Overworlds - City of Magic Arc [For Original Hylion =D]

[Lekiel]

"Yes... *hic* kind of.. and *HIC* Ah.. that's better.. yes." The elf replied. Fyrilis was gently massaging her temples with her eyes closed as if she could rub out the perpetual drumbeat within her head. The last hiccup cleared much of the unwanted air within her bowels, putting her much more at ease.


"It was an attempt at conversation.." Fyrilis spoke slightly louder, as if directing her first few words to both her companions instead of just Elari. "Traversing the length of the Kingdom by horse would make for a pretty idyllic ride.. but I'm sure I am not the only one who wants to get this journey done by next winter. That's a thought though don't you think..? Elari wasn't it? Sorry, spending my time with the lights out for the most part of the start of the journey isn't very polite.. Remind me not to drink anything that smells like anything from that tavern again in the future.. pfft! .. hmmm.. as unpleasant as that was.. it wasn't nearly as bad though.. well, not as bad as i thought. If there's a way to skip the after-party that goes on in your head and stomach, I really don't mind that.. little high feeling thing hehe.. kinda reminds me of Madame Ysainne's Andali flower drink.. have you tried it yourself? You really should y'know? Perhaps I could get us some once we're done with all this.. eh? Lusius? I'm quite sure you can import those back into Arya. Lady Ysainne's products are quite well known. I wouldn't be surprised if.."


Before too long, the trio had reached the front yard of the Raging Griffin where a tall figure stood leaning against the wooden railing of the Tavern's front decking. Dressed in a colourful doublet of orange, reds, greens and sky blue topped of with an equally colourful plumed hat worn at an angle, on closer look the figure appeared to be human, despite his slight body. His tanned skin only seemed to add another shade of colour to his outlandish outfit, notwithstanding the pink plumes of smoke that puffed up from the mahogany pipe at the corner of his lips. Jewels glinted from the many rings adorning his slim digits and even from the gilded hand-guard of the elaborate rapier that hung at his side. Nevertheless, many a fool had taken the stranger's pompous dressing for granted as only a careful observer would have noticed the cleverly disguised weathering at the corners of his eyes, concealed with the aid of powder and the hawk-like alertness in the way he carried himself; as if he could spring into action in a blink of his eyes... Eyes the colour of morning sky that now followed the trio as they approached the place, though he did not shift his stance.


"and so I told him.. There was no way I could cast that on my own.. Or even for the two of us to-"


"Is that the story about Flanegan again? Come now, child.. how many times have you told that story? You're giving this Flanegan guy undue credit for his inability to be a proper Storm Lord!"


Startling at the sudden interruption, Fyrilis looked towards the flamboyant man from where she had been half turned to the other two. "Elheim! I thought you'd still be at the ship-" Clearly delighted at the sight of an old friend, the elf leaped from her saddle and nearly came crashing on her wobbly feet if not for the sudden appearance of Elheim by her side, quickly pulling the girl up for a warm hug.


"Easy now.. child... .. Have you been drinking?!" Elheim drew back, with raised eyebrows on catching a whiff of the girl's breath.


"What does it matter?" Fyrilis retorted, her face flushing before she quickly turned back to the others while Elheim look at her from behind with a little wonder on his face.


"Elheim... meet Lusius of Arya.. and Elari.." and to the other two, "Elari, Lusius, this is Elheim El`naral.. an old friend of my father's and.. mine."


"A pleasure, ladies.." Elheim took off his hat to reveal a bald pate as he bowed to the women, and nodded to Lucis, "and gentleman."


"I assume Fyrilis has explained to you why we are here?"

 

[Original Hylion]

Lucis pulled up his hood, he was getting enough glares for the day. As much as he would have liked to say he enjoyed the fame, he had a strong discomfort for it. It was not something he was used to, and in fact made him increasingly uncomfortable. Commonly, the only people that would recognize him for who he was, were his servants and other nobles that knew his face. Servants knew better than to stare at their lord, so he never had that awkward glance, glance away moments that people do when they stare. As well, he spent much of his private time without servants in the room, they were called in when they needed them. With the nobles, he was treated with much disdain, and rarely was attention pressed on him all round. When he was being judged, it was either by a small group of peers or one person directly. Either way, it was not like riding through a village and getting a questionable look from every him and her. One thing he was used to, people would oft clear way for a man on a horse, especially when riding through the streets. Commonly a sign of privilege amongst common born. He would only really ride a horse within the city when with other nobles, so never was the attention ever strongly on him, if anything people simply he a high ranking body guard. Lucis's choice of clothing only drew the attention of thieves and bandits, as he was commonly carrying an over excessive amount of items on his person. Never were people looking at him for his noble birth, as he would often wear common clothes, or at least the clothes that any other man of his occupation would wear. And yet still people only recognized him as an underling, as he had not gone far enough to earn himself a "van" within his name. Lucis has very little prestige in the court, nor on the battlefield. His assigned missions all are more simple errands that the nobles ought too busy to care for. This would be one as such, checking on a myth and the callings of a crazed man. Not anything any busy congressmen would bother with, so it was decided by his usual superiors that he would do as he was commanded and explore the northern lands, past the Alliance and onward to the brave unknown. He found some annoyance to this, but went ahead and acted oblivious, as it would be better that he carry out these jobs than to let the civilians suffer for them.


Little time was taken to find their, uhm, destination. In all honesty, Lucis still had little to no idea where they were headed, simply that they were headed somewhere. The assumption of the matter was indeed that they would be taking a skyship some distance of the way, but the storm lord's ramblings were enough to throw Lucis into a conundrum. She had answered "Elari's" question, but she had not really elaborated to any avail. The drunken stench still resonated off of her words and the confusing strain of conscious seemed to go on without end. Lucis almost began to doubt that she was even drunk anymore, and that it was more likely she had calmed to agreement and acceptance of their nature of being there, or even more so that she was more happy about some other event that would happen very soon. Whatever it was that she had planned or was planning or was commencing as she showered them in continuous talk of wine and whatever other things she was talking about, Lucis would not know as he gave up on paying attention only some seconds into her ramblings, would not be taken without caution. Lucis was still the type to lack trust in near to all things. For now, he would follow without objection, but he weighed on the idea of shoving more alcohol down her throat to keep her trap shut.


Now they were in the company of some pompous looking prick. Lucis could quickly assume by the looks of him and by the way he carried himself, including the storm lord's unfinished sentence, that he was either the captain or some important member of the vessel they would be riding. Whatever the matter, Lucis would pay no mind to him. He may be human, but race does not determine character. The two exchanged a few words, happily not in elvish this time, and went forward into introducing each other.


"That's Lucis," he spoke up, "words are better when spoken correctly, miss." He spent only a glance at the young woman, "Lucis Damnatio, son of Insolo Damnatio, of house Renovamen. And my superiors have given me my orders and reasoning for being here. And that is to head to the north. Your girl here has only given me the simplest of directions with hope that I would follow them without question. So then, now I ask you, why is it we stand questioning and exchanging friendly names in the stead of continuing our journey onward to this mystical and mysterious land of far off and unknown nature that would undoubtably hold several hundred different creatures with several hundred more diseases that we have not the chance of knowing the cures too? No, no, no. That phrasing will does not find suit. Let me try again. Why are we here?" Lucis was indeed feeling extra antagonizing this evening.

 

[Erica]

Apparently even a hangover wouldn’t keep Fyrilis from chatting. She talked nearly incessantly while Elari said almost nothing. She provided the occasional “mmm-hmm” when necessary, but that was rarely needed. Fyrilis seemed content to entertain herself by believing she was entertaining her two companions. Some of the stories held potential: except they were all about storm lord business, which barely interested Elari. More than once, she glanced over at Lucis, but he seemed preoccupied with something else. Was he still worrying about the airship?


As they approached the Raging Griffin, she spotted the man on the porch. (With that outfit, no one could miss him.) Only when they got close, however, did she catch that he was watching them. She watched quietly as they exchanged greetings, only reacting to grab Fyrilis’ arm as she leapt off the saddle behind her. Even with her help, the sun elf almost fell to the ground. She nodded a greeting as they were introduced, muttering, “well met,” under her breath as she nodded to the decorative stranger. Fyrilis apparently had a hard time with names, forgetting her family one and botching up Lucis’. The poor girl was still nursing a hang over, but she doubted Lucis would keep that in mind.


And he didn’t.


Elari turned in her saddle to regard Lucis curiously during his little tirade. Whatever reputation he believed his name should conjure, she had a few labels for his behavior now. And she suspected Elheim did as well. She cleared her throat and looked to the brightly colored man, who she only assumed to be the airship captain, with a wry smile. “Please don’t take it personally. He’s an ass to everyone.” She dismounted and began tying up her horse, assuming the particulars would work themselves out.

 

[Lekiel]

She'd often wondered why her father had been so adamant in pursuing peace-talks and maintaining a cordial if not exuberant relationship with the other kingdoms. His stand and favour within the three courts of the Alliance has left him in a precarious position politically, particularly with the elder nobles staring daggers into his back. But the Councilor of Defense was no simple man to be trifled with, still very much a warrior as he is a politician (though of late, he fought more with words and pen than a sword). Despite that, Master Dorgath, her father's master smith had been very vocal with his opinions within the Arhandar household, especially against the Steel Empire. "Bloody perfoomed peacocks! Thuy' call fer ye' 'elp when the Wretchit come a callin'. Ye lit 'em in to yer home 'n b'fer ye know it, thuy be actin' like thuy own yer home. O' yer shudda 'eard them complaints 'n demands..." Was one of the many often heard rants the old dwarf enjoyed spitting out as he hammered steel to perfection. Nevertheless, his loyalty to Lord Tasaldan had never and will never be in question. All that aside, Fyrilis had never really bothered herself with such things, and her only experiences with the human race were that of those who pledged their allegiance to the Alliance (or to no one, as was the case with Elheim). Her older sister might have counseled that she have more patience, but at that particular moment, patience was the first word 'out the window'. Without waiting for Elheim or Elari's response (or the annoying buzzing in her head to disappear), Fyrilis whirled on the insolent Aryan.


"Lle naa haran e' nausalle!! Master Dorgath is right! You Aryans think you are above EVERYONE else!! Lusius, Lucius, Lucy it all sounds the same to me! It is a foreign name, in a foreign tongue. At the very least, I had the courtesy to call you by your given name, however it may sound to your delicate ears! YOU?! Ever since we met, a day late in fact to whichyouofferedNOapologyorexplanation, you have never, NEVER referred to either of us, by our names! And I know the reason for that! That's because like the rest of you humans-" (there was a slight noise as Elheim cleared his throat) "-Aryans.. you ARYANS, see yourselves as some superior race and everyone else... worth no more than what they can give to you! When I suggested we make haste, YOU insisted on dallying for a meal. Now when the pace has slowed, YOU whine about why we are dallying. YOU claim I expect you to follow my directions without question, yet you have NEVER questioned my directions but instead impose your whims upon me. YOU requested for a guide... How can I GUIDE.. If you don't FOLLOW!?" By this time her breathing had quickened, and the elf's cheeks were flushed pink. Her eyes, once ocean green, were now gleaming amber like the coals in a fireplace. "Whatever... since you think yourself so capable, you can get yourself there on your own. I have never met an Aryan before, although I have heard alot about them. I had hoped the stories were not true, but it seems to me you are no different!"


"Lote-!" Fyrilis cursed as she turned, retrieved her belongings, and stormed off in the direction of the tavern, slamming the door ajar with a bang (not even checking to see that her horse was properly tied nor waiting for a reply). Elheim raised an eyebrow at Lucis' direction - the action carefully performed to indicate no ulterior motive - and tilted his plumed hat towards Elari to thank her for her words. With a glint of sparkling stones, he gracefully turned and followed the stormy elf inside.


"Fyrilis... careful girl, your hand's on fire-".


Should the other two follow them in immediately, they would be just in time to see the elf walking up the stairs to the upper floors after having a quick word with Elheim.

~ Translations ~

​

Lle naa haran e' nausalle - You are king in your imagination


Lote - Flower or @*(&!@^&%@!$()(#


(OOC: You guys may paint the tavern or the surrounding place however you see fit (as long as it makes sense ofc) as well as Elheim's remaining description and position when you see him. I will continue to control his speech and actions. =D). Time of day is early into the night.

 

[Original Hylion]

An ass everyone, why yes, he is, she got that right. Lucis was damn sure of that, if sure of anything. He had no reason to treat anyone above himself or above the person beside them. Something he took as a proper virtue, a virtue of kindness. He did not treat anyone above another, everyone sat on the same field to him, proper and fine. Going above another, that would be upon the person to prove the deserving of greater stature, not something likely, or easily, earned. Especially not by avoiding the answering of the question with more crazed and drunken yelling. Like a continuous spout of deluded words and peculiar names, most of which he could barely recognize. Lucis was prepared to simply block out the elf's hollering roar, but even while picking his ringing ears out he could hear the mage's screams of continuous anger. No doubt, this girl could talk up a storm when peeved and drunk, a local Aryan church would make good to hire her for the morning sermons. Loud and impossible to block out, continuous and unending, cute to look at but fearful to approach, she was practically the perfect host. If anything, she was a terrible guide, her tolerance had run out as soon as she took sight of the Aryan. And to Lucis's knowing, she may have lost her patience as soon as she heard she would be working with a human. Then she went on to continue her forceful nature upon both her kin and the human with an urge to continue with hurried pace to this elven town. forcing a drink down her throat seemed the only capability of silencing her, even if only momentarily. Lucis almost felt it better to be accompanied by a practiced cartographer with no experience of the land above, as this guide business was becoming more and more difficult over time. Lucis was fine with keeping to the line and following a leader, but never would he go forward blindly. He felt the right to know where this guide's eyes sought to lead. He would not become a pawn for some magnificent bastard to play with the grand chess master. Already they were in a town with, for no explained reason, speaking with a man whom only one person happened to be acquainted with, and now left alone in front of a bar to do something. Lucis's question had still gone far from answered. He wanted to know why exactly they were here and where they planned to go next. This companionship was not a hero leading a group of disciples, this was a team, and more likely a group of unwilling allies. Lucis being the mission holder, the guide being the one to map out the route, and the rogue to... be pretty to look at. Lucis almost feared that there would be more added on to the group, making the group slower and even further filled with argumentative conversation, and worst of all more people that would side with the mage, making this trip a failed one before beginning. Lucis swore to himself, regretting decisions not his own, that the council should have let him guard a cartographer in the stead of appointing the job to him.


The elf charged into the bar, the new human following behind. Lucis assumed they were home free for a few moments. Some breathing room, calming ears, and most luckily no blabbering princess. A short moment most likely, as Lucis further realized the other elf still sat placed beside him. He peeked over, expecting an equally aggravated woman. He sat silent momentarily, letting the words materialize properly before speaking in a matter that would place both elves in a position to hate him. "Lucis," he repeated "Lucis Damnatio, that's my name. I do question myself, many a time, why I would have to remind myself of that being my name. Hero's son, boy, child, Aryan, human, master, sir, son of Insolo, yet never the name I was given as a child. At times, I do doubt my existence as a proper one. My name, one not remembered by any, will be one I plan to spread amongst the world. Remembered, it is all I want. I don't mind dying, but real men never die, even when they're killed. I don't want to be forgotten, most of all." He felt childish, speaking things like this. Now he felt like he was trying to make an excuse for his cruelty. He cursed himself again. "Forget what I said, call me what you will, ma'am. And I will call you what you please," his eyes and full focus now on the elf, "I apologize for never speaking your names to you, I feared you would be displeased by a human speaking them." He paused for a moment. "Elari, correct." He did not expect an answer from her, no did he feel she needed to answer. As far as he knew, he was no on his own, and sadly without papers.

Elari paused the process of tying up her horse to watch Fyrilis verbally lash Lucis. The only indication of a reaction was a subtle lift of her eyebrows. They retained their elevated position as she caught Elheim's last remark. Otherwise she kept her opinion on the matter to herself. When Lucis spoke' date=' she did not interrupt. When he finished, she nodded to confirm he had correctly stated her name. "[b']No one wants to be forgotten[/b]," she said in a matter-of-fact tone. "Or insulted." The left side of her mouth twisted upward and her usual deadpan tone gained some color. "How about a drink, Lucis?" She was careful to pronounce it correctly. "Nothing as strong as what you had served in Haven, of course," she added with a small smirk. "But I think something to take the edge off all our moods might be wise." She motioned to the door with a respectful dip of her head. "It's on me."

Lucis dismounted the horse as well, leading it over to the mage's horse and tying it as Elari had. He nodded to the woman and looked to that bar. This one was completely elven, it would no doubt be something of an experience. "I hope my carrying of my pack would not embarrass you, my trusting of the local urchins lay still in the gutter, mattering not in elven, Aryan, or neutral cities." His ways did not change still, he kept his belongings close, as they were items that would keep him alive. By no means were they his lifeline, but they were capable of giving him better chances of surviving at the least.


He went over to the tavern door and held the door open for the elf, he expected he would earn something of a unwelcomed entrance if entering alone.

 

[Erica]

Most of Elari’s work required solitude and a decided lack of teammates. As such, she knew little about group interactions beyond networking at bars and taverns and the cold professional assessment that occurred when a job required teaming up with another infiltrator. (The interactions between infiltrators made Fyrlis and Lucis seem like the best of friends. At least infiltrators generally had the decency to glare silently at each other and plot behind each other’s backs, rather than yelling in the street, until it was time to get bloody.)


The only thing she knew for certain now: if their success depended upon her serving as the group’s diplomat, they were screwed.


Still, she would try. And the only form of bonding she understood took place in a bar. She had witnessed it as a child and then relied upon it as an adult. The Raging Griffin would be foreign to her, but its nature would not. Fairbreeze was an Alliance town, but it was still a border town: Humans were rare but not unheard of here. As such, she just shrugged at Lucis’ explanation of carrying his pack with him. She understood it; she’d grabbed her saddlebag as well for similar reasons. To her surprise, he held the door for her. It seemed wholly out of character, but maybe he was trying. Then again, maybe he just wanted to avoid having her at his back. Elari nodded again and stepped inside first as she answered him.


“Your prejudice doesn’t offend me any more than mine has offended you,” she corrected. Contrary to Lucis’ apparent opinion, Fyrilis didn’t speak for her or all elves; but then he didn’t know either of them at all.


It didn’t take long for her eyes to adjust to the light inside the tavern. To their left, tables with a mix of chairs and benches filled a large room with more fancy and secluded booths lining the far left wall. The bar was in the back, partly obscured by the staircase that led upstairs along the right-hand wall. Almost every table had been claimed by a patron or five, people stood at the bar, and a cluster of elves threw knives at a wooden board near the back. A few humans were among the mostly elven crowd, and no one took particular note of their arrival except possibly Elheim, who stood on the stairs. The telltale swish of Fyrilis’ skirts further up the stairs indicated that he’d had a conversation with the Stormlord.


Elari avoided Elheim for the moment, leading Lucis expertly through the crowd with a few nods to those who assessed them. She knew no one here, but instinct and experience told her who needed to have their gaze met to feel placated or to be put in their place; and who might make a useful ally or contact later. As she moved, she spoke over her shoulder to him. “But you’ve ruffled Fyrilis’ feathers. I don’t know her, but she’s a Stormlord. You know what that means, right?”

In honesty' date=' Lucis had no clue what that meant. He dealt with killing mages, not working with them for the greater good. He of course knew what they were capable of, but there was never a need for him to know worry about angering one. In the end, he would always end up shoving a sharp object in them, or burning them after a jury session. He worried little about curses, as cutting their tongue from their mouths most often was the first move, then their hands, then their eyes. As an inquisitor, his job was not to make deals with witches, his job was to eliminate them and at rare times detain them. The only mages he occasionally would deal with without physical hostility were the Acolytes and Exalted. [b']"She'll have stormy ruffles, not much of a change since I've first acquainted her." [/b]And they have been ruffled since he met her, the hard alcohol seemed the best solution to unruffle.

Never pausing in her steps, Elari looked at Lucis for a long moment at his answer. Should she correct him? Maybe it would be best to let Fyrilis show him first-hand what a Stormlord could do. Elari’s job was to protect Fyrlis, not save this Aryan from getting his ass scorched. “She’s not to be trifled with. None of us are.” That was as much as she would say. After that, she just shook her head and made her way to the bar, flagging down the bartender with eye contact and a nod of her head. When he nodded in return, Elari turned her attention back to Lucis. “Not that you owe me anything, but we might all have a more pleasant trip if you at least appear to appreciate her services. I know I’d appreciate the peace and quiet.”


She glanced across the room to see Elheim looking at them. Whether he had been watching them the entire time or only now looked up as he felt eyes upon him, she didn’t know. But he was another person they needed to make nice with. If he was the airship captain, Elari wanted him on her side. If he wasn’t, he seemed to know Fyrilis and possibly have a way to diffuse the girl’s temper. Either way, Elari could think of no better way to make friends than what she did next. She invited him to join them with a motion of her hand.

 

[Lekiel]

Elheim El`naral cocked an eyebrow when the elven woman indicated that he should join them. His mind had been half preoccupied with the other elf on the upper floors (with a tinge of worry for that one), while the other half had been focused on somewhere else. Those close to the garish human, both in a good and bad way, knew how deceptive he could be with disguising his focus of attention. He smiled dashingly in reply to the invitation before pushing off from where he had leaned on the staircase to join the other two. Several smooth strides took him to the bar where he settled in on the other side of Lucis, away from Elari. Whether it was on purpose or otherwise, the plume of a brightly coloured feather from his hat bobbed its fluffy tip, occasionally almost touching Lucis' head whenever the Captain moved; looking as if it were the wagging fingers of an old nagging wife.


"The usual.." He languidly waved off the barmaid who came to take his order. Turning to the other two, he slipped in a quick wink, "Special brew, dwarven stuff... Elven usually too sweet for my tastebuds." Taking a drag from his pipe, he pursed his lips and puffed out a ring of purple smoke that lazily floated into the ceiling.


Half turning, he spoke airily, this time seemingly directed towards the Aryan. "It seems to me you have bonded splendidly with Fyrilis.." There was a full calculated pause wherein his mood abruptly changed, Ellheim had turned to regard Lucis squarely. The smile wiped from his face, replaced by the gaze of penetrating deep-blue, intense but unthreatening, in a meaningful way. "But I know my girl, she may be rash -for an elf- but she is not unreasonable.."


"Whatever your differences, I suggest you put it aside, or at least, disguise it for your sakes. Boy... you people have barely started, just a leisurely stroll through the breathtaking countryside where the hares can fulfill their lifelong ambition of multiplying without reduction." Elheim inclined his head just slightly, "from a fellow human to another..." Elheim narrowed his eyes as he regarded the other human. "You.. seem like a man of noble ambition... I know not what it is you wish to accomplish from where it is eternally winter... but my gut tells me you three will need to be able to trust each other.. if you'd want to ever hope to succeed." Elheim turned back to face the bar, even as his gaze seemed to be staring beyond the walls of the building. "Afterall, Fyrilis is no ordinary Stormlord.." That last bit was said with a trifle bit more concern than was normally attributed to such statements.


"But enough of that! All this seriousness is taking a toll on my age, and I need not be reminded of it!" Elheim's mood abruptly changed, and he faced them once again with that arresting smile. Taking a graceful sip from his goblet, he cleared his throat. "As you both might've guessed, you're here because you will be taking an airship north.. a journey of a few scant days instead of weeks considering the speed of the vessel you will be boarding; one I myself will be the Captain of. And as I often ask of my passengers..."


"Any questions?"

. , ; ' ` ~ * ~ ` ' ; , . , ; ' ` ~ * ~ ` ' ; , .

​

Somewhere on the upper floors of the tavern cum travellers-inn, Fyrilis climbed the last flight of stairs leading to the rooftop of the three story building. Her breathing was ragged and heavy, though whether it was from the rushed exertion of hurrying upwards or something else it was unclear to any observer at the moment.. not that there was any. She was alone. Alone is better.


In the darkness of the barely lit staircase, there was a sudden amber glow and an uttered tsk. Fyrilis cursed as with a sputter, a small ball of flame ignited from the palms of each of her hands again. Her blood was pounding in her head, and there was a warmness in her being..the umcomfortable heat of anger, residues from a previous argument she thought she had cast away, once again resurfacing as if it had a life of its own. It was a good thing Elheim had been around, allowing her a respite to retreat to a safer place. With no small amount of annoyance, she wringed her hands trying to put out the flames.. closing her eyes, concentrating, finding the planar threads of the uncalled spell and severing them. With a defiant hiss, the fires fizzled out.


The pounding in her head had by now become almost unbearable, gasping for breath, she reached forward with bone white knuckles and threw open the door leading to the outside. The door banged open and a billowing gust of late autumn wind slammed into the elf's slight body, bringing with it the breath of life. Stumbling onto the rooftop, Fyrilis fell to her knees, hands barely stopping her fall as she nearly pitched forwards into the stone. Another gust of wind swept across the roof, sweeping up the girl's amber tresses and with it... smothering the burning flame within her.

 

[Original Hylion]

And over came the swaggering captain, amongst the three frowns there would at least be one smile. Lucis leaned his head in his hands as he pressed his elbows against the table top. He had eaten not long before, and still had some bits of bread, he was not very hungry. As for a drink, he slightly feared the chance of tasting some ridiculously different drink from his norms. He would not mind a slight change, though, jumping from one thing to another seemed a bit eccentric. For now, he found it generous to simply ask for something small, like some cider again, hopefully it was not any type of foreign cider. He just wanted something casual.


Lucis mostly paid no mind to Elari's last comments. To him, he had delivered on the peace and quiet, even as it was something of a calm before the storm(lord)'s out burst. They had a moment of peace and calm while the mage girl was unconscious, it was only abruptly ended when they reached the border check. From then the mage girl has been running her mouth nonstop. In all honesty, this was something of a moment of peace and quiet, as the elf mage ran off to pout. But he understood her request, show some appreciation towards the guide's tireless job of mapping out a path to get them to their destination. The thought of it made Lucis consider getting himself wasted to ease the trip.


He felt something continuously grazing his ear, at first he thought it was just a fly buzzing around his head, but when it was continued he flicked his hand up there and caught a plume. The captain's plume continued to further annoy Lucis's sense of existence. Before he gripped to hard to the point where he would be tugging on the hat, Lucis released the plume and scooted his seat away from the captain to allow his feather to flail around as freely as the captain pleased.


The darted his eyes at Lucis, maing the Aryan uncomfortable as a common man would awkwardly feel when a queerly dressed man lays his eyes on him. He went on about Fryilis though, going on about how the two should settle all differences. Lucis was no child, he knew what could be done to make the trip and easier one. One lecture was fine, but the second was just annoying, even if it was from another human. Lucis was very surprised though, as they both practically requested he lie throughout the trip and pretend to enjoy the elf mage's company. This was going to be a long trip, all doubt was in Lucis of an ongoing lie ending up well. Lucis thought it better to tell the truth and not what the subject wanted to hear. It was odd when the human brought up bunnies multiplying, odd analogy for breathtaking. It reminded Lucis that he was going to go through this trip with two healthy aged and finely grown women. I guess that was the bright side, something nice to look at. The last comment about Fryilis forced Lucis to look back at the captain. He wondered what exactly he meant by "no ordinary". There were a few guesses and assumptions. There was the further guess of the possible feelings the two, the captain and the stormlord, shared, or perhaps there was something not being spoken about, something Lucis would have to weary about, and the most likely assumption, false appraisal, something a parent would tell their child, simply because they are their child.


"Maybe I think she looks cute when she's mad," he lied but he would not be mind throwing the captain off, "can't blame a man for tickling his fancy."


The captain went on about the route, finally someone was explaining exactly what was going on, but sadly it was absolutely not what Lucis wanted. This man was indeed the captain of an air vessel, and an air vessel they would be riding to the north. The thought of it immediately made his stomach churn. In sky and sea, Lucis would always get the motion sickness, he could not help it, he was made for the land. He could ride a carriage or a horse at top speeds or on the bumpiess trails one could think of, but never could he ride a ship without feeling groggy and woozy, like a sick dog.


To the captain, Lucis could only mention this about the ship: "I hope you have lots of buckets." With that, Lucis turned away the cider he had ordered.

 

[Erica]

In the light of a full moon, they ran across the rooftops like squirrels. Ahead, she caught sight of Caladur before he flattened himself against a shingled roof. The only sound that floated her way was a muted conversation of guards below them.


“… stone cold, I tell you. But go ahead and throw your coin away. He’ll take it gladly.” There was the sound of chainmail jingling softly. “Heck, I’ll take it if you insist on being a fool. At least then it’ll go to a good cause. My daughters will thank you.”


“Yeah, yeah, yeah. They’ll thank me all right.” A soft thud followed, along with low laughter. Then, “Just wait. His luck can’t hold out all night. Wait here. I need to take a piss.”


Elari scrambled to a stop one rooftop over, ducking behind the peak of the roof. Her breathing came ragged, incredibly loud to her ears. She only hoped it wouldn’t be so obvious to the guards on the ground that continued to bicker about their dice game. For the last hour, she had fought to keep pace with her mentor. It was one of his sick games: when she caught him, the night would move to the next exercise. Only Caladur was in far better condition than she was, and the gap in their skill increased with each passing minute. She would not concede tonight. And this was her chance to sneak up on him. So long as the men below - guards, from the sound of their armor - kept talking and luck stayed on her side.


Slowing her breath, she looked at the space between her position and the place where Caladur had disappeared. Based on the angle of his roof, he wouldn’t be able to move without being seen. She smiled and moved quickly and quietly across the shale rooftop, staying on the far side of the tavern’s peaks.


Over the last six months, she had learned how to move silently. Not as silently as her mentor - not at his speeds - but she knew where to step, how to shift her weight, and the secret correlation between breath and intent. It didn’t take her long to close the distance, leaping deftly to the next roof with the guard urinating in the alley below her none the wiser.


Then she caught sight of moonlight up ahead over the bay. Bright sails gleamed opalescent against the night sky, with tendrils of parse threads draping that pale light across its hull like a spider’s web; all leading to the Solean Crystal embedded in the hull. The ship was light and fast; all Alliance airships were. It was rare for them to fly at night, for they could only gain minimal clearance. Elari had never flown on one, but she relished the idea. The rare sight distracted her, and that’s what cost her the contest.


She felt Caladur’s blade in her side before she saw him. “Distraction is the Infiltrator’s greatest weapon and greatest folly,” he whispered in her ear, so soft that the guards below would think it was the wind. She closed her eyes and nodded minutely, conceding her defeat.


Years later, he would admit that her pause to admire the airship had cost her a ripe early victory: he would not have escaped the roof to reach her in time otherwise. She had launched into a series of questions about airships, their patterns, and if anyone ever managed to pull jobs on them.


Caladur had fixed her with a stern glance and given her his only advice on the subject. “Only fools cross a captain, and greater ones trust them not to be bought by a double-cross. Don’t ever try to pull a job on a ship unless you can swim - or fly.”

~ * ^ * ~

​

At the Raging Griffin, Elari studied the Elheim as he crossed the room to their position at the bar. Possessed of a confident bearing and a quick mind, he also appeared to have formed some initial judgments; if not about her, then certainly about Lucis. She said nothing as he attempted to advise the Aryan, but she did note how familiar he was with Fyrilis.


As he spoke of his drink selection and being wary of upsetting stormlords, Elari’s gaze scanned the tavern. A few people sat nearby enough to hear them: some obviously paying attention out of boredom, fascination with Lucis or herself, or simply mesmerized by the captain’s flamboyant hat. Yet one in particular sat with his head down, surrounded by others but studying the surface of the table before him. He was trying a little too hard not to appear to be listening. Elari made note of his boots (fine, but not too fine- and soft leather, ideal for a light tread), minimal jewelry, and profile: all out of the corner of her eye. It might be nothing, but it never hurt to be careful.


When the captain had completed his “recommendations” and attempted to gracefully change the subject, Elari accepted her drink from the bartender and awaited the inevitable. Lucis wouldn’t let the fop have the last word: that much was certain. She sipped her wine as he made a poor joke. Luckily he left it at that. The mention of needing a bucket, however, brought a wry smile to Elari’s face.


Maybe if Lucis were queasy, he wouldn’t be quite so apt to offend on their journey. She, for one, didn’t intend to piss off this particular captain. She had no wings or means to grow them.


Elari looked at Elheim and raised her glass to him. “When do we leave, and who - or what - else is traveling with us?”

 

[Lekiel]

The garishly dressed human chuckled airily at Lucis' reply. "You won't need one, as they say.. up there, the world's your bucket!" With a knowing smile, Elheim winked for the benefit of his two newly acquainted companions.


"Aaa, arwen Elari, questions finally! You asked who? Mayhap a couple more than a dozen smelly sailors other than you lot and yours trully?" Elheim then felt the needed to lean back slightly and tipped the edge of his hat. Inclining his head in her direction he wagged a finger at her, "But you have also asked 'what' aye? That is the more interesting question I'd say... Hmmm, let'ssee.. half a dozen casks of wine, several chickens, a pig or two - I hope - a horde of darned larder rats, some... merchanting stocks and two hippogriffs." Elheim paused to take a healthy sip from his drink for the inevitable question or quizzical look (or nothing at all) to follow, before beckoning to the other two to lean in close. Reaching into the many hidden pockets of his flamboyant costume, he drew forth a piece of parchment and spread it on the table. On it, was a carefully drawn copy of what looked to be a piece of a larger map.


"Fyrilis tells me this is but a copy of an original which should be in your hands?" Elheim glanced at Lucis, but continued on without waiting for a reply. With a gloved hand, the Skyship Captain traced the etched landmarks on the map as he explained, "as far as current knowledge goes, this map is accurate up till... the bottom corner.." He said flatly. "No one has deemed the northlands worth exploring, so we can't guarantee you'll find all these other landmarks up there," said with a shrug.


"See this jagged mountain range here?" Elheim's finger traced a line of mountains by the side of where 'The Alliance' was depicted on the map. "This is the Skyclaw Mounts, runs right across Andarun with mountain peaks so high they end far above the clouds.. and this-" his finger stopped at what looked like a pass in the mountain range, "-this.. humm.. they call it 'The Knife'.. how apt. To the northern Alliance folk, it is known as Swerdrun or Sword Path. It is the only break in the mountain range that we know of, for leagues in either direction, a tempting portal to the unknown that has lured far too many foolish ship captains. A jagged twisting valley of sword edged hills and rocks, sometimes so narrow even Alliance Skyships would think twice before sailing through. This is disregarding the eternal gale that storms through the narrow pass, fueled by the frozen winds of the northern wastes and our warmer south.. and the sound.." Elheim's voice grew distant and his eyes seemed to be staring past the walls of their current abode, what seemed like a shiver passed through the human but it faded so quickly it was barely noticeable. "Ngwaw`kuruni, Witches' Howl as it is known to the locals.. I shan't bore you with its many legends, suffice to say, it is an eternal gale... almost!" By this time, the Captain had regained his initial excitement and his deep-blue eyes glinted with just a touch of glee, like an overly excited child. "For some unknown reason, the there is a break in the wind.. barely long enough for the fastest Alliance skyships to pass through.. twice a year; as far as I know.. there are only three Alliance ships capable of making it through, mine is the unofficial forth." Elheim grinned at the other two, as if he had just shared a family trade secret.


"The first break will be.. in about six or seven days. The start of winter. The other break is sometime towards the end of the season, but it is harder to predict. The first break is what we will be aiming for.. We should have no problems making it on time, with the vessel I have under my command." Elheim finished, leaning back and spreading his arms out wide with a smile.


"We will be leaving early tomorrow morning, so I'd appreciate it if we can meet here at first light! Now if you'll excuse me... there is much to prepare!" Elheim hopped to his feet and tipped his hat before taking his leave.

 

[Original Hylion]

If the world would be his bucket up there, the first thing Lucis would puke in would be the captain's damned hat. The ridiculous plume bobbed and weaved about like a fairy in heat. Enticing the idea became to make it so the hat suddenly disappeared when they took off, or tonight, or in the next few moments as Lucis's annoyance grew with the captain's every head movement. As of yet, he had refrained from drawing on his sword, but the smallest things are always the worst, and this captain's plume would be buried in the ground before its wearer. Lucis was never the type to force a man to commit sodomy, but Lucis found himself tempted to stick that hat where the sun does not shine, and nonetheless it would forever be closer to its owner.


Lucis's train of anger meandered to a stop as some odd words had crawled into his ear canals. They sounded thick and darker, like it was pressed deeper into fabric of sound. He was somewhat more transfixed on understanding why his senses picked up those words in such a queer manner. Something about a horse-griffin, one of those creatures bred form fillies and griffins. But it really wasn't the words themselves, but more likely the way it was being said. The context of it was different and troubling, it made Lucis feel uneasy.


"Just keep the animals away from me." He had to mumble.


The conversation topic moved elsewhere as the captain revealed a copy of a crap map. The most interesting part of the map was the fact being a good portion of it was useless, and worse off the map was not even complete. Supposedly, Lucis had the original copy. But truthfully, being the untrusted shadow lurker of the hero, he was not privileged to actually bring the original map with him. They believed he would fail, and then they would need a new map. So it was much smarter to give Lucis another copy. In fact, Lucis thought they, perhaps, made a copy for every official involved in this whole endeavor, even as Lucis and alliance members would be the only ones endeavoring to complete the campaign. Then again, they were paying for everything.


"No one found the North worth exploring, huh, rather everyone was too damned lazy to bothered with going to unexplored land. If not that, then the people who have gone north have simply not been heard from since their departure."


But at least, finally, there was someone who was actually showing the mapped out route they would be taking and the plan they would take into action. Even so, Lucis found some questions no itching at him, but he refrained from actually asking them as not to impede further on the guide's or guides' duties. Sure it reached above the clouds, but were these ships not meant to climb the sky. Lucis did not know much about sky ships, but he did not understand the functions enough to understand why they did not simply go over the mountains. Luckily, the same malnourishment kept Lucis from speaking his, quite possibly, stupid questions out loud.


The path was named quite dramatically after a short sharp metal stick, or for some reason, those more local to it consider it a large sharp metal stick. Was it really a boldly apt name? Lucis did not think valleys were named after tools still. Something more apt, he would think, would be something like Percival, meaning something of "pierce the valley," or something near to that. A small path between the mountains. For fun, it would be a good trick to call it "fosse." That would scare a good few off.


The good captain continued on about how foreboding and how dark and treacherous the mountain path would be, and even seemed to attempt to instill fear in both Lucis and Elari. But it did force Lucis to wonder why they were riding such a ship, did the officials really not even take to buying out one of the ships known to be able to pass the impassable path. Lazy bastards. The egotistical captain seemed to shudder when he went on about the legends, Lucis would only assume some type of similar experience. Witches howl, not something Lucis, an Inquisitor, wasn't familiar with.


As the captain finished and Lucis resisted the temptation to complain and interrogate the captain further. Luckily, Lucis's cruel stomach kept him from speaking up. For now, he found himself aggravatingly content.


"Do we even have rooms?" He blurted.

 

[Erica]

Elheim answered her question in his own style. Despite the slightly flamboyant delivery and the distractingly bopping feather in his hat, the information was useful. While she wasn’t a cartographer, it helped to know what they were getting into. Roughly. Lines on a map served as poor substitute for the reality of what they would face, especially when those lines were admittedly a guess at best.


Elari’s personal strengths aligned with Alliance cities. Not that she couldn’t survive in the wilderness, but the press of taverns and quiet of nighttime rooftops served as her domain. Fyrillis seemed designed for civilization as well, and Lucis – well, who knew what his real strengths were, aside from pissing off every person he met? It would be interesting to see how the three of them fared once Elheim dropped them off: assuming he dropped them off. Suddenly the image of that feathered hat bopping through the wildnerness arose in Elari’s mind. She shook her head. He wouldn’t be coming with them


Raising her glass to the captain, she nodded her head as he took his leave, but Lucis was still too busy issuing orders and, based on the look upon his face, being generally discontent with the circumstances of their journey. Without any knowledge of his mannerisms at home, she could only presume he was this caustic in almost every situation. Perhaps that was the main reason they had sent him on this journey: to get lost with all the other explorers venturing North.


When he abruptly asked about rooms with the captain gone, she looked his way – keeping their nearby eavesdropper in the edge of her vision as she did – and favored him a smirk. “I have faith in you, Lucis. You will figure it out.” With that, she downed the small remainder of her drink, left a coin for the bartender, and turned toward the door.


She felt the eavesdropper’s eyes follow her on the way out. Or perhaps that was Lucis, or simply her imagination. As long as she didn’t gain a shadow, she would pay neither of them any mind aside from filing away the stranger’s appearance for future reference.


Much of the town was winding down for the evening; some were preparing for a night of debauchery, but they would stay by the lights of the taverns and brothels. Elari walked the streets, glad for the open space that allowed the moonlight in. This was the time she felt alive. In a short couple of hours, she would need to return to get some rest before their journey on Elheim’s airship, but for now, she would savor the feel of earth beneath her feet while moonlight and starlight kissed her skin. She had no idea how long the journey would take them, but it would take every ounce of her patience not to knock both of her companions out for a more peaceful journey. How would Elheim take that suggestion, she wondered? Probably not well when he realized the seriousness of her offer.


She walked the streets for three hours before returning to the Raging Griffin and asking for her room. That’s when she remembered that Fyrillis’ awareness of her part in this journey had begun at Haven. Luckily either the Sun Elf or the captain had thought to make arrangements. (It certainly hadn’t been Lucis.) They had a small room ready for her when she asked. She slept lightly that night, and would arrive shortly after first light the next day.