The sleeping Dragon (MiroxAnybody who can and want to)

Miro sleeps deeply through the night and well past his early rise.  With heavy breaths evenly rising and falling he sleeps like the dead.  His tiny form battered and riddled with bruises, scrapes, and the 8 new marks maring his body.  The worst though are his hands.  Ravaged by the hard labor that evening they weep blood even through the bandages that may have been applyed as his arms rest by his side.

Synovia has been watching over Miro and tended his wounds. She has been sobbing off and on through out the night for the loss of her friend and brother and also praying that the loss of Bobole does not also mean the loss of Miro. As, she keeps her vigil, she thinks over all that has happened since the Festival, and wonders how the people and town of Sandpoint can ever return to the happy place of her childhood. Looking down at her broken brother,  she has never felt so alone and helpless. She whispers "Do not stay lost my brother, need you. I cannot do this alone." and sobbing she lays her head on Miros chest and fall into a troubled sleep.

Synovia will wake later held aloft above the bed a few inches.  Beneath her, her vigil nowhere to be seen.  No matter the time required find him in the manor Miro remaines in Bobole's library.  Slowly but surely he shifts Bobole's mess that was his research, moving one book from a pile on the floor to a pile on a desk and then another from that same pile on the desk to the floor.  The room is filled with an eerie silence and ghostly grey orbs of light flit about the room lending the darkened room a ghostly appearance.

She wakes to find herself floating, and Bobole gone and she tries to get down. When she does,she frantically searches the mansion. After searching for what seems a long time, she finds him in the study. She tries not to disturb him but she does not leave either, so she wait's by the door.

After a while Miro's head snaps up a sneer on his rune covered face.  "You know your persistant hovering only angers me further.  You are like vulture watching his next meal... Begone with you!"  He shouts waving his hand behind him as an invisible wave of force pulls row after row of books from their shelf to the floor in a single wave like motion following the swing of his arm.  Miro turns back to the pile of books just scattered and then walks over to them and begins to kick them softly this way and that scattering them to different area's.  Bobole would have liked this... yes.  Miro thinks to himself and continues to scatter them about.  

Synovia holds her ground by the door "Your anger will not make my go away, whoever you are. Miro is my family and I will not give him to you that easily."

Miro growls with anger and sneers again.  "So now you think me possessed."  Miro kneels down to the piles of books and dislodges one marked in a Thassalonian rune.  He leafs one page after another, not reading not comprehending but finding some solace in the turning of the pages, the sound of its vellum rubbing against each other and the smell of its leather covers, its pages, old glues, and dust.  He thumbs a piece of its pages "No matter how I try I can never seem to educate you properly.  It is thoroughly irritating that your educations are so lacking when even Bobole seemed to comprehend more."  Miro says almost nonchalantly his voice still poison.

Doomwing lands on the top of a shelf and glares at Synovial. "The master wishes for solitude, giant woman! Be gone lest his wrath encompass you!" She puffs out her feathers, increasing her size from cream puff to still a cream puff. 

"No, I don't think you possessed" she shouts back, "I know you are grieving, I know you are angry and I know you are in a battle with yourself. It is literally written all over your face and body. I was there when two Gods competed for your's and Bobole's souls. That battle raises in you now. That struggle between becoming the person who can reach past their demons and use their anger for great works of compassion or becoming an instrument of vengeance, anger, pain and death. You stand on the edge of a great void Miro, staring at the hand of grace, hope and love or the fall into insanity, grief and despair.," She pauses as tears stream down her face. "I can see your struggle, feel your pain, and I am dying inside knowning that I am helpless to help you, The end choice is yours, you can honor Boboble and the family that was taken from you by giving hope to others or you can become just like those savages that ripped your friends and family in two. What is it going to be Miro Kijetsu, honor or disgrace, hope or despair. Man or monster."  Turning toward the bird she says "And you vile little vulture, be gone from here"Synovia points toward the bird that has been squawking in Miro ear and a missle of pure force slams into the bird.

The bird dodges with a chirp, the shelf rocking with the force and flutters to the top of the other doorway, fluffed and indignant but ready to run strategically.

Miro shakes his head vigoriously and growls deeply.  "I will never understand you people.  Why.  Why must every decision in life be on the faces of a coin."  Miro looks about the piles fuirously.  He snatches up a book and thrusts its face in Synovia's direction.  It too is decorated with the Sihedron.  "You see this... this represtent men who did not define their world on two sides of a coin but accepted that they could, with enough power, have it all.  Perhaps this is why people fail so often.... fail to stop their enemies, fail to save their family,... just fail.  Is because we are too concerned with a moral compass.  I say to the hells with those limiters, to abadons hell with everybodies damnedable opinions.  I will take what I will, starting with the head and soul of the man who killed my brother, and even if I must march in the blood of every fool who seeks to slow or stop me this is one goal I will not be swayed from!"  Miro looks over to the bird and holds out his hand.  "Leave or don't, but don't stand in my way."  Miro says with an eerie finality.

Doomwing hops to the end of the doorway and regards Miro's hand carefully before fluttering down and alighting at the edge of his fingertips. She regards him carefully, no stranger to the fickle whims of an angry magic user. Erylium's temper could shake the Catacombs it seemed. One had to tread carefully but not too carefully... She fluffed her feathers and shook them back into place, she crouches low like a bird of prey. "Do not defy one who knows the wrath of the Runelords, fool. For they return, it was foretold by the runewells awakening." 

Miro's eyes snap from Synovia to the thresh and then back to Synovia.  "Your warning has been issued.  I've research to do... I must seek the tortures of my homeland for now and am too busy to entertain you......  Come Darkstar, you can help me find the books based in and on osirian."  Miro begins to look around the books on the floor.  Knowing he would not find that information easily but it might lead him in a better direction.

Synovia, afraid for the very soul of this small wizard whom she has grown to love as a brother, knows that she has done all that she can to reach that lost part of his soul. She also knows that if he cannot be reached, she may well have to make a choice between the life of her Brother or the lives of anyone who tries to get in his way. She knows what that choice would be and that either way she would not survive the outcome. She leaves the Manor, riding at a frenzied pace through town to find the one last person in town that might be able to stop him.  She arrives at the Rusty Dragon, storms through the door frantically calling and searching for Ameiko.

Ameiko sits in the kitchen next to the warm stove making rice balls while the Mayor's hands are tended to by Hannah, the elf cleric that usually tends the girls of the Kitten. Kendra has her hands soaking in some kind of green gunk that smells minty. "...girl pregnant! I kept telling her to use protection and now she's having her fourth!" Hannah finishes throwing her hands up in the air. Ameiko shakes her head but looks up when Synovia storms in. Kendra jumps startled. The Minkaian bard frowns and stands up quickly, dropping a half finished ball back in the bowl of rice. "Synovia, what's wrong?"

Trying to speak through her distress, she say "It's Miro, I can't get through to him, he is acting crazy, he won't listen to me , he just keeps threatening to kill anyone who stands in the way of his revenege. Ameiko he might listen to you."

Ameiko looks back at worry to the Kendra. The woman looks at the floor, emotionless, in sharp contrast to Hannah who looks concerned. "Hannah, could you..." The elven woman stands and gives a single nod her determination clear not to let any harm come to her new charge, the ex-mayor. Ameiko wipers hands on a dish towel and moves past Synovia to the door.  "Let's ride and hope that by the time we get to the mansion, he hasn't turned the place into a barren wasteland." She rushes out of the door towards the Goblin Squash stables, where she houses her horse. -- Doomwing flits from one stack to the other. "He was looking up gods," she quips. "Here's a sketch he drew master..." she lands on a page with distinct goblin drawings on it. "It looks terrible," she mutters to herself.

Miro grabs the picture and lifts it to his face level.  He smiles looking about the picture his eyes rest on Saenra's symbol.  "Dear Bobole... atleast you ended with peace in your heart."  He folds it up and tucks it in his spell pouch.  "Doomwing, it was a good find.  Now continue your search for osirian related materials, but also enlighten me on these.... runelords you speak of?"  Miro's hands wave and a small greyish green orb floats down to miro's hand as he picks up another book.

The small bird rests on a book. "Erylium went funny when her master went funny. He served the Runelords. Then he died, then she was stuck. I think he master served Wrath..."  She flitted over to another book. "Which is funny considering she went  mad from isolation. Anyway, the runewell woke up about 5 years ago and Erylium said it was a sign the lords were returning for her....Then... you killed her."

Miro nods in contemplation.  "So the pool of anger is a .... Runewell?  And your master was a follower of .... Wrath?  But I thought the Runelord was a man of the seven virtues?"  Miro says as he thumbs through a book of lightly written Osirian history.  "Why is it I can never find proper information about Osirian, they are all so light hearted."  Miro sighs and continues his search.

Doomwing land on the shelf and looked sideways at titles. "What are virtues? They sound awful..." There was barely a span of a second before she jumped to a new topic. "Erylium served Lamashtu. It's why she helped Nualia, the girl was in pain. She lost something...a child. So the Mother guided her to my master."

Miro nods.  "Virtues are .... they are possitive lifestyles that lead to a good life.  You said wrath which in most cultures is considered one of 7 deadly sins, its opposite is forgivness.  By living a life full of wrath it is said to cause your soul to blacken where as living your life with forgivness is said to bring you great happiness."  Miro sets down another book quietly.  "I read or was told that the thassolonian empire was founded by a great mage who sought to enhance his magic through the seven heavenly virtues.  So who is this wrath you speak of?"

"I don't...know. It was centuries ago and Erylium forgot so much in her loneliness. She remembered the rooms and what they were for but not why her master was called to this place. She sought refuge in the Mother's worship and the Mother repaid her loyalty with the gift of Nualia." She tilted her head. "But you killed her and the runewell...You freed me..." She fluffed her feathers. "I ... didn't want to be free. I liked being Erylium's eyes and ears. I was...useful."

Syn mounts her horse and her and Ameiko ride back to the Manor. Syn leads her to the library where she left Miro.

The manor looks mostly how it always looked, the Heroes of Sandpoint having little time to do much in the way of exterior decorating. Ameiko starts when she enters a stall only to find large gecko warming himself under a pile of hay. "Scaly," she sighs, relieved. Her relief turns to grief in short order when she recalls the small green whirlwind that used to ride the creature. She used to be so frustrated when he'd ride the thing into her tavern and now she would never know that frustration again. It didn't make her feel better. Choosing another stall, Ameiko ties up her horse. "Synovia," she says softly, turning. "How are you?" She holds the younger woman's shoulders. "These last 2 months have been a hell a day and yet you've been fighting on the front lines of the battle... And now one of you has fallen. How are you?"

"I can't even think about Bobole, if I do I am afraid I'll curl up in a ball and die. I am drowning. I feel that everywhere I turn there is nothing but death, destruction and evil. I am failing everyone and everything I try and I don't know what to do. I feel so alone and lost." Syn takes a deep breath and tries to pull herself together then continues, " But, This is about Miro. If we can not reach him, I'm afraid I may have to stop him by taking his life, and I would not survive that."

"It will not come to that," Ameiko says, her voice hoarse. Her dark brown eyes, like deep pools of coffee shimmer with the threat of tears but she steels herself against the emotion behind them and squeezes Synovia's arms. "I cannot claim to know what the gods have in mind for Sandpoint, its peoople, or," she looks pointedly at Synovia, "its heroes. However, it must be something truly momentous for they test you so fiercely. I will do what I can to make sure the rest of you are better prepared." Taking a deep breath, she turns and walks determinedly towards the house. She pauses at the scene of a large lynx staring hungrily at a chicken coop that was certainly not a part of her father's grounds in the past but presses onward, making a special note to ask about it later.  Inside, she inhales reflexively taking in the scent of the place. With her family, it always smelled of incense and that smell was ingrained in the wood but with so many gwaijin - the Minkai word for non-Minkai people - it smelled...different. It made the house seem eerie, like a dream out of place. She rounded the corner and took the few paces to the door, still ajar from before and cautiously pushed it open with one hand. "Miro Kaijitsu," she began in a strong voice. She spoke like one warrior to another on a plains of battle. "We must speak." Doomwing flitted to the stop of a shelf from her perch between the pages of a large tome and narrowed her tiny black eyes at Ameiko. "Master, it is the tavern keeper, Ameiko. She is has a rapier and comes with the mountain woman," she warned, thinking her scouting useful and informative.

Miro sits quietly atop a pile of books now his countinance hard as the dancing lantern light plays shadows across his hardened face.  His form is still so deceptivly tiny it looks like a child pouting on a stack of books.  His sits now in his new attire, a tiny thin frame scared from neck to his belted midsection in deep fire wounds and heavy slash scars from tip to clothing and easily assumed to carry on beneith the folds of his Osirian style clothing.  His hair in its typical fashion of 9 tightly wounded cornrows that combine at the peak of his crown to three thick braids that fall off the back of his shaved head and lay coiled in the floor like three ominous tails ending in three dark steel babules that look more like scarabs.  His face a steep angle coming to a thin point at his chin is set with a dark grimace, 9 ominious runes mare his deep red skin.  His torso is only sparcely covered by a thin black vest left open at its center and chained together by loose black chains.  Its surface colored in gold embroidery with arcane symboles depicting conjuration theory.  His midsection is held but by a cream colored silk sash clasped with another dark metal scarab.  And that sash holds up black loose silk pants.  In his right hand balances a ghostly greenish grey orb of light casting a deep shadow across his face and in his left is a book held alof and open at face level.  He looks up to Amiko quietly and she can see the deep red eyes that reflect Miro's mood.  "And now to be birated by the big sword.  How typical of Synovia, Whenever there is a problem she can not handle with brawn she calls you in."  Miro says with distaste in his voice.   Miro wills the book closed and turns his attention to Ameiko.  "Please, chastize me quickly that I may get back to my research.  And then be gone before you are cursed too."  Miro finishes that last phrase rather quietly.  (Stealth of 11)

Ameiko sets her jaw. "Get out," she says calmly. "This home was a gift to my children and their comrades. Before me I see an Osirion lord, who has no interest in being a Kaijitsu son. My son would not know this lord. My son would defy this lord's presence and so I will not see such a stranger reading my children's books in their home while the shadow of grief needs their tending." She begins putting books on the shelves. "Synovia, gather up the loose papers and put them on the desk. We'll have Vrinn sort them." "M-Master, our research!" Doomwing squeaks.

:"An Osirian Lord.... no,  A reaper too blind to see his own true fate... I will leave this home, before it to is brought low by my oversight."   Miro rises from the books and begins to move away from the Library.  "I will gather my belongings and be gone from here."   He moves off first to his room to gather his spelltomes and personal research.

Broken hearted at the fall of Miro, and the loss of yet another friend and family member, she begins to put away books. 

The room is silent for a time before Ameiko says. "If I didn't know any better...I'd say you two were actually brother and sister. Your pasts...are full of..." she hesitates regarding a book. "Pain and loss," she says finally. "Were this not the case, the present horror would not cut you both so deep to the quick." She rests her hands on the shelf. "He needs time and someone to talk too... Someone he can confide his pain in..." --- Doomwing follows after Miro, flitting  in the currrentless air. "Master! Perhaps I am mistaking your devious intentions but why are we retreating from the Mountain Woman and the Tavern Wench? Are they not your enemies who must fall beneath your mighty magical mission?"

Miro shakes his head at the Thresh.  "No Doomwing, they like the goblin are my family.  When Erylium lost her first master she was lost was she not?  I am not so different except I humble myself to no master, though I reach out to certian gods to acheive my ends.  But unlike Erylium I am smart enough to see that by my own hands my family die time and time again.  If that means I must be alone and destroy anyone or anything that stands in my way of protecting them, then I will own the shadows that follow in my wake, and wrap my soul in them that I might grant them their safety through my actions."  Miro continues to walk head long down the hall.  "So here is your option Starcall, Follow me... I will show you many things.  I will teach you many more.  But if you follow me know the only way you be free of me is with my approval or my death, be it at yours or anothers hand."  Miro levels that hellish glare at the bird as he invites it to his shoulder.  

She lands eagerly and hops up and down. "I too should like to be my own master and use the gods to be my bidding. I shall..." she hesitates, beak agape with her eager panting. "I have....no family so I shall help you destroy your enemies until I get enemies of my own!" She warbles a triumphant song. "Also...did you kill the goblin? I'm a bit fuzzy on the details but he was gone when we defeated the massive army of zombies."

Synovia says nothing as she works to put away the books and clutter in the room. As she comes across more and more reminders of Bobole, she begins to feel her chest tighten and the air leave her lungs. She drops the book she was lifting to the shelf and a sob escapes her. "I can't do this !" and rushes from the room to the fresh air a peace of the gardens.

Miro stops mid stride.  "In a way yes.  it is my fault that Bobole is dead.  Though it was not my hand the felled him it was my inability that sealed his fate."  Miro continues to walk down the darkened hallway with only the single greyish green orb to illuminate his way.  He snuffs the light and walks in the darkness towards his room as his eyes betray him and a steady stream begin to travel down his hardened face.  He makes no sounds or movements to betray his stoicism as he walk.  In a single almost inperceptable croak, "We will discuss your educations later... for now I must gather my things and be away of this place."  

After about 20 min, she returns to the house more composed and heads to Miro's room. In a firm quiet voice she says " I won't bother you but I would like you to think about this,  there is a downside to freedom and that is Free will.  Bobole made the choice to run off and that decision was his to make.He did not know that it would be his last. I am not responsible for his death and neither are you. There is one person  responsible for his death, the one who murdered him. Do not take a path that makes you as evil as the monsters we seek." She turns and heads to the study. "Sorry,  I have not asked about how you are.  Bobole was a friend to you also, even though a frustrating one.