SkullsandSlippers

𝒜𝑙𝘵𝒶𝑒𝒶: 𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝒜𝑔𝑒 𝓸𝘧 ℛ𝑒𝒱𝓸𝑙𝓊𝓉𝒾𝓸𝓃

Is the pad down? I have been trying for about three hours to get on and it says unavailable. Baby shower this afternoon but will try to get on later.

𝒜𝑙𝘵𝒶𝑒𝒶: 𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝒜𝑔𝑒 𝓸𝘧 ℛ𝑒𝒱𝓸𝑙𝓊𝓉𝒾𝓸𝓃

On second thought I will edit my post and somehow work things into the collab.

𝒜𝑙𝘵𝒶𝑒𝒶: 𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝒜𝑔𝑒 𝓸𝘧 ℛ𝑒𝒱𝓸𝑙𝓊𝓉𝒾𝓸𝓃

So..apologies. I THOUGHT my post went up on Thursday before I went away for the weekend but I come back to find it isn't there. I don't know if I didn't ensure it posted or maybe didn't hit post but it isn't there. That is entirely on me and I will post shortly.

𝒜𝑙𝘵𝒶𝑒𝒶: 𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝒜𝑔𝑒 𝓸𝘧 ℛ𝑒𝒱𝓸𝑙𝓊𝓉𝒾𝓸𝓃

Her head turned to face Uriel. Her tiredness was clear on her face. She hadn’t rested much and certainly not enough for how she had stretched her sight or overworked her body.

“I-I don’t know much about it but it is certainly elemental magic. It fights me, casts me out with a force I cannot even attempt to crack at the moment or perhaps, ever. It is not magic like my own. I am sorry. Perhaps as we get closer I can tell you more.”

Ona wished she could tell him more, wished she knew more, wished she could see more. She wished a lot of things in this moment.

She turned her head away to hide the tears that threatened to spill over.

Ona did not look at Dae but she did listen. This woman had strategy and tactics in her blood. It had never been Ona’s strong point.

Dae sounded so confident, so sure. Ona wished she had the woman’s strength and will. She wanted to curl up and hide away in the dark for a time.

Lucius said they would climb. Her body protested, her mind rebelled but she knew what would be the best case in the end. She could not stay here, could not leave them alone up there. She could help as Lucius said. Her sight was an asset to their plan.

There was little fanfare as Lucius began to climb. It took all her strength to move her body up the cliffs but she did it. Slower than the rest at times, more cautious but intact when she joined the others.

Her pupil less eyes had watched Uriel. Elemental magic. She had known but she had not given it so much thought however the intensity behind his question now made her wonder. Ona didn’t know enough about elemental magic to guess as to the intention behind his interest but it would stay with her. In the end, he was most like her. Not a pure fighter as Lucius or Dae but in magic lay his strength.

Ona ignored the clinging of her damp clothes to her body as they moved about the grounds. For the most part they used the fighter’s cunning and stealth to move about. Ona saved her strength for the times they would need it the most. Avoiding the guards at the moment was easy enough. Lucius knew his way around well enough that the guards were their biggest challenge.

They paused, Lucius ringing out his clothes and looking around. Memories seemed to cloud his eyes for a moment. Ona closed her own eyes and rested a little. She could feel it. Far but strong. Even now without using her sight the magic pushed and the itch at the back of her mind was constant.

Lucius seemed to question them. Ona’s mind found it all jumbled. The magic, the pull of the seer was clouding her thoughts. She rubbed at her temples. Leaning against the wall she focused on the cold stone. She hoped it would give her thoughts some clarity.

“The seer. We should find the seer. Without her he is blind and we will have the advantage.”

Ona knew the woman was alive though she was unconscious now and they needed to act before she woke and was able to see them once more. Ona feared she would not be able to fight her off should it come to that again.

𝒜𝑙𝘵𝒶𝑒𝒶: 𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝒜𝑔𝑒 𝓸𝘧 ℛ𝑒𝒱𝓸𝑙𝓊𝓉𝒾𝓸𝓃

Almost done..almost done. Typing is slooooooow with limited movement. :P

𝒜𝑙𝘵𝒶𝑒𝒶: 𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝒜𝑔𝑒 𝓸𝘧 ℛ𝑒𝒱𝓸𝑙𝓊𝓉𝒾𝓸𝓃

No - it did not come off because I managed to not be careful. Got it off today. Sorry for the delay, working on the post now.

𝒜𝑙𝘵𝒶𝑒𝒶: 𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝒜𝑔𝑒 𝓸𝘧 ℛ𝑒𝒱𝓸𝑙𝓊𝓉𝒾𝓸𝓃

I am here, will read and respond this weekend. As if life isn't hectic enough I have hurt my dominant hand :P Splint comes off on Friay however so reply will happen.

𝒜𝑙𝘵𝒶𝑒𝒶: 𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝒜𝑔𝑒 𝓸𝘧 ℛ𝑒𝒱𝓸𝑙𝓊𝓉𝒾𝓸𝓃

Still here, the end of year wrap up chaos begins. I am heading to Stratford ON to see As You Like It this weekend. Keeping an eye out for the post (didn't want to reply to the IC till I had more to go on)

𝒜𝑙𝘵𝒶𝑒𝒶: 𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝒜𝑔𝑒 𝓸𝘧 ℛ𝑒𝒱𝓸𝑙𝓊𝓉𝒾𝓸𝓃

Ona, though standing nearby Lucius, was only barely paying attention to what was going on. There were discussions, words murmured to each other, the space between words thick with distrust.

Her attention was elsewhere. Her hand was on the chain at her neck. So much had gone on yet she felt as if she understood very little of it.

A shot, more words - harsher now, weapons. Onatha pressed herself back into the wall. She realized she understood very little of what was going on in this place. There were political workings that she had barely glimpsed. All she had been focused on was Lucius when he had found her. She had not honestly given a great deal of thought to the powers at work in this place. At one time, back in her own tribe when things hinged on her marriage and bonds between the tribes she had paid closer attention. Her time chained in the library had left her too numb to think on it. Then she woke up here, in a time not her own and politics seemed inconsequential to survival.

Ona, if you've any strength; I must request your aid in discerning if we have attracted unwanted attention. Afterwards, mark my words, we will gather ourselves to locate Conqvist's seer within the Palais ...”
She stared blankly at Lucius. Tears left the green orbs watery. Could she find the strength to do what he asked? She needed to.

Onatha focused. She saw no one paying attention to their general direction but there was something else, something in the air. That tickle at the back of her head, in her mind grew stronger and she tried to stifle it.

“We are safe at the moment….” Her voice was quiet.

Ona looked to Lucius once more as he told her and the others to shed what they could. She looked down at herself. She had nothing, not even a weapon. She was as light in material as she would possibly be save for ridding herself of her clothing.
----
They moved through the sewers and while she should have been more disgusted by the environment around her Ona was far too busy looking.

Her mind’s eye traveled off in front of them, showing a clear path. Still that feeling persisted above all else. She could not focus on it though as if it were just out of her sight.

The group stopped. She came back to the sewer as Lucius placed a hand on her shoulder. His eyes moved to the chain before he spoke.

“I fear we may not much time and this maybe perhaps the only unguarded opening that won't draw any considerable attention towards our … uninvited arrival. What can you see from above and … what is the condition surrounding the Lord Sovereign's Seer?”

Onatha moved her head, looking slightly upwards. “The seer…” She stared off.

Around her others talked. She was focused on what lay beyond them.

“I see the palace...large..the sea on one side...such cliffs…”

Uriel offered the suggestion of the cliffs. Ona stared off once more. “The guards are expecting an attack but the cliff side is not as heavily guarded.”

Her pupil-less eyes shone in the light of his glowing hand. Her gaze shifted from his hand to the wall and back to Uriel.

The air was thick once again with accusation, distrust and fear. Everyone was on edge. Ona held her breath. Lucius moved, Uriel behind him. He asked her once more to look, to see what was happening beyond this sewer on the Palais grounds.

A slight hesitation, her own fear making her falter. She shook her head a little. There was more than just cliffs. She looked around extending her sight to its utmost limits.

“Lucius, I can see the fire of the Chateau. There is singing...They praise Yadin-Hamon...There is a battle in the distance…”

Ona turned her head. Though she faced a wall she clearly was seeing more than its dank bricks.

“A stronghold, there is fighting there…”

She reigned her sight in and focused on the palace above them.

“So many hiding spaces, so many secrets.” Ona whispered. In her mind she could see the shadows, the nooks and crannies. A place like this with its history held so much in those spaces. Lover’s whispered words or conspiracies of enemies. Ona shivered and forced her sight on.

Still that feeling in the back of her mind lingered. She thought perhaps she was imagining it but it felt as if it was getting stronger.

“I see those who are not what they appear. Crown Watch but not. They are not the people they should be. I have seen them before...Dark hair, dark eyes. They slaughter from horseback but now wear the garb of the Watch. But there are others…”

Her face became a mask of confusion. Onatha shook her head in disbelief. “Some...some are...it cannot be…”

She closed her eyes, closing off the sight for a moment. Could it be? Had she truly seen her own people? Onatha took a deep breath. Lucius needed her help. She could not falter now. There would be time later for her to ponder what she saw. She felt a knot in her stomach but she would worry about it later. Right now she couldn’t possibly wrap her head around the repercussions of what she saw.
Opening her eyes again Ona stared off. “The Palais is on alert. I see patrols. The towers and walls have many waiting, watching. They seem to be waiting...but not as if on duty but as if they are expecting something to come. They are patrolling.”

Her head crooked. “There is a large network of corridors being built. They are working the people until they collapse. I can see them...I see completed chambers with weapons, supplies and medicine.”

Ona turned her head. “So many weapons but for what?”

She frowned, green eyes clouded for a moment. “More chambers. Voltas has many secrets. These lead deep underground. A-a vault. I see a massive vault..I do not know its purpose.”

Onatha inhaled deeply. She could feel her energy waning a little. The psychic battle with the other seer had taken a great deal out of her. This was feeling more taxing than it normally would.

“I do not see Conqvist. I-”

It was like bees moved about in her brain. Those around her would not feel it or see what she saw. Ona had been right, the feeling had been getting stronger and now, as she looked at the other seer it was at its strongest.

“I see her...the seer…” She held her head, lightly squeezing in an attempt to make the sensations stop. “She lays in a large chamber, deep in the palace. She is unconscious. There are many guards and many corridors. Like a maze. We will have to navigate these to get to her. She-”

Ona focused, her eyes narrowed. “She lays there, alive but not conscious. Her room has many things but there is another corridor...what is-”

Her knees buckled as the sensation in her mind grew stronger. It wasn’t the seer. No, not the seer. The sensation was from whatever lay in the chamber down the corridor. She could not see there. She could not look further and the feeling was too strong. It broke her concentration.

With a small noise of annoyance she closed her eyes and cut her connection. “There are many guards in the Palais. It will not be easy to get to her. They are all on high alert and it is a maze to get deep inside where she lays. There is more, there is something or someone else there nearby to her. It is a magic that is not like my own. It is elemental and it is blocking me.”

Ona could not help but look towards Uriel. Would he know? She could not ask him, not like this and at this moment. He was a stranger to her.

She looked at Lucius. “That is what I see...”

𝒜𝑙𝘵𝒶𝑒𝒶: 𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝒜𝑔𝑒 𝓸𝘧 ℛ𝑒𝒱𝓸𝑙𝓊𝓉𝒾𝓸𝓃

First, apologies all and I beg patience as my post will not be ready until tomorrow.

My last few weeks have been rough.

My brother was diagnosed with prostate cancer and more tests reveal there is a strong chance of it being in his bladder as well. This has been rough on all of us and we live 8 hours apart so that doesn't help.

Work has been rough with managers leaving, sending members to the hospital by ambulance and members getting into fights and the police being called (I work at the YMCA)

Add to that I am teaching with the public school still and helping another school with their 100 year anniversary and it all means I have very little time at the moment to think about myself or my hobbies.

I am 3/4 done and will have time tomorrow to finish up. If you could please spare a tiny bit more patience I promise not to hold us up any longer.

Cheers,
Skulls