[PLOT][SOLO] Earth Talisman [Dante + Theron][fin]

[Menelie]

Dante touches down on Nethaear Beach after a swift and uneventful flight from Telrunya City. His mission is simple: obtain protection items, one representing each of the "elements". The decree had said that they were in the possession of the heretics, and so naturally he'd assumed that they needed the items to protect themselves from the heretics' magic during their final test. It seemed logical.

So he'd done a lot of preparation and reading (mostly reading) before leaving Telrunya City. He'd decided to contact a faun first, since he'd met one before, if briefly. He's to get a coin from them, and from his reading he'd ascertained that it was a special coin, made of wood (silly backwater people that they were--who makes coins from something like wood?), inscribed with a pentacle. He'd also read that they carry it for protection themselves while they were away from their home tree. So it might be difficult to obtain one. He'd heard his fellow squires talking--funny how often others assumed that he was also deaf--about how they'd steal a coin off an unsuspecting faun. Lailah was the worst, as she always was.

But Dante can't believe that the Guardians want them to do wrong in the name of right. The idea here isn't to deprive a faun of their protective talisman. The idea is to gain the protection for himself. And so Dante plans to take the high road, the civilized road. Robbery? He'd be no better than the heretics.

He'd landed here on the beach, having read that it's a popular congregation spot for Pae of all sorts. And because the idea of flying too close to that unnaturally large tree unnerves him a bit. If he had to, he'd walk there. But he'd search here first. There are a few Pae wandering the shores, skipping rocks into the ocean or walking hand-in-hand with a lover. Winged Pae, all of them. Drat.

But there, there was one, waaaay down the beach, who was taller than the rest. Bigger. Stockier. He moved not in the graceful way of Angels and Demons, but more slowly and deliberately. Excitedly, Dante draws nearer, his eyes focused on the other Pae's feet, until he can see that he doesn't have feet at all, but hooves! His heart practically skips a beat as he strides purposefully down the beach toward his target.  

[Menelie]

Theron, who had been casting his net for fish, straightens up as he notices a young man making a beeline for him. He holds his hand up over his eyes to shield them from the sun, and squints to see if he recognizes him. An angel...green in color...not anyone he remembered having met. Perhaps he's a friend of Tamara's (he very much doubts he's a friend of Lily's). Still, the boy had a fair distance to go before he got to him, so Theron continues to cast his net. No use stopping his work until he knew what the boy wanted.

The fact that the faun had turned back to his work startles Dante somewhat. Hadn't he seen him coming? Witless heathen. He continues his trek across the sand, his feet squishing into it with each step. Finally, almost out of breath, he makes it to the working faun. This one looked even more primitive than the one he'd met in the forest. He wonders if he even speaks Common. Or, he realizes with no small amount of anxiety, if he can read. Smiling a nervous smile, he writes a message:

I am Dante. I am on an important quest, and I am looking for protective talismans. Do you carry a wooden coin that looks like this?

Below it he sketches a picture of the coin. The message is not nearly as elegant as he wishes it could be, but if the faun was dull of word, then he couldn't risk a misunderstanding. He shows the message to the faun and waits hopefully.

With a quirked eyebrow, Theron takes the pad of paper. Perhaps the youth was deaf. A coin? Oh, that thing. He hadn't thought about it in ages. He shrugs, and goes to write a message back, but he realizes that the boy hadn't given him the pencil as well. Had he forgotten? Or was he expecting a verbal response?

"Nice to meet you, Dante. I'm Theron. What kind of quest are you on? And what do you need my coin for?"

Excitedly Dante almost snatches back his pad of paper and scribbles hurriedly. My coin, he'd said! That means he had one!

I belong to the Holy Order of the Light. The Guardians have one final task for me before I can be promoted to the next stage of our Order. Before I can complete it I must gather protective talismans! May I borrow yours? I will return it when my task is complete.

Giddy, he thrusts the pad back at Theron. Perhaps this would be even easier than he'd thought!  

[Menelie]

Protective talismans, huh? Well, it wasn't like he was using his coin, really. It could be working from home, he supposes, but he doesn't carry it around like he probably ought to. He's a little wary of this youth, who he doesn't know, but who knows about the coin. It's a strange thing. Who would have told him? Theron doubts he would have heard from anyone in the Tree. But the Guardians...that sounded familiar. Where had he heard someone talking about the Guardians before? Oh, of course, it had been Leilani! That's right, the Guardians were the deities of the angels, demons, and fae. Not a pantheon he personally ascribed to, but he couldn't blame anyone for having their beliefs.

The kid looked so earnest and hopeful. And he had said he'd return it.

"Sure," concludes Theron, shrugging. What's the worst that could happen? If the kid never came back and he wound up needing another one, he's sure he could explain the situation to someone at the Tree and get a replacement. "If you just give me a minute, I'll fold up my net and we'll go get it." He begins to draw his fishing net back toward him, folding it as he goes. He's patient and methodical, even as he sees Dante practically dying to get going. An improperly-folded net would tangle and become useless, so he takes care to do it right.

Dante can hardly believe his ears! His answer had been a yes! He hops joyfully back and forth from one foot to another and scribbles an emphatic THANK YOU! to the Faun. He can barely contain himself as he waits (impatiently) for the other to finish folding his net.

As he follows the Faun to his home, he can't help but smile smugly to himself. See? Challenges could be met without resorting to violence or deception. He'd been perfectly honest with the Faun, and it had gotten him what he wanted! Guardians be praised! After this he'd only have three talismans left before he'd be prepared for the final trial.

They arrive at the house in due time. Theron's pace had never been overly quickened. It's an odd-looking house, more like two houses with a hallway connecting them. After the twins had started to grow up, Theron had built the hallway between his house and Leilani's old house (before she moved in with him), to make room for growing children. And now that Lily had left, Tamara had that space to herself, a fully-operational home for an adult. She could even raise a child there, if she wanted.

"Come in," says Theron, holding the door open for Dante, then shuts it behind them. "Leilani," he calls, "Just here for a moment, but what smells so good?"

Dante is rather surprised about the state of the Faun's home. He'd rather expected some kind of hovel, given the primitive nature of Fauns. He's also somewhat surprised to hear the Faun call someone's name. His wife, perhaps? Somehow he hadn't thought about the heretics marrying. If they even had such an important ceremony. Perhaps they just bred like animals.

But nothing could prepare Dante for the surprise of what came next. A woman appeared in the doorway to the kitchen. An angel. A vision of radiant beauty. She had lustrous black hair down to her waist, and her skin was the color of caramel. Dante can't believe what he's seeing, and he looks back and forth between Leilani and the Faun a few times, utterly confused.

"Ah, there you are, love. This is Dante. He needs to borrow something of mine for an important quest. Dante, this is my wife, Leilani." He goes to the mantle and begins rummaging through a wooden box.

Dante can't help but blush. He bows formally to her, and writes a message in his best script: A pleasure to meet you, Leilani.

How had this exquisite creature come to be bonded with the heretic? Had she been kidnapped? Forced into some twisted version of holy matrimony? He can almost see the fear lurking behind her smile. He feels immeasurable pity for this caged bird, this beautiful captive. He locks eyes with her, trying to communicate, I will rescue you someday...when I am stronger and more powerful...your captivity will end soon...

Theron walks back over to Dante once he's found the coin, only to find him in an odd staring contest with Leilani. He clears his throat, startling the youth. "Here," he says, giving the coin to him. "I hope it protects you from whatever harm you expect to face," he says. "I'd like it back when your quest is over," he reminds him. "Would you like some soup before you go?"

Dante momentarily forgets his previous mistrust of the Faun, and takes the coin reverently. Thank you again, he writes, smiling wide. This will be immensely helpful in my quest. At the offer of soup, he shakes his head and declines: Thank you for the offer, but I must get back to Telrunya City before my lessons begin. He does a little half-bow to the Faun, and another sweeping full bow to Leilani, before walking out the door.

Once outside, he does a thoroughly undignified little happy dance. One down, three to go, he thinks as he launches into the sky, heading back home.