Elrodan ached as he came around. What he had thought was a hay stack turned out to have been a tree of golden hue. He wasn't sure how he'd got that so wrong but at least the storm was over and "Aarrrgh!". He'd taken quite a few knocks and some seriously. He turned his mind to focus his healing power, a green light radiated from his fingers as it passed over his other arm and other major points he could easily see or feel as injured. Sitting up, he tried reaching back to his wings, with great difficulty he runs a glowering finger along a wing edge and at least took away the pain. With a test of them, the pain returned and he realised he would need help before he could fly again.

At last he looked about at the woods around him and tried to figure out where he was or if there was anyone around. The ground was soft under foot at least. He couldn't see anyone, just masses of lovely trees. He hadn't seen ones like this before but there was a slight comfort to having them there regardless. As he walked, his eyes peeled for any sight of other he might be able to approach for assistance. No, but as he swung his head down to step over a fallen branch, he noticed on the floor beneath it, a small pouch. Picking it up and looking inside he was happy to find it held some coins, 10 in fact. Tying it to his waist, he carried on his walk.

Time carried on as it every does. At last he found a path. It was more of just trodden down grass and could be from some animal but even that was a better option to follow than aimless wandering. He started along this with hope. 

Rumor has it...

That was how this particular quest for knowledge beyond that known had begun; a simple rumor he had picked up in some casino while completely plastered and under the influence of far more than just alcohol. It was no miracle that a born-to-be deity such as himself had managed to successfully hold onto the memory even despite the temptations of the mind erasing liquids and the like. The rumor was there was a stone of sorts that would ascend him beyond his current human standing and grant him further insight into the very mysticism tied into the world before him. Step by step he had treaded toward where he was once born and passed beyond into the wood. This was an area he was more familiar with than any other. 

In his youth he had been in these woods. He could feel the connection attempting to etch it's way into him and bring forth memories of times far darker than the now. He shook his head gently, hood falling down from it and revealing his softly tanned face. Dark matted hair beneath it was shaken until resting a but more acceptably. His eyes began to scan the woods for signs outside the ordinary. The trees were all scarred in their own various ways to start with due to years of abuse from not only Alabaster, but many mages before him who had utilized this wood as a right of passage to that which lay hidden within. 

"Perhaps here.. I may finally make some progress..."

He muttered to himself as he trekked through the rugged terrain. He had yet to notice anything particularly striking but that didn't mean it wasn't coming.

Following the path did indeed reveal it to have been made by some small creature, for before him was a thick bush. The trail he's on leads into this bush via a small tunnel. Undaunted, he crawls on through trying his best to not catch a wing on any branches. In the harder ground beneath the bush, he loses the trail but decides to carry on regardless. Finding a less dense area from the inside was easier to do and he was able to spare his wings any further reason to complain. 

Once through the bush, he caught sight of a tall person up ahead. He froze, then crouched, then realised he was still in the open before a bush which would make going back rather tricky, with agile nimbleness, Elrodan crab crawled to behind a nearby tree, just as their head turned his way. 'Did they see me?'. This was the situation he didn't want. No tools or weapons, no way to fly, and no escape. Yet, he needed to know both if the person saw him and... if they were friendly. The second holding precedence in importance. 

Like any terrible player of hide-and-seek, he held tight to the tree trunk and peered around the other side.

It was only typical...

An onlooker. He may or may not have noticed the creature before it had hid behind the arbory, but that bit was absolutely irrelevant now. The great one had a witness to his majesty. Alabaster had chosen to approach the creature as gently and graciously as he could in a time like this. A time where the creature had placed it's orbs of sight upon the absolute fantasy that was himself. "Why hello glorious being. I am Alabaster. If peering at me from behind a tree is your fancy, and you would like, I can show you exactly why this form is worthy of such an act!" Alabaster had taken a pose so that the creature could absorb his glory in it's full while clothed. 


By now one this would be absolutely clear to this creature; he was definitely not any sort of threat in the moment. He seemed to be actually enjoying the notice of another creature, maybe to it's detriment. He was a tall man with dark hair kept a medium length and matted from his travels on foot outside. He wore robes that seemed to be of no real value other than to cover his bits and his body had definitely been a bit through the ringer as evidence of magical burns scarring, and even some tattoos were apparent through his entire form. He didn't carry himself threateningly, but rather so proudly that it was outright uncalled for.

"By the way.. by some chance.. have you seen a rock intended to break souls from their human vestiges? Or anything leading to said rock? Or anything at all really that would be helpful to a god?"

'What the?! A God just walking around these woods? Well they clearly spotted me guess I should stop trying to hide...'. With that, Elrodan slowly comes out from hiding. "My fancy... ohh yer, no. I'm not too fussed about God's an all that. I'm sure thankful when they provide their help an' all, don't get me wrong." he says as the man stands open before him, only to realise if he is a God, saying you don't care is... very possibly not the best plan. "Err... what kind of God are you? Avert ones eyes doesn't seem applicable, you haven't struck me yet so the fear my terrible might also ... not?" he says with a hopeful tone, but then carries on just as quick.

"As to stone... no, as it's not going to just be one like that one here is it... Sounds familiar though, does it only work on humans...? Just asking for a friend who doubted what I said, so having the word of a God confirm it would be handy. What did you say your name was?" giving a half bow then standing back up smiles and rubs the back of his head. As he rubs the back of his head, he finds a sore lump. 'Great another injury from that accursed wind'. "And if you don't mind me asking... where are we?" 

What kind of God are you?

The question rang with Alabaster. It reverberated through his very being. What kind of God was he? It didn't even take him a whole moment to come up with the answer. He would inevitably be a God of magic by the time his story was written. Magic was everything to him after all and he was well aware of where his quest would lead him. "A God of magic of course! What else would such a glorious being as myself be?! Tell me, do you doubt me?" He mulled over the idea of being doubted by something. It wasn't unusual. This being did not know of his absolution. Having heard the being was unaware of where it was managed to ignite an interest in the oddity deep within Alabaster.

"Your are in the Kingswood. It is a forest within the king's valley in the great land of Charon!" It was now Alabaster's turn to eye the creature. Come to think of it, he didn't recall seeing one before. He spent almost the entirety of his life mostly around humans. This creature had wings. Surely it was something he had read on at some point. Perhaps his ignorance in all things other than magic was something he would want to work on before his ascendancy. No. Once he ascended, the knowledge would open itself to him undoubtedly. 

"Tell me.. where do you come from? I am from a village not awfully far from here myself, but those were just my humble beginnings! A stepping stone along the Grand path to divinity!"

He watched the creature more intently now. He was far more curious than he had been moments before.

"God of magic huh... Can't say I've heard of that kind. Well at least you don't look like you're about to rip me apart, always a sign of a good God." he says with a nod of definite approval. "Should I doubt you though?" then thinking about it. "What kind of magic?"

"Kingswood huh? Can't say I've heard of here either. Well... You say you come from around here... looks pretty, must have been nice. Me, I'm from Pelegrithia. Lovely forest, ahh well at least the last time I saw it, it was." As he is reminded of home he drifts off into his own world for a moment before then coming to a realisation. "...Wait... Did you just say on the path to Divinity? So you're not a God?!" Raises an eyebrow.

Who was this person. Were they just some crazy going around saying their a God and trying to build themselves a little cult... 'Uh oh! Bad sort! Bad sort!! Just play it cool...' 

So you're not a god?!

" I never told you I was a God! I will be a God. I've been researching achieving divinity through magic. This is my whole purpose for living. I will find my way to divinity.  It will be the pinnacle of magical achievement. Hence be why I'm looking for this stone that is rumored to free me from this ungodly prison of flesh! My studies so far have led me down the dark and space paths, but dont worry! I don't expect you to have faith in me without a show of prowess!" 

The words escaped him with absolute conviction. It was very clear this man was crystal clear in his ambition regardless how lofty. What could perhaps be gathered was that this man was either a psychopath or an absolute genius by his own words, but the line between the two was often blurred and questionable anyway. He had returned to searching for clues about the rock he definitely had absolutely no real idea about. In the midst of his searching he peaked out through some bushes and he saw before them a few individuals cladded in dark robes. There was. Symbol upon these robes, one he didn't recognize. He studied it, buried it into the deep recesses of his memory. 

As he was studying the symbol one of the people had turned and noticed him. He paid no real mind at first. Everything was fine and dandy until the other two turned around as well and he could no longer see the symbol. "Would one of you mind turning back around so that I can resume quietly studying the symbol on your backs? I haven't ever seen it before and quite frankly it's structure is quite fascinating!" By now two of them had drawn swords and one had begun to pull back the string on a bow. A magical arrow had begun to solidify.


"You dare to raise weapons toward a soon to be diety of magic?! Allow me to show you your foolishness!" He pulled himself back from the brush as the arrow was fired through and rolled himself out of their immediate path. In his hand, mana had begun to gather and take a red hue as he charged a spell for the first unfortunate heathen to chase after him.

Watches the man turn and ignore him... 'Ok well at least he...is talking to someone. And off, well a fight'. Quietly or slowly at least, he crouches and moves into the bush. Peering out through the gaps in the foliage, he can see three assailants. 'This will indeed be a show of power, no doubt about that.'

'Space and dark magic, this really is one of those cultist types. Perhaps I should leave while I have the chance. Then again, it would make one amazing tale for the telling back home... Well I guess it will be a long while before that happens.' Turns his attention back to the fight. 'Who's the bad guy(s) here, him or them. They attacked first without warning... but then again if they're chasing down this cult man for killing off some librarians in the name his knowledge, then why would they. One will give away something soon enough... hopefully in time to figure out which side to take, if any. Maybe staying hidden would be for the best, what else could I do, nibble their ankles.'

Cultists.

The first blade wielding cultist made their way through the brush. The red energy that began to encircle his hand became more equivalent to flames dancing softly. As the man turned his head to peer at Alabaster, he was met by the charged chromatic blast directly to his head. It had taken the form of the fire element for this usage. He had blasted not only the head of the cultist, but the woods and there after him. The fire blast did manage to rip through the trunk leaving behind a hole of flames in it's wake.

"Sorry about your friend. He was asking for it being the first one through the brush." The apology was genuine, and he did peer around the tree to end up nicked in the cheek by a flying arrow. The line cut across his cheek dripped some blood down and he huffed. Using his other hand, he launched inflict wounds right at the bowman's hand. As the ray made direct contact the bowman's hand was coated in small cuts. He shouted in surprise and now closing his second hand was going to be difficult. Bowman down provided he wasn't hiding any surprises.

Where had the second swordsman gone? He pushed through the brush to find the same surprise waiting him as he had instore for the other. A sword was flung out and managed to hook into his flesh and tear about an inch into his arm before he could put some distance between the two of them. He had begun channeling magic into his left hand once again. The swordsman began a direct charge at him. 

The man was a sword user, not a sprinter. The spell would be ready before the man reached him. He would manage to charge the spell first, or so he thought. The swordsman managed to have one trick left up his sleeve, suddenly, the distance between them was closed. Rather than letting his trail to divinity end in him being split in two, he focused earth energy into his hand and fired directly at the man's sword wielding hand. Enough to push and knock the man off balance. With that, Alabaster, in all his godliness, split into brush to gain distance once more.

'They don't appear to be all that proficient, and he does seem to be capable wielder of magic. At least if he is crazy he knows his thing. Though then getting away could be trickier. Well, can't get much worse, and he might at least lead me to somewhere with good and drink'.
With that he considers helping, looking at the floor for a stone or pointy stick. With only twigs to hand he picks up a stone of his size and waited for the chance.

The movement of the swordsman didn't look all that impressive but it was enough to make him a moving target. At last an opportunity presented itself, throwing the stone with as much power as he could do with accuracy, which wasn't all that much, the stone stuck the side of the man's head. It may not be much, but maybe afford the magic godling an opening. Stepping back, he then rustled a branch that ran out to the side away from his position. Double distraction away! One to turn, second to the wrong place.

With that done, he squatted down and tried peering through any gaps he could at what transpired. 

Distractions.

The creature's distraction had definitely done the job. These cultists were too wet behind the ears to be considered anything outside of inexperienced. This next chromatic blast was charged for lightning and Alabaster launched it at the man's chest with no remorse. The man dropped. As he dropped and feel to the ground, Alabaster walked over to him peering about his form carefully. They were definitely all zealots from the same organization. He wondered what they could possibly be looking for.

He made his way back to where he had first seen the cultists. He scoured about the trees there and was about to just call it a wash, but he noticed the tree they had originally been facing had a hollowed out trunk. Alabaster reached in with no air of caution what-so-ever and, though partially expecting something amazing, pulled out an etched stone tablet. 

Alabaster had been through these woods many times before. He had never seen a hollowed out tree trunk like this. This hadn't been here for very long. He looked about the stone tablet. He turned it in various angles and directions. After a few minutes, he tossed it aside. "Bah! Nothing but nonsense! Can you decipher this?!" He had turned to the winged creature. The tablet in itself was rather crude. Should one look at it rather carefully, they would realize it appeared to be a map with notations of geographical significance and a path leading to a poorly carved sun.

Picks up the stone and looks at it. "Oh, it's just some map, look, there's a mountain, but funny though as there's a sun on it. I think it's a sun. Anyway, who puts a sun on a map. Probably just rubbish then. Unless it's an octopus. But it's not at sea. I think they look like that. A sea elf once came to my village saying about all of these funny animals that live in the water out at sea."
Drops the stone and looks up at the tree.
There was something there, in the hole that the stone had come from. He flaps his wings once... "Ouch! Would you be as kind as to lift me up there?" 

Would you be so kind to lift me up there?

A map? That's what the stone was? Alabaster squinted his eyes slightly looking at the small tablet while simultaneously lifting the winged creature as gently as he could. As he pushed his own eyes, the tablet finally revealed it's nature to him. Why on earth did it lead to a sun? Alabaster closed his eyes a moment and tapped his index finger on his temple gently. What was it he was looking for? What did the man say about the rock. His divine archive of things that happened once upon a time was quite fuzzy in reference to the man he had bumped into. 

After a few moments he opened his eyes, walked over to a different tree, and rather abruptly head butted it. This was his usual ritual for recall. The first time all he could recall was his mother holding him telling him he could do anything, which brought forward a, "Well Naturally Divinity can do as it pleases mother!" This lead to headbutt number two. Blood trickled down from where his forehead made contact with the rough bark of the tree.

The warm sensation of the all too human liquid must have warmed up the divine archives because after tumbling back and falling onto his back to the point he was staring straight up at the sky he rose a hand holding up a single finger.

"Ah why yes of course! A path to a sun! The rock! It was called the sol stone I believe?! Perhaps sol, is short for solar!"

With that grand declaration, followed by a soft chuckle and revelry in his own divine genius, Alabaster was outright unconscious. 

Once lifted, Elrodan clung to the trunk and peered into the hole. There was two other objects within that the other hadn't pulled out. First a leaf, he took this and gave it a brief inspection. The leaf was just one of the many others that were otherwise on the tree. Letting it drift to the ground with a spin, he reached back in for the second thing. A small stone box. It was an odd texture, almost as if it had air bubbles in it, as he touched it he nearly recoiled at its unexpected warmth but a secondary feel confirmed it only to be warm and he took it in his hand and held it before himself to look at it. Carved into the lid was a depiction of fire, done in a similar style to the map. With a final check in the hole, he jumped to the ground.

Although listening to the man, Elrodan is transfixed by the little box. Running his finger over the symbol he succumbs to the urge to open the pot. As he does so, several small flames erupt from within leaving little burn marks peppered up his arm. Once they stop, he opens the lid further to see a tiny little flaming ball, a fire mote, small licks of fire stick up like small horns adorn it's head, while just lower, two black dots seem to look back at him. Elrodan smiles, "Hello little one. My name is Elrohir, what's yours?". The small flame, bounces from the box onto his other hand, a small mouth with a blackness like the eyes appears as a circle, although without articulation it emits a pop or click sound before the mouth again disappears. Elrodan blinks, "Sparky? Sparky!" he says with a beaming smile, the little flame's eyes seem to reflect the happiness and it bounce around before flying up besides Elrohir left ear. In the quiet of the forest, he can hear a little crackle. Turning to see what the issue is, he sees Sparky shoot down to the other man now unconscious with a small head wound leaving bloody trails down the face.

"Oh... Oops! Mr Godling, are you ok?" he says, moving over besides him. Extending his index finger, a green glow starts to radiate from it and add he touches the wound, it seals up. "I think you had realised something about that tablet or the sun or that you were saying the tablet was made of rock... No the rock was made of the sun! So you remember?". As Elrodan heals the man, Sparky finishes flying around and settles at the front of Elrodan's forehead, a couple of lose hairs fall and singe leaving the less than pleasant smell of burnt hair.