The Color of Magic

[Heridfel]

The tension is broken by the sound of a cell phone's ringtone. Sallah looks down at his side in surprise, then removes his left hand from the staff to pull out a phone and glance at it.

He looks back to the two of them and moves the staff slightly with his hand as he puts it away. His brow is furrowed as he looks over them.

"That was Master Lee. I did not know that he knew how to text-message," he shakes his head. "There is a spirit loose in this house, and..." he hesitates before saying the next part, "and the Master Mage has been missing for three days. I had meant to contact Master Lee, but it has taken all my strength to contain the spirit here. It seems to have gone into hiding; I cannot sense it now."

[Shadowboxer]

"That was Master Lee. I did not know that he knew how to text-message."

Nightrival looks at Sen then back to Sallah. "Huh. I didn't think Master Lee even knew how ta dial a phone."

It seems to have gone into hiding; I cannot sense it now."

"Um, do ya mean a ghost that rips its face off? I tripped it down those people-swallowing stairs." Nightrival suddenly does a double take. "Wait, what? Eldrich is missin'?"

[Shadowboxer]

"That was Master Lee. I did not know that he knew how to text-message."

Nightrival looks at Sen then back to Sallah. "Huh. I didn't think Master Lee even knew how ta dial a phone."

It seems to have gone into hiding; I cannot sense it now."

"Um, do ya mean a ghost that rips its face off? I tripped it down those people-swallowing stairs." Nightrival suddenly does a double take. "Wait, what? Eldrich is missin'?"

[Heridfel]

"You tripped... I had not thought of that," Sallah says with a fair amount of surprise as he thinks over. "The spirit should be trapped in an extradimensional space until Eldrich returns."

He turns his attention back to the two men. "But if you did not know that he was missing, why did you come? I had thought Master Lee had sent you to aid in finding him. Already, there are things like that spirit which seek to test this dimension's defenses."

[Heridfel]

"You tripped... I had not thought of that," Sallah says with a fair amount of surprise as he thinks over. "The spirit should be trapped in an extradimensional space until Eldrich returns."

He turns his attention back to the two men. "But if you did not know that he was missing, why did you come? I had thought Master Lee had sent you to aid in finding him. Already, there are things like that spirit which seek to test this dimension's defenses."

[Shadowboxer]

"Heh. Yeah, ya shoulda seen the look on its face, or th' lack thereof, when it saw my foot - well, anyway." Liam straightens his back and loudly clears his throat.

"Master Lee didn't mention nothin' 'bout Eldrich bein' gone," he continues. "He sent me ta vouch for Sen here, 'cause he's lookin' for . . . um, well, I think Sen can explain it better than me."

[Shadowboxer]

"Heh. Yeah, ya shoulda seen the look on its face, or th' lack thereof, when it saw my foot - well, anyway." Liam straightens his back and loudly clears his throat.

"Master Lee didn't mention nothin' 'bout Eldrich bein' gone," he continues. "He sent me ta vouch for Sen here, 'cause he's lookin' for . . . um, well, I think Sen can explain it better than me."

[Warmonger]

Sen remained silent while he felt his heart plummeting. Eldricht was not here. He had been gone for some time. What if his father hadn't come here? This was the only lead he had.

"I am seeking my father his name is Kiyoshi Kichiro. I believe he may have come to speak with you master. He bears a sword like mine."

Sen didn't feel the need to elaborate on what he meant by 'like mine'. No doubt Salah was all too aware of the sword's powerful magic.

[Warmonger]

Sen remained silent while he felt his heart plummeting. Eldricht was not here. He had been gone for some time. What if his father hadn't come here? This was the only lead he had.

"I am seeking my father his name is Kiyoshi Kichiro. I believe he may have come to speak with you master. He bears a sword like mine."

Sen didn't feel the need to elaborate on what he meant by 'like mine'. No doubt Salah was all too aware of the sword's powerful magic.

[Heridfel]

"I have not seen a sword like yours here," Sallah says. "I am sorry that I cannot help you more. Perhaps..." he takes a deep breath, appraising them. He seems to like what he sees, and he nods before continuing.

"Perhaps you could take a message back to Master Lee. If he did not know that Eldrich has gone missing, then he should. He knows the danger of leaving this place unguarded. If he were to aid me in defending it, then you might be able to search for the Master Mage. He could do more than I can to find your father. Are you willing to do so?" he asks the two of them. His stoic demeanor has cracked a little as he sees hope of locating his master and friend.

[Heridfel]

"I have not seen a sword like yours here," Sallah says. "I am sorry that I cannot help you more. Perhaps..." he takes a deep breath, appraising them. He seems to like what he sees, and he nods before continuing.

"Perhaps you could take a message back to Master Lee. If he did not know that Eldrich has gone missing, then he should. He knows the danger of leaving this place unguarded. If he were to aid me in defending it, then you might be able to search for the Master Mage. He could do more than I can to find your father. Are you willing to do so?" he asks the two of them. His stoic demeanor has cracked a little as he sees hope of locating his master and friend.

[Warmonger]

Sen frowned. He did not have the time to play courier he had a mission to complete, but this Sallah's logic was hard to deny. If he could find this Adrian Eldricht surely he would know of his father's whereabouts. "I will do this thing you ask. What exactly would you have me tell him?"

[Warmonger]

Sen frowned. He did not have the time to play courier he had a mission to complete, but this Sallah's logic was hard to deny. If he could find this Adrian Eldricht surely he would know of his father's whereabouts. "I will do this thing you ask. What exactly would you have me tell him?"

[Heridfel]

"Tell him that Eldrich went to Freeport three days past, and has not returned as he had said he would. That is all he should need to hear," Sallah says, a tension going out of him that neither Nightrival nor Sen had taken heed of before. "I will remain here to guard the nexus. Do not let any others hear this news. The Master Mage has many enemies who would seek to capitalize on his weakness."

[Heridfel]

"Tell him that Eldrich went to Freeport three days past, and has not returned as he had said he would. That is all he should need to hear," Sallah says, a tension going out of him that neither Nightrival nor Sen had taken heed of before. "I will remain here to guard the nexus. Do not let any others hear this news. The Master Mage has many enemies who would seek to capitalize on his weakness."

[Warmonger]

"Free...port?" Sen tested the word. "I will tell him as you say but I must ask where is this Freeport. My fate is tied to that of the Mage." Sen answered.

[Warmonger]

"Free...port?" Sen tested the word. "I will tell him as you say but I must ask where is this Freeport. My fate is tied to that of the Mage." Sen answered.

[Heridfel]

Sallah hesitates before realizing that Nightrival and Sen are soon to go there anyway. He clears his throat before he speaks.

"It is in another dimension; a vast bazaar of travelers from across hundreds of worlds. I am not an expert on it, but I can give you more information when you return. The mage's libraries are exhaustive, but the filing leaves something to be desired."

[Heridfel]

Sallah hesitates before realizing that Nightrival and Sen are soon to go there anyway. He clears his throat before he speaks.

"It is in another dimension; a vast bazaar of travelers from across hundreds of worlds. I am not an expert on it, but I can give you more information when you return. The mage's libraries are exhaustive, but the filing leaves something to be desired."

[Shadowboxer]

Nightrival strokes his chin with a calloused finger.

"I never 'eard o' Freeport, but I'm guessin' it's dangerous if Eldrich hasn't come back." He turns to Sen, his voice rigid like tempered steel. "We got work ta do, my friend. We'll find yer dad, I promise."

Nightrival returns to Sallah. "Yer holdin' th' fort, looks like. We'll back before ya know it." At that, he nods his head and wheels around, walking back down the stairs to exit Eldrich's wondrous house.

[Shadowboxer]

Nightrival strokes his chin with a calloused finger.

"I never 'eard o' Freeport, but I'm guessin' it's dangerous if Eldrich hasn't come back." He turns to Sen, his voice rigid like tempered steel. "We got work ta do, my friend. We'll find yer dad, I promise."

Nightrival returns to Sallah. "Yer holdin' th' fort, looks like. We'll back before ya know it." At that, he nods his head and wheels around, walking back down the stairs to exit Eldrich's wondrous house.