A clearing near the Lux

“I half expected you to claim that you and xorta are one and the same from different ends of a temporal continuum.” Calan leans against the tree.
“so what all do we know about your town that we didn’t know before?” Calan asks Elinor.
 
Elly gets a fit of the giggles for a moment. Wiping a tear from her eye, she says, "For goodness' sake, it wasn't a love letter. I was writing about how I was worried about Calan, et cetera, et cetera, I thought he might be a bit busy so I wanted to condense it..." She gives Jinn a knowing look. "Besides, if I really wanted to send a love letter I'd never do it with you lot present, you'd probably lord it over me until the day I died."

To Calan, she says, "Well, he called me 'Lady', for one thing. Possibly Marshal? He kept cutting himself off." She rolls her eyes. "I don't know that I've ever had use for a title. So long as I'm doing good things, they can call me 'Garbage Human Quillwood', if they like. Though if I was Marshal..." She looks thoughtfully into the distance for a moment. "... the name would be the first to go. Needs something with a little more pizzazz. Arcane Knight. Or just Arcanus."

She shakes her head. "Not much new otherwise, just need to find out a bit more about the blade and hopefully the dwarven clan it came from. If it wasn't time elementals, I'm not sure what else could be causing all this. Though my friend Myrdin did mention that there were records of a few different Brightons in different places through the kingdom. Either it's moving about or it's just a popular name for villages."
 
Jinn feigns shock and laughs. "I would never! I have lived for almost two centuries and you think I have not sent a love letter in my lifetime? I have had two wonderful marriages, countless trysts, and i have a terrible habit of falling in love literally every time I leave this shard... I have sent many a parchment declaring my love for the recipient." He laughs and shakes his head.

At the mention of the titles Jinn's face grows inquisitive. "Hmm, now that is some information to know about yourself. I do agree with the tameness of the title Marshal. This is why I made it to Warmage and hopefully never get promoted. The title Warmage says something about a person, it's strong, strikes fear in the heart of thine enemies!" Jinn clenches a fist for emphasis and chuckles. "I can imagine that if we were allowed to pick our titles that I would pick one, and then we we would never be allowed to pick our own titles again." He chuckles.

After finishing his tea he passes his cup back to Calan. "I couldn't be Xorta, he believes in time." Jinn says with a wink.

"Now, this sword that is very fragile, and this town that has existed in that spot more than once, and may have existed in other places as well. If it isn't time, is the town itself appearing there? Is it a copy, or the actual town? Plus this hint of conjuration magic is interesting in itself, because it allows for teleportation in short distances. Is someone looking into the history of the other Brightons? There may be some answers there."

Jinn leans back on his stump, thinking about teleportation, and how awesome it would be.
 
Calan nods, “the idea of a town that is blipping from one location to another is an interesting thought. A single person able to do that in a battle could be devastating to the other side but a whole town or army?” Calan wistles. “Seems like something worth looking into. I spent the better part of last year getting those two released seems a shame not to spend a little time talking with them. Also they had been locked away for so long it could be worth asking if either of them had been to Brighton in their time.”

To Elinor he laughs. “So it was about me? Awe that’s sweet if you” he says in sincerity. “Honestly you needn’t worry for me. I’d rather nobody did to be honest.” He looks to jinn. “ I realize that it’s a silly thing to say, I’d just prefer people dedicated resources to things that mattered more.”

a small pauses occurs as if he is pondering the years to come. “You know if you don’t become martial some day I’ll be rather dissatisfied. You are eager and determined with a lot of,” the word escapes him. “Enthusiasm? Passion? Fortitude? I don’t know, but you have something admirable and I see it taking you far.”
 
Elly nods agreeably - "Myrdin was going to look into similar things, between the three of us we can probably get all those things looked into."

With a laugh, she pushes off the tree she was resting against and returns Calan's teacup. "Well I think that's quite enough flattery for one day, don't you think? Though Calan, the word you're looking for," she says, as she flashes the four-coloured blade of her enchanted sword, " is fire." She adds a wink for good measure.

She glances over at Jinn with an odd look. "I've been meaning to ask for a while... when I first arrived last year, I expected to have to make my case to get a teacher here. To convince the sanctum that I was worthy. To have to fight for a place. But you... well, why did you choose me? You didn't know me from anybody. You certainly don't trust strangers willy-nilly." She shrugs lightly. "Call me curious."
 
Jinn gets a mildly confused look on his face as Calan speaks. "Put our resources into something that matters more? What could matter more than out friends and family? You people are the reason I fight in this war! Calan, you are my brother, family is the most important thing that could ever exist to me. There is no waste of resources to check up and ensure someone is doing ok. I could give you a cheesey line that it is our goodness that will win this war, but its not. These are hard times and we must make hard choices, but I will never ignore the needs of a friend." He walks over and puts a hand on Calan's shoulder and looks home in the eyes.

"I can do this now because your not blind. I came the moment I got your letter because you needed my help. I will always be there for you, even if you think its unimportant. Because you are family... and I will always be there because I can not die." Jinn says with a heart laugh and pulls Calan into a tight hug.

As he returns to his stump he watches Elly flash her sword and fans himself. "Oohh so intimidating initiate Elinor." He says with a big smile. "As for you, I saw and see something in you that reminds me of me. Your headstrong and filled with fire, as you so bluntly put it. I like that! I can see you doing big things for the sanctum, someone that will be steadfast and hold a position with honor. Years from now I can assume I will count you among my peers within the sanctum, and we need people like that."

Jinn pauses for a moment and his facial expressions turn a but more serious, but still jovial.

"After the dark reaches are closed, and this war is won, I have no idea what I will do. I do not know if I will stay within the lux, return to Turomfalls, go north, or even stay in this shard. I am a traveler, and always have been. I see something within you that makes me comfortable knowing I could leave for a stretch, and you would be here, holding the fort down so to speak. My job as Warmage has mainly been the reaches, but it is also an advisor, body guard, and friend to Evo, and I want to ensure that there is someone else ready for that when this war is finished. Now please don't think I'm training you to act as a replacement or a second fiddle player, oh no. I imagine us fighting Al'zoon side by side!."

Jinn looks Elinor up and down. "And here I thought the time for flattery was over, but it continues... well let's end on a low note shall we. The only thing down side is that you just don't have horns, but there is always magic for that." He says with a playful wink. "I kid I kid... you are one of the more pleasant humans i have ever met."
 
Elly sighs dramatically. "Alas, if only I was born with the correct headgear, I might not have been an eternal disappointment to my teacher." More seriously, she adds, "But thank you. I agree that the Lux could always use another bull-headed optimist."

She begins to gather up her things. "I'll send you a note about how to divvy up the work this month, Calan; let me know if you'd like to jump in or whether you've got some other things to do." As she replaces her cloak, she appraises both of them, smiling to herself. "A farmgirl and a bunch of sylvanborn out to save the world. I like it." As she heads back towards the Lux, she waves over her shoulder. "Don't do anything stupid this month!"
 
Jinn smirks and leans in towards Calan. "She has met us before correct? I can't quite fill you in yet, but I did something stupid before I came out here! So I'm already ahead for the month."
 
Letting a few moments of silence pass, jinn stands up and looks around.

"Ok bye..." he says abruptly, before heading deeper into the fae forest.
 
Calan watches his friend fade into the distance. He glances back to where they live then to where jinn vanished . It was as though he was standing at a crossroad with no clear idea of where to go, only he did have a clear idea it was just a matter of bringing himself to do it. Calan walks to the guild building and uses the portal.
 
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