within the chains of hope

[Talon]

D A E M O N

76 Glade 123 Steel

Talon observed the illusory projection of the shining gemstone that was casting its light over the whole of the Atraxian Expanse and the Kingdom of Solunarium. On some level, it warmed him. The light of the Sceptre of Avaerys called to him. Whether that was because it was somehow tied to him or simply because of the enthralling presence of its namesake, he was not quite sure. For several weeks there had been preparations being made. Between overseeing the collection of reagents with his team from the Skyforge and working fastidiously in the citadel with both experts from the Circle of Spells and the Collegium Arcanum, he had made several breakthroughs that otherwise would have taken him much longer. It was not merely their help however, but his grasp on the flow of aether and how to manipulate it had grown as well.

Talon never would have considered himself ill-educated in the ways of the arcane. He knew quite well that he was considered prodigy even by the strictest of standards. In days of late however, he had noticed that magic flowed more easily for him. Perhaps that was because he had finally accepted and stepped fully into the realm of being a deific power. In many ways, gods were simply mages that operated on colossal scales of aetheric potential. It certainly made navigating the challenges of manufacturing a nation spanning blanket of protection much easier.

“So…remind me how this is going to work again?” Mathias picked up one of the runeforge tongs, turning it over in his grasp. Talon picked up the staff that he had been working on for the past several weeks. An entire team of master runesmiths had been hard at work creating it, pouring every ounce of skill that they could must into it. There was still one last act to perform.

“I will be invoking my dominion over the Light and infusing this staff with the power of the Light, linking it to the network of spells that the Collegium Arcanum has built across Solunarium. It will be a control device of sorts. The Light is merely a bridge. One to connect its powers to the power of the jewel. Through it, I will be invoking the domain of Hope and weaving a spell that amplifies the supremacy of Avaerys and Varvara’s faith in their kingdom.” It would be a very complex feat of weaving both magic and Archmagic, one that he had been carefully considering.

“Okay. So, faith is being used as the power source for this whole thing?” Mathias sounded a little confused. Talon chuckled.

“Demigods derive a portion of their power from Faith, Mathias. The people of Kalzasi. The Dawnmartyrs. They are my faithful. Even the Sky Guard and people in other parts of the Free Cities. I receive their prayers. It strengthens our hold over the domains we preside over.” Talon grasped the staff and turned so that he could look at Mathias. The young man was nodding.

“So you’re harnessing the faith of Solunarium’s masses into a power source that they can tap into more directly? I don’t really know how I feel about brainwashing masses into religious dogma.” Mathias set down the tongs. He looked at Talon squarely. He understood the hesitation in Mathias. The young man had come from the Imperium and the both of them had experienced, in part, some of the totalitarian aspects of Solunarium.

“Harnessing and empowering. I do not work in the realms of domination and subversion. If you lack faith, it will not create it. If you do believe, however, it will strengthen that belief.” They both turned as the sound of footsteps drew their attention. Aoren entered the workshop, bringing with him a tray of refreshments that was well-timed after a morning spent entirely working on putting on the finishing touches on schematics and directions for the ritual at hand.

“I see I am interrupting something heavy.” Aoren set the tray down. Talon arched an eyebrow.

“What makes you say that, love?” His partner nodded to Mathias.

“You always get that look on your face when discussing something complex.” Aoren smirked. Mathias blinked.

“I just don’t know about this. I mean, why do it at all?” The young man looked squarely at Talon again. It was an honest question, one that demanded a careful answer. Talon considered it before speaking.

“You see the Eclipse.” Mathias nodded. “You see the Imperium.”

Again, Mathias nodded.

“You were not there for the cataclysm of Zaichaer. Nor was I. We have seen its effects. Feats capable of bringing even great powers to their knees. This is an act undertaken to protect a nation and its people by granting them a boon for their culture and their faith. It is a way of shielding them that does not involve violence and bloodshed.” Those words seemed to make a revelation spark in Mathias mind.

“You are using it as a testing ground to see if you can replicate this protection for Kalzasi against the Imperium. Like with how the Citadel feels safe. Feels like…like you?” Talon just smiled. The sound of voices drifting down the corridor made him quirk his head. Aoren was in the middle of biting into a snack when he paused.

“Expecting someone else?” Talon shook his head but remained attentive nevertheless. The ritual was not scheduled to take place until later in the evening, when the Sceptre was primed to shine the brightest.

[Hilana Chenzira]

This was a busy day.

This was the culmination of over a month of work, effort, and international cooperation, really, and Hilana was rather excited to be part of it. She hadn’t been much use, really, with the more elaborate acts of arcana, but she had been able to provide her research with regards to the voidspawn and the stones that came about from her alchemical experiments. She was also able to provide a few of those stones for the magisters to study. When samples from the much larger creatures were brought, the stones had been that much more powerful, and the links noted.

But when it came to Runeforging and Scrivening, she was of no help. She had little knowledge of the first, and was very much only an apprentice in the latter, but she was happy to provide whatever she could for their efforts. Even if ‘whatever she could’ was mostly in comestibles and treats. She watched what she was allowed to watch, explained what she could to Lia and Lykos as the activity at Red Rock Citadel continued, though they were mostly kept out of it, what with the size of the Fortress that they inhabited. But the big day was coming, and the Vastiana was excited for it. Fixing up the Sceptre to ensure the safety of her homeland and its denizens was important, and once that was taken care of, attention could continue to be paid to ending the calamity that was going on outside of it. She knew she would be leaving in a few days for the West, but for now, her attention was on this event.

She had made Lia swear that she would not freak out. There had been many talks between the sisters about this over the last few weeks, considering what Daemon represented simply by virtue of his reincarnation as Arcas. But as Hilana had insisted... he had made his peace with His Divine Radiance and Her Argent Luminescence, he was allowed here by the Founders, he was a guest of the dual Solunarian Courts, and he was helping their homeland. She was going to have to trust her baby sister and let it go, or stay in her room. Those were the options Hilana had given her, and Lia had chosen participation.

When the shadows showed her Aoren heading back to the workroom with a tray of treats, Hilana had taken the opportunity to load up on teas, both hot and iced, including the tweaked and adjusted Kalzasern Rose Milk Tea as she sought to get it just right, along with even more food. Aoren’s appetite was substantial, and she was absolutely going to take advantage of that and his preference for all things lemon. She’d brought a lemon olive oil cake, the lemon tarts that the red dragon had enjoyed so much before, and a mixed tray of scones - some sweet, some spiced, and some that were as yellow as the lemons that were in them. She’d enlisted Lia and Lykos to bring all of this in, and with all three of them carrying trays, Hilana’s shadow gently knocked on the door.

Reinforcements, and even more refreshments, had arrived.

[Rickter]

Within the Chains of Hope
Glade 76th, 123rd Year, A.o.S.

Interesting times were afoot around the Citadel as of late, as Lykos had learned other guests were similar like he was. To be honest it made the wolf feel much better about himself, as it made things clearer that he wasn't the only superficial guest to stay within these halls. Having already met the Exalted Prince almost a week prior, Lykos felt he was already slowly integrating into the culture that was Solunarium. It intrigued him, nonetheless, but at the end of the day, he was only thankful.

For the fact Hilana and Athalia were the ones that always remained there to guide him, as well as encourage him when it came to facing something new he felt uncomfortable with. They were also the ones who had supportively fed into his curiosities, and aided him as he learned more about himself both magically and spiritually. So when Lana had decided that they were going to treat these other guests, and even informed him of their origins, well, of course, the wolf wanted to be there to help out when the time came.

It wasn't often that Lykos got to meet people from the North after all, and the few who were all seemed settled here in some form or fashion. While the wolf had yet to explore Solunarium proper, he hoped that might change one day, but for the time being he remained affixed to Red Rock Citadel. There were projects underway after all, one Lykos himself had been ruminating on, but also another which his fellow Northerners were working on with Runeforging. An interesting concept to say the least, as Lykos never imagined himself having the chance at observing such work personally.

Regardless, he intended on being as helpful as ever to the sisters in turn. Thus the wolven demigod made it a point to carry at least two of the platters decorated with snacks. Lemon wasn't something he seemed overly fond of, but it was also Lana's own baking so he wasn't going to bash it. Not when he knew how exceptional her talent with food was. When the three of them reached the door for the younger sister to knock, the wolf followed suit with a gentle grin on his face, his interest piqued at the smells which soon awaited him. The first was the obvious scent of aether itself, as it hung heavily even beyond the threshold of the door into the room.

But what would soon come next, well, that remained to be seen quite yet.

[Pharaoh]

Phocion Princeps, another regular fixture at Arx Rubrum Petram, stepped out onto the platform that had been set up on the mesa that served as the roof of the ancient fortress. It was sometimes used as a landing pad for Sentinelwyverns, recently it had been arrayed with refreshments to welcome the Crown Prince of the Umbrium and today it would serve as the staging ground for the work to come. The Sentinel was uniformed, but wore no veil to obscure his pale face from the light of the Sceptre.

Following Phocion was a formidable procession of Solunarian magnati. Hilana would recognise Vrædyn Princeps, a lunar prince bedecked in solar garb- Ornate, white and gold robes and a matching diadem that crowned brow. Hilana and Dæmon would note Cithæra Princeps, High Sentinel of the Vigilia Argenti and materfamilias to the formidible House of Phædryn. The sunborn blonde was dressed more simply than Vrædyn and a bit more flashily than Phocion, insofar as her black-and-silver sentinel uniform was accented by a cape. Following Cithæra, was one figure known to all present and another familiar to very few, but both had a marked distinction in common: Scaly, metallic wings folded at their backs the top tips of which loomed well above their elfin heads. The more familiar of the two regarded the assembled and those Sentinels who'd already been making their preparations paused their ministrations and turned to lower themselves to one knee, bowing their heads in submission to their liege.

"Please continue your work." Arvælyn instructed, as he inclined his horned head to the man he'd met as Talon Novalys and his entourage.

"Your Highness. Allow me introduce my uncle..." Arvælyn stepped aside and gestured to the other winged elf- this one with platinum hair and violet eyes who donned armour the same shade of platinum as his wing scales.

"His Hallowed Highness Kairyndralok Zalkyrialis."

"We have met, nephew, over the skies of Auris when my father was slain..." The words were delivered coolly, but mildly so. Whatever animosity might be residual did not feel fresh nor fiery. "I pray for clearer skies this day."

"Indeed." Arvælyn cleared his throat and made the other introductions warranted, before gesturing to Vrædyn.

"Very well, Dæmon. We have assembled some of the finest mages in the dual realm to execute this masterwork thou didst fain design. They..." The Pontifex smiled faintly, "...and we, be thine to conduct." He turned to face the sundry arcanists collected. There were veiled sentinels, robed Varværyn acolytes, Vastians in plain clothes and gold-armoured half-elves whose divine lineage was so apparent it took no Sembling to glean. It was an unsually disjointed assemblage for Solunarium, but the motley congregation was now taking up positions around the large platform, "Form up!" He commanded, "The great work begins!"