Reliquiæ Antiquitatis [Hilana, Raithen]

[Pharaoh]

Reliquiæ Antiquitatis
Late Frost 123
The Luxium

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It wasn’t more than a moment’s time back in Hilana’s apartment that a startling knock rapped against her front door. Once it was answered, she would see no one at first and only after blinking did she see a black figure seem to phase into existence. The veiled Sentinel stepped inside without welcome and paused, noting Raithen, to bow to him. The Sentinel spoke in a voice as ambiguous as their veiled and vested figure.

“Your Resplendence.” And back to Hilana, “Ms. Chenzira. The Vigilia Magna is most interested in your progress on the isle. I have been tasked with escorting you both to a debrief at a secure location with Vigilia High Command. Please take a moment to pack for a week-long excursion. Duke Raithen, your packing has already been seen to. The Magnati congregate in the meanwhile, so tarry not.”

With that said, the Sentinel would step aside. It was unclear how they knew Hilana and Raithen had returned. Had they been staking out the apartment Scanning for shifts in the slipspace? Was some sort of alarum beacon set? Or was it some larger network of surveillance, suspected by many and unknown to most? Whatever the case, they’d wasted no time in stepping in. If Hilana had not already suspected her endeavour was drawing close to a climax, this certainly seemed like a good sign that such was the case.

When things were squared away on Hilana’s end, the Sentinel lifted their hands and executed a series of gestures, whispering in Vallenor, as the shadows began to gather from the corners of the room in which they’d lurked, forming a ring. The ring widened to a size through which even Raithen could step without ducking his wings.

“Follow.” The Sentinel stepped into the ring and was swallowed by shadow. As the others stepped through, neither Semblance nor Traversion would give them a full picture of what was being done. It was clearly intentionally obscure, though Raithen would sense Traversion magic was being utilised. It was complemented by something else, which concealed the slipspace pathways being Traversed.

Somewhere in the Atraxian Expanse
Moments later

Once through the portal, they would find themselves in unfamiliar environs. It was a simple, dimly lit chamber, rather like a holding cell. Stony grey walls with no windows nor even doors surrounded them. It was simple, spartan and bereft of adornment. No paintings on the walls, no furniture upon which to recline. Just an austere, unwelcoming box of stone.

“We will wait here unti—” The Sentinel’s voice was interrupted by a booming baritone that seemed to emit from every surface surrounding them:

“We are gathered.” With no sound, the wall before them shifted, a fissure of light emerged in the centre and widened into an opening about the breadth of a set of double doors. Through it, they could see a massive chamber with high ceilings, towering columns and a high daïs at the end of the tiled floor. It was far enough that they could not determine the identities of the five figures who sat on imposing thrones. The Sentinel who’d brought them, began to step forward marching the vasty length of a hall so great it might house every member of both royal families, even the dragons in their true forms. It seemed very empty, holding only five at so great a distance.

Drawing closer, they would see plainly who sat in the middle. With platinum white hair and metallic wings, sat Zalkyriax in his semi-elven seeming. Cithæra sat at his right hand, Valæra at hers. To the left of the Crownwyrm sat Phocion and to his left Vrædyn Princeps.

Upon reaching the inner sanctum, the Sentinel stepped to the middle of the pattern in the tile a few metres from the daïs and genuflected. When obeisances had been made, Zalkyriax spoke:

“You have walked a long path under your own auspices with marginal support from the realm. I deemed it ill-advised to commit resources to the outset of a quest that may come to nothing. You have now dismissed those concerns. How would you proceed?”

[Hilana Chenzira]

Well, she hadn’t expected that. She had figured she would need to go back to the Vigilia Magna and let her know what she’d learned, because she definitely needed a wyvern to go and explore the place from overhead. And possibly borrow a better Sembler than she was… “Understood, Vigil. Would you care to wait inside?” she offered, before hurrying to her room to get changed and packed. Preening Raithen’s wings was going to have to wait. She knew her cats wouldn’t bother the veiled figure, if only because they’d never notice them there.

The Vastiana would make quick work of it. She got changed into clean skirts of black, silver, red, and gold, and tidied her hair up. She didn’t know what type of excursion to expect, and that meant prepare for just about everything. She already had her Volumen and her Mask packed, along with her Ring of Traversion. Restoratives, elixirs, medical supplies, and tools went next. The dragonshard chip gloves for her hands. Waterskins, aqualyth dragonshard, lodestones. A couple lengths of rope. The masterwork falcata she had found in Ecith. Travel cloak, tarp. The less obstructive attire that she had worn before when they had ventured to Kaladon would do, along with a few other sets of clean clothes. She would shove shelf-stable snacks of nuts, dried fruit, pitas, hard cheese, and jerky in the bag.

Fail to plan, plan to fail.

She left a note for Lia on feeding the cats, and then she was ready to go. Her sister could take care of the rest of it from there. With her rucksack on her shoulders and her featherlight satchel draped across her body, she followed the Sentinel through the portal when it was made, and smiled up at Raithen, glad that he was there with her. Hopefully she would be able to grab Finn before they left, too.

***

When they emerged through the portal, Hilana looked around at the barren stone holding chamber, and did not fuss or fidget, her hands resting on the straps of her rucksack. They didn’t have long to wait, either, as the booming baritone certainly reminded her of His Exalted Majesty. This was a massive, imposing hallway indeed, and she kept up with the Sentinel as the hems of her long skirts swept along the floor. When the Sentinel took a knee, Hilana sank down and kowtowed before the five upon the dais. She might not normally take her knees before royalty, but the Crownwyrm was another matter entirely.

She had wondered about Prince Vraedyn's presence when she initially saw him, but then it made sense to her considering the fact that he was beside Prince Phocion on the dais, and he was beside the Crownwyrm. Avaerys Imperator, Varvara Imperatrix, the Crownwyrm, the Vigilia Magna and Princeps Sibylla, and Princess Valaera. She did not look up upon them, nor dare speak until she was addressed. Her hands were folded on her legs, and she looked up at the Magnati.

"Your Exalted Majesty. Your Serene Highnesses," Hilana began. The Founders could observe through Their chosen, but she could properly address them when They made an appearance. "We have located Insula Celatium, which I believe to be the last known location of Israxa the Black Dragon. It is approximately seven miles east of Insula Vrontium. We have learned that there are, or at least, were, a number of educated and advanced white-haired human people that have been there at least ten generations back by Neptori standards. I do not know if they are still there, as the last contact that their neighbours had with them was approximately 337 years ago. They bartered for what I believe to be lytirisyte from the locals at that time, and have not been seen since. I was going to request to borrow a wyvern, and ask for the assistance of a Sembler with stronger skills than my own to go and investigate the island with the Mask of Midnight's Mother in order to do some reconnaissance before beginning a ground search for further clues to locate Israxa and the Zalkyrian Horn."