Unending Light and Encroaching Shadows [Talon]

[Hilana Chenzira]

3 Frost, Year 122

[Closed - Talon]

Vasilei really did not like Hilana going out on her own anymore, not with the shadow creatures swarming. The nomad may have been well-versed in the land, and her camel strong and fast, but there was still the fact of the matter that these shadow creatures were strange indeed. They weren’t natural. And while she was practicing her Elementalism, and like everything she took to studying she did it with gusto, Hilana had a very long way to go to make use of it effectively in a combat situation. While there was increased guard activity around the city, the Vastiana went where she would to find what she needed to get for their patients, and more often than not, she was quite far off the beaten path. Where she was going, there were no guards, and no one to really know where she was off to.

Today was no exception. The mage Vasilei had hired to accompany her on the outing had had something come up, and while Hilana was understanding, she was determined to go. Hayima’el had been saddled up, Tiaz draped over her shoulders, and off she went. The girl went where she had to go to get what was needed, and she had her own sweet spots for finding what she wanted. Cypress bark and the needle-like leaves, white sage, desert rose… she had a long list of things she wanted and she could get in all one area. As tall as the tree was, she could climb if she had to, if there was nothing lower or on the ground. With the seasons, normally there would be foliage coming down… but considering how things had changed with the new sun… she would have to see what there was to see when she got there.

The trip out took her into her familiar territory west-southwest of the city, across the River and out along it. Despite the sunshade on Hayima’el, Hilana paid close attention, keeping an eye out for the threat of the shadow creatures. Just about anything else, she was confident in. But these preternatural monsters were something else entirely. These she didn’t understand. They were alien, and she didn’t like it. Sooner or later, something was going to have to be done about them. But the large cypress was in sight after perhaps an hour’s ride, and the girl elected to scout first and make sure she couldn’t see anything, and Hayima’el did not seem bothered. Only then did she dismount, her brightly-dyed blue, gold, and white cotton skirts flouncing around her as she landed neatly in the sands in the shade of the cypress. She opened the saddlebags, retrieving her waxed bags, pouches, trowel, and knives while Hayima’el browsed beside her. Her python was lazily hanging on around her shoulders, and Hilana settled down on her knees in the sands to get started on the white sage plant.

In the meantime, the girl couldn’t know, couldn’t sense, couldn’t hear, and couldn’t see the fact that she was being hunted. She may have been communing with the earthen spirits as she touched the sands, listening to the soft song of the desert that was her home, quietly thanking them for their bounty as she carefully, carefully worked on easing out the plant to ensure she got as much of the root of that individual plant as possible… but that certainly didn’t help her. As strong as the senses of her animal companions were, there was no scent to catch and no sound on the ground as the flying monster made its way down towards her. That was when she realized the darkening shadows, and at the speed of which it was growing… she rose to her feet, whirling, looking for the assailant that had used the extended branches of the cypress’ canopy for cover as it stalked its prey.

[Talon]

D A E M O N

Some part of him was compelled to look into the skies above Ransera. He was drawn to the celestial bodies that hung, suspended in the endless expanse of blue or velvet black. He was most notably drawn to one of the chief celestial bodies that provided light and life to the world as a whole. That came as no surprise to him given everything that he was affiliated with. He sat upon the edge of a rocky formation surrounded by the vast Atraxian Expanse. It was not the Astralar but it was the closest thing to a reminder of home that he could find there in the desert. His silver eyes were focused on the orb of shadow that was tidally locked with the sun. Even with that shadowy sphere covering it, he found that somehow, the light still managed to make its way to him. Whether it was just after the passing of a cloud or simply an errant ray of sunlight, the light found a way to shine on him wherever he went and wherever possible. He could tell, even with the arcanely crafted sunlight that shone over the realm of Solunarium.

It was that precise arcane relic that was the subject of his thoughts. He was…concerned. Powerful were the mages of Solunarium but the solution they had provided for their country was not a permanent one. Even the light that shone from their artificial sun could not hold back the tide of darkness that was swarming over the world forever. Casting his gaze through the medium of Light itself, he could see various places across the continent that were suffering immeasurably at the consequences the absence of the true sun was causing. Magic was helping to stymie some of these effects but such solutions were not sustainable in the long-term. Something would have to be done about the shadows that hung in the skies and crept across the world. He just did not know if he wanted to be part of finding that solution.

It was strange, free from the armor that constantly whispered its will into his mind and coerced him to act in ways that he would not otherwise have done, he found himself wanting to do very little. He supposed that was part and parcel after spending the past two years living through traumatic event after traumatic event. From his outright murder at the hands of assassins, a death that in turn resulted in his rebirth, to the murder of his father and his ensuing imprisonment, he had a strong urge to turn his back on what the world was suffering. Everything in front of him seemed impossible.

Pulling his knees up to his chest he wrapped his arms around them. He rest his head against his knees and wrapped his wings around himself. Seeing and feeling them back in place was comforting. He had missed them and for the longest time, ever since being sent to Solunarium, he had found himself unable to summon them back to himself. Now that they were returned he had been feeling more and more like himself. Whether that was a sign of him healing or simply an effect of being free again, he was unsure. Time would tell. Velar was terrible at keeping secrets forever.

The shift of rock behind him pulled him from his thoughts. The massive bulk of a dragon was curled up behind and around him. The swish and flick of the dragon’s tail alerted him to the fact that this dragon was now awake. He reached out, running a hand along dark scales that were a mix of deep red and obsidian black. As he did, the dragon’s eye opened revealing pools of molten lava flowing around a reptilian pupil. A voice, deep and warm brushed over his thoughts.

“Will we be lounging here all day today?” The sentence was followed by a word that he could not rightly translate. It was something he simply felt. It brought to mind ideas of Sunlight, Fire, Radiance, Joy, Love and Treasure all at once.

“No.” He brushed his fingers over Aoren’s scales once more. Ever since realizing his true nature, his husband had spent as much time in his true form as possible. Whether that be lounging atop a mountain or otherwise. He could see that being himself brought a measure of peace to his husband in a way that only the vast desert of Atraxia could. Far away from the weight of leadership in Kalzasi. Removed from the burden of duty in the Imperium. The two of them were simply able to be themselves in a way that few other places allowed. It was a form of irony that in a kingdom devoted to such rigid structure, he and Aoren were actually able to find a way to be the freest version of themselves.

“It would seem we have company.” Aoren’s rumbling volcanic voice rolled over his thoughts once more and he felt his attention gently guided to the landscape below. He could see a lone traveler. A woman wearing the clothes of the nomadic people of Solunarium. But that was not the only thing he saw. The woman seemed occupied with some task, her attention drawn away from the shadows that were closing in around her. He frowned. He could feel Aoren about to shift. He brushed a hand over his husband’s flank.

“Rest, beloved. I will deal with this. Enjoy your lounging.” He twisted his body and pressed a kiss to the scales near Aoren’s eye. Aoren let out a content huff.

Rising to his feet, he rolled his shoulders and took off at a sprint toward the edge of the cliff-top. Spreading his wings he caught himself in mid-air, flapping them to ascend. He glided through the skies and closed in on the form of the young woman just as it seemed like encroaching shadow creatures were about to pounce. He righted himself in the air and called upon the silver-white fire that was His by right. He formed it into just a few bolts and with a wave of his hand he sent those bolts hurtling through the remaining space between him and them. The silver flames pierced the shadow creatures much like they would have wraiths from the Warrens. The forms of the creatures immediately caught fire as the silver fire ate at their forms until they were but ash to be scattered in the winds. He dropped out of the sky, landing squarely on his feet.

Rising to his full height, he folded his wings behind him. He was clothed in Solunarian styles. A toga that was accompanied with a silver belt from which hung a black sash around his waist. Silver bracers and a weathered golden shoulder piece along with silver plated boots completed the outfit. All of it was very on theme for him given the silver-white of his hair, the feathers of his wings and even his eyes. He had found that he could not change the color of his hair following his ordeal. A mark, he supposed, of the events he had endured. Events he would not soon forget.

“Are you alright?” His Vastian had improved in the time since he had been in Solunarium but it was still not the best. He continued to rely on his enchanted earring to confer the language upon him and speak it fluently. He looked upon the woman, keeping a respectful distance, allowing her to get her bearings.

[Hilana Chenzira]

Going out into the sands unless you were prepared for them was foolhardy at best and suicidal at worst. Hayima’el was usually plenty, and the machete in the sands that she kept for dealing with some larger plants and harvesting from palms was also helpful. Even if she wasn’t particularly good with the blade besides using it on something other than stationary targets and it was something she could certainly stand to work on... Knowing the land and the animals within it was something she was good at, but the problem was that didn’t help with these new dangers that had begun appearing in the last season.

She had focused her aether the way Palaemon had taught her, and sand had started to rise up as if to form a barrier between her and her camel and what was coming. Focus, focus, use the elements that were there. What she had around her was earth, and lots of it, and if she could form the wall, then it would buy her time to get to the machete. “Hayima’el, here,” she urged the camel, who lifted his head and came towards her, shoving his long nose at her shoulder and lipping her hair. She couldn't react to that the way she would have liked to, as she was busy guiding the sand up and holding it so that it didn't collapse on itself. His head lifted at the sudden sound of wings, now that he was finally able to pick something up, his small ears pinning back. Trouble! It was stupid of her not to have the machete on hand, but she could at least grab it now that he was right there --

All of a sudden, there were bolts that seemed to be made out of silvery-white light out of nowhere, their brilliance shining like nothing the girl had ever seen before. They were easy to see despite the branches of the towering tree, and her eyes widened as the bolts pierced the winged creatures as they descended. What ended up coming down was ashes, and the sands that she had gathered relaxed, sinking back down to where they had been, forming a small semi-circle around her, her camel, and the black, grey, and white python that was wide certainly awake now. Tiaz lifted his head, his tongue flickering as the Avialae landed in the sands, and Hilana finally exhaled the breath she hadn’t realized she had been holding. Perhaps she was seeing things, but there was a white circle with sigils and symbols behind him, and for all of her time around mages in the cities, they were nothing that she recognized. Maybe it was Masquerade? But she bowed low, one hand grabbing the camel’s colourful, decorated reins to keep him in place where he was. He wasn’t likely to bolt, he was used to Raithen, after all, but considering the ashes that were still gently raining down...

“Gratias. I thank you,” Hilana told him in Vastian as she straightened, and when she looked at him again, she realized that the symbols were gone, and she blinked. Maybe Masquerade... surely. He was dressed in local attire, but his accent didn’t sound entirely local. And he was definitely bigger than her friend was. He had over a foot on her, and Hilana wasn’t too used to that, but as she was understanding, Avialae tended to be larger than most. “Is it easier if I speak in Common?” she offered, switching tongues. She was good with either, really. For a local, she had almost none of the typical accents on the vowels that the denizens of the desert kingdom had when speaking in Common, which may have been a bit unusual for someone dressed like one of the nomads. Her long dark hair was bound up in a wild, messy bun at the top of her head, revealing little beads and trinkets woven into it.

“I am fine now, thanks to your timely arrival. My name is Hilana, and this is Tiaz and Hayima’el,” she indicated the snake and camel respectively. “I... that white light, was that Elementalism? From the Plane of Light?” she asked curiously. “I’ve never seen anything like it, and it ended those creatures handily.” Because if it was... then that might be something else to work towards. It was more effective than fire, and while Kinetics had worked to see them ripped into pieces... The white light had obliterated the creatures, and that made sense. Light was the opposite of Shadow, and she didn’t think that Shadow was one of the Elemental Planes. Behind her and the large camel, he could see what she had been so engrossed with - harvesting from the shrub-like plant near the trunk of the cypress.

[Talon]

D A E M O N

“If you do not mind my atrocious pronunciation, we may speak in your tongue.” He offered her a small smile. As she introduced herself he inclined his head politely to her and her animal companions. Camels were not an animal that he was accustomed to. They were not native to any of the lands he had been to prior to coming to Ecith. Of course, in his time since coming to Solunarium he had seen a great many of them. Still, he found them both weird and yet oddly adorable at the same time. He supposed he had a soft spot for weird and fuzzy animals. His thoughts drifted to his minova bat, Trinket. With her introduction came the predicament of how to introduce himself. On some level he was still wrestling with the very idea of who he was. After so long apart from the core of his identity he was still struggling to define himself.

The Founders referred to him as Arcas. Since his imprisonment and the splitting of his soul, he had referred to himself as Daemon. Talon was who he had been the entirety of his mortal life. He was all three of those men when it came down to it. He simply needed to reconcile the differences between them.

“I am known by several names. You may call me Daemon.” He touched a hand to his chest. He gave her the name he had been going by since coming to Solunarium. Opening up his senses he attuned to her aetheric signature and brought her aura to the forefront of his vision. He examined her from a physical standpoint, noting any scratches or scrapes or the lack thereof. He kept her aura within his field of view as they interacted. Since coming to the desert kingdom, he had learned quite well that it was better to ask forgiveness than for permission in matters such as aethereal examination. He had encountered enough people with ill intent to last several lifetimes. He had zero intention of being ill prepared to face them in the future. He had rescued one other Solunarian in the desert and while he did not regret the act, it had certainly led him to an interesting series of predicaments.

“It was not Elementalism, no.” He supposed he could have used his connections to the element of fire to eradicate the shadow creatures. It would have been just as easy but there would have been no guarantee that the creatures would have been destroyed so soundly. At the mention of the Plane of Light, he quirked his head. It was not often that he encountered people who were versed in the elemental planes beyond Earth, Air, Water and Fire. The Plane of Light was sacred to him given his dominion as the God of Light. It was a place that was attuned to him and he to it on a very fundamental level. He had not traveled there in a very long time and it was likely he needed to visit it in order to set a few things right. Her bringing up the subject did spark in him an idea of how to approach the eclipse.

“I have a unique connection to the Plane of Light. I used that bridge to bring it here and banish them.” That was, perhaps, an easier explanation than simply saying that he was divine outright. Despite recent events, he had no doubt that Solunarians would likely still be uneasy with the idea of coming face to face with the epitome of a demon in their religious faith.

“It is dangerous to be out here alone, Mistress Hilana. Do you have nobody to watch over you while you work?” He quirked his head. While it was not lost on him how protective some animal companions could be, in the current times, that would not be enough against such creatures as the shadow spawn.

[Hilana Chenzira]

She and her aura was clear of injuries, at least - he had gotten to her fast enough to prevent them. What it showed, however, was a very curious girl with a strong connection to her animals. She was out here collecting plants in order to help others. She had patients that needed medicine, and plants were what she used. She bore a single Rune, a sun that seemed to be made of molten gold, on her right palm. Elementalism. Though judging from her earlier attempts at using it for defense, the girl was either very much a novice with it or unused to using it in combat. Considering the den of magical vipers in this country, it was likely the former. She did not have Semblance, or if she did, she was a master in order to hide it. But she also didn’t seem to have that sort of guile, because nothing else about her was hidden. Granted, she had some very unusual energy to her, but it was more akin to an overgrown toddler that had been given far too much sugar rather than any sort of discernible arcane influence or ability; and that energy she was keeping under wraps. Probably for the better, because there was an awful lot of it. Her animals were much the same - they were not Animus practitioners hiding in plain sight, though both were as enamoured of her as she was of them. And funnily enough, the thick python around her neck was more relaxed and comfortable with his presence than the cuddly-looking quadruped. Hayima’el’s attitude was simply due to being protective of his Vastiana.

When he expressed a preference for continuing the conversation in Vastian, Hilana nodded, smiling up at him. “I am happy to,” she was cheerful. She got along just fine with a number of Peregrini due to her bright, inquisitive nature and relatively relaxed attitudes. She spoke in Vastian often with her student, Finn, to help teach him the language and practice it with him, and when she had had to help host and entertain the families of her father’s foreign business guests, she had taught them a bit too while mostly conversing with them in Common as they liked. “It is our pleasure to meet you, Daemon.”

She was almost disappointed that it wasn’t Elementalism, but she was curious to learn about it all the same. Her camel was becoming interested in him, looking him over from under long eyelashes with those big eyes of his. She released the reins and gave the beast a scratch on his neck and patted his shoulder encouragingly, giving him time to look the white-haired man over and size him up. The wings didn’t bother him, but he smelled and looked different from Raithen. Still, she had a lot to learn about magic, so when he explained that he had a connection to that Plane, she nodded in acceptance of it. But it definitely sparked more questions for her, though at the same time, Hilana did not want to vex the handsome Avialae with too many questions at once. She wasn’t so familiar with him that it was acceptable to barrage him with a dozen questions at a time. Perhaps he was a follower of the Prince of Dragons? She would have to find out. “Have you been there?” She would have to find it, and then find a way to get there somehow if she ever wanted to Attune to it. And in Solunarium, considering that was Arcas’ Domain, finding information on that outside of stories was challenging indeed. The girl was a diligent student, though, and her teacher was as much an encyclopaedia about their shared Rune as she was on plants. But that was still well over her head, and Hilana knew better than anyone that she needed to focus on the basics before entertaining notions of these much rarer Planes. She was already determined to find that of Wood, and hell-bent on visiting it. If she could find one, perhaps she could find another.

The difficult we do immediately, the impossible takes a little longer, and miracles are by appointment only.

“You need not call me Mistress, just Hilana is fine,” she assured him. “My mentor did arrange for a mage to accompany me today,” Hilana admitted, “but something came up with another Caste that took precedence. My friends and some others who would normally come with me were busy today, but I have patients that need medicine. Supplies get low, and that can’t wait. So it’s just Hayima’el, Tiaz, and I.” Before the Eclipse, that would have been enough, but now? Even she had to admit it wasn’t, and that did bother her. “Still, you saved my life. I don’t suppose you might like some lunch? I have a picnic packed,” the girl brightened. It would be nice to have some company, and she could perhaps find out more about him. She thought his accent sounded a bit like Finn’s - so perhaps he was from Kalzasi. “If you’ve nothing better to do with your day, I could pay you for your time, too.”

[Talon]

D A E M O N

“Many times.” He had traveled to the Plane of Light on numerous occasions though not recently. Certainly not in this life. “It is a beautiful place.”

He could hear the longing in his own voice. The Plane of Light was a place that resonated with him in ways that only places sacred to the divines could. It was a realm that manifested in its entirety one of the three domains that he presided over. There were other beings tied to it in a more loose fashion. Certainly spirits of Light, Fire, and even other deities that had domains that touched upon aspects of Light held sway there but it was a realm where he reigned in supremacy due to his very divinity being chief in that space.

“Hilana, it is.” He listened as she explained how she had come to travel out into the desert on her own. Having noted her rune of Elementalism present within the tapestry of her aura, he could also gauge her capacity for. It did not hold the weight of a seasoned practitioner within the imprint of her aetheric signature so he could only guess that either she was very new to the rune or she was very good at masking her ability. He was inclined to believe the former. Her words told him that she was something of a healer. He could respect such a profession immensely. He knew many skilled healers. Without the knowledge they provided, his very race would have likely gone extinct long ago, for better or worse. His homeland held medicinal practitioners in the highest regard and by extension, so did he.

“And what mighty protectors they are.” His tone was not mocking. He knew well how the bond of an animal companion could save one’s life. He smiled kindly at Hayima’el and Tiaz.

“Perhaps I could assist you in gathering the plants and materials you are here for? Lunch afterwards is very welcome, if you do not mind the addition of a third. My partner was the one who noticed your impending peril. I intervened so that he could continue resting. We have our own supplies, so no need to worry.” He waved away her offer of payment. He had money. He had more money than any one person might ever know what to do with and no shortage of it. The Guild of Coins maintained branches all over the world, even in Ecith and thus he had little to worry about by way of coin.

“Knowledge is the greatest form of payment. Teach me of the plants you are collecting. Share with me what you know and I shall share knowledge with you. You need only ask.” He folded his arms over his chest. In showing his arms there were visible runic markings upon his flesh extending from his shoulders, over the deltoids and even down to the backs of his hands. The exposed parts of his torso even had markings present. He shifted his wings, the light from the artificial sun illuminating the realm of Solunarium causing the silver of the feathers to glint softly.

“Is that a fair exchange to you?”

[Hilana Chenzira]

She knew well the feeling of longing to go somewhere. When she had lacked the freedom in Tertium to go out regularly, it had been hard going for those years. But in the capital, she had been able to until recently. It was still present for her and often, but with the way creatures were swarming, it was harder and harder to just go out on her own now. Everything had to be arranged to be accompanied by someone, and while she had strove for self-sufficiency, these shadowy beings had highlighted her weakness in a very glaring way. And there was nothing for it but to take the time to learn new skills in order to rectify it. But if she didn’t keep learning and keep moving, she would go mad. She resolved to ask him more about it later, if the opportunity arose; if only to be able to keep that information in her rucksack and try to figure out a way to get there when she was ready.

The Vastiana smiled at his words. Her animals were a large part of her life, and for nomads, their camels were everything. Without them, their way of life could not continue; all that made them what they were would be nonexistent. “They are. Hayima’el has a good judgment for people, and Tiaz has only ever bitten one person... but he earned it. Animals have their ways of figuring people out, too,” she scratched the bull’s side. They may not have had Semblance or Mesmer, but she trusted the instincts of her companions. Admittedly the camel could be crotchety until he got to know someone, and he could take a little while to warm up to strangers, but once they were accepted, he was quite calm. Tiaz spent most of his life being handled and carried around people, and as a snake, he was afforded even more respect than the camel was by strangers.

The idea of trading information clearly appealed to her, because that carefully restrained energy sparked with excitement. She was beaming, and her dark eyes brightened up even more, a sure sign that his offer was an attractive one indeed. Hilana was always happy to share knowledge; the fact that she had immediately taken a complete stranger on as a student was testament enough to that fact. And in doing so, Finn had certainly become one of her best friends, and she was able to ask him all kinds of things about himself and his homelands in turn. He, too, was a perfectly capable teacher. She was sure Daemon was much the same. “I would like that very much, please. I owe your partner thanks, too, then. The more the merrier.” Inasmuch as the Vastii were rather closed off to outsiders and suspicious of them, the girl didn’t seem to share that trait. Perhaps it was her upbringing or her curiosity, but the girl was keen for information and the trade couldn’t have been better. “That is perfectly fair,” she bowed to him once more, sweeping her brightly-dyed skirts out in a bit of a curtsy as well. She need only ask? Well, she only hoped she wouldn’t make him regret those words.He had so many Runes and markings, and the girl definitely wondered about them. She wondered, too, if that was part of what drew him here. She would have to find out. A number of Peregrini that she had met all had a number of Runes, and she was curious to know which ones he bore, because the markings were extensive.

Hayima’el was starting to approach the Demigod, sniffing him. He kept his head up to make sure he remained taller than the winged man, and at his full height, the beast was still bigger than most camels he had seen in these lands. The saddle had to be nearly ten feet off of the ground what with the pads building up around the hump to support the wooden seat. Once he was near in front of him, he extended his neck and blew a steady stream of air at him. “He is introducing himself to you,” Hilana explained to Daemon. “Camels and horses are alike in that they will blow air at your face to give you their scent, and now you can blow into his nostrils to give him your scent.” While these beasts were something she had grown up with, she knew full well that it was different for others - especially if they had wings with which to fly. But with that exchange out of the way, Hayima’el would certainly relax more and return to checking out the foliage. Tacit approval and acceptance meant he wasn’t about to choose violence for his mistress’s rescuer.

“Please, come,” Hilana stepped to the side, angling her head, and motioned Daemon over to her with a smile. She turned and settling back on her knees in the sands, having made room for him in front of the bush that was perhaps a metre tall. “If you do not catch a word, let me know, and I will repeat it for you.” He was doing well so far, but she liked to be a thorough teacher, and that meant making sure her students understood fully what she was trying to convey. Sometimes the devil was in the details. The python on her shoulders wrapped the end of his tail around one of her arms, so that he could stretch himself out some more to check out the newcomer. But the beast was apparently quite lazy and content where he was, tasting Talon’s scent, too.

“This is white sage,” she began. “It is an evergreen perennial shrub... it grows constantly. It is called white sage because of the colour of the little hairs on its leaves." Gentle, knowing fingers lifted some of those leaves to show off the pale colour. A close-up look would show him that there were a lot of tiny, fine white hairs covering the leaves of the plant. “We call it bee sage sometimes, too - bees love it, but most honeybees do not actually do much for it by means of pollination. There are other types of bees, like carpenter bees, that do. White sage is used for a number of reasons. The seeds,” her fingers went up into the few dried out flowers of an older plant, opening the petals to show him the dark, rounded seeds contained at the very core, “are edible, and nomads often use them in food preparations. We grind them up, and mix with other foods, like cinnamon, agave, bulgur, and wheat... and then we use that to make flatbreads or as a thickening agent for stews or soups. Normally they bloom in late Glade through to mid-Searing, so that’s why this flower is a bit dried out, but that’s perfectly fine. I like it that way, too.”

Once the girl got to talking, the difficulty may have been in getting her to stop, because she kept on going. “The leaves can be boiled to make a tea with, and that tea helps with painful stomachs, inflammation, and infection. They can also be used with Imperial moss to make a topical gel to treat surface wounds and help keep infection out that way, if it’s what you have on hand,” that was another surprising tidbit about her, the fact that she seemed to know about plants beyond the borders of her Kingdom. Her teachers had been thorough indeed. “I’m taking the roots, too, though, because I like to make tea with them to help fortify and strengthen women that are preparing for childbirth or have just gone through it. So we are gentle with the roots, can’t just rip it up. That is wasteful and disrespectful to nature and the elements, and wasting things needlessly is not very good in nomadic culture. We take what we need, and leave the rest to grow. We must be sustainable so that we do not overharvest. We must leave more to grow back and come back to... so the rule of thumb that I have been taught, and I teach my student, is that no matter how much I need, I never take more than one third of what is here. That way I can keep coming back to my spots over time and there will be more growing,” her fingers went down into the dirt, and she tapped it encouragingly for him to dig, too. She had already used the trowel to move the bulk of the dirt out of the way, and now it was time to get their hands dirty and find and ease the roots free. It may have been delicate work, and he may have been much bigger and larger than she was, but she had confidence in him to be able to try it, too. “I know air is often the element of the Avialae, but there is grounding and healing in earth,” she offered. “Balance and harmony in all things, yes?”

[Talon]

D A E M O N

“The koruhane of my homeland in Kalzasi are similarly temperamental. One must introduce oneself first. Never approach in disrespect. Always watch to see if your company is still welcome.” He paused, realizing that perhaps the word for the great birds of Kalzasi might not have translated effectively. Even with the assistance of his enchanted earring, he would likely need to elaborate.

“Koruhane. Icewing phoenix. They are giant eagles gifted with powers over wind, snow, and ice. Sometimes they befriend members of my people and in so doing, allow that friend the privilege of flying with them.” He blew some of his scent toward the camel and waited. He watched to see for any signs of aggression. He was not afraid. He simply did not want to cause distress to the animal and thereby cause difficulty for Hilana. When Hayima’el seemed content with his presence, or at least tolerant of it, he followed Hilana as she bade. When she began introducing him to the white sage plant, he knelt down so that he did not have to stoop. His wings spread out beside him.

“Thank you, Hilana.” He leaned forward, watching as she dug around to extract some of the plant from the earth. Lacking any proper digging tools himself, he simply touched his hand to the earth and called upon the powers of Elementalism. Earth was an element that he used fairly frequently given his particular specialty in how he usually expressed his elemental magic. While Fire was his Arche, Earth came closely after simply because he blended the two together so often. Gently he simply brushed his hand over the earth and it complied with his silent request. The dirt moved away from the base of the plant and kindly released the roots that were woven into the ground. Once he had exposed a portion of the white sage similar to what he had seen Hilana do, he touched his fingers to it and with a precise application of his kinetics, made a clean cut. He moved on to the next plant, following Hilana’s lead while applying his own method to match.

“I am not much of an herbalist. My knowledge of plants is more suited for survival and some for alchemy. Not much but a few.” At her mention of balance and harmony he nodded in full agreement. The monks of the Temple of Fallen Skies had taught him a great deal about balance and harmony. He would often get into trouble as a youth while learning and training at the temple. They had often called him too passionate. Too emotional. It had taken years for him to gain a measure of the control and discipline that he exerted as an adult. Even then, he was far more in-tune with his feelings to have ever been a successful monk, not that he was ever meant for such a life. Still, he valued their teachings and did his best to observe them.

“Air is common among my kind, yes. I am arche to Fire, however.” On the edges of his senses he felt movement. Before he could even turn his head, from out of the shadows of the cypress tree nearby sprung forth several of the shadow spawn. He did not pause in his digging of another plant. With a flick of his thoughts he erected a net of kinetic force that latched on to the three shadow creatures that appeared. As they hung there in mid-air, he lifted one of his wings. The silver-white fire manifested over the feathers. He lazily waved his wing toward the creatures sending a wave of the fire toward them. As soon as it touched them, they were immolated instantly. Up close, it would be noticeable to Hilana that the silver flames did not burn any of the ground or foliage that it passed through. It destroyed only the shadow creatures.

He tucked his wings back into place. Around his head there was again that halo of light and symbols. It lingered briefly before fading. He did not even spare the ashes of the creatures a glance as he moved on to the next plant.

“What questions may I answer for you?”

[Hilana Chenzira]

“Koruhane?” She echoed, nodding at the explanation. “Koruhane,” Hilana quite liked the way the word rolled, and she was watching him to make sure her pronunciation of the foreign word was where it was supposed to be. Icewing Phoenix… she could only imagine what they were like, but if they were as temperamental and smart as camels, then she imagined they were truly amazing animals. Especially if they could control wind, ice, and air. And considering how big this man was, if he said they were giant… she wondered how they compared to wyverns. “They must be incredible to see. Perhaps one day, I will travel there to find one.”

She watched his progress with the plants as she spoke, fascinated at the way he seamlessly used Elementalism to smooth the earth away. That was a testament to his skill; she was still learning to commune and ask things of them. And while it was a slow, steady improvement, the elements heeded his wishes well. The cut made her wonder if that was kinetics; or perhaps it was finely-controlled air. Either way, the touch was still as deft and as delicate as the herbalist could have asked for. The pieces went into one of the bags that she had brought with her. “Survival and herbalism go hand in hand. Botany for sustenance and medicine is one and the same,” she was smiling as they worked on the next sage plants. A few more, and they would move onto the next plant on her list, the desert rose. “Much of survival here is knowing what you can eat and what you can’t. A few things that can help against infection, or cleaning wounds, can often help in other ways. We pass the knowledge down along the tribes, but it sometimes feels like a dying art in the cities. I have friends there, other Vastii, that couldn’t tell you the difference in what you can eat and what you can’t if I showed them both at once,” she was smiling as she worked. “But to be fair, they’ve learned much that I have not that has to do with surviving within the walls with playing politics, or arcana.”

She nodded as he spoke of his Arche element being fire. “Do you also practice alchemy? Is magic common amongst the Avialae of Kalzasi?” She asked him curiously, and while he didn’t lift his head to incinerate the creatures, Hilana rose up on her knees and peered around his wings to stare in awe. “How do you sense them? I cannot hear them until they are right there when they hover that way in the air. Hayima’el isn’t hearing them either. Do you utilize Semblance or Mesmer to listen for them?” She once again peered at the halo of light and symbols, propriety gone for the moment, and once it vanished, she peered at his wings. She didn’t dare touch them; that would have been quite rude and implied an inappropriate level of familiarity. It was one thing for her to go over Raithen’s feathers; but quite another for her to go over Daemon’s. But she soon settled back down. “If your Arche is fire, are you blending it with air to make it so white hot that it does that?” He had said he had a special connection to the Plane of Light, but it wasn’t Elementalism that he was using to work with it. “Or are you maybe touched by Arcas?” She wasn’t particularly knowledgeable about Emblems and divine magic; Hilana was essentially grasping at straws. She was starting to think that maybe that was it, but magic affected everyone differently, so maybe that halo…

The girl was somewhat flummoxed. She lacked the knowledge of magic that most of her peers absorbed early on, and she was wracking her brain for what she -did- know to try to figure this out. The control was masterful; it didn’t hurt the foliage, it didn’t scorch anything but those shadowy creatures. If it was an Emblem, well, she was out of luck; but if it was something else…

[Talon]

D A E M O N

He offered only a small correction to her pronunciation, nodding once Hilana had said the word correctly.

“They are.” His admiration for the birds was clear. As he thought on them, he thought about his father’s phoenix. He would have to pay the great eagle a visit. While he was certain that the caretakers at the palace and among House Dahshida were tending to the bird, he still wanted to see it. Icewing eagles seldom ever acknowledged another companion after their first one.

“Where I am from there is a place called the Warrens. It is as dangerous as it is wondrous. The wildlife that grows there is both familiar and strange. My people spend much of their childhood learning the ways necessary to face what lurks there. For as we benefit from the resources in the Warrens, we must also guard against them.” It was not lost on him and likely many of the other powers in the Northlands of Karnor that the reason Kalzasi was so prosperous was because of the Warrens. They held wonders within their depths and those wonders never ceased. There were just as many horrors to be found there as well. The primary reason why Kalzasi’s soldiers and mages were so battle hardened was due to the dangers that constantly lurked there. As well as the dangers that crept up from them.

“Herb craft will remain useful no matter where one goes.” He finished digging up another plant and turned it over to her. At the comment regarding the nature of Solunarium’s politics and arcana he made a low sound of acknowledgement. The games of the desert kingdom were many and even he had been wound up in them.

“Kalzasi is a city that requires magic to survive. Mages are prominent there. It…” He searched for the right words for a moment. “...it was expected that I would become a mage and a warrior.”

His tone left it clear that those expectations were ones stemming from familial responsibilities. The firstborn son of a daughter of House Briathos and the heir to House Novalys, to say that it had been expected of him to become both of those things was an understatement. He had been fortunate in that he had excelled in both areas. When his younger siblings had been born he had pushed himself that much harder in order to be the shining example of his maternal and paternal lineages. His hard work had paid off and had allowed many of his younger siblings the freedom to pursue more of their own interests. He did not resent or regret his upbringing. It was part of what had made him into the man he was.

“I practice many forms of magic. Personal and World.” To her inquiry regarding Semblance, he shook his head. “Kinetics. All things, even shadow beasts, leave an impression in the aether of the world around us. The Aether Flux is the river of motion that this impression forms. As the aether of the creatures moves, I can sense most of them. There are ways to hide one’s presence. Most are not intelligent enough to do that.”

He paused in his digging of another plant. Amusement tugged at the corner of his mouth as she was so close to the truth regarding who he was.

“Touched by Arcas?” He chuckled. “I suppose that is one way of putting it.”

Humor glinted in his silver eyes as he regarded Hilana. He would not deny it if she named him thus outright. He had, after all, told her that he was known by several names.