A Cry For Help
Frost 1st, 124th Year, A.o.S.
At dawn, He had felt the arrival of the season in full swing once the sun had risen, the stars overhead slowly outshone by the rising sun as it gradually crept over the horizon. For Kalzasi that always meant a later sunrise due to the Astralar mountain range, but naturally, those who lived within the Jewel of the North knew to expect such delayed lighting. Nevertheless, that did not stop the Draegir of Light from carrying out his usual duties, bringing the luminance of the morning sun in with a steady cold breeze from the north.
For Rickter, it spelled the sure tell sign that Frost had come back as it did every year, the arrival harboring its combination of challenges as the cold would soon settle in even beyond the wilds of Karnor. There were still public appearances and relations he would be expected to maintain now, and naturally, being the Lord of Frost in general meant He was the Draegir expected to uphold the ideals that were tied to his domain.
Being the King of Winter he felt it his obligation to ensure that this year remained relatively peaceful, preferably not as strenuous as the last had been also. The Black Winter certainly set a poor example in his wake but with His return and awakening, Rickter had every inclination to set the standard for what mortals should expect with the season. Kalzasi was no different either. Being the northernmost situated city near the lake, nested within the mountain range also, the landscape often battered the locals with bitter temperatures and rampant blizzards.
This year though, the wolf wanted to deliver a different experience for the North. He wanted everyone to experience what the real joys of Frost would be, which is why the moment he awoke and rose from bed, Rickter knew he would be in for an interesting experience the moment the cold breeze wafted around his familial home. Everyone knew to dress a little warmly for the season, yet even so, that expected heavy chill did not threateningly infiltrate the walls as it normally used to. But the breeze did not relent in seeking him out either.
As his family enjoyed a hearty breakfast to start their day, pan fried eggs with servings of sausage pork links, boiled rice, and butter baked dumplings to give the meal an extra creamy treat. Rickter had already enjoyed the majority of his fill, but of course, half of his second plate was only gone and he'd felt capable of eating maybe another. The rest of the household, including his immediate family and the Mazes who lived here before him, were finishing their meals as Telion and Hannah enjoyed their time helping the twins.
First meal of the day was always rambunctious like this, given the twins were old enough to start wolfing down their own food also. Seeing them developing their motor skills though, and learning how to use utensils never failed to entertain the adults gathered around the table; and of course the servants were never short on messes to clean after. Regardless of how their morning routines went, today immediately took a turn for the different when that frigid draft came through the panels of the window shutters.
Almost immediately upon experiencing the cold breeze, the family paused before their attentions turned to who it beckoned to, which in turn led Rickter to pause from his meal and lower the pair of chopsticks held in his hand. Frost already called it would seem. Not that the wolf hadn't noticed already, for He had felt the full might of Frost empowering him the moment the moon reached it's zenith. Even the aurora borealis that would manifest throughout the night had shone brighter in response to the transition.
But this was different, something else entirely that beckoned for his attention. Thus, with a modest smirk cast to his family in response, the wolf scooted his chair back so that he might step out into the gardens of the manor. Telion gave a once over to check and make sure the twins would be tended to, before she stepped away from the table to follow him in turn with the tightening of her robe strings. Rickter's own robe remained loose enough that some of the bareskin over his sternum would show, revealing the Semblance rune softly glowing through the hairs of his chest.
As he opened the sliding door to step outside he noted Telion's behavior, and left the door open a crack as to allow her to continue after him while he stood out into the blanketed garden. Snow covered every inch of the yard and the small ponds were already frozen at the surface, but the feel of the ice beneath his bare feet might as well been the cottony feel of clouds wherever he stepped.
My liege... A whisper in the breeze greeted him as he stopped in the snow, his blue eyes narrowing on the open skies above in ponderance to the address. My liege, you've returned!
"What's going on, my love?" Telion inquired softly as she stood on the porch from afar, curious as to what it was Rickter was searching for.
"You don't hear that?" He checked with a puzzled glance in her direction, a bit surprised when she could only shake her head and try to listen for something specific. Rickter already knew what it was, the wind being the only thing she could hear, but for all intents and purposes, this was no mere ordinary wind to the wolf.
You're finally back! We have awaited this coming day! The winds beckoned a bit more firmly as powdery snow coalesced into the air, clustering into a swirling mass of diamond dust as Rickter noticed a flourish of aether within his immediate vicinity. Telion leaned into the support beam of the deck she stood on, her eyes widened at the sight of what manifested before Rickter. An ice spirit took form where the drafts of cold centered, before the wavering breezes ceased and the pure cold kiss of Frost loomed as a presence in turn.
"You're... an ice spirit?" He inquisitively confirmed with a tilt of his head in curiosity, the diamond dust floating around its core swirling with enthusiasm.
I am! The denizens of your frozen kingdom have long awaited your return! It echoed in his thoughts almost like a melody, the harmonic resonance a familiar sound to Rickter even if he'd never interacted with such a spirit personally.
Judging from the aetheric composition of this entity, we're dealing with a Phycaal class spirit. I've not seen or heard from any of them in my time, but I believe that had something to do with the Eclipse. Lykos chimed in on Rickter's thoughts as he pondered the significance related to this spirit's arrival, as it couldn't have just been pure coincidence it sought him out literally on the first day of Frost.
"Spirits from the wilderness don't typically come into densely populated areas." Rickter remarked observantly as he watched the ice elemental bob and weave somewhat erratically. "And as much as I'd like to ask it some questions, this feels like a pretty urgent matter if such a spirit has come all this way to seek me out..."
"Hang on," the crunch of snow beneath her bare feet could be heard as she approached now, "You can hear this elemental speaking to you? What has it said?" The wolf paid Telion mind as he knew she hadn't put any shoes or boots on, but from the looks of the bare steam vapors radiating off her feet, the woman had activated deference to keep herself warm from head to toe.
"It's referred to me as its... liege?" The pause on the term brought a tilt of his head, before he looked from his beloved to the elemental floating before them. "I'm still trying to find out why it came to find me here of all places." The explanation was more or less a prompt for the ice spirit to answer, but also a means of keeping Telion informed on what exactly went on.
Forgive me, my liege, but troubles ail the waters of the lake. Troubles only you can resolve! The spirit expressed in his thoughts, leaving Rickter to ponder the significance of what that trouble might be. It didn't take long for him to surmise what it could be, given he hadn't been out on the lake since the Eclipse when Hikami...
"Is that so? Ah, shit..." The curl fluctuation in his tone led Telion to brush her hands along his bicep to comfort him, her eyes gazing up at him curiously as she sought answers to the surprise dilemma at hand. "The spirit is asking me to investigate the lake, says something is afoot within its waters."
"Oh?" The blonde inquired with a hint of surprise, a thoughtful glance given to the spirit before she focused on Rickter once more. "Let me and Hannah get dressed, and we'll accompany you." The wolf didn't really want this to disturb or interrupt his family from their usual daily routines, but given this put him in a disposition that required him to act soon, he wasn't going to argue against his beloved's interests either rightfully. Besides, the twins would be alright for a few hours, long enough for the mother and their aunt to accompany him to the lakeshore.
"Very well, then..." As Rickter gave his beloved a smile during her walk back toward the manor, he focused completely on the ice elemental with a patient gaze. "Now then, tell me about what's going on with the lake." The diamond dust swirling around the spirit danced even more erratically, the following response it provided to Rickter eliciting a look of concern once he heard more about what these troubles were.
Frost 1st, 124th Year, A.o.S.
At dawn, He had felt the arrival of the season in full swing once the sun had risen, the stars overhead slowly outshone by the rising sun as it gradually crept over the horizon. For Kalzasi that always meant a later sunrise due to the Astralar mountain range, but naturally, those who lived within the Jewel of the North knew to expect such delayed lighting. Nevertheless, that did not stop the Draegir of Light from carrying out his usual duties, bringing the luminance of the morning sun in with a steady cold breeze from the north.
For Rickter, it spelled the sure tell sign that Frost had come back as it did every year, the arrival harboring its combination of challenges as the cold would soon settle in even beyond the wilds of Karnor. There were still public appearances and relations he would be expected to maintain now, and naturally, being the Lord of Frost in general meant He was the Draegir expected to uphold the ideals that were tied to his domain.
Being the King of Winter he felt it his obligation to ensure that this year remained relatively peaceful, preferably not as strenuous as the last had been also. The Black Winter certainly set a poor example in his wake but with His return and awakening, Rickter had every inclination to set the standard for what mortals should expect with the season. Kalzasi was no different either. Being the northernmost situated city near the lake, nested within the mountain range also, the landscape often battered the locals with bitter temperatures and rampant blizzards.
This year though, the wolf wanted to deliver a different experience for the North. He wanted everyone to experience what the real joys of Frost would be, which is why the moment he awoke and rose from bed, Rickter knew he would be in for an interesting experience the moment the cold breeze wafted around his familial home. Everyone knew to dress a little warmly for the season, yet even so, that expected heavy chill did not threateningly infiltrate the walls as it normally used to. But the breeze did not relent in seeking him out either.
As his family enjoyed a hearty breakfast to start their day, pan fried eggs with servings of sausage pork links, boiled rice, and butter baked dumplings to give the meal an extra creamy treat. Rickter had already enjoyed the majority of his fill, but of course, half of his second plate was only gone and he'd felt capable of eating maybe another. The rest of the household, including his immediate family and the Mazes who lived here before him, were finishing their meals as Telion and Hannah enjoyed their time helping the twins.
First meal of the day was always rambunctious like this, given the twins were old enough to start wolfing down their own food also. Seeing them developing their motor skills though, and learning how to use utensils never failed to entertain the adults gathered around the table; and of course the servants were never short on messes to clean after. Regardless of how their morning routines went, today immediately took a turn for the different when that frigid draft came through the panels of the window shutters.
Almost immediately upon experiencing the cold breeze, the family paused before their attentions turned to who it beckoned to, which in turn led Rickter to pause from his meal and lower the pair of chopsticks held in his hand. Frost already called it would seem. Not that the wolf hadn't noticed already, for He had felt the full might of Frost empowering him the moment the moon reached it's zenith. Even the aurora borealis that would manifest throughout the night had shone brighter in response to the transition.
But this was different, something else entirely that beckoned for his attention. Thus, with a modest smirk cast to his family in response, the wolf scooted his chair back so that he might step out into the gardens of the manor. Telion gave a once over to check and make sure the twins would be tended to, before she stepped away from the table to follow him in turn with the tightening of her robe strings. Rickter's own robe remained loose enough that some of the bareskin over his sternum would show, revealing the Semblance rune softly glowing through the hairs of his chest.
As he opened the sliding door to step outside he noted Telion's behavior, and left the door open a crack as to allow her to continue after him while he stood out into the blanketed garden. Snow covered every inch of the yard and the small ponds were already frozen at the surface, but the feel of the ice beneath his bare feet might as well been the cottony feel of clouds wherever he stepped.
My liege... A whisper in the breeze greeted him as he stopped in the snow, his blue eyes narrowing on the open skies above in ponderance to the address. My liege, you've returned!
"What's going on, my love?" Telion inquired softly as she stood on the porch from afar, curious as to what it was Rickter was searching for.
"You don't hear that?" He checked with a puzzled glance in her direction, a bit surprised when she could only shake her head and try to listen for something specific. Rickter already knew what it was, the wind being the only thing she could hear, but for all intents and purposes, this was no mere ordinary wind to the wolf.
You're finally back! We have awaited this coming day! The winds beckoned a bit more firmly as powdery snow coalesced into the air, clustering into a swirling mass of diamond dust as Rickter noticed a flourish of aether within his immediate vicinity. Telion leaned into the support beam of the deck she stood on, her eyes widened at the sight of what manifested before Rickter. An ice spirit took form where the drafts of cold centered, before the wavering breezes ceased and the pure cold kiss of Frost loomed as a presence in turn.
"You're... an ice spirit?" He inquisitively confirmed with a tilt of his head in curiosity, the diamond dust floating around its core swirling with enthusiasm.
I am! The denizens of your frozen kingdom have long awaited your return! It echoed in his thoughts almost like a melody, the harmonic resonance a familiar sound to Rickter even if he'd never interacted with such a spirit personally.
Judging from the aetheric composition of this entity, we're dealing with a Phycaal class spirit. I've not seen or heard from any of them in my time, but I believe that had something to do with the Eclipse. Lykos chimed in on Rickter's thoughts as he pondered the significance related to this spirit's arrival, as it couldn't have just been pure coincidence it sought him out literally on the first day of Frost.
"Spirits from the wilderness don't typically come into densely populated areas." Rickter remarked observantly as he watched the ice elemental bob and weave somewhat erratically. "And as much as I'd like to ask it some questions, this feels like a pretty urgent matter if such a spirit has come all this way to seek me out..."
"Hang on," the crunch of snow beneath her bare feet could be heard as she approached now, "You can hear this elemental speaking to you? What has it said?" The wolf paid Telion mind as he knew she hadn't put any shoes or boots on, but from the looks of the bare steam vapors radiating off her feet, the woman had activated deference to keep herself warm from head to toe.
"It's referred to me as its... liege?" The pause on the term brought a tilt of his head, before he looked from his beloved to the elemental floating before them. "I'm still trying to find out why it came to find me here of all places." The explanation was more or less a prompt for the ice spirit to answer, but also a means of keeping Telion informed on what exactly went on.
Forgive me, my liege, but troubles ail the waters of the lake. Troubles only you can resolve! The spirit expressed in his thoughts, leaving Rickter to ponder the significance of what that trouble might be. It didn't take long for him to surmise what it could be, given he hadn't been out on the lake since the Eclipse when Hikami...
"Is that so? Ah, shit..." The curl fluctuation in his tone led Telion to brush her hands along his bicep to comfort him, her eyes gazing up at him curiously as she sought answers to the surprise dilemma at hand. "The spirit is asking me to investigate the lake, says something is afoot within its waters."
"Oh?" The blonde inquired with a hint of surprise, a thoughtful glance given to the spirit before she focused on Rickter once more. "Let me and Hannah get dressed, and we'll accompany you." The wolf didn't really want this to disturb or interrupt his family from their usual daily routines, but given this put him in a disposition that required him to act soon, he wasn't going to argue against his beloved's interests either rightfully. Besides, the twins would be alright for a few hours, long enough for the mother and their aunt to accompany him to the lakeshore.
"Very well, then..." As Rickter gave his beloved a smile during her walk back toward the manor, he focused completely on the ice elemental with a patient gaze. "Now then, tell me about what's going on with the lake." The diamond dust swirling around the spirit danced even more erratically, the following response it provided to Rickter eliciting a look of concern once he heard more about what these troubles were.
