A Love that Crushes like a Mace.

[FinlandiaWhiteEyes]

-"Mervin of Caerlorn and High Theocrat Svayam...don't get on," the first goblin began.
"That's putting it mildly," snorted one of the goblins.
"Well, Mervin-"
"Stupid name, that."
"Shut your face, I'm tellin' this story. Mervin is from Caerlorn, as the name would suggest. Big pals with Prince Caim. Fought with the Union in the war-their head mage or something. Begged the old Chancellor to support the Union. He studied the creation and the gods some- Brother Gilbert's theories, you know. Contentious point with some."
"Reckon Redcrosse had it truer. Better written, too."
"Yeah, Gilbert shoots himself in the foot with that crappy poetry-"
"Will you please shut it? Anyway, the High Theocrat...well, he's a believer, ain't he? Forsaken bunch-whippin' themselves, praying a lot. Heard a rumour about this ritual they have...involves eating. Breaking Euz's Second Law, if you catch my drift."
"That's just speculation. I don't reckon they'd do that."
"Wouldn't put it past Svayam."
"Well, anyway, he was a card carrying member of the Cult of the Watchers before that fell apart. Pro-Empire, too, of course. Probably has more influence than Mervin, so if you don't mind working around the unpleasantness-"
"Yeah, but their best bet for answers to Important Questions is The Boss, and Da'at don't like the Theocrat. Don't like anyone, much. It's the blood in him."
"Yes, yes I was getting to that! Da'at, as I said before, moved us to true neutrality. Not 'here Miss High Priestess Nutcase, take a nose through our books' neutrality, but full out elven-esque neutrality."
"For all the good that did the elves."
"He ain't taking any side, see? Well, each of them thinks he should take their side...if he don't...well, High Chancellors can be replaced. That's why it might get violent. Each of them are trying to win Da'at's trust, so's they can try and steer him like the Theocrat steered the last buffoon. Tricky characters, like I said."

-The goblin shrugged his shoulders.
"You gotta do what you gotta do, though. Go to the bridge and see if you can persuade a guard to send a message for you. If not, come back here, and we'll help you track down the librarian. We'd tell you now, only..." he cleared his throat awkwardly, "there's stuff we shouldn't tell you, so we only will if we have to."

[lukuz13]

- Netreya gave the goblin men another look, they had been so helpful in this matter it seemed, rolling all the new information around in his mind, Netreya turned his sharp eyes to them once again.
"A battle of corruption it seems? And with even a cult involved? While I do thank you for all this information, I would like to ask your reasons for helping me, if I may?" With the questioned raised, Netreya found himself regularly chatting up a storm, relaying all that was needed to Luke in the mean time, who quietly nodded.

[FinlandiaWhiteEyes]

-"Why shouldn't we help you?" The goblin looked a little awkward. One of his fellows snorted.
"Yeah, that's not suspicious." He leant forward, looking anxious. "Mutual friends, you see. Powerful friends." He glanced at Achintya. "Friends that'll be less than amused if we didn't do our bit."
"Plus," said the first goblin, shifting in his seat, "not every day we see a Cardinal Griffin around here. Must be something important that made you leave your mountains. You're not the type of creatures to favour injustice or blood and gore." He shrugged. "Maybe you can help solve the problems we have here? Who knows?"

[Noven]

-"Important? Yes, something quite important indeed. Though, I suppose we should get a move on, soon?" Talfen looked about to the others.
"It would be well of us to return the favor, goblins. You have aided us, and if we come upon a chance, we may be able to aid you yet." Zephyre held a caring smile toward the three.
"Yes, I suppose it would do no harm to give some aid out, if we can afford to do so." Talfen stretched casually now, growing stiff of remaing in the place. Zephyre looked upon him as if he should hold a more formal bearing toward their helpers, though he didn't notice this. "Yes, that would all be good, so, to the guards, then?"

[lukuz13]

-Netreya simply chuckled to himself and nodded.
" I believe I understand your intentions, and if I may return the favor, I shall. It is indeed an important mission for I am down here..."[/b] Netreya began, before ruffling his feathers with a sigh. "It is not the time for life stories though, I suppose, I thank you." With that, Netreya turned just before he left for the door he nodded to Talfen with a small laugh "Indeed I do intend to repay them when I can, but as you say, we should get going." [/i] Netreya managed to the others, Luke agreed as well though he was silent for a bit, glancing to the others and helping explain it on their way outside. Exiting the Tavern, Luke took lead, turning to find the bridge, the location of the nearest guard he could see and approached him himself this time.
"Excuse me, we are travelers in town and we would like to send a message to Mervin of Caerlorn, if it wouldn't be too much trouble?" He began simply. "It is very important, I assure you.

[Mog]

Falling as always to the back of the group, Achintya's pom-pom twitched slightly, the air around it vibrating silently. As Luke made his request the guards around the bridge shivered en masse, feeling strangely violated. As for the guardsman Luke was speaking to, he reached up and touched his neck absent-mindedly, like a man checking for cuts and bruises. The strangely dressed man's words suddenly seemed of vital and what could only be described as perilous importance, and the guardsman didn't have the slightest clue why other than a jarring feeling around his throat.

[FinlandiaWhiteEyes]

-The guard blinked. "Caerlorn? Mer...mer..."
He blinked, and his hand slipped down from his neck and grasped at the fabric of his own surcoat. He kneaded it for a moment, before sighing, as the feeling of wrongness subsided.
-"Civilians are not permitted to access the University at this time, however important their business may be. Our guarding of this bridge is more important than anything; we shall not be moved from it." The guard eyed the travellers, including the griffin, with unruffled flatness. Then his eyes drifted over to a small cluster of people grouped around a large piece of parchment, casting suspicious looks at his guard troop, before snapping back to Luke.
"Move along please, sir."

-Back in the tavern, one of the goblins froze as a small hand touched his shoulder. He looked into the ancient eyes of a powerful adult, aging within a child's unblemished face.
"Good."
"Aye. I hope they don't get into too much trouble."
One of his companions appeared to be writing a letter. Having finished it, he set it on fire. The flames turned purple as the missive disappeared.
"We shall see what we shall see."

[lukuz13]

-Frowning in disappointment, Luke gave Netreya a glance who did the same, before they both turned to the party.
"It appears we are out of luck as I feared..." Luke began, his tone distant before beginning his trek back to the Tavern. "We have little option now, let us hope the goblins hold true to their own word." With that, Luke pushed through the crowd of people relatively easily, and made his way into the building, glancing over to see Netreya had paused at the doorway, confronting him in his mind there.
*Arbalester? You do not seem yourself...*[/i]
*I'm fine... we have more important matters to attend to, don't you think?* Luke almost spat back in his mind, causing the concern in the griffin's eye only to deepen.
*Matters are dire yes, but if you are not in top form that puts you at danger.*[/i] Netreya started, before he began the next part, his tone having softened considerably. *It was not your fault Arbalester, you-*[/i]
*Because you were the one that broke the seal? The one with blood on your hands? I am the only one to blame...* Luke roared back at the griffin who could only be silent for a moment, feeling for his partner.
*Arbalester...*[/i]
*Please...we have urgent business at hand... I wish to focus on that for now.* Luke managed silently to his friend, hoping he would understand, his continued silence he took to mean just that as he followed the man inside the Tavern. Making his way over to the table Netreya had confronted earlier, Luke placed a hand on the table to gain their attention and looked over each, Netreya coming to rest by his side.
"Hello...I believe you have met my friend here." He smiled half way, before continuing. "It appears the guard is not nearly as accommodating as we had hoped, he denied access of any kind, messages included...I... was informed you offer another option if it failed.?" Luke said simply.

[Mog]

Icelus looked questioningly at Achintya with what eyes he had in his current misty form. The faerie merely shook his head and muttered something about 'discord'.

[Mr.Chocobo]

Ulaer leaned close to Achinyta, and whispered
"How can you stand being allied with these... people." Ulaer asked him quietly.
"Their progress is slow and.... time is costly isnt it? I wouldn't know, I age not..."

[FinlandiaWhiteEyes]

-"I believe I am the other option, boys?"
The voice that drifted over their heads was a deeply mesmerising one. In each ear that heard it, it was the most unique, unusual voice the listner had ever heard, and thus was different for every person that heard it. Soft and gentle, deep and harsh, but always somewhat captivating. The goblins winced, and the group turned around to look upon the interloper.
-It was a faerie. Standing a few feet high, she nonetheless regarded them with poise and superiority. Her skin was pitch black, her clothes the sky blue of the university. Her eyes were large, wide and silver and a ball of sparkling blue light circled her head. Small, delicate wings fluttered almost constantly at her back, a gesture that in any other would suggest nervousness.
"I am Second Librarian Bheda, and I was under the impression I could trust my fellow non human students." She glared at the goblins, who shifted akwardly.
"We haven't told-" one of them began.
"Yes, yes, whatever." The fairy eyed the group with mild interest. "What a delightfully mixed bag. Well, regardless..." she paused, and the air around her seemed to shift and shudder, becoming visible for one brief moment. Then she continued, "you seek entrance to the university. With a few words in a few ears, I could get you in. I'm rather popular, and usually persuasive. First, however, I require you to do me a favour, involving my cousin. It is a...uhh..." she clicked her heels together, curling her toes, "a somewhat delicate matter. You help me, I help you. Backs, scratching. You savvy?"

[Mog]

With a further light shimmer of magic the air between Achintya and Bheda began to resonate with a cold void of emotion. Achintya reached up and twitched his hat, betraying either nervousness or irritation, possibly both.
"We get it Librarian. What is it you want?"
Icelus glanced into the convoluted mind of his partner and found nothing, at least on the surface he could penetrate to, as if Achintya had blasted everything away, or locked it up.

[FinlandiaWhiteEyes]

-Bheda smiled.
"Second Librarian. One shouldn't use titles they didn't earn, after all." She leaned in towards Achintya, ignoring the chill, and laughed. "And manners are very becoming, or so I find."
She rocked back onto her heels, and began to sway rhythmically. "I'll assume your agreement is echoed by your leader?" She nodded to Luke, before beginning, "My cousin is, as I understand, in the poorer district of town in...a bit of trouble that I cannot be seen to get involved in. So, I want you to rescue him, quietly and subtly, without killing or damaging anyone, and bring him to me in The Seedy Eagle tavern so I can...reprimand him for jeopardising my...situation." She smiled mockingly at Achintya.
"That good enough for you, fluff ball?"

[Mog]

Achintya sneered.
"Are these... dramatic pauses used to express your... delicate situation or are you... getting off on... the sound of... your own... magic zipping... around?
"I swear," continued the faerie, " first Solace and now this. Everywhere I go the ladies are hot for me.
"Come on ragged bunch of adventurers, lets leave the Librarian to her work."
Without waiting for an answer Achintya stepped lightly out of the bar into the street, where every person in a radius of 30 metres was coincidentally facing the way to the poorer district of town. Achintya set off ahead of the others, not looking back to see if he was being followed by the others, though this was more likely not to give Bheda the satisfaction.

[FinlandiaWhiteEyes]

-Bheda snorted with laughter. "Oh, he's priceless." She closed her eyes and began to sway again.
The light in front of the striding Achintya began to twist, forming words in the air.
'I take it you do not want directions or descriptions?'