Expedition to Myth Drannor
Corym walked with Kora down the switchbacks that drew neat lines in the cliff faces of Glen. He sighed pensively. Somehow the rock cliffs and elevations of this odd town felt more like home to him than the verdant forests of Bristar and Myth Drannor. Humans believed that all elves lived in forests, but his upbringing in the misty hills of Evereska. The fact that these cliffs were waterfront property made them all the dearer in his eyes. The exploration of Myth Drannor was a life’s work—he could build a life for himself here. Neldor had.
He felt invigorated ever since he had found himself in the ruin. He was suffused with purpose. Not someone else’s mission. Not the Knaves, or Elorfindar’s father. This was his. This was remarkably close to his father’s missions. There was something more romantic about it than the work he did for the Knaves.
He’d sensed a change in his companions too. Kora had always irrepressible, but ever since he’d begun her arcane apprenticeship she’d seemed—happier? More excited?
He regarded his apprentice as he walked.
She’d always possessed raw talents of physicality and intelligence. In truth she was a rare find. Her martial training had revealed the potential he had merely intuited before. She’d always walked with confidence, but now it was confidence that had been earned. Under a human’s apprenticeship what had been gained would have been lost in the transition to arcane training. He’d been training her hard to make sure that there was no backsliding.
She’d only ever really tolerated him before. Was their relationship changing?
In a sense he’d always regarded her like a block of stone. An asset with exceptional potential, and a desire to see it developed.
Whether her regard for him had changed or not, he was a little surprised to discover this his regard for her had evolved.
He could see Neldor’s establishment in the distance, accurately described to him by Dorian. He’d nearly passed the entire time in silence.
“Kora, let me give you some context for this meeting. This Sage is likely to have information, equipment, and spells that will aid our cause. We have some currency, but likely not enough to acquire what we would. I have in my possession three rare spells that are worth many times the currency we possess. In particular, I possess one which should be of exceptional interest to a sage, and in fact I have not yet cast it, though I have intended to many times. But Neldor is also an elf living in proximity to Myth Drannor but isolated from his people save for his daughter. I may yet hope that our cause will be in common cause with him, and that it might adjust his bargaining in our favor. Unfortunately I have little presence when it comes to affecting the hearts of men and women. I’ve only ever been able to acquire favor by the soundness of my words or the positive outcome of my actions.”
Coming to Neldor’s door, Corym smoothed his coat and tapped on the door lightly, as was polite in elf-lands. Elves did not require the blunt banging of humans on their doors to hear the presence of guests arrived.