Thayr
BrokenPromise
Ariamis
Ti
TheMushroomLord
The Monkey and the Dragon
TIME: Post-Alma | LOCATION: The Dragons Foot - Hours AC - Flying Southeast | INTERACTION: Anu - @LokiLeo789
This world...Galbar was an entirely new experience after his ascension. The world held more color more vibrancy as if being reborn finally revealed the true beauty of all around him. The wind whistled through his horns as Ikarus watched the world fly by beneath him Mana flowing aimlessly by him. Pausing a moment to hover in the air surveying the area to gain an understanding of this world. The ground below was layered with a thick pillow of gold that seemed to flow in all directions which seemed to be on par with his knowledge thus far. The amazement finally hit him that he was the one one, divine or otherwise, that knew about this amazing substance that permeates the world. The gods as numerous as they are were so spread out that it's almost impossible to reach them and thus if Mana was spread to more than just Galbar then the magics he could learn will be severely limited which saddened him greatly.
All of this meant nothing if he could not master the basic principles of this new world. Out of the corner of his eye Ikarus noticed a new occurrence that he did not expect to see, Mana of a different color. To this point the natural Mana around him appeared gold but this very faint and small strand was blue and it seemed to lead in a specific direction. With curiosity peaked Ikarus took off in the hopes to discover what this strange phenomenon was.
The peculiarity moved north through dense jungles, its movement far from lackadaisical and instead akin to a march or whatever one could get as close to in the heavy undergrowth. As he drew closer even fainter signatures appeared, three in number and in close proximity with the white. No shift. All seemed oblivious to his growing presence.
His eyes could not make them out through the canopy but their Mana was unmistakable. A white flowing Mana with one giving off an immense amount almost like Orvus was when we saw him. Keeping his distance Ikarus flew above the jungle following these signatures. He couldn't help but feel a connection to the largest of these instinctively knowing they were divine in nature, but if what he received from Orvus was to be any indication of divine interaction then its possible that whoever this is may not be as friendly as his father was.
Qiang Quan suddenly stopped in his tracks and looked around. A massive rustle in the trees a distance away had frightened a flock of birds into the air and the warrior stood squinting in the direction of their fearful song. “Your Majesty,” he went, “something is coming.”
”Indeed.” the ape breathed, chains rattling in what seemed to be preparation.
Almost as if on cue a thundering beat followed by a cacophonous blast of wind cleared the area of the light brush and such as the massive frame of an iridescent gold dragon stood before the group. Standing on its hind legs allowing its full mass to be seen its golden eyes peered across the group and seemed to study all present. A low guttural snarl escaped his lips as the he seemed to focus his attention on the great white ape and directed his full focus on him,
"You…you are a demigod are you not?"
”You could me that, I suppose. I am Anu, son of Shengshi and Narzhak, and should all go well, King of Galbar.” he tentatively gestured towards his entourage, his face an emotionless mask. ”And these would be my councilmen.”
The councillors, already well acquainted with the very presence of gods and demigods, quickly realised what sort of being had come into their view, so they all cast themselves to the ground without question. However, after a mere single kowtow, they were quick to their feet again, Qiang Quan in particular massaging the hilts of the baton-like sticks on his belt; Fu Lai’an sighed and discreetly patted a small bulge in her clothing on the side of her waist; Yong Cai tightened and untightened her fist around the hilt of her primitive stone hammer.
Golden eyes peered over the lot as the legacy was laid bare. Shengshi and Narzhak, the names brought forth images from Father's memory of the two beings. 'Another demigod. Perhaps his lineage knows of Mana…',
The thought dismissed itself as it entered his mind, for if Orvus did not know then certainly the rest of through pantheon wouldn't either. Still the possibility had to be explored as the mystery of Mana had to be explored to its fullest potential. At the announcement of Anu's intention to be the King of Galbar, a further eye needed to peer at his sibling. The white ape stood motionless as his councilmen appeared to be ready to fight should the need arise, a good trait to have indeed. His supreme control of self was impressive, however, as one would expect a dragon to fall from the sky and question to cause a situation for some reaction. Yet he remained.
'This one's interesting...perhaps I should explore what others could do with my power. A king would be the best person to wield it.'
"King of Galbar you say? To accomplish such a feat would require a vast quantity of power, and as it stands...your council seems…lacking. How do you intend to reach your dream with such weakness around you?"
”If you base strength on appearance alone then your judgment is in question.” the ape retorted, the slightest edge entering his voice.
“With all due respect, great spirit,” Qiang Quan went as he fastened tight grips around his batons, “while these ones may not possess neither the divine durability nor the unmatched power of His Majesty, strength of muscle and bone are but two categories on the infinite spectrum of power. This servant in particular is but a speck in comparison to both His Majesty and likely Your mighty self; however, it is doubtful that either of You two divine beings are acquainted with the martial arts of the Strong, or with the logistical questions around providing for a great kingdom or army.” The warrior stood proudly forth, even as his colleagues grew a little uneasy at his tone.
Curious eyes were cast upon the brave mortal that stepped forward. Ikarus' first experience with mortals was an enlightened one. A wisdom he did not expect, and hope that his experiment would not be wasted.
"Well said mortal. You are absolutely correct. But there is power beyond even the divine comprehension that has yet to be explored…"
Tapping into the Mana around him Ikarus willed some of the surrounding Mana he gathered an amount of it into his palm and twisted its structure and created a ball of flames. Allowing the group to bask in it's creation he continued,
"...and I can teach this power. This is Mana and with it your power can be tripled. Does this interest you?"
Anu was silent for a few moments, his countenance placidly apathetic. Finally we spoke, his words sounding almost controlled. ”You come, approach me unannounced, insult my judgment and the abilities of my council, and then tout this sophistry and claim it can triple my power?” the demigod said. Slowly he rolled his massive shoulders and started at the blue flame. ”Prove to me that this ‘Mana’ is worth my consideration lest I strike you down where you stand.”
Fu Lai’an shook her head and winced at the flames. She turned to Anu and bowed deeply, saying, “Your Majesty, with all due respect, this servant believes this spirit will demand something in return. Such uncouth interruptions and accusations connote nothing like the generosity expected of someone approaching a king such as Your royal self. Rarely is such power offered freely, and least of all by complete strangers.” She shook her head again. “No, this possesses not the aura of a tribute, this servant must say.”
For a moment the ape’s mask slipped, and he glanced at Fu Lai’an. Wordlessly, he seemed to communicate control over the situation and silence with one firm nod and regarded the dragon again, mask back on. ”Go on.”
The animosity felt from the great ape was palpable. Strength of will great enough to stand against unknown power, very befitting a king. 'Perhaps these people will be the perfect test subjects…' Without pausing to listen to the other mortal Ikarus turned himself into the Mana around him once again, this time creating a veil around the group and manipulating the perception of those around. To the others they were "transported" into a world similar to there own but everything around them became twisted and contorted; space folded in on itself creating a strange never-ending labyrinth of moving parts and pieces. Gazing upon the group now with shimmering blue eyes the dragon spoke with an odd distance in his voice as if he was beyond the group and their existence,
"Mana is a power of the mind, limited only to its wielder imagination. You were right mortal, physical power is not the only power to wield and Mana expands the minds power. What I desire is to grow this power and know its full measure, and have determined that you will be the first I teach this power to."
Dismissing the illusion the world returned to its natural state and the dragon once again regained his golden stare.
"This is the power that I offer. In return I ask only the ability to expand this power."
All the servant stood dumbstruck momentarily. The first to break out of the awesomeness-caused stun was Yong Cai who made an uncertain frown. “Great spirit, forgive this servant for asking, but is the scale of power drawn from the number of its users? Or is it to be spread primarily for the purpose of study, like one would leave batches of wine in different environments to see how they ferment?”
If Anu himself was at all impressed by the display he did not show it. ”Answer this.” he added.
The thought had never truly crossed Ikarus' mind. He had never thought to discover if Mana would be stronger with more wielders involved,
"It is a mixture of both. While it is certainly possible for more wielders to make an effect stronger there is still much to discover about it. So the more wielders that discover more uses the more diverse its power can become."
”So did you come baring this power freely or was that your price? Test subjects.”
"A bit of both…"
The dragon replied.
"...I am freely giving you the opportunity to use and learn this power for your own. For I can see a sense of nobility in your actions and intents, but I also need to see how Mana will change in the hands of another. In order for knowledge to grow I must first test what it can do in the hands of others. Is this something you can accept Brother Ape?"
Qiang Quan frowned. “Please, do forgive this insolent one for cutting in, but have You never tested it before, great spirit? How can we know if it will not poison or weaken His Majesty?” He turned to Anu and bowed. “His Majesty is strong, yet this feels rash and dangerous.”
”Your proposition lacks weight and my councilman’s skepticism is warranted, as well as my own.” Anu began, golden eyes narrowing into rivers of fire. ”Therefore I shall put it to rest now.” he gestured towards Qiang Quan. ”Cherished Qiang will serve as our first subject. Should I see significant results I will consider this offer. Should I see him harmed, then my earlier threat stands.” he finalized.
”Are you up to the task, Qiang Quan?”
The servant descended down on his knees, his torso upright. He covered his right fist with his left palm and bowed his head. “With all its heart, this servant will serve.”
The ape nodded towards the dragon expectantly. ”There you have it.”
Ikarus could not even reply when asked about the testing of his abilities. How would one explain that he was just created simply hours before the current interaction, the fact that he himself was still learning about not only the existence of Mana but of his own place within Galbar and even the pantheon at large. Silently and stoically he watched as Anu volunteered the one called Qiang Quan to be the first test subject of Mana experimentation. Just within this encounter Ikarus deducted that Anu was a creature that respected strength above everything else, so as logic dictated a sign of strength would be what he would require as proof. A simple enough feat. As Qiang approached the dragon he reached down and touched the loyal servant with a clawed finger, using a bit of his own Mana to unlock the mortal's ability to wield Mana for himself as well as grant him a blessing of strength. The blessing imbued the mortal with greater strength than previously imagined and all that was needed now was a target. Qiang Quan trembled as the power coursed through him like lightning. He fell to his knees, groaning and hissing with agony as his form and spirit were infused with magical might. He forced himself to endure, and as the change neared its end, he rose to his feet with ragged breath, his eyes aflame with determination.
"Mortal Qiang, I have allowed you to see and manipulate Mana for yourself. Now give us a feat of your new found strength."
Qiang Quan blinked his eyes at the sights, particularly flickering between Anu and Ikarus as if their forms suddenly had changed before his very eyes. He eventually looked down at his hands. “I feel…” He tightened his fists around the hilt of his wooden batons and slowly extracted them from the ribbon about his waist. His eyes locked onto a long branch up above, a few metres away in aerial distance. His nostrils flared a few times before the warrior bent his knees and tossed himself into the air, much higher than any Servant had ever flown on their own. His feet seemed to shoot out blasts of wind, and as he gained height, he laid himself horizontal and spun with his arms outstretched, the mana in his veins seeping out and coagulating as blades of air along the length of his batons. A little beyond the branch, the warrior crashed into the ground, his landing barely saved by a frail and weakened roll. A loud rustle and a thud sounded behind him.
His blunt batons had cut through solid wood.
The warrior staggered to his feet and gave the group a pained, yet ecstatic smile. “M-my King… This… This servant flew!” He then collapsed forward into the forest floor. Yong Cai and Fu Lai’an both broke out of their shock of awe and hurried over to aid him.
Anu gave Qiang a nod of approval, his own surprise and elation masked by a sheen of satisfaction. ”I see. And the latent mana-capabilities of any god or mortal can be unlocked just like this?”
"To my knowledge the gods have no need of Mana as their power far surpasses anything we can comprehend, but mortals and others like ourselves yes. All I did was open Qiang's mind to Mana and gave a blessing of strength. The rest he did on his own. He created those blades from his Mana. This is the power that I offer. Anu you say it is your desire to become King of Galbar, allow me to grant you the power that I offer. Together we can make that dream a reality through our combined might."
”To say you haven’t convinced would be a lie, you offer me a resource I’d be foolish to reject, Dragon. I accept your offer.”
Internally Ikarus was overjoyed, he could now truly begin to unleash Mana onto Falbar as he was intended to. Qiang was simply given a taste of it and took to it naturally which meant that mortals were natural recipients of Mana.
"Very well my King...let use be off. We have much work to do."
