[center]
[img]https://i.imgur.com/Mj50RIn.jpg[/img]
[color=3d5a88][h2] Niallus Saberhagen[/h2][/color]
[hr][b][color=3d5a88] Event:[/color]
[/b] Metropolis [b]|[/b] [b][color=3d5a88] Location:[/color]
[/b]ReTan[hr][hr][/center]

With Ingrid storming off, Niallus thought it would be best to let her be for the time, Rikard little remark, caused Niallus to stick his middle finger up at the little perv. Turning to the path he wanted to take, he take a couple of seconds for him to get ready to head out. He did hope that he was able to come back in one piece. 

Niallus traveled quickly on his own, with nobody else to worry about except himself, and no burdens to slow him down. When he was thirsty, he melted some of the snow and drank it. When he was hungry, he... well, went hungry, but it would only be for a few more hours and he'd gone longer without food before. 

But there were other types of slimes on the far side of Bailong Shan, and other types of plants and animals too. It was colder and more remote, with a whistling wind whipping by his ears. In the distance, Niallus could see a large road, full of wagons, horses, and people, winding northwest through a valley, towards the other great cities of Retan. The northeast was comparatively empty, with some other lesser mountains and perhaps a couple of farming villages closer to the coast. Otherwise it was all forest and alpine tundra.

After a while, even with the use of magic, Niallus' caloric intake was just too much. He found himself casting about for something edible, but he was not much of a forager or hunter, truth be told. He passed on a berry bush with unknown fruits and on a Crown Tundra Thumper, a considerable distance away from its usual habitat. Finally, he came upon a yellowish-orange mana slime, draped over a cloudberry bush. These, he recognized from home, wondering briefly if they actually had this sort of ranger or were invasive in one of the two places. After plucking a couple of berries and running a chemical sweep and detecting nothing bad about the slime, he fried it up with a simple heat spell and...

It was, simply put, [i]FUCKING HEAVENLY[/i]. It was ambrosia. It was nectar of the gods: soft and sweet and just a bit tangy. Not only that, but he felt... instantly restored and... more than that. A brief headrush caused him to stagger, but then... his energy sense! It was like nothing he had ever felt before! He could sense with incredible precision, and he could sense for... more or less a mile! It briefly occurred to Niallus that maybe he should bring some back to share, but it was just so [i]good[/i] that he couldn't do it. He scarfed the rest down with only a tiny shred of guilt. It probably wouldn't have kept that well anyhow.

Thus satisfied, he found himself moving much quicker and much slower at the same time, reveling in his newfound range and keen perception. It was... a magnificent feeling and it would not be long until this new ability would be put to the test. There, in the distance, he could sense energies: Three appeared to be human. A fourth seemed human as well, but... [i]huge[/i]. A second scan cast doubt upon the latter assertion. What [i]was[/i] that figure!? It... wasn't human at all, though it was close, and its power was huge. Regardless, all four were drawing and casting and it was not the friendly sort. Niallus had a decision to make: to try to get closer and gain more information, or strike decisively from afar. Who to strike, though, if anyone?

Then, as if just to make things even [i]more[/i] complicated, he noticed a fifth energy signature, headed at high velocity towards the other four, and it was... weird. It seemed to be one person, but two separate mana colonies, each drawing and casting their own energies. Was this one friend, foe, or something else entirely?

Niallus struggled to adjust to his new found range in sensing magic. Holding his head in his hands in pain from this sudden increase. [color=3d5a88]"This is ridiculous. How can I sense so far away?"[/color] he mumbles to himself. It seems that the head spinning effect had passed for the moment and he could focus his ability to sense again.  At the end of his range he senses some figures in one direction. [color=3d5a88]"Odd, I didn't think anyone would be up here. Still some are obviously human but that other one could be troublesome."[/color] his voice to low whispers. Wanting to investigate,  it would be best to  stay hidden, with a quick cast of Arcane to make himself invisible, he slowly moves up. Luckily from their mana's acting and drawing they seem to be more preoccupied in other things. In each other or something else he wouldn't know unless he took a look, hopefully they might not take notice of him at first, if they do, he'll have to improvise a way out of this mess.

Getting closer, another person comes into his range, this one had Two mana colonies. [color=3d5a88]What the...Two colonies![/color] he thought to himself. He needs to be more careful now with these strange events.

[hider Part Two]


Niallus confronted the Ogauraq, the patrolmen and this mysterious person. Using Arcane magic, Niallus was able to see past the illusion that the person made. Niallus knew them from Ersand'Enise, he must have been brought here as backup by a Zeno, most likely Jocasta. The fellow student was called Valerian Remi Leclère. Together the joined forces in attempt not to hurt either the Ogauraq or the patrol Talking seemed to fail, as the patrol was attacking both Niallus and Vel. This was a foolish mistake by the patrolmen, as the combined power of the two students obliterated the three patrolmen. As the three patrolmen laid there, on the verge of death. It was then the Ogauraq acted, pinning both Niallus and Vel with such force. It was the Ogauraq who sent Niallus the pictures in his mind, since now it wrote out one word to him. Stop! 

Both students did just that. The Ogauraq let go of them and went to heal the three patrolmen that were not too long attacking it. As it fully healed them, the Ogauraq also put them to sleep then erased their memories, then asked Niallus and Vel to follow it. The boys did just that. The Ogauraq introduced itself as Dragon Smirk, while the boys introduced themselves to it too. Dragon Smirk seemed to have an interesting personality, one of a teenager. A portal opened up where the two students were introduced to more Ogauraq, mostly Dragon Smirk's family. They other Ogauraq were curious about the two students, but they trusted them, only because of Dragon Smirk.

While the boys were there. They were given food as well as a small history lesson about ReTan. The Ogauraq lived in peace with the humans over two hundred years ago. But all that changed, now the Ogauraq are on the brink of extinction, same with the dragons, thanks to the twin emperors. Niallus asked what Dragon Smirk was doing before he was attacked. He was going to meet up with a dragon. The very same dragon that Niallus saw yesterday. So now it seems that the Dragons are asking for an alliance with the Ogauraq to help them take down the twin emperors. They also asked both Niallus and Vel to assist them with it. Both of them agreed to it.

They were going to send Niallus back through a portal, but not back to the mountain, as it would be too dangerous for the Ogauraq instead to a small field, Niallus got a beaded bracelet from a Ogauraq named Summer Wind. Once they left through the portal, onto a hill on the outskirts of Wangang. Niallus was informed by Dragon Smirk, that his friends and lover were safe. So he wanted to go meet up with them. Sensing someone close by at the last minute he turned to this new figure. A tall man in a dull brown cloak, a wide brimmed sedge hat on top his head, he carried a few weapons including pistols, a dagger and a shovel. He didn't look like much, but his mana was high, really high. This was a member of the black guard 

Niallus didn't think that he would find a black guard here, more importantly, why is he here? Based on his outfit, Niallus guessed this one was called Smoky Bandit, only because some Retannese children had figures of him. Niallus tried to throw him off by asking him stuff but it didn't work, as he was on the attack. Dragon Smirk scooped up both Niallus and Vel and went through another portal, only to run into another black guard. Dragon Smirk tried to attack the new figure but missed it's attack. Panicking Dragon Smirk opened up another portal to escape.

Even this time they weren't safe. Niallus was being strangled by some weird force, in a reflex he hit it with a kinetic elbow, it took two attempts in order to break its grasp on his throat. He sputtered and coughed hoping to catch his breath then the safe location unravelled into a nightmare. Another portal was opened, this time Niallus was pushed through it, landing on the road in front of his group from the mountain. Without thinking, he started casting, thinking that whatever was attacking him was still there, everyone was trying to get him to calm down, whatever he was against before was gone. After calming down he absently brushed his fingers across his neck, he finally calmed down. 

Ingrid ran up to Niallus checking on him with her manas, his manas was agitated but apart from that he was fine, the marks on his neck she'd treat back at the Inn she asked him what happened and how did he get here. Niallus would explain everything, what happened on the mountain, what he learnt from Dragon Smirk and his family, the Ogauraq and he was attacked by the Black Guards. [/hider]