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Enigma	By : Skullbearer Category: A through F > Dragonlance Views: 3917 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I do not own the book(s) that this fanfiction is written for, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

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Enigma
Chapter 2- Fascination
"Love, life and liberty, Hate, death and captivity
Like a stain of starless darkness, across the canvas of space"
-Star by Star, Kovenant

The next morning heralded the end of the bad weather which had plagued the area for the past few weeks, although a few clouds still hung menacingly over the western horizon, the strong easterly wind promised to disperse them before noon. If the weather continued to improve and after enjoying a warm fire last night, Raistlin hoped he'd escape catching anything worse than a cold.
The early dawn light found both Raistlin and Dalamar back on the road, having both awoken before it was light and clambered down the mountainside in the dark to reach the rough road north.
The first hour they walked in silence, a silence in which the two could all but hear the other thinking.
Why, Raistlin pondered, did he find the elf so fascinating? What so drew him? Was it the challenge? Was it that he was so used to being able to read someone's thoughts, that being blocked so completely fascinated him? Was it curiosity, to see what was hidden behind those grey eyes and that not-smile? Was it respect, to have found someone who matched him equally in the game of manipulation, both of self and others?
If not these, then what?
"Who do you follow?" The Dark Elf's voice cracked into Raistlin's thoughts like a whip. His head jerked up, but recovered fast. In Dalamar's eyes he saw that no motion or expression had been missed.
"In what context?" Raistlin asked carefully.
"You wear white robes, but since you haven't taken the Test, that tells me nothing but that your sponsor follows Solinari, who do you follow?" The Dark Elf cocked his head and stared pensively at Raistlin.
Raistlin hesitated, surprised at the directness of the query. He had sworn never to deny the Gods of magic and answering evasively would be betraying this oath.
"All."
"All?" Dalamar seemed slightly taken aback by this equally direct answer.
"I follow magic above all, and nothing else." He stared hard, aware how amusing he might look to another, nineteen yet swearing undying loyalty to the magic! If Dalamar found the image amusing, however, he said nothing and kept his face as blank as ever.
"Do you not find that one of the Gods of magic echo your beliefs more than the others?" There was a touch of incredulity as he pressed the point.
"If any, then Lunitari. What of you, Dark elf" - here Raistlin put slight emphasis on the words and studied Dalamar's reaction- "Do you follow Nuitari? Or perhaps the Dark Queen?"
He thought he saw the slightest edge of pain in Dalamar's eyes at the title, then it was gone and the elf straightened proudly, "I follow Nuitari, but the way you speak of the old Gods... as if you believe in them." Dalamar glanced slyly sideways at Raistlin.
Again, Raistlin's oath bound him against being vague. "I swore myself to the Gods of magic, I do not believe, I know."
The was no mockery in Dalamar's eyes then, only great surprise and slight pleasure; before he regained control and became once again impassive.
Then; "I swore myself too- to Nuitari- in return for the magic. But why did you?"
Raistlin set his face as blankly incredulous. "For the magic, of course, what else could be worth the risks?"
"Or the rewards." Dalamar added smirking slightly. Raistlin smiled, finding, to his surprise, a feeling of kinship with the Dark elf, kinship unlike any he had ever felt. Still, perhaps not so surprising.
They walked on in silence for a while, thinking. To Raistlin, this discussion had revealed more fascinating, tantalizing questions than answers. Dalamar was devoted to the magic, as devoted as Raistlin? Perhaps. It occurred to Raistlin that he had never considered that his companion may have been lying, but he did not consider it now. What would the elf
stand to gain by lying to him?
Yet the elf had told him he had pledged, like Raistlin had, to the Gods of magic, or rather, to one God, why? Did Solinari not echo his beliefs, or did he have no choice in the matter? He was devoted to the magic, yes, but why? Did he love the magic? Was he, like Raistlin, nothing without it? Or was it the only thing he had left after being exiled?
He had spoken of the rewards of magic? Were they the same rewards that Raistlin knew, or different?
Webs within webs, and far too fascinating to leave alone.
Dalamar turned, as if he had heard Raistlin's thoughts, but said nothing, giving only a grey eyed not-smile which had nothing to do with joy, but all to do with challenge.
/Come and find out,/ it seemed to taunt.
"Who sponsors you?" Dalamar asked. The elf's voice was soft, in direct contrast with the last time the silence had been broken.
"A mage named Antimodes." Raistlin answered, wondering where this conversation would take them.
"I've heard of him," Dalamar said thoughtfully, "he travels a lot, by what I've heard, goes all over Ansalon."
Raistlin shrugged slightly, "I've only met him a few times, and then that was a long time ago. You have no sponsor, I take it?"
Dalamar gave another bittersweet not-smile and shook his head. "I never have, I was never allowed to study the magic."
"Really?" Raistlin was quick to pounce on that slip of the tongue, "Why not? I thought elves welcomed magic users in their ranks."
The Dark elf's expression became wry, he'd clearly not meant to say that much. "Not from their servants."
"Serv- Ah, house Servitor." He had heard that much from Tanis, but still... It surprised him that even the Silvanesti would have turned away someone as obviously dedicated as Dalamar.
"You know a lot about elves, Raistlin Majere, where from?"
Raistlin smiled darkly back, another pawn sacrificed to draw out the opponent...
"I have an...acquaintance familiar in the ways of elves, he told me much." He wouldn't exactly call Tanis a friend.
"Hmm." Dalamar seemed lost in thought for a while, then- "You live in... Solace, I believe?"
"The school of magic is there." Raistlin spoke evasively.
"But you lived there before then, yes? You said you had a brother there."
"Yes." Another pawn lost, another advantage, no matter how small, relinquished...
"Is it a large town? To have a school of magic in it?"
Raistlin shook his head, "No, not really." Then, at the elf's politely incredulous look, he added wryly "I expect the Conclave set the school there in order to keep its master as far away from them as possible."
To Raistlin's surprise, Dalamar laughed, a soft, oddly lilting sound. "And do you agree with that opinion?"
The human mage scowled at the now distant rain clouds, hoping they would soon empty their burden on Theobald's empty head, "If I didn't then, I do now."
Again, Dalamar laughed.
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Raistlin had tried to keep going for as long as possible, but he had to stop. He'd been forced to slow his pace a while back as a stitch started in his side and now had to step over to the edge of the road and sit down and wait for the cramp to pass. It hurt more than Raistlin wanted to admit, and he leant over in an attempt to ease it. Dalamar walked on a few steps before realizing that his companion was no longer with him. Turning, he looked back at Raistlin, "Is something the matter?"
Raistlin shook his head, trying to hide his self-disgust and for once, failing. The elf walked back and sat back on his haunches, level to Raistlin, looking with curiosity, though not pity. Eyes taking in his exhausted state, his thin build and the bones which showed prominently in his hands and face.
Then he sat down beside Raistlin, face blank and eyes...that was one emotion Raistlin could not name, not pity or kindness or any other such, but similar... understanding, somehow.
Then Dalamar's eyes too became expressionless.
"Are you ill?" Voice as blank as his face.
Raistlin sighed, "No." He said flatly. He was tired and his side ached and he was not about to give any more than was necessary.
Again, he felt the elf stare at him, and that strange not-smile flickered on his face again. "Just not particularly strong?" Dalamar raised an eyebrow.
An understatement if there ever was one. Annoyed at having to admit weakness, Raistlin nodded, bitterly looking over his companion in turn. Although the Dark elf was thin, it was one that spoke of not having enough to eat rather than the ill-health Raistlin suffered from. His strong frame proved that he had once been well-built and would be again once
he got a few decent meals. He was a good deal taller than most of his race, matching a human in height.
It was the first time Raistlin had really paid attention to Dalamar's appearance, and in comparison to his own, he knew he fell short. The elf, with his jet black hair, sharp featured face and silvery grey eyes was physically very attractive. Impatiently, Raistlin pushed the thought out of his mind, and forced himself to his feet. The pain had passed
enough for him to keep going, and he didn't want to stay and dwell any longer than necessary.
He knew he'd given the Dark elf yet more information, and Dalamar had probably been able to read the thoughts he had been too preoccupied to guard, yet somehow that didn't seem to matter. Fascination kept him playing this bizarre verbal game with his companion, giving as well as taking, drawing on just as he was drawn on with titbits of knowledge.
Midday came and again they stopped, this time to eat. Raistlin was the one to break the silence this time, as he dug through he spell pouch, finding to his disgust that the leather had been soaked through by the rain, and the components ruined. "I have to find some more components for my spells, these have spoilt." He paused, "Will you come with me?"
Dalamar nodded, "I'm running low on them myself, and I haven't much food left."
Raistlin wondered why he had asked the elf to follow him, most likely for the same reason he would have followed Dalamar; spending more time with the elf in the hopes of puzzling out the enigma he posed.
It would have taken them less than a few minutes to gather what they wanted normally, the components Raistlin wanted were easy enough to find and the wet weather meant that there were mushrooms under almost every tree, but they both kept stopping and looking, intently, at the other as they searched. The fascination was maddening, Raistlin thought,
watching the Dark elf. To both wish to know the other and to wish not to know and prolong the dance for as long as possible.
"What is it?" Dalamar had caught Raistlin staring at him, the human let a smile twist his thin lips.
"You are one to talk." He snorted, "You have been watching me just as much."
"Then answer for both of us, why?"
"You know the answer."
"So I do, but neither of us has said it."
For a moment, Raistlin was hit with a strong feeling of doubt, an emotion so long absent from his life that the shock of it almost crippled his thoughts. What if he was wrong, and he was the only one so curious about the other? The sheer strength of the emotion eclipsed everything, and Raistlin hesitated, emotion showing through for a split second
before he quashed the fear ruthlessly.
A split second, but not one which was missed, Raistlin was certain of that.
"You are fascinating."
"So I am. No need to worry, you fascinate me equally. I have never met one so taken by the magic as you are, save myself -"
"And I have never met one who could hide his mind so well, save in a mirror." Raistlin finished, crushing his relief before it could manifest as anything but a slight emotion on the edge of his mind.
The feeling of release, however, was harder to hide for both of them, and the sudden tension was dispelled once again. Dalamar inclined his head.
"Well, this /is/ an interesting game we're playing." The Dark elf smiled, a true smile rather than the smirks and non-smiles Raistlin had previously seen, one than made his face even more striking- and made Raistlin's heart jump. "I hope you're as worthy as I hope I will be."
They took to the road once more, having refilled their packs and spell pouches. Somehow, the fact that they had spoken of their mutual fascination had only intensified the emotion.
Dalamar interlaced his fingers thoughtfully, gazing at Raistlin, "At what point did you start learning the magic? You're young, and at the same time I'd wager you have more than one spell in that book of yours."
Raistlin shrugged, "Young. I was six when I started at the mage school, thirteen when I pledged myself to the magic, and sixteen when I cast my first spell. I'm nineteen now." He gave Dalamar a sly glance, "And you?"
This, Raistlin knew, was as much a part of their verbal games as their probing questions, the questions gave them knowledge of the other's past, this gave them knowledge of what the other was like, how they spoke, how they interacted with others as well as some idea of their likes and dislikes.
The Dark elf inclined his head with a smile- another true smile, Raistlin noted; and again, the expression evoked some rather puzzling reactions in Raistlin himself. Obviously Dalamar enjoyed talking about the magic as much as Raistlin did, because his words held a slight inflection of emotion that he hadn't been able to suppress. “I never had the chance to go to a mage school, mostly I was given scraps of knowledge in the hopes that I would be content with that and not look for that knowledge in... other places." Dalamar gestured at his robe, and his smile faded to the pale mockery of the one Raistlin had just seen. "As you can see, that failed magnificently."
The smile returned, though thinner, "I was eighty three when I pledged myself to Nuitari, but I knew how to cast spells long before that."
Raistlin frowned slightly, if Dalamar had sworn loyalty to Nuitari two years ago, it would be the same year he was exiled, "Was that why they exiled you? Because you swore loyalty to Nuitari?"
Dalamar's expression, which had been more open than it had been since Raistlin had met him, slammed closed. However ready the elf had been to discuss the magic, talking about his more recent past was out of bounds.
Raistlin watched him, wondering what it felt like to be exiled. To be subjected to something your people considered to be a fate worse than death. He recalled how Tanis, only a Half-elf, would so often return to Qualinesti, even though he always left swearing never to go back there. No wonder Dalamar didn't want to talk about it. Quite beyond the game they were playing, this was too painful to discuss.
With a sigh, Raistlin changed the subject, "And after that, you said you stayed in Tarsis?"
Again silence, and although Raistlin saw a muscle in the elf's jaw twitch, he couldn't fathom the reaction. It didn't seem as though Dalamar was keeping quiet in order to string him along, and although his refusal to talk about his exile would act as a cover, it did seem that whatever happened after his exile wasn't something he wanted to speak of either.
No, this silence would not be related to their little contest. Remembering how Dalamar had spoken of the magic, he could see that the Dark elf was not as hostile or unfriendly as he seemed, he was reserved, quietly determined and coldly confident- both of himself and his abilities- yet not to the point of the arrogance that was so common with his race,
otherwise Raistlin doubted the elf would have conceded to talk to him to begin with. He saw Raistlin for what he was- an equal- and knew himself very well, knew what he could do and what he couldn't.
Much like Raistlin did.
Yet, push the elf another way, and he would snap shut and refuse to speak. Raistlin could understand his refusal to discuss his exile, but that even mentioning his recent past would prompt complete silence was... strange.
More than that, the silence never revealed anything about the elf other than that topic was out of bounds. It never had an edge of pain or sorrow or any other emotion. It was simply silence.
And the silence continued, despite that they stopped several times that afternoon, both to let Raistlin rest and to forage again for food. They got moving again soon enough, and by the time night had fallen they had made good progress north.
The mountains were too far east now to use as shelter, but the good weather promised to continue through the night. And this appeared to be the only good fortune they'd get tonight, Raistlin thought, scowling at the sodden wood that simply refused to catch fire. Another cold night. He'd had far too many of these lately and knew it would only be a matter of time before he fell ill.
They ate what food they had found during the day, both studying the other without speaking, both knowing that words were not necessary in this situation, and neither being the kind to speak simply to fill the silence.
The night was chilly, and that lack of a fire seemed to make it even more frigid.
Raistlin, who never found it easy to rest, was awake long after Dalamar had fallen asleep. Thinking in an effort to drive thought of the cold out of his mind, Raistlin pondered the events of the past day, wondering on what he had learnt about his fascinating companion. Or rather what he had not learnt.
Somehow, Raistlin thought, the more he learnt about Dalamar, the more he was drawn to the Dark elf. He had a talent, as Raistlin did, of creating more questions than he answered, and these ever more tantalizing than the last. Why, what, how? He'd answer them and leave you thirsting to know more.
Raistlin caught that last thought. Who was he, he snarled internally; he sounded like some lovesick poet. When had his fascination with the Dark elf turned into an obsession? When had Dalamar become the only thing to occupy his thoughts, excluding even the magic?
And why?
Suddenly their game seemed to have become even more complicated.
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Enigma