Fallenreaper
Neziul
WhiteAngel25
Kaithe Dame
Suicharte
Dezuel
SkyeOfStars
Ti
BlackRoseSirenNathaniel & Charlotte
Location: Alchemist chambers- Town.
Collab with: Charlotte @SpicyMeatball
Like a good recruit, Charlotte had stayed out of the way thus far--apart from Zeph’s little nudge. She’d learned that most would expect her to speak only when spoken to while she was in uniform, especially the nobility. Her eyes trailed each of the other occupants in the room, letting Zeph give a report of their findings to the older lady she’d crossed paths with before.
Her posture had finally relaxed when a guard bursting through the door caused her to stiffen once more, her hand tightening on the straps of her shield.
Another murder. Another blightborn attack. And judging by the fact that Penelope had just singled her out, another trek through the cold.
She groaned quietly before nodding to the group without a word, following behind as they left the warmth behind them.
As Nathaniel stepped out of the warmth of the Alchemy Chambers, a tinge of worry settled over him. He was going to investigate another murder. His deep, calming breath formed mist, and he gazed out. The pathway he and Nesna had taken from the beholder was fresh with snow, as if it had never been touched by man. Osiris came out, and his body shook for a moment as the cold air made contact with his person.
” Brr. The cold definitely isn't helpful for me and my old bones. I trust that you young ones are properly warm.” Osiris asked both Nathaniel and Charlotte, the latter on the heels of the second sage. Nathaniel turned to face them, snow already clinging to their hair and cloaks. “We've only just left the building and already you're fussing over us.” “But of course. It is my job to provide insight and support for the next generation of sages, scholars and soldiers. This.” He pointed his cane to the frozen, snowy tundra. “This is an adventure for the young. So I will teach, and you, young Stormlight, will learn.” At that point, both men smiled, then looked at Charlotte. ” Are you ready, Miss Hawthorne?” Nathaniel asked.
“While an adventure is certainly not what I would call this--” she gestured vaguely at the outdoors and snow, “I am in your service and will protect you with my life, should the need arise. Charlotte looked between the two with a nod, before shifting beneath her armor.
“Properly warm is a bit of a stretch, but I’ll survive for the time being. Let’s get going, we’ll warm up more by walking.”
With that said Nathaniel just looked at Osiris. The elder nodded. ”The young lady is correct.” Nathaniel agreed, adjusting his cloak. Looking in the direction. He patted his person.
Parchment, check.
Quill, check.
Small pot of carryable ink, check. A sigh of relief escaped his lips leaving a warm fog in front of his face. “I have everything needed.” ”Sample tubes?” Nathaniel gave a little nod. Turning on his heel, he led the way.
Walking through the snowfall that was getting heavier as time passed. Osiris walked with Charlotte. With Nathaniel in front. ”I wouldn't worry about him. He is more than capable of defending himself. So long as he doesn't burn through his magic.” ”I'm not using my magic here. It has serious side effects involving killing someone or myself in the process.” Nathaniel said then continued. ”Him however, he'll likely have next to nothing in reserves.” Osiris simply agreed. Even in the snow you could see the magical fatigue on the elders face.
“Its a good thing that you’ve got me around then, isn’t it?” The recruit quipped, a smirk barely visible on her face.
”It has been some time since I had a decent amount of magic.” his attention turned to the guard. ”Tell me, how long have you been a guard for?” he asked with genuine curiosity.
“Not quite a year now.” Charlotte replied, turning her gaze to the older man, “Though obviously not all of my time was spent here. Most of my training and mentorship was done in the capital, when the sun was still around. I was transferred here a few weeks ago.”.
Her eyes flicked across the terrain, scanning for movement among the trees and between the buildings. Now that her travelling companions had openly announced their lack of defences, she couldn’t help but feel a bit nervous.
Osiris watched her, the wisdom of different generations of guards that he has seen in his long life. He can see that she follows in the same footsteps of her peers. She certainly had the stance and the form correct. As her hand rested on the hilt of her sword ready to draw. ”I can see that your mentor has trained you well.” Osiris remarked with a warm smile, in contrast to the cold weather that surrounded the group. ”Your mentor must be really proud of you and all you have accomplished? he asked.
Charlotte faltered for a moment at the question, her eyes flicking to Osiris, “My mentor is the reason I was transferred to this-- To Dawnhaven.” her voice chilled, “I prefer not to speak of it.”
Charlotte’s gaze returned ahead, set on changing the subject. “With the little I understand of magic, you both must be Aurelian, yes? Lunarians would be more powerful than ever under the constant, unending moonlight.”
”Yes.” Nathaniel said as he turned his head to answer her question. ”Both myself and Lord Galahad are both from Aurelia. You are from the capital aren't you my Lord.” Osiris nodded to his young sage's question. ”There's been a lot of commotion in the noble decorum. he took a small breath.
”Aurelia is indeed weakened in terms of magical strength. Noble houses are slowly losing their authority due to the lack of magical power that they used to wield. That's mostly due to us not being able to restore our magic reservoirs from the sun, nothing more. There is a lot of pressure on our shoulders.” he referred to the other sages and everyone else who resided in Dawnhaven.
“You’re not at all worried that Lunaris won’t take advantage of Aurelia’s weakness, knowing that we’ve been at our weakest over these last few years?” The recruit knew that it had been harder to get proper healing for the troops injured by the monstrosities of the blight. She didn’t want to think of what would happen if there was an uprising out here, as remote as they were. They were further from home than the northerners, and expecting timely reinforcements was a pipe dream at best.
“I am grateful for the peace between nations, but I’m not oblivious to the fact that Aurelia would do the same if given the chance. Lunaris has to know that.”
Osiris looked towards Charlotte, then towards Nathaniel. The young sage's face showed no expression. ”Honestly, I am worried. And likewise, I am grateful for the peace that we have right now.” Nathaniel thought back to his time at the Aurelian court. There weren't many details, but he knew enough. Both nations were close to all-out war. If it weren't for the blight, war would have broken out. But
The hush of the rest of the citizens of Dawnhaven came as the trio walked down the snow-capped footpath. A guard caught sight of Lord Osiris. “Lord Galahad.” From the look Osiris gave him, he likely knew the guard. Then the guard's gaze shifted to Nathaniel. “I know you. You are the one who was dancing with the lead sage in the tavern.” Nathaniel groaned for a heartbeat. ”We are here to investigate the murder. Not for tavern gossip.” ”Nathaniel here is my ward. He is here to gather samples and investigate. I am simply here as an observer.”
The guard seemed to ignore Nathaniel's little quip but acknowledged Osiris’ statement. His attention went to Charlotte. “You aren't needed here, recruit. I can escort the sages. You can head back to the barracks.”
For a moment, Charlotte considered ignoring the guard’s request. From what she could see, something big had transpired here and curiosity was pushing at every edge of her mind. But then she remembered her previous encounter, what her defiant act of the previous day had gotten her, and the thought faded from her mind. She pushed away the images of Aliseth’s face, the sound of his words still barely audible in her ears.
“Yes sir.” Her words were firm, but as her eyes wandered across the scene, a small piece of that curiosity escaped, “Sir, what happened here? Another attack?” Immediate feelings of regret bubbled to the surface but Charlotte didn’t let it show, still standing at rest with her hand resting idly on the pommel of her blade. “If there’s anything I can do to assist, please, tell me. I want to help. Her last few words came out tinged with a bit more desperation than she’d intended, and she kicked herself mentally for it.
The guard nodded, “Yes there has been. But that's all I'm going to say.” His gaze shifted back and forth amongst the trio “No, I'm not letting some greenhorn rookie get in the way.” ”Green horned Rookie?” Nathaniel said, looking at Charlotte then back to the guard. ”She looks more capable at the job than you.” The guard seemed a bit annoyed by that little jab from the younger sage. “I don't care. She isn't coming. End of the discussion.”
[colguard's90274] “She is coming with me. It is my decision. If you don't like that, that's your opinion. Now, quit being an imbecile and lead us to the body. If you are wanting to interfere with my and Nathaniel's work I'll be more than happy to report this to the lead Sage or his Highness.”[/colour] Nathaniel had never heard the elder speak that freely with anyone, but from the look of fear in the guards eye. He knew he wasn't going to go against the second sage.
The recruit’s eyes darted back and forth between the guard and Lord Galahad, a glimmer of entertainment in them as she tried her best to keep composure.
“Yes sir.” From then on, the guard seemed to stand straighter than before. His attention went to Charlotte for a flicker. “I apologize, please accept my sincere apologies.” ”Apologise later, take us to the body.” Nathaniel simply said and the guard nodded “Y-Yes sir. Follow me please.” As they followed the guard to the body. Nathaniel whispered to Charlotte. ”Lord Galahad wouldn't have stepped in to anyone, he acts when he sees the potential in others. He must think you have something special about yourself, even if you can't see it.”
“If only my training officer shared the same sentiment… She muttered, biting back a grin as she followed the sages forward. Once she had confidence that her words wouldn’t be overheard, Charlotte quickened her pace and whispered,“I owe you both a drink for keeping my day entertaining.”
She went to step back into position but caught herself for another heartbeat, uttering one last line, “He isn’t wrong though, I am a rookie through and through.
Charlotte shot them a friendly smirk before falling back a few steps, returning to her usual look of professionalism.
As the four of them entered the prison, a shudder ran through the recruit’s spine as she felt the little magic she had stripped away. The familiar sensation of a magical warding rune, she suspected. Smart. It was then that she took in the gruesome scene before her in all of its misery. The corpse of a man that looked like it had been shredded by a thousand blades while also having decayed far more than expected in the matter of hours it had been since death.
“What in the hells… She whispered, taking position by the door in just the right way to get a good view of everything. “I may be just a recruit but that doesn’t look normal.
She paused, letting the sages get closer, “Right…?
Nathaniel shook his head, more to sight of the mutilated body half buried in snow than to what Charlotte said. ”No.” he paused, ”It isn't.” he remembered the body that he had to carry. How it was beheaded.
”There is no shame on you if you choose to look away.” Osiris said standing next to her.
Charlotte nodded rapidly and turned away, a shudder running down her spine. It wasn’t the gore alone that sent her head into a spin and made her stomach do back-flips, but the combination of the scene before her and the smell. The only thing that prevented her from retching into a corner was that she hadn’t had much to eat since breakfast.
Feeling Osiris watching him from behind. ”On it.” Nathaniel said. Both of his hands rummage through his satchel. Removing a small empty vial then followed by a syringe. ”First, the blood. as Nathaniel knelt next to the body. Carefully he loaded the vial to the end of the syringe. Once the vial was secured in place he flicked the needle. Placing a hand on the corpse to brace, he felt how stiff the corpse was. Rigor-mortis was slowly setting in, mixed with the cold. Then Nathaniel pierced the flesh with the syringe.
It took Nathaniel only a few minutes. Even with the cold weather affecting him. He proved more than capable, four vials of blood were sealed and safely stored in his coat pocket. Giving his syringe a quick clean. Carefully storing them back into his satchel. As he was about to get back up. Tissue samples. Going back into his satchel. He pulled out a sheathed knife. With care he drew the knife from its sheath, and started to cut small bits of flesh, some from around the fatal wound and some away from it. The noise of a guard vomiting came from the side. “Why are you cutting flesh off?” A guard asked, going a little pale from the sight.
”It's samples. This was a Blightborn after all.” he paused, sealing the flesh in some slightly bigger jars. ”Since the Blightborn body goes under a sort of transformation. Perhaps we could find some lead for the cure. Or put us in the right direction.”
Cleaning the knife he put it back into the satchel. ”We have what we need. You can handle the body and put it to rest.” Nathaniel said to the other guards. ”Excellent work Nathaniel, perhaps you could be helpful in the coming times. We should get these back to the Alchemist Chambers, Charlotte will you be accompanying us back?”
“For certain, I won’t be spending another minute in this place. she said, pacing quickly to the door as nausea began creeping into her head.
The sound of the other guard losing his lunch did nothing to help the feeling.
The recruit practically ripped open the door, holding it in place to allow her compatriots to leave first. The wall of icy cold air that entered--which normally would have had Charlotte wincing--was ever appreciated after having experienced the stagnant decay of the jail.
“Despite that… scene, I’m grateful for the opportunity to have come with you. The both of you. It’s certainly better than cleaning out stables or standing in a watchtower with no fire to keep warm.” She paused, looking between the two of them, “I hope that sample helps cure this blight. I’ve only seen a fraction of what it can do, but I’ve heard the stories from out there.”
Charlotte nudged Nathaniel with a smirk, “No pressure, but we’re all counting on you.”
