The odd and unknown phenomenon that seemingly swept across the entirety of the known world, much less Dethsiris, had rocked all manner of life and non-life in every corner. The various cries of it intermingled, the citizenry wailing out, and even the drak himself had felt its immense force. Having a hearty constitution of his own, the event struck him down to a knee as if feeling himself suffering from a chest affliction accompanying some heavy breathing. Once he would finally find himself back to his feet, he'd move throughout the castle to assess what had happened. He found some structural damage and some others unfortunate enough to have endured what transpired. As if things in this jungle could not have been bad enough, even after the hurricanes that had come and gone in the not-so-distant past.
Vexademus trailed now, behind the taller noble. A hand was actually latched onto the lower right wing as if she were trying to make sure he didn't disappear in an instant. She was following mutely, still unsure if she should speak - unknown that she might yell because there was still the high-pitched ring in her ears. But, the magess did so anyway.
"Where are we going, My Lord? Where is there to go? My home. I just finished not that long ago. The students, cadets. Van Masterson. Mister Leafwhistle. What of my mentor?"
She was slightly rambling now, the spillage of thoughts like water leaking out a cracked fountain. And the spellshaper had only intended to ask questions to get an idea of being on the same bearing as Archaon. But, her human mind was effluent, drop by drop.
He would look towards his other half, his bound mate, and try to smile despite the pain that still gripped his chest from the concussive force that still defied explanation. "I.. just wished to see what had happened.. nnhh..," he'd manage to say as his free hand pressed to his sternum. One would think he had just gone through a heart attack from the look of him.
"What.. what was that? It was as if something had just come crashing through without any kind of physical form," he'd mutter.
"There seems to be some damage within the castle and," he would sigh, "It seems even some were rent of their lives as well. If that is the case, I would wish to see what it looks like outside."
The Lady blinked up at his paused figure, that look she'd seen only one other time and suddenly, there was a whole slew of concern, panic, and the need to defend the man from any whim of deities. Her hand flexed in grip, drawing close with a nod, her spine straightening. That streaked mane was dusted, her face smudged and lips drawn tight. No sparkle of circlet because of the covering she's cloaked in. Eyes wide of crimson and pink in the sclera, butterfly lashes fluttered clear debris, "Are you ailed, sini? And aye. We must see. If it is an attack, then mercy on whatever had the fucking gall to do so. Outside may be worse."
She's already looking him over, focusing on him and the future of what they will find simultaneously. There's an attempt to draw aether but her mind cannot seem to stay on task for the moment. It's filled with anxiousness for him.
His chest still felt rather tight, but in all other aspects, he was well. Still, it felt as if he had a sizeable weight pushing upon his chest.
"I.. think it was from that strange force," he commented as he'd move beside his love to exit the castle.
"It feels like a weight, but I'm alright."
He'd try and assuage her concerns, "I'm sure it'll pass well enough."
Once the pair made it to the outdoors, the drak would see more of the same. Structural damage, some citizens and guards rendered down but not out, and more of those that could not survive. A hefty sigh as if he felt more weight piled upon his shoulders from what he just witnessed. "After all we have done to show that even the elements could not bring us low; unnatural forces seek to ruin us." His head hung a little, though he would take scope of the scene.
Vexademus had exited with him, shielded and shielding. Where he spoke and sighed and seemed tired of fighting and angry with the outcome; she swept the entirety but her eyes went skyward.
"Your Grace," came her quaking voice, "Wh..the sky...the sun is gone..."
Her eyes watered, fat drops welling over those lids and dropping as if they were extra weighted. Where was it? Where was...everything? She brought up a hand, the day overshadowed as if darker than a solar eclipse. And even though it was somewhat humid, it felt like it was chilling more. She shivered. The heat was leaving her even as she looked at the semi-muted sky with sparkles running across it. "What...is happening...?"
The Dethsirian leader would look up, having wondered why things did appear as if it were evening already.
"This.. what is this?" he'd question. The blips in the sky, the bright moons, the flaring sun; "Where are they? The stars? The sun? The moons? This cannot be," He looked confused.
"Did the world get swallowed? This.. this isn't right."
He had seen perhaps everything there could be seen, but this...this was something that not even he had ever seen. He could not even fathom any kind of explanation for what was essentially no longer there.
"With no sun, the jungle will grow cold. The mephos, the beetles, the people."
He had no answer to this. This was far larger than anything he had ever encountered and possibly something he could not answer.
The Lady snapped her gaze to him in peripheral and her crown cocked in misunderstanding, "Swallowed? What? Wait...there have been stories from afore..myths and tales of a great dragon coming to swallow the world but that's what they were...just stories! And. And..are we dying?? Is the land dying?"
Fear grips her and she, in turn, gripped him. Wide-eyed and feeling the stitched scar of mind tear a little at the seam. "We need to do something. Go somewhere! Hells bells, we need to go down and see. The stones! The dragon! What of the Gloom? The oceans?"
The human wasn't cut from the stable cloth other races were. So easily did she become panicked and passionate; crazed in mercurial distress.
He would try and breathe after this revelation of non-existent celestial bodies, but the why of it was unknown. "I.. I don't know," he replied, "It was the dragons that provided the world. They were the first, despite what elven histories may claim. Dragonkind is the eldest amongst all life. Whom the progenitor of even the Elder Dragons are, even we know not. They have slumbered for so long within the world, that even they may have forgotten their own sire."
He'd shake his head, "A dragon of such size that could consume the entirety of the world would be inconceivable. Impossible to even comprehend by draconic standards, let alone any other standards amongst us all."
He still struggled to think of what was going on, "I know not what this means, but with no sun to provide warmth and light, the land itself will not survive, and neither will we," came the grim forecast.
She tried to calm, swallowing. She still tasted that layer of dust and ash in her mouth. The amount of damage that must have been sustained and the places affected, was the entirety of lands seeing this? It was as if a mountain had been dropped from the sky, tearing the film of sunlight, stars, moons, and whatever other heavenly bodies floated there, and what was seen now was the real bones of their universe. He was speaking and all she heard was DOOM-DOOM-DOOM. Closing her eyes, she licked her lips and inhaled through her nose. Then sneezed into a sleeve. There. That simple bodily response snapped her from the spiral. She tried now. With sight blotted out, she focused on his breathing. Trying only to reach that pinpoint of focus. Where was the magic? She reached out as she'd been trained. Was it still in the air?
The drak'sen noble shook his head, "This is very unnatural. Unusual. I cannot even begin to fathom an answer."
He saw, amongst the dark void; there was something, "Though, it does not seem everything has been obliterated in the sky," he'd comment as he could see something faint. A feeble twinkle in that expansive void and the drak would point to it.
"Whatever it is, at least that still exists in the skies. Perhaps that may be the answer. Whether it is a good one or a bad one, I guess we will see in the future," he said lightly. "The guard or anyone, we should at least try and provide some sort of light source to the people lest the cats find new bravery and encroach upon their homes."
Vexademus felt it like a splash of water to the face when the concentration yielded results. It was there. In full! In the earth and in the air! The moisture granules that were breathed. The swirl of speech. Eyes snapped open and she was breathless a moment. Good. Now, looking to where he pointed, she squinted. Then, his command for a light source. Tongue moved along palate, "Light. Should it be magical or fire? Fire would be simpler upon stilted braziers."
She looked around now, "Where..is Wraith?" She listened for mephos screeches and roars.
Archaon would sigh at mention of Wraith, shaking his head with an unknown air. "I know not where he may be. Tending to the nests and the others I would imagine, though...I can sense his sorrow," he would add grimly, "The eggs.. the young..."
********MEANWHILE********
Alyssa Shadowfall was better than she looked; having her limp tended to previously, it was only slightly pronounced as the issues of the realm had not left her unscathed. Though healed, it aggravated old injuries that didn't usually plague her oddly. The woman wore an overlaid corset and pants with some extra pockets, while that cloak rested between her wings like some absent lengthy kerchief. The catorian was colder today, meaning she was in a mood. The water mage was just outside the kitchen's back door; a clove and catnip cigarette hung from her lip as she untangled some reins, showing a stable boy the way of it while explaining why.
Dante Ambrogio was taking the day to rest as he had been in the jungles nearly non-stop since the magical energies had swept through the realm. He sported a bandage along his dominant forearm that held shut a gash. It was from his kopis being thrown through the air when the continental blast hit, tossing him to land on the blade, cutting cleanly through and down to the bone. The bandage looked as though it would need changing soon but, at any mention of it, the wolven had brushed off nearly everyone, partially because of pride. He spotted the hybrid easily enough and hailed her as he strode across the courtyard, "Hoy! I see you have brought some of the herd. Did they all fare well through this fiasco? I know the house sustained no damage thanks to the mountains but I have not had much of a chance to examine anything more."
She looked up towards Dante as she finished handing the young lad the freed reins, "I did bring most of my mares to the house and left some of the mountain breed ponies. I may return to collect some other things. There were a few dead in the field. I've not seen hide nor hair of anyone there. It's really like a ghost town," she explained, "The house indeed looks fine. The caves fare well if for a few loose stones and one boulder resides near the edge of the cave mouth."
She would stand straight, plucking that cigarette from her lips with a last long draw and snuffed it on the flagstone.
He nodded and sighed with some relief, "That, at least, is good news. I can only imagine the efforts having to be made if there was more damage, and so soon after purchasing the land too." He looked around the castle courtyard.
"It seems like Lord Archaon chose skilled craftsmen to construct the castle here. It seems to have, at least at first glance, survived everything without too much protest or damage. Good that it sheltered those within well enough. I could have done without the shockwave throwing me off my feet, however."
He chuckled and rubbed his face, "The work to restore our paths for the scouts and such has been relentless and exhausting; today is the first day that I have actually been at the castle long enough to breathe since the beginning."
She frowns a little, "The dead horses bothered me. It looked, for all the world, like one of them had broken its neck. Two others had broken legs. Even though I was hurt, I got to a healer. But it seems like no one is caring for the horses up there. No more than basic necessities; they have grass room to roam and water."
She didn't like this. But she had gone out to check or made sure that the other little wolven in the cave did see to the horses, "The other girl has a pair of horses as well a gelding and a little mare; so I saw."
He thought for a long moment before nodding, "Aye; I suppose that it is a good thing that the property is surrounded by the high ridge of mountains. I imagine if we were to look around that ridge, we would find destroyed passes and multitudes of collapses and landslides."
His ears perked up slightly at the mention of the other wolven, "Ah. So she did receive my letter. Good. I am glad. Aye, since she had a couple of horses as well, I am sure that she would not mind helping to tend those left on our property while the two of us do work abroad. She is smart and cares about nature. I shall have to travel there and welcome her properly."
He took a step toward her and motioned to the castle entrance, "I suppose that we should probably head for the Hall of Whispers. There are some things that should not be discussed among open ears; despite their allegiance to the Lord."
She nodded and stood to walk with him. He would likely notice her limp in the right leg, "Mm. Your bandage needs changing anyway."
She looked around the keep with more interest after entering. Since being recommended, it was likely she would receive more appreciation.
He started to brush off her concern for his arm but remembered that it was her book on first aid that had allowed him to nurse her back to health, "Aye, you are probably right. It very likely does." As they passed Archaon and Vex, he gave a very weary nod of recognition to the two of them but slightly limped past without a word. He led the way down into the recesses of the Castle, navigating around a few areas filled with rubble from collapses that became more apparent than he had thought.
"Seems perhaps the castle took more damage than was visible outside. The work never ends."
He finally came to a room that resembled the great hall upstairs in layout, but was only about a quarter the size and took a seat, slumping and heaving a great sigh as he finally let the week's work fall off his shoulders visibly, "Come, sit."
Alyssa's wings flapped open briefly to fan a bit of her natural chill into the room as she entered, not stopping to sit. From her belt pouch, she pulled out a small pot and a fresh clean bandage, setting them on a table, then revealed a small knife. Carefully, she cut his old bandage away. "I'll stand, you talk."
She would look over the wound before casting Clean out of habit.
She found he had taken excellent care of the wound since a healer hadn't been handy. He grimaced slightly as every touch to the area around the wound was painful but he did not pull away, letting her examine him which, thankfully was on the side of the arm and had missed every major artery. He gave her a soft smile through the whimper that escaped through his gritted teeth. "If it hadn't been for your book, I would not have known how to keep infection away this long and I am loathed to go to a magical healer. In my experience, it tends to leave worse scars than the traditional method. Quicker is rarely better and I am needed, even while I have to recover from this," he chuckled slightly.
"Congratulations, by the way, I heard through the channels that you were selected for the position I was hoping you would be."
She tsked softly and sighed as she pulled out a needle and some stitching twine.
"We will rebuild. Life will go on. We will need to make sure that the lord of this keep knows that those who work for him have his back. We will not let Dethsiris fall."
Those last words held some disappointment and bitterness in them while she thought of the past. She sat on the table next to his extended arm and threaded the needle, immediately beginning the sewing process.
She received a small throaty growl at the first stitch as he wasn't quite ready for it but he did everything in his power to not pull away, his arm did still quiver slightly despite his fighting. He grimaced and prepared himself for the coming pain, wishing he had chosen to carry a wineskin of liquor like so many others did, but trusting her enough to know that while it was painful, it was ultimately for a good reason.
"Aye, House Dethsiris shall stand resolute. We are not the kind to take whatever this is and not fight back. As it is, I have already restored a significant chunk of our more important paths for the Eyes and Shadows of Dethsiris, but I need to take a few days, at the very least, and actually do less so I can heal."
She continued to work on the wound with a quiet humming.
"There is some rubble around the castle. I am not sure what all the damage is but we can help in any way, big or small."
He nodded, flexing his fingers a bit once she finished the stitches, "Blazes; that still hurts. When I find out what caused that wave of energy, I might just feed its teeth to it. this is horrible. This devastation is pretty much the same across the realm from what I have seen on my few trips around."
"Maybe we should report this? The higher-ups might not know," she suggested.
She re-bandaged the wound freshly and reminded, "Also, don't go without stitches again when you need them."
Dante nodded and used the message spell in his house emblem, speaking clearly.
"Lord Archaon, are you and Lady Vex in a condition enough to receive information that may be useful to the two of you?"
Alyssa put away her supplies while she listened in with those bat wings half spread in anticipation.
He nodded at the response and looked to Alyssa. "Seems that they are still where we saw them last."
He glanced at his now properly tended arm, "I can't make the promise but I will do my best to not go without stitches any further. Let's go make the report."
Giving a smile, he was halfway taken by her and halfway wondering if she would ever recover from her plight in Virelith. Time will tell, he silently reminded himself before beginning the trek to the Lord and Lady.
She limped after him, out to the air and that muted sky.
Lord Archaon would shake his head again but soon would receive word upon the winds from Dante. "We are. We are outside of the castle assessing what has happened, and discussing what can be done for now."
He'd send his reply away in the same manner, "Perhaps a physical fire first. At least with that, the people can gain light, as well as heat for the time being. If magic still has the function, then we can perhaps muster ways to provide magical light within containment. or at the least some sources of light even if they are not permanent."
Vexademus smoothed her clothing, drawing in the magic and collecting it slowly like open joined palms collecting raindrops. She transmuted it and cleansed herself with a spell, shaking out her hair. Even though she was bodily bruised, it was already beginning to feel better. The soothe of aether and spell shaping was like a small and dedicated fix. Again. She ran a hand along one of the drak's wings, casting the same to make sure he was cleaned as well. She'd not have the spells of healing but useful ones nonetheless. Mend. And so came her magicks; repairing torn clothing that wasn't enchanted. At the moment, she was glad that she'd not been wearing her black seething robes, but a light sweeping gown that was shoulderless but sleeved with ruffled cuffs, sandals where the straps had been snapped, now fixed, and her favorite jewelry. One lavender ribbon remained tied just below the dark A ensorcelled on her left wrist and she looked fresher than previous. Ah, good to be a caster. Still, the bruises would mark her. The silvery mesh of the old scarring remained, worn proudly of some feat she'd survived. Now, she was beginning to take stock. Rebuilding would transpire again. Though, her concern over the local population grew. How many would have perished this time? The Wildgrowth Plague had taken so many. How many had this catastrophe claimed? One source. She lit a hand with "Mitne," and looked around, finally daring to leave his side, treading across the uneven lawn and finding one stone brazier toppled over. Using another spell, Floating Disc; she'd loft it upright and bring it to the center. Her cheeks were flushing from the usage. Their surroundings may change and seem bleak, but one thing stayed the same; the bitch-mage's addiction to the magics was still just as strong as ever. The woman half-glowed around that warmed visage. "There. Perhaps some wood and a short spark to help..?"
The ranger Dante looked up to that sky and shook his head. Even his studies of the arcane still do not allow him an ounce of understanding of it. He spotted Vexademus and Lord Archaon, watching her display of magic, "Well, at least that assures me that magic still works. Most everyone has been afraid to make the attempt and I simply do not have the ability."
He stepped closer and offered a weary salute, "Lady Vex, Lord Archaon; I hope that you survived this shit less scathed than I? And I was one of the lucky ones."
The catorian behind Dante noted him watching the female move something and her steps slowed. She gave a more subdued salute to the pair and would look to the Lady at the mention of a spark, "Dante," she reminded him, "You have a tinder box. It may be the old-fashioned way, but I am no help with flames."
She exuded cold, the stuff rolling off of her in chilly waves. She ventured only a little closer, determined to stay out of arm's reach of Vexademus, "Lord. Lady. The damage appears to be more than just here," she reported, "I am just back from the northlands of Virelith. It seems to extend that far, if not farther."
Lord Archaon would watch his love plait those magical threads as a weaver practiced on a loom, offering a smile though the discomforting weight still pushed upon his chest. At least it started to fade. Upon seeing Dante and Alyssa approaching, he would offer them a solemn bow of head.
"None too worse for wear, although it did give me a little extra in the chest, but nothing that won't dispel itself in due time."
He'd add, "I am still unsure what to make of this unique phenomenon, if it can even be called such. There's damage inside and outside of the castle. Unfortunately, some of the people did not seem to survive the initial blast. Some of the pups as well and even a few of the younger beetles were not spared." Another sigh.
"From what else I can feel...Wraith's sorrow tells me that even some of the mephos eggs and younglings also succumbed to it."
Dante had nearly forgotten about the fact that Alyssa emitted cold as she did, for he had grown accustomed to it. A nod at Archaon's words, his face turning down as he offered a silent prayer to a deity that he still kept secret.
"I can confirm her report that the damage is widespread across the realms as the story is much the same everywhere. The Healing House in Nanthalion has only its anchor room and cellars left. The patient rooms have been demolished. My friend Callie's restaurant in town is leveled. I do not even begin to know where this phenomenom came from."
The wolven directed his gaze back to the skies, back to that lone twinkling point above. "I have studied the arcane, but I was not born with the gift and to my knowledge, I am not a late bloomer. Nothing in all of my years gives me any insight into what could rob us of the skies and leave that point high above us. So far, we have not seen any effect on the heat in the jungle."
Vexademus gave a reassuring expression at the chiroptic feline, then found the wolven's salute and politely dipped a quarter at the waist, "You look pretty banged up. But perhaps better than the land and sky," she commented.
Her circlet'd head tipped back and looked upwards, staring at the strange glittering mist that was suspended so very low. It hung like a dense fog and twittered small glowing sparkles across its smokey surface and inside of it. It was strange to have an unending kind of twilight. A glance back towards the others, lazy of expression for the moment, riding the casting high. For the next few minutes, she would indeed seem quite taken in the blush, as if she'd just rolled off the drak; satisfied.
When Archaon spoke of Wraith, she would reach a gloved hand to her chest on a necklace, a scale from that prized mount. The memory of how she had come to possess the scale thrived, though she hoped it would not be cause for her to occupy a dungeon at the moment.
"I used to breed horses for Virelith. Some of the herd did not survive. It's almost like a ghost town up there. I didn't get a good look at the building. I am sure there were damages though. Our own home fared well only because of the mountains around it. The Portal seems to have survived and appears to be working correctly."
Lord Archaon would offer but a shake of his head, "I wish I could provide even a faint answer, but even I do not know."
He accepted what Alyssa had to say about the surrounding lands outside of the jungle. The same such fate. So it was a cataclysm on a grand scale.
"So it is not only us that suffer, but the Empire as a whole," he wondered aloud, looking at that faint speck of light from time to time. "I can only imagine that all the other realms are in as much chaos as we. All we can do for the time being is provide what we can for our own here, and then perhaps lend aid elsewhere once things are of a stable state."
Dante agreed, rubbing his neck idly, "Aye. In this instance, Dethsiris definitely needs to be a priority for us. We cannot allow it to fall but as I believe a certain Mouth has said before; "We are Dethsiris and if we remain strong and unified, there is nothing that shall bring Dethsiris to its knees."
"We are already starting the recovery process. I have been in the jungles, restoring trails with the scouts that are still standing and capable. We have also been wary of the fact that the teleporting cats need to be kept at bay; though strangely enough, they seem to not be coming so near right now. Perhaps they too were hit pretty hard."
Vexademus seemed to weave a little on her feet, coming to lean against the taller drak'sen noble. The Portal. She thought of it in blurry reminisce as the after-effect of spells leeched through her veins. It was time to be serious right now. But, try as she might, the magess seemed soothed for the moment. Like a drunkard trying to act sober. And failing, no doubt. She wondered how the fae were dealing. How the messages would get through. That sky looked like it could be supped up with a straw. As her eyes cast skyward again, brows cinched in a saddened pity. Poor Wraith. And what of Atlas? SomeWhere? Big Sugar? Face would lower and she would pinch the bridge of her nose, whispering as yet another spell was called, sending a message to call out for one of the heads of the towers of the Great Dome. Nothing but silence. Not even that dark shred of feathery wing beats that usually accompanied response in Message reply of her mentor. Just. Quiet. Looking up to Lord Archaon, she would shake her head, "Nothing from my home..," she then paused, "Wait.." There. A short reply though it sounded faint. One of the cadets was gathering wounded near the hedge maze. She was taking count. Relief was in the short response and Vexademus exhaled a held breath. Someone at least. Not all was lost. Reports would be taken and damages evaluated after assessment. "The Dome stands. Sort of..."
The catorian water mage had seen the Dome. She preferred to enter on her own terms though.
"What of the damage there? I have gotten reports that many were hurt and many others...killed. The rezzers will be busy this week."
Her tail twitched back and forth, "There indeed have been losses among the jungle. Whole flock of those pretty rainbow birds lay dead just outside the gates. Poor things likely died of fright when it happened."
Archaon's arm slipped about Vex once she leaned against him, listening to what Dante had explained of the jungle, its paths, and the felines.
"Indeed. Perhaps they are also recovering from the same, much as we are. It would make sense as to why they have not already approached in the darkness. I almost wonder if it had any effect beneath the ground," thinking aloud because of the vast expanses of phoenix stone under their very feet.
"Though, I imagine that if it did, we would all not be standing here right now and instead replaced by a vast crater. I would dare try to approach the dragon and seek counsel but perhaps that would be something for a future time when we are not all already buried under the chaos," he pondered.
Vexademus felt that reassuring protection, that unsettling dark necromancy that he wore like a shadowed mantle. It was no longer disconcerting, but comforting. Though, his warmth as a summer season of his kind held more warmth for her than the air did at the moment. It was cooling. The ground still radiated some heat, it wouldn't for much longer. She swallowed. What would happen if the sun wasn't allowed to beat its rays along the foliage and creatures? How many and such would perish just from the change in temperature after so many years in the heat?
James Vodera had only recently arrived back in Dethsiris, and had flown low over the ground towards the castle stronghold. As he crossed the walls, he looked down and saw several figures gathered in the courtyard below. Slowing, he saw Lord Archaon along with Lady Vex and the others with them. Descending, the feline fire mage landed with ease and adjusted his arch magi robes, nodding a quick greeting to those gathered before giving a more formal half bow to both Archaon and Vexademus, those mismatched emerald pools lofting after a moment as he absorbed what was being said.
Dante greeted James as he listened to the concern from Archaon about the underground. "Well, we do have one among our staff that I know survived and knows more about the underground than any other among us; our dwarven smith could likely be persuaded to take a look. Though I daresay he, like myself, may wonder what exactly these phoenix stones are."
He shook his head slightly, "We have had no tremors or earthquakes here to my knowledge and I have been in the jungles pretty much since the event. I knew that should the cats come, my expertise in hunting and controlling them would be necessary."
He looked around the courtyard and then up to the high walls before turning his eyes toward the Towers, "Mistress Vex, it is a task that your mages have likely never been asked to undertake, but do you think it possible that you could keep a full squad of fire mages focused on a large lens that is turned on a pond near the castle? It rests among the trees but it's visible from the top of one of the towers. It will take effort and strong magics, but if we can condense their fire spells into a strong beam of heat energy; we can turn it on that source of water that is fed by a strong spring and we can generate steam that will be kept low to the ground by the trees."
He turned and raised a brow regarding both James and Vex. "It might buy us enough time for a chance to find a better solution to maintaining the heat in the jungle at the very least."
Vexademus nodded to Dante's question but responded with something a bit different, "Unfortunately, I do not have fire mages as students; only potentials. When they graduate is when they choose their path. But, I do have some that may b..." She trailed off. There was no knowledge of the extent of the damage of what The Dome took. So, she fixed her previous response, "I will see what I can do, Mister Ambrogio." A vague acquiesce to the wolven's idea and she quieted for the moment.
Alyssa watched as the lady trailed off and frowned, "Shall I take time to map the damages? If it suits you, I can. I need only a sketchbook."
The ice mage tilted her head and the chill from her body drifted toward Vex and Archaon on one of the air currents. There was a notation of James' presence.
Vexademus beheld the offer as it was laid before her, feeling the chill and nodding. Her body was placated and shielded by Archaon's warmth though so no gooseflesh crept across just yet. "I would much appreciate that, Miss Shadowfall."
She returned James' greeting with inquiry, "Mister Vodera, where come from you?"
The feline fire mage glanced over to Dante, taking another moment or two to compose himself after his flight, speaking to Vex, "I'm just come from Nanthalion. The town is a mess right now; the arena and the inn are banged up but standing. There's damage all over from what I understand."
He was half-wondering if he should reveal his whereabouts during the cataclysm as he leaned his weight on one leg. His hands dipped within robes pockets, before emerging with a rolled cigar that was promptly placed between lips, a snap of fingers to produce a flame, lighting it with a puff of acrid smoke to surround him.
The onyx drak'sen lord nodded, "Perhaps an agent well-versed with the subterranean world may have the best chance. I would sooner see the homes and people with a fire to live have their spirits lifted for the time being. The water, I am sure, is still safe to a fault, as well as any food provisions."
The Lord would keep thinking about that solitary speck of light.
"I imagine, however, that whatever answers are to be found, that will be involved in some manner," mentioning that little glowing dot; the sole hope that light still remained in that void up above...perhaps.
The Lady turned attention to the smoking feline and inquired, "Only Nanthalion then?" A look to the chirot cat, "Didn't you say that there was survivable damage in Virelith?" She then asked James, "While flying here, what make of the land did you see? Houses, temples, farms? How fare they?" A veritable dump of questions; the nervous babbling she was sometimes known for.
The water mage nodded," Yes, there was damage to Virelith. I am sure I saw some. There here dead horses in the fields. It also looked like there was a bit of damage to the castle, but I daren't get too close. Stormwind is protective over his domain," She pulled out her own cigarette case, opening it, the scent of cloves and catnip wafting free. A match to light and then shook out to be thrown into the flames of the brazier.
The Lord listened in on what was being discussed, thinking about the degrees of devastation.
"Whatever this odd force was, it seems to have had varying stages of effect. Perhaps the most hearty of people and objects were spared the worst of it or just didn't have as much of an effect on random things and people," he'd theorize, "It certainly left me wanting for air for a short while, and then felt as if something heavy were on my chest. That has since passed...thankfully." There was an ending chuckle afterward.
James confirmed as he took a drag of his cigar, "Aye, just Nanth, though on my way here I did get a look at the land. Well, some anyway. It's pretty rough-looking outside the walls. Houses, barns, and the like are leveled in some areas and untouched in others, livestock scattered or lost, and scores of folks heading towards the city. Likely because their homes were destroyed." He'd cast a glance at Alyssa with a smirk for her earlier comment about his power set, and this time for those heavenly smelling cigarettes of hers, nodding once to her before returning his gaze to Vex and Archaon.
Likewise, the ranger had been listening as the others spoke, thinking along similar lines to Lord Archaon.
"I might very well have been fortunate in my location at the timing of the force or perhaps I am just too damned stubborn to be dropped by a foe that I cannot see," he chuckled grimly, "If I might make a suggestion m'lord? It might be a grace to the citizens of our land to open our courtyard, at the very least, as a refugee camp for those that have braved living in the jungle and find themselves suddenly without homes. Our kitchen is well-stocked and we can afford the cost of food while the craftsmen work to get the citizenry back into their homes."
While the Lady seemed to take all this in, the gears working and the cogs turning, was evident on her face. She was measuring; with that heated blush so swirled on those cheeks. Bringing up a hand, she hid her mouth behind a frilled cuff, almost seeming a dandy while whispering. A nod and then shake of her head, then another nod, as if she were holding the fastest private conversation...with herself. She lowered that coveted hand and tut'd, smacked tsk as a finale, "It would be better here. The Dome; as it hasn't been inspected, is damaged and it was originally ruins when first rebuilt upon. It has weathered hurricanes and some volatile..things...but I daren't trust its legs right now. Especially when we actually went down into the mines just so many miles west of the Dome, down into the deep, and then climbed two hours and arrived in the basement of the building..."
She glanced at Dante as if she were explaining more, "As unimbued phoenix stones are naturally occurring precious gems that have the capability of making magic unstable and wild beyond comprehension; this is why we worry. The Portal, in southern Dethsiris, is made of the stuff. It is imbued and enchanted just for that purpose. I caretake it once a month to make sure the runes are graved deep still and the vines and grasses do not take it over."
Alyssa reminds the Lady, "You should go there soon to be sure everything is well with it." The catorian's face suddenly became impassive, a mask worn when she needed it.
Dante's face betrayed his thirst for knowledge of the arcane, "They do not occur in my homeland. Though they are very interesting if these are their properties. I almost wonder if they could not be used to draw out latent magic," he started; stopping himself short and shaking his head, knowing that it was a risk he did not wish to take if they were at all involved in this cataclysmic event. He offered a polite nod to Lord Archaon and Lady Vexademus, then turned his gaze toward the south where known Portal would stand.
"If you should ever need a hand in monitoring the Portal, I am happy to assist, Lady Vex. It may be that I eventually come to you seeking tutoring; it seems that magic in this land works a touch differently than it did back home and perhaps that means that I may yet find it for myself."
The magess gave a dip in acceptance, "Aye. Much so, it does. I look forward to hearing your decision in that respect; at a later date after we fucking unbury ourselves from this terrible tragedy."
And as so, it was going to be even worse once all of the tolls were taken and tallied. She was sure that what Alyssa had prompted was verily needed, though the mage was seethingly loathed to leave the lord's side.
Vexademus found the lord reassuring her with some whispered magical language and he turned away to inspect some more of his property, leaving the magess behind to look somberly after him. His spirit was haggard. She could have sworn that he felt the land's destruction as if it were dedicated on his own body. And the worry he wore over his people and creatures? It was enough to cause her to frown and then wipe her face, sniffling shortly.
Alyssa watched the magess while taking a long draw off her cigarette, the plume of scented smoke blown free, that tail twitching side-to-side. The cold drifted in ripples off the water mage, one scarred wing giving a membranous ruffle. The visible tattoo shown along her chest looked to have been cut and scarred over as if the catorian had been trying to remove it by damage.
As those smoking welcomed, Dante himself revealed a meerschaum pipe from a pouch at his belt and packed rich tobacco in it that smelled thick, heady, and sweet of cherries. Tamping it into the bowl, he gave James a rather abashed expression, "Since you are here Master Vodera; would you mind terribly aiding a poor wolven with a light?"
James yawned slightly before he hit his cigar again, bidding farewell to Archaon as the Lord took his leave, returning his attention to Lady Vex then.
"How fared the dome?" curious if the structure suffered much in the way of damage. As he was approached by the much taller wolven with the pipe and the pleading look he smirked.
"Certainly."
He snapped his fingers again, the flame produced hanging at the tip of his pointer finger as he held the flame out to the wolven's bowl full of tobacco, letting him get a decent draw and burn going before letting the flame vanish. Dante chuckled and tipped his head in thanks.
The Lady turned to regard James' question and immediately seemed different. She stroked off her circlet and scratched through the crown of streaked waves, looking defiant. "I know not to the extent. Only that some have survived. One of the cadets of the Tower of Might reported to my call. Van Masterson was absent and Mister Leafwhistle," she shrugged, "I am at a loss."
There was a tightening of jaw when she considered the next day or so.
Dante spoke up then, a trail of coiling smoke curling from his mouth, "Aye, let us get unburied from this chaos and tragedy and then see about rebuilding ourselves stronger than before. I think perhaps it is time that I may see about finding food and some form of relaxation as I have been relentlessly aiding the efforts as best I can since everything occurred. Once dawn comes it is back to it for me, however; much to be done and we certainly need to be the ones to show the strength."
The catorian hybrid wandered around them with muted hobbled limp, seeming to pace. She would take out a small notebook and a bit of charcoal, scribbling a little in it while becoming absorbed in those notes; a twitch of sharp ears at the group every so often. The wolven watched her for a short time, enjoying the tobacco before offering a terse salute to the others. He strode to Alyssa and spoke softly, "I'm off to find food. I am sure that should you have need of me, you'll find me before I even know you are looking." The water mage gave a smile and commented in response about how a concubine of hers wanted to meet him. He chuckled with a mischievious smirk.
"Always have a plan don't you, Alyssa? Perhaps it is that very trait that I find drawing me toward you. I suppose your concubine is one of the typical kinds?" he scoffed in mock offense, and nodded. "Shan't be a problem; we can journey home soon. I will likely need a proper retreat from this chaos before the week is out at the pace with which I have been working and the peace of the mountains sounds much preferable to this." He gave her a soft hug as befitted their friendship and then strode off toward the kitchens, his cloak sweeping behind him, a small trail of smoke rings rising above his head, laughter-cloaked as he retreated to the promise of food.
The fire mage nodded slightly up at the wolven before regarding Vex. "I see. A tragedy, to be sure, but I have a feeling we'll pull through this. S'not the worst I've had to contend with in this empire."
He gave a shudder as he recalled one such event, deciding to push said thought away as he took another pull from his heavy-scented cigar.
Vexademus seemed almost disbelieving and she pointed up at the sky, "You've lived through the swallowing of the sun, the sisters, and the stars? How is there anything that could be rivaled to this in the court?" There was a strange unmistakable finality to what she asked. It was truly something she wanted, needed, to hear. That there had been other catastrophic circumstances that had happened before she came to this particular land. That this was something natural. That His Grace, even in his power, could and had handled the like before.
"You never had to face a spirette," he growled back with venom on the last word as he spat onto the ground like the very string of syllables left a bad taste in his mouth. "Tall, gangly, ugly creatures that resembled chirots but were nothing alike...Monsters that could invade your mind and turn you on your friends...resistant to magic and steel...I'll gladly take this," he pointed towards the lack of celestial bodies overhead, "over them any day."
Vexademus looked down, words were side-turned in answer to the feline, "I...no. I've never faced those. I don't even know of what those are. I haven't read anything about them. But, if they are as nightmarish as you say and you'd rather have the soil beneath your feet slowly dying without heat and the plant life following it; I would think they were more terrible than being rended by a deity's teeth. My apologies for what you endured. And for my misspeak..." At this, she pressed a hand to her chest and dipped very low, eyes shutting as she did so as in a show of sincerity in apology. When she raised, she sighed, "Sometimes, I must be reminded that regardless of what I know, I should always strive to know more."
The feline shook his head. "It's no fault on your part, Lady Vex. But yes, these things were nightmares without a doubt. I think I'd welcome a dragon attack over them making a return to the empire. As for what's going on here, I don't like it. I feel a chill in the air and that's not a good sign. I only hope this fades soon," he said as he glanced skyward once more, looking up into that shimmering void.
"Mephos won't go into the sky because of it. I'm afraid of flying too high on my own power in case something happens. What is going on up there?" he asked no one in particular.
The magess nodded, hearing his forgiveness of her ignorance and then another comparison of what he would prefer over spirettes. Gaea, they must have torn out his guts by folding them inside out continuously and healed him just to do it again. She swallowed and looked into the fire, the strange twilight, even as late as it was, unsteadying for her circadian rhythm. It even made her feel off balance. It wasn't day, it wasn't dark; it just...was She folded her arms over her midsection, missing the lord's warmth as she crept closer to the crackling instances within the bowl in her deepened quiet.
Alyssa looked up from the notes, lofts a brow, speaking to James, "I'm going to get some food and get to work." A turn on the heel with that notebook closed and handled, Alyssa made absence of themselves. James nodded as the water mage left.
Rolan had received the summons from Lord Archaon after dealing with his own problems. The hulking nightmare drak was covered in masonry dust and had a few good scrapes on his body. Especially his arms, perhaps he had dug his way out? Or had been busy digging other people out of the wreckage? He walked into the courtyard, looking sore and tired; relatively healthy otherwise. He couldn't stop looking at the sky. It was disturbing and he missed the stars. He made his way over to the small gathering at the fiery brazier. The big drak'sen slowly settles onto the ground and sits cross-legged. A wince showed as he finally allowed himself to settle into the soreness. He was half-naked and looking pretty scraped up. Vexademus turned and greeted the dark drak, "Are you alright? Can we get you anything to drink? May I help rid you of dust?"
The mercenary responded to the Lady's offer, "I just had a retaining wall fall on me. Yes. To both."
He looks utterly exhausted. If the almost seven-foot nightmare is one thing; it's that he's a survivor.
"What are we going to do? What happened?" he asked, looking skyward once more.
Since earlier, she'd received two more messages and some was dour news mixed with some sentiment of hope. Giving a nod to Rolan, she left James' side with a look, then returned some minutes later with fingers wrapped around the thick neck of a juice bottle. She bit the stopper to pull it out and blew it off to the side, handing it to the settled drak'sen, giving a soft swipe of her right knuckles across his bare shoulder and speaking, "Na'torki..." casting Clean over him.
The rush of familiar small magic was a nice lift. She then asked, "Where were you when this happened?"
She motioned James over so that he could listen and perhaps ask his own questions. The feline abided and after noting the flames had died down some, he reached out with his magic to the fire itself, feeding it and growing it bigger to provide both light and heat as he stood beside the magess. His hand lifted to touch at his breastbone for a moment as a sudden lance of pain shot through his chest, leftovers from the cataclysm when it happened.
The warrior gladly takes the bottle of juice and guzzles down the whole thing. He lets out a sigh of relief as the Clean spell is cast. It takes him a moment to answer as everything was such a blur, "I was gathering up some weights for my strength training down in the armory. Then I felt the air get sucked straight out of the room. The next thing I know, I was buried. I had to climb my way out."
Vexademus seemed confused, "The armory...wait. Here?? The armory here?"
Rolan shakes his head. "Not the armory proper. Just the place where we keep the training gear. I misspoke, luckily it was just me in there. And lucky for me, I'm no slouch."
He allows himself a moment of pride, flexing just a bit. If anyone could have pushed his way out of a pile of detritus; it was Rolan. He was monstrous.
The feline had a different reason than the Lord did for clutching at his chest so; his being damage suffered to his heart and lungs during the cataclysm. It had been healed, but he'd likely suffer lasting side effects such as this and he somehow knew it. "I...should take my leave..," he panted out, face twisted in pain before it faded just as suddenly as it had arrived, leaving him looking somewhat confused by the whole thing.
"You two try to get some rest when you can. Excuse me," he wobbled for a moment on his feet before he managed to turn, heading towards the main doors of the castle.
Vexademus was about to say something but then just gave a quick dip of her head and managed a quiet 'thank you' to the departing fire mage. Turning back to Rolan, she inquired, "Noticed you on the way here, the counts of wounded?"
The onyx drak'sen was still extremely confused by everything. And had come to the courtyard per the usual protocols. What else could he do?
"I came straight here as soon as I could get free. I need to check on Mae," he frowns at that.
"I'm her personal guard. How can I protect anyone from this?" He gestured to the sky, and the ruin all around them.
The Lady chewed her lower lip and reached out with a calming hand, looking better than most had. She'd cast Mend and Clean earlier on herself and His Grace and so, they had been fit to show, at least clothing'wise, themselves to their House. She'd not been sound upon first waking after the bright flash and ensuing blast. Hells bells, she'd even had the misfortune of tugging on an arm that was buried and pulling it free; to note that it was just an arm and no body attached. Though, whence she'd been panicked, the drak'sen noble had come for her and practically cocooned her until she'd rested from the shock. Having spent some time inside a room with him, she'd slept and calmed and only just today, this evening in fact; had emerged from the safety of the Stronghold.
"You have done the perfect first step. Making sure you survived so that you can protect her. Do you know where she is at the moment?"
Rolan didn't know how much time had passed, or how long he had been digging his way out. How could he? The sun and stars are gone. He shakes his head and his face goes from grim exhaustion to anxiety. But he's disciplined enough that it doesn't take him completely, "I don't know, I...I don't know how long I was in there. What if she was buried too?" He places his head in his hands.
She blinked and answered, sliding down to seat herself in front of the horned man, knowledge of their race grown healthy with study of the different lores and from her closeness with the leader of the House.
"The Mouth is resilient. She has worked deep underneath things for a long while and so is used to it. I'm sure she is actually fine. And is probably giddy with excitement that there will be..." she spoke darkly, "More bodies for her. It's a thing...with necromancers. Tell me, are you injured? Should we call a healer?"
He lifts his gaze up from his large hands to look down at Vex as she sits in front of him. He has bruises and scrapes all over his body and he was utterly exhausted from the effort. "I'm sure Mae will turn up eventually. I probably could use a healer. I may have a few broken bones. I know I have internal bleeding. A wall fell on me."
He doesn't chuckle, but he musters a grim smile. He's no stranger to injury.
A nod and the spellshaper shifts to rise, turning with a pointed stay here expression and shake of an index finger. She returns with a half-dirtied and sleep-deprived healer who had been tending in the now risen cloth pavilion. The vixen knelt and assessed the very large, very intimidating drak'sen and nodded. A close of eyes, a few whispers later, and a warmth would spread, culling the ache and sharpened pain. Closing off internal tears and beginning growth of bone in radiant soothe. Just as he would start to feel better, it stopped short and the vixen would look up breathless to the Lady. Vex would send her back to the makeshift pavilion where there were more lined up and treating blankets on the ground. The caster took a seat in front of Rolan and inquired, "Better? You don't feel like you need to throw up a bubble of pain anymore, do you?"
He closes his eyes and let's the healing warmth of the magic wash over him. He breathed a sigh of relief. But he still feels physically spent. Drak'sen don't sleep, but he does feel like laying down, "Much better, thank you."
He nods to the healer as they leave for the treatment pavilion.
"I'll be fine, I've survived worse without magic. A lot of people aren't so lucky hmm? I'll be up day and night digging people out, I'm sure."
Vexademus sighed, "Aye. At least the time is bettering. For us both, I would think. My mephos, Big Sugar has been found...though - in my room. Of which, a good portion of my things are torn up from her large stature squishing inside there in fright. You see, I raised her as a youngling in my private quarters at The Great Dome before she needed her own roost. So, I'm sure that it was comforting in my absence to push her mighty body into a place that really couldn't suit her anymore. SomeWhere, my horse, very large draft mind you," she added with a lean and disarming amusement to try and raise his spirit some, "Was found trotting along, looking disoriented and dirty but fine. His lower half is grass-stained but nothing a good wash won't take off. Perhaps that is how you will find Miss Mae."
"Perhaps that's how most of us will make it out; blood-stained, battered, but still alive and still undefeated."
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Player of: Vexademus, Magralel, Noland{mkth}
