My Soul For a Weapon

[Dreyfus]

♅ 4th of Frost, Year 121, A.o.S ♅
Company: Himself| Thoughts: I need a good sword| Mood: Curious

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♅ The crisp cold of early Frost nipped at Ambrose's skin as he walked the streets of Kalzasi's Jeweled Arches. It was a bustling place where life was constantly moving with businesses and taverns alive with life as citizens enjoyed themselves. For the vampyre, it wasn't something he was used to, seeing so many happy faces in a city. It was a complete contrast to Zaichear, not that he mind that difference of course.

He could help but find himself window shopping both for things and for food. It was hard to keep his composure, but he was content with not exposing himself to the powers that be here. He was unsure of who he could trust in such a foreign land. The one thing he was in the market for was a weapon, the crude sword he carried around wasn't fit for him.

He spent most of his time perusing the many different forges around town. Some seemed to produce good work, but he was looking for something more than simple blacksmith weaponry. He found himself at one particular place, a runeforger's place of operations. Crossing the threshold he found himself drawn to the magical weaponry that was made here. The quality of work spoke to him, and he knew he had found the right forge to get his sword made.

Walking up to the counter he gave a polite smile and addressed the clerk. "I wish to commission a sword, care to get the owner of this place for me?" he asked. Reaching into his pocket, he retrieved the dragonshard that he planned to use as material for what he planned to commission from the forger. ♅

---

"Common Speech"
"Silandris Speech"
"Self-Thoughts"

[Talon]

Velkan looked the visitor over from head to toe. He blinked at him for a moment as he was distracted by the force of the man’s presence before his head cleared. A speculative look passed over his features before his eyes settled upon the dragonshard that the man held in his hand. A mix of curiosity and hesitation played across his face before he drew himself up. The young Avialae gave a slight nod of his head.

“You are in luck, Sir. He is free of his usual projects today. Come. I will take you to him.” Velkan glanced at some of the guards who were nearby. They would keep watch but would not interfere unless they had reason to. Gesturing for the visitor to follow him, Velkan led them both to an open chamber built of carefully constructed marble stone. Inlaid into the walls along the archway and forming a perimeter around the room were intricate runic patterns forming a complex protective ward. Several workbenches were positioned throughout the room, each of them with what were clearly tools used to conduct the practice of alchemy.

Velkan guided them both into the chamber and came to stand several paces away from a figure who was kneeling in the center of the room. Velkan waited in silence as the figure continued their work quietly. He gestured for the man to remain silent as well.

---

Talon wrapped a gentle web of kinetic force around the book that he had been carefully studying. Throughout the seasons he had been searching for a way to expand the works that were fashioned within his workshop. As he had studied with both Lyra and after consulting his mother, he had been directed to the practice of alchemy. The more he had researched, the more he had come to the conclusion that while he likely did not have the mind or patience to go to the exhaustive lengths to become a master of Traditional Alchemy, the Occult Alchemic practices most certainly appealed to him. Mentally he gently flipped the page of his book, looking up from the sandpit in front of him.

He scrutinized the page in front of him, studying the design of the different sigils. When he was certain that he had the pattern firmly in his head, he turned his gaze back to the sandpit in front of him. A perfect ten foot by ten foot square that had a shallow depth and was filled entirely with sorcerer’s sand, Talon opened his senses up to the flow of aether before him. He wrapped the awareness of his semblance around the aetheric pathways that were inherent in the sand before taking hold of them with the force of his kinetics. With deliberate shifting, he began to reshape the sand and its aetheric pathways, mentally carving a path through it. In short order, symbols began to shape themselves in the sand, appearing to be drawn by an invisible hand. After just a few moments, several sigils had been drawn into the bone white sand, each one interconnected to form an elaborate alchemic circle.

It was as he was reaching out to grasp the book floating beside him that the presence of two others came into his awareness. He sensed them before he saw them. He registered the aura of his chief apprentice, Velkan alongside…Talon furrowed his brow. The aura that came into his awareness had a familiarity to it. It brought with it the smell of oil and sulfur that he had come to associate a certain city. There was also the smell of exotic spices and the coppery tang of blood. He looked up from his alchemy circle. Eyes the color of mercurial silver settled upon Velkan. He looked upon his apprentice fondly before those same silver eyes came to rest upon the visitor whose aura felt oddly familiar. It was then that the man’s aura came fully into focus for him and Talon was able to perceive more than just surface level information.

“My Prince, this is--”

“Dreyfus.”

Talon’s voice was flat as he stared, unwavering, at the man before him. He did not at all look like the Reconciliator that had accompanied him in Zaichaer. But Talon was a master of perceiving and discerning auras, rare was the aura that he could not recognize after seeing it, no matter how drastically a person’s physical appearance changed. Having spent enough time around Lyra, with his own brother being a practitioner of Illusions, among many other things, changing faces did not startle him. Dreyfus however…there was something different about him and it was not just his new face.

Off Topic

Late post made with permission from the Support Forum. Here.

[Dreyfus]

Company: Talon | Thoughts: Well I'll be damned | Mood: Frustrated

☬ As he ventured to meet the owner, he began to admire the forge in its entirety. He was impressed by the intricacy of everything as it was becoming increasingly clear that Kalzasi was far more advanced in their magical talents and pursuits than he once imagined. Given Zaichaer's admonishment of magic and its advancement, he knew that a conflict between the two nations wouldn't end well for the anti-magic state.

Dante noted the glint of curiosity the apprentice held upon seeing the blood gem from earlier He figured it wasn't something he had seen before or was used to seeing. Dante did note however the intricate patterns on the walls and over the archway into the inner part of the workshop. The city and its inhabitants continued to amaze him, as he found such dedication to arcane arts admirable.

Upon entering the inner chamber he was surprised to see the proprietor of this place. Such was his surprise when he saw the impressive form of the Prince of Kalzasi. "Well color me surprise." he chuckled, looking over the prince as he advance. To think that he would meet Talon in this place. He was surprised to see their nobility having actual occupations outside of being born into privilege.

the vampyre's eyes widened when he was being introduced as Talon knew who he was, calling him by his old name. Even in a new form, everyone he was meeting seemed to be catching him off guard or out of his element. "I haven't heard that name in quite some time. I'm impressed you could have discerned me so easily." he protested trying to hide his irritation.

The grip on the bloodgem tightened as he eyed the prince from the entrance of the room. ☬

---

"Common Speech"
"Silandris Speech"
"Self-Thoughts"

[Talon]

“Your face might have changed but your aura is almost the same.” Talon rose to his feet. He dusted off his pants and stretched his wings before rolling his shoulders. He grasped the book that was floating lazily beside him and snapped it shut with a loud thud. It fell into his hand. With a glance and a nod of his head, he dismissed Velkan who bowed and exited the room swiftly, clearly sensing tension. Folding his wings behind him, Talon stepped around the alchemic circle that he had created. He set his book down upon a nearby stand then came to rest an arm’s length away from the Reconciliator. Folding his arms over his chest, he eyed Dreyfus from head to toe.

“Why are you here?” Talon’s tone was stern. He did not know what to make of the man’s presence in his shop. With the rising tension between his homeland and Zaichaer’s, these were not exactly the best times to be conducting trade between the two peoples. It was only as he neared that he caught sight of the blood gem in Dreyfus hand. Having worked with the sanguinyte before, in the forging of Xue Ya, he was familiar with the blood tinged nature of their auras. Blood shards were not easy to come by and often they required delving into perilous places to acquire them.

Talon did not comment on its presence. He would let Dreyfus explain himself before he pressed onward. He had little reason to expel the man from his shop at that moment. He also had little reason to assist him.

[Dreyfus]

Company: Talon | Thoughts: How nice to see you again | Mood: Relaxed

☬ His head tilted to the side as he listened to the prince speak. His tone was just as stern as when it was when they first met all those seasons ago during the delegation summit. It was nostalgic, to say the least, but it was obvious he was not here to reminisce. His question posed a sense of suspicion which was something he could understand. Rolling the blood gem around in his hand he allowed the apprentice of the shop to depart before relaxing a bit.

Looking around for a moment, he then turned his gaze to the prince. "Where to even begin?" he began, a chuckle escaping his lips as he found a place to rest as he continued. "A lot has happened since we last saw each other. Officially on record as far as anyone is concerned, Dreyfus Monteliyet died in battle fighting the vicious Red Witch of Zaichaer."

He allowed that to set in before moving forward. "I was reborn after that moment, and came here, to improve myself be in my own skills and my magic." he mused, holding out the bloodgem as he allowed its crimson luminescence to swirl around in front of him. "As well as have a weapon made from this." he chuckled a bit more as he looked at the prince.

He found himself somewhat relaxed around Talon as he wasn't restrained by being a state mage. Loosening his shirt collar he stared at the large male with a deep interest in what would come from him. "I can say it's at least nice to see you once more. I found you quite intriguing from our first encounter." he gave Talon a smile to try to soothe the mounting tension. ☬

---

"Common Speech"
"Silandris Speech"
"Self-Thoughts"

[Talon]

Talon listened to what Dreyfus had to say. He quirked a brow as the man confessed that officially he was dead. He had certainly see his fair share of strange happenings. When it came to the subject of rebirths, he was far from someone to deem it weird or impossible. He had experienced exactly that.

“Interesting.” Behind him, his wings rose and fell, settling upon his back comfortably. As far as he could tell, Dreyfus was uttering no lies. His aura held several emotions, most of them related to his current state of mood which was lessening in tension now that the two of them were alone. Again, Talon was struck by how there was the familiar weave of the aura that he knew while also being tinged with something that felt powerful. If he did not know better, Talon thought he could both smell and taste blood on the edges of his senses.

His eyes settled upon the piece of sanguinyte. Blood gems were something that most runesmiths found frustratingly difficult to manipulate. They had a corruptive influence on the wielder that drove them to satiate a particular hunger or thirst. Talon was not most runesmiths. He had worked with the blood shards before and he knew quite well how to mitigate their influence while also pulling out the best qualities of their power.

“Blood gems are never easy to come by. I hesitate to ask how you came by this one.” He dropped his arms from over his chest and stepped closer to Dreyfus. He extended a hand toward the blood gem so that he might be able to examine it more closely.

“How are you hoping to improve your magic? Have you found a teacher?” There was a world of questions that Talon wanted to ask besides what he voiced. There was also the implication that whatever Dreyfus learned might be used against Kalzasi but in that regard, it was as his mother had always taught him.

Their role was to provide clear consequence for people’s actions as deterrence for rampant misuse of magic. Trying to preempt anything and everything was a road that led to madness.

“What should I be calling you now, if Dreyfus Monteliyet is dead?”

[Dreyfus]

Company: Talon | Thoughts: How nice to see you again | Mood: Relaxed

☬ Despite his effort, it was clear the prince didnt trust him. He wondered what way he could avail some trust from the winged royal. Talon expressed his hesitation in how Dante had come to possess his blood gem. A soft smile came over his face as he held the crimson orb in his hands, before handing it over to Talon. "It was actually a gift from someone, I never asked how they acquired it though." his eyes studied the avialae as he inspected the magical crystal.

Running a hand through his hair, Dante sighed. "I have yet to find a mentor, I've simply been exploring my magic on my own, though I'm sure I can find a bountiful amount of teachers, I have five.....four runes of magic." he admitted, though the next question was an easy one to answer. "Dante...Dante Vanhelsing"

As he introduced his alias he felt it was best to be honest with the prince in order to gain his trust in some way. Walking over to the door he reached into his negation rune, and set an anchor on the door, blocking out any sound that may have escaped the room to prying ears. Looking back to Talon he began to remove his jacket and shirt. The Vitalis rune glowed with life, hues of red, orange, and purples dancing in their own light.

"To start, I indeed died on Ash 7th, but I wasn't not killed, at least not intentionally. If you remember correctly, I bled tears of blood whenever in the presence of magic or ambient aether. Well in truth it was a failed initiation. This rune you see etched into my chest was the scar that caused me so much pain. On Ash 7th the initiation was completed, Dreyfus Monteliyet died and the being you see before is who I am now. I am no longer human and have transcended the mortal coil. If what was explained to me is to be believed, and if what I've seen is to be true, as I grow in strength with this rune I will essentially become immortal. I've seen another of my kind shrug a caster shell at close range off as if it was nothing. In short Talon I am a Vampyre, and this is the rune of Vitalis."

It was a lot to through at the prince in one moment. He allowed it all to settle before finding his shirt and putting it back on. "That being said, I have not come to your city in any official capacity. My allegiance to Zaichaer died with Dreyfus that day, and now my eyes have been set on a new horizon, a new ambition." those words came with conviction. ☬

---

"Common Speech"
"Silandris Speech"
"Self-Thoughts"

[Talon]

Talon blinked at the scarlet rune that was emblazoned upon Dreyfus--no Dante’s---chest. He stepped closer and leaned in so that he could more closely examine it. Opening his senses he stirred his aether into motion, focusing on the blood red rune that was before him. His nose was filled with the scent of blood but there was also a hint of exotic spices, the sweet smell of decay and the grounding scent of earth. All of those things passed over his sense of smell but beyond that, Talon felt the pull of a great hunger deep within the rune. He could feel the aether around and within it beat like a living heart. He had never seen anything like it but he could certainly draw a few similarities between the blood gem that he held and the rune in front of him. The scarlet rune sent ideas to him, primordial impressions that only Runes of Magic could. It spoke of Life. It spoke of Death. It spoke of Hunger, Power and Blood.

“Vampyre?” He looked up from the rune as Dante covered his torso with his shirt. Talon, of course, knew the stories of vampyres. There were plenty of tales surrounding them but most were relegated to mere myth. Connecting the dots he could only draw a few conclusions that the mythology of the vampyre was somehow tied to this rune.

“I have never heard of this magic before.” He shook his head and returned the blood gem to Dante. “Vampyres, I have heard of. I had thought they were merely myth.”

Talon considered the man in front of him. He could sense no lie from him. Then again, Dante had been honest with him even before during his visit to Zaichaer. While guarded, there was also an air of purpose about the man that had not been there before. He rubbed his chin, the gentle rasp of his stubble sliding against his fingers helped him orient his thoughts.

“I can fashion something from that gem. It will take some time. Blood gems require a significant amount of work to isolate and do away with their negative properties.” He clasped his hands behind his back as he began running through possible objects to create for Dante. “However, the cost is not insignificant. There are few runesmiths in all of Karnor who can create what I do and while my prices are fair, I know the value of my work.”

He met Dante’s gaze.

“What is it that you are hoping to have created? Also, what is the price you are willing to pay?”

[Dreyfus]

Company: Talon | Thoughts: How nice to see you again | Mood: Relaxed

☬ He watched the prince as he made his analysis of the blood gem, and the truth of Dante's words. He felt his eyes looking at the rune, seeing aether flow out from him and around him through the flux. When Talon spoke of Vampyres being myths and legends he couldn't help but laugh a little as he put his shirt back on, buttoning it as he leaned back against the door.

"I can assure you we are real, and far from a mere myth your grace. I've seen what a vampyre can do firsthand on multiple occasions. It was that very one that turned me into one myself." he said as he was reminded of how his aunt shrugged both caster shells off and the other incredible feats she managed to perform.

When asked what he planned to have made, Dante ran his thumb across the gem, contemplating his choices. He knew a single gem couldn't do much in terms of a weapon coming from it. But he was glad that something could still be fashioned from it, no matter the time it would take to create it. "Surprise me, your highness, I will leave that up to your creative discretion." he mused, taking a step closer to look the avialae over with interested eyes.

"As far as the cost, I offer a favor when the time comes, however many that may entail to pay off this commission." he purred, a slight bow being offered to the prince as he awaited a response. He wasn't worried, what was the worst the man could say other than yes or no? ☬

---

"Common Speech"
"Silandris Speech"
"Self-Thoughts"