between nowhere and somewhere

[Paragon]

P A R A G O N

90 Frost 124

The winds that blew that evening were soft. Gentle in their playful dance, guiding the waters to the shores that lapped at the island upon which stood a broken tower. A tower for learning, a tower somewhere between darkness and starlight. The architecture was old, older than most things that were left in the world. But it was not the artistry of the tower's construction that interested her.

She stood upon the shore of that tower and waited, waited as she had chosen to do. Waited as she was meant to. The red of her gown was the crimson of blood freshly spilled, contrasted only by the paleness of her skin and the dark black of her hair. In one hand she held onto a staff made of obsidian material, at the top of which rest a scarlet gemstone. In her other hand was a pocket watch, the soft ticking the only sound other than the lapping of the waves on the shore.

She felt the shift in the air before she saw it. Her eyes rose from the face of the pocket watch to settle upon the portal that opened up some distance from where she stood. She closed the pocket watch with a soft click, tucking it into a pouch around her waist.

Venetia watched as the young woman and her escorts approached the tower, as she knew they would, as had been given to her to know.

“We meet again, travelers.” She smiled at them. “Though, I suspect, you came here—as did I—with an altogether different purpose than when we first met on that road.”

[Kala Leukos]

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With a well-traveled Traveler among her faithful, Kala had made pilgrimage to the broken tower once per season for over a year now. Usually, it was upon the first of a season as per her first visit. Of course, that hadn't been possible for Glade, what with all the festivities she was duty-bound to attend, as well as those she attended for love of those there present. And, of course, she had been called by a fervent prayer to save the life of a newborn Avialae...

In any case, the Tower had not been ready for her or, more likely, she had not been ready for the Tower. Power she had been given; evolution into the thing she must become was her work, her process. Still, she measured her slow progress in the tongue of dragons by how many more details she caught of the inscriptions.

This time, she felt called. It wasn't a voice in her head; it was an urge. But she had long meditated, first to quell her fiery rages; now she was attuned to her soft, inner voice. Based on that intuition, she came.

Venetia was there. Well, then, the old cast of characters was gathered once more—she glanced skyward, searching for a few moments, hoping for the pinpricks of starlight gradually emerging to be temporarily hidden behind black wings.

Venetia had been there when Wraedan gave her His mark, His key to the tower. If He didn't want Venetia there when it opened, He would have to tell her so. She would not waste her time or sanity endeavoring to know His mind from without.

First she bowed, then her small entourage bowed to Venetia as well.

"Well met, Mistress Venetia," she greeted. Perhaps practicing the authority of her office lent more steel to the softness. Perhaps it was the divinity growing within her, growing into her. Kala was contained, but she contained more than she had before.

She looked up again.

"The stars remain. The darkness I wish to banish now is the figurative sort, the ignorance. I have studied the draconic language, I have studied the runic array of the tower, and I have studied Luscion’s Theorem of Dissolution. I don't know what this Gate protects, but the Grimlord gave me His key. I do not wish to bring ruin, but I cannot imagine He would give me this key if He meant the lock to remain intact."

Kala paused. It didn't hurt to be polite.

"I hope you have been well." She didn't ask what more Venetia had done in the meantime, nor what other purposes she had followed. They weren't exactly bosom friends. And while she didn't scan the woman, her divine nature often coupled with the Rune of Semblance to tell her more than her merely human and Avialae senses did.

She smelled the tang of copper in the air. Curious.

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[Paragon]

P A R A G O N

The red sorceress returned the bow in kind, her eyes looking past Kala and her company into the distance.

“Even with knowledge do we ever run in the pursuit to understand what we have learned. Knowledge might be freely given but only wisdom shows us the correct path toward using it.” Venetia spoke an often quoted passage from the teachings of the Dragon Goddess Keela, the Lady of Wisdom and Enlightenment.

“Your studies will not have been in vain. I suspect that tonight, the Grimlord's key will open many doors, not merely the one into the tower.” It was not difficult to discern where the tang of copper might have been coming from. While Venetia herself was wrapped tightly in a cloak of obscurity that kept the wisps of her aura a mystery, the staff she carried was not as heavily warded. Resting atop it was a gem of pure sanguinyte, swirling and filled to the brim, it was of supreme quality, and had clearly been woven into other enchantments that could be found in the staff.

Hints of corrosive Affliction magic along with the flighty touch of Masquerade's illusory essence. In a holster on the belt around her waist was a wand that swirled with fiery Elementalism, along with a book that was dense with a variety of magical traces. It was not hard to recognize a spelltome for what it was. She wore two rings, one on each hand, these too had magical essence that Kala's mastery of Semblance could easily glean. Essence of Kinetics and Negation each. Finally, the woman wore earrings and a necklace that at first glance appeared to be rubies but upon closer inspection had a touch of the bloody essence of sanguinyte, also of high quality, there were even more hints of elemental enchantments as well.

Venetia was clearly formidably armed and a sorceress with access to both great wealth and even greater magical resources.

“I am well, Lady Kala. Thank you for asking.” She gave Kala a polite curtsey. “I have come to lend my assistance. I too have been studying at length and now I return, called here by what I can only describe as a sense of destiny.”

“Shall we?” She turned and began making her way toward the tower. “I should warn you, we are not alone on the isle tonight. There are others. Things, husks somewhere between living and dead that have found their way here. I hid from them. I know not their purpose but it was very apparent they were uninterested in a civil conversation.”

Venetia frowned as though the lack of manners greatly displeased her.

[Kala Leukos]

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The woman's accoutrements suitably impressed Kala. Having brought an up-and-coming runeforger into her family's business ventures had proven useful for her as well; Torin had gifted her with many things, and he was the one she went to when she acquired strange dragonshards, figuring he would be the best suited to craft them into something else. Saedene's relic had come from Talon's Skyforge, but every time since that she had been there, the proprietor had not.

She understood this as she had become ever more occupied herself.

Unlike Venetia, Kala brought her allies: warriors; summoners; travelers; all with skills and powers she didn't possess, with some overlap. Fitting Venetia into the team spirit might have obstacles, but she seemed willing enough to collaborate.

"Well, we are aware of them, so at least they will not have the benefit of surprise."

After what felt like a mutual, silent agreement, they turned toward the Elliador Gate.

While the husks might not be interested in polite conversation, Kala made some as they approached: "I was brought in for a strange case at the Tranquil Gardens in Kalzasi, a powerful, chaotic Vitalitasi from Zaichaer. Fortunately, I saw no evidence that he had been assaulting citizens or livestock, but I discovered that he had bonded to a Spirit of Betrayal. He immediately blamed someone he had killed; the Spirit itself claimed he was the betrayer rather than the betrayed. I don't know if circumstances and, perhaps, overstepping had altered his mind. Strange."

That was her oblique connection to the blood gems on her person, but if Venetia left it alone, she wouldn't press.

Instead, she focused her eyes, her mind, and her Sembling eye upon the task at hand. Asallon remained near at hand, as did Kanedama. The other Avialae, however, spread out; three was hardly enough for a defensive perimeter, but with Kaus behind them, Ceran and Indric to either side, they kept watch, ready.

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[Paragon]

P A R A G O N

“Do you know the story of the Vitalitasi?” Venetia did not meet Kala’s eye as she spoke. “It is said that they were once healers. Blessed by the Life-Mother herself. Mending flesh, bone and purifying blood. But then they abused her gift and were cursed for it.” It was a simplified retelling of very obscure lore about an already obscure form of magic. “There are those who believe that the cost of practicing blood magic is worth it, if it means they can wield the Life-Mother’s gift as it was meant to be.”

Venetia was silent for a moment as she considered the plight of the individual mentioned.

“Perhaps both. Betrayed and Betrayer. It is often a vicious cycle.” More than that, the sorceress did not say.

Before long the the Elliador Gate came into view. Between them and the gate itself was a battalion of wandering husks that were clearly the evidence of souls bound to bones through necromancy. A profane art that tortured the souls used to animate the dead and infuse the withered bodies with unnatural strength and vitality. Standing just in front of the gate however was something else, something that made Venetia arch an eyebrow in surprise.

“Oh. That’s new.” The smell of sulfurous fumes wafted on the winds as a hellish figure had its back toward them. Its skin was stony with veins of lava running across its body. Blackened chains inscribed with runic markings hung from its body. The creature turned its head, sniffing the air.

“Ahhh.” A gravelly voice that popped and hiss with the crackling of fire drifted through the air. It turned to reveal its face. Jagged and rocky with great horns. A fiery demon ripped from the Infernal plane.

“We’ve been expecting you.” It’s blazing eyes focused on Kala. “Be a dear and come open the doorway for us.” The demon gestured with one of its clawed hands.

[Kala Leukos]

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Kala nodded, glancing sidelong at the woman for a moment as she gave a cogent summary of the history of the Rune, at least insofar as Kala's own studies had given her to believe. But if she had learned anything from her time in the Court of Princes, it was that the elves knew more than they were sharing. She didn't begrudge them their secrets; certainly, she knew things that were better kept under wraps. But she wondered if they would have a different story than the one Venetia related, or if they had some elaborations they might add.

"All magic has a cost," she said. It was, perhaps, a truism, and yet many a mage forgot it—to their sorrow.

She sensed the edges of what they saw before they saw it, a knot of dread drawing tight within her gut. There were perversions of necromancy ahead and she wondered whether she would have the ability to cleanse them or if she would have to call and hope Nessena answered again. A black dragon, even a young one, might help her correct death-related aberrations—or run afoul of Lyren, but she tried to pay Him His due respect, as well.

When she witnessed the carnage to its full extent, she felt an atavistic revulsion.

Feeling her small collective through their bonds, she knew they were prepared to do battle if necessary. The Avialae formed a tight circle in the air above her. Asallon put a hand on Aito's shoulder; the elf was half-demon himself, and had dropped into an animalistic crouch. Apparently demons didn't get along. He was hissing, spitting like an angry cat, and pretty hands that made elegant calculations on paper in her office were gnarling into claws, black, sharp nails ripping through his nail beds. His teeth were fangs. His face twisted into the uncanny valley, horns sprouting.

Well, she hoped that was not the terrible sign she feared it might be.

"Child of Perdition," he spat, his voice more akin to the demon's than to his own, words chewed out of the air with his monstrous teeth and pornographic tongue. "Unclean One. I will smite you in Her honor!"
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[Paragon]

P A R A G O N

A toothy grin spread across the craggy face of the demon. Molten lava dripped from its jowls as it emit a guttural chuckle.

“I shall enjoy the sound of your bones crumbling in my grip.” The chains that were draped around its form jumped to life, coiling upon each other to form a towering staff. The top end of the chain-link staff ignited in searing fire that took the shape of double blades. The demon now held a burning battleaxe in its hand. The demon raised its battleaxe pounding the bottom upon the ground.

A mournful groan emanated from the battalion of undead around the demon. The deathly soldiers all turned to the small group, eyes flaring to life with murderous intent. With alarming speed the undead horde began charging toward Kala and her entourage. Venetia drew out her wand.

“I shall attend to these husks. I trust the Lady and her…” Venetia glanced at Aito. “…escorts, can teach the upstart a lesson in manners?”

Not waiting for a response, Venetia flicked her wand. Immediately the earth behind the charging horde cracked and rumbled as a wall of rock and stone erupted from the ground. This created a clear divide between the horde of undead and the demon that seemed to be controlling them. With another wave of her wand, Venetia conjured a barrage of fireballs that began pelting the oncoming undead. The sorceress seemed quite capable of handling them.

The demon let out another laugh.

“Oh, how delightful! Come then, let us see if there is an actual bite to your barks!” Raising its battleaxe high, the demon swung it, releasing a series of hellish fireballs that glowed with a dark mist. A quick glance with Semblance would reveal that not only was there the element of Fire inside them but something sinister and corrosive as well. A touch of something acidic.

[Kala Leukos]

.

This wasn't going nearly as planned.

Several attempts to commune with the tower had only proven she hadn't come far enough with the draconic language. Kala had been, understandably, she thought, exhilarated to take up both the power and the responsibility bequeathed by Mother Naori, but she should have realized that her own short life was but the batting of an eye to someone eternal. But every visit save the first had been boring, really. No visit from Nessena, nor her Dragon God of Death.

Now, demons.

But she ought to have known that even dipping her toe into the fringes of divinity would only be more dangerous than the life she had known previously. There would be challenges fit for a would-be goddess. Kanedama Aito reacted violently to this presence; perhaps he knew the demon before them. She had taken a demon—or whatever was left when a summoner and their summoned demon fought to a standstill and then became one creature—into her service. This one, she thought would fight until one or both of them were dead.

Venetia took the initiative and so Kala, not really familiar with demons beyond the one she had claimed, felt compelled to follow suit.

"Guard me," Asallon commanded. There was no other word for it. Aito froze, nodded. The ashen summoner knelt scriving demon traps into the ground with starlight on his finger. Aito remained to guard him.

The three circling Avialae above them moved in unison, though Indric was prepared to, if all went to shit, dive bomb Kala and vault them to safety. All her boys were prepared to die for her; she just wouldn't allow that. She and Kaus had both attuned at some point or another to every element save metal, which Hilana had mentioned visiting next. Regardless, he was ever a child of Air, even as Kala was a child of Fire. The circling pattern of Avialae began to pull the Air with them into what might easily become a tornado when Kaus chose to point with a Finger of God.

Could a demon withstand that?

Kala, ever fearful of revealing her divine nature, was still a potent mage. She gathered power, just short of her divine nimbus, and found herself levitating in the air. But it was no compact with the element itself; though her brother's winds whipped at her hair and her clothes. She seemed to catch fire, though neither her clothes nor her flesh burned. She was a fire that did not devour without permission, but it would devour at her will.

The demons brought hellfire.

Kala brought starfire.

Venetia was handling the shambling horde; the twins attacked the demon itself. The spoils of their Warren March were engaged, lightning wreathing her starfire; the winds answering Kaus' call. Stormspeaker and Stormrider. A tornado formed, picking up the fire and the lightning, a finger of destruction that aimed for the demon.

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[Paragon]

P A R A G O N

A storm of fire and starlight assailed all that was before them in a cyclone of destruction that carved a path through the world. The world around them was swallowed by the din of the cyclone's fury, a spinning tower of doom that blotted out nearly all other light in its path. And when it cleared, there were not even ashes left to blow about on the wind. Only the smoldering earth, burned to such intensity that only glass remained. It was already cooling rapidly.

The tower stood as it ever had, unmoved and unyielding. Yet the whisper of something more continued to call to Kala.

“Well…” Venetia was in the midst of tucking her wand back into her robes. “…I see I needn't have worried in the slightest.”

The red sorceress beheld the destruction in front of her with the detached interest of a scientist observing a carefully constructed diorama. Behind her the charred remnants of reanimated corpses law strewn about, some blasted to pieces that were barely recognizable as something that might have once been living. She looked to Kala, motioning with her hand.

“Shall we?” Lifting her skirts in one hand, Venetia gave herself a bit of a running start before winds gathered around her allowing her to levitate just enough to hop over the hot glassy burned earth. Once she was on the opposite side, the woman flattened her skirts and straightened them before making her way toward the entrance of the tower.

“Truly, I am quite interested to see what is inside to have attracted such an auspicious amount of attention.” She paused in her walking, turning just slightly to look back at Kala and her entourage, patiently waiting for them.

[Kala Leukos]

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And just like that, it was done.

Kala blinked, then blinked again when her feet touched ground. Well, between her brother and herself, they were masters of the elements who had grown up working in unison. Still and all, the demon with its horde had seemed a proper challenge. Asallon's demon traps fizzled into nothing when he stopped pouring aether into them. While she hadn't created a Coalescence as she had experienced in Atoria, she was bonded to everyone here present except Venetia.

Perhaps you should offer? from Kaus.

He had recovered more quickly than she, but then he couldn't stand dumbfounded while flying. That helped her recover from the immense flow of power that had just gone through her. She released it all, but could feel it like static electricity all around.

Aito had returned to 'normal' and Asallon had a comforting hand on his shoulder. Kala could feel how he wanted to sob in the aftermath of this particular encounter, but all she could do was send comfort resonating along their bond. She was there for him, but they might still be in danger. Later, she would hold him while he wept. Asallon would remain by his side as they moved forward. The winged boys circled above, even more keen-eyed in their search for peril.

Kala gathered herself and moved to follow Venetia until she could catch up. As she approached the superheated ground, she raised her hand, sucking the Fire out of the Air and out of the Earth so it was cool enough to traverse safely. Well, safe from fire. Some of the glass was sharp. But she was careful. The Fire that gathered in her hand slowly coalesced into a lodestone to save it. Perhaps she would donate it to Torin's forge, or perhaps there would be use for it today. Only time would tell.

"Was that overkill?" she asked as they continued on toward the Elliador Gate. "I haven't battled demons before. 'Tis a good thing I don't keep a bard in my company; they would probably be writing a song about us just now." Her smile was somewhat brittle; deflecting with humor was not her strong suit.

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