into the reach, pt. i

[Talon]

16 Ash 121

Talon folded in his wings angling his body so that he could drop down to the ground easily after soaring through the skies. At the last moment, he spread his wings wide slowing his fall so that he could walk at an easy pace once his feet touched the ground. It was a bright and warm day in the wildlands surrounding Kalzasi. Ahead of him, the walls of a fortified structure stood tall. A citadel in the woodlands that had become the base of operations for the growing and revitalized Order of the Dawnmartyr. It was still very strange to him that he had a religious order devoted both to his worship and to enacting his will throughout the world wherever they went. As of late, he had been taking a more active approach in both visiting and working alongisde those who pledged themselves to him. He could not be an idle patron if he expected the Knights of the Dawn to introduce to the world the full scope of his beliefs. He did not make proclamations or edicts, Talon had no desire nor intention of taking leadership of the knighthood himself. He was making his presence a regularity in order to be more than just a mythical figure in their stories. He wanted them to know he was real. He wanted them to know that he believed in what the knights stood for.

[Talon]

He heard their prayers. Regularly. Especially when they were this close to Kalzasi. Today was to be one of the days that he spent time with the spellforged knights fortifying the magical enchantments of the settlement in order to better protect it. Since Pahoran and his family had sent the message out across their channels, the settlement had seen a swelling of a little over four hundred people come to reside there. How they arrived and managed to stay so quiet when they were so near one of the major cities in the Northlands was a mystery to Talon. He knew and he knew that the leaders of the Dawnmartyrs knew, that would not last. The time was fast approaching that the Dawnmartyrs would fully announce their return to the world. They were still small. The majority of those who lived at the settlement were not knights. They were family members. They were people who had come to trust and believe in the knighthood, bringing skills that supported the knights themselves. A large portion of the residents at the settlement were Dawnmartyr hopefuls who were going through the steps of their apprenticeship. The training, from what he understood, was just as grueling as it had always been. He estimated that it was even more grueling following the fall of Ailos. The knights knew that they were still hunted and thus every member needed to be able to face that reality, steadily and without fear of the eventuality that some of them would be caught, tortured and likely killed.

“They’ve made great progress.” Aoren commented as he landed beside him. His lover took up an easy stride next to him. Talon had to agree. The outer wall of the settlement had been repaired and fortified. He could see the buildings outside of the main settlement had all been finished and repaired. Several of those buildings had been converted into houses and the land around them had been cleared in order to be turned into farming and livestock areas. It had been a little over a year since construction had begun in earnest on the repairs and expansion to the fortress and the difference was stark. Where once this place had looked abandoned, it was now alive and well.

“I am glad.” He meant it. He wanted to see the Dawnmartyrs grow not only because it was an order of faith devoted to him but because he genuinely believed in what they brought to the world. The gates of the settlement stood open and were being watched by a number of knights. As soon as he and Aoren neared, they were approached by a man with clearly Dratori elven features. His broad build and darker complexion complimented the plate armor that he wore. He moved with a fluidity that told Talon he was accustomed to wearing plate. From the insignia that held the clasp of his cape, he was a Knight-Captain. He carried no obvious weapons but then again, a true Dawnmartyr had no need to carry physical weaponry. They were always armed. The man clasped a hand over his chest and bowed low to him. Talon inclined his head by way of greeting.

“Hail, Prince of Dragons.” The man straightened himself. “You honor us with your presence today. I am Athrian. Apologies that Ilias could not greet you. He and the other elders are in conference.”

“Anything we should be worried about?” Aoren quirked his head. He had taken to assisting the Dawnmartyrs whenever he had the ability to. Whether that was helping to train some of the aspirants in martial prowess or aiding them in clearing some of the dangers immediately nearby, he had become a regular sight among them of his own accord. Athrian hesitated which told Talon that it very much was something that he needed to worry about.

“A squadron of knights returned from assisting some of the Sky Guard in the Third Deep. They were attempting to rescue a group of researchers. It seems that an undead dragon has taken up residence where they were going. They barely managed to escape with their lives.” Athrian looked genuinely troubled for a moment. Talon frowned slightly. That would have been the second undead dragon that he had heard of in the Warrens within the span of two seasons. Just that summer he had assisted Lyra in the Warrens and they had encountered an undead dragon in service to a lich. It had been because of that dragon he had ascended to higher heights of divinity due to the peril it imposed on them. The danger such a dragon could pose, even from within the Third Deep of the Warrens, was not lost on him. But as fate would have it, he had a vested interest in dealing with such a dragon beyond simply quelling the threat. The Warrens were dangerous enough without the added presence of deathly dragons but the removal of this particular one would serve a purpose he had been steadily working on for many seasons.

“Will you take us to them?” Talon left the question open. He would not force his way into the knights deliberations. He wanted them to involve him because they wanted to, not because they felt he commanded them to. Athrian bowed.

“Of course, my prince.” Turning on his heel, Athrian issued a few commands to the remaining gate watchers. He then proceeded to guide them through the gate and into the main settlement behind the fortified wall. The interior of the settlement was shaping up to be a proper township. There was an inn, blacksmith, a tavern, shops, houses, barracks and an assortment of other places. Some of those buildings were still in a state of construction. Many were completed and had occupants. What was clear to him was that before the fall of the Order, the knights had already intended for this place to be a base of operations in the Northlands. It was designed to be a fortified township just as much as it was intended to be a defensible citadel. He wondered if other such places existed across the continent, waiting to be reclaimed by the returning knighthood.

Ahead of them was perhaps the most regal of all the structures in the settlement. The temple was a single level building with arching rooftops situated over a series of waterways. Trees and greenery grew both around the temple and as part of its architecture. The walls were a pristine alabaster white. Carvings upon the temple had sun iconography and the symbol of the Dawnmartyrs emblazoned over the main entrance. There were no guards posted around the temple that he could see. He was glad for that. If there were to be places of worship dedicated to him, he did not want them to be seen as places of war but rather places of reflection. That was likely due to the influence of his upbringing. House Ahtivin encouraged an atmosphere of contemplation within the temples that they maintained around Kalzasi and its territory. While those places were protected in their own way, there were never any armed guards or sentires visible within such places. He wanted to promote the same kind of atmosphere. Either the Dawnmartyrs believed the same thing or they had studied Kalzasern culture and picked up on what his preferences might have been. Either way, it pleased him.

[Talon]

Stepping across the threshold of the temple, Talon became enveloped by a sense of quiet reverence. The interior of the temple was very open in terms of floor plan. At the very center of the main chamber was a reflection pool crafted from silver. Suspended within it, glittering in a shaft of sunlight, was an illumite crystal that bathed the chamber in a warm glow. On the edges of his consciousness he could hear the whisper of soft prayers being sent his way. He brushed his thoughts over them, acknowledging those that stood out to him as a moment of earnest faith. He could not deny the truth of the matter that he felt stronger in this place. The air seemed alive with what felt like a recognition of some sort, as though the world were standing still awaiting his attention. He was invigorated by it on some level that was surprising, appealing and unsettling. While he had been poignantly aware of his divinity over the past year, in this place of honest worship devoted solely to him it was dawning on him just what it meant to be an actual figure of true godly reverence.

“Something wrong, my prince?” Athrian pulled him from his thoughts. Both he and Aoren were watching him. Talon found that he had approached the reflection pool. He had not realized it but he was staring intently at the dawnstone crystal floating above it. Athrian looked concerned while his bondmate was simply curious.

“No. I was merely thinking.” This small settlement in the wilderness represented many things. He thought on Pahoran and the Rayunia family. He thought on the Dawnmartyrs themselves.

“Does the temple please you, my prince?” Talon shook his head. He felt Athrian grow tense.

“It is not about whether it pleases me, Athrian. What I want is for it to be a sanctuary for those who wish to follow me. What is important is whether they, you, feel as though you can be honest and truthful in the faith you have entrusted to me.” He looked to the knight. Athrian looked thoughtful. “Do you feel you can be truthful, completely and utterly, within these walls?”

“I…do not know, my prince.” Talon nodded. He did not expect the man to be so boldly open immediately. They did not truly know one another and though his courage had impressed Talon, Athrian was still something of a stranger to him.

“Then there is work to be done.” He gave the man a smile and a nod. “For another time. Please.”

Talon nodded his head in the direction to where he could sense others gathered who possessed his Emblem. Athrian guided them toward one of the chambers that was just off the main one. He could hear voices discussing something quietly. The conversation ceased however when several of the heads of those gathered around a table looked up. As soon as they saw him, the assembled rose to their feet.

“Praise to the Dawn!” They spoke in unison. Talon inclined his head to them all. It was Ilias who spoke.

“You honor us with your presence today, my prince. How can we assist you?” He smiled broadly. In front of Talon was a man who was happy with the return of the Order. Without touching upon his Semblance, Talon could practically feel the hope springing from this elven man.

“I was, in truth, here to assist you.” His statement made Ilias blink. The other elders of the Dawnmartyr Order looked around at each other. “I was told that there was an undead dragon plaguing the Warrens and causing disturbances.”

[Talon]

“We know a thing or two about undead dragons.” Aoren folded his arms over his broad chest, a bit of a smile tugging at his lips. Some of the knights went wide-eyed. Others did not seem surprised and seemed to swell with pride as though their demigod having faced an undead dragon was to be expected.

“We were actually just discussing the details of how to deal with it.” Talon nodded his head. He stepped forward, pressing a hand to his chest.

“Please allow me to accompany the group that you send to face it.” There was hesitation among them. He did not need to use his Semblance to see it. If there was one thing he had learned across his lifetime of reading auras and studying the details of things, it was how to gauge the atmosphere of a room. Perhaps it was because of his prolonged use of the magic that he was more attuned to the mood of a place than most. With the exception of those who played their cards close to their chest, Talon considered himself a decent reader of people and the people he was faced with were not trying to disguise their feelings from him.

“You are troubled.” It was not a question. Ilias nodded his head.

“The dragon is powerful. Some say it is an ancient. It is also located in a place that is dangerous, even for some of our most accomplished knights.” He did not take the implication that he might not be able to handle the endeavor personally. While he had been working with the knighthood for several seasons now, they still did not truly know him. He was still largely a mystery to them as his duties as both the Prince of Kalzasi and personal endeavors did not allow him to spend too much time with them.

“All the more reason that I should accompany them. The strength of a squadron of Dawnmartyrs combined with that of a demigod will make the endeavor that much safer for those who go.” Again, Ilias and the elder knights shifted uncomfortably. It was an elder woman who spoke. While he could not recall her immediately, he had seen her training groups of aspirants from time to time.

“We mean no disrespect, Your Highness. The Dawnmartyrs work in a disciplined hierarchy.” Her meaning was clear enough to him. Talon was both a prince and the literal god to whom they dedicated their Order. His presence in the group would upset the dynamics as those who accompanied him would be contending with not only a royal but also their demigod. Across the Bond, he could feel Aoren’s annoyance growing. He reached across the Bond and soothed his lover. Some of the tension in his posture lessened. Talon appreciated the fact that Aoren was letting him speak. These were his people. If he was to know them and they know him, he had to be able to navigate these situations effectively.

“In Kalzasi, every Avialae must complete the Warren March. It is a deadly rite of passage that many succeed at but just as many perish to. It is a reminder to us all that our duty, first and foremost, is to the realm that we endeavor to lead. As the Shinsei and Heir of House Novalys, one of my duties is to administer the Sky Guard. Often those duties require that I personally accompany our soldiers into the Warrens.” He said none of this to impress them but rather to given them a bit of context as to the manner of both his upbringing and the life he led as an adult.

“I say this to assure you of one thing, I come not as a prince, nor as your demigod. I come as a warrior who is ready to lend his strength to your cause. I have my personal reasons for wishing to face this dragon but they do not conflict with the sheer need to defeat it for the good of your newfound home.” It was then that Athrian stepped forward.

[Talon]

“I will go.” The elders in the room looked at Athrian and seemed to consider more heavily the situation for a moment. They all looked at Ilias who was looking down at the table in front of him. There were various maps, a few books and what was clearly an assortment of reports. Perhaps on the dragon. Perhaps on other things. After a beat of silence, the elf nodded.

“Very well.” He looked to Athrian. “Knight-Captain Athrian. You will be in command of this mission. Select your squadron. Make your preparations and depart with haste. The creatures of the Warrens are already restless. The stirrings of the dragon have not made them any easier to handle.”

Athrian rendered a salute to Ilias. It was then that Ilias looked to Talon. He adopted the face of a stern commander who was accustomed to leading men and women into battle. Talon had no doubt that the man had seen much adversity in his life. He carried an Emblem that had been gifted to him by Andrus and which had been rekindled with his awakening. That meant that Ilias was a survivor of the War of Souls as well as the Fall of Ailos.

“I must state clearly that you will be expected to follow Captain Athrian’s lead.” Talon inclined his head. “With that matter settled, if you will excuse us, Your Highness?”

Talon nodded and together with Aoren and Athrian, he departed the room. He could feel his bondmate’s irritation through the Bond. He reached up, running a hand over the taller man’s arm, working to soothe the annoyance that was winding itself through his body. When they had exited the temple, Athrian turned to face them. Talon did not move to interrupt him nor stop him. The man looked as though he were searching for the right thing to say.

“I will select our team, Your Highness. I assume that Captain Aoren will be joining us?” He looked over Aoren who smirked.

“Don’t worry. I won’t be ruffling any feathers. My mission is simple, to protect Talon. If that means I have to take a backseat for a little while, that suits me.” Before Athrian could respond, Aoren held up a hand. “But know this, my prince’s life comes first.”

Athrian nodded as though this was expected. Given the closeness of his and Aoren’s relationship, it certainly was not a surprising development.

“We will meet at the gates of the settlement at twilight. Please be ready.” Before Aoren could say something smart, Talon laced their fingers together and spoke.

“We will, Knight-Captain. Please, see to your duties.” Athrian bowed then departed. Talon then reached up and smacked the backside of Aoren’s head. His bondmate made a show of looking as though the tap hurt him. He rubbed at his head and glared.

“Ow! What was that for?” With a flick of his thoughts, Talon aligned the spatial pathways before them and opened a portal to the entrance of the Skyforge. He tucked his wings in close, giving Aoren a mock glare.

“You should not antagonize them.” Together they walked through the portal, making their way to the interior of his workshop. They had several things that they needed to acquire and bring with them.

“And they should trust your leadership.” Aoren grumbled. Clearly he did not like the idea of him playing second to a Dawnmartyr Knight. While Talon could understand his bondmate’s frustration, he also understood the knighthood’s hesitation.

[Talon]

“They do not know me, Aoren. They do not know us. They have not seen what we have faced.” He reached up, running a hand on his lover’s nearest wing, prompting Aoren to extend it so that he had better reach to the feathers.

“Yes, well, I thought they were supposed to have faith and all that.” Talon chuckled.

“They do but sometimes faith must be tested. Even if it means testing the one whom you have faith in.” His bondmate rolled his eyes.

“I have faith in you.” Talon shook his head. He could feel Aoren’s irritation growing.

“No, you know. It is not the same, my love.” Hearing him say those words aloud had the desired effect of seeing Aoren calm down. The Kathar turned, reaching out to cup his face. Talon leaned into the touch of Aoren’s hands. He could feel the man’s calluses. He could feel the strength in his grip that was always so carefully controlled. Warmth spread outward wherever Aoren touched and across the Bond. His lover looked at him with soft admiration.

“Yes. I do know. That is exactly why I do have faith in you.” Aoren leaned in and kissed him gently then rest their brows together. He then stepped back so that they could continue onward into the Skyforge. “What are we going to bring this time, love?”

“Tools for healing, mostly. Along with our standard array of Warren delving materials.” He nodded to Pyrra who was shuffling up to them. The Dwarven woman smiled.

“I know that look. Heading off somewhere, Your Highness?” Talon nodded.

“I have a lead on acquiring the parts for the project I have been working on.” Pyrra nodded.

“Excellent. Well, while you are here, there is a requisition that the Circle of Spells wishes to petition you for.” Talon blinked. It was not often that he personally reviewed the requisitions these days. His responsibilities at the palace as well as working on reinforcing many of the weaponry and armor for the Sky Guard and the subsequent divisions of it, had taken up much of his time and attention lately. He hesitated for just a moment before Aoren gently squeezed one of his shoulders.

“Go. Tend to business. I will make our preparations for this evening.” With that, Aoren stepped away to take charge of the preparations for their journey into the Warrens. The two of them had set out on enough excursions together that he trusted his bondmate’s ability to pack properly. Besides, if Aoren had a question he would reach out to him across the Bond. Turning his attention to Pyrra he accompanied her to the front station of his shop in order to review the latest requisition. As she presented the letter and a drawing of the proposed schematics, Talon had to arch an eyebrow. Normally, his typical business with the Circle of Spells consisted of forging for them their low-tier staves, wands or other tools that were bestowed upon their relatively young or low ranked Apprentices or Adepts. This was different.

“They asked for me specifically?” Pyrra nodded. He already knew that she would not have approached him if they had not asked for him specifically. His shop had the employment of some of the most skilled crafters in Kalzasi when it came to magical enchantment. He had built his business on that reputation and quality.

“The Circle representative is here, if you would like to speak with her.” Talon nodded as Pyrra gestured to one of the nearby waiting rooms of his shop. She picked up the requisition and took it with him as he entered the room. As soon as he stepped into the room, the attention of a dark skinned elven woman settled upon him. She smiled brightly and though they had not met many times, he knew who she was immediately. She wore robes of black and gold that were richly made and with even the barest glance of his Semblance, he could tell that the robes were laced with arcane power. Nearby, two other black robed figures stood at the ready.

[Talon]

“Nephew!” Lady Fiora Briathos rose from her seat, gliding over to him with hands extended. He reached out to accept her hands and found himself pulled forward so that she could place a kiss upon both of his cheeks.

“Fiora.” He inclined his head to her. It was rare that he found himself face to face with his mother’s side of the family but House Briathos had begun to be more active in the lives of Kalzasi’s upper stratosphere lately. He was, in truth, more surprised that such a high ranking member of the Circle would come to visit him personally. The Circle tended to operate through faces that were familiar to him. Mages that were of middling rank within their Order who, truth be told, had likely reached the height of whatever potential they had as mages.

“Your steward said that you were out on business but that you would return. I am gladdened to have caught you.” He joined Fiora over on the seat cushions. He seated himself, she followed. The others did not join them at the table but that was not unusual, especially for Black Robes.

“I am going to be making a venture into the Warrens shortly.” Fioran nodded as though this came as no surprise to her. It likely did not. From what he knew of his aunt, she was a supremely well-informed individual.

“Yes, I am told you visit the Deeps rather frequently. But, what is to be expected from one of Kalzasi’s finest runesmiths and one of its greatest warriors?” She smiled and folded her hands in her lap in order to observe him. Talon held up the requisition.

“You wish for me to forge this? Glancing over the schematics, it does not seem to be a complete artifact but rather the centerpiece for something much broader.” He spread open the document so that it rest on the table between them. What was listed was a spherical object that, on the surface, wove together various forms of protective enchantments in combination with necromancy along with the transmutive properties of alchemy. There was, however, one aspect of it that puzzled him. It seemed incomplete. There was an aspect of it that was missing.

“Not me specifically but rather, the Gate Watchers of Shemashk have petitioned the Circle of Spells for intervention in assisting them in reinforcing the Ghost Wall.” Talon arched an eyebrow. That was a curious point.

“Surely the Circle has magecrafters capable of engineering this device. You asked for me personally to forge it.” It was not a question. Fiora smiled appreciatively.

“I assume you can tell that a piece of the schematic is missing.” He nodded. Fiora seemed to weigh something.

“The Gate Watchers are requesting a specific aspect be added to the device. It is to be integrated into the protection array that keeps some of the denizens of the Ashlands at bay. A specific portion that only you can provide.” Talon knew immediately what she was requesting, what the Gate Watchers of Shemashk were asking. It was no longer curious to him why a Sage of the Circle of Spells had come personally to speak with him regarding this particular requisition. Most notably, one of his relatives.

“You will of course be properly compensated.” She spoke pointedly.

“It is not about compensation, Aunt.” It was not a rebuff. He understood, at least in part, the broader implications of adding that particular aspect of himself to the Ghost Wall apparatus. “To date, I have only designed two artifacts that incorporate an aspect of my divinity. Only one of which is currently complete and its power is formidable.”

“Then you understand why the request is being made.” Talon nodded.

“Aye. I understand. It is simply…” He searched for the right words. Was this not one of the reasons he was investing so much time in helping to rebuild the Order of the Dawnmartyr? To protect his people? To give them a defense against the horrors of the world? He had never been to the Ashlands but from what he understood, they were a hellscape not unlike what he imagined a surface layer of the Warrens to be like. Creatures that were more dead than alive wandered toward the region of Karnor from the Ashlands and the magelords of Shemashk had erected the Ghost Wall in order to stop their spread.

[Talon]

“It is not lost on me the magnitude of what such an artifact would mean for you, for Kalzasi, for Karnor. But, I would ask you to consider this, nephew; is this not within the purview of your domain? Are you not a protector god? Are you not currently rebuilding your very own knighthood in the Wildlands?” Fiora quirked an eyebrow as she put voice to the thoughts running through his head. He was not surprised that the Circle of Spells knew about the rebuilding of the Dawnmartyrs. “This is your chance to show more than just Kalzasi the kind of god you intend to be…and to strengthen our allies.”

Talon considered everything in front of him. On the one hand, there was his duty as a god. He did see himself as a protector first and foremost. That was the whole underlying point of the Dawnmartyr Knights. It was what he taught his Silver Hand bodyguards. It was the example he tried to lead as the guide of the Sky Guard. Then there were his responsibilities as the Prince of Kalzasi. The empowering of the Ghost Wall would mean that one of Kalzasi’s key allies was greater protected against threats from the Ashlands and able to direct its power toward the growing tensions between Zaichaer and Kalzasi. It would also strengthen the position of his family. He sighed.

“Very well, Cousin.” He watched as subtly, Fiora’s posture lost some tension. She smiled.

“Excellent. Payment will of course be managed through the Guild of Coins at the Central Bank. I can assure you that the Circle will make certain to deliver the completed device to the Gate Watchers.” Together, the two of them rose to their feet. As he righted himself, Fiora and the two black robed attendants all bowed to him. He gave them a nod. He had no doubt that the Circle would ensure that his work was delivered to its proper place and installed as it should be. The Circle had a reputation to protect and from a political standpoint, there was much to gain in ensuring the success of this particular endeavor. Whatever the Circle spent in terms of coin would be nothing in comparison to the gratitude gained by a city of mages that was already sympathetic to them.

“I look forward to the challenge, Aunt.” He accepted Fiora’s hands as she reached out to him.

“Truly, Talon, we must spend more time together. Perhaps I might even be able to convince you to don the Black before Ryom finds his way to your ears.” He smiled at his aunt but both of them knew already that while he respected the Circle of Black Robes he would likely never join their ranks. His personal philosophies aligned far more deeply with the Circles of White or Red. Nevertheless he chuckled.

“Perhaps. Thank you for your business. Send Grandfather my regards.”

Fiora gave him a bow and took her leave. Talon looked over the schematics in his hands one last time. He now had an even greater reason to want to face the dragon that was dwelling in the Haunted Reaches.