Legend of Ransera

Kala nodded.

"The Sentinels are thorough." She said it as a compliment. "And I suppose their scouring of the citizens is wise; 'tis easier to mitigate the risks of initiation if the environment is controlled and performed by experts." Craftfallen was a new term for her, but she could see its applicability. "Kalzasi welcomes magic, but we don't have... hmm, a cohesive system as Solunarium does. There is the Circle of Spells... a guild of magi. Noble families tend to educate their kin in magical as well as mundane skills. There is power there." She smiled. "And we do love to keep our families on high."

She murmured thanks for the tea. Of course, she could only agree with Hilana's assessment. The ubiquity of magic - specifically, powerful magic - lessened the edge. Whereas here she felt compelled to keep her aura inverted against intrusion, in Kalzasi, she was less careful - always on alert for intrusion, but not constantly shielded against it less someone more skilled than her sneak past her defenses. In Kalzasi, she didn't know of anyone more powerful than her with regard to Semblance or the elements.

"Delicious," she declared of the tea, though the conversation didn't cease, and so she would have to let the flavors settle in her mouth before she could give a more loquacious response to it. Considering the question, though, she considered how much to share with the woman. She seemed trustworthy, but then Solunarium kept many things hidden.

"My brother Kaus and I are twins. We have an elder brother, the heir, Aquilios. We are the children of Lady Akshara of House Leukos and the late Lord Vatar of House Qoros." She paused, then set her cup down, and stood. With little in the way of flourish, she removed her glamoured cloak and laid it carefully over her arm. White wings with a golden sheen were revealed. Kala was an oddity for an Avialae, not only in that she was a winged woman, but that her wings were not identifiable. Kaus' were those of a sparrowhawk, for example. These were just hers.

"Bearing Avialae children is taxing on a woman, more taxing than most. Aquilios is... as most Synnekar, quite large, larger than the average human. Kaus and I are more... well, normal for human, but not for Synnekar. Even though we were smaller, our mother never quite recovered from her three children. Her health has been fragile since." She felt rather naked with her wings exposed to a relative stranger. "Those who know of my wings hope that... Avialae hardiness will make childbirth easier on my body, but I am young yet, and have no wish to be a brood mare for my race. But I believe that my children, whatever their sex, will be born with wings. That is why I keep them hidden. If the Gelerian Imperium were to become aware of me, they would want me to strengthen their Kathar Legion. I, on the other hand, will endeavor to free my Kathar brothers from bondage."

Finally, she sat once more, and laid her cloak over her lap. Now that Hilana knew, and they were only likely to be seen by Sentinels of the Custodes Deorum, she was only too happy to let them breathe. It took Hilana a moment to take all that in, of course, and so she spoke to the other matter.

"I did not know Master Finn nor the crown prince ere my first visit to the palace mere days ago, though I had seen both of them perform in Kalzasi. One day, I too would like to visit each plane. But Fire chose me, and not the other way around." She smiled. "I had hoped for Air, by whom Kaus was chosen, but I think that was more a desire for wings. Now I have them, and I suppose Fire is more appropriate for me."

"Kalzasi is too cold in the warmest of years for such flowers, but perhaps I might bring a seedling home for the greenhouse..." she mused.

Pale cheeks colored slightly at the praise. House Leukos was as secretive as Great House Briathos, and perhaps that was why she was so secretive about her wings, let alone her nascent divinity. Kala was more comfortable behind the scenes, wearing a social mask when necessary in public. Only in Starfall could she be herself; although, here in the care of the Custodes Deorum, she was allowed to be somewhat more herself, at least in some ways.

"Thank you." After a pause, "Avialae men tend to be much larger than normal, and that is true even as newborns, so pregnancy is even more fraught than normally. I..." She paused again. "I found the progenitor of our race, a necromancer of legendary skill. He... recreated me... or, rather, brought out the latent things in my blood. And with the wings came the resistance to cold, added strength, and, I hope, a more resilient womb. The musculature of my back has changed to accommodate them, but they remain... well, magical. If you strip an Avialae of their wings, much of the racial traits disappear. I think our flying somewhat defies physics and anatomy."

As for the Kathar, "Ah, yes. Mother Naori gave me the task, and I have met one Kathar who I was able to show another way. This was before I had my own wings, though. And he went back to the Imperium. My hope is to find those who bridle against the Obelisk and free them. It will be a long process, I am certain."

The Solunarians had slavery, so she didn't rail against the practice. But the Kathar had no means of manumission, and that seemed to be the worst of it - they could never achieve their freedom within the legal structure of the Imperium.

"If you visit Kalzasi, I hope you will bring me seeds or seedlings, then," she said with a smile. Although, she might be able to acquire some herself before she returned. It was rare she had time to put her hands in the earth, but there were glass greenhouses in the gardens of the Cintamani Pavilion, and in Starfall, as well. She wasn't certain Hilana quite understood the climate of Karnor, but given the particulars of the Atraxian Expanse, that was understandable. Kala was only now understanding physically what she had known intellectually of Solunarium.

"I think the difficulty lies in great changes being worked upon me, and coming to terms with them - growing into them." Naori had taken her soul someplace else while Garel worked his magic. When she returned, she had wings, she was changed into a Firstborn. Everything was explained to her in words, but words were often insufficient to the task of explanation.

But Kala understood duty, and she had a quest to perform. She was still trying to figure out how much of a long game she would have to play, though.

"I enjoy spices," she said. "Hot and flavorful." She smiled.

"I have met Naori, although I don't know that I can explain Her any better for the experience than any priest or layman. She is unknowable. The Kathar went back to... figure himself out, I suppose. I hope for the best, but I fear he was too changed to survive reintegration. I don't know whether the fault lies with me or with him. The Obelisk is a great artefact in the center of Gel'Grandal. Avialae were created with the ability to perform deep bonds to protect them from the Hellmaw; the Obelisk takes advantage of that and helps enslave them."

But even having seen it up close, she couldn't explain the intricacies of its workings. She would need a great deal of time to pick it apart, and she wouldn't survive long in the center of Gel'Grandal now.

Kala laughed softly; Hilana was delightful, warmer in her hospitality than any Sentinel, surely. While she tried to play her cards close to her chest, she found that she wanted to lay them out on the table. Kala had been beloved by her people, but her father's untimely demise had cooled her immediate family. Those issues had largely been rectified; Aquilios had matured, Akshara had made some peace with the loss of her husband and her health. Still, nobility set her apart. Godhead even more so. She had Kaus and the Silver Wings, even a bond with wise Marda Ahtivan. But whatever else she may be, she was also a woman of nearing one and twenty years—she hadn't a single female friend of her age and it showed. While she could rely on her good manners, Hilana both set her at ease and discombobulated her.

"That is kind of you," she replied. "I will see whether an escort can be arranged, or if they would rather I await your return. If they do allow it... I will be the one *fully* veiled. As for colors... I never was able to choose a favorite. As a child, favorites were changeable. Now, I make no such claims. I contain legions of favorites. But... I suppose... the blue and silver, or blue and white of my House will never disappoint. That would be an exotic cultivar, wouldn't it?"

As conversation progressed to weightier things, she was forthcoming about her own ignorance.

"Before I had wings... and the rest... I did manage to safely spend some time in Gel'Grandal," she admitted. "I looked like any other human despite my Avialæ blood. I sembled the Obelisk for as long as I dared, but I heard a voice... and that spooked me. I didn't have enough time to truly understand it; the thing is so complex and it would take me a long while to suss out its secrets. I was able to semble Baudric's bond, though, and I believe that someone activates the Obelisk like any runeforged artefact, and that it creates a bond between artefact and Kathar. Who controls the Obelisk controls the legions of enslaved Avialæ. But whether one person olds the reins on those bonds... I don't know. It would carry some risk unless the Obelisk mitigates that. Generally, the non-Avialæ member of the bond has the power... but some Avialæ are strong-willed enough to reciprocate that. And I also don't know whether I would now be susceptible to its effects... We haven't known a female Avialæ in living memory. There are some magics specifically purposed to one sex or another... I wouldn't want to chance it, though. They already chained Dæmon once, and while he is now free and I am not a Shinsei in my other life, I would rather not spend even a moment in bondage."

Once Hilana's preparations were complete, they began to partake of them right there in the kitchen, casual as old friend.

"Oh." Her eyes opened wide. "Yes, this would keep me warm on a snowy day in the dead of Frost!"

Kala was a quiet woman, not shy but merely reserved. It was not that she would not voice her opinions, of which she had many, but her entire family was brought up more to be seen than heard. They would act the paragons of Avialae society, but they would not seek too much attention or glory lest prying eyes seek where the star had fallen. Her forefathers and foremothers had sworn to Great House Briathos because they were secretive as well, and might respect the secretive nature of House Leukos.

Her smiles were soft, and sincere. When Hilana described flowers, she seemed to see the images of them painted before her by mere words. She tried not, however, to see her future with an Imperial collar. They would make a brood mare of her, and she would rather die, even if that left her quest from Mother Naori unfulfilled.

"We are meant to sleep in the Palatium Umbrarum tonight," she explained, "but we do not have specific dinner plans. The palace is lovely, but here we can afford to fly, so you might find us here with some frequency when we want to spread our wings and feel the wind. And this was but our fourth day. We planned for a fortnight, though we may well return if we are invited."

Not only would that entail the Custodes Deorum, but the Umbrian Throne, and the Divine Twins, but that wasn't a matter to be discussed so early in their visit.

"Time enough to sample the local cuisine, I hope!"