[The Human Element] Atlantis

Miriam steps up when Rio'kir mentions their damaged generators, "we may be able to assist you with repairs. While it is almost certainly outside of our previous experience, we have some of the greatest minds of this world at our disposal. And even if their repair is beyond our expertise, producing new ones working on different principles may not be."
 
The Dragon in the back looms somewhat Shyly, and looks almost protectively to the small girl confronting the group of elves- and steps forwards, it's large claws clacking on the stone as it looks somewhat apprehensively at the Elves.
 
Desmond rolls his eyes and moves to the back of the group, staying silent as he idly scans for any possible threats if it turns ugly.


'Keep it together, they could have answers' He reminds himself, avoiding the thought of how much damage the cities' sudden arrival must have done.
 
"Excellent. I think we have made some remarkable progress." She tried not to sound satirical, but she was 15 and she knew that someone would find any comment she made laughable, based on the expression that was on Ayla's face.


"This re-entrance seemed to have caused a great deal of damage both to your civilization and to ours. We will have to rebuild quickly because I doubt the shadow fae will wait happily for us to work out any differences and repair what they want destroyed. They really are goblins."


Grace walked forward to stand before the base of the dias that the elves were upon. Waiting for the dragon to come along with her, however shyly. Then, spoken to just the leader of the elves, but loud enough for throes in the front to hear. "To be honest, you weren't quite what I was expecting."
 
Seeing the Elves are reacting roughly as expected to his "offer", Stefan remains silent to let Grace carry the conversation forward. Now that he's established that mankind won't be bullied or treated like livestock, he knows that others are probably better suited to actually forming an alliance - or at least a non-aggression pact - between the two races. He positions himself visibly near Grace in a tried-and-true posture to indicate his intent to protect Grace from physical threats, lending her a slight air of power, a position of strength for the negotiations.


(I managed to 'stunt' taking 10 on Diplomacy [or Intimidate, if she needs it] aid-another's after all.)
 
As the Dragon does indeed advance with her- taking confidence from her strength and stance, and choosing to loom protectively over her.
 
Chase crossed his arms, looking over the group from behind his visors, pleased with how the situation was turning out. "We've managed to make this turn out quite well so far. Delta's pretty impressive, I have to admit."


Still, he leaned his neck to the side to stretch out the area, fully prepared to act if things went south as his free hand quickly tensed into a fist before falling loose again.
 
Flaring several lights, a pair of warning indicators flash as Penny takes a stance with her team. A lot of all this talk went over her head but she could follow it closely enough to know that they weren't cow towing to the elves.


She stands in a position of defiance, a dirty bomb ready to blow.
 
Rio'kir's gaze turned toward Sam. He inclined his head respectfully. "You have a remarkable team, Director. As the Elements are intended to be in balance, so your people show unity in diversity. If even your young can speak with such wisdom, perhaps we can indeed be of assistance to each other." He turned to Miriam. "Any knowledge you have to lend insight to our problem would be helpful." He gestured toward the Fire Mage. "Alinar is the most knowledgeable with regards to the City's systems. He will help you understand our technology so to better facilitate the exchange of knowledge."


Then he looked at Belial. "Our arrival was not of our intent. However, the All does not orchestrate our existence by accident. If you wish to learn, perhaps an exchange of knowledge will lend purpose to an otherwise unfortunate happenstance. Venali possesses much knowledge in the manner of philosophy and lore." The Air Mage nodded to Belial as he was mentioned by name.


"Knowledge gained is never lost, Earthborn." He addressed them all, now. "Though the collision of our worlds has perpetrated chaos, I believe we can mitigate the damage by the exchange of knowledge. If you wish to learn of us, we may indeed show you Atlantis, though our time may be limited by our respective duties to our people. Yet, if we can understand each other, I believe it will benefit us all in the end."


Sam bowed her head before straightening and giving Rio'kir a plea sent smile. "Indeed, knowledge gained is never lost." It seemed almost to be a mantra for the Elves. "We will have to return to our place of origin soon, as there is much in our world to be dealt with, however it will do us all good to return with knowledge. As you have invited us to see Atlantis, so we will follow." She nodded at the rest of the team. "Use this time wisely to pose your questions."


She gestured that they should fall in behind the Elvin delegation as they began a slow pace through the city streets. Some of the guards followed as well, their presence difficult to ignore. They took up positions before and behind the group. They didn't seem to be threatening, but much like the rest of Delta, they were ready for anything.
 
Chase slipped in behind the delegation easily, his movements uniform and respectable. Still, while the leaders of the delegation were very interesting, Chase's curiosity was elsewhere. Drifting towards the guard closest to the back of the group, he offered a respectful nod and asked, "Have you been working here long?"
 
Vlad nodded his head. "I would appreciate that a lot. I am always curios to learn knew things."
 
The Dragon inclines it's massive head- easily larger than any individual present on it's own- and starts to move with the group- standing protectively near the girl who spoke up, his massive claws clacking on the ground without damaging or scoring it.
 
"It is our pleasure," Miriam says with a winning smile. "My associate Millicent would very much like to join us here to see the damaged engines for herself, would it be acceptable if she teleported in now?"
 
Visibly dismayed at being outmaneuvered so easily, the Oracle falls silent while her comrades posture and declaim. When the paired delegations move off, she vexes the guards to let off steam, skipping in and out of normal timing and grossly defying their efforts to surround the foreigners. After a minute or two of this, she falls into place beside Penny.


"You, uh, shouldn't do whatever it is you were thinking about doing. It had... would.. were going to—" Finding the proper tense is clearly giving her trouble. "Anyway, more of us die in that version than of them, even after the dragon eats you, because the high mage doesn't let me hold you in stasis. So really, terrible plan." She reaches awkwardly into her knapsack while Penny works out what the hell she's talking about, and withdraws a bright blue feather. "Here. Keep this. You'll need it."
 
Grace didn't have many questions. She simply didn't want to test to see how far her mind might protect her from their elven mental abilities. She could quickly figure out everything going on here with a little time and experimentation. She doubted anyone would really be willing to delve into their mysteries deep enough to satisfy her real curiosity. Or to provide an answer to the one question she needed answered.


Rio'kir seemed to be the most acceptable of all of them, she could probably ask questions of him for a while and get some good answers until she annoyed him. She decided that she might want to start with someone she already annoyed, and that was Ayla. She stepped into pace just a half step behind the woman. "I surmise that you have your position not based on what you do, but what you know. But, since I am not from your world and will just assume you know a great deal, can you tell me what you are responsible for?"


More important to Grace than learning the answer was to know how these people saw themselves. It would help her understand them better, so she could ask the right questions to get what she wanted from them. Were they scientists who understood the universe better than others, or were they tasked with understanding their element better than anyone else. Perhaps they were just the most powerful, or maybe just the ones that Rio'kir trusted the most as his advisors.
 
Two guards stood shoulder to shoulder in the back of the group. One had raven black hair and well-polished, fine-crafted plate armor with a large axe strapped to her back. Bronze ear cuffs in the form of dragons glimpsed through her straight, chin-length hair. The other Elf was blond, and she bore no symbol in the way the other Elves seemed to. Her armor was also well crafted, though it was tarnished as if she didn't give the plate the obsessive care that her dark-haired companion did. There was a vague, familiar smell about her--that of residual heat and ash.


At Chase's question, the black-haired Elf turned her nose in the air and stiffened. The blonde made a face at her partner that seemed to convey annoyance. "Since..." She hesitated, perhaps finding the right words. "Young." She smiled sheepishly. "I am sorry. I have little knowledge of your language. But...welcome." The smile she gave him was open and honest.


"Leyrin!" The dark-haired Elf snapped at the other, and then continued in Elvin. "You needn't speak to such ignorant creatures. They know nothing."


"No being possesses certain knowledge until it is learned. Perhaps the All has sent us to teach them. As well, is not learning of them a good thing? Knowledge gained is never lost."


"There is no knowledge to be gained from the inferior. We are charged with the purity and sanctity of knowledge. See that you do not forget that."


Leyrin frowned and rolled her eyes before again attempting English. "I...Leyrin." She put a hand on her breastplate. "My...friend...." She hesitated with that word, as if unsure if it fit the context. "Is Aleis."


Venali inclined his head toward Belial. "Curiosity is the will to gain knowledge..." He paused. "Forgive my ignorance, but I must ask, and I beg of you this knowledge. Are you...Earthborn? That is...what is your word...human?" The look in his eyes was unguarded; it seemed he genuinely wanted to know.


At Grace's question, Ayla let out the most elegant sigh that was clearly meant to indicate her high level of tolerance. She flashed Rio'kir a dirty look. Making no attempt to meet Grace's eyes, she stared straight ahead, chin tilted high. "In one lifetime, an Elf will usually master but one Element, and have a great understanding of another. As Archmage, I have knowledge of all six. It is befitting the title, because it is the position that will lead the others. The All is a deity of knowledge, and to work to attain perfection in knowledge is the highest form of worship. I seek to gain knowledge and to interpret the wisdom of the All for my people."
 
Chase offers Leyrin a friendly though slightly guarded smile of his own, "Ah, sorry... I forgot about the language barrier. It's an honour to be here." He points to himself with his thumb, trying to remember the director's greeting in their language, "My name is Fireless." He internally winces at what he was sure was a heavily accented and likely inaccurate greeting but hopes for the best.


At least one of the guards seems friendly, he'd hate to think he was already making a bad impression. The fact that he hadn't the faintest word of elvish left him hoping that he was reading the situation right. Focusing more on the more pleasant-seeming Leyrin, he motioned to the city with his arm, "It's big... are there 'more' like it?" He hoped his question about other elf settlements made sense.
 
The Dragon Frowns, sadly as he is ignored by the Elves. He continues to loom protectively over grace, fixing his huge eyes on the Archmage. He blinks, and in a rumbling tone. "Would it be more convenient where I not so... physical? I'd rather not worry about damaging this beautiful Architecture, after all- and I can take a form of energy as opposed to physical mass, if that would help.."
 
The Archmage's eyes softened, and for a moment the barest hint of a smile crossed her features. "That is unnecessary. Once, when the Elements were in balance, dragons frequently roamed the halls of Atlantis. But no dragon has been born in Myrathelle since the corruption of the Fae. There are many prevailing theories as to the cause of this, but no one truly knows why." She raised an eyebrow, looking up toward him. "It is curious indeed that one would be born on Earth."


Alinar, the Fire Mage fell into step with Miriam. "Should your technician have the capabilities of travel as you suggested, I shall see to it the wards allow access. I would like to say I could understand how to repair our city on my own, but truth compels me to reveal my lack of knowledge in this instant. According to some, it was the god Hephaestus who had a hand in the city's design, but if that knowledge is true it is lost to time. Once we knew all, but it has since fallen into forbidden knowledge. Perhaps together we can make the necessary discoveries."


Leyrin covered her mouth with a mail-gloved hand to hide her amusement at Chase's attempted greeting. It failed to hide the mirth in her eyes. Then her brow furrowed in concentration, trying to decipher his question and formulate her response. "No. Before...yes. Elves in Atlantis and in forest. Now...only here."
 
Vlad nodded his head, then squawked a return. "While Im in the form of this bird you may speak in any language most comfortable to you, I will understand it, assuming it is an intelligible language. One of the perks of being an... Inferior... Race..." he said looking at the dark haired Elf with one red eye then turning to the elf speaking to him. "Yes I was born on earth, though I was never really human.. I was born something close, but still superior, I was turned into a what I am 26 years after my birth, Immortality was the first power I developed, and I have been seeking to further perfect myself for the past 800 or so years im not entirely sure of the timeline humans are so bad at tracking it further then a few hundred years. It was only recently my body actually stopped living, Im not entirely sure weather I like it or not yet. As for where my Kind come from, I was never given a definitive answer, all our tails suggest that the condition was gifted to us by extraterrestrial or more precisely the Babylonian Gods, given that our life spans are rather indefinite and the stories didn't have to be passed down threw a billion generations Im inclined to believe it. That all being said Ive never met any one more then 4 or 500 years older then I am So who knows." he replied.
 
Chase nods in understanding before furrowing his brow, "Why forest? Why not other cities? Do the Elves prefer the forest? Er, like the forest more?" He won't lie, his curiosity is starting to peak.
 
Stefan stays quiet, trying to listen to all the conversations without missing anything important, although he starts to be drawn in to Vlad's self-description. Something doesn't sit right with Stefan there, and for once it isn't the mutant abomination that occasionally answers to the 'hero' label, but it's too wrapped up in personal emotions he can't afford to give any attention to while he's surrounded by potential hostiles (in at least two cases, ACTUAL hostiles) on their home soil, so he mentally buries it for later examination.


Nicky catches Stefan's momentary confusion and grins. He already knows what part of the conversations going on would hit Stefan directly in the self-doubt, and he's incredibly glad someone finally started that ball rolling. Now, perhaps, if the right subject could be brought up by someone at exactly the wrong time...
 
"I doubt your physical size could do any significant damage to their city without a concentrated effort on your part. They use a sonic frequency intoned to set the crystalline lattices in these structures, virtually growing the buildings rather than construction. We have done much the same with computer processors, but never tried anything on this scale." Grace was impressed with the technology. There was just so much that they could be trying, but the whole problem was applying theoretical science to practical applications.


"That's why the city took so much damage when they were forced to translocated through the dimension without stabilizing the anchor points. You can see the harmonic cleaving through the structures. They literally hurled themselves through a closed doorway to get here, and are trying to stabilize themselves after the fact." She wasn't sure how technical the dragon was with elven magic, but Grace was getting a better understanding with each step.


She turned back to the Archmage, "which brings us to the question of why you didn't stabilize the anchor between your old world and ours? It doesn't seem like you were in such a fish that no one was prepared, it was more like someone forgot, or perhaps thought they already had. The problem with the Shadow Fae is that they can make you believe you already did something necessary, or make you think that you don't even need to concern yourselves with that part. We have already had two such issues where things went badly when people tried to do something very simple with devastating consequences."


This was the gist of what Grace wanted to know. "How deep were the Shadow Fae into the city when you left? Did you forget to set the anchor points between the dimensions, or did you deem it unnecessary."
 
The Dragon almost stops, as a look of wonderment fills his eyes. "Dragon's..? As in, more than one? As in, a Species? As in, I'm not- er, Might not- be- am- is- the only one?" He almost trips- the disaster averted by him steadying himself. "I.... I don't really know....where I came from, as a Dragon.. I mean, I know what was done to me, where I was found, and .... how i grew up! But I ... never knew.. parents.... or... anything.. about.. Dragons.. just... that I.. .er.." He shakes his head, steadying himself to follow along as he hangs his head low, to listen better.
 
Penelope


"This is getting a bit above my pay grade isn't it." She holds the feather confused by the entire ordeal. Her place had been out on the streets getting publicity and fighting the menace of crime. This was all magic and talks of old civilizations, stuff for scholars and higherups to worry about.


She really wasn't sure what she had been planning. She just knew it wasn't pretty and the Dragon didn't scare her either, he was radiation or energy or something. She'd eat him all Skywind like before anything else if it came down to that. What she was mostly realizing was that her purpose was actually in all likelihood a bomb. Some sort of mobile being attached to a group entering hostile locations. Someone to act as a final option. It made her feel weird but worst of all it pissed her off.


Everything was these days. Pompous Elves, lack of information, and now people knowing more about her than herself! Bah!


Penny looks at the feather for a moment and drops it, following after the team.
 
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