A Gods Favor

I'll Make A Deal With You

As it turns out 'the place' was the stone building with the circular window from her vision last year.

Elora walked through the door Stephen held open for her to see a magnificently detailed wood floor before a massive staircase. Around the room there were dozens of relics, some free standing and some being held behind protective glass and the buzz of magic in the air made her skin prickle.

"What is this place?" She crossed the room to examine a large cauldron at the bottom of the staircase.

"I'll be the one asking questions." She could hear a rustle of cloth before his footsteps echoed as he came up behind her. "Now, if you wouldn't mind putting these on."

"Wha-," she paused her question as she took in the change in his appearance. His plain clothes had been swapped for tidy blue robes and a bright red cloak now hung from his shoulders as he held metal cuffs open in front of him. She studied them for a second before her eyes met his again. "Uhm, I can certainly put them on if that will make you feel better but fair warning I don't think they are going to accomplish what you want them to and I won't be able to understand anything you ask me."

"And why's that?" He took a step closer, cuffs still raised.

"Those are to negate one's ability to access magical energy and would also most likely pause or halt any active spell work. You want me to wear them as a precaution to stop me from using magic against you. Unfortunately for you most of my magical abilities are innate, shields, telekinesis, illusions, mental alterations and healing though I doubt you'd be worried about that last one. And as for the language barrier, I have a translator spell cast on me. So, unless you speak Elvish or Old Norse, which honestly I'm quite bad at..." she trailed off awkwardly and held her wrists up, letting him decide to put the cuffs on or not.

He contemplated her words for what seemed like several minutes but she never moved. Eventually he sighed deeply and slid the cuffs into a pocket before gesturing with his hands and then nodding over her shoulder. "Fine, mirror dimension it is then."

Elora turned to see a large crack in the air before her that resembled broken glass. She looked at it hesitantly, realizing now she knew as much about this man as he did about her and she should probably be a little more wary about her circumstances but she thought of her friends and all the trouble the stones they've encountered so far have created. She steeled herself and stepped through the crack without looking back. After all, she'd taken on the Aether itself, why should she fear one mage.

-

"Listen, princess, that's a very interesting story you just told but you're not taking this stone."

Elora paused the pacing she had been doing as she told Stephen about the Asgardian interactions and knowledge about the stones. "First, I am not a princess and second, if I wanted the stone I would have taken it."

Stephen scoffed, clearly doubting her confidence in her ability to accomplish that task and Elora's head cocked to the side, almost predatory, before she resumed her pacing but now in a circle around him. She never thought of herself as overconfident but something about the way he looked at her, like she was somehow less, made her very irritated.

"My only goal is to make sure the stones are safe, protected, and not being used nefariously." She felt more than saw him roll his eyes as she moved behind him.

"Rest assured this stone is safe with me. So," he gestured with one hand and the crack in the air reappeared as his eyes followed her, still pacing. "Feel free to go back and leave, promptly."

She stopped in front of him, a serene smile on her face. "You seem a reasonable man, so I hope you do understand I cannot leave without some kind of assurance."

Stephen opened his mouth to argue but found he was unable to move when he felt cool fingers press against his temples from behind as the image before him shimmered and fell away.

Elora felt him struggling against her control as she slipped through his memories so she moved quickly. Years of childhood flying by in the time it would take to blink. The memories slowed as he aged, still moving quickly but not so much so that she couldn't make out events, an education, lovers, work. Her interest piqued a bit when it showed that he was a doctor and she slowed even more, curious as to how he went from that to a mage. Her curiosity was quickly sated when the memories showed a car crash and then months of anger and procedures before he arrived at a temple. She watched impressed at how quickly he took to the magic if not the lessons those around him were trying to teach. She did grow concerned when he discovered the stone and was clearly caught using it even though he shouldn't but that ebbed away as he joined other sorcerers in a fight against dark mages and then put himself into a loop with only a hope it would force the dark cosmic entity to bargain with him. She began to ease out of his mind after watching him place the pendant he now had around his neck onto a pedestal and stepped back allowing him freedom again but ready for him to lash out.

"What the hell was that?" He spun, shields returned and ready to fight.

"Assurance," she said, hands held in plain sight in the hopes of calming him. "I needed to know not only what you could do but what kind of man you are to be sure you would not use the stone in a harmful manner."

"Wonderful," he spat. "Now that you've poked around in my head and got your answers would you mind fucking off."

"Actually," she bit her lip in concentration. Taking a moment to make sure she got the words right to entice him with her plan. While he seemed capable he was also arrogant and seemed the type to ask for forgiveness rather than permission if the stone around his neck, when she'd just seen him agree to let it be until he could control it, had anything to say about it. "I have a proposition for you."

"I don't want to hear it." One arm began to make a large circle in the air and she felt a breeze coming from behind her.

Quickly, as he pulled whatever portal he'd created toward her she did the same to him, grabbing at his robe just before golden sparks passed over her head and she found herself on a snow covered plain with flurries whipping at her face. "I can fix your hands."

His eyes went from angry to furious as he stepped back and she released her hold on him. It was quiet for several minutes and she could see the struggle on his face as he wrestled with what to do. "How?"

She slowly rolled up one sleeve before pulling a tiny dagger from where she kept it tucked in her corset. She didn't miss the slight raise of his eyebrows when his gaze followed her hands. Swiftly she ran the small knife over her exposed forearm and let several drops of blood hit the ground while she wiped the knife clean and slid it back into its place. Then one hand began to glow softly and she ran it over the cut, her skin knitting together seamlessly. "I am a healer and with enough time I can repair your nerve damage. In exchange I just ask that you let me stay with you and help you protect the stone."