A Tower for Learning

[Kala Leukos]

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The Elder God spilled out His wisdom, killing her while Raella brought her back in an unending cycle. She tried to catch it all, but she remained a sieve. She was not yet as manifest as Talon, not as steady and enduring as the Goddess of Healing nor the Goddess of Commerce.

Kala wasn't ready, but then nobody could be ready for this.

If it was for her to define the stars, then it was more likely that she would define their meaning. They were balls of fire, collapsing in upon themselves even as they poured decaying matter out into the cold empty void. She could not change that, but she could remind people that they were all made of the same stardust in different, beautiful variations.

Unity wasn't sameness. It was connection.

Until he touched her shoulder, Kala didn't realize that Kaus had come to join her. He would always stand beside her, even in defiance of the Gods should it come to that. Her other half was there and she felt whole again. She blinked as the world seemed to ripple about her. Her ears filled with starsong and she fell back, scream rising to join their celestial voices. The burned, cold and distant in the sky, and their light descended to answer her. She didn't know what the others saw, but she heard the ancient melodies that rode light for millennia just to reach Ransera, and she saw the light complete the sigils that remained beyond her ken even after what she thought was mastering their language.

The Elliador Gate began to sing in harmony that was painful.

She didn't know what she was doing. Perhaps it would drive her into His embrace to be spooled out into a newborn soul. Perhaps it would answer the question posed by the masterwork of scrivening.

Kaus caught what weight the Dreadlord didn't. Her followers started to their feet, movement arrested before they reached her, not wanting to interfere with Death Himself.

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[Paragon]

P A R A G O N

The Stars heard the music of Kala’s scream and returned it with melodies of their own. Those unknowable spheres of cosmic fire and gas that burned themselves into oblivion, some exploding into waves of untold destruction, some collapsing into voids that consumed the universe with a ravenous hunger, enraged by the death that was their own making by design. Across the bridge of Unity, these infinite children heard their Divine Mother and answered in unison.

A Goddess demanded they shine. So they did.

Wraedan held onto Kala, serving as the bridge through which she channeled her power. He extended a hand and with a snap of his fingers, the young goddesses will became reality. The winds picked up and the realmspace that they occupied shifted as it merged with the reflection of itself in the prime material realm. As it did, the skies above the world of Ransera on that dark night slowly saw a writing of the shadows that were overcast. Starlight began to pierce through the inky blackness of the void that had spread across the night sky until the tendrils of black were forced to retreat back into the sphere that was their origin.

And all across Ransera, the voidspawn were now made even more vulnerable as unrestrained starlight and moonlight shone down upon them.

Wraedan released Kala’s hand, ushering her attendants to come to her. He let his hands come to rest at the small of his back, studying their small group. When Kala collected herself, on the back of her hand where the Grimlord had touched, there was a runic symbol. It was a symbol comprised of a perfect unity of the many symbols that comprised the Elliador Gate. Over the door to the tower, the three locks stood complete.

“A gift. That is your key, Kala and only by your hand shall the door to this tower open.” He turned and began walking away. As he passed, he brushed a hand over Nessena’s scales. The dragon shivered and rose, moving to accompany her divine patron. Over his shoulder, Wraedan spoke softly.

“Think wisely upon your paths, Kala. One of them may yet lead to a different eternity.” And with that, he and Nessena faded into the night.

Venetia started out of her shocked state. Her breathing was rapid. Sweat was upon her brow. She blinked at Kala. She looked around in a panic, clutching her staff.

And then she saw the night sky overhead. She saw the stars. She saw the moon. And she saw the Wraedan and the black dragon were gone.

“D-did the Grimlord…did he…?” She looked at the tower. “He answered your prayer?”

[Kala Leukos]

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The Little Star felt spears of starlight hit the ground all over Ransera. She felt them pierce the shadow creatures, not killing, but weakening, opening the means by which normal people might protect themselves. It was a small miracle, and not one she would claim publicly, but she felt a sense of completion that she hadn't realized had been missing. All but swooning, she managed to recover even as the Grimlord was gingerly transferring her to her twin, who held firmly to one of her hands, his other supporting her at the small of her back.

It was difficult to pull her gaze away from that of Death Himself, but she did look to the key he had inscribed in runes upon her hand. It shone now; perhaps it would be less visible when she returned home. Life was leaving its marks upon her, though not in the way most women dreaded.

"Thank you, Great Shepherd," she said, bowing with Kaus' help. Her Silver Wings remained on their knees.

Visit me when you can, my friend, she thought to Nessena even as the ebon-scaled dragon disappeared with her Master.

When Kala had her feet under her and Venetia asked her question, Kaus offered her a hand up as well.

"No..." Kala managed. "I prayed to Ioniri, who has heard my prayers before. I suppose Nessena called to her Master—the black dragonflight belongs to Death." She realized once she said it that the woman likely knew that, but Kala was somehow brimming with energy and utterly drained at the same time.

The Elder God had empowered her to open the Elliador Gate and enter the tower, but she wasn't sure if that was wise in this moment. Even as they traversed each stumbling block, they had come close to death. Perhaps she ought to be more powerful and better informed before she tried that. After all, the stars and the moon had returned. At least a part of the puzzle had been solved.

The Silver Wings were rising shaky-legged to their feet. Asallon dared venture closer to the Gate to examine it. Meanwhile, Kala began to wonder how much she ought to trust Venetia. It felt as though they were here through a Unity of Purpose, but she hadn't fully embodied her power nor her domains, and wasn't sure whether she could trust that.

"Whither will you go from here?" she asked. "It seems as though one can approach the southron tower from anywhere." Kala hadn't quite sussed out how space and time worked with regard to the towers and trees that had appeared in the cardinal directions. Certainly, there must have been some divine geometry involved.

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[Paragon]

P A R A G O N

Venetia took a moment to collect herself. She looked from Kala, to the Silver Wings and then to the tower. A shiver passed through her as she got to her feet, using her staff as a means of supporting herself. She brushed off her robes and pushed a few strands of hair out of her face. She looked at the skies and then to their surroundings. The landscape would be unfamiliar to Kala but Venetia seemed to recognize it.

“No, I suspect that the tower is now in its proper place in the world.” The woman ceased looking skyward as the stars became visible in the pitch blackness. She took a deep breath as though relieved and let it out slowly.

“It seems whatever was anchoring the darkness to the skies has been dissipated. The Grimlord smiled upon us. For now.” She held her staff more tightly. Looking at Kala, Venetia gave her a nod.

“I suspect there is much to be discovered here.” She hesitated for a moment. Her eyes drifted over to the tower. “But I am afraid you and your companions must go it alone from here. I take my leave.”

Venetia turned and began walking away from the tower.

“Until we meet again, Lady.” Venetia brought out the lantern that she had been carrying when first they encountered her. As she did, a ring on her finger bloomed to life sending out a stream of energy. The slipstream came into focus for her and she quietly walked through the portal that formed without a single glance back at the tower behind her. The portal closed immediately after.

And there they stood. The stars had been returned to Ransera. But they mysteries of the tower still remained. To be explored another day.

Off Topic

R E W A R D S

Name: Kala
XP: +15 XP, can be used for magic.
Requested Lore: +12 Lores

Note(s): The South Tower is now physically accessible within Ransera. Exploration will reveal that it is located on the island in the Crystal Sea to the south of the Kingdom of Atinaw. Attempts to enter the tower will be thwarted by any and all means both mundane and magical. The only method of entry is via the key mark that has been bestowed upon Kala. When you are ready to explore the interior of the tower, please let me know.