The Search Begins (Open)

[Kalhan]

He used to love the sea.

Even as a child, Kalhan had often sat just outside of Verahn's walls, watching the waves lap against the shore for hours on end. Something about the sound it made, the light that danced upon the water... it was relaxing, beautiful even. Leaning against the railing of The Kraken, Kalhan could see no difference between the waters here and the water that caressed his own kingdom back home. Yet, when he looked at the liquid expanse now, all he saw was death.

Nalah had warned him of the dangers of crossing the ocean, especially considering their shared undead existance. As long as the two remained on the boat, everything should work out well. Still, the added danger did nothing to improve the former Paladin's mood, despite not having the sun beating down on him, robbing him of the strength he always felt surging through him throughout the night.

"You're quiet."

The feminine voice came from behind him, and a glance over his shoulder confirmed what he already knew.

"It's hard to get used to, Nalah. Some dangers are no longer an issue, while some pleasures have become lethal."

The female vampire closed her eyes, smiling bitterly. Even after all this time, she still remembered her own difficulties growing accustomed to undeath, as well as how long it had taken to overcome them. This time, however, she knew what to expect, and how exactly to deal with it. Nalah leaned her back against the railing, standing next to the distraught former paladin.

"I know, my love. But there are still some pleasures that aren't so deadly, as long as you treat them right."

The playful comment brought a smile to Kalhan's face, causing him to chuckle despite himself. She was right, of course.He just wished that he understood why his own vampiric powers seemed to have taken such a radically different form from Nalah's. Neither had been able to understand his apparent... mutation, which had prompted them to journey to the southern continent in the search for any clues they could come up with, as well as any clues for what had corrupted the Loh'len and devastated Kalhan's homeland in the first place.

"We'll be docking in five minutes."

His thoughts were interrupted by the deckhand's announcement, which had been met with a nod from Nalah. The female vampire had hired the boat and the crew with funds Kalhan had never seen from her before, bringing more questions to his mind about exactly who she was before he had met her.

I suppose I have an eternity to figure that out.

Ten minutes later, the two stood on the dock in front of the ship, Kalhan's hand resting calmly on the handle of his Loh'len sword as he regarded the city in front of him. The people wore different clothing than he was used to, and the vampire was sure the differences didn't just lay in appearances between this kingdom and his own. At least Nalah would be there to help guide him in adapting into this culture.

"Alright, let's go."

With a nod from his female comrade, the two vampires began to head from the dock into the the town, marking the start of their journey into a strange new land.

[Absinthe]

Every now and again, Absinthe would be forced out of Gleneva to travel around a bit. It was something the villagers had started doing about 50 years ago, believing that the "Goddess" needed some time away sometimes. Unable to deny them their wishes, Absinthe would reluctantly leave Gleneva for a few weeks or months, to do just about anything.

She hadn't been to Corawin in some time now, and seeing as it was one of the closer cities, had made her way there. This was her third day, and she was relieved that she wasn't attracting too much attention now. The first day had been a bit rough, she'd gathered a bit more attention than she'd expected.

"Lady Absinthe..?"

Absinthe had been almost too busy looking through accessories at a stall when a woman approached her. The tap on her shoulder that followed, however, was hard to ignore and Absinthe would turn to face the lady. She was young, perhaps twenty at best and she was holding a small baby in her arms. Absinthe's lips pulled into a soft but brief smile. Something was wrong.

"Hello. What can I help you with?" Absinthe whispered, noticing that people were beginning to take notice of her and slowly walk forth to form a circle around her and, what she assumed was a mother.

"My name is Eleanar...please my lady...my baby...."

Absinthe slowly cut in, and her eyes lowered in concern. "Your baby is very sick. If he is not treated soon, he may die."
The woman seemed to be aware of this fact, but it being confirmed had created tears in her eyes. Absinthe, however, smiled to her reassuringly.
"The disease is still in its early stages. There is time, Miss. If you would allow me to hold the child? I am confident that I can cure him."

Absinthe would extend her arms out, waiting patiently as the woman reluctantly handed over her sick child. Absinthe understood her reluctance. Entrusting your sick child to even one such as Absinthe was a hard thing to do. However, the lady had gotten this far in her hopes to help her baby and with that in mind, she handed her son over.

Absinthe could sense it. She could sense the sickness, she could sense how strong it was.

Absinthe.., the spirit prodded, but she already knew what to do. She brought herself down to her knees, placing the baby on her lap and holding him up with her right arm. Her left arm would be held up in the air and Absinthe's eyes would close partially.

"Ah! My lady.." the woman interrupted, and ruining Absinthe's concentration. Absinthe would give a few blinks and lower her hand, giving the woman a quizzical look.
"F-forgive me. This won't...this won't hurt him, will it?"

Absinthe would shake her head slowly in response, bringing her hand up once more. "There is no need to worry. The healing is like a gentle embrace. The sensation will be welcomed."

Relieved, the mother would lean in close to watch as Absinthe would bring her had down softly, and press her palm on the baby boy's chest. The light eminating from her hand was indication enough that she was in the process of healing, and people began to whisper amongst themselves as they watched.

Are you alright, Absinthe?

'I'm...fine. The disease is just a bit....difficult.'

You're doing wonderfully, Absinthe.

She did not respond to the spirit, needing to concentrate on such a serious sickness. She was surprised the baby had lasted this long, in fact and all there was was silence for a while. And then, a bit of cooing. Finally, the mother crying in relief. It hadn't taken as long as Absinthe had expected, however, she figured this was because it was a baby and not a full-grown adult. Regardless, she had done her duty.

Absinthe's eyes would open warily, and she'd offer the child back to the mother, who, took her son back eagerly. The endless thank yous made the small girl blush, and she could only whisper back a "no problem..." in return. She finally noticed the crowd she had drawn and smiled sheepishly. Ah, how embarassing this was...
Luckily, it was beginning to disperse now, and Absinthe had given the people something to chat about for a bit.

"One good deed a day." she whispered to herself. H'yeah. More like 30 on an off day.

(-dies-)

[Siegfried Marchen]

Siegfried had been on the road for over a month, when some rumors had reached him about a woman who had the miraculous ability to heal any wounds or sicknesses.

"You men wouldn't happen to know where such a woman is do you?" he asked them urgently.

"well we heard she lives in Corawin but as to whether it's true or not we don't really know." the old grizzled merchant tried to explain. But Sieg just threw some money on the table and hurried out of the inn and in the direction of Corawin.


Three weeks later and he was tired and hungry but he still moved with a determined pace; if the rumors were true then his quest would have ended and he could finally be reunited with his beloved. But if for some reason the healer was a charlatan then he would see that she was punished for her deception.

When he entered Corawin he heard people talking about another miracle that had happened; their "Goddess" had saved the life of a young child who had been afflicted with a deadly disease.

"Where is this woman of miracles?" he managed to yell before hunger and exhaustion took over causing him to collapse in the middle of the road.

[Kalhan]

The streets were fairly crowded, even during the night, though it wasn't anything out of the ordinary. Corawin was a port time, after all, and with ships arriving and departing at all hours of the night, the city never seemed to sleep. In that respect, it was similiar to Verahn, which set the former paladin more at ease as he navigated through the hustle and bustle.

Being the gentleman, Kalhan had insisted on going first, leading Nalah through the crowd in order to clear a path for her, but once he glanced back, the thought occured to him that perhaps it would have been better the other way around. Nalah walked as if she were royalty, parting the sea of people in a manner of almost biblical proportions. Kalhan raised an eyebrow quizzically, despite the fact he had witnessed this behaviour from her before.

"I told you before. No matter how civilized man acts, an animal still removes itself from the path of a predator."

Her self-satisfied smirk was met with the slightest of frowns from the former paladin. As a man who had dedicated himself to protecting his country, he could hardly think of people as mere animals. Yet, he couldn't argue with the results in front of him.

"Where is this woman of miracles?"

The shout cut off any thoughts of replying to Nalah, as the one who had raised his voice suddenly collapsed to the ground. Had the man not been behind Nalah, Kalhan would perhaps have never noticed it, but as it was, the former paladin rushed passed his female compatriot, maneuvering through the gathering crowd to reach the man on the ground. The vampire kneeled over him, hunting for signs of injury, and upon finding none, frowned in frustration.

"I don't see anything, it must be internal... or exposure... Give him room!"

As Kalhan concentrated on finding signs of sickness or internal injury, Nalah stood amongst the crowd. Normally, she would have told Kalhan to forget about the man and move on, but if there truly was a miracle woman here, then perhaps she would be able to discover the reason behind Kalhan's mutation.

Besides, she couldn't ask Kalhan to change too much, or he wouldn't be the man she had fallen for in the first place.

[Siegfried Marchen]

Siegfried opened his eyes a bit and saw a man kneeling besides him, the cross that he wore meant that he was either a priest or a paladin, Sieg didn't know or really care at the moment.

"Please...help me find her...the woman.." he tried to speak but exhaustion had drained every little bit of strength that he had and even formulating those words was difficult for him.

Sieg didn't know what was going to happen now, maybe he would die because of the strain or be rescued by a healer of some sort, but he needed to see the woman desperately and if he could live long enough to find the answer to his search, he would gladly accept death afterwards. At the moment, he had to fight the feeling he was getting and he tried to mentally keep the darkness that was clouding his vision at bay by humming one of the symphonies that he wrote.

it seemed to work, as long as he was humming the soothing notes, the darkness seemed to be driven away, but when he stopped it returned faster than at first, forcing him to continue humming unless he wanted to fall into the abyss of unconsciousness. As he lay there humming an idea crossed his mind, if he could tell this person who he was and why he needed to see the woman maybe they would take him to her instantly.

"My...Siegfried...need help...Kerowynn "he tried to make a sentence but those four words were the only thing that he could get out before falling into the peaceful grasp of unconsciousness.

[Absinthe]

Absinthe had remained on her knees as she rested a bit, the darkness of the night making her naturally tired. Of course using that much energy didn't leave her all to energetic either. Her rest would be short lived as her thoughts were pierced by a loud call. A man was calling for some miracle woman, however Absinthe had heard of no such woman here. Speculation led her to believe that perhaps she was the woman he spoke of, but she did not want to assume and therefore decided to inquire first. She'd slowly pick herself up off the ground and move towards the call, her eyes straining a bit in the darkness. Luckily, the light from the lanterns in the town provided enough lighting for Absinthe to make out people. Perhaps not entirely clearly (depending on how close to lighting they stood) but enough to tell them apart from dark blobs.

She found what she was looking for, although she was a tad surprised at the shape this man was in. She pushed pathetically through the crowd, but managed to make her way before the collapsed man and the one tending to him. She managed to catch his words, and she didn't need to be told twice that this man needed help. She quickly threw herself at Siegfried's side, opposite of Kalhan, and pressed her hand on his forehead.

"Oh dear..." she whispered, looking towards Kalhan quickly, her eyes searching for answers. Regardless of an answer, Absinthe closed her eyes, trailing her hand down his face, to his neck, then his chest and finally stopping at his stomach. She sighed in slight relief. It wasn't too serious, nothing some rest and some food could not cure. However, as to not leave the man so helpless here, Absinthe would press her palm back up on his chest.

"Siegfried, I believe? Please. Relax for me and this will be done more quickly."

She'd give him a moment to do...whatever he could manage to do before closing her eyes. Her palm would begin to glow, holy energy flowing from her hand and into Siegfried's body. The feeling would be warm, reassuring and most of all, relaxing. However, being a case that was hardly serious, the healing would be short lived. Absinthe would pull her hand from Siegfried's chest and frown worriedly.

'You're exhausted' the rune would begin.

'I know, but, this was simple. I'm fine.'

'This isn't like you. Normally you can control the amount of energy you use.'

'Maybe I overdid it earlier...I don't know why I'm so tired. Perhaps it is the night.'

'Well, be careful.'

She'd look towards Kalhan wearily and smile.
"I'm sorry. If you were already taking care of him, I didn't mean to interfere. I just got so worried..."

She'd turn towards Siegfried then,
"You really must have something to eat. And some rest. However, I couldn't help but overhear your call. Who is this woman that you seek?"

Absinthe's breathing was heavy, like that of someone who'd been running for her life. It was no biggy though, she just needed a bit of time to recooperate, and that never took more than an hour.
"Perhaps I may be of help."

[Kalhan]

The vampire's eyes narrowed as he listened intently to Siegried's last words before he passed out, trying to make sense of what he had said. Kerowynn sounded like a name, though Kalhan wasn't sure if he was asking for help for himself or for this Kerowynn person. In either case, the man would need to be dealt with first. The humming had been disturbing, and once the man fell unconscious, Kalhan felt his neck to see if he had been trying to dislodge something, however the path felt clear.

Definitely doesn't seem to be a sickness. Must be exposure.

Being a former Paladin in Verahn's army, Kalhan had seen soldiers come back from battles exhausted, from the most fiercest of conditions. As the vampire contemplated what next to do, considering he couldn't exactly order people from this continent around as he could back home, a young girl managed to push her way through the crowd, kneeling on the other side of the downed man.

A healer?

She looked at him expectantly, causing Kalhan to realize she was hunting for anything he had learned about the man's condition. Trying his best to hide his fangs as he spoke, the former Paladin answered as best he could.

"There's no wounds, no poison from what I can tell. No disease. I think it's exposure."

As the girl began her own examination, Kalhan leaned back, watching carefully. The healers in Verahn were limited to just using herbs and bandages in their craft, and he wasn't sure exactly how those in this continent did things. The vampire wasn't sure if she would need him to grab any plants nearby, or for anything else, and as such, he remained where he was, waiting to see what would happen.

That was when her palm began to glow.

The former Paladin's eyes widened considerably, and he found himself struggling to understand exactly what she was doing. When she pulled away, the girl seemed tired. Using the power must have drained her in some way. However, when Kalhan looked down at Siegfried, he could see a difference, the man was certainly better off from before. The girl spoke to him once more, and Kalhan looked back at her with his crimson eyes, giving a small sheepish grin.

"Well, I'm hardly a healer, myself. I'm glad you came along when you did."

As much as he wanted to ask more, Kalhan would wait for the moment. It was obvious she was drained, yet she was already offering more help to the man on the ground, something that Kalhan could certainly respect, and admire.

[Siegfried Marchen]

The first thing he could feel in the blackness was a warm comfortable feeling that chased away the fatigue in his body and gave him back some energy.

"What is this feeling?" he wondered trying to get a grasp on it only to have it disappear completely.

He opened his eyes and saw the sky above his head, the stars twinkling like small diamonds against an ebony background. He tried to stand up and was surprised to find himself re-energized.

"What kind of power does this?" he looked besides him and saw a young girl slumped over from what appeared to be exhaustion.

Forgetting everything else he picked her up in his arms and, after asking a villager for the directions to the nearest inn headed there at full speed ignoring the paladin and the rest of the villagers who were looking at him as if he was some sort of strange monster. He couldn't blame them though; one minute he was unconscious the next he was moving as if nothing strange had ever happened to him at all.

The inn itself was a nice and homey looking place, which meant that the food and lodging would be above average and so would the price but at the current moment the only thing he cared about was the well being of this girl. After making sure that she would be fine would he go out and try to get some more information about the miracle woman.

"How much for a room?" he asked, bursting through the door and into the common room and startling everyone who was there.

"Ummm... it's three silver pieces a night" the innkeeper told him in a slightly shaken voice

"Then this should be enough" Sieg replied and threw a pouch of money onto the table in front of the old man.

The innkeeper signaled his wife who proceeded to direct Sieg to a room where he lay the girl on the bed and covered her up with a blanket. Making sure that everything was fine he left the room and went downstairs to gather some information.

[Absinthe]

(Didn't leave me or Kalhan much time to react there ;3. Just gonna cut in your post, sorry.)

It seemed everything she had spoken had been ignored, which was a bit rude but Absinthe didn't mind. What concerned her was that in one quick swoop, she'd been taken into the strangers arms and he'd run off with her. Her heart began to pound, wondering if she was being kidnapped or something. Through the shock, all she could do was give one final, desperate look towards Kalhan before she was taken away. The last thing she heard before entering the inn was a woman shouting,
"What on earth is that man doing?!"

She began to look around the inn, recognizing it as the one she'd been in two nights ago. She'd silently look around the place, her hands clasped together and pressed on her chin worriedly. Why was this man taking a room here? Why had he taken her with him? Was he planning to do something to her? Was this the thanks she got for helping him?

Finally snapping to her sensed, Absinthe finally shook her head.
"N-no! Please let me go!" he soft voice pleaded, the inn keeper giving Siegfried a suspicious look.
"Please do not do something you will regret, sir! I do not think you really wish to do this. Please, let me go, now..."

The inn keeper would toss the money back to Siegfried, walking around his counter and grabbing Siegfried's shoulder firmly.
"The Goddess asks you to let her down, boy. She does not look like she was brought here willingly..."

There were whisperes going on by the workers of the inn and the wife looked a Siegfried as though he disgusted her.
"Darling! Hurry up and do something! Get him out!"

The scene did look bad. And add a wellknown Goddess begging to be released and you're sure to have some unhappy civilians. Absinthe did not want trouble, she only wished to be released. To be honest, she was becoming a bit frightened. The spirit urged her to defend herself, not liking his host to be in such a position but Absinthe refused.

[Kalhan]

As amazed as he was with the display of power the girl had shown, Kalhan was caught off guard by the speed in which the formerly unconscious Siegfried managed to get to his feet, sweep up his healer, and take off. It was this shock alone that kept the abnormally fast vampire from halting the man immediately, and as he looked on dumbfounded, Kalhan only realized that something needed to be done when the girl looked back at him, signifying that this was not, indeed, normal custom for this land. The former Paladin rose to his feet, spinning on the spot to face at his fellow vampire as he addressed her.

"I can handle it, you just watch the door."

With that, the two vampires sprinted through the crowd, moving with inhuman speed and reducing Siegfried's lead from a few minutes to only a matter of seconds ahead of them. The former Paladin would burst through the door as the innkeeper's wife voiced her disgust, leaving Nalah to watch the exit from the outside in order to make sure nothing slipped past him, as well as no one going in after him. As the door slammed shut behind him, Kalhan noticed the general atmosphere of the room; what Siegfried had done was liable to get him lynched.

If he was kidnapping a well-known healer, why would he bring her to an inn? This doesn't make sense.

There was more to this than met the eye, that much was obvious. Still, Kalhan could not simply stand aside and watch as one human being took advantage of another.

"Drop the girl, and I promise, no harm will come to you. You have my word, as a Paladin of Verahn."

The vampire kept his voice stern, authoritive, leaving no room for negotiation. There was no doubt that something was amiss, but just in case Kalhan's instincts were wrong, he placed his hand on the hilt of his blade, ready to bring it to bear should the girl be threatened.

[Siegfried Marchen]

When Siegfried arrived in the room he noticed the instant change in the air, and the voice of the innkeeper asking him what his plans about the "Goddess" were.

"Plans? what are you talking about good sir??" he asked incredulously

"Well a strange man runs into our inn carrying the goddess in his arms and then asks for a room? what do you think we should make of that?

Siegfried didn't understand what he was getting at and was about to ask him when the door of the inn opened again and the man that he saw with the cross entered the room.

"Drop the girl, and I promise, no harm will come to you. You have my word, as a Paladin of Verahn." the man told him in a calm voice but his hand inched slightly towards his sword.

"Drop her? are you daft?? she's exhausted from healing me and i thought that the least i could do is bring her to an inn and arrange a bed for her." he replied in a slightly bewildered voice, wondering why did people react like this to his gesture. Did they never do a good deed in their life or are they too suspicious of everyone? besides what did they expect him to do?

As he stood there pondering it slowly dawned on him why the people were so angry; and the fact that they thought that he would do such a thing caused him to burst into laughter

"You didn't think that I would take advantage of such a young girl did you??" he asked between bursts of laughter and by the look on the crowds faces he guessed that he hit the target dead on.

"I'm sorry that my actions would have caused you to believe that but i was only interested in making sure that she could rest comfortably since she was the one that healed me and revived me. What kind of person takes advantage of someone after they risk their lives to save them?"

The people looked at each other uncomfortably, not knowing whether they could trust the man or not but seeing as a paladin was in the same room they guessed that if anything got out of hand Kalhan would put a stop to it instantly.

So it was with that thought in mind that the innkeeper opened the door to one of his rooms and motioned for Siegfried to enter,and then stood in the doorway with his arms crossed, watching every single movement Siegfried made like a hawk.

"Man can you not stare at my back like that? i feel like a side of beef being eyed by a particularly plump housewife out shopping for her family."

The innkeeper still stood there until he appeared to be done covering the girl then, Siegfried stood up and went to the common room and sat down at a table, pulled out a small book out of his pocket and using some charcoal from the fireplace he began scribbling notes down. After a short moment he looked around the room and noticing the paladin he motioned to him to sit down.

"it seems that i made a grave error and would have gotten killed for it, so i see it as only fair for me to buy you a meal stranger if you would accept it. " he told the man and pulled out some more money and put it in front of them.

"And also i believe it is unfair for me not to give my name to the man who was taking care of me until the healers arrived."

"My name is Siegfried Marchen and i am a travelling bard of sorts." he said extending his hand out to the paladin.

[Absinthe]

After Siegfried explained himself, Absinthe allowed herself to calm. He could have been lying, but, she had faith in his words. As much as she appreciated his concern and his actions, Absinthe was used to this kind of thing happening to her. The snowy-haired man was over-reacting a bit. Besides, perhaps asking Absinthe herself if she required help would have been the way to go. Instead of swooping her off her feet, giving her a scare and pretty much causing problems for himself.

As it were, Siegfried either blatantly ignored her or wasn't paying attention to Absinthe's gentle voice, but he wasn't letting her go as requested. Were she more like Corona, this would had gained him a punch in the face and some intense yelling (probably). But she was not like her twin. So, instead, Absinthe would attempt to raise her tone, pressing her hands on his chest and pushing as he began to walk towards the room.

"I-I assure you sir I am fine!" she began, her voice shaking a bit, unused to being used at such a height. "Please, I would still like to be let down now...!"

If that still didn't work, and she was not put down as requested, Absinthe would reluctantly use force. Seeing as she lacked the strength to do something herself, her rune prodded her to use her powers. From her stomach area, an orb would begin to engulf Absinthe. Siegfried would end up holding up the shield like a giant ball, up until the shield grew much too big and heavy for him to carry. Using it to keep all but herself out of the shield, Siegfried would find himself being pushed away as the shield grew, putting a little distance between Absinthe and him, and Absinthe finally finding herself freed. Of course, she'd end up falling on her behind but freedom was freedom.

The shield would quickly shrink back down and disappear, Absinthe picking herself up a bit weakly and sighing. Ah, just dandy. She used more energy.
"I apologize." she said quickly to Siegfried. "I didn't mean to use that against you, forgive me." Her eyes began to water, as if she'd hurt him unwillingly (even though the shield was harmless to him).

She'd look around the inn, bowing an apology to everyone else as well.
"I'm sorry if I pushed any of you as well! Or startled you. It was not my intention..."

Then she turned to Kalhan,
"I thank you for trying to help me. It is much appreciated."

Then her head would turn and she'd look at as many people in the room as she can.
"If there is any way I could repay any of you, please do not hesitate to ask..."

Typical Absinthe. She goes off and saves lives every day and she acts as though she owes the world. Still, that did tie in with her 'I wanna help everyyyyooooooone!' personality.
"Oh! I-I'm Absinthe Mao. By the way. I do not know if you've heard of me, it seems like I've made a name for myself throughout the years."

She decided not to mention the Goddess title or the fact she was old enough to be a rotting corpse. She'd hoped the the Goddess thing had been missed earlier anyway.

[Kalhan]

Siegfried's response confirmed the vampire's earlier suspicions, proving that this was indeed no simple kidnapping. With the danger passed, Kalhan let his grip on the handle to his blade slip, allowing himself a sigh to let out the tension of the moment. The former Paladin pushed the door to the inn open slightly, waving at Nalah, who was waiting impatiently with her arms crossed.

"You're welcome to come in, it was a misunderstanding."

"I'd rather not. I'm getting hungry, and being in with a crowd won't help matters. I'm going for a walk."

Kalhan shrugged, closing the door behind him as he walked further into the inn. The young girl in the man's arms spoke up, and after being set down, proceeded to apologize to those gathered. When she spoke to him, Kalhan would smile and wave it off.

"Think nothing of it. I'd hardly be a Paladin if I didn't help a damsel in distress. We follow the light, and all that."

Laughing slightly, the vampire looked up, noticing the man motioning for him to sit down. Hardly one to turn down such an offer, Kalhan made his way over, detaching his sword from its holster on his back and leaning it against the chair he sat in. The man offered his gratitude, as well as a meal, something that the vampire couldn't quite accept.

"I'm... afraid I'm not hungry, at the moment. But I appreciate your offer."

Truth was, regular food made the newly-turned vampire sick, despite however hungry he became. It was one of the changes he was still in the process of getting used to. Nalah had warned him against eating regular food, and after an unfortunate incident on the boat that was explained as sea sickness, Kalhan took her warnings much more seriously.

Once Siegfried introduced himself, Kalhan took his hand, shaking it firmly.

"Kalhan Perrennius. It's good to meet you, Siegfried. I'm curious, though. What would possess a travelling bard to push himself to the point of exhaustion?"

[Siegfried Marchen]

Siegfried wasn't surprised at the question, truth be told he would also ask the same thing if he met a person that had pushed their body as hard as he had, but he also wondered whether it was a good idea for him to tell Kalhan about why he was traveling. After a short time spent pondering he decided to tell him them the whole tale, but first:

"Would you care to sit down and share a meal with us Lady Absinthe?" he asked motioning towards another empty chair besides him.

'My tale is not a very long one or very fanciful, the reason i am traveling like this is because i am in search for a cure to a very devastating curse: A while back, my fiancee, Kerowynn Alastear, was bitten by a vampire that was living in my village and was turned into his spawn. Every night she went out with her master and killed villagers and drained them of their blood, causing chaos and fear among my people. I was gone during that time on a business meeting in Verahn and only realized what had happened when I returned home." he explained solemnly.

"Of course i decided to take action against the vampire but that monster used my fiancee as a distraction to escape, leaving me to die at her hands. Unfortunately that fight meant that i would have to kill her, something that i refused to do. Instead i sealed her in a casket by driving a silver stake through her body and pinning her inside then erecting a barrier of holy energy using the help of the priests from my, and neighboring, villages. After making sure she could not break the seal, i left her in the care of the church and went searching for a cure to the vampire gene so that i could turn her back into a human, and in my search i ended up in Corawin and in this nearly unpleaseant situation."

By the time Siegfried finished his tale the food had arrived and he attacked his plate with a single minded ferociousness.

[Absinthe]

She was glad that she hadn't needed to use force, Siegfried putting her down as asked. She gave a bit of a wobble as her feet touched the ground, but a quick flailing of her arms helped her find her balance again.

She'd taken notice of the lady Kalhan had been with, when he'd gone to fetch her at the door. She was very pretty, Absinthe noted. How lucky to be so well endowed too, while Absinthe was so...opposite. Oh well, when you got it, you got it. Anyway, the other thing that had caught her attention, finally, was as he laughed she'd caught a glimpse at his...fangs? She gave several blinks, not too sure what to make of it.

She stopped thinking of it for the moment when Siegfried invited her over as well. She bowed graciously, and accepted (but did not ask for any food), practically skipping over to join the two men. She too, she had to admit, was curious as to how Siegfried had come to that condition. They pretty much got his life story, and Absinthe wanted to cry half-way through. What a sad tale, having to go against someone you loved. She was glad they had managed to stop his Kerowynn without killing her.

So it was a cure he was after. She wondered who he believed could cure such a thing in Corawin? Before she could ask, Siegfried's food had arrived, and he downed it like a wolf. Her eyes bulged a bit in surprise. She knew he needed food, but she'd never seen someone go at it in such a way. It made her smile a bit as she surpressed a giggle. She wasn't sure if it would be perceived as rude of her if she did.

Finally, she managed to pipe up.
"So a cure then. I suppose the lady you were calling for is capable of "curing" your Kerowynn?"

Suddenly, Siegfried's story had made something click in Absinthe's mind. Vampire. VAMPIRE! She'd quickly shift her gaze onto Kalhan, staring at him intensely. Could he really? It sort of made sense now...and the reason he did not wish to eat. Kalhan would probably prefer snacking on Siegfried than the food he'd offered (though she did not mean this in a cruel way).

[Kalhan]

The former Paladin nodded to Absinthe as she sat down, acknowledging her presence as any gentleman would. As Siegfried explained himself, Kalhan let his right hand rest thoughtfully on his chin, listening intently. Kalhan had known there were vampires who were evil; there was no doubt that himself and Nalah were the exceptions to that majority. Being foreign to this continent, Kalhan was aware of his ignorance given the local villages and people. There was no way he would know this vampire who was responsible for Siegfried's plight, even if he was looking at him.

Nalah would know, though I'm not so sure she'd part with that information so willingly.

Unsure of how his female comrade would feel about them hunting down another vampire, Kalhan frowned and continued to listen. The man was impressive, that was for sure, able to contain a vampire and willing to entrust her to the care of others while he sought a cure that may not even exist.

A cure to the Dark Gift...

The former Paladin had never even considered such a thing before, instead accepting his new life apparently too readily. Had he known about the possibility when he had first turned, he would have taken the opportunity without question. However, as things were now, Kalhan wasn't sure he would, and was uncertain whether his reasons were as pure as he hoped them to be. There was no point on dwelling on the fact, however, as this moment was not about him.

"If there's any way I can assist you, Siegfried, don't be afraid to ask. Such heinous acts as the ones this vampire has performed cannot go unanswered."

Regardless of Siegfried's response, the food arrived, and he had begun to dig into it with seemingly reckless fervour. Apparently, he had been farther gone than Kalhan had first assumed, reminding the former Paladin of how lucky he had been to have had a healer so close by. Speaking of, Absinthe chose this moment to pose her own question, one that was followed by her eyes shifting in Kalhan's direction. Feeling uncomfortable in her piercing gaze, the vampire chose to answer her in an attempt to alleviate some of the pressure.

"I believe the woman he was calling for would be you, Lady Absinthe. Your healing is unlike anything I have ever seen, and given the respect you are shown, I'd imagine it's quite rare around here as well. Are you truly able to cure something like vampirism?"

[Siegfried Marchen]

Siegfried was taken aback a bit by Kalhan's offer, other people had told him to stop trying, because the cure for that curse didn't exist but he refused to admit to it; because admitting to it would mean that he would accept the fact that his beloved would never return to him again.

"I graciously accept your offer Kalhan, and I am also glad that I have found a lady of great power." he said turning towards absinthe and taking both her hands into his

"Please if you can cure my beloved, I will give you anything you desire if it's in the domain of my power."

He felt really relieved that he might have finally found some help, for months he had traveled alone on the road with only the faintest light of hope and rumors to guide him and now he might actually finish his journey.

"If you do not mind, i would like to play a ballad I wrote in honor of this moment; the moment when hope becomes a little more material and the moment where the branch between happiness and grief appears." he said and pulled out a flute from in his belongings.

He brought his lips and blew slightly in it, extracting the first couple silvery notes from it. This was a song that he had written for this occasion, it was a song made to calm the soul and to make people more relaxed and happy, the same song that he had hummed a little earlier to calm himself. The sweet music flowed from the flute and it's golden notes filled the air affecting everyone in the room and bringing the atmosphere from that of a bar/inn to that of a nice gathering in the fields on a summer day after the work was complete.

He played like that for two hours then sat down heavily; it seemed his stamina was still not back to normal, for he could only use his spells for that brief a period.

"Thank you once again Lady Absinthe Mao, thank you for healing me and thank you if you're willing to help me." he told her in a tired voice. After all wasn't thanking your savior the right thing to do?

[Absinthe]

"Haaaa?"
Absinthe would blink out of her stare when Kalhan spoke to her, pointing out that she was the "woman of miracles" and then moving on to her powers. Her face would immediately burn red in her embarassment, her hands comming up to her cheeks and pressing on them as she lowered her head. She didn't like to let others see her blush, it embarassed her more and then it took longer for her to turn back to her usual peach colour.

That had answered her question from earlier though.

Her hands would be pulled away from her now pinkish cheeks, as Siegfried held them and asked her to heal his beloved. She stared at him wordlessly, not sure how to answer him at this point. How could she tell him that she did not believe she could do such a thing? Not only would his disappointment crush her little heart, but, to have travelled so far and not find what he was searching for was bound to crush the man as well. But what else was there to do? She coldn't lie. Gods forbid it...

"You see I-"

"If you do not mind, I would like to play a ballad I wrote in honor of this moment; the moment when hope becomes a little more material and the moment where the branch between happiness and grief appears."

Oh. He just had to go ahead and say that now, didn't he? She looked at him worriedly for a moment, but forced a smile to curve her lips. And she nodded. At least, while he was playing, she could gather her nerves for when she told him the unfortunate news. Either she said she couldn't, and stop it at that. Or she could say she wasn't sure, give him a ray of hope, and know that she most likely could not.

As he began to play his flute, she could feel herself calm, but there were still traces of concern. The feeling was strong, and while she faltered between 'you worry to much, just tell him he can take it' and 'I don't want to see his face when I tell him', the latter seemed to win. At this point, she decided she may as well speak to Kalhan.

She seemed serene enough as she looked at him, even if her mind told her she shouldn't be feeling this way. What was up with her emotions?
"Kalhan- oh, may I call you Kalhan?" she'd give him a moment to nod or give her an answer before continuing in a light tone,
"I really don't believe I have the ability to cure...Vampirism." she'd give a soft smile then.
"I'd be willing to try, to aid Mr. Siegfried. I'm just unsure of the effects it will have on his lady. My powers are based on Holy energy, and those of darkness don't seem to take kindly to it. I could harm her."

She sounded a bit happy about it, as she brought her hand up to stroke her rune mark below her eye. But she hadn't intended it that way. Absinthe didn't notice, losing herself in calm and glee and all the nice feelings. She did not feel worried about harming Siegfried's cursed lady. She didn't feel worried about breaking it to him that she may not be able to. There was an irrational sense of optimism, and while Absinthe was all about positivity, she took extreme caution when other's lives were on the line. Her rune spirit was a bit concerned with her...well her lack of concern. He said nothing of it though. He'd try to reason with her later.

The music stopped after a good two hours, and Absinthe's true emotions returned. Her face turned from blissfully happy to terribly concerned. There. The worry was back. She smiled at his thanks, giving him a slight nod of her head and telling him it was her pleasure to help. He seemed tired however, and she figured that he'd already paid for the room...

"Siegfried...perhaps rest would be better suited for you. You seem exhausted. I believe rest is best for you at the moment."

She'd point him towards the room he'd rented and smiled gently.
"Doctor's orders. Please."

Was she avoiding telling him or had she genuinely forgotten already? Who knows.

[Kalhan]

The vampire couldn't help but smile at Siegfried's relief, the bard's hope seemingly able to infect others. The journey had no doubt been hard on him, and to have the end in sight would be good for his soul. As the man began to sing, Kalhan leaned back and listened quietly, closing his eyes. The music was very good, reminding the former Paladin of his youth, listening to the bards on street corners and the inn.

One day, I will return to you, Verahn. When I manage to atone for the sin I've inflicted upon you.

Brought out of his blissful rememberance by Absinthe's voice, Kalhan glanced at her with his crimson eyes, nodding with a gentle smile on his face at her question. As she continued, the vampire felt as though he should feel concerned, but his good mood never changed. Taking a moment to collect himself, Kalhan willed himself to concentrate.

"I don't pretend to understand your manner of healing, but perhaps it responds to your intentions? If you truly wish to heal someone, even a dark creature, then your form of healing may adjust accordingly."

As the time passed, the former Paladin continued to ponder the different options. His only other idea came in the form of Absinthe concentrating on elminating just the Dark Gift from Siegfried's ladyfriend, but such an action felt much more dangerous than his first suggestion. That act would require the healer to be concentrating on destroying something, and if she were to slip for even a moment, the results could be disastrous.

Eventually, the music came to an end, and Kalhan felt his mood shift back to normal. His mind continued to mull over the healing difficulty, unconcerned with how long Nalah had been gone. After all, she had said she was hungry, she was probably out hunting a deer or some such animal that had a suitable amount of blood.

Blood...

The word sparked inspiration in the vampire's mind, causing him to casually grip one of the knives on the table.While Absinthe ordered Siegfried to bed, Kalhan would slowly drag the blade across his left bicep, causing a small, shallow cut along the muscle. Once Siegfried and Absinthe had finished conversing, the former Paladin would tap Absinthe on the shoulder, gesturing towards his cut once she looked at him.

"There's only one way to be sure. I have the same condition as she does, only this test isn't nearly as lethal."

[Siegfried Marchen]

Siegfried was escorted to the room by absinthe, her small hand on his elbow gently guiding him. He knew that he shouldn't have pushed himself this much, but this unexpected ray of hope was the first sign he had seen that maybe he could save Kerowynn.

"Lady Absinthe, I thank you once more for your aid, and know that even if you cannot cure her, I am still grateful that you have tried." he told her quietly before falling asleep or at least feigning it.

As soon as she left he got up and went to the small table that served as a desk and brought out a small weathered notebook. This was his most treasured possession, a booklet that was given to Sieg by Kero to stop him from scribbling notes on any flat surface that he happened to be near. This book contained many different notes but only three complete songs and the third he had not used yet. He found a quill and dipping it in ink he started to write down the notes as they flowed at him, making changes when needed and even sometimes scrapping entire lines if they did not suit his purpose. As he wrote the music, his want reflexively went up to his throat where the enchanted choker was.

This item was the only thing that had allowed him to defeat the vampire; what it did was amplify his already formidable voice and increase the power of his songs. Using it he could probably bring down a roof on top of someone if he held the notes long enough. If someone ever had the chance to grapple him, they would end up either dead or deaf, depending on how badly they were hit.

He finished writing his symphony and took another glance over it to make sure that it sounded the way it should, it happened a lot that if he didn't reread it, the song would not work the way he wanted it to and worse would be if he deviated off a note because he could end up accidentally killing someone.

"Now then, i need to test this on something and it had better be something small."he thought to himself, looking around the room and spotting a small flower vase on the windowsill, a smile curved his lips.

"This is perfect, not only is it small it's cheap enough that paying for it would not hurt my budget too badly."

He started humming at first, the air around him vibrated with power as the choker amplified that humming. He held the notes a little longer then let them flow from him and directing towards the vase.

He looked at the vase, which was vibrating on itself and his smile grew, it seemed that this spell was working on the first try, something that had never happened before. He was about to congratulate when the vase exploded on the sill sending a rain of glass shards into the walls and ceiling of the room. Sieg was surprised by the power when the bed also burst into splinters adding tiny wooden spears among the glass in the wall. The window went next but thankfully it exploded outwards scattering glass all over the empty street and Sieg was even more thankful that no one had decided to take a walk on that night.

He was sitting there stunned when the finale to the orchestra hit him, or at least blew up under him: The stool he was sitting on could not take the amount of magical energy he was releasing and if you combine it with the sonic vibrations, the poor thing had no choice but to shatter leaving a couple of good souvenirs in Sieg's rear.