Shinsei Errant [Talon]

[Kala Leukos]

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The Palace of the First Wind
40th of Glade, Year 123 of Steel

Her conference with Lord Minister Tianoch concluded, Kala walked the halls with her assistant, a mixed-blood elf with a penchant for surreptitious glances and expensive jewelry. The Vice-Minister made a point of showing her face in the places of power, mostly to assuage the Queen-Regent's anxieties about her safety. But she could also be found regularly taking tea with Marda Ahtivin, one of her few confidants. While her divinity remained a secret, she was still the only Avialae woman with wings outside of Atoria—at least, as far as anyone knew. With great power came great responsibility and she was doing her utmost to allay fears about the future of her race, but she was left little time to study draconic and alchemy, so more winged women might not be in the offing for some time.

The demon indwelt at her side looked at her curiously, if not suspiciously. She didn't have to see it to feel it.

"You aren't wrong, Kanedama," she said quietly.

He blinked and looked away. Her eyes saw too much anyway, at least to his mind. It wasn't just her eyes, though.

"Has there been any new movement with regard to the succession?" she asked.

"No, Vice-Minister."

Kala sighed. Sahfri was an effective regent, but they needed a permanent ruler, whoever was elected. Zaichaer was not a threat while it was slowly rebuilding, but it wasn't the only city-state with views aligned with the Order of Reconciliation, and she herself had first-hand experience of the Imperium's might. The longer they dallied, the more Kalzasi looked like fruit ripe for the plucking.

"Well, we have some time before my next appointment. Perhaps Lord Veyl will see us."

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[Talon]

“A recent disruption in some of the illumite protection wards, my prince.” Talon frowned. He had been hearing about these disruptions more commonly. Dawnstone dragonshards that gave out when they should have otherwise stood firm against the shadowspawn hordes that had been attacking them.

“Casualties?” There was hesitation which caused him to pause in his stride. He turned slightly to regard the Guard Captain.

“Seventeen, my prince.” An entire squadron. An entire squadron of trained soldiers decimated because of faulty wards. That was something that he would need to address and with all haste. The Novalys Mining Company had been working overtime to uproot and eradicate the source of this corruption that was tampering with the dragonshard trade. It was exhaustive work and required very specialized inspectors who were either skilled at Semblance or intimately familiar with how to detect anomalies through proper equipment.

“And their families?” The captain gave a bow.

“We are seeing to their affairs, my prince. Also, I have been informed that a Cleric of the Dawnmartyrs has been making visitations to them.” That bit of news was still something he was getting accustomed to. There was a part of him that simply saw the worship and proselytizing of his faith as something that was his due. The part of him that was still mortal was still processing that he was even more removed from the actual realm of mortals than ever before. It had prompted a rather stark shift in both his views and how he approached daily life.

“Thank you, Captain.” The Sky Guard soldier gave another bow. “I want an inspection of the remaining warded areas for discrepancies. Please coordinate with the Circle of Spells, House Briathos, and the Spellforged Division of the Dawnmartyrs to ensure sufficient expertise is employed to find and address these corrupted shards.”

With that instruction, the Guard Captain and those accompanying him took their leave. That left Talon by himself, save for the handful of Argent Hand knights that were his personal bodyguards. Upon his return, he had learned that the Dawnmartyr Knights and the detachment of soldiers that served as his bodyguards had joined forces. Many of the Argent Hand were now training with the Dawnmartyrs and his bodyguards had effectively become a subdivision of the Knighthood. From what he understood, competition among the knights had grown rather fierce. He was keen to foster closer ties between the Dawnmartyrs and his own personal affairs as he sought to expand the holy order. As he thought about the many tasks ahead of him, he was brought to a halt as he saw someone he had not seen in some time.

It was shocking, jarring really, to see a woman with wings. It filled him with an indescribable longing, a thrilling sense of hope, and a certain air of disbelief. Of course, he had been briefed by his mother about the emergence of Kala Leukos as a newly made trueborn Avialae. He had been informed of her visit to Atoria, the fabled land of their ancestors. While the details of that venture had been decidedly vague, he had been told of her alleged visit with Garel of Atoria himself. It was an exhilarating thought. Seeing her in front of him, however, brought many other thoughts to the forefront of his mind. The first of them being the Imperium. He shared some of his mother’s reservations regarding Kala’s safety. He knew firsthand the depths of the Imperium’s breeding programs.

Talon came to stand only a few paces away from her. He was a vision of silver and white, as he had taken to displaying the colors of both his House and the Dawnmartyrs. If there was one thing he had learned following his ordeal with the Imperium, in Solunarium and in his experiences thus far, it was to stop hiding who he was, what he was, and what he was capable of. There was no more secret as to who he was. Kalzasi knew that he was Arcas reborn. The Imperium knew that he was Arcas reborn, certainly, Solunarium did. He had stood before the entire pantheon of the gods and had made that much clear. He was learning to embrace more of that role…but as he turned his attention toward the more heavenly responsibilities of his nature he needed to step back from the minutia of things that he once ingrained himself in.

“Lady Leukos. I had heard but…” His eyes trailed over her wings. “Truly it is a marvel to see up close.”

[Kala Leukos]

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No sooner had she turned their steps toward High Lord Veyl then she felt the gravity well of another heavenly body in her periphery. She checked and re-checked the inversion of her aura, the height of her power as a Sembler, to keep her secret safe, even from her divine cousin. It was his abduction as well as her confusion as she began the slow shift from woman to goddess that kept her clandestine about those developments, allowing her wings to be seen in order to give them something to marvel over, something that would allow her to prepare for the greater revelation.

But he was still her prince and—no matter what Eikaen said, she had her suspicions about this world and Talon's place in it—the favored son of the Dragon King. She genuflected, mantling her wings for him to see. They were white, though the lamplight shone on their faint golden patina. Kanedama bowed lower, though when he rose, there was a calculating glint in his eyes.

"Your Divine Highness," she greeted, her smile warmer than her proper greeting. "'Tis a marvel to see you up close again as well, back in Kalzasi."

Kaus and her Silver Wings were not here present at the moment. She allowed Sahfri to assuage her anxieties by protecting her while she was within the walls of the Novalys stronghold. But her Leukos-sponsored mercenary company was now quietly a holy order as well, at least to their minds. These were strange times. All she had wanted was wings. Naori had given her the Stars.

"They were a gift of Grandmaster Garel. I cannot claim responsibility for them."

Kala did feel a thrill of anxiety, though. Many an Avialae man looked at her a certain way now, and she could only hope the ethos of the Synnekar would prevent anyone from trying to make her a brood mare as they certainly would in the Imperium. She wondered how Baudric was faring, but she had responsibilities here for now and couldn't save everyone.

Yet. Someday, the Obelisk would fall, and she would take each and every Kathar into a Coalesence to protect their sanity if she had to.

Wings or no, she was merely a vice-minister here in the palace, so she made no request for his time. Surely he had a thousand matters to occupy her time. She knew that as soon as they tore down the veil obscuring the stars, she would surely spend all her limited free time observing their dance across the firmament.

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[Talon]

“You are a woman blessed to be known as remarkable, Lady Kala. It was true when you first set foot in my shop. It remains true now.” He gave her a friendly smile.

Talon opened his senses to the flow of the aethereal realm, drawing the fabric of Kala’s aura into his sight. He thought to inspect the composition of her wings but found that the woman’s aura was drawn tightly around her. He was versed enough in the arts of Semblance to recognize when an aura was being obfuscated. He could see the edge of it bound tightly by powers similar to his own. He did not venture past that edge, letting it remain. He could understand why Kala might want to conceal the details of such a thing given the miracle that it was, a visitation with the literal creator of their race aside, it was a thing that many had likely been probing her about. He did not look deeper. He inclined his head to her and her attendant.

“I found myself free this past Ash but…” He trailed off. His thoughts went to his husband. As soon as they did, he felt Aoren’s presence fill him. A note of curiosity mixed with worry. He performed the telepathic equivalent of a kiss to his partner’s brow and assured him of his wellbeing. His beloved dragon was in the process of training both Mathias and others in the use of weaponry. Talon returned his focus back to Kala.

“I needed time to collect myself. I then worked across places here in the Northlands to alleviate the suffering caused by Zaichaer's treachery. The Brass City's leaders may be deserving of my ire but its people need not suffer for their cruelty. There is also the matter of the Eclipse.” He had been working both with figures of prominence in the ruined Brass City, namely Franky, to help rebuild portions of the city and create a safehaven. Alongside his knights, he had been fighting to push back some of the more dangerous voidspawn creatures that had been cropping up. He could not tackle them all but he could keep an eye out for the more threatening ones and put a stop to them so that ordinary soldiers were not so overwhelmed by seemingly impossible odds.

“I am returned to Kalzasi in full now. As I must be. How fares Starfall? Does it require aid?” He readied himself to turn his light-guided vision to Starfall but awaited Kala's response.

[Kala Leukos]

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A quirk of a smile and a faint blush answered his compliment. She inclined her head; it was graceless to decline a sincere compliment. But she did pull up her wrist so he could see the bauble he had crafted to house Saedene's relic. She kept it with her at all times until it became clear that it needed to go to someone else. Kala hadn't seen the Ara in some time now, and if she had been less thrown by the appearance of Wraeden that night, she might have sent her best regards. She wondered whether Talon had such beings in his entourage, spiritual partners to mirror his earthly ones.

When she felt his runic gaze upon her, she smiled apologetically and loosened some of her tight hold on it. The inversion remained intact to hide her divinity, though she had no idea whether that could hold against his scrutiny should he force the issue. He seemed polite about it, though, and so she allowed him to sense how the aether flowed through her wings. It was not so very different from how it flowed through any Avialae's wings, but seeing them attached to a woman was certainly new, even for her.

"We are glad of your return," she said honestly though she was still of two minds about whether he ought to be God-Shokaze or remain the spiritual guardian of the city-state and leave its political guidance to a mortal. "Some humanitarian aid has been sent to the remnants of Zaichaer." Her chin rose at that, perhaps unconsciously expecting pushback for her decision. But only bullies kicked someone when they were down, and the best chance for a lasting peace in the northlands was to be kind and humane. "And I am certain that apotheosis is a process that requires more than mortals know. I was present when Lord Rickter ascended." This, at least, she said quietly. The wolf of winter had admitted as much to her, but then she had been there. They were all coping with momentous changes as best they knew how.

"Starfall is well. There are modest illumite deposits that are tended like fields. Our runesmiths made most efficient use of their power to create lamps that allowed for runic magic, as well as the ability to damage the shadow creatures. Thankfully, with the return of night's luminaries, the dark is not safe, but it is safer. Oh, but... I have been meaning to seek out your husband. He is, I'm certain, even busier than I am, but I need to learn draconic to suss out Garel's miracle. I was hoping to speak to him with some regularity. And, if your royal mother will allow, travel to Antiris both in my capacity as Vice-Minister of Finance and to speak to their dragonriders and the dragons they ride."

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[Talon]

“Then you are among the few who are glad of it.” Talon did not miss the concerned stares when he entered the council chamber. There was a tension between himself and the other Daizoku. There was a discomfort in the assembly of lords at large whenever he spoke on matters. When he spoke, he had been finding that the case was often considered closed following his thoughts on a given matter. When the floor would open for debate on his proposals, silence reigned. Nobles would shift uncomfortably in their seats. Clerks would rush to ensure that his words were transcribed as though they were already considered law. Even the normally vociferous Tizan Veyl was silent. More than once he had been forced to clarify that he wanted to hear what the rest of the council had to say. It was starkly different from when he used to stand in for his father during council meetings.

“There are those among the council who politely suggest that I perhaps have more important matters to give my attention to. Gentle instructions from other council members that I should only be disturbed with matters of monumental importance. I do not see how I am to govern if I am never informed of anything.” He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. He had noticed it even during his meetings with the Sky Guard hierarchy and he was directly charged with the management of Kalzasi’s military as the Daizoku of House Novalys. One day when Mathias had returned from training with some of the other soldiers, he had informed Talon that it was considered all but heresy to not offer up a prayer to him at some point before the day’s duties began. It was a dissonance that he was not sure he wanted to grow accustomed to.

“I am glad that you are seeing to humanitarian assistance, Lady Kala. Zaichaer’s people need not suffer infinitely for the Dornkirk’s treachery.” He was aware that one of the Dornkirk brothers yet lived and was serving as one of the leaders rebuilding the community. He had some thoughts on that matter but there would be time enough to deal with that.

“Ah, Rickter.” He sighed and shook his head. That was another matter that he needed to discuss. He was aware of Rickter’s ascension. They still shared a Bond after all though it was quiet more often than not as of late. He surmised it was because the wolf was drawn into his own thoughts and was attempting to sort things out.

“Two demigods in Kalzasi. We have the makings of what the Commonwealth of Ecith has in the Triumvirate. I will be doing what I can to keep a close eye on him, that he might learn from my mistakes.” He looked in the direction where he could feel Rickter. “And perhaps do something about this harsh winter.”

At Kala’s mention of Antiris, Talon quirked his head.

“If you might visit Antiris, you could stay with my sister and her family. She and her husband are both dragonriders among their knights. As for Aoren…” He brushed over his husband’s thoughts. The reply was immediate followed by warmth. It made Talon smile. “...he would be happy to help guide you.”

[Kala Leukos]

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"Yours was ever a precarious position, my Shinsei," she replied smoothly. "Revelations and happenings have made it even more so. It may be some balm to know that as you are growing accustomed to your new powers and duties, so to are your subjects. This generation remembers Talon Novalys the man; future generations will only know Talon the Lord of Light. Certainly you will change, but few will be the people who have witnessed that change."

Kala had, of course, been giving such matters a great deal of thought.

"I now have a line of communication with Stefan Dornkirk," she added. "It is my aim to rebuild peaceful relations with the Brass City so nobody needs to have a wedding reception as... raucous as yours." Perhaps it was too early to make a joke, but sometimes humor could heal. "It is also my aim to learn more about what happened that day. They still think us responsible for the rent in the sky above their ruins, and if they were a cog in the machine that struck Kalzasi, I want to understand the engineering of it." And she wanted to be able to nip similar schemes in the bud in the future.

The winged woman was pleased with some responses, less so with others. She would invite Aoren to the Pavilion for tea or perhaps something more bracing. He might enjoy the respite from his duties, and certainly her House had a quiet reputation as good hosts. Perhaps Talon would join them for the draconic conversations, and she would take his words as permission to travel to Antiris. If Sahfri was upset, she could deal with Talon. If the lords and ladies deferred to him, so might she. At least, she wouldn't undermine him, and that suited Kala's purposes just fine. It wasn't as though she wouldn't travel with her brother, her Silver Wings, and with an entourage. And Antiris was allied with them now for all intents and purposes. She would be safe.

But perhaps she would have to visit Rickter more often.

"I... did something about the stars," she admitted. "It is my educated guess that this winter will only break when the other edifices are... solved." Hers had been more puzzle than anything. She didn't actually know if solving the others would be the same. The Grimlord hadn't offered further instruction, nor did she expect it. Her philosophy about the world was in flux, but nobody was asking her about that so she kept it to herself. In any case, she braced herself for more questions. Her own position was precarious—working to stabilize Karnor while also working behind the scenes to save the world.

A small part of her wished she could cut ties with Kalzasi and Starfall, give herself entirely to what she was becoming, but she knew she could not. Those ties would stretch as time went on and people died. She was not looking forward to that final snap.

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[Talon]

He was silent for a moment as he contemplated Kala’s words. After a pause, he nodded his head.

“That very same topic is one that Karam and I have discussed quite frequently as of late.” He had visited the Lord of House Senue periodically since his return and more frequently in more recent days. It was a dance that the two of them were playing. Karam was pushing for his position, the closest that any Senue has ever had to ousting a Novalys from the throne of Kalzasi. With every passing day, Talon had begun to wonder if the time had not come for such a transition to occur. More and more his attention was being required in other matters that demanded he relinquish the more taxing duties associated with the crown. It was one thing to manage the estate of House Novalys where there were various officials who handled the minutia but it was quite another matter to sit upon the throne as king where many aspects of government could not move forward without the sovereign’s involvement.

At Kala’s mention of Stefan Dornkirk, a flash of anger crossed his features that he smoothed quickly. His jaw tightened. He did not see the humor in the atrocity at his wedding.

“Forgive me if I fail to find the humor in this moment. Others might have had over a year to process their grief, Lady. I have only been free a few months. With that being said, I am glad that Minister Dornkirk yet lives to answer for his crimes. The Brass City’s people may not need to suffer, but I will not tolerate his leadership continuing when he has yet to answer for conspiracy, treachery, murder, regicide and my imprisonment. A fact, Vice-Minister, I would encourage you to remember.” He cooled his irritation and forced himself to relax. Kala was only trying to maintain peace in uncertain and challenging times. He could respect that but there was no getting around the fact that Stefan Dornkirk had been directly involved in the murder of his late father. No matter how much they wanted peace and even if he did not take the throne of Kalzasi himself, it would not be something he let slide. At her statement regarding the destruction that befell Zaichaer, Talon scoffed.

“Then clearly Minister Dornkirk is ill-informed of the negotiations that took place during the ceasefire summit. In Zeraphesh, it was confessed before Lord Senue, the Guild of Coins, an officer of the Zaichaeri military and other diplomats that Kalzasi’s involvement in that catastrophe was fabricated. One, Franky of the Knob. A Hobgoblin businessman with ties to the journalists among the common populace. The man confessed to it himself, at that very summit. He confessed the same to me when I sought him in Zaichaer.” Talon sighed heavily, shaking his head. There was a veritable quagmire of political turmoil still waiting for them. Turmoil that would not soon be resolved.

“All that tells me is that he is still woefully disconnected from the common people who still struggle on the ground in Zaichaer, while he and his Reconciliators barricade themselves in their flying fortresses. It leaves me to wonder where the resources you are negotiating are actually going. To the Zaichaeri military hierarchy or to the people who truly need it?” Needless to say, his impression of any surviving Dornkirk was not a positive one and that impression would remain so until such time as any of them came forward to answer for what was done. He sighed again and let his irritation cool further as Kala spoke on helping to solve the dilemma of the stars in the night sky.

“Gratitude, Lady Leukos. I understand that these are trying and difficult times. The lingering winter. The battles our cities fought. The rift above Zaichaer. The refugees. You are a beacon and I hope you continue to remain so.”

[Kala Leukos]

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Her eyes widened slightly at the vehemence of his reaction to the mildest hint of humor. Kala had been there, as well, fighting for Shokaze and the realm alongside her twin. Certainly, she hadn't lost a father or been kidnapped along with her beloved. But he chastised her with things far above her pay grade. She had spoken for her lady mother at the convocation to discuss the succession. Now she attempted to maintain the flow of trade, which was necessary for all the city-states of Karnor lest they become easy pickings for the Gelerian Imperium. Apparently, quite a bit was considered need to know and she was not a part of that circle.

Kala took her dressing down with all the aplomb she could muster. She knew the Shinsei was traumatized by all those events, as were the rest of his guests at that party. Wherever he fled when he needed to get away from Kalzasi with its reminders and responsibilities, she didn't know. She only hoped that the death of one father and the arms-reach relationship with the other would not break him. Too much depended upon him.

If his response seemed out of proportion with her using understatement to keep things light, she could chalk it up to that.

"Of course, your Highness," she said, bowing. "Forgive me."

If Sahfri was taking extreme steps to keep Kala's wings under wraps, she supposed it was only natural she was doing so with all news of import. There had been rumors of Talon's return long before Kala had seen him with her own eyes.

Kala could hardly criticize. She was using her wings to hide an even greater secret from the wider world. The winged young woman considered speaking to Marda Ahtivin with more frequency, but she didn't want to take advantage of their bond and her discretion by asking her to be indiscreet on her behalf as well.

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[Talon]

Talon sighed. He reached up to pinch the bridge of his nose. He had…reacted strongly. Just as he was still processing many of the traumas he had been subjected to, he had to remind himself that only he and Aoren were truly privy to the details. No matter what he confided in friends, they were not there. Nor would he ever have wanted them to witness such things. He dropped his hand and stared out into the distance for a moment before pressing on.

“Sometimes, I am made to wonder if the world has need or want of Talon Novalys as much as it needs and wants Arcas the Lightbringer.” The pitfalls of this very conversation stood out in his mind. Kala could not have known some of those things or more precisely, she had been omitted from information that could have proved vital in her duties. He had to wonder if his mother and the council had made such a choice for their benefit or his. As the months following his freedom had carried on, he had been placed in a position where he realized that much of the world he knew would one day come to an end. With the unity of his soul and the full realization of who and what he was, there seemed to be less of Talon and more of Arcas with each passing day. His entire world view had shifted. The ancient memories that lingered in the corners of his mind made much of what was in front of him seem small by comparison. He thought of Raxen’s words in how he thought too much like a mortal.

“May I ask something of you, Lady Kala?” He looked at her. “Do you believe Karam to be a good man?”

The two of them had been speaking on and off in weeks of late. Most of their conversations centered around governance. The on-going eclipse was forcing House Senue to alter its strategies with regard to agriculture, wild game, livestock and other resource management that it oversaw. To that end, House Novalys was being asked to supply and coordinate alternating patrols of soldiers and reinforce key food storage areas in the event rationing became deeply necessary. A hungry populace was prone to rioting and they would need to be careful. It had not come to that yet but if the eclipse pressed on…it would. In all of their conversations, Karam had proven himself to be solely focused on the needs of Kalzasi’s people. Unlike his father who had been obsessed with his own prominence and prestige, Karam wielded his power with far sharper skill.