Entangle, Entwine. rebelhealer

[liath_anam]

Thedas was proving to be a fascinating place, if completely unsavory towards those of his kind. Cane-like wand in hand, after gently requesting that Silver Lady watch the new home and get the finishing touches up to her tastes, Elias wandered from their new home in hightown towards lowtown, and further into the slums. The outdoors was all well and good, but it was good to also get to know the area even in its more discomfiting lights. In a place where the most bedraggled and desperate clung to what light they could find.

Elias, a being of pure shadow in a way, felt right at home in some bestial corner of his mind. Not that he paid it much of any mind as he took his time looking for an examining the most native flora. The moisture in the air made it perfect for mushrooms and other fungal plants, which he found in fair abundance. He carefully used a white-gloved hand to daintily pluck a few of what he could find, and stored it away in a bag he carried on his arm.

What fae - neighbors - lingered here, were few and far between, some closer to almost demonic in nature, those that fed on the weak. Not that most normal mortals could see them, let alone hear their annoying nattering. Even so, those who could sense him for what he truly was gave him wide berth.

He paid them no real mind. None of it was his business. He was just here to come what he wanted to get and then go.

At least, until he felt a strong grip on his arm. Standing at nearly seven feet, Elias towered over most of them, but perhaps his sense of style (something mostly aligned among the richest of folks) made him stand out as easy prey.

He wasn't really listening to them prattle about how he had come to the wrong place. So, it was really easy for him to simply grab one of the men by the throat and throw him like a ragdoll, his free hand adjusting his grip on his wand.

While he would have liked to announce how he hated pests like them, one of his foes decided to lunge at him with a knife. Sidestepping it as if he saw it coming for miles, he brought his wand up.

"Nettle in the shadows..."

--"A mage?!"

Shadow taking form, spires of thorns and flora spun like a web outward, his wand giving a brilliant glow as his single incantation spurred the growth of, frankly, very lethal weeds. Those who refused to run were assailed by thorns, black as night.

The only expression Elias held was a faint furrow of his brow - mostly from exertion of his own magic without help from a neighbor. Still, it was perhaps a more high-profile attack than he really thought to use. Even so, at least magic wasn't so uncommon as to be quite so fathomless to many.

Comments

[rebelhealer]

The morning had been a slow one, with only one or two patients coming in for healing, and one coming in to get a refill on a salve. Whenever the days were slow, Anders took it as a good sign. Slow days meant nobody was getting hurt or sick.

Since Anders didn't have anything better to do, he locked up the clinic for now and ventured out. Sometimes he got lucky and he'd find elfroot down in the sewers, but more than likely he was going to have to go up to lowtown to buy some supplies. Perhaps tomorrow he would venture out onto the Wounded Coast to pick herbs.

That was when he heard the commotion. It sounded like the local bandits were about to rough someone up, and neither he nor Justice could stand by and allow that to happen. Anders drew his staff and ran towards the noise.

No sooner was he ready for a fight when he sensed magic. He stood there and watched as the bandits were tangled up in nasty looking weeds with equally nasty thorns. He had seen Velanna use similar spells during his time with the Wardens, so the spell itself didn't take Anders by surprise, but rather the fact that the man who cast it was no elf.

[liath_anam]

Not noticing the other mage nearby, Elias continued his attack, satisfied if his foes attempted to flee, but with barely a change of expression, allowing the brambles and thorns to continue their assault if they continued to challenge him, but soon settled for simply restraining those who hadn't fled or perished outright. His wand's glow continued.

"If you value your life, leave at once. And know that I will not be so merciful a second time."

Giving enough yield for the remaining bandits to flee, some did, urging their kin to run as well. Elias let them with a sigh, the brambles and thorns dissolving away as he brought a hand up to lightly rub the space between his eyebrows. Slowly, he returned his wand to the ground again, hand resting on the curved catalyst.

Bit by bit, his expression relaxed again, and, sensing something nearby, he turned his head a little, blinking once to see someone else.

"Oh. I didn't see you there."

He seemed unharmed, so there was no need to provide undue apologies. Instead, he waited, watching.

[rebelhealer]

Anders would have stepped in, but the other mage looked like he had everything taken care of. He was certainly powerful. When the battle was over and the man spotted him, Anders sheepishly approached him.

"That was... impressive."

Now that he was up close, he could get a better look at this other mage. He was tall, for one thing; even taller than Anders, who was already quite tall. He was dressed very nice, like a nobleman, and that cane of his was obviously a disguised staff. Obviously this man was a secret apostate, using his nobility to keep himself out of the Gallows.

But Justice was also getting an odd feeling about him. He wasn't an ordinary mage, but Justice couldn't put his finger on what was bothering him. He couldn't sense the presence of another spirit or demon.

Be wary, Anders. I sense something about him that is not entirely human.

Then there was the face. He was certainly handsome, Anders had to admit that.

[liath_anam]

"It could have been more impressive under different circumstances, but that's neither here nor there." A clear dismissal, but all the same, he lingered, hazel eyes watching Anders curiously, and then with a faint smile. Unable to resist, he stepped closer, peering at him warmly.

"You're very tall. I didn't think I'd ever meet anyone close to my height."

Resisting the urge to get up into the stranger's face, Elias stayed a polite distance away, if barely.

"My name is Elias. Who might you be?"

[rebelhealer]

"It's the Anderfels heritage."

Physically, there was nothing imposing about this man, other than having a few extra inches on Anders. But there's a power coming from him, and with Justice's warning, Anders is being cautious.

"I'm Anders."

[liath_anam]

Elias doesn't bat an eyelash at the connection of name and place; he knows some people who are the same.

"Anders, then. A fine name."

Hmm, it was faint, but he could kind of feel something. Anders outwardly appeared to be a usual human, but....

"Ah. I'm afraid I couldn't find any friendly-looking people to ask, so I'll ask you. What do you know about the local flora here? Specifically, here in Darktown. I've found a few things, but where I'm originally from, these ingredients are imported only. Might you tell me about them? Specifically, what I can find, rather than what they do. I am still gathering my bearings after my move, and my business requires some knowledge of what I'm working with, and where to find them."

[rebelhealer]

"Well, the most that grows here are deep mushrooms and deathroot. Not very useful for someone like me, I'm afraid." Anders made potions, not poisons, and neither of those had any medicinal properties.

"Spindelweed tends to grow in Lowtown, but you'll probably have the most luck finding the more useful herbs if you venture out to the Wounded Coast."

[liath_anam]

"I see. Thank you."

Ah, but something else was also deserving of attention.

"What do you mean by "not useful for someone like you"? I do not understand." Hitting his first instance of, perhaps, culture clash between mages, he puzzled over the situation while he awaited an answer. It was wise to learn how to use a bit of everything, wasn't it? Or perhaps this was a case of "what to avoid" as far as Anders was concerned.

Never mind that healing magic was not something Elias himself could do competently at all, as a creature affiliated with the shadows.

[rebelhealer]

"I'm a spirit healer. I actually have a clinic not far from here, where I heal those who need it for free. As such, I use herbs and plants to make potions and salves too."

Anders figured this man just wasn't familiar with healers. Healing was an art form, one that many mages never got the hang of. Some mages got the hang of the basic healing spell, but they didn't have the dedication to learn anything as complicated as spirit healing.

[liath_anam]

"Oh, I see. I am not very familiar with healers and how many operate, so I must admit that it's a bit of a blank spot for me. My skills do not lie there, besides."

Still... a spirit healer, he said? He may have to be on his guard. He wasn't sure what this Anders was capable of, especially if Elias himself became injured. It would not do well to have his more comfortable shape outed against his will.

"But why do you do it for free? That seems a little counterproductive. Do you support yourself by other means?" he asked, eyebrows lifting in surprise and confusion. "Isn't it natural to desire recompense for one's time, effort, and expertise?"

[rebelhealer]

Certainly, there were apostates who had never heard of healing, but in Anders' experience, that was mages who had lived on the fringes of society and didn't have access to most spell books or teachers. But this man didn't look like such a mage. In fact, it was usually the nobility who ever got the services of a healer, because the Circle only provided services to the rich and powerful.

"I heal for free because it's the right thing to do. Most of the people who need me can barely afford to buy food, let alone pay for healing. I didn't become a healer so I could make money, I did it so I could help others."

He would rather heal for nothing in return than see himself locked away where he couldn't help anybody.

[liath_anam]

In answer, Elias smiled outright, his whole demeanor softening. Truly, Anders was a lot like someone he knew once in that regard. An old apprentice. He had to strongly hold back the urge to pat the man on the head.

"I understand. Don't mind me too much - I'm a bit old-fashioned in my ways and upbringing. I suppose I don't need to tell you to make sure you care for yourself, too." Except he just did, which, well, he wasn't ashamed of that.

"Seems I have much to learn about this place, in any case. Thank you for your insight."

Although... that lingering presence was curious, indeed. Still, he wasn't certain how to broach the topic.

[rebelhealer]

"Sometimes my patients donate money or food," Anders said, a little defensively. His favorites were the meat pies and cookies. He didn't need some rich guy who probably hadn't had to work a day in his life telling him to take care of himself.

"Oh, and I would appreciate if you didn't tell anyone in Hightown about me or my clinic down here. I don't know how things are where you're from, but I could get arrested if word got to the Chantry, or worse, the Templars."

[liath_anam]

"There isn't a problem on that end. Where I'm from, mages were a completely secret society. At worst, we were condemned as demons by those who didn't understand, or the church. Really, it was just as much of a pain as the Templars and Chantry of this area. Though I have yet to determine which is worse.

"Furthermore, I don't see any benefit to myself by outing your actions. There's nobility in what you do, and I have no desire to interfere, either." Besides, it was likely for him to draw undue attention to himself as well. Not something he needed nor wanted.

"...Even so, I believe even if such did happen, you have more than enough on your side to fend off such attacks." For a moment, he seemed to be looking past Anders, even though there was no one behind him.

"Although, I can check your wards, if you like. I assume you put them up along your clinic to guard from unwanted people, yes?"

[rebelhealer]

The compliment nullified Anders' earlier irritation at the unsolicited advice. This man wasn't like the other nobles in Hightown, it seemed. He wasn't pompous, caring only about his image. Void, he'd been willing to slum it by coming down into Darktown.

He also understood what it was to have to remain hidden, because the world refused to understand.

Then he froze at that last comment. Did he suspect them? Did he know?

"I... sometimes put up paralysis and repel glyphs around the clinic at night."

[liath_anam]

"Only those? I see." Tapping his lip with the back of a knuckle, he then offered a smile.

"That's useful for general things, but I mean wards that react strictly to malignant intent. So long as you took some time to maintain them every few days, it would keep your clinic safer from any prying eyes or ears. I think your magical energy could handle that without being taxed. It's something any apprentice can do, if under supervision, anyway. The magic mostly relies on the foundation of the area around it for stability. Certain types of wood are more "pure" than others, after all."

Still chipper, he continued, "May I have a look?"

[rebelhealer]

"It sounds as if your home land has magic and spells that aren't as well known in Kirkwall or Ferelden." If Anders knew about such magic, he would have put them up the moment he got his clinic set up. Not to mention 'wood purity' was another concept Anders was unfamiliar with.

"Sure. It's right this way."

Anders waved Elias along, walking back the way he'd come. Were they not in a deserted part of Darktown, they would have no doubt gotten looks. Him, the well-known healer, and a well-dressed gentleman, walking together. Elias no doubt stood out more in the dreary surroundings.

When they reached the clinic, Anders magically lit the lantern again and unlocked the entrance. "Well, this is it."

[liath_anam]

Instead of immediately entering, Elias looked carefully along the outer walls, placing a gloved hand on the wood in an attempt to discern the type.

Even if it was bad, destroying it wasn't an option. Humans - and even he himself - could be particular about their belongings.

Spotting something near Anders, he flashed a smile at it. He wasn't sure if Anders could see the fae-like creature hovering near his shoulder.

"You there. Help me out. You may take some of my magic to satiate your curiosity and hunger."

So, he murmured an incantation, the tip of his wand glowing brightly as he weaved a ward through the wood itself. It was no holy protection, but it was as close to one as his affinity would let him use well.

"..There. That should do it. It'll hold for awhile. If you need to repeat it, just do what I did and call for a neighbor to lend you some magic to strengthen it. Well, at least they don't seem to be interested in attacking you. They know someone stronger than they are when they just look."

[rebelhealer]

Anders looked to where Elias' gaze was, seeing just empty air. He wondered if there was a spirit nearby, but Justice said he couldn't sense any spirit. But he thought he caught a hint of something. Not full-on seeing it, but more the way one saw something out of the corner of their eye.

He turned back to Elias when his cane began to glow, watching him apply the ward.

"I don't really have any mage neighbors. Or spirit neighbors." Technically he wasn't lying, because Justice was more of a roommate. "Who are 'they'?"

[liath_anam]

"I don't mean human neighbors. Members of the fae. Faeries, and the like. And just because you can't see or hear them doesn't mean you can't talk to them."

Cracking a smile, since it seemed like a good time to do so, he continued, "They like to consume magical energy, whether it's from the source or in a crystallized form. Not unlike lyrium. I used to have an apprentice... and wife, whose magic made the most beautiful crystal flowers. Most fae find them to be a delicious snack."

Thinking about her for a moment, he couldn't help the wistful touch to his smile.

"If you ask for a favor and offer your energy in return, they usually will help you. I dare say some of them are fond of you. That might be why you may find things a little lucky here. They're also very good at leading people astray."

Taking a moment to listen to the fae speak to him, his smile remains soft, and he points where it floats in the air.

"This one has been keeping an eye on you for awhile. She says she's snacked on some of the Templars' energy whenever you run into them near her. Or guided some of their blows to miss their mark. She seems fond of you. So take care of her sometimes in return. So if you need a little boost, ask for 'aerial'. It's another common name for fae like her. She says she'll come swift as the wind if she hears your call."

[rebelhealer]

"Fairies?" Anders looked around him, as if he was expecting them to appear out of thin air at any moment. "And they've been here, the whole time?" He wondered why he and Justice hadn't sensed them. He always thought they were just stories. He thought he could see a shimmer in the air, as if he were looking at that optical illusion of something becoming invisible upon being viewed through water.

"Do you think there's a way someone like me can learn to see them?" It would make the arrangement a little easier, for one thing.

[liath_anam]

"Anyone can. There is a mixture that you can create to facilitate it, but there are severe repercussions if you do so, let alone use it. Faerie folk don't like it when just anyone uses something of their making, and being able to see them is one step closer to being able to hurt them. It's used to bless their newborn children, after all. It's sacred. Last time I saw it, I had the faerie king himself beating on my doorstep. His people were quite cross and nervous, after all."

A beat, and he continued, "If you happen to figure out how to do it yourself, there's nothing stopping you from doing so. But I will not help you. In any case, you've lived this long unable to see them. Just like many, many others.

"My wife could naturally see them as well. It caused her, in her youth, no small amount of pain and terror, especially in an oblivious world as the one she grew up in, as others were unable to understand why she was so frightened all the time. Seeing them will allow you to see more than just the faeries - but all supernatural creatures. And then they will more readily notice you. You'll become more interesting prey, unless you know how to handle them and guard yourself from them. There are even some who will drag you to the abyss if you speak to them.

"I don't recommend it."

[rebelhealer]

"I see." Justice didn't like the idea of getting on their bad side, from the way Elias spoke of them and how they reacted to those who could see them. They wondered if perhaps it was because of Justice that Anders could catch even a small glimpse of them, because Justice enhanced his connection to the supernatural. Justice could hear lyrium, after all.

"I'll be sure to keep some lyrim crystals on hand." In a jar, handled with tongs, of course. Now he wondered if maybe that fairy had been watching out for him at the Circle, aiding in his escapes.

"Just out of curiosity... how does your homeland view spirits?"

[liath_anam]

"Spirits?" Tilting his head, Elias tapped a finger to his lip (it was still novel, sometimes, how squishy lips could be.)

"Depends on the kind. I've only really encountered spirits - usually overtaken by a curse or other misfortune to represent a demon - that are usually just what's left of a person before they leave to the afterlife. I haven't run into many that do not fit that description, but fit something else. So I am uncertain what to think of them. I've never bothered to really ask that question of anyone, so I cannot say what they think. Or don't think. And honestly, I've never had cause to care."

[rebelhealer]

Anders figured they could keep Justice a secret for now, since that didn't exactly tell them how Elias would react if he knew Anders was sharing his body with a spirit.

"Just curious. We spirit healers call upon benevolent spirits from the Fade to help us mend wounds and cure sicknesses." These days, Justice lent Anders his power for such things.