I am thinking it is a bluff, but there could be several reasons why. It may not have been as powerful as it pretended. Or, and this is why I am trying to be diplomatic, maybe it doesn't want to harm anyone. That is why I refuse to strike the first blow. Why I turn the other cheek as my Lord and Savior Christ has taught. It may have a legitimate complaint. It may be deluded. There is no way to know without talking to it.
But the lives and property of these innocent people is paramount. Concerns of my own safety, even love and glory, all that is secondary.
I will lay down my life if I must. I will live out my days alone in my tower if I have to. But I will NOT abandon these people who have placed their hopes in my hands.
A chuckle.
Ah! I knew you were a better person than I.
She sits on a nearby stone.
In a slow, somewhat tired voice (you did, after all, some walking)
So these people are your chosen family then? I didn't expect that, but I can share the feeling. Antonio, Dimir, they were mine, and in their memory, I've chosen their covenant as the new one. Why do you think I keep pestering everyone about defences and security?
Suddenly, in a complete reversal of attitude, she glares at Roberto, and, in a sterner, faster voice
But don't expect to use that against me. I like you, but I won't risk my life for a single magus, leaving the covenant alone. No more than I would hesitate to strike down a black sheep.
...
God, I'm tired. Won't this thing ever show up?
(Btw: Thanks, Marko, for sending this call. I didn't expect to have her here, but I'm quite enjoying this. I hope it is the same for you)
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I ain't claiming to be better than anyone. In fact, I have done some really rotten stuff in my younger years. And I may make mistakes again. I am only human.
As for family, all of humanity is my kin. The world is my country, all mankind are my brethren, and to do good is my religion. It doesn't matter how well I know a person.
I have no idea how long this may take If I am keeping you away from other duties, I apologize. Stay as long as you want, or leave when you must. This is a duty I have taken upon myself and I have no wish to impinge upon another. I will wait it out as long as I must, as long as I can. I will cast an Aegis here each year if that is what it takes. I will build a new sanctum in this village if I have to.
With great power comes great responsibility.
Arachne smiles, an earnest smile roberto never saw before on her. For a moment, she looks younger, and gentler.
This is so... charitable, and chivalrous!
Sigh... If only men were more like you.
You've read the bible. You've read aristotle. You have no idea what it is to be spoken of in such terms. To be, at best, seen as inferior and subservant to men. These people? Have you looked at the women? Even without the Gift, they would treat me very differently from you. Even amongst our enlightened order, which is such a haven that I thank god each day to be part of it.
A sharp exhile.
Ever wonder why I'm so mean, why I try to frighten people? Well, I'll admit it, some of it is mine. I am not a nice person, and I enjoy it. The fear, the power. But so much is... I don't even know how to say it. My fear, trying to get them to leave me alone so that I may live in peace. Their fear, for if I am to be a woman, I prefer to be the witch they flee than the wife they beat.
This is one of the reasons I wanted a girl as a servant. To save at least one.
She raises herself, once again the sorceress he knows.
I will go now, I guess. Not that I am not enjoying your company, but you're probably safe, and I had a long day already. I'll ask for a watch before my quarters. Send your familiar at once if you feel threatened. They may bang on my door without retribution. I'll cancel my schedule for tomorrow, and come back to check on you, and provide any advice I can. In the meantime, be careful, and try not to engage anything in battle.
(Small edit to correct "one again" to "once again")
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I well remember what it was like to suffer the sting of the Gifted. In my youth I fell in with thugs and radical militants just to feel some semblance of acceptance. Amongst the almogavers I learned that it is fear that turns men to desperation, and desperation turns men to violence.
Behind every tough guy, at the hear of every mean woman, there is the soul of a frightened child. I was like, what? Six? Maybe seven? My mother sacrificed herself to save me, shoving me out the window of our burning home that I might get to safety. Then, hidden in the brush, I watched my father struck down by raiders.
When I was a young magus, back at Novus Mane, I still carried that chip on my shoulder. I thought myself sophisticated and grown, but I still acted with bravado and vainglorious aggression. I was a dick, because deep down inside I was still that frightened child.
In just a few years from now, that will have been half my life gone by. And i have learned much since them. But what I have mostly learned is that there is much yet to learn that I could not before fathom. As I look around at others, I understand that we are all in the same state of eternal ignorance.
I ramble incoherently.
I just know that you can't lead through resentment and contempt. Leadership comes from showing an example. By being first through the door with boots on the ground. Even if I fail and I am slain, it shall not be in vain. I ask not for any to avenge me. I only ask you that the story be handed down so that others may learn from my examples and mistakes.
The sorceress salutes, and then, incants a spell. A moment later, red arcs of light wrap around her in an instant, and then disappear, leaving Roberto alone.
It is then that, free of any distraction, Roberto notices what he failed to see before: Almost hidden by the early night, cloudy wisps of sand circle around and over the island, way outside the aegis. From time to time, a thread approaches Roberto's barrier, only to seemingly rebound against it.
Unless you want to do something specific, I'll assume that you go to eat and sleep.
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I do. Taking notice of the wisps of sand being repelled, Roberto walks to the edge of the Aegis boundary, with a bottle of wine and two cups. He shouts into the air...
Have you calmed down yet? Willing to talk in a civil manner?
He pours himself a cup of wine. Then he tosses the other cup across the line, corks the bottle, and rolls that over as well. Then he sits and waits...
The winds take up, full of dust and sand, until roberto only sees a cloud of dust before him.
When it settles, he sees about 10 men and women before him. All black, with golden armor and weapons, all with a shaved head strangely similar, as if they were brothers and sisters
They speak up, several at once, in a strange chorus
So you are the one our mistress warned us against. And still, you sought to provoke her. It is past time for discussion now. You may think that our magic is enough, just because we can't enter it. And it is true. But there are many, many, grains of sand in the wind. We can wait.
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Yet here you are discussing that.
...
Look, I am not here to provoke anyone. And I am not looking for a fight. Your bravado may embolden you with courage. But I am an old man, and once you reach a certain age, you become permanently unimpressed by a lot of shit. Don't get me wrong, I am not trivializing this. I am taking this very seriously. But I do not negotiate or barter with threats and intimidation, nor do I respond to such.
...
Look, have a drink. I was not expecting so many guests. If you like, I will go get more cups and another few bottles.It may be our destiny to kill each other. But at least we can behave civilized before the final hour.
They look at each other, confusedly.
We are not here to intimidate. Our queen order, and we act. We are to push the humans away, and we will try until we succeed. We have eroded moutains before. We can wait.
A pause
We will swallow anything you throw at us. We can dry the wettest oasis, we do not fear you
They don't look particularly bright, but, to Roberto, it's more like they look at things differently from him, and are a little single-minded.
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Roberto rolls the bottle of wine over.
Try it. Let me know what you think. It is local wine. I was impressed by it.
...
Are there more of you? Are you summoned spirits or constructs of some kind? Are you in contact with your mistress?
A woman takes the bottle, samples it, then passes it around.
When it finally comes back to you, it is empty and dusty.
We are but dust in the wind that is our mistress. We are legion, but we serve only. The storm commands the winds and moves the sands, not the reverse.
(And to think that, ages ago, this was one of at least 3 trials... Note that I don't remember where my notes are on the other trials 
)
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Roberto weeps.
We are all specks in the Infinite. Only God is eternal. Time destroys all things.
(Sorry about the delay. Lots of work, broke up a little last week. This will probably be my last post until at least April, 9th, don't be surprised)
They shift their gaze to roberto
You understand? Surprising. Yes. We've been old since the birth of time. All the wonders of men, the great sorcerers and wizards. No one knows their graves, buried by time and dust.
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Roberto is eyes-wide as the revelation hits him.
There is still room for negotiation, and benefits to be had by all. I mean, what is time to those who are eternal? Yes, you can wait me out. A day, a year, a century, an eon, it matters not. And yes, eventually I will loose. But when humanity's time is done, it matters not that I lost. Because in reality we have both won.
A day or an eon, these fractions of time are equally infinitesimal to one who is infinite.
All that I want is for these people and their descendants to be able to live out their lives peacefully on this island, at least until such time when God calls for the end of the age of mankind. To us, however many million trillion years or more that may be, to your mistress it is still a finite speck and but a blink.
It costs her noting.
And in return I offer this! I will convince the people of this island to adopt your mistress as a patroness saint. Blessed by our Lord Jesus Christ and venerated in feasts and holidays by the people. There will be parties in her honor! Songs written. Artistic portrayals made and stories written. The people will call on her, speak to her in prayers.
Your mistress need never be lonely again so long as humanity dwells on this island.
Go now! Speak to your mistress and tell her of the bargain I offer! I shall take my supper and sleep for the night. I will return to this location come an hour past dawn so that she may speak with me.
The warriors listen to Roberto, unblinking.
Out mistress did you the honour of speaking directly with you. Yet, instead of going with this proposal, you, as an envoy of the Sea, insulted her. Now, we are at war with the Sea. We'll try to relay your offer. We can't promise it'll be considered.
And they disappear in a whirl of sand, leaving Roberto alone on the beach.
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Roberto shrugs as they whirl away, and thinks to himself. "I am not letting them control the frame or write the history. I offered only good faith negotiation and before even trying to talk she thew a fit and declared war. I don't think they understand that I am offering them the chance to not be destroyed.
With nothing else to do, does Roberto sleeps in the village, does he comes back to Herakleion, or Andorra?
He will stay here for the night.
Ok.
The villagers do their best to accommodate Roberto. Despite his presence and reassurances, they are clearly frightened by the mystic storm happening outside the Aegis.
Sure, they live near, and are friendly with, sea people. But this is the way things are. That's storm? That's something else entirely, something supernatural.
This doesn't bother Roberto much, though. Sure, it makes some noise, and the sleeping accommodations aren't great, but he's known worse.
When dawn comes, it finds him ready for the day and his parma ritual.
Getting my vaccine shot (yes!!!!), I'll come back on monday (hopefully) with more. It leaves you 2 days if you want to do anything special or react in any way.
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