Kaius held the Myriad up before his eyes, watching the light of the campfire refract through it. He wondered if many others had experienced a one way trip to the Nexus. The old man had proved an interesting companion for a while, but he was soon tiring of his company, not matter how many questions their separation would leave unanswered. The man claimed to be an adventurer, but looked much more like a hobo.

"Sure you don't want some hare, boy?" the man sputtered around a mouthful of stringy, greasy meat that he claimed was rabbit. "Not hardly....I'm ....not hungry" Kaius replied, thrusting his hands into the air for emphasis. He still had enough coin that he could eat something at the Inn for some number of meals in the future, plus his board, if it came to that.

"Might as 'ell enjoy yer time here, boy" Urdru, the old man, perhaps hobo said, gesturing at the gem set Kaius held. "Trust me, gotta recharge that thing. Got 'un myself, but using it...sorta." a knowing wink passing over his wizened eyes, as though he himself were somehow magically knowledgeable. He'd shown Kaius the marking on his back, the Hourglass, claiming it was a wizards mark, or curse, or perhaps some sort of Dragst Energist itself. Kaius had listened to the old man go on for some time about being on the verge of death and hunting for something called the Lazarus Greaves. He wasn't shocked at the old man's claim. He looked damned ancient. No surprise he was waiting to die. But the artifact he sought definitely sounded interesting. Something that would restore its wearer to life, and not just to life, but life during their prime. Kaius wouldn't mind finding those himself.

Instead of baiting or rising to Urdru's baiting, he simply started at one of the High Houses he had been looking to gain access to. This one was on the Bristle Crios grounds, their Mage House. Some part of him suspected that if there was anyone that could either send him back through the Nexus, or recharge his Energist, it would be there. Urdru caught his eye again. He was settling in for the night.

"Sleep o'er there! Ona far side, t'words the House. Only way you'll make it in, boy." He rolled over away from Kaius, still running on in his diatribe. "Transdimensional field, don't y'see" Course not, stupid question, no lenses..." Urdru's rant delved down into muttering under his breath, just barely audible to Kaius. "Why go back anyways, boy. S'cond son, ain't ya" Gonna be a priest?" he made a sound like he was clearing his throat and sinuses at the same time, then spat. Loudly. "Can't even marry then boy, where t'hells the fun then, lemme ask ya....an the things you can't get through marriage...can't be bought neither. Bah."

Kaius sat with his arms around his knees, still staring at the Mage House. The old man did have a point. He'd been offered whores, bought and paid for by his fathers militia. Korvain had probably been proud to think his son was getting on as one of the 'men'. None of them knew that behind the closed doors of the Keep, he'd only lain and spoken with them. The idea of paying for intimacy, physically, made his stomach churn for some reason. Maybe too much time at court with ladies in waiting and their notions of courtly love before he'd been shipped off to the Revean Militia by his father. He wasn't sure, and really didn't question it much; it bothered him so he didn't partake.

Mage House. Well, if he wasn't looking for a way home, what -was- he looking for then" Maybe that wasn't the best place to inquire. He couldn't see them just taking him in. His talents in the Arts weren't necessarily limited, but he wasn't at all practiced. Some minor cantrips he could do, yes, but beyond that he'd paid attention in the lectures but his heart just hadn't been in it. He knew, or at least felt, that he had missed something there. His emotions and own disbelief would often cause even the most minor of his own spells to shatter, crushed by his concept of Reality Paradox.

He did remember in one of the lectures, the instructor at the time, Jeryl Silver, had been talking about how if one is casting and can't use his own mindset as the foundation of Concensus, the casting was ultimately hopeless. So maybe he was hopeless as any kind of mage. He rolled over, eyes sleepily blinking as he stared at Mage House one final time before he fell asleep. And sleep is what he must have needed, because it seemed the House was moving, reaching out to grasp him almost. Some strange form of ....horizontal vertigo, perhaps" His eyes closed for the night.

When he awoke, he would be surprised at the very least. He hadn't understood a whit about Urdru's rantings about transdimensional fields and such, but the High House of Magic had. That and the things Kaius couldn't see which were laced deep into the compound and the land itself.

When he awoke, he would be inside Mage House.

And wouldn't he love explaining that.

One man's treasure is another man's ....well, you know the rest. All that's lost will eventually be found.

Kaius's goddess had forsaken him. Well, perhaps an overly dramatic turn of phrase, but just the same.

'Beloved', was the term that was used. And could he ever forget the name" Not likely. Marrok. It was a name among names, etched finely into the bowl that was the crucible of his soul. And oh, how the Myriad had burned brightly that night, once he was alone, adding kindling to the fire. And what fell blade would be wrought from that crucible none could tell; for this was only the first temper. Or so the Myriad claimed in his mind's eye.

The Myriad had another name for Marrok - Makyael. It poured images into his mind, trying to draw like to like. But the Myriad lacked feeling, and all those deep, swift, emotions which men and women were both prone to when they extended themselves outside their comfort zone, seeking solace in companionship. It could only compare the feelings Kaius had to ones it had observed, and they were not the same; a woman, totally unlike Leara - what was her name" She was physically opposite. Short of stature, deep auburn hair and blue eyes. Who's memories" The one called Makyael had spirited the woman away, against her will. Another shortcoming in his mind's eye, for hadn't the lovely albino buried her head against Marrok's chest' Hadn't he seen her breathing him in, filling herself with his scent' As his four arms had wrapped around her" He'd thought himself too mundane before - and if anything, now he had his proof.

An entire week had passed. That day he'd seen her last, he had been to ask her to the ball, but she'd absconded. And he'd been wounded in a way only those unused to building defenses around themselves could be hurt. And so he'd done the only thing he knew how to do - seal it away within himself. And now only the Myriad thought of it, if such a think could be said to think.

And the Myriad had grown more potent with his acceptance of it. And he'd have to thank the Ruby Witch for that, for hadn't it been her who'd urged him on' Literally held his hand while it had sealed over his emotions like a cork in a bottle. Or perhaps some magick cast by the witch herself. Coupled with the gentle chiding and advice of a gunslinger (and couldn't he draw a bead on one's hard, couldn't he just").

It was odd.

A week ago, he'd been given advice to seek Leara out by the same witch, told to ask her to the ball, though realistically it was a ball for lovers to gather. That had been what he'd been about to do when the four armed....what was his name" Bless the Myriad, for it steered his thoughts away, though tonight was that Ball.

And would he attend? The idea made him laugh in spite of himself. Enough times he felt alone in a crowded room, tonight he could be literally alone and stay within the Mage House. And sleep.

But even as his eyes closed, and his breathing turned rhythmic, his mind and dreams filled with another man's partial memories.

And the Myriad.

Oh, how it flared.

And he was Found.

"...'at itch?" Urdru mouthed at him across his morning fire. He was old, crotchety, and this was one of those times when he was chewing something for breakfast and sounded vaguely like he had a mouthful of marbles. The man was looking at the Myriad which pulsed upon Kaius' brow. He repeated himself, louder though no more clearly, and Kaius's head snapped to look at him more directly, rather than into the flame as it had been, "S'wrong wit shu anyways?"

In truth, nothing was bothering Kaius at all, he'd been merely been reflecting. The Myriad had been trying to reach out, to grasp him somehow, and it had been for days. The time had been ripe for Kaius's Taking, but something was preventing it. The Myriad knew he was a Host; the Host in fact. But there was a wall around him and the Myriad reluctantly realized why.

He had been Found.

Kaius didn't humor Dru's attempt to egg him on, instead changing the topic to something he found much more ....agreeable, and interesting. Wanda. The Scarlet Witch. Long he said fireside, speaking softly of finally owning up to his feelings for her. It had been hard because he'd been caught by them off guard. Her own advice to him regarding women had implied to start off by being their friend....and that's what had happened between him and her. The desire to see her, looking forward to each new entrance to her familiar haunts, had stolen over him with great subtlety, and he foolishly hadn't recognized the dull ache inside himself when she wasn't present for what it actually had been. Until someone, some cowboy who was wise in the ways of the heart, had made it painfully clear to him that if he didn't act on what he was feeling toward her, whatever those feelings were, he might have to suffer seeing her with another. And that made him ache worst of all. Didn't it just. And so now, for the third time, he was Found.

Three Findings.

In Faith, he'd been found - and found the truth himself in why Gods and Goddesses were best worshiped from afar, for they were cruel in their designs and didn't truly offer any intercessory prayers.

In Fraternity, he'd been found - and found the truth himself, that not all brothers shared blood and family ties, and that although far from his birthplace, he was now never far from his home.

In Love, he'd been found - and found the truth himself that to find love was to concede to allow oneself to become a different kind of lost; swept up in longing, aching desire - in raven hair and ruby lips - for someone who would give freely of themselves, and a companion to walk beside but not made less by their presence or absence, and in fact made more by their companionship than he could ever have been alone. In love, he had found a willingness to embrace the fear that this love might leave him, but found comfort in the knowledge that he would be the greater for whatever time she blessed him with. In love, he'd found the wisdom to savor the moment, as he savored his time with her.

Three Findings.

And he smiled and a wistful look stole over him as he rose from Urdru's fire, looking towards the city proper and thinking of her. He missed her. It was time to go. And so he began the trek toward the Inn. Urdru called to him over his shoulder.

"Of t'see the witch, then" Hey now, don't they ride brooms an such?" whatever he'd been chewing he must have finally finished, because he was much easier to understand.

Normally he wouldn't even hint at anything of a physical relationship between them to anyone else, it was personal and ....he was a very private person. Compounded with the fact that talking about her ....like an object, didn't agree with him. Even if her slightest touch did fuel intensely physical thoughts and desires in him. He just wasn't the type to kiss and tell. Or do anything else and tell. But he'd known Urdru for a long time, much longer than their history on the Bristle Crios Coven grounds would suggest, so he spared a quirky smile and comment over his shoulder for the old timer.

"....I'm not really sure, Dru. But if they do ride brooms....or whatever....I guess that makes me....her other ride."

And with that comment he left the Coven grounds, leaving the old man slack jawed and gaping in his wake.

After Kaius had cleared range of him, Dru muttered softly to himself with a grin. "Ye once was lost, but now yer found, boy....peace favor ya."

And in the periphery of his vision, he noted the Mist rising and taking a man's form. Without looking towards it, he raised an ancient snowy eyebrow towards the fire and spoke out of hand. "....I know what ye want. Tonight. He'll be at Mage House. Talk to him then and sort out what ye will. For now leave off. I know your answer, and I have my own." and with that he nudged the hilt of his own greatsword, Doom of the False Blood.

The figure of Mist spoke only a sentence, then slid away into the night.

"We just need to talk, Urdru. Then I'll leave him. My word on it."

And though he didn't know it, Kaius would be Found again.

One more time.

~Fin~