[center][h2][b]Calm Before The Storm[/b][/h2][/center] [center]Feat. [@Crispy Octopus], [@AdorableSaucer][/center] [hr] The gate to Fengshui Fuyou opened as a miniature rift just above the surface of the Giant’s Bath pool, and out of it came the snake swimming in a crawl. He reached the hull of his ship and climbed upwards in a rapid burst of speed, eventually swinging himself over the railing upon reaching the top. The snake wiped the water off his face with his right hand, holding out his open left palm as if awaiting something. Sure enough, promptly after his arrival back onboard, a group of servants made their trek over, kowtowed and proceeded to hand the snake towels and tea. Shengshi gulped down a cup of the greenish liquid and inspected the ship absent-mindedly. “Say, did anything happen in my absence?” he eventually said as he slithered towards the palace with the servants in tow. “A-actually,” said the closest one, an older-looking woman of the Wise named Wang Po’an, if the snake’s memory served him right. “We have visitors?” Wang Po’an finished. The snake raised an eyebrow quizzically. “The good kind, I hope.” “Naturally,” answered Wang Po’an. “Master Yun Ran assures Your Lordship that they are most benevolent and kind - these sacred spirits say they are the children of Her Holiness Asceal. There are three of them, named Akam, Makab and Eline, and two were gravely injured upon arrival. We brought them to the guest rooms - specifically the one with three beds, as per protocol.” The snake nodded slowly. “The children of Asceal, you say?” He held his cup downwards and a servant hastily shuffled over to refill it. The snake gave her a curt bow and the cup a sip. “Take me to them, if you would.” “Of course, Your Lordship - right this way.” Wang Po’an and the other servants guided the snake to the second floor of the hull, the floor with the bathhouse. There, along the many guest room doors lining the mahogany walls, the servants eventually stopped before one labeled twenty-eight. They stepped out of the door’s swing radius, and the closest one to the handle turned it and pulled the door open. The snake nodded to the doorman and slithered inside. There, amidst a sea of servants laid three beds, upon each laid one angel. Some of the younger female servants were chuckling and giggling at Akam; a group of servants were tending to Eline and spoon-feeding her food and giving her water to drink; and the last group, lead by Yun Ran himself, were tending to Makab’s wounds, seeming having stopped the worst of the bleeding. However, upon seeing their master entering, all of them figuratively dropped what they were doing and fell to their knees. “Ten thousand years and more to His Lordship, Shengshi of the Thousand Streams!” they cried in unison. The snake nodded frantically and waved a little dismissively. “Yes, yes, that will do. Now please resume maintaining our guests’ comfort.” He turned to the three angels and bowed deeply. “My apologies for not being present earlier, dear guests. I was delayed.” He deepened the bow a little more before standing up. “Now, if my information is correct, you three are Makab, Akam and Eline - children of Asceal, yes?” “That’s correct,” Akam turned to face Shengshi and nodded in a manner reminiscent of a little bow, “I regret our meeting being under these circumstances, but we had little choice in the matter. Still, you and your people have my, have all our, thanks.” The snake squinted a little at the angel’s tone, but let out a sigh. “I suppose that would not be on the top of their mother’s priority list,” he mumbled quietly to a nearby servant who did a mix between a frantic nod and a disapproving headshake. The snake then turned back to the angels and stirred his finger around in his teacup. “That does beg the question - what is the reason for this meeting? Please, do not misunderstand - guests are always welcome aboard my ship! However, I cannot help but feel like you three are a little far away from home. The Dragon’s Foot is not as harmonious as Istais, after all.” This time it was Eline who spoke up, “The Dragon’s Foot? Well, I suppose that explains some things.” Akam shot her a little glare before answering Shengshi’s question, “We have learned as much, unfortunately. Mother gave us enough of her memories to be able to navigate the world and permitted us time to explore and acquaint ourselves with it. We came to this land from the East, a route Mother had never taken.” The winged man frowned, “We were attacked shortly after we arrived here, when we were resting on the slopes of a large mountain east of here. Your people have informed me that the beast we fought was what you call a dragon.” “Yes, quite unfortunate, that. Dragons are not only vicious beasts, but they are also vicious beasts with wings, making them rather dangerous.” He took a small sip from his teacup. “Furthermore, they possess an inherent quality that can be used to break into my sphere.” The snake pointed to his face. “A dragon’s head can open the gates to Fengshui Fuyou - as a group of them obviously had. They had flown in and sabotaged two glorious flows, one of which was my absolute favorite.” The snake pursed his lips and grunted. “Unfortunately, that one was Lihe, the river on Istais.” He handed his teacup to a nearby servant. “I dearly hope that no one you treasure were resting by the riverside today.” The two conscious angels shared a look before Eline shrugged, “I don’t think Istais has had any visitors since Mother created us.” “No, it hasn’t,” Akam agreed, “But I can’t imagine she’ll be pleased with this… With any of this.” He sighed and turned back to Shengshi, “I’m not sure if she’s informed you yet, but Mother told me she would be heading here as quickly as she could. I imagine she’ll arrive soon.” “Ever the responsible parent…” Shengshi mused. He turned to the servants. “Lady Asceal will be arriving shortly. I want the ship cleaned and polished for her arrival and I want fruits and appetisers sliced and arranged neatly on silver and gold platters, is that clear? Oh, and make some tea, as well.” The bulk of the servants voiced a loud ‘at once, Your Lordship!’ and stormed out the door. Outside soon followed a ruckus as more and more servants were gathered up and sent into a cleaning frenzy. The snake closed the door behind him and slithered over to Makab’s bed. “I do not actually recall if your mother has informed me of her arrival yet - meaning she probably has not.” The snake gently prodded Makab’s chest with a claw-tipped finger. “How wounded was he on arrival?” He put his hand on the angel’s chest and glanced upwards pensively with a partially stuck-out tongue. “A lot worse than I was,” Eline answered, “He took the brunt of the attack. If he hadn’t killed it when he did…” The snake waved his free hand calmly. “His fear of mortality was bested by his bravery - that is the foundation of heroism, dear Eline.” He let out a quiet hum and snapped his free hand, a small cup materialising in it with some clear liquid. He placed the cup to Makab’s lips and poured it through the angel’s lips, bending the neck back to trigger a swallowing reflex. “There… That should dull the pain when he wakes up.” Akam looked down and took a breath before thanking the God, “I’m sure he’ll appreciate it. I still don’t know how he managed to fly all the way here with his arm like that.” “A quality - one every mortal possesses that many gods forget. You have a perseverance that drives the soul to carry the body forward. It is how you survive - forever water grinds against the rock; in time, even the rocks give way to becks.” The snake took a quick look at the splintwork the servants had done on the arm and smiled with pride. “Have you been satisfied with your care so far?” the snake said to the three. Eline and Akam both nodded, but it was the winged woman who spoke, “Everyone here has been more than helpful, even if they are a bit pushy.” She sighed and eyed the spoon they’d been feeding her with sitting in a nearby bowl of abandoned food, “If you’d thank them for me, I would be grateful.” The snake pursed his lips once more at the tone, but merely rolled his eyes discreetly and forced a smile. “Naturally. They will most assuredly be grateful for your thanks and good company.” There came a knock on the door. “Enter,” the snake said loudly. In came a servant and promptly dropped into a kowtow. “Your Lordship, Her Holiness Asceal has arrived on deck. She wishes to see her children.” The snake nodded, though in a slightly frustrated manner. “Well, then bring her here to see them, then - and do not forget the refreshments!” The servant nodded, rose to her feet and walked backwards out the door before setting off into a sprint. The snake looked back at the three angels. “There. Your mother is quite literally right around the corner.” He got to his feet and slithered over to the door. He waited a moment; then, in a swift move, he twisted the door handle and gestured for Asceal’s radiant form to enter. The Goddess strode into the room, her eyes searching for her children and locking onto Makab’s sleeping form. She scrambled to the side of the winged man's bed and put a hand on his forehead before muttering, “Oh Makab…” Before anyone could interrupt her a peculiar light began emanate from her hand. The odd glow seemed to flow like water, gradually making its way from the wounded angels head to the rest of his body. Covered in bandages as he was Asceal’s magic was less obvious than it might have otherwise been, but all the assembled could see the little cuts and scratches on Makab’s exposed skin healing in the span of seconds. The Goddess breathed a sigh of relief and the light vanished. She stood up, made her way to Eline, and repeated the act. Asceal’s daughter stared at her mother with wide eyes and carefully peeled back one of her bandages just in time to see a jagged cut stitch itself back together, not even leaving a scar. The winged woman reached out to embrace Asceal, and for a moment there was silence. It was only when they parted that the Goddess spoke, “I think we should leave Makab to his rest.” She looked to Shengshi and stepped up to the God of Rivers before hugging him too, “And thank you Shengshi. If you hadn’t been here I don’t know what would have happened.” The snake froze up, his arms pointing outwards like sticks on a snowman. His face slowly turned a faint shade of pink and he eventually cleared his throat. “Y-yes, of course! A n-natural response to seeing the children of a friend in peril.” As the hug neared its end, he managed to harness enough willpower to move his arms over and pat Asceal’s back a few times. “N-neat magic you have created, by the way,” he added. The Goddess let go and smiled genuinely, “Thank you. It’s something I think everyone will need in the days to come. Now, I’d prefer not to wake Makab.” She glanced at the door, “We have other matters to discuss, I think. Do you have somewhere we could sit?” The snake nodded. “We will head below into the great hall. Please, follow me.” The snake slithered out the door and blinked as he saw Liana standing there. “U-uhm… Pardon, are you also here with my sister?” He leaned down and squinted at the vine woman. “Oh, yeah,” Liana hesitated, “I’m sorry, I thought I would let Asceal see the kids first. Is everyone ok?” Before Shengshi could reply Asceal, Akam, and Eline walked through the doorway. Liana’s face lit up when she saw the two angels, and Asceal answered her question, “They’re fine, Liana. We’re going to let Makab rest; his injuries were the worst. Shengshi is showing us to his great hall to talk.” The Goddess glanced at the God of Rivers, “This is Liana, my friend and the steward of the Lustrous Garden. Also a friend of your Xiaoli, as it happens.” “Is that so?” said the snake and gave the vine woman a wry smile. “Well, any friend of Xiaoli is a friend of mine - she has rather solid judgment, that one.” He winked at Asceal and continued down the walkway towards the main staircase. “This way, please,” he said as he arrived at the staircase. The group descended into the massive, golden hall, and the bottom of the staircase was flanked on each side by a line of servants, all who shouted in unison: “Ten thousand years and more to His Lordship Shengshi and Divine of Light, Her Holiness Asceal - welcome aboard Jiangzhou!” The central table was almost immediately stacked high with plates of fruit and small hors d’oeuvres. Each plate was flanked with two cups, one tall and one low, into which were poured fruit juice and wine respectively. The guests were should to the appropriate chairs, with Asceal getting her custom throne and the two angels being given comfy, yet rather standard chairs. The snake took his place at the end of the table and gestured for the guests to eat. “So… What would you like to discuss?” he said as he popped a cube of melon into his mouth. Asceal ran a hand through her hair and frowned, “I’m worried, Shengshi. Sartravius has already done terrible things, but this? Akam told me there were hundreds of these ‘dragons’ in the mountains.” She nibbled on a small sandwich and took a sip of the wine, “My children aren’t as harmless as they might seem, but if all it took to injure Makab and Eline was one dragon, then we have a serious problem. I know Kalmar has spoken to you about his pact. Regardless of your feelings towards him, Shengshi, I think we should ask for help.” The snake’s mouth flattened. His tongue flicked once or twice before he took his juice glass and gave it a sip. “Summon him if you wish. If he wishes to come and fight the flame demon, I will not stop him.” He placed the glass down on the table. “I reckon he is on his way anyway, claiming that I have ‘broken our pact’ and ‘attacked his precious Kalgrun’...” He licked the air in disapproval and scowled sideways. The Goddess pinched her nose and sighed, “I thought you and Kalmar put this to bed, Shengshi.” The snake raised an eyebrow. “Funny expression, that. No, see, this time was not my fault. Fengshui Fuyou was sabotaged by the dragons, and one of the rivers on his continent was unfortunately a casualty of the sabotage. I hope I undid the damage in time for the ecosystem to recover, but he undoubtedly blames me for it. It would not be my fault if he jumps to conclusions.” He sipped his fruit juice again. Asceal frowned, “Is that why the Lihe was so badly flooded?” The snake hung his head. “Unfortunately so. The damage to it will also hopefully heal in time. However, the remaining issue is that a host of dragons are simply too close to my gateway - they must be destroyed!” He tapped his finger furiously on the tabletop. “... Or at the very least driven further east,” he eventually muttered. “The fact they attacked my children without warning is enough for me to agree with you.” Asceal’s frown deepened and she drank more of the wine, “But it’s not just dragons is it? I saw what looked like a burning giant on my way here. Another of Sartravius’s, I suspect.” “Indeed. Some among my crew refer to them as huojuren - fire giants. However, they quickly turned southwards upon seeing Jiangzhou’s descent.” The snake shrugged. “They had more sense than I gave them credit for, but if they attack the jungles to the south, they may be in for an unfortunate surprise.” The snake smirked vicious and leaned back. “However, let us not speak anymore of that horror transpiring such a distance away - we have war councils for that.” He grabbed his winecup and raised it. “I propose a toast to the safety of your children, dearest sister - and a toast to an alliance against the flame.” Asceal raised her glass and motioned for Liana and the kids to do the same, “A toast to a swift victory.” The snake grinned and emptied the glass into his mouth and swallowed with a gulp. “Say, Asceal, dear, that spell you cast on your son - is… Is there any way that such magic could be used on my own warriors? I know it may be impolite to ask such, but this conflict will undoubtedly claim many a servant’s life - is there… Any way we could work together to prevent that?” Shengshi gave her a sly smile. The Goddess emptied her own glass and pursed her lips, “I could give others the ability. Not enough though, not if we want everyone to have access to it.” She put down the wine glass and stared into her fruit juice. Wordlessly she dipped a finger into the coloured drink and watched it turn clear. She withdrew her finger, rested a hand over the cups mouth, and in the span of a few moments the still water had begun to glow. Asceal grinned, “Or I could find a way to let anyone use the magic.” She held up the glass of glowing liquid, “Have your servants leave basins of water out at night Shengshi, if they remain clean and undisturbed this will happen. A little bit of magic, suspended in water. They can use it on the injured, or…” The goddess paused and sipped the luminescent water, “Learn to use it for themselves. I can teach a few how to harness what they consume, but I imagine anyone could learn, given time.” The snake nodded deeply. “You are most gracious, dear sister. Any help is appreciated - naturally, this water shall be treated as the holiest substance aboard - the basins will be heavily guarded by both hand and spear.” “The magic will take time to accumulate in the basins. The light of my Garden carries it, but not enough to saturate a pool in a night.” Asceal paused and her smile weakened, “I just wish none of this was necessary.” “The river knows both peace and disturbance along its length--” “YOUR LORDSHIP! YOUR HOLINESS!” came a scream from the top of the staircase. Shengshi raised a slightly frustrated stare. “What?!” he exclaimed. “Dragons on the horizon, Your Lordship!” the servant shouted. Immediately, the other servants grew jittery and looked anxiously at one another. The snake flicked his tongue. “Prepare for battle, then. We shall face them with the fury of a flood.” He looked at Asceal. “Are you with me?” The Goddess’s expression hardened and she she gave a curt nod, “Of course.” [hr] [hider=Summary & Might Costs] Shengshi returns from FSFY. He says hi to the kids, they talk about dragons. Asceal arrives, she heals the kids up and gets the remedy portfolio. Shengshi and everyone head down to the great hall, there they talk about dragons and calling for help. Asceal links her new magic to her sphere, making the light of the lustrous garden carry the essence of remedies. Healing magic is now available globally. Dragons attack. [b]Might Costs:[/b] [i]Asceal: -5MP (Acquisition of Remedies Portfolio) -2FP (Creation of Healing Magic) {6 FP & 0 MP Remaining}[/i] [i]Shengshi: No Might Spent {8 FP & 5 MP Remaining}[/i] [/hider]