[b]Starting Date and Time:[/b] Saffra, Day 1, 301DM

[b]Starting Location:[/b] Ebonfort Region, Southewest Border.

[b]CS URLs:[/b] [url=http://www.roleplayerguild.com/topics/83037-ebonfort/char?page=3]Paradise 'Par' Rapids[/url]

Paradise 'Par' Rapids could not believe he wasn't out of Ebonfort territory yet. He had already taken a huge risk in leaving his parents on a small hick town in the borderlands, where they might be found by Ebon Knights, Kvaren - not Malko's tribe - or both at the same time. Heck, leaving, alone, with only speed and a light crossbow for protection, was also a risk for him. Of course, he had a survival kit, and it would last a while, but that meant that he would be forced to, how does one put it? Forced to refrain from exploring things outside his direct path, which in turn had to lead outside of Ebonfort territory in the shortest way possible.

And...in his direct path loomed a large hillfort, one that presumably belonged to one of the Pre-fall Empires, or might possibly be an old Ebonfort outpost itself; however, Par needed to make certain that he would not find any bandits inside, or even Kvaren - he didn't want to die or be enslaved so soon!

So, the 19-year old boy began circling the fort, looking for any visible water and food sources; even bandits and temporary Kvaren occupants needed to supply themselves in order to stay within the hillfort. Then, he looked at the fort itself - and felt a sense of vertigo as his sight was suddenly boosted, boosted to a new realm. He can now suddenly see [i]inside[/i] the hillfort, see that its well had dried up and that all the food was long since gone, and most importantly, that there were no occupants

Shocked, Par was then overcome by a feeling of woozieness, before closing his eyes, squinting. When he opened them, everything was normal again, although the 19-year old boy felt as though he needed to eat and drink. So, he took some dried meat and a loaf of bread from his pack, and, as he ate, washed it down with wine.

Riding his horse inside the hillfort, knowing it was safe now, Par then went inside the suprisingly snug main building, then unrolled his bedroll on the floor, before wondering: 

[i]Was that Magic I just did? I knew there were rumors, but I never thought - and of course, what is inside this hillfort...[/i] Overwhelmed by his discovery, and tired due to his exertion of magical energy, Par then went to sleep; the question of what was inside the hillfort left for later...

------

"Par?" a voice called out his name, as the merchant was being nudged gently. Startled out of his sleep, Par's eyes snapped open, to find a familiar face before him. A familiar, brown-skinned face. It was Malko, his Kvaren friend and sometimes lover. Smiling, Par said:

"Never expected to see you again for a long while."

"I couldn't get enough of your face," Malko said in Kvaren, the musical tounge soothing Par's nerves. "But, to be honest, I came here to tell you that your parents will be as okay as I can make them; The Bats," it was the name of the Malko's tribe, "never forget a debt. Also, I wanted to talk to you. About our future."

"Right now," was Par's response, "I have all these grand schemes in my head, grand schemes of alliances and armies and leading them against Ebonfort, while you build power among the Kvaren. But...to be honest, I'm not sure those grand schemes won't fall apart at the outside sign of pressure."

"I'm not talking about that," Malko sighed. "What I mean is, what do you want for your people? What do you want for mine? What do you want for the world?"

"Those are hard questions," spoke Par. "But, to be honest, what I want is a world of peace and prosperity, of free and [i]fair[/i] trade and honest living and work. A world where people are bound to each other by [i]choice[/i], not forced onto the will of another. A world where authority can be freely questioned, yet still remain authority precisely because it allows itself to be questioned. A world where the hungry are fed and educated, and of course, a world without slavery." He looked at Malko, expecting him to be displeased at that last comment.

"I won't lie," the Kvaren said in turn, "that last part, I myself don't like it, and it's going to be hard for our people as a whole to swallow." He then gazed at Par's grey eyes. "Yet, [i]because I love you[/i], I will do my best to make it a reality." At the look of shock in Par's eyes, Malko continued:

"Again, I owe you a debt twice over, the first for saving my life, and the second for showing me what love is." By the light of the crude fire Par had made, one can also see that Malko was wearing only trousers and tough moccassin shoes, exposing his fit, well-muscled, and hairless chest to the air. Par smiled at that.

"Let's lay together again," Malko spoke, "let's give ourselves to each other once more." Par didn't speak, kissing his Kvaren lover firmly on the lips as the latter made to remove Par's own shirt -

-------

Later, as the two shared the same bedroll, completely nude and panting, Par then said:

"If you hadn't been so eager to make love, I could have told you that I discovered that I had magic just earlier today."

"Oh, what sort?" was his lover's question.

"Something that allowed me to see inside walls, and even underground"

"Ah, Aurism," Malko said, "that's what it's called in Common."

"You know about Magic?" Par was surprised. "Or rather, what terms are there for Magic?"

"Yeah," was the reply. "My own magic is Illusion; it's pretty small, though, but enough to break people out, like your father." A smile from Par.

"Thanks again for that; [i]I[/i] owe you a debt. Anyway," Par said. "Let's sleep for now."

And with that, the two drifted off in each other's arms...