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 Posted: Wed May 01, 2013 8:13 pm
In all honesty, Daemon probably should have thought his trip through a bit more. Not because there was any danger to himself, or that he had to worry about aging too quickly. However, being stuck in a sword for many centuries made Daemon forgot how stubborn Long could be.
It was probably the only trait that father and son actually shared.
"You do realize time passes far quicker in this world than in ours," Daemon argued, "You're old, you don't need to get any older."
"I'm only sixty... ish," Long paused for a moment as he gestured wildly to as why this would be a brilliant idea, "Come on, I"m Asian, I'll probably live to see a laughing man's funeral. So I still have 15 more years at least!"
Daemon didn't look impressed by this statement, and Long rolled his eyes in turn.
"Besides, the average age is like.. 80, so give me 20. Besides, what is a few hours, or even a few days..."
"You're just bored," Daemon accused his old friend.
Long shook his head, "No, I'm curious, my son visits these places on occasion, some of my grandbabies live here, and one of them is married to someone from that family! Okay, not from that particular branch, but they're related right?"
There were days Daemon thought that Long never grew up, which was probably why the crazy Lau could get away with being mistaken for someone a decade (or two) younger than himself. Listening to Long rambled only increased this sense.
If it weren't for Long's looks, no one would know that Donovan was related to this made.
Daemon sighed as he entered the portal room with his old friend trailing behind him like a lost puppy.
"Fine, but if your wife tries to kill me, it's your fault," Daemon muttered, even though Mi would do no such thing.
Long perked up happily as he watched Daemon activate the runes that would take them to the Eastland. The old seer couldn't help but chuckle, he supposed it would be just like old times. Even if it was for just a visit to see some very old friends.
"Go on, and try not to get into trouble," Daemon laughed as he pushed Long forward.
"Hey! That's my line!" Long protested before disappearing into the portal, and with Daemon right after him.
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Posted: Thu May 02, 2013 2:24 pm
In the time since the portal in the sub-level of the Eastland palace had last been used, it had not changed. The tunnel was black as pitch, and there weren't any torches anywhere that could be lit. The walls were smooth and carved with detailed images, leftovers from the days when the dwarfs had inhabited the desert.
Several meters ahead of the two who appeared suddenly from the supposed dead end of the tunnel there was a brick wall. To those who didn't know better, it would seem that the tunnel had no way out; but to those few who knew the tunnel's secret, there was a hidden latch that would allow the wall to swing open into a longer, lit tunnel, which would eventually take them into the depths of the palace.
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Posted: Thu May 02, 2013 7:52 pm
Long blinked, orienteering himself as he stepped through, he hadn't expected it to be so dark. In fact, there was no way to adjust his sight as there was no light to work from. Finally he shrugged and with a snap of his fingers a small ball of fire appeared in his palm.
"Muchhhhhhhh better," he grinned as he could feel Daemon run into his back.
Daemon peeked around his friend, "The entrance out should be up ahead."
"You 'saw' that, didn't you?" Long asked as he carefully walked forward.
He had noticed how Daemon's eyes glazed over for a second, and was use to the event enough to know when it was a slight vision. The two men made their way to the end of the tunnel, with Long moving aside so Daemon could get them out. It didn't take a genius to figure out there was something hidden about the tunnel.
The better lit tunnel they entered allowed Long to put out his own little fireball.
"Lot of stone...." he murmured as he let Daemon take the lead.
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Posted: Thu May 02, 2013 8:21 pm
On the lit side of the secret door, the walls were the same as by the portal: smooth and intricate, handiwork of true master masons, the images as beautiful as they were detailed, showing various events in the history of the world.
Eventually the tunnel reached a T-intersection, and the paths were identical in each direction. To the left, there was nothing out of the ordinary, but towards the right there was the smell of damp air.
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Posted: Thu May 02, 2013 8:53 pm
There was uncertainly of which way to turn, but Daemon could smell the dampness in the air on the right. This was unusual for a desert environment, though it could be caused by something.
"Let's go this way," Daemon tugged Long's sleeve.
He didn't know what was down there though.
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Posted: Thu May 02, 2013 9:12 pm
It was not far before the subterranean corridor split yet again, and this time the same moist air was coming from both directions.
Suddenly, behind the two men, a gentle rustling sound could be heard - similar to the whispering of a warm summer breeze through the leaves of trees, but even quieter.
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Posted: Fri May 03, 2013 8:16 pm
"Hmmm?" Daemon whirled around, his eyes narrowed as he looked about to find the source of that whispering.
It wasn't normal for indoors, but then again this was the home of elves.
"We're not going to go wandering again because you're curious are you?" Long asked with a scratch of his head.
Some things didn't change between them.
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Posted: Fri May 03, 2013 9:09 pm
"I would recommend against wandering," came a soft and gentle voice from the shadows in the corridor to the left of the two men. "Once you begin, there is little chance that you will find your way out again."
From the darkness, a slim female figure appeared. A young woman, only slightly taller than Daemon, whose raven hair tumbled in tight ringlets to the small of her back. Her brown eyes reflected the light of the torches that lined the corridor periodically.
"Good morning, Daemon, Long," she greeted them warmly. "I am Princess Elia, daughter of King Estel and Queen Lothiriel. I Saw that you would be arriving, and I thought I would come and keep you from getting completely lost."
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Posted: Fri May 03, 2013 9:32 pm
Long blinked and stared for a moment or two, trying to figure out how the young woman seemed to know who they were. At least until it hit him that she was like this Lothiriel person.
He smiled widely, "Oh hey! You know my name! You're like Daemon right?"
Daemon rubbed his forehead because Long was like a child who discovered something neat, "Long...."
It was always a problem and so he took a page out of his daughter's handbook (and Long's wife), and whacked his friend on the arm before bowing to Elia.
"It is a pleasure to meet you princess, thank you for meeting us here."
Long laughed sheepishly and bowed as well.
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Posted: Fri May 03, 2013 9:48 pm
Elia laughed softly, amused by the two friends.
"Just like your children," she smiled. "It is a pleasure to meet the both of you as well. I have heard some stories about Daemon from my mother, though we have not heard anything about you, Long. But come, Mother and Father will be happy to see you both."
She motioned for the two of them to follow her back down the way she'd come from. "This way."
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Posted: Sat May 04, 2013 9:07 pm
"Thank you," Daemon murmured as he followed the young woman.
He actually hadn't really meant any of Lothiriel's children. Though he did note that the ringlets seemed to be just as inheritable as the Sight.
Long followed the two seers, he didn't know anything about the young woman or the young woman's parents. So he was just as happen to be looking around at his surroundings (while being very obvious about it), while they walked.
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Posted: Sat May 04, 2013 9:13 pm
Elia kept glancing over her shoulder to make sure that neither of the men were falling behind, and she noticed that Long was looking curiously at the walls.
"It's quite interesting, the effort put into the masonry down here," she mused aloud, smiling gently. "Considering that really, the tunnels were never designed to be used for much. Do you not think so, Master Long?"
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Posted: Sun May 05, 2013 6:45 pm
It startled Long out of his thoughts, not because she spoke, but she referred to him as Master Long, which wasn't something he ever was called. He was always just Long, and he laughed a bit and nodded at that statement.
"It's really neat, there isn't really this kind of stone work at home, but it means this place will last a long time! So that's probably why, at least... I guess," he gave a generous grin, "But please, call me Long. I'm just one of many back home."
It was an odd statement for sure, but to Long, the only person who ever had a special title was Vincent within his family. Not that Vincent ever used any sort of formal title unless he had to do formal business.
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Posted: Sun May 05, 2013 7:06 pm
Elia chuckled softly. "If you insist," she agreed. "It's simply a way of referring to someone politely who is not royalty. But I'm afraid I must warn you, only some of the tunnels have this type of masonry. We are currently in the ruins of what was once the capital of the dwarfs, it was they who built these tunnels. When the carvings end, we will be drawing near our destination."
She smiled at the men over her shoulder, checking again to make sure that Daemon especially was not wandering.
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Posted: Sun May 05, 2013 7:39 pm
Daemon thankfully, wasn't wandering, but that was because he was eager to meet the King and Queen.
"Don't worry, still here," he chuckled.
Long added, "Though you never know with you...."
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