Tyran

A odd feeling settled in my stomach as I watched Tyran make a small bow. Just by looking at him I could tell that this player was cut from a different cloth than the rest of us. He carried himself with confidence that was rarely found in people.

I returned his bow, "I am Elizabeth Almeria, what brings you to Hadran?"

"Well, quite fortunate for me, this conversation is what brings me to Hadran." He replied. He looked me over and I resisted the urge to snap at him. "The rumors didn't seem to appreciate your beauty milady."

The sincere tone he took as well as the look in his eyes told me that it wasn't an attempt at flatter, which made it all the more difficult to understand. What did he want, surely it was not to settle here, there were rumors circulating that a few of the larger cities had survived the Sundering and were thriving again.

"Is there somewhere private we could discuss? Or at least take seats?" He asked, glancing at Caleb.

"Of course," I turned to Caleb, "could you ask aunt Kathy to make some refreshments for our guest."

He nodded and scampered off, clutching his wooden sword to his chest. I turned back to Tyran. "My study should suffice no? Unfortunately I do not have a proper place to greet guests."

After we made our way to my study we settled into the chairs infront of my desk, I did not wish to seem aloof. Kathy served tea, though it was rather weak and not completely appropriate for this situation. She stood just inside the study watching Tryan's every move like a hawk.

Tyran took a moment to drink from his cup before setting it back down, a somewhat disappointed look had crossed his face when he had sipped his tea. "It is rather well made madam, truly something to make those who make a living from it envious."

Kathy remained silent, hostility seemed to pour from her. She seemed to wish to take a wooden ladle and beat Tyran with it. Later, I would talk to her about it later.

He set the cup down and looked at me. "I consider myself quite fortunate to be able to meet you, perhaps it was preordained?" He said almost philosophically.

"Oh? Why is that Sir Tyran?" I asked.

"Simple really, You're special, far more so than you know. There are... fifty one like you. You have... a destiny almost." He said.

"I wish to help you." He said in a straightforward manner that took me off guard.

"You? Wish to help me." I parroted, still somewhat taken aback by what he had just said. What could he possibly hope to gain by helping me? I had no abundance of wealth, the land the village was situated on had little value at the moment.

"What do you hope to gain?" I asked, almost like it was a challenge.

Tyran smiled bitterly, "A friend who won't betray me."

To receive such a straightforward answer surprised me, and that from the manner in which he spoke meant that he was either a very good lair, or someone in his past had betrayed him, and that wound ran quite deep.

It didn't seem it was something he was willing to discuss, so I let that small matter drop, not that I was going to let it go in it's entirety, but for the moment it was best to set it aside. But, an epiphany struck me. How had he know where Hadran was, he needed to know in order to find it, and to my knowledge there was no map that Hadran was located on.

"How did you know where Hadran was?" I asked. I recalled the great many bulletins on the forum of how people were searching for Hadran. It was like the searches for the fountain of youth. Yet he had not acted in the least surprised to know that this was Hadran.

He cleared his throat. "It's difficult to describe how I know in a manner that you could comprehend." He paused for a few moments then shook his head, "actually it isn't, I was just thinking about it wrong."

"I had these visions of a particular future." He leaned back as if it was a long story. And a tale it was. He spun tales of great cities, trade, prosperity. Kingdoms rising from the ashes of the Sundering to reclaim the lands that had been lost since. Of those kingdoms overstepping their bounds and battling a great empire. A war which had spanned half a continent for three years.

He told the tale as if he himself had been there, which was odd as he could not have. It must have been a vision granted to him by Gom, for who else could try to influence the world in such a great and subtle manner. With this new revelation in my heart I swore to oppose this great empire Tyran spoke of, of how it laid waste to great swathes of land.

Tyran and I, we were similar, both tools of the gods. I was a tool of Zystim, he was a tool of Gom. What could this meeting be but the will of all the gods? To prevent such a terrible war from happening?

"Very well Tyran, let us help each other." I said, feeling as if purpose had been given to me.