Categories > Original > Fantasy > Finatchia Origins: The tale of the Thorgiaden
The Priest Serving the God of Magic
0 reviewsThe two strangers pay a visit to the temple of the god of magic.
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Finatchia Origins, The Tale of the Thorgiaden
Chapter 2 The Priest Serving the God of Magic
The doors closed with a bang behind them. Like if Ozgoth had wanted to add yet another reminder that they were not welcome. Not that is really was needed. As they walked down the corridor Hantilia's lips were a thin line, her movements like the ones made by a panther stalking its prey.
"Calm down Hantilia, we don't want to draw attention to ourselves," Fasroth commented and gave her a relaxed smile.
Hantilia blushed as the tension left her. "Sorry master, I forgot myself, there is something about this place that makes me nervous."
"What did you say?" Fasroth asked.
"Its nothing. I am just uncomfortable here," Hantilia answered, her gaze gliding over the beautiful ornaments on the walls.
"Do this palace disturbs you in some way?" Fasroth asked with a worried tone in his voice.
Hantilia looked at the elven lord surprised. She had not heard him speak with such worry since the night when their journey had begun. Then he had been talking about the possibility of war and magic created for killing. This topic hardly seemed to be of the same magnitude. Suddenly she realized he waited on her answer.
"Not the palace itself, more the whole city. It feels like somebody has put an Inn sign on the entrance to a bear cave. I guess its just my imagination," Hantilia replied.
"Don't ignore your instincts," Fasroth mumbled but didn't say anything more.
Hantilia followed him in silence for a while but finally she spoke up. "Why didn't you show your powers for him to catch his attention?"
I don't want to force my will on people. Ozgoth should be free of making his own decisions, even if it makes my own work much harder," Fasroth answered still deep in thoughts.
"/I can't make any sense out of that answer/," Hantilia realized, but she decided it was not important enough to bother Fasroth with the question again.
"Is Ozgoth's lack of understanding about his responsibility for the use of his inventions due to prolonged contacts with the humans living here?" Hantilia wondered aloud.
"I think his view is rather typical for high elves, perhaps even typical for most other races too," Fasroth answered. His deep thinking was over for the moment as he walked besides Hantilia.
"That is just horrible. Why don't they understand that they are wrong?" Hantilia complained.
"Ah, but don't judge them so fast for this lack of clear sight. There is a huge difference between your people, the H'tlians, and the rest of the races," Fasroth replied.
"What kind of difference?" Hantilia asked puzzled.
Fasroth seemed to chuckle silently and didn't give any straight answer but instead pointed towards a massive pillar.
"Do you understand what really lasting matter is?" Fasroth asked.
"It is only stone. It will fall sooner or later," Hantilia answered unsure what he was after.
"Correct, but could you imagine something so strong that it could withstand anything?" Fasroth asked.
Hantilia looked back at him, trying to deduct what this had to do with her question. Finally she answered anyway to hear his reply. "Only if the object could rebuild itself when damaged."
"You mean like when your friend Isidin's legs did regenerate when the lumber accident had cut it off?" Fasroth asked.
"No, that was your magic. It is not the same," Hantilia answered. A cold shudder passing through her as she remembered the horrible accident.
"You are mistaken, I did only speed up the process," Fasroth said."Truly eternal things don't need any physical substance, that is why it could be done."
"Why is he telling me these riddles?" Hantilia wondered.
Fasroth had stopped walking in front of a great gate. The sign read Temple of Mar'raz.
"What are we doing here?" Hantila asked.
"In the end we must convince the emperor himself to dismantle the weapon but I would prefer to also try getting some of Mar'raz priests involved in our cause. Those priests could make the god himself support us if we are lucky," Fasroth replied.
They stepped inside and found themselves in something that looked like a library. Bookshelves filled all the walls and large tables with yet more books could be found in the middle of the room. But yet it was no ordinary library, not that there was many libraries to compare with but that is beside the point. Ordinary books should not affect the air around them. Not make the sparse light create shadows that would move towards you when you did not look.
No living person could be seen and the two elves remained still, watching their surroundings.
"There is somebody here," Hantilia mumbled. She knew someone was watching her.
"Shouldn't guests to the temple be greeted by someone?" Fasroth asked.
"Make yourself at home here at the temple of Mar'raz," a voice said. the speaker could at most be a couple of steps away.
"Show yourselves. We need to speak about serious matters," Hantilia said.
"Huge demands from somebody who doesn't believe in our god. Write down your problem on a note, and leave it on the table. I will contact you when we got time to address the issue," the voice said.
"The topic is the Thorgiaden weapon," Fasroth said, "We must speak with you before it is used."
"For being elven your patience seem very thin. I have more important business that needs to be done," the voice replied from a growing distance.
"Come back here now before I get irritated," Fasroth ordered.
"How would you find me," the voice said with a mocking tone from far away.
Fasroth mumbled a curse and raised his hand. Hantilia looked at him unsure what would happen. The moment afterwards a great wind came blowing through the temple. It pulled every book down from the shelves but they whirled around and landed in their original place.
The only thing that not ended back in the original place was the body belonging to the person that had spoken to them. There was a loud smack as he crashed into the wall.
He was a short fat human man with a red beard. The tight head cloth showed that he barely had any hair on his head but this could perhaps be intentional. The human sat up, obviously still dizzy from the impact with the wall.
"It would be very stupid of you to try to run," Hantilia warned. Her slender body was tense, ready to jump. Between her hands a small tendril of raw magic power flowed. Behind her Fasroth waited, not seeming to mind the display of power.
"No reason to be rude," the man squalled as he raised his hands in the air. When Hantilia neither increased the flow of magic or went for the knife at her side he calmed down a bit.
"I am so sorry for my treatment of you. Your simple clothes made me think you belong to the troublesome line of foreigners who come here or ask for our aid all the time. I will certainly listen to the words of someone that has mastered such powerful weather-control magic," the man told.
Hantilia nodded and stepped aside so that Fasroth could come forward.
"Strange that Fasroth doesn't mind that we bully this priest around with magic when he would not show any magic to Ozgoth," Hanilia thought.
"I am Fasroth of Elrochia and this is my companion Hantilia of the H'tlians," Fasroth said.
"I see, you come from that hostile country Elrochia, just wilderness there if I have heard correct," the man said with a voice that told he thought this explained everything. "Brother Isin is my name," he added.
"Well, Brother Isin. We need information about the Thorgiaden. Surely you or some other Mar'raz priest has been consulted about this device?" Fasroth asked.
"There is not much to say. Lord Ozgoth arrived here a couple of years ago and showed the blueprints for the generator. We studied them extensively and did ask Mar'raz for guidance. The answer was that Mar'raz approved provided the generator could only be used for peace-like purposes," brother Isin said.
"How can you guarantee that it will not be used in war?" Hantilia asked puzzled. She had by now totally left her battle stance, the priest showed no signs about trying to bolt.
"Simple enough. The operation is so complex that the generator can only be operated by us priests who did design the interface," brother Isin answered.
"So as long as you don't teach how to operate the device it is safe. Does the emperor know about this or could it happen that he will try to use Thorgiaden out of curiosity?" Fasroth asked.
"Well, I don't know for sure if anyone has informed him but why would he try to use it himself?" brother Isin asked.
"Who knows. Ozgoth claims that he and his companions only do research they are interested in, but the number of battle like effects they have developed during the last years are unsettling," Fasroth answered.
"You are hinting that the emperor is making them prepare for war?" brother Isin asked with a sceptical tone in his voice.
"To give the short answer yes I do think so, and even more alarming is how Thorgiaden can be used," Fasroth said.
"You are making a chicken from a feather. I would agree that Ozgoth and his men have developed weird things lately but I can guarantee you that this is the essence of development of new spells. You never know what you end up with until you are finished," brother Isin said.
"I don't believe in chance much. Still, even if the Thorgiaden will not be used for war we still got the risk that someone will try to use it without the proper knowledge. Don't you agree?" Fasroth asked.
"Actually I can't speak against you there," brother Isin commented, "There could start some serious power eruption close to Thor, the power source for the Thorgiaden, if that happened. Fortunately it is an unpopulated area so the risk for harmed people is not significant."
"The mountain range close to the heart of the world is not something to toy with. Unfocused magic there could have unknown dangerous results," Fasroth said.
"Seems like you have read too many elven fairy tales. You are speaking about the legends on how all the elven people woke up in those mountains, aren't you?" brother Isin asked.
"Not every elven people did came from there. Fasroth and my people the H'tlians waited for them when they came down from the mountains," Hantilia commented.
"You are speaking like you were there yourself," brother Isin said with a sarcastic tone in his voice.
"You are right about that. I was 634 years old at the time," Hantilia said as she gave him a warm smile. Brother Isin paled visibly when he heard this. Somehow he seemed to have failed understanding the implications of the fact that the elves didn't age.
"I must ask you about something that has always puzzled me. You can find legends about the origin place for every people except the Ht'lians. Where did your people came from and what were the names of the founding fathers and mothers of your people?" brother Isin asked.
"Elrochia I suppose, my first memories are from there. As for the founding people I suppose it is us. We have always been the 999 elves we are now," Hantilia said.
"None of the H'tlians have ever wanted to have children?" brother Isin asked surprised.
"I don't know if we even can. It has never really interested us so I doubt that anyone has even tried," Hantilia replied.
"You don't love each other?" brother Isin asked.
"Sure we do, we form couples and live together but children doesn't suit us," Hantilia answered.
"Excuse me but could we please return to real topic," Fasroth said after standing silent and listening for a while. Both Hantilia and brother Isin looked up and then nodded.
"Come with me to the emperor and answer questions when I pledge the case about the danger of the generator," Fasroth suggested.
"It would be easier if you told what kind of danger that is hidden in the mountains," brother Isin replied.
"I don't know for certain. What you call elven fairy tales got much more truth in them then what you think. All the living elves that were present then have left for Fazik, but believe our words: We were there and strange forces did indeed hunt the elves in the beginning. I sensed them when we arrived but they did escape from my light so they remain unknown. There are something dangerous waiting out there," Fasroth said.
"The elven people were newly born, perhaps they exaggerated," brother Isin suggested but it was clear that he had started thinking.
Fasroth turned towards Hantilia smiling but the smile died on his lips when he saw the look in her eyes.
"/I am trembling in fear/," Hantilia realized. To calm down she just begun talking, not stopping to consider what she was saying. "The thing in the mountainss is worse than you imagine master. I can feel it in the core of my soul," Hantilia whispered, with the words out the fear gave away for determination.
Fasroth didn't see this and spoke to her with a calming voice. "It is not too late yet, we have come here in time."
"/Are you sure? Will not the Thorgiaden be fired directly when it has been finished/," Hantilia wondered.
"I have little to loose," brother Isin said. "If you answer questions I have about the H'tlians I will follow you to the emperor to answer questions."
"Agreed," Fasroth and Hantilia said in union.
Chapter 2 The Priest Serving the God of Magic
The doors closed with a bang behind them. Like if Ozgoth had wanted to add yet another reminder that they were not welcome. Not that is really was needed. As they walked down the corridor Hantilia's lips were a thin line, her movements like the ones made by a panther stalking its prey.
"Calm down Hantilia, we don't want to draw attention to ourselves," Fasroth commented and gave her a relaxed smile.
Hantilia blushed as the tension left her. "Sorry master, I forgot myself, there is something about this place that makes me nervous."
"What did you say?" Fasroth asked.
"Its nothing. I am just uncomfortable here," Hantilia answered, her gaze gliding over the beautiful ornaments on the walls.
"Do this palace disturbs you in some way?" Fasroth asked with a worried tone in his voice.
Hantilia looked at the elven lord surprised. She had not heard him speak with such worry since the night when their journey had begun. Then he had been talking about the possibility of war and magic created for killing. This topic hardly seemed to be of the same magnitude. Suddenly she realized he waited on her answer.
"Not the palace itself, more the whole city. It feels like somebody has put an Inn sign on the entrance to a bear cave. I guess its just my imagination," Hantilia replied.
"Don't ignore your instincts," Fasroth mumbled but didn't say anything more.
Hantilia followed him in silence for a while but finally she spoke up. "Why didn't you show your powers for him to catch his attention?"
I don't want to force my will on people. Ozgoth should be free of making his own decisions, even if it makes my own work much harder," Fasroth answered still deep in thoughts.
"/I can't make any sense out of that answer/," Hantilia realized, but she decided it was not important enough to bother Fasroth with the question again.
"Is Ozgoth's lack of understanding about his responsibility for the use of his inventions due to prolonged contacts with the humans living here?" Hantilia wondered aloud.
"I think his view is rather typical for high elves, perhaps even typical for most other races too," Fasroth answered. His deep thinking was over for the moment as he walked besides Hantilia.
"That is just horrible. Why don't they understand that they are wrong?" Hantilia complained.
"Ah, but don't judge them so fast for this lack of clear sight. There is a huge difference between your people, the H'tlians, and the rest of the races," Fasroth replied.
"What kind of difference?" Hantilia asked puzzled.
Fasroth seemed to chuckle silently and didn't give any straight answer but instead pointed towards a massive pillar.
"Do you understand what really lasting matter is?" Fasroth asked.
"It is only stone. It will fall sooner or later," Hantilia answered unsure what he was after.
"Correct, but could you imagine something so strong that it could withstand anything?" Fasroth asked.
Hantilia looked back at him, trying to deduct what this had to do with her question. Finally she answered anyway to hear his reply. "Only if the object could rebuild itself when damaged."
"You mean like when your friend Isidin's legs did regenerate when the lumber accident had cut it off?" Fasroth asked.
"No, that was your magic. It is not the same," Hantilia answered. A cold shudder passing through her as she remembered the horrible accident.
"You are mistaken, I did only speed up the process," Fasroth said."Truly eternal things don't need any physical substance, that is why it could be done."
"Why is he telling me these riddles?" Hantilia wondered.
Fasroth had stopped walking in front of a great gate. The sign read Temple of Mar'raz.
"What are we doing here?" Hantila asked.
"In the end we must convince the emperor himself to dismantle the weapon but I would prefer to also try getting some of Mar'raz priests involved in our cause. Those priests could make the god himself support us if we are lucky," Fasroth replied.
They stepped inside and found themselves in something that looked like a library. Bookshelves filled all the walls and large tables with yet more books could be found in the middle of the room. But yet it was no ordinary library, not that there was many libraries to compare with but that is beside the point. Ordinary books should not affect the air around them. Not make the sparse light create shadows that would move towards you when you did not look.
No living person could be seen and the two elves remained still, watching their surroundings.
"There is somebody here," Hantilia mumbled. She knew someone was watching her.
"Shouldn't guests to the temple be greeted by someone?" Fasroth asked.
"Make yourself at home here at the temple of Mar'raz," a voice said. the speaker could at most be a couple of steps away.
"Show yourselves. We need to speak about serious matters," Hantilia said.
"Huge demands from somebody who doesn't believe in our god. Write down your problem on a note, and leave it on the table. I will contact you when we got time to address the issue," the voice said.
"The topic is the Thorgiaden weapon," Fasroth said, "We must speak with you before it is used."
"For being elven your patience seem very thin. I have more important business that needs to be done," the voice replied from a growing distance.
"Come back here now before I get irritated," Fasroth ordered.
"How would you find me," the voice said with a mocking tone from far away.
Fasroth mumbled a curse and raised his hand. Hantilia looked at him unsure what would happen. The moment afterwards a great wind came blowing through the temple. It pulled every book down from the shelves but they whirled around and landed in their original place.
The only thing that not ended back in the original place was the body belonging to the person that had spoken to them. There was a loud smack as he crashed into the wall.
He was a short fat human man with a red beard. The tight head cloth showed that he barely had any hair on his head but this could perhaps be intentional. The human sat up, obviously still dizzy from the impact with the wall.
"It would be very stupid of you to try to run," Hantilia warned. Her slender body was tense, ready to jump. Between her hands a small tendril of raw magic power flowed. Behind her Fasroth waited, not seeming to mind the display of power.
"No reason to be rude," the man squalled as he raised his hands in the air. When Hantilia neither increased the flow of magic or went for the knife at her side he calmed down a bit.
"I am so sorry for my treatment of you. Your simple clothes made me think you belong to the troublesome line of foreigners who come here or ask for our aid all the time. I will certainly listen to the words of someone that has mastered such powerful weather-control magic," the man told.
Hantilia nodded and stepped aside so that Fasroth could come forward.
"Strange that Fasroth doesn't mind that we bully this priest around with magic when he would not show any magic to Ozgoth," Hanilia thought.
"I am Fasroth of Elrochia and this is my companion Hantilia of the H'tlians," Fasroth said.
"I see, you come from that hostile country Elrochia, just wilderness there if I have heard correct," the man said with a voice that told he thought this explained everything. "Brother Isin is my name," he added.
"Well, Brother Isin. We need information about the Thorgiaden. Surely you or some other Mar'raz priest has been consulted about this device?" Fasroth asked.
"There is not much to say. Lord Ozgoth arrived here a couple of years ago and showed the blueprints for the generator. We studied them extensively and did ask Mar'raz for guidance. The answer was that Mar'raz approved provided the generator could only be used for peace-like purposes," brother Isin said.
"How can you guarantee that it will not be used in war?" Hantilia asked puzzled. She had by now totally left her battle stance, the priest showed no signs about trying to bolt.
"Simple enough. The operation is so complex that the generator can only be operated by us priests who did design the interface," brother Isin answered.
"So as long as you don't teach how to operate the device it is safe. Does the emperor know about this or could it happen that he will try to use Thorgiaden out of curiosity?" Fasroth asked.
"Well, I don't know for sure if anyone has informed him but why would he try to use it himself?" brother Isin asked.
"Who knows. Ozgoth claims that he and his companions only do research they are interested in, but the number of battle like effects they have developed during the last years are unsettling," Fasroth answered.
"You are hinting that the emperor is making them prepare for war?" brother Isin asked with a sceptical tone in his voice.
"To give the short answer yes I do think so, and even more alarming is how Thorgiaden can be used," Fasroth said.
"You are making a chicken from a feather. I would agree that Ozgoth and his men have developed weird things lately but I can guarantee you that this is the essence of development of new spells. You never know what you end up with until you are finished," brother Isin said.
"I don't believe in chance much. Still, even if the Thorgiaden will not be used for war we still got the risk that someone will try to use it without the proper knowledge. Don't you agree?" Fasroth asked.
"Actually I can't speak against you there," brother Isin commented, "There could start some serious power eruption close to Thor, the power source for the Thorgiaden, if that happened. Fortunately it is an unpopulated area so the risk for harmed people is not significant."
"The mountain range close to the heart of the world is not something to toy with. Unfocused magic there could have unknown dangerous results," Fasroth said.
"Seems like you have read too many elven fairy tales. You are speaking about the legends on how all the elven people woke up in those mountains, aren't you?" brother Isin asked.
"Not every elven people did came from there. Fasroth and my people the H'tlians waited for them when they came down from the mountains," Hantilia commented.
"You are speaking like you were there yourself," brother Isin said with a sarcastic tone in his voice.
"You are right about that. I was 634 years old at the time," Hantilia said as she gave him a warm smile. Brother Isin paled visibly when he heard this. Somehow he seemed to have failed understanding the implications of the fact that the elves didn't age.
"I must ask you about something that has always puzzled me. You can find legends about the origin place for every people except the Ht'lians. Where did your people came from and what were the names of the founding fathers and mothers of your people?" brother Isin asked.
"Elrochia I suppose, my first memories are from there. As for the founding people I suppose it is us. We have always been the 999 elves we are now," Hantilia said.
"None of the H'tlians have ever wanted to have children?" brother Isin asked surprised.
"I don't know if we even can. It has never really interested us so I doubt that anyone has even tried," Hantilia replied.
"You don't love each other?" brother Isin asked.
"Sure we do, we form couples and live together but children doesn't suit us," Hantilia answered.
"Excuse me but could we please return to real topic," Fasroth said after standing silent and listening for a while. Both Hantilia and brother Isin looked up and then nodded.
"Come with me to the emperor and answer questions when I pledge the case about the danger of the generator," Fasroth suggested.
"It would be easier if you told what kind of danger that is hidden in the mountains," brother Isin replied.
"I don't know for certain. What you call elven fairy tales got much more truth in them then what you think. All the living elves that were present then have left for Fazik, but believe our words: We were there and strange forces did indeed hunt the elves in the beginning. I sensed them when we arrived but they did escape from my light so they remain unknown. There are something dangerous waiting out there," Fasroth said.
"The elven people were newly born, perhaps they exaggerated," brother Isin suggested but it was clear that he had started thinking.
Fasroth turned towards Hantilia smiling but the smile died on his lips when he saw the look in her eyes.
"/I am trembling in fear/," Hantilia realized. To calm down she just begun talking, not stopping to consider what she was saying. "The thing in the mountainss is worse than you imagine master. I can feel it in the core of my soul," Hantilia whispered, with the words out the fear gave away for determination.
Fasroth didn't see this and spoke to her with a calming voice. "It is not too late yet, we have come here in time."
"/Are you sure? Will not the Thorgiaden be fired directly when it has been finished/," Hantilia wondered.
"I have little to loose," brother Isin said. "If you answer questions I have about the H'tlians I will follow you to the emperor to answer questions."
"Agreed," Fasroth and Hantilia said in union.
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