Quiet Reverie

The key slid into the lock smoothly as Zeke shuffled the various items in his claws. It was, as was not food this time however. It was a stack of books neatly tied with string to make them more manageable. That, and the various necessities for note-taking which Zeke had brought with him. Though the latter were in a small squat basket at the top of his pile of books. He had only a little trouble opening the door somewhat silently, and moving smoothly into the house beyond. A familiar residence which he felt immediately more comfortable within, particularly once the door was closed.

The house is quiet, but the scent of woodsmoke from the hearth in the other room gives a good hint as to the occupant's location. Curiously, armor and travel gear is neatly stacked by the door, a traveling cloak laid atop it, all in blue and silver - is he planning on traveling soon?

Venturing to the other room reveals Seldan, curled up on the couch in shirt and trousers, reading through a sheaf of parchment. The scroll case lies on the floor nearby, discarded, its cap tossed in the case's general direction. The stone orb floats around his head, providing a bit of silvery moonlight to read by. It's not really enough, but he doesn't seem to mind.

Zeke glances briefly toward the armor and gear packed near the door before making his way inside, following Seldan's hearth deeper into the home until he spots the man lounging on his couch. "Peasssce on your nessst." Zeke provides as way of greeting, his tail swishing back and forth as he hovers on the precipice of the room, waiting to be sure of his welcome before going any further.

Seldan looks up readily enough, freezing for a half-second at the footsteps, but the voice is enough to calm him. "And also upon yours, Zeke. I fear I have naught more than tea for you, but come." The sheaf is laid aside on the couch, and he uncurls himself and stands. "What do you bring?" The burden of books and scrolls appeared to be of considerable interest.

Zeke glances down at his books and scrolls and brings them around to offer them to Seldan. Of course, he brought them because he thought that the other man might have some interest. "Every-thing that thisss one could find sspecifically about Eclavdran. It isss not much, but thisss one had a requesst put in with the Arcaneisssts guild that anything they had ssshould be brought to thisss onesss attention. Thisss wasss their ressponsse."

Admittedly it's not a lot of books and only a couple of scrolls, but it's another _step_. Zeke allows Seldan to take everything but his note-taking equipment before nodding his thanks to the other man. "Apparently we have sssome luck however. One of the booksss alssso mentionsss the Moon." He motions toward Seldan's brow gently. "It isss on the top."

It is certainly better than nothing at all! Seldan blinks at the mention of the top book, the mention of Eclavdran and the moon in the same volume piquing his interest. He reaches to take the stack of books with gentle hands and set them on the coffee table, then reaches for the top volume, hefting it to open it and read.

Zeke moved around to find his own seat while Seldan set about looking at the books. He'd known that that one in particular would draw Seldan's attention, and so he was not surprised when the man immediately set to looking at it. He settled down and pulled out his note-taking equipment and then opened the second book to begin pursuing it.

Seldan's book was a long-winded historical document which read slowly and ponderously, but did indeed contain some mention of Eclavdran and the Moon inside it.

_So it was in the thirteenth year of that century that the Champions of Eluna began their fall. It was not some internal argument however, but a great combining of forces between those that called the Hells home. Amassing in numbers and power greater than ever seen before in the heartland, they began their campaign. First they drove the Champions from the heartland. Then they began to set them one against other. It might seem to the outsider then that it was their tremulous relationships with one another that was their downfall, but the Duke of the Nineteenth Hell, known then and in other times as Eclavdran did have something to do with it. It is suggested that he craved the Moon so much that he lay with one of the Champions themselves and thus this was the beginning of their end._

It takes Seldan some time to read through the book, the fingers of his free hand trailing down the page, his lips moving soundlessly as he reads - and then he slows down, blinking several times as he appears to come to an interesting passage. His lips stop moving, his eyes flicking back and forth across the page, growing a little wider. "I ...." His eyes lower, and he hands the passage off for Zeke to read. "In the heart of the world lies a beast's broken heart...." he murmurs, half to himself.

_They lay with that creature? I ... would wish to think better of them._

Zeke leans in to read the passage and his eyes widen and then he squints as though not sure that he's reading the words right. "Is it literal then? That in thissss... 'heartland' that his heart might be found? Perhapsss thisss Champion actually sstole hisss physsical heart? Or issss it more metaphorical? That thisss Champion onsce held his heart and that they are buried there?" He pulls back writing his own questions as quick notes on his paper.

Seldan's head lifts at the words, his thoughts at least mostly his own. He regards Zeke steadily, considering the words. "If he desires a body in this realm - could it be that it is his heart that he seeks? If that be literal, or but a metaphor..." He starts to reach to take back the book. "This is of great interest. Much is suggested -" His hand drops, and he reaches to take the third book off the stack, paging through it instead.

"It could be. Why would he trade his position in the hells for a body here?" Zeke is certainly confused about _that_ aspect of it. He tries to hand Seldan his book back, but Seldan is starting in on the third and Zeke sets the first one down to return to his own book which had been second.

The thinner book that Seldan picked up seemed to be more a list of the different demons and their places in the hells according to some sorcerer who'd had dealings with such. It listed various principalities of the hells and who ruled them. Thus Eclavdran was somewhat far into the book, and was listed as the 'ruler of the Nineteenth district'. He was also listed as a 'far thinker, a demon with a mind for looking far into the future to make things happen'. It also had a marking in more hand-writen lettering noting 'fair and yet I know I will pay for this someday'.

Seldan reads in silence for a time, paging slowly through the information. "I do not doubt that your people would find this of great value." He pauses, then adds, "Deals with Eclavdran are not confined to the Guild, I see." Disappointment colors the words, and he sets the book gently aside, separately. "What have you found?"

"Jussst confirmation of thingsss we already know." Zeke says, his own voice laced with disappointment as well. He sets aside his book and looks up at Seldan. "It sseemsss asss though thisss demon excellsss at corrupting thossse around him. He isss sseen asss more trusstworthy than other demonsss, but there isss no explanation for thisss..." He shakes his head and stretches his claws. "You are headed out tomorrow?"

"More trustworthy than other demons does not mean that he is to be trusted, and certainly not that he will act in another's interest." Seldan's eyes lower, although he does not give voice to the sudden guilt that floods his mind, for his own deal struck with such a one. Necessity, perhaps, and yet ...

He reaches for the next book in the stack, glancing up briefly at the orb as if to see its reaction. "Does all go well, yes," he answers half-absently, leafing through more pages.

The little moon gives a dip, darkening briefly, but only briefly. It brightens back to its normal illumination quickly however.

"Thisss one can not undersstand why one would make a deal with a demon." Zeke shakes his head, eyeing the moon for its little darkening moment and glancing curiously at Seldan. He picks up the last book in the stack for himself, but most of his attention is on Seldan. "Where do you go to? Or isss it a sssecret?"

This book that Seldan has picked up seems to be a diary of sorts, and it takes a while to find the entry that is about Eclavdran. _I made a deal with him today. Eclavdran. There wasn't any other choice but to do it. I had to preserve it. The deal ensures that he will not harm my family unless they come against him later. He's a wise fiend to worry that I might send someone after him. But who would I risk? I know that the deal doesn't include my husband. He's too tied up in all this. But our daughter... She'll survive. And for now what we protect will lie outside his grasp. It'll have to be enough._

The diary entry takes little time at all to read, but is very, very telling. Seldan leafs around, looking for a name or identification of the writer, before turning back to the entry, reading one more time with moving lips. "Sometimes, to protect those around you," he murmurs, "and to protect those you hold dear. He is a master of forcing the matter, and thus is he still more dangerous." The voice of experience, but he pauses a moment at the name, and sets the book atop the cataloguing of demons. "The daughter of the writer is known to me," he murmurs. "It is right that I should share this with her."

He stares at the book for a moment longer, then lowers his eyes, going quiet. "Yet another reason to stop him, and banish him from this place for good and all. As for where I go - there are two more of these." He nods up at the orb. Another tower, similar to where this one was found, has been found at the Charneth border. I - think it good to investigate."

Zeke closes the last book with an irritable thump and puts it down with the rest. "That one hasss the wrong Eclavdran in it." He explains, pushing the book further away from himself. "Thisss one thinksss you are right. If there isss any chansce of liberating another of the orbsss; you sshould take it. Perhapsss sstrengthen our ability to fight him yesss?"

"That may well be so," Seldan agrees, finally re-seating himself with a flop and picking up his sheaf of parchment. "Recovering the moons is certainly in my mind, and also learning more of this Champion and Eclavdran. It is in my mind that we have a path forward, yes? This information is quite valuable."

Zeke nods. "Thisss one iss glad to be of asssissstance." He has his notes to attend to, writing down everything that was written in the books again. It was all to be diligently copied eventually. "We have a path. Thisss one will hope that your misssion tomorrow goesss well, and that it helpss uss get to the bottom of all of thisss."

-End