Weithala
Laverne nodded as he asnswered each question, writing them down as she did so. "It doesn't take very long, I should have the results within a few minutes," she said as she wrote down his last answer. "You are in use of your essence often," she said as she looked over what she wrote. "I'm sure you are aware of the risks of using essence, especially one as potent as the manifestation that you have, and the way it wears on your body. If it is used too often you may end up losing control and either being consumed by it or run a risk of becoming corrupted. The later is increased right now because..." The words were lost on her as she shook her head then stood. "You will have to start using your essence sparingly. If you need something to help you control when it is used then we can have special gloves made for you."
She read back over the questions and answers once or twice before returning to her desk to look at the lïmpach, glad to see that it did not look to be corrupted. "I need you to come by the infirmary every week so that I can monitor the amount of stress you're put on your body. I will keep a file here for you so that I can keep track of things," she said. Laverne kept him a few extra minutes for the physical before letting him go. She did let him know the results would be sent to be recorded and he would know once they were. The uniform would be sent out a week later, should the results be satisfactory.
Time: 2 Days Present, Evening
The earth beneath their feet slowly changed from brown to a lifeless grey that seemed to spread out with no definite pattern. The closer Leo, Rora, Ariette and Calix drew to the capitol the darker the skys became and the colder it became. The city itself seemed void of color, the constant overcast too strong to allow much sunlight through. The people watched from the homes and some gathered in the street at their arrival. It was as if they had stepped into some morbid, draining portal.
Ariette could not help looking around as they walked through the city. This is far worst than I could imagine, she thought. There is a barrier of some kind here, there must be.
They did not stop, Ariette did not think it was wise to do so. She told them of the feeling she got as they moved through the town. It was another long hour's travel to the castle where they were greeted by many of the king's guards pointing javelines. "Hault! No one is permitted inside the court of King Truitt," one of the guards said.
"We have business with the king," Calix says. "Has he been made aware of the havoc at the border city?"
"No one is allowed inside the court who has not been summoned," the guard replies once again.
Ariette exposed her Weithala marking for the guards to see. "This is a matter of great importance and refusing us an audience with the king may be the beginning of your downfall."
"Is that a threat?"
Calix steps forward beside her, showing his mark as well. "If this isn't enough for you to believe us then you aren't keen enough to understand the situation right now. Take us to the king."
One of the guards took another to accompany him, telling the others to stay with them and not to hesitate to take action should they move. The guards quickly made their way to the throne room where a conference was being held and stopped at once when the doors were opened. They dropped onto one knee and told the king of the visitors.
"They have markings we do not recognize," one said. "They carry no weapons but do not appear to be beggars. They say they came from Matchtal."
The king grew red in the face, from rage or something else all together was not apparent. "Send them in. I need more men, the more the better," he said.
Ariette looked to Rora and Leo worriedly. The guards returned minutes later and escorted them to the throne room where the king sat alone but for an advisor at his right. Calix glanced at the hour glass sitting on a table. They were all made to kneel before him. "My guards tell me you do not bare the mark of my kingdom and yet you have dared to journey into the heart of this land and demand my time?! What set of fools do you deem yourselves? Show me your marks!"
Ariette and Calix brandished their marks. "Your Majesty," Calix spoke up first, "We have come to warn you inspite of our own lives. The risks were known but there is much more at stake should we not come to you. There was an attack in Matchtal only a few days ago. A tavern was heavily damaged as was I. We believe it was an Gifvoshu."
There was silence as all eyes were on the dark king, awaiting his response. His eyes were set in a dead stare across the room and sweat visibly rolled down his temples. He swallowed hard as he turned to look at the hourglass on the table. "The shadows began to speak to me in the night... They said that I knew why they had come and this was left in my chambers. The sand falls as if it time has slowed to a desperate crawl..."
Rem, Basul
The path to the castle was found quicker than they had expected but getting anywhere near it was another task all together. Guards were all over the base of the earthen castle and so they made their way from the back, where they found a hidden entrance in the ground. It was barricaded from the outside so entering meant not being able to close it again. Isuza made a shield to quiet the noise of their entrance. Once they had gotten inside she dropped it. The dungeon was a formidable size, with most of the cells being full.
Isuza tried not to look at the prisoners as they made their way through. Some of the prisoners called out to them asking why they were sneaking into the castle. No one ever snuck into the castle. The king woud know someone had arrived and they would be executed promptly. There was no audience, at least not for very long. Arx stayed close to Isuza as they approached the opening into the inside of the castle.
There were two guards on watch, neither aware of the presence behind them. As much as Isuza disliked it, Arx and Lune had to knock out the guards in order to move past them. There were more guards outside and they were introduced to the same fate. Arx put the guards in the dungeon and closed the door. Next was finding the armory. They carefully searched the hall for an armory, being sure to avoid the few guards patrolling.
"There are guards everywhere," Isuza whispered. "Will we find the armory before we are discovered?"
"Focus on finding the armory," Arx said. "It may be higher up, he would be wise enough to keep weaponry from the dungeons."
The sun set bathed the corridors in orange light and gave way to shadows, which were used in their ascending to the next floor. The armory was found soon afterwards and they changed into fine suits of armor. Isuza was less than pleased, as the armor wore loose on her less than masculine frame but it would only have to be endured for a short time. Lune lead the way to the throne room as Arx and Isuza followed silently behind him. Every hall seemed the same but for a slight difference that they would have missed had they been anyone else.
The hall leading to the throne room had a distinct aura about it, one that made them well aware that they were being watched and had been since entering the castle. The reason as to why they had not yet been aprehended was lost to Arx but there was no mistaking the lingering sensations of a very strong essence. If they had not been wearing the armor their bodies woud have been given a soft glow from their essence coming in contact with another. They reached the hall where the throne room ended the hall. Guards lined the length of the hall and five stood at the doors.
"The king is expecting you," one of the guards at the opening of the hall said.
Arx narrowed his eyes and the moved to walk almost side by side down the hall, the silence deafening with so many bodies surrounding them. Isuza was already mentally preparing to talk their way out of whatever trouble they had walked right into. The guards parted and the doors were opened for them to enter the burgundy and silver toned throne room. Their entrance was echoed through the grey stone floors, off and through the archs decorating the elaboratley made up room making it feel all the more immense. Tapestries hung in both burgundy and silver bearing the mark of Basul, as well as a black tapestry for their ally.
The man they had come to see sat brooding on his throne with his eyes locked on the intruders he had long made up his mind to deal with. They stopped and knelt respectfully. Isuza readied her mouth for an apt apology but as soon as she opened it to speak she was cut off by the woman who sat at his left. "What are the men of a former ally doing in our lands without a warrant," the queen said, her voice eerily calm.
Isuza removed her helmet and lowered her head. "Your Majesty, we have come from Weithala on a very important mission, anything we may have done in the time of our stay is nothing compared to our mission," he says quickly before she could be cut off.
The queen narrowed here eyes but King Garret sat upright on his throne, silencing everyone. "I have been watching the both of you since you arrived. Weithala was a great ally to us once but our trust was betrayed. We have not been in contact since that time and now I have two of her own sneaking about my inner city and breaking into my castle. What am I to believe of this?"
"Believe what you will, My Lord, but we have only good intentions for you and your kingdom," Arx said, looking between him and the queen. "The times are no longer peaceful."
King Garret nodded, touching his lightly bearded chin. "Yes, I agree. In fact, there was an awful fire in the city just a few nights past. The two of you were seen in the area...using a forbidden art."
Isuza lowered her head once again, her fears slowly coming into reality. His arrogant tone and prideful demeanor was not lacking at all as they spoke despite him knowing all the details they were going to use in their favor. They were meaningless now, looking into his cold, bemused eyes.
Weithala
A strange fog began to roll through the small towns, making Shiera children and those weak of essence fall ill with a fever. After the first day of increasing illnesses, masks were given to the people to protect themselves. The news was shared with their allies, Quampo, and Ambrosia was once again throw into a frenzy of worries and headaches. So many of her people were suddenly down she was in bed a day before she could resume her duties. Once she was mobile again there were new concerns.
"The fog is not natural," a medic told her. "It does not infiltrate the lungs but it has a stunning effect on those who inhale it. It spreads through the body, having the most affect on the mind and stomach. Those effected cannot eat and others are in what seems to be a deep sleep. They respond to nothing. The people are starting to panic- if we do not find the source quickly then..."
Ambrosia sighs frustratedly, rubbing at her templees. Things were only getting worse and still there was nothing she could do to stop it. Their enemy was not exactly sitting a ship ride away to be cut down. She retreated to the one room that no one else was allowed to enter besides herself. It was a room she often hid away to when she was feeling overwhelmed and the one place she could use her essence freely. She knew she could always find guidance there.
The walls were dotted with mirrors of assorted sizes, one in particular, a large circular mirror set against the adjacent wall. She quickly approached it and drew a name onto the surface in light blue glowing letters, Jija. The mirror rippled like the surface of a pond when she removed her finger. The image of a woman sitting in an eastern styled room appeared in the mirror. She was dressed in a loose, pearl white gown designed with a dark green vine that covers even most of the sleeves.
Her face was lightly covered in a white powder that made her green eyes stand out. Her hair was up in a large, black bun atop her head and held together by a green net but for four strands, two falling behind her ears and two near her temples. She inclined her head respectfully towards the queen and Ambrosia did the same. "Empress Jija, I am in need of your aid."
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The camp was also effected by the fog and the soldiers were moved into the shelter provided closer to the castle. The results of Voranimor's tests had been given to him as a letter. They were indeed worried for the sake of his body. He was at high risk for corruption especially now with the Gifvoshu coming back. There was time to fix things before it got too much worse, but he would have to almost cease his use of his essence. It was just too much strain on his core and his body.
Tala paced the room uneasily, his fangs showing every time he opened his mouth while mumbling to himself. He stopped at some point and turned to address the others, "That fog out there in the forest is not a natural fog. You can all feel it can't you? It's a dark aura that's attacking the people. Be ready at any time for a Gifvoshu attack, this could not be any other's doing. Be ready. If you must go out then do not forget your masks. It may make those weaker than us ill, but we may be tainted by this aura."
