[solo] a new hope

[Talon]

T A L O N

3 Ash 121

“Reports have come in from the Second Deep that there has been an increase in erratic behavior from some of the predatory flora.” Talon sat quietly, listening to the reports from the ranking officers of the Sky Guard. He was scanning over a few of the documents that had been submitted to his office.

“Has there been any surge in the dragonshard veins? This activity usually precedes a warping of the veil.” Talon glanced up from the report in front of him as he asked his question. An Avialae with the wings of a great owl nodded his head. He was dressed in the vestments of one of the Sky Guard’s battlemages.

“Yes, my Shinsei. There were sightings of an increase in activity from one of the known ice shard deposits. There are also reports of pesticyte growing in odd formations.” Talon furrowed his brow. Pesticyte was not an unknown danger to him but the idea that it was growing in both odd formations or in higher numbers was concerning. He nodded his head.

“Make sure that the guards patrolling the tunnels leading to the Second Deep are carrying toxin curatives. The increase in pesticyte’s presence will undoubtedly lead to an increase in venomous mutations and poisons.” There was a collective agreement as Talon gave his input into the deliberations. He listened more, reviewing reports concerning the Guard’s finances, making a few notations regarding proposed purchases that could be done more effectively. He added his signature to a few forms authorizing a few budget changes for the Guard before there was a knocking on the meeting room’s doors. When the doors opened, Talon continued listening to some of the latest reports on recruitment efforts. He was pleased to note that there had been an increase in men and women signing up to join the Guard. It was not lost on him that some of that may have been attributed to the fact that he was slowly being referred to as the patron demigod of the Sky Guard. It was not a practice that he discouraged but he did not openly endorse it yet. Talon was still on the fence about how to approach the subject of being a figure of worship for the city’s soldiers.

It was as he was discussing the current readiness of their standing military forces that something pinged on the edges of his awareness. He looked up, turning his gaze away from the table and its occupants to the east where the ping presented itself. This was followed by another and then another, followed by dozens and then even more. The silver of his eyes sharpened and Talon’s senses were drawn to behold an elven looking man dressed in armor that had seen much battle. He wore it comfortably, kneeling within the circle of a large caravan of people. He hand one hand resting upon his knee. The other was pressed to his heart. Within his vision, Talon could see the shining radiance of his Emblem mark coalescing softly upon the elf’s right shoulder. It warmed him and as Talon’s vision settled upon the man, the elf smiled, letting out a breath of relief as though he had been holding it in anticipation.

“Show us the way, my prince.”

Talon thought for a moment. Show them? What was he to show them? Something pressed on the edges of his memory before he connected the dots. His thoughts turn to Pahoran and the young man’s family. The night that Talon had flown to them and marked him and his family for their bravery. His thoughts turned to the ruins of the outpost that they had come across, the place that seemed hidden by the forest itself. Talon turned his thoughts to that place. He knew innately what this elf was searching for and through the connection afforded them by his Emblem, Talon shone a Light upon what he could remember and the way to it. The Clan Rayunia that had turned to work toward rebuilding that place, those members who bore his Emblem, were touched by Talon’s power. Each of them pausing in their work of rebuilding to turn their heads in the direction of their brother.

Among those who traveled with the elf, Talon felt others who bore his mark. Not many but a few. He touched upon them and sent them the same feeling. They too raised their heads and turned their sight in the direction of the outpost. As Talon was pulling his attention back to the present moment, he watched as the elf opened his eyes and nodded with a smile. Talon blinked, his senses returning to the meeting unfolding around him.

“My Shinsei?” He looked up to see that everyone in the room was staring at him. Some with awe. Some with open curiosity. Some with worry. Talon realized then that his nimbus had manifested as he had turned his attention in the direction of those who summoned his attention.

“Is everything alright?” One of the officers queried carefully. Talon considered the question for a moment. Was everything alright? He could hear his father speak those ominous words from seasons ago. What it meant to have so many of those people gathered in one place, openly and without reservation. Was he prepared to invite such trouble upon Kalzasi’s head? The truth of the matter was that he already had. Simply by existing. He sighed.

“It is time to come forward with something.” Talon turned to look at the officers of the Sky Guard that were in front of him. He set the report in his hands down, folding his hands together as he considered his words carefully. Behind him, his wings shifted, showcasing his mood as he contemplated how best to speak with the assembled.

“You all are aware of what happened to me during Frost 120. I recognize that you are still skeptical. As you should be. However, there are those in the world who are not skeptical.” Talon looked at the soldiers. Each one of the men and women in the room with him had spent their entire adult lives in service to the people of Kalzasi. They worked to keep the people safe from the horrors of the Warrens so that things such as the dragonshard mining could continue. They allowed brave guildsmen to travel into the Second Deep to perhaps retrieve unique herbs, spices, and even fauna that could only be found there. They helped to keep safe the mages who studied the Warrens in an effort to expand their research into magic and how to better safeguard the city. They had seen much. As a result, there was as much honor in this room as there was cynicism.

“The first among those being Zaichaer.” One of the officer scoffed.

“Zaichaer are superstitious to begin with. They jump at the mere mention of anything supernatural. Whether there are rumors about your divinity or not, Shinsei, they would hate you.” Talon nodded. He had seen evidence of those prejudices firsthand. Brenner and Stefan Dornkirk in their factory. The mod on the street. The Reconciliators that worked fastidiously to both contain and coordinate with him and his entourage. They had made no secret of their absolute distaste for his powers but they had also seen firsthand the other side of Talon when Rickter had been abducted.

“That may be true, but that paranoia was only made worse by the events that happened during my visit.” There were murmurings of agreement. It was no secret that there were those among the nobility who had been decidedly displeased with the outcome. Then again, there were also those who were quite overjoyed with the turn of events. It gave more ammunition to the case that war with Zaichaer was inevitable. It had put a strain on his father as he worked to smooth over the diplomatic relations that were already tense. Zaichaer had made demands. His father had refused them as outrageous. Talks were still in progress as their respective ambassadors worked to come to some semblance of a status quo.

“Why do you bring this up, Shinsei?” It was one of the female officers. She was staring at Talon not as though she doubted him but as though she were simply waiting for him to say it. He let out a breath and straightened himself so that he could look into the eyes of the people around him.

“Dawnmartyrs have come to Kalzasi.” There was a collective silence. Nobody laughed. No one scoffed. No one dismissed the notion as ludicrous. They all simply stared at him. Then a few of them stared at each other. Somehow, Talon got the impression that they were not surprised by this development.

[Talon]

T A L O N

“You knew?” One of the senior officers spoke up.

“There have been reports of a few developments among some of the guilds. The Circle of Spells recently gave us information that there was an unusual prevalence of Reaving practitioners accompanying expeditions into the Warrens. Acting as bodyguards. The Slayer’s Keep noticed an uptake in those willing to take on some of the more dangerous monster bounty contracts. There was also an increase in success in those contracts. House Dahshida’s Shadow Guard have also reported that a few caravans have been spotted moving north of the city.” Talon put the pieces of the puzzle together. The refugee Dawnmartyrs were slipping into those areas where their skills would be most useful to society. They were trying to do it under the radar but patterns were beginning to be noticed. He supposed that the secret could only stay that way for so long before people started to put things together. Talon was Arcas reborn. Reaving was a magic heavily associated with the Dawnmartyr Order and they were known to be masters of its techniques.

“Then you knew?” Talon looked at the assembled. Nobody squirmed uncomfortably. The soldiers all nodded though some did look down.

“We have kept our distance. We are aware of a settlement that is being established just into the northern parts of the forest. The Shadow Guard and some of the rangers of the Sky Guard have been keeping an eye on it. Knowing that they could be tied to you, we have adopted a stance of non-interference.” Talon considered that. It was a smart option. Being aware of the growing presence of those people attracted to that settlement as signals were sent out, would leave Kalzasi in general the ability to deny knowledge of it. It also allowed the military of their city to observe and assess. Talon was beginning to think that it would be better to opt for a stance of acknowledgement.

“Then what I say next will not surprise you, I will be working to help the Dawnmartyrs establish their foothold at that outpost.” Again, no one was surprised by these words. To their credit, most of them seemed to be processing the information.

“This will mean an increase in scrutiny from Imperial spies.” Talon nodded. That was a bygone conclusion. The Imperium hated the Dawnmartyr Order though nobody knew exactly why. They already refused to acknowledge the existence of Kalzasi as an independent state, choosing instead to view the city and its territory as an errant province of their empire that needed to be brought back into the fold.

“The Inquisition has already made an attempt to interfere.” At that, there were indeed some quirked eyebrows. “The Rayunia family are Dawnmartyr survivors. Many of them having been born in the Citadel before it fell to the Imperium. Shortly after I ascended, an Inquisitor tried to take many of them hostage. They were stopped and put to rest permanently for their effort.”

A few of the senior officers sighed heavily. One of them pinched the bridge of his nose, his wings shifting irritably.

“We will have to double our intelligence efforts to counteract their presence. Likely to counteract the actions of Zaichaer as well.” Talon nodded.

“Shall we step in to assist them, then?” Talon considered the question. He thought on the implication of the Sky Guard openly helping the settling Dawnmartyrs. He shook his head. The longer they could present the illusion of Kalzasi’s hierarchy being ignorant of the knight’s machinations, then the easier it would be to fend off the threat of action from Zaichaer and worse, the Imperium.

“Remain observers to the time being. If a situation presents itself where there is more danger from inaction than action, then intervene. Otherwise, it is best that the assistance they receive is still construed as that of just myself reconnecting with a sect once devoted to Arcas.”

“To you, you mean.” Talon looked up at the owl winged battlemage. He was observing Talon openly but it was not an unfriendly gaze. There were the makings of thoughts behind the man’s eyes and Talon could only begin to think at what those thoughts were.

“Yes. To me.” Even after seeing all that he had seen, experienced all that he had experienced, Talon was still uncertain how to handle the idea of being worshipped as a god. He heard prayers. He could even extend his awareness across the expanse of most of Kalzasi’s territory. But beyond that, he was still learning. And he felt there was much that he needed to learn.

“The Guard is behind you, my Shinsei.” Another of the officers drew Talon’s attention. Vaguely, Talon recalled perhaps seeing the man’s face not in meetings but during a moment of meditation when he’d heard a prayer. Talon bowed his head then moved the conversation away from the subject so that they could finish their meeting. When the meeting finally concluded and the officers were dismissed, Talon stood up from the table and stretched. He expanded his wings and rolled his shoulders before rubbing his face. The duties of the Shinsei were rarely glamorous. The responsibilities as Heir to House Novalys were even less flash, as most of it required he handle the affairs of the House and its lesser nobles. Still, it was important work and it ensured that the clockwork of their society continued to move in a steady fashion. As the patron House for the Sky Guard, meeting regularly with its officers to assist in making decision for the military arm of Kalzasi was something Talon had been doing for several years now.

He was rolling his shoulders and stepping out of the office spaces of Mistreach Keep when he both heard and felt familiar footsteps. A warmth blossomed across his Bond and rounding the corner was Aoren. The raven winged Kathar smiled brightly as he saw Talon. While he had been tending to his duties as Heir of House Novalys, Aoren had been working to train with the Sky Guard and even some members of the Dead Legion. As soon as he was within arm’s reach, Talon was enfolding his lover into his arms, pressing their brows together. Closing his eyes, he just breathed and allowed himself to bask in the warmth of Aoren’s presence. Thoughts passed between the two of them as they exchanged the knowledge of their days events to one another. At the idea regarding the Dawnmartyrs, Aoren quirked an eyebrow.

“Food first. Then we go and meet them.” Chuckling, Talon simply inclined his head in agreement. Together the two of them departed Mistreach Keep and made their way to the Plaza of Jeweled Arches. Entering into the High Hopes tavern, Rien was not there but the food was still worth it. Sitting down to their meal, Talon began digging into some of his grilled fish with gusto. For a few moments, the two of them ate quietly before Aoren spoke aloud as opposed to mentally across their bond.

[Talon]

T A L O N

“What do you intend to do about them?” Both of them turned their thoughts toward the rising number of Dawnmartyrs that was beginning to gather to the north of the city.

“I want to meet them. I want to learn about them. What are their ways? What do they believe? More importantly, I think the world needs them again.” Talon thought on all of the stories he had heard about the Knights. He had no doubts that there were aspects of them that were romanticised but he wanted to believe that they could still be a force for good in the world. What better way to prove that than by embracing the survivors and learning about them firsthand?

“I wonder if they’ll measure up to the knights of old…” Aoren’s thoughts drifted to many of the battles that he had fought himself. Talon could see his partner thinking through the kind of training that Dawnmartyrs went through. It made Talon smirk.

“Do you want to become one?” Aoren blinked at him as Talon posed the question.

“I don’t know. I don’t think I’m pure enough to become one of their knights. Besides, they might view me as blasphemous.” Talon quirked his head. Aoren was one of the most courageous and honorable men that he knew.

“How?” His bondmate picked up some rice and popped it into his mouth. As he chewed, his infernal eyes roamed over Talon’s body. The thoughts that passed to Talon brought a blush to his face. Talon’s wings ruffled.

“Aoren!” His bondmate just grinned. Resuming eating his food, comfortable silence settled between the two until they finished their meal. Talon paid for the food and then the two of them returned to the palace where they both began getting washed, changed and dressed to go meet the refugees.

“What do you suppose they’ll want?” Aoren was helping Talon tie his shirt into place. As the laces were done up, Talon shrugged his shoulders.

“They could want any number of things. The Dawnmartyrs have been broken and scattered for as long as either of us have been alive. That kind of distance can erode the principles the order was founded on.” Aoren finished with his shirt and Talon turned to assist his bondmate in doing the same.

“Aye. The drive to survive can push good men to do desperate things. Methinks there will be some soul-searching to do.” Talon had to agree with that statement. Pahoran and his family were a shining example of people who simply wanted to do good in the world. It was one of the reasons Talon trusted them so much. They had stuck to the ways of the Dawnmartyr Order to the best of their ability but that might not be true for everyone who had take up the path of the knights. Decades had passed since the Siege of Ailos and the fall of the Citadel of Light. The world had undoubtedly forced those knights in hiding to go to great lengths in order to survive. That would have changed people. It would have forced them to change what they believe in. There was some part of Talon that knew that somewhere among the Dawnmartyrs they likely wanted him to marshal their forces and strike back at the Imperium.

He knew already that was a foolish endeavor at the moment. The Imperium had not achieved its dominance of most of the western half of the continent without being able to defend itself. As he tugged on his gauntlets, Talon looked to Aoren. The two of them shared a moment of understanding. While Clan Rayunia had proven themselves to be good and noble people, they still had much to learn of the refugees that were now filtering their way to the Northlands in search of Talon’s protection. As the two of them were dressed and ready, they both took to the balcony and spread their wings taking flight.

Talon could feel them. He could feel the group steadily moving in the direction of the outpost. They had moved much quicker and further than he would have expected but these were supposedly groups of trained people who had spent the vast majority of their lives on the move. Survival and learning how to navigate quickly and efficiently were things he might have expected from them if they were who he thought they were. By the time they reached where Talon could feel the presence of those who bore his mark, the sun was beginning to dip below the mountains. The clearing of trees that he was drawn to was largely empty. Except for a lone figure standing there waiting. Upon seeing that figure, Talon angled his body so that he could land. He spread his wings, catching the winds and let himself drop. He landed with his legs slightly bent in order to absorb the impact of dropping to the ground, his boots finding purchase in the dirt with ease. Aoren landed slightly behind him, eyes alert as he peered into the dark beyond the trees.

“Well met, young Synnekar.” The man who spoke was elven from his features. The dark ebony skin denoting a Siltori heritage. He regarded both Talon and Aoren with dark amber eyes.

“Well met.” Talon came to stand just a few feet from the man. He was guarded in his stance. Though he had no obvious weapons, if the man was a Dawnmartyr that meant he likely had the power of Reaving at his disposal. Unarmed he might have appeared but his hands could be holding any number of weapons in a matter of moments.

“What brings you this far out from the city?” The elf nodded in the direction of Kalzasi. Talon spoke plainly.

“You do.” Though he did not reveal his nimbus, Talon reached across the folds of the Aetherium and touched upon the Emblem that he could see shining softly on the elf’s shoulder. The man’s face went from guarded, to shocked, to relieved in the span of but a few moments. His eyes looked to Aoren. His bondmate made no move to speak but after a moment of deliberation, the elf seemed to come to a decision. He made a whistle. As soon as he did, several figures dropped from the nearby trees. This was followed by other people stepping out from the shadows. Before long, there had to be a little over a dozen people in the clearing.

“I wanted to believe. With all of my heart but…” The elf shook his head. “Hope can be a fragile thing that, once bruised, is slow to heal.”

Talon understood the merit in such thinking. Looking at those who were in the clearing, they all had the look of hardened warriors. Though many of them appeared curious, there was a guarded air to each of them. To his surprise, a fair number of them seemed to be relatively young men and women as they revealed their faces with his gaze.

“You are him, yes?” Still it was the elf who spoke. He knew to what the man was referring. What else could it have been?

“I am.” It was another in the group that spoke up this time.

“Prove it.” The elf snapped something in a language that Talon did not catch but the speaker did not back down. He spoke something in return. He stepped forward, still wearing a partial mask to conceal most of his face. He was broad shouldered man who wore form fitting leather armor. There was strength and poise in his movements but there was a hard suspicion in his eyes but more than that, Talon could see a desire, a yearning to believe. Looking back at those around, Talon could see it in them too. They wanted to believe but they needed proof. Even within the elf, even after having felt Talon touch his Emblem, Talon could see a hint of that need inside him as well.

Talon felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked to Aoren who gave him a reassuring squeeze. This was it. This was a moment where Talon either backed away from the reality of who he was or he embraced it. Before these tired but hopeful refugees, he was either going to be a figure they revered or one they remained estranged to. It took no more than a breath before Talon opened himself up to the flow of the Aetherium. It passed into him as easily as breathing. Light gathered around Talon as his nimbus manifested. The light came from him. It was him. It was limned with the warmth he sought to bring to his ideals. The strength of conviction he felt in the rightness of what he believed in, suffused the light as it spread outward. There were several gasps and exclamations.

[Talon]

T A L O N

“I am Arcas.” Power laced his voice. The elf went into a kneel that was immediately followed by the young man who had spoken out. Others joined them.

“My Prince, I am Ilias. Knight-Commander of the Dawn. Pathfinder of the Order.” He pressed a hand over his heart and bowed his head. “We came following the dream that all of us had. Our scouts reported that another family of our Order had survived and made their stand here.”

Ilias looked up to meet Talon’s gaze. Talon merely nodded in confirmation.

“I will guide you to a place where you all may rest and find safety.” He motioned for them all to rise. As soon as they were on their feet, Talon stepped forward he extended a hand to Ilias who was surprised at first but he took it gratefully.

“I have waited for this day, for so long.” Talon gave the elf a smile.

“How many are you?” Ilias glanced at Aoren. Talon reached out, lacing the fingers of his hand with Aoren’s nearest. “This is Aoren. He is my Bondmate. My bodyguard. And…”

Aoren brought the back of Talon’s hand up to kiss it affectionately. Ilias smiled, bowing his head to Aoren who returned the motion in kind.

“Well met, Aoren Lightguard.” His bondmate chuckled at the new nickname but did not protest. “To answer you, my prince, there are one hundred of us. Not all of us are knights. Most of that number are our families.”

Ilias looked to those who were in the clearing. Talon had to take a moment to process the number that he had been given. One hundred? That was a sizeable amount. He glanced around.

“Where are the rest?” Ilias motioned vaguely in the direction of the mountains.

“They are sheltering. Awaiting our signal. When our scouts saw the two of you overhead, we took precautions. It has been a long journey. We…not all who started made it this far.” Though his voice was measured, Talon could sense a pain within the man that was being carefully suppressed.

“Come then. I will not keep you all delayed. There is a place within this forest where you all will be able to find some safety. Far enough away from the city that you can build lives for yourself. It will need some rebuilding but…” He looked around. “...if you have made it this far, I do not think it will prove too great a challenge. Will we go to get the rest?”

Ilias shook his head.

“A few of us will accompany you. The others will return to the main group. We will guide the rest when we are certain it is safe.” It made sense. Even if Talon had proven to them who he was, that did not mean the place he was leading them to was safe. He reached out and touched Ilias on the shoulder. The muscles in the elf’s body twitched and he shivered though it was not from the cold. Talon reinvigorated the connection between himself and the Emblem that rest upon that shoulder. He then looked into Ilias eyes.

“Let this guide you.” With that Talon took a few steps back with Aoren. Together the two of them took off into the skies, lingering in the air for a few moments so that those on the ground could see them. Talon then turned and headed in the direction of the old outpost. As he flew, he could feel Ilias focusing on him. Below, on the ground, he could get a sense of the man’s movement. Meanwhile, the others that he had sensed among that group were moving further away. He deduced that they were likely headed back to the main group. He did not stop but trusted that the skilled warriors would be able to follow him. He did not fly as fast as he could but instead made sure that the soaring pace he set was one that could be easily followed by those on the ground. It felt good to be able to stretch his wings and soar among the skies for such a steady journey. It had been some time since Talon had just allowed himself to enjoy flying.

Before long however, the old outpost came into view. With the prominent statues that stood as sentinels around the outer perimeter of the walls. Silent but ever vigilant. He could see evidence of work having been done around the grounds, mostly with the clearing of weeds and overgrowth across the outer walls. He landed solidly on the ground and was greeted by none other than a member of Clan Rayunia. He smiled as Bakato Rayunia and the young Palden Rayunia both came out to greet him. They pressed hands over their chests, bowing as they did before Talon strode forward to clasp them both on the arm in a friendly manner.

“Prince Talon.” Bakato, the elder of the two, looked happy to see him but also curious. “To what do we owe the honor.”

Talon stepped aside, gesturing to the forest. Both Bakato and Palden looked quizzical for a moment before the figures that stepped out of the treeline began to make their way forward. Instantly the two sons of Clan Rayunia were on the defensive but Talon motioned for them to be at ease.

“Peace, Brothers.” Talon watched as the handful of refugees made their way forward, led by Ilias and the young man from before. They peered first at the walls of the outpost. Then they looked to the Rayunia boys. Ilias stepped forward, his eyes falling upon Bakato and Palden. Talon saw the dawning realization on their faces. It was not quite the same as the Bond. But Talon could perceive the moment that the three of them acknowledged the Emblem of Eminence upon each other.

“Palden, go. Alert Grandfather.” The younger of the two nodded then immediately took off. Talon watched him go, remembering how spirited he had been and still was when they had first met. He smiled. Ilias extended a hand to Bakato and cautiously, Bakato accepted it. To both of their surprise, Ilias yanked Bakato forward and brought him into a tight embrace. But when the man spoke his next words, Talon understood.

“Finally…” It dawned on him then just how on edge all of these people must have been. Spending every waking minute of their lives fearful of the Imperium’s wrath coming down upon their heads. This far into the Northlands, the presence of the Imperium was not powerful. While Talon was certain they had agents and spies, they were relatively remote and thus the refugee Dawnmartyrs would be able to defend themselves more easily. So close to him, the Demigod whom they could call upon for both protection and assistance in the event of trouble, they may have finally found a place to deem safe. A place where they could truly rebuild. Ilias pulled back just as the sound of heavy footfalls upon the dirt path reached their ears.

“Ilias!” The Siltori elf went wide-eyed before he stepped out of Bakato’s embrace. Ilias took off at a sprint as he and one of the elders of Clan Rayunia embraced. Talon watched as Falrisona hugged the man tightly, the two of them clinging to one another as though having found a long lost brother. In a way, Talon supposed they had. Ilias turned to the others in his group.

“Go! Gather the others! Tell them we have made it. Tell them…” The Siltori elf looked to the Hytori across from him. There was misting in his eyes. “...tell them we have found a home.”

Talon looked to Aoren who nodded. He would join those going to fetch the rest. They would do what they could to make sure they all made it safely.

Tomorrow would bring with it a new day and with it, a new hope.

[Finn]

Review

Experience: 5 xp, but no magic.

Lore:
Leadership: Addressing a room full of military officers
Leadership: Guiding decisions made by a military organization
Leadership: Directing preparations for training
Leadership: Directing preparations for resource management
Tactics: The merits of sending forth a scouting party
Tactics: Inspecting a destination for safety before regrouping

Injuries: Talon is unbreakable.

Loot: N/A

Note: Sadge that Pahoran isn't sticking around to help rebuild the order, but this is exciting to see! You know you could have split this up into multiple solos for more XP, right? Well, in any case, well done!