Harpers Quest Two- Beyond the Mists

Chapter Thirty-Five

The Planes of Tetaren

"I don't understand how you manage to fit so much Dragon into your Eladrin form," Mendis said to Varharland where he and Varharland were standing on an outcropping above the camp watching over it from their vantage point they could see a fair bit.
"Me neither" Varharland rumbled "next time I am in elven form look at me through the eyes of spirits, and you will see that I can't fully hide what I am no doubt Jack and probably Narache have known all along there are some things you can't hide!"
Mendis nodded "Hmm".
"I know you can do that Mendis," Var said.
"True," said Mendis.
"Powers like yours and your siblings do not come without a price one day and you will be required to pay it," Var said

"I know," said Mendis softly "I know".
"What that price is, however, will be entirely up to fate'.
Mendis nodded "yeah".
"Mendis don't sound so glum, with those vehicles I think our chances of getting out of here are a lot more positive".
"Yeah," said Mendis " would you like me to scout ahead in spirit form and see what lies ahead?"
Varharland asked, "you can do that?"
"Astral Travelling, I'm still no expert in it, like Master Mindshadow is but I could travel as spirit well enough it's not hard," Mendis said, "I can even fight as one, but I do need a safe place for my body, I don't intend to end up one yet!"
Varharland chuckled " don't you need an anchor or something though or have a cord of some sort? That could get entangled or something? I haven't done anything like that for the longest time, I tend to Dreamwalk more...which I know you can also do, I've always preferred to do that".
"You have to be asleep to do that, but no, there are ways around that when astral travelling...and you can Dreamwalk?" Mendis said.
"Um yeah, haven't done it for a while though...," said Varharland.
"I can do this" Mendis said.
"You know not many Adepts can," said Varharland "Spiritual travelling is a very unique and very hard to master Art".
"How do you know?"
"I'm an Adept too," said Varharland "granted it has been many years since I have put any thought to it or to my training, but it's there, you do no forget it you just get a little rusty".
"You're an Adept?"
"Yeah," he said.
Mendis said "I never really thought about it either, although I am beginning to think maybe that is ALL Master Mindshadow is! Maybe his body is imprisoned or something or he's a Ghost like Jack is... In spirit form, I have access to all of my skills and stuff. A really good Spiritwalker can be away from their body for an indefinite time as they go into a sort of suspended animation and become the Spirit and as long as they have a token or anchor they can always go back to their body, if it hasn't been destroyed or died or something".
"I see," said Varharland.
" I could scout ahead some and see what I can find".
"Ok," said Varharland " if you wish to try it Mendis".
"I'll be fine!" Mendis said, "trust me I'm not the Master, Master Mindshadow is yet but I can do it".
"Ok," said Varharland.
Mendis said, "look after my body for a bit, will you?"
"OK," said Varharland.
"I think most enemies would think twice about taking on an 80 foot long Silver Dragon" Mendis pulled out a crystal, PSI Crystals he called them and put it around his neck.
"Be careful Mendis;" Var said as Mendis sat down cross-legged in front of Varharland and closed his eyes, hummed a little, apparently unafraid, the humming stopped shortly afterwards.
"I will be" Mendis's voice suddenly said, " don't worry, I have done this before".
Var looked down and smiled, Mendis floated there in front of him looking pretty solid.
"Look after my body for me will you Var," Mendis asked.
"Of course!" he said.
Mendis glided away till Varharland could no longer see him.
"So my young apprentice you decided to drop your worldly fetters for a while."
"Master Mindshadow!" Mendis exclaimed bowing slightly as the hooded and cloaked figure he knew so well came up.
" There is no need to bow Mendis you are no longer my apprentice, you are an Adept, and the apprentice has no more need for a Master to teach him anymore," he said.
"I admit I still don't quite get that bit," Mendis said.
He chuckled "Obviously! On Faerun it doesn't matter so much, but here you will find that it does and that one day you will find yourself in a place that it will matter! In a land far from Faerun, and that is when you will understand why you have been trained as an Adept, you will go far Mendis, one day".
"Leave Faerun?" Mendis wondered " and Toril?"
"Hmm, perhaps," he said.
Mendis said, "Nah, Faerun is my home".
Master Mindshadow said with a chuckle "For now Mendis, it is for now".
"I'm already coming up to my 36th birthday...no longer a Tween" Mendis said.
"How long do you think you're going to live?"
"About 150 to 200 years like most Halflings."
"You are Half-Elven remember? not to mention Half Talafrayen I think you're going to live a lot longer than that due to your mixed blood".
Mendis frowned "I guess".
"You will travel far my friend, your fate it is tied to both of your worlds".
Mendis shrugged "I guess but why are you here?"
"I said I would ride within your shadow did I not?" he asked, " that is something you still have to learn".
"You also said that there were going to be four tests" Mendis pointed out.
"Something pulling you and your friends onto the Planes stopped that and changed your path...there are powers and forces greater than my own at work here," he said.
"I guess," said Mendis "but the tower Master, it is also tied to the Planes".
"No doubt," he said, " what do you hope to find?"
"An answer," Mendis said, " Joselyn was drawn here for some reason...I'm scouting for the party".
"That is wise, your idea of wandering around as a spirit is wise in an army of Undead, two more spirits will go unnoticed, but just be wary of Aslo and Quasono".
"Quasono?"
"Quasondona " he supplied "to give her, her full name is your major enemy here a being of great power and mystery your friend, Varharland may be your only hope against that one!"