- Sleeping Dragon Inn - (2 days later)
Vect groaned and shifted slightly in his bed. His body ached, but that was nothing compared to the throbbing in his head. His eyes slowly opened to adjust to the light coming from beside his bed.
"Ah, good. You're awake," a familiar voice said cheerily.
Vect turned his head toward the voice and his eyes narrowed. "You look worse than I feel, Duinir. Shouldn't you be in the bed?" Vect's old mentor sat in a chair beside Vect's bed, a book in one hand and his other in a sling. Bandages were wrapped all around him; left forearm, entire right arm and hand was cradled in the sling, around his neck and forehead, and judging from the cane nearby Vect guessed his legs were hurt aswell.
Duinir started to chuckle, but was quickly stopped by a grunt as he clutched his left side. "Don't make me laugh my lord. It aggravates my ribs."
Vect began to feel guilty that he was in bed and Duinir was the one in worse shape. He quickly sat up and was met with a sudden dizziness.
"No need to get up, believe me when I say I've looked far worse," Duinir said.
Vect went to place one hand on his head in some attempt to ease his splitting headache, but stopped short when he glimpsed his hand. His nails, while having returned to their original coloration, were longer and resembled talons slightly. Additionally, a few isolated and black scales were still on his body.
Vect glanced at the mirror that hung over the dresser. The roots of his hair had changed from their usual blond color to a bright red that faded back to blond near the end. Feeling around his mouth with his tongue, Vect found his canines were slightly longer and much sharper.
"Taking inventory," Duinir asked as though reading Vect's mind.
"I had mental prepared myself for the fact that I wouldn't be the same if I went through with the druid training...but," he ran his hand through his hair, "it's still a little strange."
"Having second thoughts?"
Vect smiled, "no, never. Meeting Erress has been a wonderful experience for me."
(It is good you think so too little one.) Erress remarked.
"Where are you- Oh there," Vect asked looking around and then spotting the dragon's spirit vessel laying on the nightstand next to him. His hand began to reach out for it, but then his hand slowly withdrew and his attitude became more somber.
"Did...did I hurt anyone?"
Duinir was silent.
"Please tell me. I'll find out one way or another."
"How much do you remember?"
Vect closed his eyes and thought back to the arena.
"We were fighting. And Salazar suggested we join to help with the battle. We did and...and," Vect found he was having trouble recounting the events immediately after he joined with Erress. He closed his eyes tighter as he concentrated on trying to recall what happened next.
"There was- fire, pain, blood, screaming," Vect's hands balled into fists as images raced through his mind, both from the arena and from one night that felt so far away. "And a voice..."
"What kind of voice?"
"It started out so quiet, like a whisper. It urged me on, even guiding me some. I thought it was Erress until it grew louder and then it began to tell me things. 'I am above all that I fought. They don't deserve to live.' Then before I knew it, my movements were responding to its commands. Oh gods..." his nails were digging into his palms and threatened to draw blood.
"What? What is it," Duinir leaned forward.
"I saw over and over again that night. I saw it happen again and again, and all I wanted to do was slaughter them all! It offered me the power and I took it," Vect opened his eyes showing their now bright golden color. Duinir steeled himself to not show any reaction to these eyes that felt like they were threatening to burn his very soul. Vect's voice was yelling, he was clearly distraught at being pulled in like he was. "I lost control. I was a prisoner in my own body, but could see everything," his distressed attitude shifted to fearful concern, "oh gods, is Jack alright?"
"Relax, he is fine. No damage besides some sore ribs. You didn't hurt anyone else, but rather pushed back a large horde of monsters. You can take some solace in that," Duinir stood up and placed his good hand on Vect's shoulder reassuringly.
Vect looked up at his old mentor with sadness in his eyes, "I could have killed everyone because of my hatred. What can I do," tears began to well up in his eyes.
"You learn from your mistakes. If nothing is learned then you have truly failed."
Vect nodded slowly, his eyes shifting slowly back to their original green coloration.
"Now, get some rest. Erress can help fill you in on what you missed."
Vect laid back down and let sleep take him as Duinir walked out of the room and closed the door behind him.
-
As Duinir closed the door, a magical veil descended over it and blocked all sound from entered the bedroom. He looked around the suite's living room at the gathered instructors. They had been seeing through his eyes and listening through his ears everything that Vect had said.
"Well," Duinir asked expectantly.
"I relent in my accusations," Paladin Lovelace bowed.
"Aye, he is no monster. He doesn't have the eyes of a murderer," Orgo, the dwarf blacksmith instructor, nodded.
"I still feel he is a threat and needs to be locked up," Sir Dupree sneered.
"The lad made a mistake. He will learn from it. Of this I am certain," Duinir sat down in the nearby chair.
"Then it is settled. No action will be taken against him," Headmaster Milton scanned around the room for objections. There were no outright objections, but some grumbled a little. "Then we are done with this and can continue our meeting tomorrow. Until then."
Most of the occupants left save Milton, Gratz, and Gorg, who were invited to stay for dinner in the tavern.
After the last had left and the door shut, a second veil dropped over it and made the room more private.
"Well?"
"Whatever that thing was, I have been able to close its influence off from him for now. It will not be able to forcefully control him, but it can possibly still be heard. He will just have to find a way to deal with this himself. I know it sounds callous, but I am at a loss for once," Shaman Gratz explained.
"He is a good person. Simple words won't steer him the wrong way," Duinir stated.
"People that think that are usually the most susceptible to a silver tongue," Milton countered.
"I will watch over him as best I can, despite my...affliction."
"I owe you much elf," Gorg bowed his head.
"We have watch each other's backs for years, it's what friends do," Duinir smiled.
"One more thing. I sensed his body's inherent mana had increased. It's possible that the temporary joining may have 'woken' it up."
"So in addition to having a new voice in his head, the lord has the potential to use magic when he wasn't able to before, great," Duinir sighed. "I could use a drink."
"I'll buy the first 3 rounds," Milton offered.