The Guardless Door

[Lukas]

How very... curious

Lukas stood in the middle of a vast hallway... completely and utterly confused. Before him was a wide arch, framing a door the likes of which he had never seen. It was meant to be incredibly strong, of that there was no doubt, but its face was wrought in the design of a complexly twisted tree, making the door a curious fusion of function and fashion.

"No guards either." Lukas murmured, shooting a glance either way down the hall. Indeed, nobody was in sight, so Lukas tentatively reached out towards the door, despite the fact that there was no handle. Just short of touching the door, he pulled back, chiding himself mentally. "Traps, duh."

With little visible effort, he held his staff out horizontally before him, the ends nearly touching the edges of the arch. As he moved it minutely, light played along the length of the weapon, allowing brief glimpses of a series of symbols rendered upon the ghostly white metal in an even paler shade. Lukas closed his eyes in concentration, like a tiger crouching before the attack, then they shot open, briefly betraying a flash of ice-cold blue light.

From his gauntleted fists burst a similar flash of ice blue energy, traveling toward either end of the staff. As the energy traveled towards the ends, it lit up the pale white symbols, revealing them to be runes of power. For a moment, the energy halted, building at the ends of the staff, before shooting into the frame of the door itself.

Blue arcs of crackling energy played around the doorframe, before Lukas appeared satisfied, withdrew his staff, and simply thrust upon the door, which opened easily at his touch.

Beyond, he saw the life-size rendition of the Twisted Tree, and he could only say (in awe), "The Inner Sanctum."

[Diala]

Kalista had been in her usual place of thought, her peaceful garden, the only place she allowed herself to be for a change, a woman, instead of the Overlord of the armies as well as Queen. She as well, always seemed to ditch her personal guard before coming here, they would find her eventually, they always did.

This day was no different, and she walked along the path to visit her father, her attire made up of a red silken gown that trailed out behind her and flowed gently about her feet as she walked. The air this day was warm, a slight breeze blowing about to bring forth the delightful smells of the garden flowers and the fresh water that ran inside the animated fountain, not all too far from her current position.

She had just stepped off the cobbled path to walk up to the Twisted and thorn riddled tree when she saw him, or rather, the glint of his armor and stopped, or hesitated but decided to move forward her back to the ‘guest’ in her garden.

“I trust you find my place of peace to be yours as well friend.” She stated in a quiet and reserved tone, her onyx eyes moving over the tree, her attention completely on the man standing not far behind her.

She was not so stupid as to ignore him, though she would not let on that he had startled her either. She could feel his movements as well take note his position and though she had no idea who this man was, his attire suggested him a knight, and as such, she was not in a mind to think he would be dishonorable either.

[Lukas]

snap!

The sound was minimal, a tiny sliver of a twig crushed underfoot, something most people wouldn't even notice. However, Lukas had spent much time in the forests of the world during his travels, and had more-or-less trained himself to be a rather competent tracker.

His senses as hairline sensitive as they were, Lukas nearly swung his staff at the sound. However, he stayed his hand, especially when he caught sight of his target.

To call her merely beautiful was like calling the Mona Lisa a fingerpainting, nay, the woman that Lukas saw was more than beautiful. She was... statuesque. Clad in a gown of crimson satin that seemed to set her very body aflame, Lukas involuntarily reined in his dropped jaw.

Even more surprising was, as he was about to reply, he caught a 'whiff' of her prescence, like how someone migt take the measure of a newcomer by the look in her eyes. Lukas could sense by the woman's posture that, not only did she expect loyalty, her very prescence seemed to DEMAND it. That, of course, made the list of suspects rather narrow.

Kneeling upon the mossy ground, Lukas simply said, "My apoligies, your Majesty. I did not mean to intrude."

[Diala]

Kalista allowed the corners of her lips to slide into a small grin. She had been correct, once again, in her judgment of this man. He was indeed a knight, this was made apparent the moment his knee touched the ground. She didn’t even need to turn around to know he had done so.

Now, she turned, allowing her lips to maintain that warm grin she held on her features as she gazed down upon the man. He was definitely what she would consider a good-looking male, massive in size, his long locks however suggested he definitely was not from around here, not one of her own army. She then allowed herself a few moments to admire his armor; as well his weapon before she inclined her head to him and offered him her hand.

“You are not intruding sir, this is a place of thought, a place for all those friendly to Karador to visit, if they wish. For if it were not, then there would be guards at the entrances, I would think.” She replied, her tone nothing more than honest and sincere. “Please, rise, as well, formalities are not enforced here, I do though appreciate your knowledge. Tell me, if thou will, thine name.” She said, her old dialect coming forth, as it did, from time to time.

[Lukas]

Lukas bowed his head momentarily as he rose, long brown hair sweeping forward to brush at the sides of his face as he came to a full-standing position, towering over the Queen (though he was not surprised)

His face split into a tiny smile as she slipped into the Old Tongue, "My name, m'lady, is Lukas Volgaras, of the East." He spoke clearly and crisply, without the oddly tinged accent he had had before.

[Diala]

Magnificent was her thought as the Knight stood, nay, towered before her. Though, of course, she would not allow her thought to reach her face, she found this man to be more than simply good-looking; he was, in fact, perfect. She did however, allow her gaze to fall on his hair as the locks moved forward to fall about his features a moment as he bowed his head, though her eyes soon found his gaze once he was standing, of course, she was now looking upwards to keep eye contact.

“It is a pleasure to meet you, I am, as you have guessed, Kalista Karador, Overlord to the Karadorian Army and Queen, though, if you would please, reduce it to simply Kalista, it would make for much easier conversation.” She said, a slight spark of mirth showing in her deep onyx gaze as she spoke, telling him that she was not above making light of situations, or herself for that matter.

She then reached up with one hand and brushed a few locks of her long raven hair from her face, placing them behind her ear and then turned again to the tree that stood towering over the both of them.

“What brings you to the Lands of Karador then, Lukas?” She asked, her tone now moving into that of light conversation.

Kalista had a habit of studying those she didn’t know, and it usually came from the simplest conversations that she found she would get to know about them, instead of scrutinizing and poking into places that might be considered rude, though, being who she was, she knew there was many other ways she could gather information, she detested such usage of spies and the like, thinking it just that, rude.

[Lukas]

"It is not something so simple."

Lukas rose from his crouch without being bade to rise, like a person who had satisfied some meager point of ceremony and was glad to be done with it. He even gave his body a minor shake, like a dog shaking off an oppressive blanket.

"There is no simple reasoning behind why I came here, of all places. Frankly, it is as good a place as any to be, compared to my homeland." Lukas' voice grew distant, visibly straining to dredge up his past.

"In my country, men like me, skilled with both steel and mana... we are not so common. In fact, we are so UNcommon, that we are considered, how do you say... freaks? I was forced to flee home at a young age and have been living everywhere, here, there, EVERYWHERE." Lukas said softly, leaning visibly on his staff for support.

After a moment, he raised his head to regard Kalista with a noncommittal gaze, "Why are YOU here? In this place?" What brings YOU to Karador?"

[Diala]

Kalista shook her head slowly a small smile remaining on her lips after he had spoken, a sort of soft knowing for what he spoke.

“For what reason am I here?” She raised a shapely brow at him as her head turned once again to gaze at the man standing next to her. “Why sir, I was born here, raised here, fought for the survival of all humanity right in the spot we stand now, this is my home, has been even before I took my first breath of its fresh air.” She paused to regard him for a few moments, wondering if he knew just where here was. Surely he would know of Karador, the main center of all that happened over 2000 years before.

A small breeze started up and the hem of her dress rustled in its grasping fingers for a moment, as she remained quiet for a few more moments before she would speak again.

“And no Lukas, Karador is not just as good a place as any, it is far better than most, even in its darkest times, like now, its people are family, my people are the heart and soul of what makes the world turn…” She paused, a look of what could be described as no less than love in her eyes as she spoke of her people. “Or, at least, it is as such in mine own eyes.” She finished, once again turning her gaze back to the gnarled and twisted monstrosity that bore semblance to a tree.

[Lukas]

Lukas nodded briefly, bobbing his head with the slight motion of affirmation, "So it is." His voice was even, tinged slightly with a sense of darkened disbelief.

Calmly, he set aside his staff, laying it with careful reverence upon the ground at the base of the tree. "It must be nice, to be born into a world that accepts you for what you are." With brusque, but quick motions, Lukas started undoing the clasps of his breastplate, lifting it over his head and setting it aside.

"It must be nice, to be born to a people that will accept the gifts that you are given." With a light, whispering slap, his gloves hit the ground, followed closely by his bracers. With a grunt of effort, he removed his chainmail shirt, followed closely by the normal shirt he wore underneath.

Now, Lukas was naked from the waist up... and what an unsettling sight he was. All over his torso and arms, his skin was a road map of ghostly white slashes and blotches, remnants of old cuts and burns. In some places, GOUGES of a flesh had been ripped away, leaving odd-looking dents in his body. With a slow, contemptuous turn, Lukas turned his back to Kalista, showing near-identical wounds splayed across his back... except for his shoulders.

The area across his shoulderblades was remarkably wound-free... except for the word branded across his back, "Языческо" Lukas said aloud, knowing it would be the brand that drew her attention. "In my country, it means 'Heathen'. A person like me is born once every 100 years... if the mother is not found first and slain." He inhaled deeply, causing the muscles in his torso to ripple and the scars to glow an angry red, "I have fought for my very survival since I was no higher than a man's waist, so you will understand if I do not believe in this concept of family." His face seized up, as if he desperately wanted to spit upon the word he had just uttered.

[Diala]

Her gaze still running along the twisted mass before them, she heard the first sounds as the buckles began to open and the leather to slide from the metal clasps when he began to remove his armor. She allowed her gaze to move slowly over to him as she watched, a curious and most quizzical appearance in her onyx stare. And stare it was, as she wondered what motivated this movement of the Knight. It didn’t take long for him to discard the remnants of his upper potions, allowing her eyes to fall upon his battle-ridden torso. This, not surprising as she had spent many a long day on the field of battle herself and had seen first hand what a sword or magical blast could well do to a mans flesh. She felt the urge, of course, to reach out and run a finger lightly through the scares she ran her eyes over, but of course, did not react to the feeling, and when he turned, her eyes did indeed fall upon the brand place there, just as he knew they would and she now tilted her head to the side in thought as he went on to explain what it was and from whence it had come.

“Family…” She returned the word he seemed to find so foul. “Indeed, I can now understand your distaste for such a word, those who have not had nor tasted the bond often see it as a foul thought.” She continued, her eyes no longer affixed on his great and most tortured torso but moving instead to the gnarled tree once more, the resting place of her father and the very place of her greatest fears.

There was further silence until the rustle of her gown could be heard as she rounded the tree, falling from his sight for a few moments, only to appear again now standing before him, her warm onyx gaze settling on his facial features before they finally found his own eyes. “I should like to allow you the opportunity to understand what family entails, if you would so much as grant me the opportunity, Lukas.” She said, her voice soft, her gaze most sincere. “I offer you a home, as well, a position in my army, if you should find it acceptable. I realize it is not much, but it is what I can offer you.” She continued. A bold move on her part, and quite forward, but she was not a woman with time to beat about the bush.

[Lukas]

"Hmm."

Lukas seemed to openly ponder her offer, brows knit together in concentration. With deliberate care, he donned his undershirt, covering his scars from outside view. Then, with a whispering clink of metals rebounding off of each other, he donned his chainmail shirt as well.

"Hmm."

With well-practiced motions, he strapped on his bracers and slipped on his gloves, fists clenching to see if he had them on comfortably; he did. Then, he donned his breastplate, doing the clasps without even looking at them. Only after Lukas had finished 'putting himself back together' did he look up at Kalista.

"Show me. Show me that this is a place worth saving, a place worth fighting for."

[Diala]

Kalista stood silently, watching as the play of thought ran across his features and waited as he donned his armor once again. She was a very busy woman, but she had the patience of a rock, should the case require. She knew she had offered him a great deal to think on, and did not expect an answer right away, nor did she get one, this made her smile just as well as did his remark. For it showed her that he was not so blind as to jump into something that he knew not about.

"Show me. Show me that this is a place worth saving, a place worth fighting for."

Those words made the smile that had crept over her features as she watched and waited grow ever more, for she knew that this land, this Kingdome, as well as its people, were worth every bit of anyone’s time and energy to not just fight for, but indeed, give their lives for.

“Very well.” She started, her onyx eyes now sparking with delight.

Kalista inclined her head to the Knight and then stepped to his side, facing the opposite direction as he, her long tresses of dark raven hair following her few steps, moving like the soft silk of her gown as she took those few steps forward and then stopped, her hair falling about her strong, slender shoulders. “Let us go greet the world of Karador, I will be more than pleased to accompany you wherever our feet may wonder.” She said and then began walking back in the direction she had come, and not toward the door that was closest, the one he had found, but back to the old cobbled path that wound its way from sight through her garden.

[Lukas]

For a moment, he stood in silence with Kalista, continuing to stare in the same direction he had been looking at. For a moment, they were perfect union of opposites; East meets West. Standing completely still, facing two opposite horizons... there was a poem in there somewhere.

Lukas pivoted calmly on one booted heel, a smile splitting his battle-hardened features. A Queen willing to step from her lofty perch to lead a paranoid warrior about her own city... that took guts. A woman truly of her people... she would be a great politician.

"Let us go, then." He echoed, following her footsteps towards the ancient path.

[Diala]

Kalista continued down the cobbled path, the sun shining down upon the land warming the flowers, brining their beautiful scent out to be carried along on the soft breeze that continued to blow gently through the garden.

She knew a man of his size, would have no problem catching up the few paces head start she had, and soon, she would notice his presence at her side once again. She took a right turn down the path, and now they walked beneath the great trees of the orchard, a gazebo standing in all its beauty to their left, and a few paces to the front and to their right could be seen a Crypt, closed and sealed, heavily guarded and decorated with scenes of battle, a General’s resting place and one in her own personal garden. Her personal guards followed, but at a distance, as they continued. Normally, she would have dismissed them altogether, but with all that had been transpiring, she never knew just when they might come in handy, even with this Knight at her side, one never quite knew what they would, or could run into. When they came to and began to pass the crypt, the guards, instead of bowing, saluted her as they passed; she in turn inclined her head towards them and then smiled softly before returning her attention forward again.

The entire walk, Kalista remained silent, her thoughts on a great many things one of which was the man walking beside her now. She wondered on things such as what fate it was that had brought him to her garden, and more to the point, through that door, how he had found it, when not all were capable of even seeing that it even existed, the charms set on it designed to hide it from view of outside eyes. This was the reason he did not startle her, this was the reason she did not call forth the sword of Karador from the realm in which it resided for her hand to take at a moments notice, it was because some how, he had found his way there, and that meant, he belonged. Of course, there was always the chance that it was simply a glitch in the spell, though that was near impossible, she just never made those kinds of mistakes.

Ahead of them now rose a huge Hedge, the path seemed to end there, though not to Kalista, as she could see the gate, once again charmed to not exist to outside eyes. She wondered if he too saw it, though did not say a word, simply continued on their current path towards the would-be dead-end. IF he walked through, then she would know for certain, if he stopped and did not open the gate for her, as any Knight would, had he known it existed, she would know for certain that he truly was here because he truly did belong.

[Lukas]

As they continued along the path, Lukas became more and more curious.

By all appearances, their journey dead-ended at a rather large, formidable hedge, yet Kalista continued onwards, as if unconcerned by the formidable foliage. Lukas started to open his mouth to point this out, but before he could speak, he noticed something rather... peculiar.

What the hell?

As they drew closer to the hedge, by and large it remained unchanged, except for the part that framed the path upon which Lukas and Kalista were currently walking. THAT part seemed to grow paler, and more translucent, as they got closer and closer. The deep green hedge became more of a translucent white fog, shrouding a... gate? Yes, there was certainly a wrought iron gate barring the way. Before Lukas could debate whether it was real, or just a trick of his mind, they were only a few steps away.

"Allow me." He said quietly, and with a wave of his hand, accompanied by a soft blue glow, the gate unlatched itself and swung open, allowing them unfettered access to the world beyond.