dragonpiece
princess
Ti
Emeth
Havoccultist
Fetzen
Auz
Ace of flames01
kapuchu
Into the Void
While the city had been meet with such destruction, the Dowager Queen and Wesca are in full flight, nearing the edge of the city, glancing back at the destruction wrought by their avarice, cruelty, and selfishness.
Ayla will need to be plucked from the space between reality and the VOID, but who will do it? Who will risk a trip they may never return from?
The city is about to suffer a great calamity, such as it has never witnessed before. Who will save it?
Then, from the ruins, emerges a hero. His name is Cozesteo and, mere days ago, he was like any other man.
He has always been larger than the average man in body, but now, he swells in spirit as well.
Father of the Revolution, Saviour of his People
“People of An Zenui!” His voice boomed across the city. “Rise up!” He stalked forward, gathering all of his magic. “Calamity has been brought to us!” Clouds began to form in the star-filled sky. “Rise up!" They stirred and swirled and thickened, swelling with rain.
“But we are cazenax!” The rain began to fall. Thunder rumbled. “Rise up!” They emerged, then, from the places they hid in fear. “This is our home. This is our struggle!” He thrust his fist into the air. “Rise up!” The air itself seemed to shake. “On our own, we are but small, but together, we are mighty, so I say to you once more:" The rain began to put out the fires. they took to the streets. The magic of thousands swirled about the great canyon. “Rise up!”
“Lend me your strength. Lend each other your strength and...” His nostrils flared and his teeth gritted. “Rise up!”
“Rise up!”
“Rise up!”
The land that had been thundering quelled its rage. Stones settled back to the ground. The rains came and put out the hundreds of fires that had threatened their homes, their livelihoods, and their loved ones. Thus, An Zenui was saved.
But the Omenaxan still stirred. Ayla still floated between worlds, unclaimed.
Tennaxi remained outside of her body. She regarded the others. "I can enter the place where she is." Her voice reverberated strangely and, surprisingly, they could understand her. "However, I'm not sure that I know the way back..."
Beside the Omenaxan appeared a figure in a long and simple brown traveling cloak. She was taller than a cazenax and she stared up at it, unmoving, face concerned.
The group who had just saved An Zenui now had to save themselves from the fate that was slowly consuming them. 6 of their members began to feel the last gift the foul grand demon left them, a plague that would calcify the body of those touched by such a terrible thing.
Many of those who had began to feel their body almost turn to stone
Desmond began to feel the throbbing and stabbing pain in his mind fade away. He saw the horrid event and would have been taken aback, yet, if he was to falter, then he would be no better than a simple man and people will die.
Desmond rose as his invisibility faded away as he stood and saw everything begin to unfold, and now another great Demon began to move.
He jumped off and landed near the others, as he began to call out, "If you are going to do anything do it! Some of us need to head to that damn prison before it goes wild, we can't handle something like that again!"
Desmond saw Tku and kneeled down as he said, "Sorry Kid, you need to wake up".
As Desmond began to fill Tku with chemical magic and magnetic magic to begin to try and awaken him.
Tku had then risen once more, body aching, His body bruised from over expending his mana. He wanted to rest but he couldn't. he needed to keep going, it was his oath. He stumbled over to Egosto, "Do not worry my friend".
Desmond after trying what he could he began to cast his eyes to the beast and began to sigh. He began to take out a new set of bullets.
Loading another round into his gun as he turned, "Do what you can I guess, it's time to try and deal with that beast. I'll try and calm the beast a little to buy us time".
Desmond began to move to try and meet the beast before things turned bad.
Tku's masterful magic once more worked as he began to strip the stone away from those who had reached such a state that many would believe them to be truly stone. Yet with the hands of the man who had attempted what many believe to be the work of the gods, nothing
Egosto staggered, in the way that sirrahi might, breathing heavily, gratefully. "There is one job left," he growled as Tku continued his work.
Tku had barely enough strength to stand but as he rested his hand on the stony Egosto his mana gave it his last amount. Tku's nose bled from the strain at the end but the stone sluffed off and Tku fell to the ground, still awake this time, "Always so much work."
Many of those who had began to feel their body almost turn to stone
Desmond began to feel the throbbing and stabbing pain in his mind fade away. He saw the horrid event and would have been taken aback, yet, if he was to falter, then he would be no better than a simple man and people will die.
Desmond rose as his invisibility faded away as he stood and saw everything begin to unfold, and now another great Demon began to move.
He jumped off and landed near the others, as he began to call out, "If you are going to do anything do it! Some of us need to head to that damn prison before it goes wild, we can't handle something like that again!"
Desmond saw Tku and kneeled down as he said, "Sorry Kid, you need to wake up".
As Desmond began to fill Tku with chemical magic and magnetic magic to begin to try and awaken him.
Tku had then risen once more, body aching, His body bruised from over expending his mana. He wanted to rest but he couldn't. he needed to keep going, it was his oath. He stumbled over to Egosto, "Do not worry my friend".
Desmond after trying what he could he began to cast his eyes to the beast and began to sigh. He began to take out a new set of bullets.
Loading another round into his gun as he turned, "Do what you can I guess, it's time to try and deal with that beast. I'll try and calm the beast a little to buy us time".
Desmond began to move to try and meet the beast before things turned bad.
Tku's masterful magic once more worked as he began to strip the stone away from those who had reached such a state that many would believe them to be truly stone. Yet with the hands of the man who had attempted what many believe to be the work of the gods, nothing
Egosto staggered, in the way that sirrahi might, breathing heavily, gratefully. "There is one job left," he growled as Tku continued his work.
Tku had barely enough strength to stand but as he rested his hand on the stony Egosto his mana gave it his last amount. Tku's nose bled from the strain at the end but the stone sluffed off and Tku fell to the ground, still awake this time, "Always so much work."
Meanwhile, a long ways away, Wesca and the Dowager boarded a small wagon that the latter had hired to wait for them here in the off chance that things went awry.
The hooded driver nodded in her direction. “Where to, milady?”
Wesca glanced back at the city: dirty, ungrateful place that it was. Everything was ruined, but she had relatives elsewhere. “An Tescai,” she answered quietly, on her friend's behalf.
He nodded and set the mules to moving. It was such an undignified means of travel, but it would serve well as a cover. They went on for some ways as the people of the city they had abandoned struggled on to save it from destruction.
The driver seemed a rough-looking man beneath his cloak, though they could not see much. His clothes were tattered in the way of people from outlying villages. He gestured to the back, however. “There's sweetwater in the back,” he grunted. “It's a long trip. You may want to help yourselves.”
This was a mean and simple thing for people who were so used to being served, but such was their level of paranoia that they waited for him to drink some first. The wagon traveled onwards and, after a time, he did enjoy a drink.
The mules brayed, the wheels clattered, and the stars shone. The two women began planning their first moves in their new temporary home. The Dowager reached back for the bottle and a pair of flasks and brought them to the front. Wesca took one and waited. She did not trust easily and they were vulnerable, now. They knew it and how it bothered them, to be cut down to size: to be small like everyone else!
It was cold, and Wesca wrapped her traveling cloak around herself. Elsewhere, another traveler, in a similar cloak, walked through the city, so very pleased with what she now saw.
The Dowager drank first, unconcerned. “How much?” she asked of the driver, voice cool and settled.
“Pardon, milady,” he inquired. “How much what?”
She had seen his gloves. She knew them.
“How much are they paying you?”
He let out a sniffing chuckle. “I've not been paid anything,” he assured her. “I have been called many things in the past, but I'm an honest man.”
Wesca caught on. She knew those gloves as well, and their nine fingers. The driver lit a pipe and took a pull from it. “Don't worry,” Wesca assured her, “he's a friend.”
Cuimits nodded. “I never forget my friends,” he affirmed.
There was an extended pause.
“You fool girl!” the Dowager cursed, “Did you not see the label on the bottle!?”
“Or my enemies,” the man with nine fingers concluded.
It was... Shimmering Sails Sweetwater Stead.
“I'll triple it!” cried the Queen Mother.
Cuimits pulled back his hood. “Suppose there's no point in this anymore,” he chuckled.
Wesca began gathering her magic. So did the Dowager.
This, they tried to cast in his direction, but then there was something in the covered back of the wagon that drew their attention. A pair of milky white eyes slid open. Three others opened alongside it.
“You see, someone spared my life once, when I was low and hopeless," he continued, conversationally, “when I refused to believe that there was any fighting people like you.” He shrugged. “Now, me and the folks back there - they're good people, but we don't agree on much.”
Then, there was another voice, old and raspy. “There's one thing we do agree on, however,” it chimed in, “and that's that the world needs a helluva a lot less people like you, your ladyship.”
The four full moons hung high in the sky overhead, beneath a blanket of stars. The desert lay empty and open before them, peaceful in the night.
Peaceful, it was, until a scream pierced the silence, and then another.
The hooded driver nodded in her direction. “Where to, milady?”
Wesca glanced back at the city: dirty, ungrateful place that it was. Everything was ruined, but she had relatives elsewhere. “An Tescai,” she answered quietly, on her friend's behalf.
He nodded and set the mules to moving. It was such an undignified means of travel, but it would serve well as a cover. They went on for some ways as the people of the city they had abandoned struggled on to save it from destruction.
The driver seemed a rough-looking man beneath his cloak, though they could not see much. His clothes were tattered in the way of people from outlying villages. He gestured to the back, however. “There's sweetwater in the back,” he grunted. “It's a long trip. You may want to help yourselves.”
This was a mean and simple thing for people who were so used to being served, but such was their level of paranoia that they waited for him to drink some first. The wagon traveled onwards and, after a time, he did enjoy a drink.
The mules brayed, the wheels clattered, and the stars shone. The two women began planning their first moves in their new temporary home. The Dowager reached back for the bottle and a pair of flasks and brought them to the front. Wesca took one and waited. She did not trust easily and they were vulnerable, now. They knew it and how it bothered them, to be cut down to size: to be small like everyone else!
It was cold, and Wesca wrapped her traveling cloak around herself. Elsewhere, another traveler, in a similar cloak, walked through the city, so very pleased with what she now saw.
The Dowager drank first, unconcerned. “How much?” she asked of the driver, voice cool and settled.
“Pardon, milady,” he inquired. “How much what?”
She had seen his gloves. She knew them.
“How much are they paying you?”
He let out a sniffing chuckle. “I've not been paid anything,” he assured her. “I have been called many things in the past, but I'm an honest man.”
Wesca caught on. She knew those gloves as well, and their nine fingers. The driver lit a pipe and took a pull from it. “Don't worry,” Wesca assured her, “he's a friend.”
Cuimits nodded. “I never forget my friends,” he affirmed.
There was an extended pause.
“You fool girl!” the Dowager cursed, “Did you not see the label on the bottle!?”
“Or my enemies,” the man with nine fingers concluded.
It was... Shimmering Sails Sweetwater Stead.
“I'll triple it!” cried the Queen Mother.
Cuimits pulled back his hood. “Suppose there's no point in this anymore,” he chuckled.
Wesca began gathering her magic. So did the Dowager.
This, they tried to cast in his direction, but then there was something in the covered back of the wagon that drew their attention. A pair of milky white eyes slid open. Three others opened alongside it.
“You see, someone spared my life once, when I was low and hopeless," he continued, conversationally, “when I refused to believe that there was any fighting people like you.” He shrugged. “Now, me and the folks back there - they're good people, but we don't agree on much.”
Then, there was another voice, old and raspy. “There's one thing we do agree on, however,” it chimed in, “and that's that the world needs a helluva a lot less people like you, your ladyship.”
The four full moons hung high in the sky overhead, beneath a blanket of stars. The desert lay empty and open before them, peaceful in the night.
Peaceful, it was, until a scream pierced the silence, and then another.
The Omenaxan was still awakened, however. If they city had been saved from one calamity, it stood on the precipice at another and, in the center of it all, was Ayla Arslan: neither here nor there.
Finally, the traveler in the brown cloak arrived. She pulled back her hood.
"If you can make it in there, I can guide you back," she said enigmatically.
The cat looked to the traveler and headbutt her ankle before rubbing its body against it.
She reached down and scratched behind his ears. She looked back up, her brief smiled fading to a look of concern. "But your window is fast closing, I warn."
The wildblood rose from the embrace and looked to the interloper. “How?”
Benedetto went still. "I..." He trailed off and swallowed, eyes wide. "What she said." He jerked a finger at Zarina.
The shadow Tennaxi looked up at the Traveler. "We will be without any visible or energetic direction," she advised.
The woman smiled beatifically. "My voice will guide you, as might Ayla's were she on the other side. Follow it and you will be found."
Zarina's breathing was loud and constant. Her big, burning chest expanding in side with every massive breath, and exhaled what almost looked to be steam from its mouth and nostrils. “Let's do it.” she looked antsy as her fingers slowly balled into massive, black-scaled fists.
Tennaxi's shadow did not give away much in terms of emotion, but it would not have been a stretch were she to be nervous. She stretched out her arms, the tall, wiry figure that she was. "I can take three of you."
Samaxi reached out and placed a hand on her once-doppelganger's leg. “I'm ready.”
Desmond looked around, Desmond sighed, he remembered what he was told. He felt a thrumming in his chest as he decided incase anything happens within, he would prefer to be in to help.
"You know what, I'll come. You might need someone to watch over you guys for a bit longer".
Samaxi mock-glared up at him.
Desmond shot a small smirk to Samaxi as he gave her a wink.
With that, Tennaxi began to walk forward, and they were a lumbering, awkward, composite thing for a moment. The air began to grey and turn hazy, as if they were fading through something, or perhaps it was a mist: a mist closing in.
Tku felt a deep desire to go. To fix what he had done to Ayla. But Reality wasn't that. He had done too much and his body was starting to fail and his mana getting close to cannibalizing itself. "I cannot go, I can feel that my body will fail me if I try to travel," Tku lowered his head apologetically. "I wish you the best in there," gave a weak smile, guilt of what he might have done to Ayla weighing on him.
Before entering the mist, Desmond threw just a small gesture to Tku, "Don't worry, we'll be back".
Zarina marched forward, following Tennaxi's lead as rigorously as a dog follows its owner. No complaints. No chatter. Just the same, loud breathing and the big foot stomps.
It thickened as they moved, Samaxi, in particular, struggling. "Once we're inside, do not lose contact with each other, no matter what. Time and space work differently outside of reality."
“Oh-Kay.”
"Sounds like a normal day".
Samaxi looked up at Zarina. “I should... probably be on your back.”
Tennaxi let out a sniff of laughter. "Sounds like an exciting life," she remarked with a hint of envy. "Desmond at one hand and Zarina at the other, maybe. Hold onto each other."
Desmond chuckled, "It's never dull if you make it so". Desmond then went over to begin hold onto Tennaxi
The half-human stopped to allow the legless one to straddle her back before continuing.
Then, a large hand attached to an unusually long arm reached for Tennaxi's left. “Yes.” she shot a sharp-toothed smile at her friend. “G-good legs.”
Then, suddenly, they lost their sense - their sense of... everything. There was no floor, no ceiling, no sense of anything but themselves. Up was the direction they happened to be standing in. Now was the present, but it was also then and later.
There was utterly nothing to see, hear, or sense.
Zarina defaulted to floating once she felt the absence of flooring.
All directions fast became things defined only by the others she was there with.
The only direction that mattered was the one taken by Tennaxi, the one Zarina chose to follow.
Desmond had never felt something like this. It was...impossible to describe. Nothing.
Not a single thing. Silence would have been deafening in comparison to this. The mechanical understanding to move was ingrained from youth. One losing all forms of sensing loses the sense and understanding on how to walk or move. And in a place with nothing, one might even forget to think.
No form of physical feed back, no physical feeling of motion, nothing. Yet Desmond almost willed in his mind, 'move'. Enacting his understanding of motion to create an image of himself moving forward. Walking on nothing like it was something. An act every being ever does, but few ever understand what it is.
Samaxi lifted off from Zarina's back, careful to keep an arm on her wing. So often, she had moved with the assistance of others, even though she was more capable of getting by on her own than they tended to think. She thought of the space above her as a floor and herself doing a handstand on it, but then she thought better and remained in contact with her friend.
Tennaxi forged ahead, and how she navigated this place was a mystery to the others and even, possibly, to herself.
Suddenly, there were three doors.
The group of four stopped in front of them. The decision that needed to be made was clear.
The doors began to become clearer as they came to a halt in front of them, thinking already on what they might've been. The one on the left resolved itself as darker. It emanated heat and smelled faintly of sulphur. The one in the centre was grey and featureless. Its peer on the right was white and smooth. A sweet aroma and the faint sound of music wafted from it.
Desmond looked at the 3 doors. One seemed to have something of heat, the smell of sulphur, and seemed darkened. Another seemed almost cool, with sweet music, smells, and air.
Neither was the one they looked for, as they were told, "We need to go through the grey door. Ayla was said to be trapped in the middle, she must be there".
Samaxi scrunched her nose up. She thought she'd seen something different at first. The left door had seemed old and battered, the right fresh and new and... somehow of an advanced type. The middle one was mundane.
The sound of music caught the wildblood's attention. “Sounds- Music.” she let out a low hum. “Songs from Ayla.” her eyes were locked onto the smoother door.
Now that she looked again, however, having taken Desmond's words to heart, she *did* notice what he had, and apparently Zarina as well.
Now, Samaxi heard them as well: the songs! She hadn't heard them before.
"Where do we go?" asked Tennaxi, looking to the others. She continued to hold their hands, seeing and sensing what they were.
Zarina looked to each one. Her only desire was to find Ayla. And soon she could swear she could hear singing in all of them. “Don't know.” she answered, progressively more frustrated as she heard the taunting melodies.
Desmond began to sigh, he casted his eyes down, much of which it did not matter where they truly went. Desmond then began to listen, he sought out a certain song, a certain tone. Ayla's music was specific, high highs, and mild lows, her voice would not allow for much else so she would not be able to reach the deepest sets with her own voice.
The sound was a strange thing in comparison to where it came from, but he needed to remember another thing, she could also be guided to her through her own voice, like what was told to them.
Desmond then realized, "We aren't looking for the sound of an instrument but a voice", Desmond once more listened to the music, trying to listen for a voice, Ayla's voice.
While Samaxi and Zarina were convinced that they could hear it coming from the second door, in the middle, Desmond was fairly certain that it was coming from the third, on the right.
“Cats.” Zarina remarked, pointing at door one. “Hair.”
Samaxi began to think of other clues. She pressed her large cazenax ear to each door, listening for the faint mewing of a cat.
Desmond winced as he sighed, he wasn't a man who knew music, he rarely talked to Ayla, and honestly, it was something hard for him.
Desmond sighed once more, as he said he couldn't hear the same as them.
He looked around as he thought once more, "Yeah she likes cats a lot, I guess we should try from that, either mewing or her calling for a cat".
All of them heard it, this time: clear as day. There was a cat behind the first door. Tennaxi nodded and pushed it open.
Desmond couldn't hear mewing, he couldn't hear the calling of a cat, it was the slight scratching, the light clawing at wood, he could hear it, and then finally a loud call for food, and much like the others they could hear cats behind the first door.
The massive girl reached her giant, clawed hand to pet the kitty. Still unsure if there was one.
The door opened and, beyond it was... a small island in the middle of a pond. There was an old wooden bridge leading there, though what the first few steps of it looked like varied between all of them before it solidified. What did not differ, however, was the person sitting there, under a tree. It was Ayla, dining with a man they did not really recognize. Presently, he stood up in some haste and made to leave. A handful of cats napped, frolicked, and chased insects. In the distance rose the beautiful, if somewhat arid, landscape of southeast Torragon.
Zarina, briefly disappointed by the absence of a kitty, perked up when she saw her close friend, safe and talking with someone on an island connected by a bridge. The wildblood performed the smallest of hops and manipulated gravity to essentially space jump her way to the other end of the bridge. “Ayla.” she called out, happy, almost excited.
Samaxi looked about, eyes wide. This was a place where she had never been. In fact, she had never been very much outside of her farmstead or An Zenui, unlike her father. For a moment, she felt a pang of jealousy, but then she was too busy taking it all in.
Zarina launched herself forward and then the man was gone - simply gone. The tree, however, hung ripe and full with avocados. She floated towards it. In the water were vines, and things bobbing up and down on the ends of them.
The moment the door was opened Desmond sighed as he began to see what seemed to be a more familiar land. Not his home, but one that he has been to before, Desmond sighed once more when he saw Ayla was there. Desmond continued to move as the moment Zarina attempted to do her large jump, Desmond followed, as he did not wish to be left stranded in this place.
Ayla turned. "Hola soy Ayla!" she chirped. She turned on the spot, hair whipping about behind her. "We've been waiting for you, but met such an interesting person!" She glanced about, seeming a little bit disappointed that he was gone. It was about then that they all noticed the plants around them and... was it what they thought it could be?
The cats were all about, rubbing up against people's legs, mewing, scampering around. A few seemed to be congregating at the tree and some more at the water's edge, pawing at something that bobbed up and down in it.
The big, black dragon took exactly two large steps before she could kneel down and be the bigger Arslan today. A customary Ayla-tier hug. Maybe a tad tight and uncomfortable given the scales, but Zarina was very evidently considerate of her strength. “Safe.”
Samaxi settled onto the ground, for she was more their height, and ruffled the fur of a couple. She smiled in Ayla's direction. Then, however, she made her way to the water. She had never really been able to reach things in trees.
Desmond casted his eyes around there were plants, and what seemed to be fruits? Desmond wasn't sure, yet he had a thought for a moment, what if this place was similar to that grove of trees that many of the students been to before.
Desmond began to look around as he asked Tennaxi, "You think it's safe here for us to move freely?", he seemed quite interesting in the things that the cats were playing with and congragating to.
Tennaxi nodded. She stepped forward herself as well, gazing up at the tree and its fruit-laden branches.
Desmond sighed as he began to move towards the water seeing what the cats seemed to be bobbing up and down.
In the water was a vine with three floatmelons on it, each one rich and ripe. They would be quite easy to reach were he so inclined.
Tennaxi leapt upon the tree, climbing it as she had climbed the great cactus near her home as a child. "These look delicious," she exclaimed. "Think we can take some?"
Then, the weredragon released her friend. Now was time to sniff around. A tree, with avocados. They reminded her of fancy dinners. But floatmelons - the delights of her youth, a child of a coastal city. Memories. Both pleasant and painful. They tugged hard at her instincts. The choice was difficult.
She approached the avocado tree, and just leered at fruits. She was, after all, very tall, so she didn't really have to move much.
“Nobody here to stop u-us.”
Ayla smiled and shrugged.
Samaxi gazed up at that tree. She had never been able to reach them, and it bugged her.
Zarina raised a metaphorical brow, as she didn't really have that anymore, and just extended her wing down to Samaxi.
Tennaxi was up there among the branches now. "Anyone want one?"
Then, she noticed that she was not alone here. A small serpentine dragon nestled among the branches, presently awakening from a satisfied slumber, and it regarded her with an interested disinterest.
Desmond, poking around by the water, noticed some of the cats leaping away from one particular area. From the water rose a sea serpent, it's head poking out as the height of an older child. It appeared ancient and rugged and... oddly wise. It tilted its head momentarily, noticing him, and sunk back down so that only its eyes were visible.
But how the water - such a beautiful and valuable thing - the lifeblood of her family and her people, something she had been connected to for her entire existence: how it called to her! On some level, she came upon the realization that this was a choice that would matter.
Ayla sat on the grass, smiling and happy to be among friends. She was petting two cats at once.
Zarina stared right at the dragon. She didn't move and just gawked at it. “Small dragon.” she observed.
It looked at her and blinked. Its whiskers trailed out to either side of it. They were mighty despite its small size and it was covered in feathers.
She reached out with her long arm, keen on petting it with her pointer finger. “Beautiful feathers. So nice.”
The dragon only winked, however. Then, it fluttered up and away.
“Mmm.” she followed the dragon's ascent before it went away.
As consolation, she reached for one of the avocados, looked to Tennaxi, and smiled. “Yum yum.” she cut the soft shell open with only her claw and split the fruit in two before she began to scoop up portions to eat.
Desmond kneeled down and looked to the melons. They seemed strange, within the water they seemed so calm, and mysterious as he began to look at them and see the others seemed interested in the tree fruits, Desmond thought they might also like to try the water ones.
Then a strange serpent seemed to rise from the water and took notice of him. Before long it sunk within the water again and now it stayed under with only it's eyes visible like a shluckodile. Desmond smiled towards the serpent, as he then reached for a melon in the water. He would hope to grab some for the others, but he wished not to take all the food of the serpent.
Desmond grabbed it and sat down next to the water as he opened up the melon for him to eat some while in his other hand he holds out some for the serpent to eat.
Samaxi came up beside Desmond. “Any good?” She regarded his piece curiously as the dragon slipped below the waves and was gone.
"I heard the smaller ones are better than the bigger ones, it tastes okay".
“Spare some for your girl here?” Samaxi prodded, smiling sweetly.
Desmond chuckled as he leaned over and handed her some, "Yeah".
Ayla chose a fruit too and ate of it. That was when they noticed that all of the other fruits had disappeared. For a moment, Tennaxi pondered. "This is where I'm less sure," she admitted, casting about for ideas, but then it was Samaxi who had one. “Well, we more or less imagined our way here...” she began, trailing off. She shrugged. “Why not do the same back?”
“There is-” began Zarina as she joined her friends, still enjoying her treat. “no place like home.” and she imagined, for a moment, Gandakar.
They looked at each other. "That's.... not a half-bad idea. Maybe we just imagine that wizard lady calling us out?"
Zarina, meanwhile, appeared to be somewhere else entirely, at least in her head.
Then, she shook her head, snapping out of her daydreaming.
"What are you guys talking about? The door is right here".
As Desmond gestures behind him, using his magics to try and make everyone think the same.
Samaxi had caught on, however. She had managed to put herself back at the 4S... again, for just a moment.
Tennaxi blinked. "It is?" Then, she shook her shadowy head. It was right there. "Oh yeah, let's go through!"
Zarina canted her head until she felt the side of her horn prod her shoulder. “Yes. That is th-the door.”
Desmond turned and went to open the door, almost as if he truly knew it was there, since forever.
With that, they made their way through. What else was there to do? They were in the endless whiteness. Then, it began to darken and became foggy. Suddenly, those who were floating felt themselves stop. The ground was solid beneath them and they were... leaving this place. As reality re-materialized, they had no idea if they would ever return. That was up to the Gods or fate or... well, maybe their own agency to decide.
“There is-” began Zarina as she joined her friends, still enjoying her treat. “no place like home.” and she imagined, for a moment, Gandakar.
They looked at each other. "That's.... not a half-bad idea. Maybe we just imagine that wizard lady calling us out?"
Zarina, meanwhile, appeared to be somewhere else entirely, at least in her head.
Then, she shook her head, snapping out of her daydreaming.
"What are you guys talking about? The door is right here".
As Desmond gestures behind him, using his magics to try and make everyone think the same.
Samaxi had caught on, however. She had managed to put herself back at the 4S... again, for just a moment.
Tennaxi blinked. "It is?" Then, she shook her shadowy head. It was right there. "Oh yeah, let's go through!"
Zarina canted her head until she felt the side of her horn prod her shoulder. “Yes. That is th-the door.”
Desmond turned and went to open the door, almost as if he truly knew it was there, since forever.
With that, they made their way through. What else was there to do? They were in the endless whiteness. Then, it began to darken and became foggy. Suddenly, those who were floating felt themselves stop. The ground was solid beneath them and they were... leaving this place. As reality re-materialized, they had no idea if they would ever return. That was up to the Gods or fate or... well, maybe their own agency to decide.
They returned to dawn breaking over a city that had been shaken, battered, and burnt. Yet, its people had stood strong. They had vanquished the evil, the corruption, and the rot from within their society and, though the cost had been great, they would be stronger for it in the long run. Ayla showed up and she played her music and the great beast that slept at the centre of their world quieted and returned to its slumber, pulling the pieces of its tower back together as if it had never stirred in the first place.
Yet, the cazenax of An Zenui, wondrous and terrible place that it was, remained a society divided. The Dowager's final poison would not fade so easily. While some had learned to see friends and neighbours in the sirrahi and other beings of the VOID, others' suspicion of anything to do with that place had only deepened as a result of the horrors they had witness on the day of Bloody Golden Skies.
The Traveler who had visited their city walked the streets and lived among them, for this was what she had wished for, in truth: a revolution of the people, imperfect though it was. She had not used her great power to interfere. This had happened all on its own... more or less. It had been led by a once-unremarkable man who had been inspired to lead, to right the injustices he had lived among for his entire life. She went her own way, satisfied.
So, too did Nyax-Acan - a man once known as Benedetto Corvi. Those years spent apart from his one-time peers at Ersand'Enise had forever changed him. Gone was the brash, petulant, puerile thug of his youth. The qualities that had always existed within him but never been nurtured now rose to the fore and shone through, tearing down the veneer that had long protected him from the judgement of others.
When a small group of stuzéts led by Egosto-Alguo came to him, now calling themselves the Sirui Hé, he knew what needed to be done. They asked to travel to some place where they might be able to build a free society of their own, from scratch, without any outside interference. He granted them their wish and... while some waited for Benedetto to return, most understood that he would not. This was how things were supposed to happen. How they were always meant to be.
And finally came Karan Harrachora himself, with a portal and magic, and an interest in a particular eeaiko girl and two cazenax they had met along the way. Many were the questions about what they had seen, and Tku's, among them, had not gone unnoticed and would not go unanswered in the coming days.
But there were matters to be wrapped up first. It was time to say goodbye. They stood there: a group of people who had been, varyingly, friends, acquaintances, and strangers a week and a half ago. They stood upon the grounds of the Shimmering Sails Sweetwater Stead as a blustery wind blew across the desert, carrying with it the scent of rare and welcome rain. “Looks like a real good one,” remarked Samaxi, “eh, dad?” Jascuan nodded. He smiled in his understated way. “It does,” he agreed. “It really does.”
So much anger, death and destruction had been unleashed in just the span of a few hours. It was enough to gorge the transformed Zarina with the stuff until she vomited it all into a sick of fury and violence. When Hetraxa fell to her coup de grace, most of the excess energy and the killer instinct in her had numbed away, leaving way for lore of her repressed humanity to come forth, albeit kept limited to simple expressions and brief words.
Soon, she'd save Ayla with the help of friends and a mysterious traveller, and the city would be safe from the stirring Omenaxan. Finally, this endless battle had reached its conclusion.
When came the time to say goodbye, the still transformed wildblood turned to the young centaur she had grown a strong bond with. On one knee, she embraced the young child, now wise beyond her years. “I will see you again soon.” she beamed at Classa. “Promise.” she spoke with a constant, guttural purr akin to a motor with heaving breathing to come with it.
Then, she snapped her fingers as an idea crossed her mind. Her long arm-wing reached for her back to her shoulder blade, and tugged out a loosened obsidian scale that had been disturbed by Hetraxa's cleave. The scale, no bigger than the young girl's palm, was a gift to her. “For you. To remember, and maybe one day to help.”
After everything was done Fiske couldn't help but still hold himself close to his heart after all of this. He hid amongst the crowd. Whilst not invisible, he did not make himself too known to everyone. The feeling of being controlled, to be used like a doll whilst there was nothing he could do to stop himself scared him. I need to be better, to be stronger... I want to save... not be saved..
He turned towards Benedetto and bowed his head. "I'm sorry for causing you all that trouble." Then soon after he approached the blind man. "Guess I wasn't able to trick you with my own illusions, however I would like a rematch." A content smile covered his face.
Ayla returned and Tku finally gave in to his exhaustion, knowing she had been harmed by his attempt to save her. He awoke a few hours having been moved and there was much to be done.
The beautiful city that Tku had been treated to was brought to such disaster from such wicked people. Colorful stalls now burnt to smoldering reds and black ash. Overwhelming floral smells were replaced with wood and smoke, other time the sickening smell of cooked flesh. Buildings once meant to capture and inspire their citizens now laid in disrepair, a permanent marker on their home of the tragedy that happened on that fiery sky. Oh how Tku's heart wept for them.
But beneath all the tragedy, all the loss, all the senseless destruction Tku bore witness to something oh so human, love. Divided classes worked together to hold the city afloat. Generous hands of ones that survived held out a line for others. Those that had little offered their bodies and hearts for the city. All being spurred by the new leader, Cozesteo. It was slow. But it was still changing. A society of oppression doesn't change overnight but Tku at least gifted to see the world changing again.
He would have liked to relax but he had promises and wants. Armor for the brave girl. She wore her intellect like armor, so something light was all that was needed, layered chain with fabric to not inpeed her gallops. He made a nice colorful sash for her, made of fine silk. Lastly, was her weapon. Tku first thought of a weapon that she could use with her mind driving it before remembering who Classa was. He crafted her a spear made of Eshiran's gold. It was strong and poinant. It held intricaies and engravings of their time together. Much more of a decorative piece for her but with the material it would serve her well. "I know this is not the most magnificent armor but I hope it serves you well Classa. You have proven yourself at every opportunity and have changed many lifes. Live long won't you?"
Lastly there was Egosto and the other 2 we saved from the Omenoxen. His plans seemed infathomable to Tku. Not impossible but so grand in scope to the artist from Obenja. He thought about what he could do to help, snapping his fingers as he made up his mind. From his bag he produced an old map and started to swiftly recreate it.
"This map is a little special. I have traveled far and I have never heard of this continent," Tku pointed down to the place in the upper left of the map. "I wouldn't be trusting of this but the one who sent us here, Harrachora, Arch-Zeno of Ersand-Ernise, also held this on his own table map." Tku finsihed up the drawings, "I don't know if humans can ever be truly kind to each other. Nor do I think you will find what you crave near them. At least at the start."
He turned towards the city, "A great deal of recorded history is the tragedy of other people. They carry there suffering somewhere in them, pass it down from one generation to the next. You think the world would never change." He turned back to Egosto, "But I can see change happening. I believe one day people will be able to reunite and have another dinner together. It might not be in my life time, but I believe it will happen one day. Safe journeys friends." With that Tku said goodby to everyone safe for Zox.
With him there was something sneakily stored away in the large shed they made for the dragon.
Ayla recalled how many people spoke about an experience being like hell, and given their recent ordeal of being dragged halfway there and ending up in purgatory, she felt entitled to her unique perspective on that saying.
There was much to think about, including her encounter with Hetraxa herself. It felt like there was something missing; the demon, the cruel and calculating mistress of her nightmares, appeared as a raging, mindless beast—an oversized demonic bug that had to be squished like the pest it was. She was strong, unbelievably so, but the fight left her feeling hollow afterward. Perhaps sometimes reality is not as frightening as your nightmares, she mused on the consequences of this.
As the others went their separate ways, Ayla used the opportunity to secure what she had discussed at the beginning of this adventure: arranging a trade deal with 4S Sweetwater to supply their product in Ersand’Enise. As she discussed the proposal, the Tuskers returned with their entourage of Sirrahi children, the civilians they rescued, and the beasts were able to find new homes. It was somewhat of a down payment for the supplies. Obviously, carrying sweetwater back would be a little difficult for a girl of her size, so it was only natural that Athos came with her, carrying the supplies and joining his new home in the city of magic.
Unfortunately, their tailor shop was destroyed, and it was highly unlikely for Nyan-Acan to find himself a set of boots, a hat, and a little cape. However, this is something she could arrange back home for the cat.
There was one last matter to resolve, one that she had held onto for a long time. She had always wanted an opportunity to really speak to Benny since that ordeal, but they were two different people. Even now, that was most likely the case, but he had shown them loyalty when none was actually expected. Perhaps she may never truly understand him, and this was maybe the last time they would meet in her lifetime at least.
She made her way toward Benny, as she looked up at him. She couldn’t think of the words she wanted to say as she gazed at him, only doing what she could do best. She moved to give him a hug and squeeze him. “Thank you, Benny, for your help, here and for what you'll do in the future.” She leaned up to peck him on the cheek before breaking the embrace. She would leave him to ponder the intricacies of temporal magic paradoxes in his own time.
Desmond was not one for goodbyes, often they almost felt like they were the final words they would ever speak. Desmond did give some though, to those who he helped and left a few gifts to each. To the group who'd make their pilgrimage. an encyclopedia he was once given by Sileen, to the kids a bunch of random trinkets to entertain them. Then to the adaults, items that would serve them well.
Desmond parted with a few items, ones he would miss, yet knew, time must go forward. Desmond gave to Sazan-Betai, his shotgun he had received from the Sirrahi, "Keep your own safe out there, I know you got the heart and strength for it".
Next to Stela-Zomé, a woman who not only was a strong figure but also a good thinker, Desmond took out a box and handed it to her, within held a burrito, "Keep that with you, cut and eat about half of it and give it some time, it'll come back. Giving you and your own all the food you'll ever need".
Then Desmond turned to Cazelui, a smile came on his face as he chuckled, "Hey fire starter, guess this is a goodbye, hu? Well, I'm never good with them, so take this instead". Desmond took off his coat and set it on her shoulders, with it came his handgun that the Sileen gave him, "Now take care of that would ya? I wanna see them again alright? Show me you can grow into it"
Finally, the leader of their whole little rebellion. Desmond shook his head as he walked by him, a light smile on his face. Desmond took his hat off as he began to walk by Egosto and said, "You're the captain now". Desmond then set the hat on the man's head as he continued to walk by, "Keep'em safe"
Desmond then finally came beside Benedetto and patted him on the shoulder, "I'll see you around, don't be a stranger now". Desmond left them with a wave, he wished leave after all the farewells, he couldn't stand it otherwise.
