he's really not very fine at all.

Mikilos mmms, and nods, stepping inside with a nod. The elf sets his basket down and opens it up, the mentioned food items inside, swiftly brought outside and placed about for easy access. There's also a couple of solid mugs for the cider. "All I've heard are rumors, which I'm sure you know tend to be sketchy at best. Wasn't positive anything had actually happened at all, let alone what. But, food first. Details can wait."

There's gratitude on Menel's face at that, the offer of a companionable meal. It's not as though he's gotten terribly many visitors. He welcomes Mikilos to his small table and helps settle things into place before giving thanks to the elf for the meal and setting to. It's a quiet meal, and it's clear that Menel feels the weight of what's unsaid. Finally partially into it he cracks and fiddles with the piece of bread that's in his hand. "It was stupid Mikilos. I wanted to go for a walk and look what happened." He scrubbed the hand fiddling with the bread through his hair suddenly and looked at the elf with a lost expression.

Mikilos is content with a quiet meal. He has too few of them, all things considered. As the quiet is broken, he takes a thoughtful drink of cider. "It's not stupid to want nice things. It's all on Kol, Yukia, and those who might be behind them."

"I'm just glad that there were so many people with swords nearby. But... they threw themselves at Kol, and he tore through them like they were paper butterflies." Menel anxiously looks away, sighing to himself. "Kol Demontry, just appearing on the street because I wanted to go for a walk. What if some innocent person had been attacked by him? It might not be my fault he does terrible things, but it's my fault that he was there; at that time. He could have killed someone and it would have been because I wanted to see the sky."

Mikilos sighs, and nods. "You're right, in that he showed up becaue you were there. But that's his choice, not yours. He could show up again, right now, with you nowhere around. And then you wouldn't be there to help drive him off. It's not ideal, not even close. But it's what we have, so we do the best we can." The mage ponders a few moments. "Idle thought, what might happen if we got some enchanters and the Watch together, got every patrol at least one guard with a Disruptive weapon? Not sure Kol is sane enough to be worried of such things."

Menel smiles a little small smile. "I doubt he is sane enough to worry about that. He's hardly sane enough to worry about anything except doing what he's told to do." The swordsman shudders slightly and seems to consider. "You're right, I know. I shouldn't over-think it, but I feel trapped. If I stay down here I'm not doing anything. I'm not helping, or... anything. But if I leave it's clear that She can find me and for some reason she wants me back. He came after /me/ Mikilos. Not someone else."

Mikilos nods, and considers. "I never did get around to figuring out just how she tracks people. Kept hoping I might work it backwards to track Her. Might be time to just break the enchantments and be rid of them. I'm sure are methods to hide from scrying, but they'd be more effective if the Scar is removed."

That... is a grim enough thought to make Menel's face pale. "I don't know how you'd do that. You'd have to remove all the skin off my back." He gives a sort of half laugh and shakes his head. "What about him?" Menel pulls out one of his swords and lays it across his thighs. The weapon is still bloodied though the blood is dry now. "I thought... you might be able to track him with his blood?"

Mikilos nods, it is grim. "High level cleric, regeneration... likely some serious pain killers. And even them I'm not positive it would work." He blinks, and eyes the sword thoughtfully. "....I might. Can certainly try. Though as a vampire, gets fuzzy as to if it's really -his- blood. If he's in the Tower, it's shields will likely cover him. But, is a fairly simple spell can try to see if magic counts the blood as his." So saying, the elf starts fishing around in his pockets, only to pause as he remembers where he is. "...I can take a few samples to work with."

Menel nods. "It can't hurt to try and it'd be nice if /some/ good came out of this." He will lay the blade out for Mikilos so that he can take his samples. "I guess you'll have to wait until later to try your spells. Still, with his blood maybe you can scry him like you scried me or... something. He's not always at Her side. He's Her hands after all."

Mikilos nods, fishing around a little before finding some strips of clean cloth to carefully wipe away streaks of blood before tucking each cloth away again. "And maybe it will be enough to push past the Tower's defenses. I doubt it, but worth trying."

The swordsman draws his weapon back and quietly cleans it before returning it to it's place at his side. It's not magical and after today the guards had been kind enough to allow it. Who knew for how long that would last though. "Mikilos." He hesitates. "Is there some way of saying or writing Her... name that wouldn't summon Her?"

Mikilos blinks, and considers. "Here, yes. The anti-magic field would neutralize any direct conjuration. Though when it comes to True Names, things get... weird. It wouldn't conjure her directly, but might draw her attention. Writing, again can get weird, but typical safety method is to write half the name on one sheet of paper, half on a different sheet, and keep the two papers from touching. Just in case." The mage sighs. "For most Beings, that's a lot of over kill. Even using their True Name in a summoning circle doesn't promise they'll appear. But for Her... I don't think we can be too cautious."

Menel considers this for a moment then pulls out a piece of paper. He tears it in half and writes a few letters on one half, and then a few on the other. Then, without allowing them to come into contact with one another; purposefully holding one in each hand, he offers them to Mikilos. His eyes are a little wide when he's done, looking for some sign of Her, but she's not there. "First the left, then the right."

Mikilos nods, accepting the first bit of paper, reading it, tucking it into a pocket, then the second sheet, tucked into a different pocket. "...we could go at any day. We have a Map. But we only get one shot. I want to be sure, but that's not going to happen. But we can be significantly more prepared than we are yet. I need to get fired up again, and get things organized. Or get others fired up so they do so. I know this isn't just my fight, but it's come to feel personal."

Sal/ina said the papers written in clear handwriting.

Menel nods, his fingers shaking a little as he pulls them back to himself. His eyes keep flickering toward Mikilos' pockets. "Yea, but... There's more than tracking Her you can do with Her name right?" He sounds hopeful, and he scrubs a hand over his face and hair. "Whatever I can do Mikilos. I'd do anything to put an end to them."

Mikilos nods, and frowns mildly. "I know what you mean, but be careful in that. 'Anything' covers a lot of ground you do NOT want to explore." He considers a few moments. "There are things I can try. With a regular creature, quite a few. With Her? She seems to break a lot of rules. I'm not sure what's possible and what isn't."

The swordsman seems to consider that and then laughs. "No you're right, not /anything/ but quite a lot." He sighs. "I appreciate whatever you can do Mikilos. We're all just doing our best here. Hopefully our best'll be the end of them both though." He straightens up a little bit. "Just keep me apprised of things would you? Anything you find out? I feel like... Like I can help, but I just don't know what it is that you need to get there you know?"

Mikilos nods, and sighs. "I understand. I feel much the same way. There's so many things I can do... but how many of them are really -useful-, and how many are just fancy glitter and show?" The mage ponders a few moments. "Have you heard about the magical Feasts I've been holding?"

"I don't get much of /any/ news down here. The guards are good guys but by profession aren't huge talkers." Menel smiles a little though. "Magical feasts though? That sounds interesting. What do you do at a magical feast?"

Mikilos grins. "It's a spell. Conjurs a magical dorrway. On the other side is a dining hall with mounds of food. More powerful the spell, more food inside. Mine makes a feast for about 150 people. And enough beds in alcoves around the edges that everyone can indulge in a full 24 hours of rest, in a magical pocket beyond a doorway only those allowed can enter. Sadly, the food can't be carried out, though those who feast remain full when they leave. I've been inviting those who the temples can't shelter. Feed and shelter them myself, if only for one night. But it is only one night... not a long term solution." he considers a moment. "And one very small dragon. That was an interesting morning. Golden dragon, about the size of a housecat, stealing fish in the market. Summoned up a feast to keep it distracted as we talked. Such a small creature, assumed it was a hatchling... but it ate a fair chuck of the feast all by itself, and showed magics to rival a powerful elder dragon. Seemed friendly, so not exactly worried, but was still weird."

Menel seems more amused by the anticidote than anything else. "Well if it's a gold dragon that means it's a good dragon right? I mean I don't know a lot about dragons but I seem to remember that much. I wonder though... it was the size of a cat and it ate that much?" He chuckles. "Even I can't eat fourty times my bodyweight in food. It must have been starving. Or magical. Maybe both? You know... The man at the market said he'd seen a little gold dragon at the Arcanist's Guild that was eating THEM out of house and home. I wonder if it was the same one."

Mikilos nods. "Likely. Very distinctly fondness for fish, and the Feast conjured only so much seafood. So we pointed it towards the Guild." He considers. "Gold is typically Good, in legends and fables. I'm not certain on the reality of the matter. They're living creatures, with free will. I assume one could be Evil if they really wanted. This one was clearly not all it appeared, but no, I don't think it's Evil. Trouble, perhaps, but not malicious."

"Time will tell I suppose. I have hope that it's something benevolent. I'm not sure how much more evil this poor city could take. Besides eating us out of fish doesn't sound like the beginning of a dastardly plan." Menel smiles. "If it's the same one that's at the Arcanist's Guild, it's surrounded by some of the most powerful people in Alexandria as well, so hopefully they'll keep it in check."

Mikilos nods. "I'm fairly sure it's just curious... and apparently hungry. Alexandria is a...nexus... for strange and powerful things. Many, yes, are evil, but we get a great many that are Good as well. Very few places where one can chat with a Solar." The mage considers a moment. "Not that he's particularly chatty... I don't think he likes my Robes."

Menel blinks at that, but distinctly doesn't ask what a solar of all things might dislike about his friend's /clothing/. Still he stretches a little and blinks. "So, what's your plan Mikilos? Do we just sit on the information? What else do we need before we can move?"

Mikilos considers. "For the moment, I plan to research. Test the blood samples, see what I can work with it. maybe geta few vampire hunters prepared, see if can scry, then teleport to get the drop on Kol for a change. Taking out Her Hands would be a solid blow. See what, if anything, I can do with Her name. Ideally, find out exactly what she is, and what sort of weapons work best. Get a solid group ready to do battle, then use the Map and attack. along the way, see if there's anything more that can be learned about the ooze, and tapping directly into the Source, a feat that still seems impossible to me."

Menel shrugs. "Honestly nothing seems impossible to me anymore. Particularly not where She's concerned. I've seen Her do things that scare the hell out of me. That give me nightmares to this day. That She uses Kol as a pawn is proof of how powerful and determined She is. Only someone very intent would decide that he's a tool that could be used. I'd say desperate, but what could make Her desperate?" He shakes his head. "If there /is/ something then I'm not sure I want to know about it."

Mikilos nods. "There's a lot we still don't know, and that worries me. But we'll never know everything, and trying to wait until we do just means more innocent people being hurt. It's a hard call to judge how long to wait trying to know more."

The swordsman nods and stretches again. "Well, I hate to kick a guest out, but I'm exhausted. If there's anything else you need from me though, day or night I'm... here." He motions around the cell a bit belatedly.

Mikilos laughs, and nods. "Quite alright, I'm anxious to get started on my tests. Though I will drop by again soon, if only to chat. Should I learn anything of interest, will let you know."

Menel stands up and offers Mikilos a handshake. "Thanks, I appreciate it. The company especially. It's always nice to see you Mikilos."

Mikilos accepts the handshake firmly. "Glad to be of assistance. Though I do look forward to when we can safely chat at my place instead of here."

Menel laughs and shakes Mikilos' hand in a firm friendly manner. "Me too Mikilos. Me too."

-End