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Post by Morrigan Moonweaver on Apr 28, 2023 14:44:14 GMT -5
Fire. A curious substance, really - most thought of flame as an agent of destruction, capable of razing down even the mightiest of villages. It burned ancient knowledge and fortresses, good and evil with equal cruelty, leaving behind nothing but ash in its wake. If you asked others, though, fire represented life. The spirit of the hearth, one that provided light and warmth to her people. It heated the stove that provided food as easily as it fueled the fireball from a vengeful mage.
If you asked Morrigan, though, fire represented innovation.
It was the flame that had been one of mankind’s first inventions, a simple tool that facilitated many discoveries over the eons. Mankind had once coveted fire, punished for stealing it. Fire was the breeding ground for innovation, forged swords from steel, served as the catalyst for chemical reactions. Good or evil, a flame sparked change - and what had been touched by its heat could no longer be recovered. Whether it was rendered to dust, or forged into something stronger than its principal parts, what was left behind was something entirely new.
One only needed to learn how to harness it.
A young fellblood was curled up in the back of a tarp-covered wagon. They couldn’t have been any older than seven, though they were small and skinny enough that they could have perhaps passed for five. This illusion was not helped by the large robes they wore, which practically dwarfed them in size, making the child appear as if they were wearing a potato sack than actual clothing. Not that they minded. In fact, they seemed more absorbed in the menagerie of small household items clutched in their claws than their bedraggled state of attire.
The child set the items down with great care, spread out in a neat line in front of them. The items were nothing special, really - a needle, a button, an empty cup, and a wax candle, each one set down with gentle hands. Once the child finished this part of the ritual, tail sweeping against the wood behind them in gentle, rhythmic - almost anxious - motions, they hunched over, face scrunched up in concentration as they stared at the bits and bobs.
Whatever they were expecting, it did not happen - the household items remained as still and unmoving as ever.
The child was not going to be deterred from their goal so easily. They first concentrated on the button, closing their eyes. They attempted to visualize the button rising off the wooden floor until it hovered a few inches off the ground, as if suspended by strings. They held that image in their mind, focusing with all their being - but when they opened their eyes, the button remained stubbornly on the ground.
The fellblood could not hide their disappointment.
But they would not be disheartened just yet. There were still other tests to try. They would not be done until they were absolutely sure.
Next was the needle. The child held it between two trembling claws, drawing it closer to their finger. They held their breath, ever-so-slowly drawing the needle closer to pale skin…
“Ah!”
They let out a little whimper at the pain, red swelling up from the pinprick. Their first instinct was to stick their finger in their mouth to clean away the blood, but they resisted the urge. Instead, they closed their eyes once more, trying to tug on a feeling that was not there, to draw upon the warmth of healing light and stitch the skin back together. This, too, yielded similarly fruitless results.
Growing desperate, the child picked up the cup next, staring into the empty rim, as if by willpower alone, they could will it to fill with water. No matter the efforts, though - no matter how much they tried and tried and wished and hoped - it remained empty and woefully dry. The child let out a shuddering breath, composure cracking at the seams. They were not yet at that age at which they could hide the dejected feeling curling in the pit of their stomach, no matter how often they felt its sting.
But there was one item left.
Surely, this one would work.
They picked up the candle, setting it down in front of them. Concentrating harder than they ever had in their life, they willed the candle to spring to life, to weave fire from nothingness. It always looked easy when father did it, like it barely took more than a thought and a wave of a hand to create the spark that lit the wick. That vein of life should have been in their blood, and yet, they could not feel its call.
Maybe they were doing it wrong? Tail flicking behind them in concentration, the fellblood tried to remember how father usually lit lanterns with magic. He would kind of wave his hand, like so…
They made the hand motion in a perfect imitation of their father, though the wick remained still and unlit. The child huffed, shoulders slumping as they moved to thread their fingers through their hair, tugging at the strands. What were they doing wrong? Why couldn’t they just cast the stupid spell? It always looked so easy for everyone else, but they couldn’t seem to light the candle! It was all wrong! Wrong, wrong, wrong-
“Kaivalya?”
The child hastily snatched the candle, shoving it into their trouser pocket at the sudden voice. Just as they hid the candle, Pahyeka Hridyanshu moved to scoop the child from the floor, a frown on his crimson, leathered face.
“You’re supposed to be in your room. What are you doing out here, making a mess?” His eyes swept across the trinkets that Kaivalya had painstakingly collected. “You could hurt yourself if you’re not careful.”
Kaivalya bit their lip. They didn’t want to say what they were doing. It was too embarrassing. Instead, the silent child brought their hands closer to their face, making nervous, halting hand gestures. ‘I was playing pretend.’
It was not technically a lie.
“It’s not safe to play pretend with dangerous items.” He chided. “What if you got hurt and mother was not around to heal you? You know how she worries.”
He bent down to scoop up the other items, placing them on a nearby table before pulling Kaivalya away. “Come along. Back to your room you go.”
Kaivalya squirmed, attempting to break free of his grip. Every inch of them wanted to scream, no! Let me go! I need to practice, I need my things! But as always, Pahyeka could not understand his child’s silent pleas. He did not care to understand, and Kaivalya was sequestered to their room once more - their efforts, a failure.
Only the candle remained, tucked away in Kaivalya’s pocket. Unlit, it burned.
“- Moonweaver? Master Moonweaver!”
“Bwuh?” Morrigan’s eyes snapped open, nearly falling out of their chair at the sudden hand shaking their shoulder, jolting them back into awareness. They managed to catch themselves on the side of their table rather ungracefully, clearing their throat as they straightened. Frantically smoothed down their hair. “Ahem.”
Ceres Celestia, witch in training, blinked down at them in shock. She clearly hadn’t expected such a dramatic reaction from the Fellblood. “Um… I just wanted to let you know… we’re almost there. Miss Mariposa said I should wake you once we got closer to our destination.”
“Ah, Hm! Yes, of course!” Morrigan stood, brushing dust and glitter off of the silk brocade draped delicately along their shoulders. Their destination, as evident by the ash-covered sky that Morrigan caught glimpse of as they peeked their head out the canvas tarp, was deep in the heart of the Ash Lands - right near the base of Mount Drakolt. Morrigan had ventured this deep into the land of depravity a few times before, most notably in search of the the elusive ash roses for entry into the Golden Consotrium. That felt like so long ago, now - in reality, it had only been a few months.
Today brought them here on an entirely different matter.
They closed the tarp behind them, not entirely keen on inhaling so much ash. The wagon continued to bump along the path, bringing the entourage closer to the base of the mountain - or more accurately, the ruins of the civilization below. Today was not a day of gathering potion components or saving lost researchers. Today was a day of opportunity.
It had been an accident that they stumbled upon the information, really. They’d been digging through a couple of old tomes in the mage’s guild collection, in search of knowledge on cursebreaking. Mere coincidence that they found a time describing an ancient immortal creature imprisoned in the Ash Lands, doomed to a cycle of life and death in their trappings. There was little recorded history on the creature - only that freeing it would earn its gratitude and grant the user unlimited power.
Oh, Morrigan coveted power.
It was hardly a solution to their curse, but the charlatan was nothing if not an optimist. Who knew what freeing the animal would grant them? The prospect of a challenge seemed rather small in the face of earning a different kind of wealth. Imagine having such a powerful creature indebted to you! Eyes bright with the prospect of fortune and success, Morrigan set out for the Ash Lands, sending out a letter to a companion on the other side of the continent. They, admittedly, knew little about animals and arcane creatures - luckily, they’d very recently come into contact with someone possessing a wealth of experience and knowledge of animals, someone who would be able to look at the documents and tell Morrigan exactly what they were dealing with!
… Though they left out the promise of a reward to themselves. Morrigan was a selfish creature by nature, and they doubted Miss Shitakibo was interested in such power. She was just interested in helping people and animals - they would wager she was more interested in providing her services and being generous. It was a win-win scenario, where both would get what they wanted.
Through the Ash Ruins the Wagon of Wonders rumbled, past wrecked buildings and the remains of a once-mighty civilization. Morrigan wrinkled their nose as they pulled themselves into the driver’s seat next to Mariposa, trying not to sneeze from the ash. “This place is a dead zone.” They sniffed, their gaze sweeping over the city. They knew little of this place - only that somewhere, there were the bones of an ancient temple that served as their destination. Eventually, they found the structure in the middle of the town square, once-proud white marble covered in layers of dust and neglect.
Yes, this was the place.
Morrigan whistled, urging the wagon to roll to a stop in front of the temple.
Only fitting Morrigan dreamt about fire - they’d be dealing with a lot of it today.
They hopped off the side, bidding Mariposa a nod. “Wait here.” They requested. “Watch the wagon, if you please.”
“Will you be alright?” She asked, brows furrowed. “This place is supposed to be dangerous. You know you’re not actually-“
“-Not actually what?” Morrigan’s tone was casual - the warning look they shot her was anything but. The minstrel got the hint, closing her mouth before she could speak such an ugly truth into existence.
“Oh, stop with the melodrama. I’m just looking after you.”
“I’ll be fine.” Morrigan waved a hand. “I’ll have a guide with me. And it’s not as if there’s anything alive in this ghost town. What possible dangers could I face?”
Mariposa rolled her eyes but remained silent as Morrigan made their way to the front of the temple. Their curiosity burned, but they would refrain from stepping inside - at least until their companion arrived. And so they waited by the wrecked doors, twisting the golden ring on their finger while they waited for the telltale signs of the reptilekin and her menagerie of animals.
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Post by Shitakibo on Apr 28, 2023 19:20:19 GMT -5
72 Hours ago
"Miss... Miss! There's a letter for you." Rina exclaimed, flitting back and forth with it gripped between her paws. Turning, the adorable creature buzzed back and forth as Taki pried herself away from concentrating on her garden. She gave Rina a treat, taking the letter in her other hand. Turning it over, she didn't immediately recognize the seal.
'Someone new, this could be interesting.' Thought the shaman as she walked over to the nearby workbench to open it. Gently slipping a sharp knife under the wax seal, she worked it open without tearing the envelope. Inside, the letter itself was written on a fine paper with quality ink.
"To Miss Shitakibo,
Your presence is requested, in 3 days' time at the foot of Mount Drakolt, at a place known as the Ash Ruins. I have discovered documents of a potential ancient creature sealed within and would be grateful for your assistance should they need aid in some way.
Sincerely,
Morrigan Moonweaver, Wizard of the Wastes." It read.
Another adventure to the Ash Lands would be a tribulation for most of her companions. Only Kurobe and Shion were remotely suited to the heat and volcanic environment. Morrigan had helped rescue a group of sea creatures, which in turn also lead to Keiga becoming a part of her entourage.
"Rina, please tell Kurobe, Shion and Keiga to make ready for a journey. We'll be leaving as soon as everyone's ready to go."
"Yes Miss." Said the Flitten, hopping from her perch on one of the upper shelves and soaring out into the mid morning sun. Taki wrapped up what she was doing and put the tools away, then walked up to the main house to gather her traveling pack and weapons. With a thought, her outfit changed to something suitable for traveling by sea. She swapped her gear to the ray skin pack made for aquatic environments, and rolled her regular pack inside with some of the pieces for her hammock tent.
As she walked outside, all of her animal companions had gathered, with three ready to travel and three staying home. Shuna, Yukina and Rina bid the group well, following them to the river to begin their journey.
"Stay safe, keep each other company, and let guests know I'm away if anyone comes." Taki told her companions staying at home. Mounting Keiga, the group set out. Kurobe, unable to ride, returned to their personal pocket dimension to travel in Taki's pack. After traveling through the day, they'd made incredible progress by sea. Finding a secluded beach, they camped out for the night.
48 Hours ago
A crisp, clear morning saw the group set out early after a simple meal. The salty spray and stiff breeze were enjoyable but the cold waters off the coast were tough for both Taki and Shion to tolerate. Taki spent most of the time on the water communing with her guardians and guiding Keiga along with guidance from the spirits of the sea.
Around mid afternoon, Keiga slowed and stared off over the horizon. She felt Shion climb up onto her shoulders, and even her guardians perked up. Taki understood, a storm was brewing and they needed to find shelter. She summoned Ryu, who went soaring into the sky to find somewhere to shelter. The gentle rumble of thunder filled the sky, and dark clouds started peeking on the horizon.
Ryu came back a few minutes later, and guided the group to a small, volcanic Islet. Powerful winds tossed Keiga about in the strong waves it pushed ahead of the storm's mass. Taki held on, the Tidal Serpent struggling to overcome the shifting currents. For what seemed like an immense amount of time, they fought to gain ground from the storm. Near exhaustion, the group tucked themselves inside a cavern as the first of the rains began to fall.
She lit a small fire in the back of the cavern, the front open enough to be sprayed with rain driven by gusting winds. Shivering in the cold, her companions tucked themselves around the warmth of the blaze. Dozing off around the flickering flame, Taki and her companions did their best to weather the storm raging outside.
Lightning, wind and battering rains swirled outside, swallowing the daylight in heavy grey clouds. Taki slept in fits, the howling storm waking her sporadically with booming thunder. She sat up, sighing heavily and watching the chaotic forces of nature. An odd roaring, and a shift in the wind signaled disaster for the group. A cyclone had formed just offshore, soaking up seawater and spraying it with violent force.
She woke her companions, stifled the fire and asked Ryu to scout the area. Gathering her pack, the group followed the draconic spirit out into the ferocious storm. Together, they pushed through the hazardous terrain to another cavern. This one had a very narrow opening, and extended deep into the surrounding rock. The snap of trees, clap of thunder and roar of the cyclone making landfall chased the shaman and her companions into the cavern.
Taki relit the fire, wedged into the cave. Shion and Keiga dozed off in the heat, Taki watching the storm outside and the flickering flames until she followed suit. Some time in the night, the gale outside finally died down. Waking up from the odd silence, she walked outside to find the area devastated. She went back inside and dozed off once again.
24 Hours ago
Rays of sunshine roused the group one by one. Taki and her companions had a meager meal and set out once more. Stiff and sore, they made slow progress before reaching the Ash Lands around mid day. They came ashore after following a winding river inland. Keiga stayed at the river, resting and foraging to recover for the return trip. Taki, Shion and the recalled Kurobe started the trek over hills and blasted steppes towards the Ruins.
A couple of hours in, they heard a rumbling from the earth below. Taki scooped Shion up, and with Kurobe took off running to higher ground. As they ran, the porous basalt underfoot began to split and burst open. Kurobe slammed into the shaman's back, launching her mid jump over a wide chasm created by the unstable ground. She twisted mid air, watching in horror as her dear companion fell for what seemed like minutes. The brightly colored creature stared up at her, eyes watering as it slammed into the obsidian floor below.
She tucked herself around Shion, tumbling across the hard terrain as it jabbed into her body. Taki lay there for several minutes, gasping for breath and squeezing Shion tightly.
"Taki... Taki... let me loose... can't breathe..." Said the Prismatic Spider in a muffled voice. She recalled Ryu to her side, who'd been serving as scout and watching overhead. The dragon flew down the deep ravine, inspecting the prospect of climbing down to help Kurobe as they made way to the bottom. Tumbling rocks, jagged formations from below, and gaps in large sections rendered that out of the question.
It wouldn't have mattered even if Taki could climb down, as Kurobe had perished on impact. Ryu recoiled for a moment, the faithful Woolful had given it's life to save Taki and Shion from the fall. Devastated by the news, the shaman fell to her knees and mourned the loss. Another thunderous sound rolled up from the crevasse, drawing her gaze. The side they'd jumped from collapsed, stones and dust tumbling down the hill and burying Kurobe in a shower of gloomy, almost uniform grey.
She said a small prayer, her voice broken and full of sorrow. While losing a pet to the flow of time was something Taki accepted, this was an outright tragedy. Ryu and Shion tugged at her, trying to get her to keep moving. The ground was likely unstable and they couldn't stay, so Taki would have to mourn the loss once they'd reached the Ruins.
She picked herself up and kept walking, following Ryu's ethereal form in a daze. They reached the Ruins ahead of the night, and made a small camp on the edge of town. She dozed off, dreaming of green fields and frolicking through flowers with Kurobe bleating by her side. She mourned, weeping tears in heavy batches of emotion through the night as Ryu watched over the group.
Present day
Taki awoke stiff to the morning sun, shaking and stiff from having not made a proper camp the night before. She gathered her things, and made way into the center of town. Apparently Ryu had spotted Morrigan's carriage just after first light and they'd stopped by a large building not far away.
Disheveled, she fixed her outfit, shifting it back to something more to her normal, though she'd inadvertently given the outfit Kurobe's colorings and fought another wave of sadness. One step at a time, she made progress with the encouragement of her companions. She needed to focus on the task at hand. They were here to help Morrigan discover what creature might be contained within, and aid the creature however they could.
She saw the wagon parked near a weathered and broken building, far more ostentatious than others in town. It reminded her of the religous buildings of humanity, but with it's own oddness. Approaching from the opposite side of the square, with Ryu sailing overhead, Taki had finally arrived.
"Good day to you all. It's good to see everyone made the journey safely." Taki said, greeting each of group in turn. Her tone was unusually solemn, and she didn't seem to be carrying herself with the confidence of a seasoned adventurer.
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Post by Morrigan Moonweaver on Apr 29, 2023 14:44:06 GMT -5
Eventually, Ceres Celestia made her way from the back of the wagon to take her place at Morrigan’s side. The young witch’s eyes flitted towards the outer shell of the temple, brimming with unabashed curiosity. For all her nerves and lack of experience that was oft accompanied with youth, Ceres undoubtedly possessed a curious mind and a hunger for knowledge and intellect. As Morrigan watched her appraise the building, they knew they’d made the right choice in companions for this venture.
“Curious about this place?”
Ceres stiffened, gripping her staff as she let out a small squeak. “Yes, I am… you couldn’t find much about this temple’s origin in your investigation, did you, Master Moonweaver?”
Morrigan shook their head, hoping their frustration didn’t show on their face. “Not but a name. The The Yudraehati.” The word felt thick and foreign in their mouth. “In the common tongue, ‘the House of the Dawn’. But whatever this place once was, it must have been razed along with the rest of the city.” They sniffed, inclining their head towards Mount Drakolt in the distance, the ash spewing from its yawning opening and the simmering red heat from the lava pits a constant reminder of its presence.
“Two guesses as to what took out the poor sods here, eh?” They flashed her a crooked grin, a mouthful of sharp teeth. “I suppose that it’s only natural. They’re the unfortunate misers that shacked up near a volcano.”
“Master Moonweaver.” Ceres gasped, a pale hand flying to her mouth. “That isn’t nice to say!”
They raised their hands, the universal gesture for surrender. “My apologies, my apologies. Please forgive me for this glaring oversight.” That last part was spoken to the surrounding ruins, not directed towards anyone in particular. One never knew what spirits might be lurking, unable to depart after such a traumatic exit from this world. Best not to anger them with careless words.
… Yes, such a horrible fate that had no doubt befallen this once-proud city. And yet, the Yudraehati alone still stood.
It was not entirely unscathed, mind. The structure of marble and stone was covered in ash and scorch marks, bearing all the signs of waste and neglect. The bits that had been made of wood had rotted through entirely, having fallen apart so long ago that there was not even the sour scent of dampness that usually accompanied such a sight. Calling it an intact building was a generosity, one only offered because it still had half a roof, four walls, and a door made out of horribly cracked stone.
Morrigan made their way up the dirt-covered steps, pressing a ring-clad hand to the front of said door. Heat lingered in their palm - a gentle warmth at first, like the basin of a stone cauldron long after it had been heated and cooled. But the longer that Morrigan ran their fingers over the uneven stone surface, trying to feel out the symbol that had been weathered away over the millennia, it began to grow warmer, the temperature of the stone increasing until it burned, unbearable to touch -
Morrigan hissed, withdrawing their hand like they’d been scalded. But as they inspected their palm for burns, experimentally pressing their claw to the palm of their hand, everything felt normal. When they touched the stone again, it felt cold.
Must have been a figment of my imagination.
Any further investigation was interrupted by Ceres Celestia’s cry from behind. “They’re here! She’s here!”
Morrigan whirled around - sure enough, there was the familiar reptilekin, followed by her usual menagerie of animals and spirits. It seemed… smaller than they remembered. Perhaps because not all of miss Shitakibo’s animal companions were fit for the travel to this terrain? Her greeting that followed, more somber than Morrigan expected, only served to pique Morrigan’s curiosity.
They clapped their hands together, affixing a bright smile on their face. They weren’t one for small talk - it seemed awfully trivial in the face of big dreams. They were on the verge of something great here. With their usual showmanship and grandiosity, they descended the stairs of the Yudraehati, offering Miss Shitakibo an enthusiastic handshake in greeting. “Ah, Miss Shitakibo! It has been some time since our rendezvous in the Crescent Isles, has it not? I trust you’ve been well?”
There was kindness in their voice, but also some measure of distance. Morrigan’s eyes were already on the prize.
Their apprentice, on the other hand, had no such qualms. Ceres Celestia might not have been the boldest of people, but what she lacked in bravery, she made up for in sensitivity. It was easy for her to see that Shitakibo was not as self-assured as she’d been when they first met. The young apprentice set her staff against the side of the side of the building before gathering her skirts to avoid getting ash all over them, sprinting up to the taller woman and wrapping her in a hug that felt far more firm than one might have expected from the demure young lady.
“It’s good to see you again.” She whispered.
It was the most comfort that she knew how to offer her friend.
“Now, now, Ceres Celestia, there’s no need to crowd her.” Morrigan waved their arm, bidding the young woman to grab her staff once more before turning back to Shitakibo. “I’m terribly sorry to have summoned you on such short notice, but this is a matter of upmost importance."
They turned back to the Yudraehati, basking in its glory. “Miss Shitakibo… what do you know of phoenixes?”
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Post by Shitakibo on Apr 30, 2023 4:45:06 GMT -5
Before she was able to respond to Morrigan's questions, she was enveloped by Ceres' embrace. Hugging the young apprentice back firmly, she smiled slightly but that only made her sorrow easier to see.
"I'm... better than I should be, and also worse... if such a thing is even possible. One of my companions did not make the journey here, the big ball of fluff and horns..." Her voice broke for a moment, and she fought back the well of emotion. Taking a few deep breaths, Taki continued. "Out on the porous ground, it collapsed from under us as we were making our way inland. Kurobe saved Shuna and I, but fell into the ravine that opened and didn't make it."
She took a moment to recover, Shuna coming from behind and nuzzling against her leg. Taki leaned down and scooped up the jungle cat and pet her gently. As her emotions calmed, she gave thought to the other question.
Phoenixes were something said to be near mythological, even for a place like Charon. While she doubted her knowledge of the fiery bird was anything extraordinary, she still went over her own information. Perhaps Morrigan knew something more, but the question definitely wasn't something you'd just go around asking strangers.
She suddenly understood the vagueness of the letter. Had it been stolen, it wouldn't offer the recipients much to go on other than a location. This also had piqued Taki's curiosity, so she was glad to have some idea of what they were up to.
"While I doubt my understanding is anything special, I know they're near mythological creatures said to be able to rival the might of other similar creatures. Capable of conjuring great conflagrations and rain infernos from the sky, killing a Phoenix is said to be near impossible, and about as bad for your own karma as slaying a Unicorn.
The main difference is in execution. A Unicorn's blood is a double edged curse, whereas a Phoenix will simply resurrect itself from the ashes of it's old life. Other than that, historically this was their territory and stories tell of great battles between them and the Dragons who also inhabit the area. Such battles were said to scorch the very earth and set stone ablaze as easily as paper, lighting up the sky with a blazing crimson for days on end if the creatures were particularly old or ferocious."
Shuna trembled a bit in her arms listening to the story. Taki comforted her companion, thankful for the two part distraction from her emotions for a few minutes. She took a deep breath, let it out slowly and called Ryu down from above. The serpentine spirit dragon dropped from the sky, coming to rest beside the shaman.
"Would you be so kind as to scout the area for us, look for any signs of a large bird nest, possibly made of stone. Look for signs of melting, scorch marks, and other indications of very high heat exposure."
"Now that is a heck of a puzzle in a place like this... I hope you understand that Taki."
"I do, and I wouldn't ask you if I had wings of my own Ryu, but without Yukina here to do most of the scouting, our only other option was to try and search for something that likes to fly on the ground... which of those two options seems most practical? We're going to look either way, but your eyes give us the best chance to catch what we cannot hope to see ourselves." Replied the shaman, her tone exasperated. Ryu simply nodded and took to the sky once more, circling overhead in a growing spiral.
She walked over to the ruined building, finding it's architecture both odd and fascinating. Trying to understand the shape of the building, she peeked inside the fallen, shattered windows. It was cavernous, sparsely lit by the holes in the collapsing, dry rotted roof. She couldn't get the feel for it's size from here, obscured by shadow and the decaying march of time.
Taki took a walk around the outside, taking a small piece of slate from the ground with a fairly flat surface and sketching a rough trace of her path around the building. She returned a moment later and recalled Ryu, who hadn't found anything as of yet.
"Morrigan... you might want to look at this. I sketched the perimeter of this structure, it's not exact but I don't think it matters..." Said the shaman, turning the slate so both Morrigan and Ceres could see. On it's surface was a crude outline of a bird spreading it's wings in flight. Taki looked up to the sky, half expecting a winged shadow to befall the group and be engulfed in flame. She shuddered at the idea, but kept her wits about. Ryu would have signaled if something that obvious was soaring through the sky.
Shuna jumped from Taki's arms, and went roaming through the building. The shaman almost went after her companion, not wanting to lose another to the unknown conditions beneath them.
"I'll be just fine miss, the ground here is unusually stable for some reason, and I won't go below ground. Let me be your eyes inside, at least until we know the floor is solid."
The request was reasonable enough, so Taki simply nodded her approval and waited outside. Taking a seat on the stone steps leading into the structure, she tried to gather the resolve to keep sending her companions into dangerous situations, especially when she herself would dive headlong into any of them for the sake of others.
"I hope your trip here wasn't nearly as eventful Morrigan, it's good to see you again. Things have indeed been busy since our last encounter. Forgive me if I'm not much help this time around, but losing Kurobe has me asking many questions of myself and my own abilities.
Perhaps while this is going on, I could borrow Ceres' knowledge and intellect for a short while? I'd like to know more of the Earth Domain's magic, as I may consider pursuing other related disciplines. Losing a pet or companion to time, age or disease I could handle... have handled far better... but the abrupt loss due to my own poor decisions and survival skills raises many personal questions." Taki explained, trying to keep her trembling nerves from overwhelming her every thought.
Shuna returned a moment later, dusty and covered in ash but otherwise safe and sound. "There are several shattered stones around the perimeter of the floor, but the cracks don't touch most of the center. It is exceptionally stable the closer you get to the main room in the center, even staving off the collapse of the walls and ceiling. While I didn't find any stairs or furniture to speak of, there is some form of passage leading down below. The entrance was strange though, like the building was built overtop another existing structure or formation of some kind."
Taki relayed the information as Shuna reported it, hoping it might give some indication as to what goal Morrigan was pursuing. She pulled a treat from her pouch and fed the feline, scratching her chin gently as an extra reward for the cat's hard work. She stood, stretching her limbs and turned to Morrigan.
"How would you like to proceed?" She asked.
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Post by Morrigan Moonweaver on Apr 30, 2023 22:06:26 GMT -5
Morrigan pursed their lips while Shitakibo spoke. They remembered the woolful she was describing - they’d met the animal briefly during their first encounter with the shaman. All of a sudden they realized exactly why her group had felt sparse today. Shitakibo’s voice was thick with emotion, only quelled by the comfort of her companions. Comfort Morrigan wasn’t quite sure how to offer. Their tail flicked behind them, mouth hanging open as they, for once in their life, searched for words that they did not properly know how to formulate.
The silver-tongued charlatan had concocted countless lies in their life, woven honeyed words and charmed the coin out of many a pocket. It was not difficult to spin words of sympathy from a tale of woe, all designed to sell placebo product to sick or grieving strangers. But how could one offer words of condolence when Morrigan themselves had never experienced the sting of loss? People and things Morrigan had left behind in the past… they’d never cared enough about to keep.
There was no grief in that.
It was, thankfully, Ceres Celestia that broke the silence, where she still had not let go of the shaman. “Oh, Miss Taki, I’m sorry for your loss.”
Morrigan broke out of their almost trance-like reverie at those words, drawing in a sharp breath. “Yes, that is… rather disheartening news. I know how your animal companions are dear to your heart. Clearly, you are dear to theirs, as well. I’m sure that Kurobe’s spirit will be satisfied in knowing that you were unharmed by the dangers you faced.”
The words lacked their usual grandiosity, though there was an oddly hollow quality to them, as if Morrigan had attempted to shove meaning where there was none in this fumbling attempt at comfort. The effect was rather odd, watching someone normally so self-assured in their place fumble through a couple of kind words like a stumbling fawn. But Morrigan had never been quite good at kindness.
Rather than make an ass out of themselves, Morrigan wisely kept their mouth shut while Shitakibo relayed what she knew about phoenixes. As they expected, she had a breadth of knowledge that far eclipsed Morrigan’s own. While the panther trembled in Shitakibo’s arms, Morrigan trembled for an entirely different reason. They did not fear such terrible power. An immortal creature, whose magic rivaled the dragons… long had Morrigan desired to be able to harness that ability. And now, they were close enough that they could practically reach out and touch it.
This was what they’d always wanted, wasn’t it?
So why did they feel this gnawing apprehension in the pit of their stomach?
They turned back to stare at the remains of the Yudraehati while Shitakibo sent Ryu off to investigate for any possible evidence that might prove this home may have once held a phoenix.
Morrigan swallowed. This odd feeling was a result of the news Shitakibo had just shared, that was all. They took a step forward, pressing their palm once more to cool stone. “You must forgive me for the secrecy. This information I’ve unearthed, I had to be sure that I confided in someone I could trust.” Their tone was heavy, though their eyes were still vacant. As if staring hard enough through the temple’s scorched and ash-covered walls would allow them to see the beast slumbering within.
“You clearly hold a deep respect and admiration for all life forms, Miss Shitakibo. And an understanding of their capacity to harm. Phoenixes are powerful creatures… beings of legend. If word got out that there was one here, who knows what unsavory characters might try to take advantage of that?”
Oh, the irony of that statement was not lost on them.
“This temple here, as I explained to Ceres Celestia, is known as the Yudraehati. House of the Dawn. There was little information I could find on its origins, but there was a curious tidbit of information I found while digging through the archives housed in the Mage’s Guild. Recordings of powerful magical signatures all centered right around this temple, gathered by scholars investigating the Ash Ruins.” And likely, the reason that it had been spared much of the destruction from the volcano’s eruption that the rest of the city had faced. “And a single document, a remnant from ages past whence this temple once stood whole. An acolyte of an unnamed god - certainly not of Charon’s pantheon - claiming that he had captured a drop of the sun.”
Perhaps the evidence seemed flimsy, but Morrigan was willing to take that chance. But they had a strong feeling that something ancient slumbered here. Something powerful. And there was nothing they wouldn’t give to discover what it was.
And their suspicions were only confirmed when Lady Shitakibo returned from examining the perimeter with a sketch of the Yudraehati’s outline. Morrigan’s fingers lingered over the silhouette in amazement, eyes sparkling with wonder. Oh, this could not be a coincidence.
“There is no more doubt in my mind.” Morrigan whispered, perhaps unaware they were even uttering the words as starstruck as they word. They were transfixed by the depiction of the bird in flight… so detailed that they could almost imagine the movement of its wings, and the flames curling around its feathers. “Lady Shitakibo, it seems we’ve unearthed a legend.”
They thrummed with excitement, too much to keep still while Shuna investigated the innards of the temple for any dangers - while Shitakibo sat, Morrigan paced, stepping with one foot in front of the other, hands flying in all directions in an attempt to dispel the nervous energy that threatened to consume them.
“It is good to see you again too, my friend.” Morrigan returned the well-wishes. “And I think your particular set of skills will come quite in handy. I’ve knowledge of the arcane - but your knowledge of creatures has already proven to be invaluable.”
They fell silent while Shitakibo expressed her worries regarding her own abilities.
That was a bitter sentiment Morrigan understood well.
They waved their hand, a trail of glitter lingering in the air for a moment, lingering with the ash. “There is no predicting when loss will strike. We are not gods with the ability to rewrite reality, nor are we phoenixes who can rise from the ashes of our failures and take flight. But we are man, and it takes true power to grasp one’s own fate. Feel free to pick my student’s brain. Ceres Celestia is quite powerful for her age in the way of the earth domain. And I’m sure she could learn much from you, in turn.”
Ceres perked up, surprised to be called upon, before dipping into a low bow. “I will do my best to help in any way I can.” She vowed.
The feline emerged from the temple, relaying information to Shitakibo in a language only the two seemed privy to. Morrigan waited patiently for Shitakibo to relay the information before nodding. “That sounds about right.” They hummed. “A structure underground? The only natural course of action is to delve deeper.”
They moved to enter the Yudraehati before something stopped them. A little niggling feeling in the back of their skull, perhaps. A feeling they couldn’t place. Before they pushed the doors open, they turned back to the shaman. “Are you sure you are willing to continue? I would not force you to make this journey with me if you are not focused.”
The offer, though one that seemed genuine, did not come without its own selfishness simmering underneath the surface. The simple truth was that Morrigan couldn’t afford any distractions. Not now, with so much at stake.
“You have been a great help thus far, but I am more than willing to take this journey alone if you are not fit for it.” They nodded at her. “I will scout ahead myself, and leave you to ruminate. I promise I will not be offended if you decide to stay behind.”
And then they pushed open the great stone doors with both hands, entering the temple proper.
The inside of the building fared no better than the outside. Broken, weathered glass crunched under their sandals as they tread carefully, taking in their surroundings. Time had worn on the innards of the building - dust and cobwebs coated every available surface. If there had been any furniture that once populated this inner sanctum, none remained now. All that was left was the cracked, uneven floor, covered in grime and dirt, and some bits of trash here and there left from the occasional squatter. There appeared to be a stone statue of some sort in the back of the temple, illuminated by a few scant rays of light that filtered in by the broken roof.
Time, too, had stolen away with the identity of this artifact - it was impossible for Morrigan to make out what it might have depicted. Even more interesting, though, were the markings around its base. The stone there had been scraped raw, blackened marks indicating that this statue had been moved around many times. The charlatan traipsed around to the backside of the statue, where their suspicions were confirmed. There was a rounded hole in the ground right below the statue, housing a set of stairs and a darkened pathway that led to wonders untold.
“A secret entrance.” Morrigan bent down, peering into the darkness. They lacked the sensitivity to see that far down into the underground contained in the yawning entrance, but they could feel its vastness just from the cold, stale draft that hit them. The hairs on the back of their neck began to stand up.
Raising their voice, they called out to the others, Morrigan cried, “I believe I’ve located the opening!”
Their tail swept behind them in the nervous, halting motions of a child who had once sat in front of household objects and prayed to any god out there that this attempt would be different. On the precipice of greatness, but not quite allowed to touch.
Morrigan would not fail this time. They would grasp that spark in their own hands, and they would never let go.
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Post by Shitakibo on May 1, 2023 12:05:05 GMT -5
Hearing Morrigan's voice, Taki let out three sharp, short whistles to signal Yukina. The huge white owl dipped her wing to one side, then tucked and shot down to where the group was. Landing on one of the stone pillars, the shaman tossed the owl up a treat as thanks and waved to her companion.
"We won't be long Ceres, but be ready in case this turns from a journey to a battle. If you see the owl take flight, or hear the sharp whistle I just made happen one time... then things are about to get hectic, otherwise, we'll be back shortly." She explained to the young mage, picking herself up and calling her other companions to her side.
Ryu flew ahead, while Shuna and Taki picked their way across the building to where Morrigan was anxiously awaiting to start the exploration. She pat the fellblood's shoulder and took a look down into the gloom. There wasn't much she could see beyond the entrance.
"I think I've got a fine solution for this situation. Let's get to it... I could use the distraction." Ryu and Shuna moved in closer, letting the shaman touch each one and cast the spell Light upon them. Her companions gave off the glow of a torch, and dropped down into the darkness. There was a crude stone staircase, highlighted by her companion's presence.
Taki dropped down into the hole and looked around at the stone walls. They looked... melted, not hewn or split by natural forces... strange. She beckoned Morrigan to follow down, instructing Shuna to follow while Ryu waited for her adventuring partner.
"I'm not sure how this was done, but I could guess our fiery feathered friend has something to do with." Remarked the shaman. She started making her way deeper into the catacomb, which opened up gradually as she moved deeper into the tunnel. The darkness faded as she approached another twist in the corridor, ahead was a fiery orange glow growing brighter.
"Something's ahead I think, you should come look at this." She called back to her companion, watching the glow of her spirit guardian approaching.
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Post by Morrigan Moonweaver on May 2, 2023 12:23:17 GMT -5
Ceres Celestia opened her mouth, as if wanting to protest against Miss Taki’s warning to stay behind while they investigated. Part of her wanted to come along, to see history in the making - this was what she was training under Master Moonweaver for, wasn’t it? To learn everything she could and hone her magic, not to be left on the sidelines while others did all the work! But some part of her knew it wasn’t her place to argue. She’d heard Miss Taki telling stories about the legend of phoenixes, and what they were capable of. They once fought with dragons! If the pair ran afoul of one of those creatures… why, then Ceres Celestia would really be no help at all, would she?
Enthusiasm dimming, Ceres sat back down on the dusty stone steps. The shadows cast by the Yudraehati’s walls loomed over her. “Okay. Be safe.”
Ceres watched Miss Taki’s retreating back and hoped this would not be the last time she saw the shaman, or her master.
Shitakibo seemed more resolved by the time she joined Morrigan at the base of the statue. There was a determined glint in her eyes, not trained on the charlatan, but rather, the steps descending deeper into the temple. Morrigan let out a pleased hum seeing her snap back into focus, with the same serenity she’d carried herself with upon their first meeting.
“Good.”
As much as they liked to sing of their skills from the rooftop to anyone who would listen, Morrigan didn’t think they could do this alone. If what they’d read was to be believed, it would take powerful magic to break the seal on this creature. That was, in part, what had inspired Morrigan to reach out to Shitakibo. As evidenced by the softly-glowing spirits that guided their descent down the cruddy steps, she had a high affinity for spirits and elementals. Following the beacon set forth by Shitakibo, Morrigan hopped carelessly down the steps, the sound of their sandals striking stone echoing through the halls.
Contrary to what one might expect, there was no ambient noise to follow them - no chittering of small animals or insects that had snuck their way in over the years while searching for somewhere dry, no creaking and groaning from the settling of old foundations - not even the howling of the wind from outside. There was only an eerie stillness, as if all sound and life was consumed by the Yudraehati. Even Morrigan’s own careless footsteps which held no concern about stealth whatsoever felt muffled.
And when Shitakibo spoke up, her hushed voice felt like a scream.
Morrigan squinted, trying to make out the melted marks along the walls. Where vision failed, touch prevailed - as they brushed their hands against the walls, they could feel the way the stone had drooped and congealed, not unlike wax that had been melted and left out in the cool air to solidify.
Fire that was hot enough to melt stone. Morrigan hadn’t thought it possible.
“… Fascinating.” They whispered. “It truly makes you wonder how a creature this powerful could be captured by mortal hands.”
However it was, though, it clearly hadn’t gone down without a fight.
They did not have to wander the halls long before even Morrigan could see the orange glow bouncing across the walls and ceiling. Fire? All the way down here? Even at this distance, Morrigan’s arms had begun to tingle, a sensation they had come to associate with the presence of magic. Usually, the mana curse in Morrigan’s blood prevented them from feeling traces of ambient magic in the air, but down here, there was a lot of it. So much so that as Morrigan walked, following Shitakibo, they absorbed the magic in the air, it was like filling an empty cup until it overflowed. The sensation made Morrigan feel giddy and lightheaded.
“We’re getting close.”
Perhaps someone else would have been scared, but…
There was always a risk of death, wasn’t there? Morrigan had signed their life away the moment they were born with such an unfortunate malady. Their body was so weak that they’d been slated to die in their first decade of life. There was no risk great enough to deter Morrigan from their reward.
Emboldened, Morrigan grinned at Shitakibo, waving their hands in the air that left a burst of glitter in their wake.
“Come on! We should investigate, no?”
They made their way into the inside of the chamber, incautious - it was a small miracle that no traps had triggered to slice them to ribbons as they traipsed into the large chamber at the end of the hall. Apparently, despite the treasures sealed underneath, no one had thought to set one.
Once inside the grand chamber, it was rapidly apparent where the source of the light had come from. The round, domed structure was covered in bits of luminescent amber - the substance jutted from the ground, bright enough that Morrigan felt like they were staring into the sun. Along the walls, lanterns crackled with multicolored, alchemical fire, ranging from hues of orange and red to blue and green and even violet. There was not a single piece of furniture, though along the dusty floor, Morrigan could make out some sort of design emblazoned in the tiles. The same melting phenomenon was smattered across the stone walls, some of the amber chunks, and even parts of the floor - only the center of the room was entirely unblemished.
They got on their knees, brushing their hands along the ground to clear away the dirt. They could make out patterns, symbols - runes that the Charlatan had no hope of interpreting but could clearly recognize as arcane. Still clearing off the dirt, they called out to Shitakibo, “Can you sense anything? Lingering spirits, potent magic, the like?”
If there was any place the Phoenix would be, it was here.
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Post by Shitakibo on May 2, 2023 17:34:34 GMT -5
Taki and her companions entered the wide, brightly glowing chamber. It was a marvel unto itself, buried deep into solid stone. Along the walls, lanterns of flame in every color of the rainbow fought to add their alchemical light to the brilliance. It took a moment for her to shake the feeling of awe, as if she'd stumbled into a place not meant for the eyes of common people. She felt the overwhelming presence of something powerful and primal, a pressure and heat against her scales.
Something was here, some ancient force the likes of which Taki hadn't encountered. She hardly heard Morrigan's question, walking over to the domed structure in the center of the chamber. Drawn in by the swirling energy and warmth, the shaman ran her hand over the amber crystals. Ryu hovered along the edge of the chamber, Shuna sitting nearby and staring reverently at the massive dome.
"Great flame, spirit of fire and life... how many lifetimes have you shared your warmth with this world?" Said the shaman, who sat down on the smooth stone floor. The hard surface, polished to a sheen and flatness helped Taki draw back to reality. Morrigan had said something, but the words were vague sound to her memories.
"Morrigan, I think what you seek is here, or at least... nearby. This structure in the center is somehow tied to a spirit far older and greater than any I've encountered so far." She said, trying her best to understand the runes around her. It had been a while since she even considered using the Fluency spell given to her by her mentor, but it proved useful here as she read the sigils aloud.
"Fire, Air, Wing, Inferno, Ash, Magma, Life, Death, Rebirth... or is it Reborn..." She stood and looked around the room again, trying to parse the cadence and grammar. "Great wings of Fire and Air, Soaring high over the spewing ash and raging inferno. We offer thee a sanctum of magma, so that thou might continue thy cycle of life, death and rebirth until thy trials complete." She spoke the words written as if they were in the common tongue, but from an archaic past.
Tilting her head and trying to figure out the puzzle set before her very eyes, she walked around the dome slowly. After a few frustrating rounds, she noticed her companions watching from the edge of the platform, not approaching it further. She walked over and gave Shuna a treat.
"Is it too warm or bright here for you both?"
"Yes miss, the light and heat are too strong... I dare not approach further."
"You're in the right place Taki, alas I cannot cross this barrier. This being has powerful magics and a strong spirit, if I tried, it would cause me great amounts of damage."
"Very well, you're both welcome to wait near the entrance for us if that would be more comfortable."
The pair moved away from the edge of the structure and back towards the darkened entrance. Taki took a swig from her waterskin, noticing how dry her mouth felt. Whether that be from the heat or the weight of magic and energy radiating from this room, she couldn't tell... perhaps it was both. She closed her eyes a moment, letting the cool liquid help shake the faint tingle of flame she felt across her nerves. It reminded her of her first experiences with Light magic, but this was far bolder. It had both heat and mass, as if some great burning stone had engulfed her without the shaman's notice.
Thinking of her first encounters with her own magic gave Taki an interesting and intriguing idea. She walked over to the dome again, spread her arms across and touched the four largest amber crystals set into it's face. She took a few deep breaths, steadied herself and drew upon the well of energy within her own spirit. Pouring that energy into the crystals, the shaman's eyes looked as if they were smoking a golden mist.
A powerful, echoing call rang out in the chamber. The heat in the chamber spiked, and a wash of air current made the flames in the lanterns bend towards the entrance. From below, the sound of wings beating grew louder for several seconds. They went silent suddenly, before the sound of heavy claws grabbing onto stone could be heard. At the back of the chamber, a dazzling rainbow of flame crested, followed by eyes, a beak, and the head of a massive bird.
It's golden orbs fixed upon the the pair, and Taki could sense the weight of ages untold in it's gaze. She was stunned, speechless, a tiny creature of no consequence in the presence of such a mighty and regal spirit. She released the dome's crystals, unsure what else to do...
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Post by Morrigan Moonweaver on May 3, 2023 9:07:39 GMT -5
The sheer heat was beginning to touch Morrigan as well. The charlatan was no stranger to the scorching sun and the blazing, shimmering warmth of the shifting sands, but this chamber was filled with a sort of dry, concentrated heat. Like all the warmth of a sauna with none of its dampness. Beads of sweat had begun to gather on the nape of Morrigan’s neck, not particularly aided by the fact that they were currently absorbed in the menial task of sweeping away the dirt from the ground so the runes were clearly visible. Eventually, they had to pull out a lavender, beaded fan from their hip, waving it delicately at their face with one hand while the other swept away the grime. They hummed to themselves, filling the haunting silence with the tune of an old, Zeinavian lullaby while Shitakibo wandered the chamber, lost in her own world. She hadn’t even seemed to notice Morrigan’s query earlier. They supposed they couldn’t blame her. There was so much power in this place… enough to overwhelm the senses. Trusting that she had something in mind, Morrigan finished clearing off the innermost circle just enough that the ancient script was visible - not legible, but at the very least they could clearly make out the looping words, symbols, and tunes that had been etched into the ground. They stood, still fanning themselves in vain while Shitakibo cast some sort of spell on herself. Her voice echoed off the walls as she recited the inscription contained along the floors and the walls: Great wings of Fire and Air, Soaring high over the spewing ash and raging inferno. We offer thee a sanctum of magma, so that thou might continue thy cycle of life, death and rebirth until thy trials complete.Morrigan pursed their lips while they, too, attempted to parse out what the meaning of the phrase was, but they gave up far quicker than Shitakibo. “Well, that is just maddeningly vague and unhelpful.” They were still puzzling over the translated words while Shitakibo sent her animal and spirit companions away, back to safety. The two were well and truly alone. Alone, save for the tantalizing presence just at the edge of Morrigan’s consciousness. “Are you sure the runes contained no more information?” Morrigan asked, pacing the length of the circle in the center, as if they themselves could read the ancient language. “No spell, nor a clue as to how to release the slumbering beast? … Miss Shitakibo?”They turned to see Shitakibo pressing her hands to some of the luminescent amber crystals, deep in concentration. If she’d been in a trance before, then she was in her own world now, so alight with magic that she was glowing with it, unable to contain the sheer amount of energy that swirled around her. No, she wasn’t trying to contain it. She was trying to push it outwards, until it flooded the chamber. Morrigan stared into her eyes, transfixed by the ritual. They were alight - brilliant, molten gold. Morrigan’s chest tightened at the display, awe and envy in equal measure. Before the charlatan could sink too deeply into their piteous feelings, the world seemed to crackle around them, as if Shitakibo’s magic had served as the spark that lit the forge. Morrigan stood, agape, as their ears were flooded with the sound of beating wings, the rhythmic pounding growing louder and louder until it blended with the thumping of their heart in their chest in a harmonious symphony. The heat expanded and grew, a constant presence, until its intensity became unbearable - WHOOSHAnd then the pressure became too great for the chamber to handle, a burst of wind flew through the chamber, tugging at at the flames contained within multicolored lanterns and blowing Morrigan’s perfectly styled hair into disarray. But they couldn’t bring themselves to be upset. Not when there was only a single thought that dominated their mind like a mantra. It’s here.The sound of claws scraping against stone caught broke them out of their joyous reverie. Morrigan turned, almost too nervous to look. But their prayers were answered as they laid eyes upon the magnificent creature perched on a piece of amber that had melted into stone. Wreathed in brilliant flame that put the breadth of colors contained in the rainbow lanterns around them to shame, the Phoenix looked like a painting brought to life - as if the bird had once been dipped in the essence of the sun itself. It regarded the two intruders curiously, as if it wasn’t sure what to make of the shaman and the charlatan. It started with Shitakibo first, before its golden eyes centered on Morrigan. And they found they couldn’t breathe. It felt as if the creature’s gaze had peered right into Morrigan’s soul, past the layers of carefully constructed glitter and pomp. Morrigan had no idea what she had seen, but they were struck with the feeling that they had been stripped bare in front of the Phoenix’s scrutiny, broken down into their most constituent parts for her to pluck through and judge. Did she know, from that single look, the greed that festered in Morrigan’s heart? Did she know their true intentions? If she did, it did not show in her expression. Rather, she turned to give a sweep of the chamber, looking serene and passive and ageless as ever. And then, she spoke. Speech was not the proper term for the sensation that assaulted Morrigan and Shitakibo. The Phoenix’s beak did not move, and yet, it was as if the words were being imported directly into their minds. “It has been quite a long time since I have been roused from my slumber.” She whispered at last. Silence. Neither Morrigan nor Shitakibo could bring themselves to speak, too tongue-tied to utter anything in the presence of such an ancient being. Eventually, Morrigan managed. They stepped forward, legs trembling as they swept into a low bow. “Oh, great Phoenix, spirit of the flame, immortal being of ancient, endless wisdom, we are but humble travelers who stand before you with one single purpose - to free you from your trappings and release you once more into this mortal plane! And now that you have been released, we request that you join us in returning to the surface and taking your rightful place in the skies once more.”The creature chuckled. “Patience, young fellblood. You leap before you look.”Morrigan straightened, feeling suitably chastened. The Phoenix had said little, but they couldn’t shake the feeling they’d just been scolded by their mother. “I have been awoken, but not freed.” The Phoenix explained gently. She inclined her head towards the runes that Taki had translated. “The priest that sealed me here took certain precautions to ensure that I would be… suitably protected.”Her feathers ruffled as she uttered those last two words. Morrigan’s elation dimmed somewhat. “So all this has been for naught.”The Phoenix shook her head. “There is no need to lose heart. I appreciate your endeavor to free me from this place. Should your intentions be pure, you shall have no trouble undergoing the trials that have been set forth to unlock my seals.”“Continue thy cycle of life, death, and rebirth, until thy trials complete.” Morrigan repeated. Suddenly, the phrase made more sense. These trials - they were the key. “But I’m not quite sure I understand. what do you mean by trials?”The Phoenix was silent for a long time. “Trials of the self.” Came the frustratingly vague answer. “The priests of this temple once sought to harness the power of the sun. But they believed that only those who were pure of heart should be able to wield such power. They devised a series of tests that judge the inner character of those who brave the trials. And only those who possessed pure intentions would be able to free me.”The Phoenix turned to Morrigan with a scrutinizing look that made Morrigan shiver. “Many before you have tried.” The Phoenix inclined its head, the echoes of its voice in Morrigan’s mind taking on a somber tone. “Each one sets off to scale Mount Drakolt believing they will be the one to be different. I never see them again.”
Morrigan pursed their lips, their tail swishing behind them thoughtfully. A trial of inner character was hardly one they had any hope of passing. It was not as if the charlatan possessed a heart of gold, or and particular qualities that would allow them to pass anything set forth in front of them. And yet, with Shitakibo by their side… They still had to try. There was nothing Morrigan wouldn’t give, now. Not while they were so close. “Well, perhaps today will be different for you, oh great Phoenix. For I, Mo-““Don’t.” The Phoenix inhaled sharply. “Do not tell me your names. I don’t wish to hear them. It will only give me false hope that you will succeed.”They paused, their introduction dying on their lips. “I understand.”Morrigan turned to Shitakibo, a thoughtful look on their face. “I don’t know what this test will hold, but I intend to find out. You are under no obligation to join me.”The words were a formality - if Morrigan had any chance of succeeding, it was with Shitakibo’s help.
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Post by Shitakibo on May 3, 2023 12:22:49 GMT -5
Watching, listening to the phoenix's words echo through her mind, Taki felt like she was having an out of body experience. She felt the urge to slap Morrigan's shoulder each time they tried to speak, but could barely even feel her body to try and make it move. Between the searing heat of the creature's proximity, and the weight of it's ageless spirit, it was all the shaman could do to keep herself standing and breathing.
The shaman's gaze met the phoenix, and she felt a sense of loss, longing, and distance. Her mind flooded with images of flame and stone, molten flows of lava down sheer cliffs like waterfalls, light, life and heat... All swirling within her own spirit, welling up inside until she felt she would overflow like an erupting volcano. As the sensation eased, Taki caught her breath and listened to the explanaion of the trial ahead.
Ryu and Shuna had retreated further up the passage, not wanting to be consumed by the heat or blinded by the intense light, though the pair were nervous Taki wouldn't be leaving.
"Do you think she's okay?"
"Of course, Taki has little to fear from such an encounter. She has the blessing of spirits, and she has us."
Taki turned to Morrigan, staring at them a bit incredulously. Not join? After all the shaman had been through, a jaunt up the mountain seemed like the easiest part. She grinned wide at the idea, flashing her fangs as the phoenix disappeared into the chambers below.
"You're right, but then, you're going to have to beat me to the summit dear Morrigan, let us see if you can weave the surface of the earth as steady as your lofty words."
Taki didn't bother seeing if the alchemist would follow, either their determination would be goaded by her taunting or defeated by the prospect of the climb. She took off out of the chamber in full sprint, giving a sharp series of whistles. Two notes, then pause, then two more notes. Shuna knew the signal well and took off out of the passage with Ryu in tow. A moment later, the shaman came sprinting from the passageway and into the larger chamber above. Instead of taking the front entrance out and over to a side of the mountain, the shaman flung herself up a wall, scaled to the back of the building and out onto a nearby wall that had escaped the disaster that leveled the town by some miracle.
Chasing after their charge, her companions raced with the same vigor out of town. Even Yukina took wing at the sound of the call, leaving her remaining treats behind for later. Together, the trio kept pace with Taki, Ryu and Yukina overhead looking for obstructions and chasms in the ground, Shuna helping to find solid footing just ahead. This was far from their first hike over treacherous ground, but it was one of few taken at such a pace. She laughed heartily, each breath filling her lungs with heat and renewed determination.
It didn't take her long to have cleared the lower third of the mountain, the terrain being just flat enough to sprint over without being exhaustive. The features of the land were like that of pooling wax below a massive candle, wide at it's base and growing steeper until the climb was almost a sheer drop near the mouth of the caldera above. Taki's outfit shifted, going from a loose fitting set of fabric strips to a form fitting, free moving body suit. She barely slowed her pace as she hit steep walls and scrambled up the side the way one might watch a spider scale a basement wall.
Her companions paced ahead, except for Shuna, who had been scooped up by Yukina and was riding in her gently gripping talons up to the summit. Ryu guided her steps, her positioning as she cleared the second stage of the mountain. The final stage was near vertical, with jagged cracks and sharp obsidian inclusions the size of large storage chests to slice up one's limbs on if they weren't careful. With Ryu's help, she hopped from platform to platform, swinging her body about on her four wiry arms the way one might observe monkeys in trees doing.
She almost slipped a few times on the last stage, catching herself at the last moment before tumbling down to the base. Yukina disappeared overhead, then began a wide circle. She'd set Shuna down somewhere, as the fluffy brown and grey cat couldn't be seen in her talons. The summit was close. Chest heaving from the thinned air at such an altitude, she scrambled up the last bit of the mountain.
Arms and legs aching from the extensive strain, Taki heaved herself up and over the edge of the smoldering summit, and looked around. Spirits of earth and flame danced across the surface of burning magma, spewing noxious fumes into the air when a bulge would split open and vent. She could sense the earth itself in her limbs, felt flush with the energy of magic and life. Along the way, she'd been thinking of Kurobe, whose fluffy form would have scaled these heights with ease to spare. Taki didn't fight the emotion this time, she let the pain flow as smoothly as the magma flowing in great rivers at the summit. Was she fit to pursue being master of beasts? Should she continue to try and expand her companions' abilities, or consider building her own to greater heights? Perhaps answers to her own tribulations would be found during these trials.
The bubbling, boiling rock inside, and plumes of grey white ash gave the area an even more ominous feel than the climb up. Taki looked around for a door of some kind, and spotted a huge pair of stone slabs coated in soot and scorch marks. On a raised platform above the boiling stone and heat, the entrance stood out with a set of stone braziers lit by the same rainbow flames as the chamber below. Now to collect Morrigan, reach the doors and continue, but where could they be?
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Post by Morrigan Moonweaver on May 4, 2023 19:40:25 GMT -5
With Shitakibo’s insistence that she wasn’t going anywhere - even going so far as to issuing challenge - Morrigan felt assured they’d made the right choice in companion. Mischief sparkled in their eyes, rainbow fire bouncing off of icy-cold irises in a cavalcade of colors. The Phoenix bowed their head in departing - she had issued the call. Only time would tell whether the two managed to succeed or not. Just as Morrigan darted for the exit, something gave them pause. They stopped, resting their hand on melted stone before turning around, casting one last glance at the brilliantly-colored bird, ever-shifting even as she stood still, a kaleidoscope of hues that blended seamlessly, one after the other. She really was effortlessly beautiful… Morrigan could only imagine the sheer magic contained in even a single feather from her tail. “Before I forget. If you don’t want to learn our names, at least do me the kindness of allowing me to know yours.”If a Phoenix could look surprised, she certainly managed. It was less an expression on her avian face, and more the way she held herself, her beak tilted downward as she blinked at Morrigan with those solid gold eyes. “Too long has it been since someone bothered to ask me that question.” The air around her seemed to ripple with loss, and longing. “Long enough that even I have forgotten. I apologize, young fellblood. I have nothing to offer you.”“Really?” Morrigan pursed their lips as their tail swished behind them. “A damn pity, it is.” Names were a terribly powerful thing. They forged someone’s entire identity, spoke volumes in a couple of syllables. To hear of such a fearsome and respectable creature losing that which had once been so closely tied to them felt… lamentable, somehow. Their fingers lingered on the rock for a moment more before spinning around entirely, sweeping into a low bow. A promise. “Well, when we return victorious, I shall give you a new one. How does that sound?”
The Phoenix hummed, a sound not unlike windchimes in the breeze, and the crackling of embers in the hearth. “… A bold claim. We shall see if you have the perseverance to scale the mountain first.”Morrigan smirked, flashing a row of pearly-white, sharp teeth. For all that Morrigan lacked in actual magic, they made up with fangs and claws to latch onto whatever they saw fit. And now that they were so close to actually achieving what they once thought was impossible… there was no way they were letting go now. Morrigan Moonweaver would lie, cheat, beg, and steal to get what they wanted. Scaling a volcano didn’t seem so grand in comparison.
… A nice thought in theory, but the execution was a different story entirely. Morrigan paced back and forth at the base of Mount Drakolt, tapping at their chin while they tried to formulate a solution for this conundrum. Shitakibo had already forged a path up the mountain, determined to be the one that reached the top first. They could barely see her from here, after the head start she’d gotten up the steep slopes and craggy rocks that made up the side of the volcano. She made it look so easy… Magic and might and a wealth of experience. Some people truly had all the luck. That small, bitter thought wormed its way back into Morrigan’s mind, forcing them to stop in their pacing. There was no denying that they were weaker than most - a byproduct of a lifetime of laziness and indulgence, sure. But it was not as if Morrigan’s body had been strong to begin with. All the more reason they had to be the one to win this competition. Where physical strength failed them, Morrigan would blaze ahead with wit and determination. Like a spark had been lit in their stomach, a catalyst for a deeper reaction that thrummed in their chest, Morrigan reached into their bag, pulling out a small glass vial that contained a dark, dense liquid. [1]“If I can’t climb, I may as well fly!”Down the hatch the drink went, and Morrigan was struck with the sensation of being doused in cold water, starting at the crown of their head before descending downwards, centering right on their shoulder blades. There was a burst of pain - brief, as skin ripped apart and bone reshaped, and a pair of wings sprouted from their back. They blinked as their eyes readjusted to the darkness of the ash-strewn lands, giving them a better scope of the task ahead of them. With a burst of joyous laughter, Morrigan took to the skies, relishing in the sensation of feeling weightless. They were free of constraints, untethered. Wild. They sped through the air with the speed of a crossbow bolt, far faster than they would have moved on their own two feet - a demonstration of the strength of alchemical elixirs where mortal shells failed. Powerful enough that they could allow someone like Morrigan to soar, even for a few brief moments. They zoomed all the way up the flattest part of the volcano, up until the point where the terrain became steeper, more of a climb than a hike. That was where Morrigan ran into their first hurdle. In their excitement, it had not occurred to them that a pair of extra limbs - even artificially grown - would grow strained after constant use, and require rest. They were a little over a third of a way up the top of the volcano when their muscles gave out, no longer able to hold up their weight. Morrigan panicked, writhing around midair - claws scrabbled at the rock in a desperate bid to find purchase. “Shit!”In their hubris, they’d flown too close to the sun, and now they were falling, falling, falling - The ring on Morrigan’s finger tingled with a familiar warmth, the sun on a lazy spring day. Even plunging to their death, Morrigan managed a smile at the sensation. Kvasir. [2]And beneath them, a wall of pure light jutted out from the side of the volcano just in time to catch Morrigan’s fall. The medic was not even here, and still, he managed to be the one to save Morrigan’s life… somehow.
They twisted the ring on their finger, as if the simple motion alone could convey their gratitude. Wobbling slightly, Morrigan stood, balancing precariously on the wall. Don’t look down, don’t look down…
No point in glancing down at the part they already conquered. Morrigan swallowed, craning their neck to stare at the near-vertical section of rock. Their wings felt battered and sore - even a single, experimental flap made their back twinge.
Yep. There was no way around it. Morrigan was going to have to climb here.
“Would it have killed the priests who built this challenge to build some kind of pulley system?” Morrigan grumbled to themselves, going through the motion of pulling off their silk brocade, shoving it into their bag. The heat from the lava made the hairs on the nape of their neck cling to them - even their braid felt in disarray, which they pulled into a thick bun with a couple of hair pins. Decorum had long since flown out the window by now.
The next potion that Morrigan ingested went down a lot less smooth than the transmutation tonic.[3] In contrast of the coolness from the first potion, their muscles seemed to be filled with an unbearable heat - and a surge of energy, almost like a second wind. Morrigan cracked their knuckles before launching themselves at the side of the volcano, grabbing onto a couple of cracks in the rocks as handholds, and began their ascent in earnest.
Climbing turned out to be a gods-awful, grueling task.
“I can’t believe… people do this… for fun!” Morrigan huffed - they would have screamed their exclamations to the uncaring gods in the sky if they had the air left in their lungs for such a thing. And yet, even as their body ached and burned, Morrigan forced themselves to move. With the potion bolstering their strength, Morrigan leapt from crack to crack, avoiding sharp chunks of obsidian where they could. They climbed and scraped and pushed until their fingers were bloody and raw, and their face was covered in chunks of debris and ash, only cleared off where they were sweating profusely. Gods, the heat was unbearable. Every fiber of the charlatan’s being protested the perpetual motion of climbing, their will at odds with their way. At one point, they might have even blacked out in pain. It was difficult to tell.
Suck it up, Moonweaver. A good confidence man never gives up the gambit.
They repeated those words to themselves up the final stretch of the mountain. The ascent could have taken hours. It could have taken days. Time felt a cruel illusion, only meant to taunt Morrigan the longer the task took. And yet, perhaps the strangest miracle of them all - this time, Morrigan didn’t give up. Not until they reached a hand up, and met air instead of more rock. They’d reached the summit.
Morrigan huffed out a bit of triumphant laughter, more of a pained wheeze than anything. They sure as hell hadn’t won the challenge, or even completed it in a timely manner. And yet, for some reason, their was triumph in this small victory.
And as they pulled themselves into a sitting position, overlooking the ash ruins, and Darkveil in the distance, Morrigan felt on top of the world.
They felt giddy, for an entirely new reason. A sensation Morrigan couldn’t name.
If they’d known any better they might have thought to call it pride.
Their muscles screamed in protest as they stood, but it was a necessary endeavor. There were more trials ahead of them - if their suspicions were correct, this was supposed to be the easy part. There was more hell to come. With one last look over the horizon, Morrigan brushed the dirt off their pants and set off in search of the shaman. 1. Beist’s Transmutation Tonic - Wings, Night Vision 2. Kvasir’s Eternity Ring - Wall of Light 3. Bull’s Strength Potion (1/2)
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Post by Shitakibo on May 4, 2023 22:49:05 GMT -5
Taki started the journey along the edge of the magma filled summit. As she climbed, she caught up with Shuna, who jumped into the shaman's arms and nuzzled her chest. She pet the feline, comforting her companion as she adjusted to the stifling heat and thin air. Yukina perched above the door, preening her feathers as she waited.
"Ryu, see if you can find Morrigan up here on the summit. If they're not up here, relay through Keta so we find them. No matter how nice it might be to win a race, even with friends, losing someone is not on my agenda for this trip... there's been enough loss already..." She said to her Guardian. She made short work of the last of the climb, watching her ethereal companion search in her peripheral.
Ryu banked, swimming through the air as easily as an eel might swim in the ocean. The ghostly, serpentine dragon flew over the caldera, searching for the outlandish fellblood. Starting on the far side from Taki's ascent, the dragon weaved over the rocks. They checked every platform and crevasse, searching for a bright purple dot among the ashy, bleak grey. Despite being a spirit themselves, they didn't have the gift of peering into the realm of spirits when summoned. They could communicate through Keta, and vice versa, when only one of the pair were summoned.
Peeling away from the area, Ryu began to make their way around the rim of the bubbling pool of the volcano. Each area was given a cursory search from above, followed by a closer look at the obvious places one might have fallen or gotten stuck. Each area cleared made the guardian uneasy. While the mountain was vast in it's entirety, there was only so much area to safely tread here at the summit.
They crossed the open pit, glad their form wasn't the kind that would be affected by the hissing fumes and searing heat. Such knowledge made the phoenix a far more incredible creature, for it was flesh and bone, but lived in the heat without effort. It had been close to an hour of searching by the dragon's reckoning, and still no sign of Morrigan's purplish skin anywhere. They decided to check the area where Taki had ascended from before reporting back.
The air shimmered, distorted by the energy radiating off the magma. A glimpse of color flashed from between the jagged rock, or at least that's what Ryu thought. They banked hard, diving towards the momentary glimpse. As the terrain flattened, Ryu caught sight of a swaying tail moving, disappearing behind another rock. They hurried up, rounding the boulder in question swiftly. Sure enough, there was Morrigan, walking along the rim of the caldera only a few minutes' distance from where Taki had crested the rim.
"Morrigan! Follow me, Taki sent me to find you and bring you up to where the door is. Thank the spirits you're alright... I'm not sure if our dear shaman could take another loss right now." Ryu said to them, keeping just ahead so Morrigan was bathed in the spirit's ethereal aura. THe effect would fill the fellblood with renewed vigor, easing their soreness and aches, and easing their breathing despite the altitude and heat.
Ryu relayed the news through Keta, guiding the alchemist up the stone pathway Taki had taken. When they reached the flattened platform that was the start of this journey, Morrigan would be able to see the platform of rainbow flame, with it's huge doors.
"Miss! Ryu found them, it took far longer than expected but they weren't far from where we came up to the summit. The pair will be here soon."
Taki let out a heavy sigh of relief, easing herself out of her meditation. She nodded her thanks to her other guardian as she stood up on the platform and stretched her body out and making her way to the edge. From between a pair of stone braziers, she spotted Morrigan and Ryu along the rim as they were coming up the path.
"You both did well, thank you for relaying the news Keta... It wouldn't have been much longer before I went into full search and rescue mode. Hopefully Ryu's presence is able to help shake off some of the strain of such a climb for them." Taki told her other guardian, then walked over to Shuna and Yukina and fed them each a treat from her pouch. She stood off to the side, relieved as the pair crested the hill.
"Well done Ryu, and it's good to see you made it to the summit Morrigan. Shall we?" Taki said, embracing the fellblood gently with a silly grin on her face.
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Post by Morrigan Moonweaver on May 6, 2023 21:52:06 GMT -5
Out of the corner of Morrigan’s eye, they spotted the bright light streaking through the air, cutting through the simmering heat from the lava and ash. They squinted, cupping their hands over their eyes to get a better look at the light - the blurry shape solidified, taking the form of Shitakibo’s spirit. To their surprise, Ryu seemed genuinely relieved to see them, diving close enough that Morrigan could feel the spirit’s aura, a balm against their battered muscles. Morrigan took a deep breath, steadying themselves. At this high up, the air was thin enough that their head still felt light, even after a moment’s rest. The charlatan’s body was not used to so much exertion, and every movement sent pain lancing through their arms and legs. Nevertheless, they persisted, following after the draconic spirit. “My apologies. I did not mean to worry anyone.” They hissed as they rolled their shoulder while checking for strained muscles, sending another wave of pain through their body. While they walked haver the hovering specter, Morrigan reached into their bag for one of their healing elixirs. [1] It would not fully take care of their aches and bruises, but this, combined with Ryu’s calming presence, left Morrigan at least feeling well enough to make their way to where the shaman was waiting. Through the rocks and around lava pools they wove, until they came upon a raised platform of sorts, comprised of shapes that were far too smooth to have been naturally formed from the erosion of rock. No, those had been carved. A set of double doors sat at the very end of the platform, inlaid into rock and surrounded by even more braziers housing rainbow flame. Shitakibo was already waiting for Morrigan to arrive by the time they made their way up the platform, taking a step closer to the alchemist. Morrigan expected gloating, considering she’d been the one to issue the challenge and had completely left them in the dust. To their surprise, the reptilekin merely wrapped them in a warm hug, almost as if she was simply relieved to see they’d made it to the top and passed the first trial with minimal injuries. Morrigan froze, unsure of how to respond. Do I tease her? Brush away her concerns? Why in the hell had she even been worried about them - Kurobe. After everything that had happened today it was all too easy for them to forget that Shitakibo had lost a companion earlier that day. Morrigan didn’t comprehend loss, but that didn’t mean the scars hadn’t been rendered deep into the reptilekin’s heart. Silently, they wrapped their arms around Shitakibo’s back, returning the embrace. Unsure. “I am glad to see you’ve made it unharmed, as well.” Morrigan bid as they parted before lightly elbowing her in the side. “You sure gave me a run for my money, eh? I don’t suppose I can claim to call myself master of the earth after this loss. Well done.” They said, breaking into a slow clap. “Now… what have we here?” They turned their attention to the set of double doors. The phoenix had informed them about the climb up the mountain, but little about the trials they would face afterwards. From here on out, the two of them were going in blind. The thought should have made Morrigan nervous - according to the Phoenix, no one had returned from this point onward. Call it overconfidence, but something inside of Morrigan wasn’t especially worried about failure. Yes, there was risk. But wasn’t that risk what made this endeavor worthwhile? They approached the double doors, unguarded - if there was any kind of deadly trap poised to strike, it did not trigger as Morrigan traipsed through, until they were close enough to brush the ash and dust off of the doors. Most of the insignias had been weathered away after eons of neglect, but there was a single phrase inscribed across the center. Passage, for a secret yet untold. “… Huh. That seems like an odd, annoyingly vague riddle.” Morrigan turned to Shitakibo. “I don’t suppose you think that they mean this in the literal sense, do you?” Was there something they were missing?
1. Potion of Minor Healing
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Post by Shitakibo on May 7, 2023 2:28:34 GMT -5
"There's only one way to find out..." Taki said, approaching the doors. She looked up at the strange stone fixtures, trying to puzzle out their construction. There weren't seams, hinges, handles... only a flat face with symmetrical designs that gave the appearance of a large door. Perhaps it was all contained within? Or was it a magical door? So many curious ideas and questions raced through the shaman's mind while she examined the door and it's inscription. She closed her eyes, trying to dredge up something from her very unpleasant childhood... anything that she'd not spoken about or thought was worth burdening another with.
Placing one hand against the door, she felt the heat within. While it didn't scorch her hands, she could feel the heat and energy that was contained by the stones. The flames behind her flickered, all pointing toward the shaman as if some great beast within had taken a deep breath. She sorted through her past, letting the pulse of heat and earth guide her journey. Earth... dirt... she recalled a memory that she'd not thought of since it happened.
"When I was a hatchling, I killed another... while it wasn't my intent, the person in question left me no other choice..." Her voice was shaky, recalling the memory when her emotions were raw and already tumultuous was a rough ordeal. "The man... he challenged me to a duel, a child, with the condition that his victory meant I submit myself to his... desires..." She took a quivering breath. "Even during the fight, he tried to force himself upon me... so I picked up the nearest large rock and hit him... over and over again... until his head was a ruin of color and fragments." She felt queasy, the whole experience repressed under pressure from her family.
A twister of rainbow flame swirled around the shaman, the fires of the braziers coming alive. She tried to move but couldn't, as if she were inside of an invisible pipe. On the other side were the searing, swirling colors that twisted up into the sky above. She felt a rush of air, and was blinded by a brilliance that seemed to come from all directions at once. She heard the call of the phoenix, though it felt as if it was buzzing inside her mind. The radiant spirit of flame and air was something Taki could only imagine comprehending, ageless and powerful beyond the life of a mere mortal. Not quite a god or deity, but a timeless spirit of change, rebirth and reflection.
The blinding light faded to a shadowy gloom. She stood inside some sort of antechamber, dimly lit from the opposite side of a stained glass window. It took the place of the door outside, and shed a masterfully crafted picture on the floor of the room. It was the phoenix, soaring above a sea of flame and into a stormy, rainbow colored sky. Looking around, there was little else in the ovoid room but another set of doors. Between the doors, inscribed in the stone was another riddle or instruction.
Enter with pure intentions, and prepare to leave a part of yourself behind for the sake of others
Bizarre thought the shaman, but she tried the door on the left. It swung inward, though there was only room enough for a person to stand within. It just looked like a closet without shelving, carved from the stone. Driven by her own curiosity, Taki stepped inside the cramped room. A loud thud from behind startled her in the darkness. She took several deep breaths, fighting the claustrophobic feeling of being trapped in a tiny stone coffin.
As Taki vanished, her companions all stared in disbelief. Ryu and Shuna rushed the door, even going so far as to toss their weight against the stone. It did little more than make a soft thud. Ryu shook their head, unable to sense the shaman nearby. Wherever they'd gone, it was somewhere that was either magically shielded or buried deep and well out of range of their ability to sense one another. As Yukina finished her treat, she gave a soft call to Shuna. The jungle cat nestled down beside her, tucking against her soft white feathers and resting. Yukina was the oldest of Taki's companions, both in age and in time spent together. She understood better than the others that Taki was a fighter, a survivor, and a powerfully creative force unto herself. The call would come, all they could do was wait, watch and listen.
Ryu stayed near Morrigan, trying to understand what was happening. This door had to be some sort of magic, which explained the column of rainbow flames... but how and where did it go... and why couldn't they sense each other. While not unheard of, places that had no connection to the spirit world weren't a common occurence. It must have been a part of the effect they concluded, relaxing a bit. Joining the others, the group of creatures watched, and listened for the whistling signal of Taki's return.
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Post by Morrigan Moonweaver on May 19, 2023 21:41:09 GMT -5
That could not possibly be the answer… could it? There must be some hidden mechanism or secret that the two of them had missed, or perhaps the term “secret” applied to some secret within the braziers containing the same multicolored flames as the temple. It could not be as easy as simply telling the truth.
It could not be as impossible as telling the truth.
Desperation clinging to their movements like an old friend, Morrigan started scrambling through their pouch for some kind of elixir or potion that could help them here. Perhaps some sort of explosive would simply blow the door off its hinges? But no, the door didn’t even seem to have proper hinges. That simply wouldn’t work. Perhaps if they had something as hot as Phoenix fire… they could melt the stone? Morrigan glanced at the braziers, considering. As they puzzled through the best way to solve this puzzle, they missed Shitakibo approaching the door - though they didn’t miss her voice, ringing out as clear as a bell but lacking any of its confidence.
Their confusion only twisted into knots the more she spoke.
Why in the world would she feel compelled to share something so vulnerable about herself without any reserve? Such a fragile thing to speak into existence, right in front of someone she barely knew. And what a secret it was. There was a part of Morrigan that felt satisfied at what she’d said, no matter how awful she might have felt about it. Good. You have to do what you can to survive. But the rest only felt bewildered. The story, no matter how painful, had flown easily from her lips like water cascading down a river. How strange.
For a moment, nothing happened. Morrigan shifted their weight to their other sandal, about to speak up when the fire sprung to life around Shitakibo, a maelstrom of pulsating color and light that seemed to form some kind of protective barrier around her -
And when it disappeared, so had Shitakibo.
“Miss Shitakibo?” Morrigan blinked, just as much in disbelief as Taki’s companions. They had all been stunned still by the sudden vanishing act. But not for long. Soon enough they sprung into action, the spirit and the feline both throwing themselves against stone as if desperation would give them the strength to move a mountain. Such loyal creatures. Eventually, Ryu returned to Morrigan’s side, so rattled by Shitakibo’s disappearance that his distaste for Morrigan must have slipped his mind. Without thinking, Morrigan reached out to run their fingers along the back of his head - strayed their hand when they realized what they’d been about to do. They settled for reaching their hand for their belt, picking their fan up from its loop and waving it in front of their face. Up here the heat felt even more unbearable than the ruins below.
“She’ll be fine, Ryu.” Morrigan assured the dragon spirit with their usual confidence. This time, not unfounded - this place had been designed to test them, after all. Wherever Shitakibo had gone, it was not a departure filled with screams of agony like one might expect.
The Phoenix said there would be trials to come. Morrigan had a sneaking suspicion she had just passed.
She can’t be the only one to make it through! Morrigan hadn’t made it this far to give up now. They’d scaled a mountain, for Ginma’s sake, how hard could it be to give up some secret? Rolling up the sleeves of their sweat-soaked brocade, the charlatan stepped up to the door with renewed determination. How hard could this be? It wasn’t as if the door could actually tell if you were divulging a real secret or not. They just had to give something close enough and then they would be joining Shitakibo in no time.
“Oh, great Door, if it is a secret you desire, then this, i humbly offer.” They swept into a low bow, holding the same kind of false reverence for this stone slab one would give a noble in court. “Here is something no one knows about me. I, Morrigan Moonweaver… am actually left handed.”
Silence.
They tapped their foot against stone impatiently, waiting for the telltale signs of fire from earlier, but nothing came. The braziers didn’t even so much as let out a weak flicker.
“Seriously? That wasn’t good enough for you?”
The door remained unmoving, almost taunting in its stillness.
“I’m not quite sure what you want from me, if that’s the case. I told you a secret, one that no one knows about me. If that doesn’t grant me access then I don’t know what will. It’s not as if I’m hiding anything else.” A lie - every facet of Morrigan’s life was carefully construed fiction, a character. A part to play. But how could they ever share that secret when they didn’t want it to be truth? When they shoved it down so deep with the hopes that one day they would wake without any memory of their pathetic youth, their pathetic life.
No, Morrigan wouldn’t give the door the satisfaction.
“I know what it is you want of me. You want me to break down in tears and share the most vulnerable parts of me so you can judge me like all the rest. Well, I’m not as trusting as Shitakibo. I will not give up what has not been earned.”
Wait a moment… that was just it, wasn’t it? Perhaps this test was not being honest, but being able to keep secrets when necessary! Morrigan grinned, rather confident that they’d just cracked the secret to this trial.
“Oh, I see. If that’s the case, then I bet you’d want to hear all about my life is then, right? Well, you see, they call me the Wizard of the Wastes. I’m known all throughout Zeinav as a great mage, capable of splitting the seas and moving mountains such as this! And you know what? It’s all true, all of it! I travel the lands, performing miracles and selling potions to my adoring fans. And that’s not all. You want to know the kicker?”
They laughed, gearing up for the biggest lie of them all.
“I’m not happy with it. Any of it.”
All at once the braziers kicked to life around them and Morrigan’s world was engulfed in beautiful, terrible rainbow. And just like Shitakibo, they disappeared, spirited away from that awful door to the next room. Light from the stained glass window poured down upon them, bathing them in a warm light, not unlike flickering flames. But no Shitakibo.
Where were they? And more importantly, how had that worked? It wasn’t different from any of the lies that Morrigan had said before. If telling a lie wasn’t the solution, then…
No. Morrigan didn’t want to think about it.
It was a lie, that was all. And they’d managed to say something convincing enough to fool the door. They readjusted their overshirt, examining the room. Aside from the stained glass window and a pair of doors on the other side, it was woefully bare. For such a beautiful and elaborate temple, it was rather plain. But there was a sort of refined elegance to this place… something ancient.
Morrigan wandered closer to the double doors.
Just like the outer door, this one had an inscription on the outside that was just as maddeningly unhelpful as the first.
“Leave a part of yourself behind for the sake of others…? What is this, some sort of charity riddle?”
Given the secret to the first trial, that didn’t seem so impossible. Despite the heat, a shiver ran up Morrigan’s spine.
“What in the hell kind of tests are these?” What in the world were they meant to accomplish? The mountain was one thing, but this? This felt strange and horrible for reasons they couldn’t explain, leaving them all too aware of the scooped out feeling in their chest. “I suppose Shitakibo has gotten a head start on me, then.”
This all seemed so easy for her. Morrigan had to catch up, somehow. The ends justified the means. Perhaps there really was some sliver of truth in the lie they’d told the door. Perhaps they really were unhappy with their current lot in life, but it wouldn’t be forever. Morrigan just had to go through this trial, find the phoenix, and then everything wrong with them would be put right. The phoenix would be able to fix them.
The door on the left looked closed… surely, it wouldn’t hurt for Morrigan to take a peek down the door to the right. They needed to focus on the task ahead, not the past. Tail flicking behind them, Morrigan made their way through the door, only for the slab to SLAM shut behind them.
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