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a pic that helped me get to finishing writing The World That Once Was Part 4Ren looked down at the collapsed figure. Be it the nightmarish tales from his home or some of the more fanciful epics by fantasy authors.. Elves.. Well this wasn't what he imagined them to look like, at least she hadn't been vomiting. To contrast, he looked to Lazura, still the ever confident woman. He still felt cold inside but pondered that the witch seemed more like the depiction of a elfs behavior right now than the passed out blond in green tights.The duo had stopped in the forest after walking a full 2 miles into it from the village. It had seemed even anger over the revelation that this blue haired witch had been the mentor to their tormentor had’ent overclouded their reason and they probably couldn't take such a woman and their bodyguard who had just slain a monster in one blow, that or maybe the fact that Ren had offered the massive free meal had allowed them a little bit of forgiveness, at least enough to not follow them 2 miles into a dark wood.There was a mumbling, but not from the woods as they turned to see the elf rise drunkenly but still with some grace, mayhaps she was the genuine article. Ren and Lazura both watched as she walked up to a tree and seemed to use it like a vanity mirror, neither sure if it was a drunken haze or some elf thing. “Thanks for picking up my tab” she spoke as she turned to leave. “And as payment for that we need a guide” spoke Lazura as she grabbed her coat, so she walked in place not moving.It took the elf about a minute to realize she wasn't getting anywhere and so stopped to answer. “Ok” she said with a slight sigh “ where does the witch and her familiar..” Ren interjected “ servant” he wanted to say bodyguard but that contract he was under did make him more a servant than bodyguard. The elf paused, her actions clearly slow to reach her brain, “Servent.. Want to go?”. It was still clear she was drunk from the time last night even if it had been several hours since then, the amount of alcohol she had to have imbibed must have been considerable. Lazura crossed her arms keeping her staff in hand “we are looking for a Sorceress in the area, from what we have heard she is in a large tower somewhere in the area” once more a pause before the elf answered “ what that one?” she said pointing at a large tower visible from above the tree canopy, Lazura looking somewhat angry from failing to notice it earlier, but she quickly managed to turn that round to make it look like it hadn't been the case “ yes but were sure the local landscape is more likely difficult and elves are supposed to be attuned to the landscape, even a drunk one would be better than the average human guide”. Following another pause the elf replied “ very well, I suppose I owe you for the bill, let's go”.Ren looked at the elf’s get up, mostly a figure hugging pair of tights and some kind of top that didn't leave much in the way for baggage, the whole thing gave a leafy feel to it sure there were boots and gloves that were brown but contrasting her green cape she could probably disappear into some leaves easily, either way not much space for carrying round anything, let alone bottles of beer, so she should be sober after a while. “Oh and fami...servant boy catch” something was flung right at him, but Ren caught it perfectly right in front of his face, a bottle of gin.The trio eventually came to the boundary of the tower, the journey had been a fair bit harder than expected, and it seemed Lazura was right in getting an elf. Looking at it closer it seemed to be an old structure, a watch tower perhaps but since then repurposed. Parts of the tower seemed stretched and new elements were attached, oh and a large boundary wall around the grounds. “Well here we are” said the elf “i'll be on my way” Lazura then glared at her. “No you are going to wait here for us to come back, after all i'm going to need you around for quite awhile after this. But I suppose a good guarantee of your acceptance of that is in order.” she brought out the Gin bottle the elf had thrown at Ren earlier. “I'll give this back to you when I come back”.She gave the bottle a little wiggle and saw the reaction she wanted to see in the elfs eyes. “ But If we are to be compatriots together for the foreseeable future I will need a name to call you by”. What Ren saw seemed strange, different, before the elf had just been some silly drunk, but now… a sadness crept into her eyes, it wasn't when the bottle was waved but when Lazura asked for a name, it seemed like it stung at something deep in her. “You can call me Breeze'' the elf spoke, no sign of the drunk in that utterance. '' Then Breeze you may call me Lazura the raven witch, and this is Ren” Ren made sure to give a polight wave, even empty he still remembered the lessons on how to act politely to people.Coming up to the large doors the now duo stopped and Lazura wondered up to it, she pondered a moment before bringing out her staff and tappening on the door, black feathers seemed to wirl round that came out of nowhere, or perhaps the staff was the source either way the door opened on its own.Inside was some kind of barracks, which seemed to be made in the same unnatural way as the walls had been. Ren could see there wasn't enough room or supplies to maintain the size of force that must be in here so they probably were raiding the local areas with no regard to maintaining themselves with their own. Some of those forces were suddenly rapidly charging at the duo, Ren getting a good look at them. The armour seemed rather impractical, at least from how he understood it. Yes they wore armour and leg guards, but the only armour over their toso was a single chest piece with some kind of arcane symbol in the middle. The armour was also a colourful purple just as the people in the village had said, and other areas of the body covered in a strange shiny tight black material. The mens covered the whole way down to their feet while the womens styled as if some sort of armoured swimsuit. While those parts were different all of them wore a purple helm that covered the top part of their head, The areas where eye holes were having a black pattern looking like a mask with glowing holes where the eyes would be obscuring them, the helm also having more of that arcane symbols. Ren pondered that though bizarre it did seem to work together for some reason. They charged with all sorts of weapons, swords and shields, spears he even saw a few in the back readying bows. Since the sword Ren had used early had broken under the strain he did consider unshelving what was on his back, though decided against it. It would be better to knock one of them out and take their weapon to fight back.Just as the small army and the swordsman were about to clash Lazura spoke up “ Vivian!” at the utterance of this the army suddenly stopped completely. As one they all stood at attention in a path leading to the tower. Ren looked at Lazura a little confused as she just smiled back at him.They walked to the tower, around 100 of the sorceresses minions on either side of them, all perfectly still and at attention. “Are these the people she enslaved?” Ren asked wanting to break the silence “ oh indeed some fine work on the magical enslavement, outfits are a little showy offy.. Hmm that's not even a word” she callously replied, talking so casually about the magical enslavement of all these people. The two eventually came to the towers door and before Lazura could open it like the last one they glowed a deep lavender and opened to a rather pleasant smell, which was welcoming until they saw the seemingly endless stairs before them.After a amount of time climbing that Ren had lost interest in counting after Lazura demanded she be carried up after the first minute they came to a lavish chamber. Purple silk, purple everything filled the room as a woman in a royal purple gown stood before a bed “My old teacher, I wondered when I would see you again.” she said calmly with a false sense of accommodation, one lazura was quick to return. “ Vivian my old student” before she quickly walked over to a bookshelf and took a tome “ we will be leaving now” she then spoke. “You have an interesting familiar with you, I too have acquired a new servant” Ren looked and saw another one of those minions of her, but seeing the red messy hair he instantly realized who it was, the young adventurer that had asked him to join her group yesterday. “You just missed each other, she fought so strongly as even her team fell. I just had to make her mine, and it was such a nice reward wasn't it?” she said running her and over the chest piece “ yes Sorceress. I exist to serve you” the girl spoke almost soullessly.Lazura continued to show no interest just looking out at the window. “ now that you have so rudely entered my abode, I think i'll add you to my servants” the sorceress finally broke the false accommodating tone to one of aggression before being silenced by Lazura pointing her staff at her with a glowing magical glare “You remember all my ravens? Who they used to be? Do you not think I didn't put a similar enchantment on you? With one word in you would fly to my side like all of them, reduced in mind like they were” this threat sent a clear chill down the sorceresses spine as she backed off “you… you dont think your going to get down the towers stairs before my minions form on you!” she said, trying to reclame control. “My dear Vivian, such a constrained girl, such lacking in imagination. Ren, jump out the window.”Ren didn't want to jump out the window, but he felt the pang of that contract against and couldn't stop himself. He had to trust that Lazura wasn't planning on landing on his bloodied remains to soften the landing as even he would be coming out of a fall this high unharmed, at best he would be quite a lot shorter with considerably constrained leg movements. He had little to fear though as he heard the start of a incantation from Lazura, Black feathers began to swarm round them again until a large raven formed around them, Ren also heard a large yell of joy coming from the witch, she had been telling the truth about wanting to get out of that cottage.Landing on the ground Ren had little time to question why She hadn't just flown them over the wall before one of the minions nearby rammed something onto Ren’s head. All of a sudden he could feel a strange alien sensation fill him, not too much unlike when he made the contract with Lazura. He could hear muffled groans from Lazura but... they seemed to not be important to him. Next he saw her fighting some of the minions that had managed to see and act quick enough, but he didn't want to stop them, oddly he felt like he should join them in fighting her. It was such a pleasant experience, the power in some unknown way telling him to surrender, the others were coming to give him his armour and when it was on, he would serve his true mistress.And yet, something was not right. Seeing the woman fight the sorceress minions seemed wrong to him despite the power telling him it was right. He looked deep inside and remembered the feeling of Lazura’s contract. Yes if he could cling to that he could use one spell against the other. Just as 2 of the minions were about to remove his clothes to place his new armour on him he managed to pull off the helmet and dash to Lazura. Like he had planned earlier he gave one a swift blow to the stomach winding them before grabbing their Sword and disarming the immediate group in a quick blow. Ren Grabbed Lazura and jumped into the air as the witch used another spell and this time did throw them over the wall.“Very well, I will admit I should have done that from the start. Seems old vivian was a little more prepared than I had initially planned” Lazura spoke as they came back to the woods for the waiting breeze, handing her the gin. “ Well time for our next target..” Ren then interrupted “No, were not leaving that place like that” Lazura paused while Breeze was enjoying the drink. Ren might feel empty inside, but he knows what he saw there was wrong and he couldn't just let that sorceress remain to terrorize more people. as this is what the sorceresses controled minions look like. This one in particular is that adventurer that appeared in part 3. I got the design worked out before writing it hence why the picture is older.

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Description
a pic that helped me get to finishing writing The World That Once Was Part 4Ren looked down at the collapsed figure. Be it the nightmarish tales from his home or some of the more fanciful epics by fantasy authors.. Elves.. Well this wasn't what he imagined them to look like, at least she hadn't been vomiting. To contrast, he looked to Lazura, still the ever confident woman. He still felt cold inside but pondered that the witch seemed more like the depiction of a elfs behavior right now than the passed out blond in green tights.The duo had stopped in the forest after walking a full 2 miles into it from the village. It had seemed even anger over the revelation that this blue haired witch had been the mentor to their tormentor had’ent overclouded their reason and they probably couldn't take such a woman and their bodyguard who had just slain a monster in one blow, that or maybe the fact that Ren had offered the massive free meal had allowed them a little bit of forgiveness, at least enough to not follow them 2 miles into a dark wood.There was a mumbling, but not from the woods as they turned to see the elf rise drunkenly but still with some grace, mayhaps she was the genuine article. Ren and Lazura both watched as she walked up to a tree and seemed to use it like a vanity mirror, neither sure if it was a drunken haze or some elf thing. “Thanks for picking up my tab” she spoke as she turned to leave. “And as payment for that we need a guide” spoke Lazura as she grabbed her coat, so she walked in place not moving.It took the elf about a minute to realize she wasn't getting anywhere and so stopped to answer. “Ok” she said with a slight sigh “ where does the witch and her familiar..” Ren interjected “ servant” he wanted to say bodyguard but that contract he was under did make him more a servant than bodyguard. The elf paused, her actions clearly slow to reach her brain, “Servent.. Want to go?”. It was still clear she was drunk from the time last night even if it had been several hours since then, the amount of alcohol she had to have imbibed must have been considerable. Lazura crossed her arms keeping her staff in hand “we are looking for a Sorceress in the area, from what we have heard she is in a large tower somewhere in the area” once more a pause before the elf answered “ what that one?” she said pointing at a large tower visible from above the tree canopy, Lazura looking somewhat angry from failing to notice it earlier, but she quickly managed to turn that round to make it look like it hadn't been the case “ yes but were sure the local landscape is more likely difficult and elves are supposed to be attuned to the landscape, even a drunk one would be better than the average human guide”. Following another pause the elf replied “ very well, I suppose I owe you for the bill, let's go”.Ren looked at the elf’s get up, mostly a figure hugging pair of tights and some kind of top that didn't leave much in the way for baggage, the whole thing gave a leafy feel to it sure there were boots and gloves that were brown but contrasting her green cape she could probably disappear into some leaves easily, either way not much space for carrying round anything, let alone bottles of beer, so she should be sober after a while. “Oh and fami...servant boy catch” something was flung right at him, but Ren caught it perfectly right in front of his face, a bottle of gin.The trio eventually came to the boundary of the tower, the journey had been a fair bit harder than expected, and it seemed Lazura was right in getting an elf. Looking at it closer it seemed to be an old structure, a watch tower perhaps but since then repurposed. Parts of the tower seemed stretched and new elements were attached, oh and a large boundary wall around the grounds. “Well here we are” said the elf “i'll be on my way” Lazura then glared at her. “No you are going to wait here for us to come back, after all i'm going to need you around for quite awhile after this. But I suppose a good guarantee of your acceptance of that is in order.” she brought out the Gin bottle the elf had thrown at Ren earlier. “I'll give this back to you when I come back”.She gave the bottle a little wiggle and saw the reaction she wanted to see in the elfs eyes. “ But If we are to be compatriots together for the foreseeable future I will need a name to call you by”. What Ren saw seemed strange, different, before the elf had just been some silly drunk, but now… a sadness crept into her eyes, it wasn't when the bottle was waved but when Lazura asked for a name, it seemed like it stung at something deep in her. “You can call me Breeze'' the elf spoke, no sign of the drunk in that utterance. '' Then Breeze you may call me Lazura the raven witch, and this is Ren” Ren made sure to give a polight wave, even empty he still remembered the lessons on how to act politely to people.Coming up to the large doors the now duo stopped and Lazura wondered up to it, she pondered a moment before bringing out her staff and tappening on the door, black feathers seemed to wirl round that came out of nowhere, or perhaps the staff was the source either way the door opened on its own.Inside was some kind of barracks, which seemed to be made in the same unnatural way as the walls had been. Ren could see there wasn't enough room or supplies to maintain the size of force that must be in here so they probably were raiding the local areas with no regard to maintaining themselves with their own. Some of those forces were suddenly rapidly charging at the duo, Ren getting a good look at them. The armour seemed rather impractical, at least from how he understood it. Yes they wore armour and leg guards, but the only armour over their toso was a single chest piece with some kind of arcane symbol in the middle. The armour was also a colourful purple just as the people in the village had said, and other areas of the body covered in a strange shiny tight black material. The mens covered the whole way down to their feet while the womens styled as if some sort of armoured swimsuit. While those parts were different all of them wore a purple helm that covered the top part of their head, The areas where eye holes were having a black pattern looking like a mask with glowing holes where the eyes would be obscuring them, the helm also having more of that arcane symbols. Ren pondered that though bizarre it did seem to work together for some reason. They charged with all sorts of weapons, swords and shields, spears he even saw a few in the back readying bows. Since the sword Ren had used early had broken under the strain he did consider unshelving what was on his back, though decided against it. It would be better to knock one of them out and take their weapon to fight back.Just as the small army and the swordsman were about to clash Lazura spoke up “ Vivian!” at the utterance of this the army suddenly stopped completely. As one they all stood at attention in a path leading to the tower. Ren looked at Lazura a little confused as she just smiled back at him.They walked to the tower, around 100 of the sorceresses minions on either side of them, all perfectly still and at attention. “Are these the people she enslaved?” Ren asked wanting to break the silence “ oh indeed some fine work on the magical enslavement, outfits are a little showy offy.. Hmm that's not even a word” she callously replied, talking so casually about the magical enslavement of all these people. The two eventually came to the towers door and before Lazura could open it like the last one they glowed a deep lavender and opened to a rather pleasant smell, which was welcoming until they saw the seemingly endless stairs before them.After a amount of time climbing that Ren had lost interest in counting after Lazura demanded she be carried up after the first minute they came to a lavish chamber. Purple silk, purple everything filled the room as a woman in a royal purple gown stood before a bed “My old teacher, I wondered when I would see you again.” she said calmly with a false sense of accommodation, one lazura was quick to return. “ Vivian my old student” before she quickly walked over to a bookshelf and took a tome “ we will be leaving now” she then spoke. “You have an interesting familiar with you, I too have acquired a new servant” Ren looked and saw another one of those minions of her, but seeing the red messy hair he instantly realized who it was, the young adventurer that had asked him to join her group yesterday. “You just missed each other, she fought so strongly as even her team fell. I just had to make her mine, and it was such a nice reward wasn't it?” she said running her and over the chest piece “ yes Sorceress. I exist to serve you” the girl spoke almost soullessly.Lazura continued to show no interest just looking out at the window. “ now that you have so rudely entered my abode, I think i'll add you to my servants” the sorceress finally broke the false accommodating tone to one of aggression before being silenced by Lazura pointing her staff at her with a glowing magical glare “You remember all my ravens? Who they used to be? Do you not think I didn't put a similar enchantment on you? With one word in you would fly to my side like all of them, reduced in mind like they were” this threat sent a clear chill down the sorceresses spine as she backed off “you… you dont think your going to get down the towers stairs before my minions form on you!” she said, trying to reclame control. “My dear Vivian, such a constrained girl, such lacking in imagination. Ren, jump out the window.”Ren didn't want to jump out the window, but he felt the pang of that contract against and couldn't stop himself. He had to trust that Lazura wasn't planning on landing on his bloodied remains to soften the landing as even he would be coming out of a fall this high unharmed, at best he would be quite a lot shorter with considerably constrained leg movements. He had little to fear though as he heard the start of a incantation from Lazura, Black feathers began to swarm round them again until a large raven formed around them, Ren also heard a large yell of joy coming from the witch, she had been telling the truth about wanting to get out of that cottage.Landing on the ground Ren had little time to question why She hadn't just flown them over the wall before one of the minions nearby rammed something onto Ren’s head. All of a sudden he could feel a strange alien sensation fill him, not too much unlike when he made the contract with Lazura. He could hear muffled groans from Lazura but... they seemed to not be important to him. Next he saw her fighting some of the minions that had managed to see and act quick enough, but he didn't want to stop them, oddly he felt like he should join them in fighting her. It was such a pleasant experience, the power in some unknown way telling him to surrender, the others were coming to give him his armour and when it was on, he would serve his true mistress.And yet, something was not right. Seeing the woman fight the sorceress minions seemed wrong to him despite the power telling him it was right. He looked deep inside and remembered the feeling of Lazura’s contract. Yes if he could cling to that he could use one spell against the other. Just as 2 of the minions were about to remove his clothes to place his new armour on him he managed to pull off the helmet and dash to Lazura. Like he had planned earlier he gave one a swift blow to the stomach winding them before grabbing their Sword and disarming the immediate group in a quick blow. Ren Grabbed Lazura and jumped into the air as the witch used another spell and this time did throw them over the wall.“Very well, I will admit I should have done that from the start. Seems old vivian was a little more prepared than I had initially planned” Lazura spoke as they came back to the woods for the waiting breeze, handing her the gin. “ Well time for our next target..” Ren then interrupted “No, were not leaving that place like that” Lazura paused while Breeze was enjoying the drink. Ren might feel empty inside, but he knows what he saw there was wrong and he couldn't just let that sorceress remain to terrorize more people. as this is what the sorceresses controled minions look like. This one in particular is that adventurer that appeared in part 3. I got the design worked out before writing it hence why the picture is older.

commisioned pic by