The Dreaming: The Last Dream

[Damon Inferel]

In spite of the situation, Gabriel laughs at Lenore's comment about adolescent mood swings. "Yes, I do remember how i used to be the same way. He's less than half of my age by a year, but nonetheless, I remember that far back. That's how I took up the profession of a bard."

 

He blinks at Lenore, a question popping into his mind. "you... wouldn't happen to know anything about him, would you. Certainly it would take some effort to find out on my own, though I am willing to do so, but I was wondering if there was just a piece of insignificant information that might help me at least be a little more friendly. Sure, he's really pretty and all, but that's even more reason to be careful, and i don't want to frighten him off. He said something about empty words, but I meant everything that I said. It's a terrible thing, not being able to lie. i've given away some pretty valuable information in the past that led to a lot of dead people because I couldn't keep my mouth shut." He blinks and sighs.

 

"Oh... this isn't about me though. He seems awfully familiar, but I don't remeber anything about my past since... Hn. Since I woke up in some guy's room... a cleric or something. Believe me, he was not attractive, but he apparently saved my life. He told me I was... well, almost dead, and I would have been in a few minutes had he not stabilized me. He asked my name, but I didn't know, so I just took his. He said his name was Gabriel, and it sounded pretty cool. I stole Pelous from the word pious. It's almost the same thing, and I'm revered for my devotion to my work. I think that's what pious means anyway... So, i know my name isn't actually my name, but i like it better than not having one. what's a bard going to do if he can't make a name for himself? In my case, I did it both ways. i became famous and I literally made a name for myself. I'm such a genius!" The last comment made his eyes sparkle.

 

He paused, looking somewhat annoyed with himself. "Forgive me... am I talking too much? it's a terrible thing, this habit. Usually, I get money for a story or something, and then people run away when I start conversation... I'm surprised you're still here... How do you know Calonderiel anyway?"

[Elwen]

Lenore's lips quirk amusedly. "I'm a good deal older than I look. I may look like a child, but I'm an ancient sorceress who once committed a great wrong. I swore to never rest until I put it right...and the Lady heard my vow. So I'm stuck in the body of an eleven-year old. Calonderiel...I've known him since he was a child. His family...was involved in the wrong I committed, so I owe him a great debt, and watch over him because of it." she smiles sadly. "He only ever got along with two people besides his adopted parents...his mother died when he was too small to remember her. One was his adopted older sister Hikari Le'lorinel, who was an Order of the Rose Knight. The other was the bard Devaberiel Silverhand, who many said was the best bard in the elven lands and even beyond, and who was his best friend/almost-lover. They were killed ten years ago by Cate Kent." the Dreamer sighs. "Devaberiel was so much like you, it is more than uncanny..."

[Damon Inferel]

Gabriel pauses for a second, contemplating on exactly how far Calonderiel has wandered away. "Hn. He hired me, but yet..."

 

He turns back to Lenore, a look of remembrance on his face. "Wait a minute... Hey! That means I have a rival... a dead one no less, but a rival. I have something of a vague memory, and now that I think about it, it's true. I have had a lot of nobles, even some monarchs who have deemed me the best bard in all the land. I may not look it with my clumsiness, but I can spin a wonderful tale, and I've never been insulted by my work. I was very rich before I died... sort of, I tended to spend it on alcohol I think. That's why I still drink so much now."

 

"You know, that's a good thing. My memories are starting to come back!" He does a small dance to himself in his mind and ponders Calonderiel once more. "Eh... I don't recall him though. He's just... so familiar. Do you know what I mean? It's like, I know so much about him, I just don't know anything. Here's an idea, though you might laugh at it, it's a little farfetched..."

 

He stops for a second, trying to figure out how to word his somewhat lengthy explanation, which, to him, is completely feasible and quite possible.

 

"To get to the point, perhaps I am this Devaberiel guy. It seems like everything that I have been told about this guy plays just as I remember... what i can remember. You told me that our resemblance was more than just uncanny, and I seriously doubt he coincidentally had a twin brother who died at the same time, me, who woke up... unless his entire family was killed. Not to mention, both he and I have been called the best bards, and though I don't remember anything since before I woke up from my 'death', I do find Calonderiel to be a very familiar person... like I do know more than I think about him, and why his constant coldness doesn't bother me... like I am trying to cheer him up." He pauses, searching for something to drink, but ignores his still scratchy throat and continues.

 

"However, should I turn out to be this person, I have no memory of it, and thus I know absolutely nothing of what i was in the past, save for being deemed the 'best bard'. Also, it would require that Calonderiel even believed that, theoretically, I, was still alive, which I don't think he could take if he did believe it. So, the question is a theoretcial one. If I am this Devaberiel person, how would I go about pushing past the wall of ice that Calonderiel has around him so that he might be able to believe me? If I am him, again, theoretically, then Calonderiel may know something about my past, how I 'died', and a lot of other things. If I know that I have never been able to lie, that would mean I had formerly told him everything about myself, much as I would do now, except I can't remember. Hn... What do you think? Logically, it is possible..."

[Elwen]

"Kid, let me give you the honest reply." Lenore says dryly. "You have a .0000000000000000000001% chance of breaking through Calonderiel's icy walls. And even if you were Devaberiel-which could make sense, if you discount the fact that there was that same percentage chance he survived the blast that Cate threw at him and Hikari-Calonderiel would never believe you."

[Damon Inferel]

"Well, I suppose you might be able to explain my death/rresurrectionwith the fact that... there was a cleric who did come at me at the last minute...you know?"For some reason Gabriel sounds oddly impatient,as though he wouldlove to get around as to if he was this person or not, otherwise he would feel like a total jackassand...

Edited June 19, 2003 by Damon Inferel

[Elwen]

Lenore shook her head. "The chances are slim. And even slimmer of having Calonderiel believe you. I don't know what I think..."

 

***

{{Sorry...I need to continue the plot. Merry, I need to post for you considering you're blocked.}}

 

While the two are having their conversation outside, Jareena, Char, and the twins are inside, wondering just what the hell is going on and what the hell they have gotten themselves into. Especially considering the very uncertain temper of their employer.

 

"I suggest we get out of here." Mordekai said lightly. "Before Uncle Melvin comes home and finds a giant hole in the floor."

 

"Yeah, let's go!" Cole agreed enthustically, remembering the last time Uncle Melvin had gotten mad.

 

The Shadow is on the move again...and it's desperate. Jareena thought. I can sense that Calonderiel has something to do with it's desperation...but what?

[Damon Inferel]

"Well, I'd rather the chance's be slim than nonexistent. There's always something that proves soemthing, but in this case, I can't ask him to ask me something only this Devaberiel guy would know... I don't know anything..." He shakes his head slightly. "There's got to be a way... But, I don't even know if I'm this guy or not." He taps his chin thoughtfully and blinks.

 

"Yes! I have an idea! Amnesiacs always tend to start remembering things when they are taken to a familiar place. Perhaps the area where i was 'killed' will give me a clue as to what exactly is going on... and to who I am. What do you think?"

[Elwen]

Lenore considers. "Hmm...yes. But you'll have to wait." the little girl points at him. "All of you will pass that way on the way to Everien. It's going to take a little while, though..."

[troubled sleep]

((sorry, I can't post officially right now, and I may not be able to do so for another week or so. Just someone note somewhere that my character (Char) is following everyone rather nondescriptively.))

[Damon Inferel]

OOC: Forgive me, this is an OOC note... Eh, I only had something of a question. Were you (Elwen) implying that we were leaving the mill? I was simply wondering if we were dashing out of here quite yet, which I have no problem with. I'd love to progress the plot as well, but I do not want to rush anyone... Erf. Also, now that we have all been promoted (for those who are in the RP) we can start an OOC thread in the Greenroom... I hope that's all right.

[Damon Inferel]

Gabriel takes a brief look at Lenore and sighs, the small mushroom shape of air escaping fro his mouth, much like the future of animation that has yet to be discovered. There is a brief gaze of confusion at the irregularly shaped wind, but then a look od dismissmal.

 

"Well, I suppose we should get going then, don't you. I really love this mill and all, but Calonderiel almost died here, I almost died and lost my voice, and... I've been tripping over flour bags and changing clothes way too many times since we got here. If we don't leave soon, I might consider this my home since the events are so monotonous... Everywhere I live, I have a critic. Can you believe that?" He blinks for a few moments, a small, salty tear trailing down his cheek, but his exprssion is unchanged.

 

"I wonder what that was for? Eh, whatever. Since Cal... er... Calonderiel isn't exactly in the mood to be too conversational with me, do you think you could ask him when we're leaving? You know, hopefully before you randomly vanish in an eery fashion, much like you just appeared out of nowhere? Thanks, you're a pal."

 

With that, he goes and leans up against the barn and shuts his eyes, but still alert.

[troubled sleep]

"And I may consider going back just because well...becuase...frankly I have only a rough and sketchy idea of *why* Calonderiel almost died, and why you nearly died and lost your voice-though obviously you seem to have found it." Char said suddenly with just the smallest hint of the bitterness that comes from feeling severely left out. It was in the silence that followed that she realized that not only had the question not been addressed to her, but she had also sounded rather rude. After all...perhaps there is a very good reason why I have very little idea what anyone is talking about. she thought guiltily.

"I don't mean to be rude or anything," she said, her voice sounding small and meek and it becomes suddenly obvious that she is far younger than she appears, "It's just that I would like some answers."

[Damon Inferel]

Gabrile blinks at the confrontation between himself and the lady in front of him. "Well, I suppose there might be some answers that could be provided by our sponsors, but they are not in right now. If you would like to hear what all I know, I simply need questions to answer. Thank you... and ask away miss."

[troubled sleep]

Shocked by the fact that she had been answered and that she now had a window in which to ask her questions slightly shocked Char, who was far more used to being shunted into the background without question.

 

"Well..." she said after a few moments, "First of all, I only heard bits and pieces of what you and..." she faultered, trying unsuccessfully to remember what the mysterious girls name was, "and her were talking about. So could you please tell me what is all this about you dying, but then being resurrected in such ways where you could have been an old friend of Calonderiel, but you're not sure because you can't remember, and because of this are we or are we not going to some odd place where you might have died so that you can remember." she said rather ineloquently. "Oh, and then who exactly was it that tried to...well...kill Calonderiel and perhaps the rest of us as well. And why. Once again, I'm not trying to be rude or pry into anyone else's affairs its just that I'd like to come with you all to...wherever you're going, and thus would like a bit of general information as to what in the world is going on."

[Damon Inferel]

Gabriel linked in a moment of confusion, his eyes shifting back and forth as if trying to re-read the girl's sentences. "You know, you're lucky I'm a bard. Anybody else would have asked you to repeat all of that..."

 

He cleared his throat again, and disappeared back into the barn, re-emerging with the cold cup of tea that Cole had made for him, and again realizing he was coated with flour. "What? Did you think I was going to ignore you? If I was ever ignored, then i wouldn't have a reputation, so I know what it's like to be ignored..."

 

"Anyhow, let's start with the first... thing that somehwhat resembles a question." He sipped his tea gingerly with his pinky extended, and then promptly spat the tea back out to his left, so as not to get it on Char. "Too cold..."

 

"Well, My name is probably not really Gabriel Pelous. In fact there is a good chance that I'll never know what my name is. About ten years ago, I died... sort of. I was involved in some kind of... death thing, and I barely survived. I was rescued by a cleric by the name of Gabriel, and I stole my last name from some other word. Pious = Pelous. Don't ask me, i'm wierd like that."

 

"As per the second... piece of your question, I really have no idea where we are going. I just kind of escaped the bar and happened to tell him I was going. Yes, Calonderiel is a him, in case you were wondering. And yes, i do like him, so get over it."

 

"And, the last part of your question... i think, is about the guy who tried to kill us all. Thanks for your help, by the way. His name was Cate. If I am right, since Calonderiel hated him so much, his last name was Kent. He is apparently a servant of some Dark force that i don't get quite yet. Not to mention, if he is Cate Kent, and i am who i think I might be, he's the guy who killed me before. I don't really know if i'm alive, but whatever. Either that guy had some unfinished business with Cal, or he had some unfinished business with Cal. either way, i think I saw him recognize me in some creepy way, and that might be why he tried to kill me... again. You know, now thta i think about it, i have my oewn little quest to go onto. I have to find out if I am this Devaberial guy that Lenore, the girl who you don't know, was talking about."

 

He paused, half-panting, as he swallowed aother bottle of wine. "I hope that answers your questions..." Now, i have to go run after somebody and try to find out where Calonderiel went... I don't want him killing anymore people than he has to..."

 

"Oh..., one more thing. If you want to come along, then ocme along. I don't really think he cares. The more the merrier, and thus the more to make him irate... It's fun to mess with cold-hearted people... until they decapitate you or something. But, I like him anyway."

[Elwen]

((OOC: Sorry, sorry! *whimpers* It is kinda hard to continue when the DM is MIA...)

 

 

Calonderiel walks through the darkness, his black boots making no sound.

 

What am I? the slender elf thinks. I never fought against what must be...but now, I am beginning to question all that I represent.

 

"I have made my choice." Calonderiel mutters to himself. "There is no way that I will change my mind."

 

Not even hell and the Shadow Rising can bar my way. Maybe, this way, my life will have meaning...

 

Calonderiel's eyes flicker around, half-expecting one of the party members to pop out of nowhere. They are too curious...it is better for them not to care about me. When I die...there will be nothing left but a memory.

 

A wind blows out of nowhere, as his eyes go black with concentration and he forms the words in his mind, then touches the minds of the rest of the party, wherever they are.

 

Tread lightly on my ground, or all you will be left with is the memory of a memory. his hauntingly eerie alto voice echoes in their minds, as if from far away.

[Damon Inferel]

Gabriel looks up at the eerie voice coming from his head. "Well, aren't we cryptic?" He turns back to Char with a stupid smile on his face. "I'm guessing you heard that too, right? Of course you did, or you wouldn't look so confused."

 

With that, he pivoted and scampered off into the woods in the direction Calonderiel had ran off to. He practically danced, bouncing from one tree trunk to the other, his feet never hitting the ground. 'Why can't i be more graceful like this in public?' he thought, latching onto a branch and swinging onto it.

 

It wasn't too long before he came across something moving awkwardly quiet about fifty feet ahead of him. "You know, when a person makes you think they are far away, they're usually right where you expect them to be. don't worry about me, I'm not moving anywhere, and i'm actually quite comfortable... and i'm not stalking you. I just figured i'd let you know that Everien is the other way, and you have a few people who need their guide ot the place."

 

He looked past the figure of calonderiel in the distance, thinking. "Hey, are you trying to make us solve riddles or something, because I'm not sure what you meant about 'the memory of a memory'. Anyway, when you're ready, we'll be back at that mill place. Try to show a little more cheer, will ya? People might get the right impression of you... just kidding."

 

He smiled to himself as he jumped off of the branch, and frowned as it broke under him. "Damn..." he muttered, falling a whole thirty feet into a pile of leaves and sticks and... not so soft ground. He groaned for a second, and then fainted.

 

(Edit: OOC: And, it's quite alright. char {Sam} still had to have questions answered...)

Edited November 18, 2003 by Damon Inferel

[Elwen]

Calonderiel curses in Elven, as he glares down at the dazed bard.

 

"You have the hardest skull of anyone I ever met." he remarks sarcastically. "If you are going to be clumsy, stay out of tree branches."

 

His slender, long-fingered hands are illuminated by a faint light, as he reaches down and heals Gabriel.

 

"Next time, you are out of luck." the sorcerer says coldly, turns, and walks away, cloak flaring behind him.

 

Obviously, he was not in a good mood.

 

((OOC: when is he ever?))

[Damon Inferel]

"You know Cal, my grace only seems to fail when someone else is around!" Gabriel shouted after the flaring cloak, rubbing his head. "Wow," he muttered quietly "That's the least amount of time I've ever been unconscious..." He sprang to his feet and chased after the elf, not as quiet as before.

 

It took him a minute, since he ran into two more trees on the way, but he caught up to Calonderiel who was still flaring his cloak. "Does your cloak ever stop flaring?" he asked the fuming man in front of him. "Eh, it doesn't matter. So, um... I guess putting you in a good mood is kind of a longshot. From what I've heard from that little kid, you were always a tough cookie to crumble. Well, unless you kill me, i'll be here 'til thursday, trying to conjure that miracle that maybe you'll show a little spark in your eyes to illuminate those shadows. Hell, if there's some divine presence out there, maybe I'll get a cold glare accompanied by a smirk of pure evil. It'd give your jaw muscles a chance to unclench..."

 

He picked up his pace a little bit so he was adjacent to the still expressionless person beside him. "Um... so, where are we going? A cliff? The gallows? somewhere that maybe the atmosphere is more dreary than you? I'm not trying to be rude or anything, but there's got to be something out there that can lighten your mood. Anything? Even if it takes getting you drunk?" Shouldn't have said that... "Scratch the drinking bit."

 

The bard let out a yelp as he tripped on a raised root, but caught himself and stumbled back by Calonderiel. "Oh yeah, thank you for the healing. I'm not too fond of mosquitoes, and if I had laid there for a while, i'm sure I'd be whiter than you from blood loss..."

 

(OOC:I really don't know what to say to your character ashke... Meow? Don't worry, i'll be as annoying as it takes... hee hee...)

[Elwen]

In a second, one of Calonderiel's slender swords is in his hand and pointed at Gabriel.

 

"Listen to me, Gabriel Pelous." the ranger hisses coldly. "I am here for one purpose. One alone. Emotions have no bearing on one's life...dreams have no emotion. So why should I?"

 

He turns and strides off, sheathing his sword as he walks away.

[Damon Inferel]

(OOC: A lengthy monologue... I hope that's okay.)

 

The bard stops as the sword is pointed at him and he raises his hands in surrender. Despite the fact he might have his head cut off, or worse, he grins at his potential executioner anyway.

 

"Well, perhaps if you would enlighten me to this purpose, maybe we could help you achieve it. And then, just maybe, we could get on with our lives and I might see you crack a smile once in a while. As pointless as emotions are, they're still interesting in the least. Hell, look at me. I don't remember a damn thing about before, and i'm as happy as a clam." he comments, following the fuming elf.

 

"I don't know what happened to you before except for some people dying, and as sorry as I am for that, I can't do anything to bring them back. You can't do anything to bring them back. Death is inevitable, one way or another. If it takes killing the guy who killed them to make you smile, even sadistically, i'll do it.

 

"Emotions, yes, I could say they make a person weak, and that dreams don't really have meotions behind them. that's true, I guess, but dreams influence emotions. When you wake up from a terrible nightmare, isn't your pulse racing and you are afraid to go back to sleep? If you have a good dream, aren't you upset that the dream is gone and you want to fall back to sleep? Dreams are neutral, but your mind isn't. In all honesty, I percieve you as a good dream, and I would be damn pissed off if I woke up from it. I don't care how cold you are to me, I'm not going to leave you, and I will never extend the same coldness back at you. You seem to me that you've got a hell of a lot on your mind, and a past that would pretty much put mine to shame. you know, i wouldn't mind knownig about some things too you know? I'd like to help you do whatever it is that you've got to do, but I, no we, as in the rest of your 'employees', can't help you unless we know what it is.

 

"I don't know anthing about anything except my music and my frequently faltering grace. I don't really understand emotions or what not, I just do what I have to do to live. You're kind of a break from that monotony I've been going through for several years now. It's something to care about besides myself and what little memory I have. Somehow, I don't know how to explain it very well, I feel like i know you, or you know something about me or my past. But, I don't care about my past that much since I have your company in the present. The past is done and over with and I can't change it, and remembering might not do me any good. So, I'd like to make hte best of my new life and help you achieve your purpose... even if it is to die, which i suspect it might be. your attitude suggests you've given up on life, but if you're going to die, then live while you can. Enjoy life and die without regrets, knowing you've lived your life to the fullest. Don't be so gloomy, you know?"

 

(OOC: Monologues are long...)