Terran's hands were bound together by chain and leather and his beloved Earth Servant Staff tossed carelessly by his side, he struggled to climb to his feet and snarled at the cell in which Cadvan had ordered he be casted into. He knew not what had transpired, but this wasn't how it felt before. Slowely, visions came to him. Disturbing visions.

"Terran, to the tavern, he can't harm you there!" a voice called. "But that's a trap, a dead end!" "Terran, you have been ordered to go to the tavern now DO IT."

Running for his life, Terran did as he was asked and fled to the tavern. Time passed, it felt like hours, but maybe it was minutes. "Prehaps the danger was gone" was his thoughts as he began to supple on his ale.

Suddenly a hand grasps his shoulder and he turns to see a man, but not one he recognises, and begins to scream. "I sacrifice my soul to Tasmina as prehaps my final request!" Then pitch black.

Were these memories? He didn't know. He felt them important but hated remembering that blackness and the screams.

In mid-thought, Terran's stomach rumbled. He was hungry, and no food had been given to him yet. Gazing around his cell, he spotted a mouse inspecting his staff cautiously, or prehaps curiously, he didn't care either way. As quietly as he could, Terran began to utter some incantations as the moss and vines within the very stones of the cell itself began to move and wrap itself around the rodent as it struggled and squeaked with panick.

With no remorse and no delay, Terran rushed on hands and knees over to the mouse and tore it from it's prison, then proceeded to bite it's head off with a sickening crunch and wolfed the poor creature down.

"That's the hors d'oeuvres out of the way, now where's the main course" he uttered as he gazed about himself...

Although Cadvan had fallen into a deep sleep of exhaustion after the days efforts but sleep did not come easy to Cienwyn, she had instead taken to walking along the herb garden beside the great infirmary where Dryctna seemed to be a little more at ease than the dead stone walls of the infirmary itself.

Invoking Tasmina's anger a second time was beginning to hang heavy upon her mind, she had nothing else to offer her in dedication. She had already come to terms with the thought that she would never go to light upon her death, instead she would become another guardian spirit of Albian. The blade of the pale bloom that rested against her back although lacking in the magic that was once amplified by Drycna, now glowed faintly with green magic, fed by the earth around them and only a few hours prior she had dedicated herself to the path of druidic healing.

Although she had barely seen twenty two summers the lines of age was beginning to show on her furrowed brow and surrounding her dark eyes. So many thoughts darkened her mind in the stifling evening air.

A small cough from nearby alerted her to one of the novices that seemed a little confused as to why one of the men believed dead in recent campaigns and fairly docile was held in enchanted shackles in the cells although it seemed to be for Terran's own safety. Clearing his throat he informed her that he had had been taken to the cells and left to rest.

She grunted as she acknowledged the fact, speaking quietly with her companion Drycnta seemed for more content to walk in the garden than enter back into the stone structure. The kitchens where not too far from here, and the cook as friendly as she is wide, she guessed he would not have been fed by now and the more feral part of his nature would come to play if her husbands shoulder was anything to go by.

Gathering a trencher of meats. Some cooked, rare and raw. A little bread and a pitcher of water she yelled to a nearby fire blade to help her carry it down to the cells despite the filthy looks she was receiving due to the fact he was too stubborn of mind to really wish to follow a woman's orders but regardless he helped her to carry the water.

Her booted feet clipped against the clean cut stone of the steps that lead to the underground expanse of holding cells, pausing before the great iron door of Terran's cell she awaited for the keeper to unlock the door before stepping inside.

" I thought you might be hungry....."

As Cienwyn walked into the cell that held Terran, or what seemed to be Terran at least, his bag (which had been magically examined by the church and stripped of anything that may be used to escape with) had been ripped open and pages of his spellbook lay tattered and torn across his cell, almost organised but cluttered simultaneously. Symbols roughly smeared with what looked like blood or red ink were crudely drawn next to some of the pages, as if it was some kind of code.

Terran himself was huddled in the corner of the cell, desperately clasping a book that seemed to have been fashioned from what parchment he could find from his bag. He frequently muttered words under his breathe.

"Symbols... symbols... corresponding... I will..."

In frustration, Terran lightly clawed his own face before realising that Cienwyn had actually entered the room carrying an assortment of food. Given the state of the cell, Terran surprisingly gingerly put the fashioned book on the floor and crawled towards Cienwyn. His feet had been chained to the far wall of the room as an extra precaution incase Terran was able to break the wall down. It was common belief that he was powerless if he was bogged down with metal given he knew the magnetise spell. Never the less, Terran was aware of this and realised nothing would go well if he squabbled and snapped, so to show he was submissive, he crawled to the full length of the chain (which Cienwyn was out of range of anyways) and sat patiently on the floor, waiting for her to lay the food within arms reach.

In the door way stood the burley shape of an armoured battle-trained cleric, staff sparking with stored power, standing ready to step in if Terran should pose a threat to the Cardinals wife. Terran appeared fairly docile but you could never be sure with Terran, everyone knew the stories about him after all....

In a flash of Amber, Adelaide appreared at the gate of what could only be described as Cadvan's fortress.

Summoning over a guard at the gate she said to him very slowly and carefully

"I wish to see my cousin. You will arrange someone to take me to him now."

She knew that it was important for him to get not only the other half of his soul back but also Earth Servant. Unfortunately he was the only one who knew how to do that and Adelaide was still unsure of how accurate his memories were. Afterall, she had been away in Aegypt when he had 'died'

Adelaide Spellguard Kael d'Amberville
Amber Mage of the Malrashee
Assistant Head of the Mages Guild
Countess of Foulness
Brohn Noble: Head of House Spellguard
Wife of Mhorador Kael, High Hand of Mhaine

Terran reached with outstretched finger tips to pull the plate of food to himself and, without even a glance up at Cienwyn or Cadvan, quickly wolfed down the bread and meat, digging his face into the plate. His hands were bound so he was unable to eat the food handed him in a completely civilised manner, but this wasn't why he ate in this manner. It seemed... instinctive.

With his solid foods completely gone, Terran struggled to grab the bent and tattered tankard that sat beside the plate and proceeded to down the liquid in one go, spilling a large amount over his robes and onto the floor, even onto the red writing that lay on the floor, making the colours run into the very cracks of the stone.

Upon realising his blunder, the half souled Druid darted to the floor, throwing the tankard aside haphazardly and began clawing at the cracks in some vain attempt at retrieving the letters he had worked so hard on.

"No, no, no!"

He turned to face the doorway, holding his hand out desperately. "Quill, give me a quill, I need to finalise what I started!"

Having finally been taken down to the cell Terran was being held in Adelaide was shocked at how her cousin had been treated by Cadvan's subordinates. Mumbling under her breath she gestured over the floor and Terran's things piled themselves neatly next to where Terran had left his staff.

Pushing past Cienwyn and the guard she walked to the other side of the cell - carefully avoiding the drawings and symbols - and copied what he'd written onto the paper she always carried around with her.

"Terran, you should know better than to write magical symbols in your own blood. Especially when your hands are tied. Do you have any idea how bad that may have gone? Now, did I copy them all down right?" Adelaide said handing the paper over to him. "If there's any more to do then tell me and I'll write it. I have steadier hands than you and you are not 'finalising what you started' here. If you want to do anything like that then you do it with me here. Do you understand!"

Adelaide Spellguard Kael d'Amberville
Amber Mage of the Malrashee
Assistant Head of the Mages Guild
Countess of Foulness
Brohn Noble: Head of House Spellguard
Wife of Mhorador Kael, High Hand of Mhaine

Terran greedily grabbed the piece of paper and scanned it as he walked to the corner of the room to read it through properly. It didn't take long and within a minute he turned back to Adelaide.

"These look about right" he said, almost cautiously. "And it's not my blood" he explained, tilting his head towards a small collection of half devoured rodents in the corner of the room before kneeling down to his carefully crafted notebook and tucking the parchments Adelaide had just handed him into it.

"I have this urge to translate these mage spells into Druidic, so no, you can't help as much as you may wish cousin, not unless you learn Druidic. I will need to fix these symbols up and perfect them in my new spellbook." Terran looked up and stated with full confidence "I know I can use Elementalist spells and cast them in a balanced way by using a balanced combination of magic energy and druidic inscriptions, like a puzzle... this is the gift Tasmina gave me, to become the balance of these magicks so that they can work in harmony with each other and nature, but the reasoning is blurred to me, I can't... I can't..."

With that sentence finishing mid way, Terran rushed over to his small collection of cadavres and began drawing a new diagram on the floor, different from the rest, like he had suddenly hit another break through in his madness...

"Have you forgotten all your training?! You still do not put magical symbols on the floor without properly warding or sealing the area, especially written in blood! Where you get the blood from does not matter! Put them on parchment, even if you need to correct them or re-write them later."

Looks around in exasperation and clears the floor completely

"You used to teach me these things!"

Picks up Earth Servant and passes it to Terran.

"And Cadvan said that here would be safest. Cienwyn, I hope you don't mind but this is not a suitable place for my cousin."

passes Terran his bag and papers so his hands are full as he makes sure he doesn't drop anything.

"Pass on my regards to Cadvan and please let him know that I will be looking after Terran from now on. If you so wish you can send an escort with us until we get outside but it would be dangerous to let him stay here any longer"

Breaks Terran's chain holding his legs to the wall and guides him outside

Adelaide Spellguard Kael d'Amberville
Amber Mage of the Malrashee
Assistant Head of the Mages Guild
Countess of Foulness
Brohn Noble: Head of House Spellguard
Wife of Mhorador Kael, High Hand of Mhaine

addelaide emerged into a corridor only to be met by five heavily armed and armoured exorcist-clerics lead by a talll and imposing woman with iron grey hair tied back in a bun, a crackling staff of power in her hand. Dryctna moved in behind them and cienwyn stood at the door way, cold fury building in her eyes and her hands blazed with green lightning.

"You have violated the soverign terriotory of the order of exorcists. You have no business here without the approval of Cardinal Cadvan. You will return Terran to his cell and you will then leave or else we will remove you. Do you understand?"

Her voice was filled with a boundless outrage and anger and her eyes were filled golden light. She was not happy and she had already told Cadvan over the leylines, the Champion of Flarefax and master of the most holy and sovereign order of exorcusts was also incredibly miffed.

"If Terran is left in that cell then people could end up dying. I'm trying to avoid that by putting him somewhere he can't kill anyone. I need to take him away for the safety of him and his exorcist order."

Turning to Terran she pushed her hand down on his shoulder.

"Sit and stay there for now. Do NOT write anything on the floor"

Adelaide Spellguard Kael d'Amberville
Amber Mage of the Malrashee
Assistant Head of the Mages Guild
Countess of Foulness
Brohn Noble: Head of House Spellguard
Wife of Mhorador Kael, High Hand of Mhaine

"He will not kill anyone here. that is the point i think you will find. Now, i ask you again for the last time. Leave. If you wish to visit that is fine. Untill such time as the order and the cardinal declaire him safe, he will stay in this cell."
She turned to a cleric behind her,
"Clean the floor, purify the room and make sure Terran is fed. One of the lambs should do the trick i think." She turned her aging but still powerful gaze to the amber mage and met her cool expression with her own firey gaze.

Dryctna flexed her claws protectively before moving in closer to protect terran if neccessary, she would let no harm come to the champion of tasmina

"He won't be what you would determine as 'safe' until he has been retaught. I also do not believe that it is for the order of exorcists to decide either. As far as I was aware the exorcists are to do with purifying souls and casting out unwanted spirits. Though if I am wrong I apologise and hope you will inform me.

The floor in the cell he was put in is clean and clear of magic residue from the symbols he was writing so you don't need to worry about that anymore. I was also not aware of any reason for him to have been made a prisoner, though this is obviously how he is being treated. If you still wish to keep him under lock and key then I must insist that he is given proper accomodation even though you do seem to feel that it requires a guard to give him a meal.

I propose that until these conditions are met that he stays with me so that I can make sure he does not put himself or others in danger by reteaching him the basic training of the Mage guild. Though I am willing to compromise and ask the Druids council for their aid otherwise as they are neutral to each of us. Also it is actually their jurisiction as he is not part of the mages guild or the church."

Adelaide Spellguard Kael d'Amberville
Amber Mage of the Malrashee
Assistant Head of the Mages Guild
Countess of Foulness
Brohn Noble: Head of House Spellguard
Wife of Mhorador Kael, High Hand of Mhaine

"You have no authority here and neither does the mages guild! Terran was a druid and had left the elementalists path. He is now the responcibility of the druids council. Not you nor any other mage. simply being his cousin is not enough. Now. I suggest you refrain from ordering me around or questioning me on my soverign territory maddam, I am Vice Master of the Soverign order of Exorcists and it is time that you left. By the door if you do not mind. He will stay as he is, but will be well taken care of. He is here for his safety and the safety of others. And i think you will find that everything and anything relating to the dealings of spirits and souls are our responcibility."

The old woman, easily in her 70's, took another step forward, firming her grip on her staff as the armoured clerics behind her tensed slightly.

"I suggest you leave."

Grateful for small gifts, one thing that Dryctna had left behind when she had been given her own form was her temperament, she was growing tired of appearing spineless and meek, constantly hiding behind her husband to gather information and items to forefill her own personal gains.

Her heart thundered in the confines of her chest and the shift was felt easily in Dryctna who's sadistic smile could not be suppressed as she easily new what was passing through the Druids mind. Rather neatly for the looming figure of the Dryad, she took a step back even though it would have had little effect upon her physical self she didn't want to miss it. Telepathically she couldn't suppress the giggle " do it.... do it now..."

Cienwyn ran her tounge along the inside of the teeth of her lower jaw, without a further moments hesitation she drew the blade from her back, her knuckles whitening as she gripped the blade, the living bloom that had set itself upon the hilt of her blade to create the basket hilt that protected her seemed to ripple with life as although she spoke quietly every word was perfectly pronounced and emphasised causing the moss, vines and other plants that thrived between the cracked stones of the cells to grow and form, entangling against the mages legs and snaking up towards her arms, her voice grew in volume and anger as she cast sending a thorn dart slicing through the air like a gleaming emerald for the base of the Mage's spine.

" Do NOT push me aside like some stuffed toy......my husbands anger isn't the one you should be worried about..."

"Peace now! Peace!" Her voice rang out, clear and hard above the noise in the small corridor.
"Enough! I will have no more of this here!" Miranda was fair livid with rage that violence was offered within these hallowed corridors, she stood between addelaide and Cienwyn, making sure she knew where Terran was at all times, a golden sheen springing up around her as she activated her magical protections. The exorcist-clerics behind her had leveled their crackling staffs and hefted silver hammers but at her words they lowered them. None had been pointed at Cienwyn. Though they may not understand the strange but beautiful druid-healer who was married to their Lord and Master, they all respected her and in their way they loved her and would die to protect her.
She ushered Terran back into his cell, taking care and speaking gently and sweetly into his ear at the same time, calming him and soothing him before closing the heavy cold iron door laced with lead, a flash of blue light making the resealing of the anti-spell wards.
"Cienwyn, will you release her now please? Im sure that she is about to leave"

High above the Fortress-Monastery of the Exorcists the eternal flame of Flarefax pulsed quicker and flaired brighter.

As Cienwyn cast to attack Adelaide she wondered why Adelaide had not shown any aggression when stopped but had instead stood there calmly, causing her to miscast and the magic to disperse harmlessly

"Cienwyn, I apologise for walking past you without giving a polite greeting. Unfortunately there was something more important I had to deal with.

Vice Master. I apologise since I seem to have caused offense but I can't remember making any orders or assuming I had any jurisdiction here. However, it is excellent that you agree Terran is the responsibility of the druid's council and I would like to invite some of your order to accompany us to them so that they may aid him in his studies. After all it would be the best environment for him. Indeed you may remember that I said he was no longer in the mages guild

Unfortunately, from what I have seen you do not seem to be taking good care of him. This is extremely worrying for me as a relative especially when he has not been placed under arrest and there are no charges for him to be put under arrest.

Although your statement of everything related to dealings with souls and spirits being under your jurisdiction. I find an error in that statement and suppose that you tried to generalise too much. I know of a few that do not intact wish to have any dealings with the United Church. Though that is a separate debate. It would be good to discuss that matter with Cadvan sometime. I apologise, I digress and I'm beginning to think out loud again.

Now back onto the leaving part. I am ready to take Terran to the council now but how where you planning on travelling if not by using the door?"

Adelaide Spellguard Kael d'Amberville
Amber Mage of the Malrashee
Assistant Head of the Mages Guild
Countess of Foulness
Brohn Noble: Head of House Spellguard
Wife of Mhorador Kael, High Hand of Mhaine

Terran dragged himself as far towards the crowd as he could after being reshackled, snarling and baring his teeth.

"She is of my own flesh and blood, and I will NOT see such an obscene use of Tasmina's creation used in such a way!" He snarled, hoping to catch some attention. "You made a pledge to follow the path of a Druidic Healer, yet you've willingly brought me to the so called 'justice' of the church? You know as well as me and Adelaide do this is a Druid matter, if they can claim the mages have no juristiction, then neither have the church."

Sitting up, but more in a predator ready to leap than a civilised sit up, Terran held both of his index fingers parrallel towards the ceiling. "Two extremes, and you expect to tame me with yours? I may not be whole but my brains are still intact, and I must use this floor and blood as ink and parchment to fix this mess. I know not why I need to do it, only that I do."

Terran began to glow green faintly, then the light fades. "Just remember, I am still a chosen of Tasmina, regardless of my form, and I will not allow her children to be used in such a callous matter, shackles or no."

The guards lowered their weapons in confusion. Had they really been about to attack an unarmed woman who had shown no violence and was trying to arrange everyone's safety, not only that of her cousin. No, they must have acted in defense instinctively as they had been taught.

"So you admit that my cousin is not under arrest yet you ignore his wishes? You are treating him like a prisoner, almost a slave. I said from the beginning that Terran was the responsibility of the Druids and you agreed yet you would still not let him leave? Very well, what do I need to do to convince you to do the right thing?"

Adelaide Spellguard Kael d'Amberville
Amber Mage of the Malrashee
Assistant Head of the Mages Guild
Countess of Foulness
Brohn Noble: Head of House Spellguard
Wife of Mhorador Kael, High Hand of Mhaine

"Terran, you know as well as I that druid-healers are not bound to non-violence, why do you think that the church never really liked them."

"Adelaide, you can do nothing. Leave. The druids council already know where he is, the exorcists and the druids have a good relationship and they know they are welcome in the monastery. You madam, i do not expect you to understand the workings of the soul, you are not a soul mage nor are you a cleric. Trust me when i say your time here is at an end."

As the clerics gathered around Adelaide they ushered her along the corridors of the monsatery and then out into the open and lead her to the front gate. A squad of armoured Fire-Blades had joined them as they exited into the sunlight. The salley port in the main gate yawed open.

"Goodbye Madam Spellguard. Next time I suggest you do not try to walk away with those under the charge of the order. Believe it or not we can be quite talkative at times"
************

Meanwhile, Cienwyn, dryctna and a fresh contingent of clerics, templars and healers had moved in to help Terran back into his room and make him comfortable. A kindly young healer had provided Terran with inks and parchment along with the food and water. Slowly the porters came and went, bringing sleeping furs and blankets into Terrans cell. He was not chained but the walls of his cell were run through with lead. A winow looked out onto a blue sky the sun shined in.
"If you need to walk in the gardens at times then if you ask the guard at the door he will take you." The cleric on duty told Terran.