Quest II. The night the towers cried [open]

[Cilaes]

"Caught my eye?" Cilaes thought out loud with a soft chuckle, observing the strange Konti for a moment more before turning his attention back to Talen. "Caught my ear would be more appropriate. Those women are Konti, for the island I live on. Though they hardly look familiar. In fact, something makes them seem to me like they would be nearly... Out of place in such a quiet city as Mura." The sound of Kontinese had at first felt comforting to the Ethaefal, but as he watched the women a feeling more unnerving than nostalgia began to trickle through his veins. These were powerful Konti, and had seen much more than the young woman who had yet to leave to their calling. The loud call of a horn ripped through the magic in the air, reverberating around the small disc before it was sucked into space. With the bellowing call and the crack of a spear butt against the ancient stone Cilaes was pulled from his reminiscing. Personally I would take a more respectful approach dealing with whatever deity was powerful enough to rip us all from Mizahar...

[Zlakalia]

"The only problem with being as big as I am," Zlakalia mused aloud, "is that I'm still small enough to be hurt while too heavy to be easily carried. If you will, the ground offers me no fear even in the panicked tramplings of the others. I'll be alright, though I do thank you for your kindness." Her voice was quieter and she tried to hide the bitterness of the situation from affecting her words. Zlakalia motioned towards the ground, a slow flourish, and then pantomimed Cilaes lowering his hand so she could step off. She was a little distracted though, her thoughts absorbing her external attention. Zlakalia was pondering her next step, more than anything. Her anger had almost caused these two to attack her, but that's only because they didn't realize who she was! 'This has to be part of the plan. I must be here to complete my task!' The sudden realization was glorious, like a warm light flooding through her. She grimaced at the loud horn that sounded nearby, pulling her out of her thoughts. 'What now?'

[Sira]

Before Malia had a chance to answer Sira two things happened. The first was the sound of a loud horn and a man yelling, interrupting any answer Malia might have given. The second was a feeling, a gap being closed, a link restored. Suddenly Sira didn't care about the answer to her question, or to the man who was screaming at the gods for an answer. None of it mattered, because the link that was broken when she was transported to this place was suddenly restored. And that could mean only one thing, Addy was here! Sira turned around, her eyes sweeping the area, searching for red. Addy? It didn't take long for Sira to spot her. She appeared in the same place that Sira had appeared only chimes earlier. "Addy!" Sira ran across the disk to where Addy was kneeling and fell to the ground next to her, scooping her up in a giant hug. "Oh, Addy, I thought I'd lost you forever!" It didn't matter to her where they were now, or why they were there. She had Addy again, and that was the only thing that was important. They could figure out all the other details later. Just then Sira felt a fluttering in her stomach, almost like butterflies were in there. Her eyes widened and her hand went to her belly, "Addy! I just felt the baby move!" Sira couldn't believe she hadn't thought about the baby sooner. She had been so confused by everything that was going on, the infant growing inside her hadn't even crossed her mind. Sira was only just barely showing, but the healers in Wind Reach had told her she might start feeling slight movements soon. The quickening, they called it. This was the first time she had felt anything from the baby. Suddenly her thought process changed. Where they were didn't matter. Why they were here was more important. What was going to happen to them? Still.. Addy was with her now, and the three of them would face whatever challenge this was together. Sira pulled Aidara close to her again, holding her tight. "Addy, I'm so glad you're here... wherever this is."

[Ash'eny]

Ash'eny was restless. The night was so clear, so dark, so vivid. Stars, flashes of lightning in the distance. He was no astronomer, no meteorologist, no apprentice of gods and goddesses or priests. None of these strange signs really meant much to him. He was just seeing an average night through the gaps of trees reaching out towards each other, gently caressing leaf to leaf. Sure, he noticed the strange lights and how strange they truly were, but to him, it was just weather. Something he just hadn't seen before. He was farther north than he had ever been anyway, it must have been a plausible reason, right? Still, Ash'eny wasn't sleeping, restless as he was, still too... something, to move. What was it? Fear? Shame? He watched across that dancing flame in the fire pit, Satu was wandering, thinking about something. Humming, it was barely audible over the cracking of the fire. He sighed softly as he sat up, sleep wasn't going to bless him tonight, there was something in the air that kept his mind sharp and eyes open. Perhaps, at least he could speak with Satu. He wanted to know things, not pry into her divine mission, but just about her. Ash'eny knew so little, yet he swore his life to her, to protect her, follow her, assist her when he could, and die for her if he must. All this, and he knew so little about her. Taking a deep inhale for confidence, he left his little sleeping spot on the ground and stalked towards Satu. She danced. Danced like Ash'eny had never seen before. There were times he saw dancers, buskers and such, on the streets of Sunberth, once or twice in Syliras as well, yet this dance was so different that he swore he almost felt hurt by it. Maybe, by some odd chance, that her own Heartsense was rubbing off on him, or maybe he simply picked up on her never smiling or laughing or loving. Ash'eny often thought that she just seemed so tense all the time, that being so cold and strong wasn't always healthy. As she stumbled forward, Ash'eny reached out to catch her, yet in a sudden flash of blinding light, it was he himself spitting dirt from his mouth and cradling nothing but air that remained. His Satu had departed! Ash'eny looked around frantically for the Konti. Without her, he had no place being where he was. His entire purpose was gone if she weren't there to guide him. She was his entire purpose. "Satu!" It wasn't wise to scream or be particularly noisy in the wild lands of Mizahar, but panic did strange things to men. Ash'eny looked up to the sky, only to see a second flash of light. Ash'eny found himself on his hands and knees, his arms quivering in some body-numbing fright as his eyes stared into those stone tiles that were supporting him. He watched them with the intensity one might give a bear that stalked them in the forest. Was this real? Tiles? No, they weren't in the city. They weren't in any city that Ash'eny could remember. He glanced around hesitantly, feet, legs, flowing capes and cloaks and the occasional piece of armor or weapon were everywhere. Chatter, now that he listened, crowded his ears. People crowded his eyes. A bump here, a light push here. He stood up. His eyes continued to slither like worms through moist dirt as he hunted for his Konti. Satu, if she was here, he needed to find her. He swore to her. And a Rogue he may be, he never went back on a genuinely made promise. Ash'eny weaved and ducked through the crowd as he continued to search for Satu. A few flashes here and there as more people manifested in this odd place, which would severely freak him to bits if he wasn't so preoccupied with finding his companion. There! Ash'eny reached out and grabbed a hold of Satu's hand, whether she saw him or not, it didn't matter. He had found her. He exhaled heavily, only just now realizing he had been holding his breath for what felt like hours. "Dammit Satu, I thought I lost you." He panted faintly with a nervous smirk on his face. Although he sounded like he was mockingly scolding a child, it almost sounded like 'I thought you left me', which is what he had truly feared.

[Talen Stirling]

He looked mesmerised at the Konti for a moment, but in doing so his eyes fell on a familiar sign embedded in the ground. A portal with a lightning in it. He knew that sign, Denval was one of the few places were it was still common to worship the patron god of it, although he was long since considered dead by most others. A smile found it's way across his face, it was amusing how scholars and learned people struggled but any Denvali would know these for what they were. "I know who these signs belong to, it's ---" His clear words were silenced by the startling sound of a Warhorn and he jumped backwards instinctively as he reached for his longsword, eyes dancing 'till they found the Akalak who was yelling. Shyke, what madman starts raving in a gathering of people abducted onto a situation such as this? Did he want to start a fight, or make people even more scared? Perhaps he was a leader of some sorts, who wanted to make orde--- No.. Screaming like a fool at gods. Talen turned back to Cilaes, shaking his head. "Sorry about my reaction. He's lucky though, this deity will not smite him. That over there is the sign of Aquiras. You know who's related to him..? Priskil. We're here for Priskil!" The smile he'd worn earlier covered his face, his voice rising with unsuspected joy. He believed it now, some of the god of travels power rested with her and now they were here on her bidding. Perhaps to do her work. This was despite the terror and chaos of the situation a wish come true. How many nights had he prayed and been left unanswered, how many times had he kissed the pendant around his neck yet only been left with his own hope?

[Miro]

Staring out into the large emptiness that laid just beyond the platform, Miro sat solemnly. He reached out a hand facing the giant globe as if to touch it, then let it drop to the floor. "Mizahar? It looks so far away. We are together, but we are not alone." Miro pointed to all of the people surrounding them. A loud horn boomed throughout the area. He abruptly stood, to see what had happened and gasped in excitement.

What had caught Miro's attention caused him to panic in a feverish blaze of excitement. He threw his cane to Kinneas, and proceeded to run over to a man with blackened hair and green horns. The man had just put the most beautiful treasure Miro had ever seen down to the floor, where it might be damaged. Without hesitating, Miro snatched it up and hugged it firmly to his chest. "HEY, if you leave this on the floor it will get broken! Something as cool and amazing as this MUST be taken care of properly. Please sir, i beg you, may i please, please, PLEASE have it?" Miro squeezed the tiny Pycon burying it deeper into his chest. "it's the most amazing toy i've ever seen"

[Niapret]

Niapret Having just started her journey from Abura to Zeltiva an hour before, Niapret was surprised by the sudden colorful lightning. It didn't scare her exactly, but she knew it was very extraordinary. She also knew it could be dangerous. She did the only sensible thing; took out her painting gear and settled down on the ground to start painting the scene she saw. She had her blank book out and a green paint, and started to paint. As usual, she had her backpack on her chest instead of her back so it wouldn't prevent her flying, but she easily worked around it. As she finished with the green paint, and put it away again, then looking for the red paint, she thought the lightning was brighter, and when she looked up again she was somewhere else. She was on a disc, and was watching an odd ball floating in the sky (Mizahar) in the distance. She turned to a new page in her book and began to paint the new sight, all the while listening to the voices around her. So she wasn't on Mizahar, and the ball she was currently painting was in fact Mizahar. Well, that was odd. She hurried her painting, even as she tried her best with it, this was surely a once in a lifetime opportunity. As she finished she looked around, people seemed scared, and she took out her dagger just as a horn sounded. A cry for attention from the one who'd brought them here? Keeping her dagger in her right hand and packing away her book and the color she'd used last, with her left, her attention occasionally strayed to the other people. 'Some of these can be dangerous. I might die here' she thought, and a sad sigh escaped from her lips. She flew up again from her sitting position and flew over to the biggest group, to which the one with the warhorn belonged. "Are we going to die?" She spoke in common, of course, the only language she knew, and her tone was slow and calm, as if it didn't really matter to her. Sure, she'd prefer to live on, there were so much more beauty to paint. She looked over the others, half interested, the dagger losely held by her side in her right hand. She wasn't sklled with it, but she'd at least try to defend herself. As she eyed the others, her most presing concern was if they'd let her do a painting of them, though some she'd rather not paint, some were, to her, ugly. She much preferend the two konti ladies and the snake.

[Hakulo]

Hakulo had been navigating the aisles formed in between the amassing crowds until he came to what seemed to be the edge of the interestingly designed hard floor with etchings he did not understand the meaning. what had allured him to the edge of the tiled flooring was not the surrounding abode of the starry night sky that seemed to go on forever here but the floating presence seemingly far far away yet close enough to touch it. The glowing orb with swirls of white flowing like a stream of water on top of vivid blues, greens, and browns. "What is this?" he wondered as his hand streched out to feel the object met by a wall of yellow light pushing his hand away as if saying, "Do not be greedy to explore the unknown." It was at that moment he began to here sounds of a horn penetrate his ears. the sound was powerful. It made him filled with a serene calmness each time the sound of the horn reverberate through his entire body. "Where is this heavenly noise coming from? I...I...must know its truth." Eventually Hakulo's eyes fell upon a shiny instrument held in the clutches of another. "There, that must be it. I must touch it." Hakulo's right hand slowly began to lift towards the horn until his left hand grasped his right wrist remembering the barrier that refused him. "Do not be greedy to explore the unknown." Repeated in his mind. The horn seemed to pull him in desiring his touch just as much as it desired him but he feared that this horn was not something to be meddled with lest it suck his very soul into it.

[Kinneas]

Kinneas nodded at him, they were so far away from Mizahar. He wondered who had the power to do such things. What was happening, why were they summoned here? ”You’re right, we are not alone.” he told him eyes scanning the crowd gently going from face to face, to person to person, silently judging them as his gaze moved on. Some of them didn’t seem like the type of people he or Miro would like to associate with, but one can never be sure until they have met the people. With that being said one cannot be too careful. It was those who you let close to the things you hold dear that break them. It is often better to hoard the things you care about than openly share it with others.

Jumping at the horn sounding he was annoyed by the fright. Why were people so impatient? Soon enough everything will be clear to them; they just had to wait. Patience was the key to solving or answering any problem. You had to see it though and step carefully, especially when you are in unknown turf. Anyone could prove a threat to Miro, and he had to protect him. Nodding to himself he half gasped as the boy ran off to some clay figure that was put down.

The cane that was thrown at him wasn’t caught, but instead hit him and fell to the ground with a clatter. Looking down at it he sighed as he bent over to pick it up. Coming back up, cane in hand, he place it firmly on the floor and walked over to the man that Miro seemed to be pestering, ”Miro, it is rude to touch that which is not your without permission.” he told him looking at the man who had set down the ‘toy’. Observing the toy in Miros grasp he did not find it that impressive, but he and the kid had way different tastes, ”Please,” he started looking at the man who set down the pycon, ”Forgive his impulsiveness if he sees something that he wants he usually takes it.” he told him flashing the guy a brief smile, ”Im Kinneas, and that is Miro, I take care of the kid.” he explained smiling at Miro for a second as his attention turned to the kid before his gaze found its way back to the man.

[Kamalia Timandre]

“And my heart is lighter for your presence, Satu,” Kamalia said softly, serenely in their native tongue. This was certainly true. Satu would feel in her heart how glad Kamalia was to be reunited with her friend and that she was here among the sea of unknown faces. Seasons ago, the two Konti had only looked beyond the gulf of Vaska as they dreamed to know their calling, dreamed to see the world outside the White Isle. They only had to worry about receiving punishment from Suvai Mistress Nitvin. How small those dreams seemed now that so much has happened, so much has changed. It seemed so long ago. Everything was beautiful then.

Everything is different now.

“The Mother illumine you,” said Kamalia gently in their lyrical language. The wizard’s smile was sad yet knowing. They only had to touch, to communicate through their emotions and become familiar with ordeals the other had gone through. The sorceress could feel Satu’s newfound strength through the grip of her hand, the resolve in her eyes, and the purpose in her movements. Satu had endured the most merciless tempests and emerged from it, and no one in the Konti Isle bore such sorrow, such strength. She was a blade that passed through the fire— else it would have broken—and came out in its most pristine form.

Through her gift, Satu would feel the deep loss as she listened to the song of Kamalia’s heart. The dark, malevolent thing that hid at the rear of Kamalia’s emotions was much stronger than when they were just trainees at the Pavilion. Once it manifested only as tendrils of addiction— sweet whispers and burning intoxication that set Kamalia ablaze— whenever she employed magic. Now it would feel that it had developed a sentience of its own, as if it were an entirely dissonant melody that intended to overpower her friend’s heartsong.

The Magic has grown much powerful, but so was its desire to take control of Kamalia. Satu would sense that even as she spoke, Kamalia fought a fierce battle against this aberration—a product of her own magic and overgiving. The Heartseer knew Kamalia had lost her homeland and her family to this. It would seem that she had lost much more while she was gone. At the moment, Kamalia was in command, but it was slowly transforming her, bit by bit, piece by piece, little by little.

Kamalia’s hold tightened as she stared into the Heartseer’s eyes. “I could have been with you. You did not have to go through these by yourself,” she said calmly, “but my heart is at peace that you have found your Calling.”

When the dark-haired woman asked if the two Konti were the ones who summoned them here, Kamalia turned to face her with an expression placid and unreadable. “It was not us, child,” she said in a softly-accented Common. Her voice was song and wind and starlight. “We have been called as you were.”

A human male abruptly tried to grab a hold of Satu’s hand, but Kamalia thrust her staff across the man’s chest, stopping him. “You wish something?” she asked coolly. Her face remained serene yet her eyes were sharp and piercing. She stared at him with an air of command that could make him stumble-footed.

Before they could continue, the sound of a musical instrument floated toward them from the Akalak. It was a wind instrument, with a deep hunting call.