Jan 09 07:49:27 110 PA - Two Guys at the Library
From Chronicles
Jan 09 07:49:27 110 PA.
KINGSDALE MUSEUM LIBRARY
Dante is lounging at a bench, a number of books nearby. Books in Dragonese of course, but still, books. As it's a library he is quiet and keeps to himself.
The older fellow with the strange pistol strapped to his leg comes down one of the long stack rows with two small books in his arms, before hooking to his right toward the maps and atlases. Out of the corner of his eye, the leather Dante is apparently noted. He slows his path only long enough to nod and offer a library-volume, "Morning, Dante. Reading up for Mexico, or just doing some reading?" Gabriel flips his book open, then shuts it and shifts to the other.
Dante answers as he turns a page, "Read often, about many things. Much learn before time is done on this world." He explains in his stilted English. "Mexico... vampires I know, very durable, great weaknesses. Know well. Wish had name of other problem likely face. Research very general. Very powerful being." He shrugs a little, "More concerned others survive over self."
Gabriel tucks his books beneath his left arm with military precision, and though he certainly looks the part as well, and even has the actions, his demeanor just isn't the same as those that people find running around grabbing for money and power. His Kentucky is still strong when he arrives near Dante at a polite distance. "Never had to worry about a dragon; not a real one at least. The vampires? They were, ah... I guess after all of the warnings, surprisingly easy. Which is why I suggested that I do that instead. We'll see. Have you ever been to that part of the world? It's actually quite lovely this time of year. Or it used to be."
Dante shakes his head, "No. I have not. Many of my order head to Mexico to face vampires. Many months of training devoted to vampires. Know silver, wood, water. Have been told about head and fire but... find water safest. Also hear rare in desert but magic... powerful weapon. Create rain." He looks up from the book and purses his lips, "Just hope vampires no learn wear armor, shoot guns. Then real trouble." He shrugs, "Dragons... powerful. Can survive many grievous wounds then teleport away to heal self. Also powerful command of magic. If no travel then not concerned. Vampires chase dragon off if town could no fight off vampires."
Gabriel's head bobs, and he delivers some uncomfortable information. "The vampires that I've already fought have learned to wear armor, and to use modern weapons. In fact, one that pursued me survived in conditions that would have otherwise killed it, just because of that. So, if we do end up going down there - know that they can do that, and not just the smart ones. The magic?" He chuckles and holds his hand out so that the palm is parallel with the floor, then wobbles it in an 'eh'-expressing motion. "Not a fan. But yeah, that area is very pretty in winter. High mountains, real craggy with perfect places for snow to sit. I imagine that during the day, it looks pretty much like what I know. But, dragons? I know nothing."
Dante nods, "Perhaps we'll get lucky and only have to deal with dragon." He chuckles. "Funny thought. Age of dragon important. Lot depends on dragon personality. Hard plan for other than weapons that kill before can escape or stop healing. Even if hit with adhesion carpet, still teleport away for example." He smiles, "If blew up mine around dragon, dragon teleport out, still angry. Difficult target. If get lucky take advantage of pride, hubris, and dragon belief invulnerable. If not, if smart dragon... killing almost impossible."
After listening intently, Gabriel looks for a place to stand out of the way of other library traffic. "Yes, that makes sense. It's hard to fight something whose location can't be known, and can escape without question. Unfortunately?" He offers a very large shrug, clearly meant to be seen. "I think that Valeriya has at least the same measure of pride, hubris and belief in infallibility than any other being you'll ever meet, whatever it is. She can be a dangerous person. Just check the news records, she's made a number of assassination attempts on a local leader. He seems to be gone at the moment.. be still, the warning is there for those who might want to know. This isn't gossip and opinion, it's something that you can look up, or have one of the assistants here find for you on a holovid." He looks at the foreign tongue written in Dante's books. "If this town turns out to not be so much in need of saving, as it is in need of her gaining gems, then I will sit it out. Despite what I may appear, I don't fight battles that don't need to be fought, or for those that don't end with a greater good. Call me old-fashioned," he winks, his short silver hair adding a bit of cheek to it.
Dante nods, "I am unclear as to honesty of the mages. If things are not as appear I will do my duty to self and order. Even if have to walk out of Mexico." He shrugs a little, "But, hope that is not case. That this darkness is real. We shall see one way or other yes?" He smiles faintly, "If mages become darkness to this town, will save town regardless." He nods simply.
"Yes, if it needs saving, absolutely," Gabriel concurs. "I'm afraid that the best that I know of magic has framed an opinion that many would think along the lines of the Coalition - but I assure you it's not. I'm able to have an opinion of some without immediately condemning others.. even if it often turns out to be true anyway." He opens up one of his books, setting the other down. After licking his finger once, he rapidly flips through the textbook-sized piece to come to a very basic map of North America, from the base of Hudson Bay to central Mexico. "Not meaning to insult or anything, but you know where we are, and where we're going, yes?"
Dante tilts his head to the side, "Why would I not? Many of my order travel south to Mexico." He smiles wryly, "I have same feeling about magic. Do no trust, but, know that is not all bad. Mage is person. Person can be good, or bad. Some magic evil always. Human sacrifice. Pact with supernatural intelligence almost always bad. Overall, magic is tool." He closes his own book and looks over towards Gabriel, "I understand my American not so good. Is not mean stupid." He sits up, "Do you know exact where town is?"
Gabriel smiles and shakes his head apologetically. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to imply that I thought you were stupid. I only meant that there are a lot of people in this city who have no idea what anything looks like beyond anything farther than Laramy. Look at this library, and how empty it is. It was only meant as an innocent question, rather than asking what kind of education you'd received." He pats the book lightly, closes it and sets it back on the other. "That's a very interesting take on magic, though. And pacts. Anyway, no, I do not know exactly where Creel is. Not yet. Still?" He waves back to the stacks. "The answer's in there, and finding that kind of thing is something I can manage. You know, the easy things." *Wink*
"I cannot read American." Dante admits, "Have yet to find large scale map in Dragonese." He looks around, "Library is not bad, has variety of subjects. Is good." He shrugs, "I am from deep in Magic Zone, walk many miles before reach here. Seen many wondrous, terrible things. Before village destroyed was fade town. Teleport from place to place. Seen many things." He says again with a soft nod as he looks off at the books for a few.
Nodding, Gabriel eventually can only purse his lower lip into his upper, to say, "Interesting. A disappearing town. Or, a self-traveling town, I suppose. I've seen most every square mile of the world, but only how it was. I know that the Magic Zone isn't the way I left it, that's for sure." He holds up a staying finger, then disappears for a few moments, only to return with one of the atlases from the oversized collection. It's set down on the table near Dante's own books, and he gestures towards it. "If you'd like, I'll be happy to translate anything they might have written in there. They must have a Dragonese atlas though, considering the fact that magic is the driving force of this city."
Dante smiles, "Travel dangerous thing. Many people stay home, safe as best can. Not surprised if no map. Seen old map once, things very different now." Still he stands up and moves over towards the table, gathering up his own books and sets them down off to the side. "Show me map, relation to where going to here?" He asks curiously.
Gabriel moves over and opens up the largest of the two atlases, flipping quickly to a two-page fold-out map of North America. It takes him no time at all to place his right index finger in one spot, defined as, "Here's us, at Kingsdale." His left searches out equally quickly what must be a very precisely known location at this point, far to the southwest - or down and left, if someone didn't know how to read a map. "Creel." He then pulls out a small straight piece of metal that resembles a ruler, presses it against one line down at the base of the map, then affixes it between the two points. "About fourteen-hundred miles from here, as the crow flies. Valeriya's route is far more... circuitous."
"Thought Valeriya wished use magic there and back?" Dante asks, "Perhaps misunderstand. Is long dangerous trip... very dangerous." He looks at the map, "Coalition, Pecos Empire... not counting vampire and other threats." He purses his lips briefly tapping his chin lightly, "What is her route? Straight line, not always fastest path." He looks for any signs of elevation changes and the like. "Mountains, swamps, deserts, ley line nexus... all dangerous."
The old soldier starts an index finger back at Kingsdale, then makes a bit of a hooking path south through Texas before moving west. "Right now, she seems to be staying in the wilderness. Maybe Leonard's jumps work better that way? I don't know. But it takes us roughly past Sky Fort Preserve and Los Alamo, among others." Gabriel nods to Dante. "But you're right, she's making the travel plans, not me. I just like to know where I'm going to be, in case I get left there and need to find my way out myself."
Dante nods, "If using magic travel, will need find nexus. Won't be on map." He explains, "Magic energy follows own lines, not line of hill or water. Has own path. Need junction of lines to make portal, rift, to travel. Can use go other dimension or... other part of country." He wrinkles his nose, "Is... usually reliable. Storm however make uncertain. Date important also."
Gabriel's arms have crossed comfortably as he listened. But now he shakes his head a tad, and pats his left arm with his right hand. "Far be it for me to hand out information about magical travel... but from what I've done working with Leonard before; on his projects and mine, I don't think that he needs a nexus to take us where he wants to go. Just sort of... well, hell, I don't know. Soaks up energy and opens a door." A shrug is offered. "At least, that's how it's worked in the past, and not just short bunny-hop distances."
Dante hmmms, "Leonard more powerful than had guessed." he admits, "Is /easier/ at nexus. Less tiring. Many mage not have enough energy open rift except at nexus." He murmurs something about a familiar to himself and looks a bit uneasy for a moment but smooths it away. "So, what can Dante do for Gabriel?" He asks curiously.
Gabriel looks at Dante, then settles down on one of the more comfortable bits of seating. "Well... tell me about yourself, Dante. I need to know what everyone can do in order to make sure that we're deployed as best we can be. For instance, you obviously fight magic and such. How do you do it, and do you do more than that? Is there anything that you're particularly bad at which could compromise the mission?" He lays out a palm, a mild gesture of request to send information his direction.
Dante shrugs, "I can no give secrets of my order." He says simply. "Best explanation of what can do..." He smiles, "Valeriya is mage. Valeriya want test skills best say watch test?" He shrugs a little, "Can tell I prefer swords. Also have skill with pistols and rifles. Own SR-15 Sniper Rifle, use mostly for Vampires and others vulnerable silver." He considers and then pulls out a bone knife from it's sheath on his thigh, and focuses for a moment. He stabs it into his arm... or would, if the knife didn't just /stop/ on his leathers like it would against any conventional body armor. "Not as defenseless as look." He shrugs lightly.
Gabriel chuckles again and waves his hand. "Please, please. I'm not the kind to keep insulting people's intelligence, or think them defenseless. I just like to be thorough. Though your information isn't terribly helpful, y'know. At some point, you'll need to explain to everybody. Not everything, not every secret. Just enough that people know what to expect, and know what can be asked of you. That's all." He leans back, but somehow looks as if he's preparing to leave. "You sound like a man who'd like to get on with his own research."
Dante flips the knife around, "Ask better question. Get better answer. This language... not so good." The knife gets slid back into it's sheath. "Vague question get vague answer." He gathers up his books and he moves back to the bench he was lounging on before. "Have good day." He offers amiably enough.
With a smile directed mostly at himself, Gabriel gathers his atlases and moves back into the stacks.
