Closed Lets play a game (Wrenmae)

[Vick]

Date to be set by Wrenmae

Vick had learned of a new Malediction user within the walls of Sahova that had come with Rayage and others. Vick at first did not do anything about that since he was busy with so many other projects but at last he found a free second within the day. He made a message and one golem later he would be meeting the human.

The message was in Nader-Canoch, ‘Malediction user - Meet me in Legacy Imaginarium of Artifacts - V ‘


It was very short and to the point. He would be within his lab like always but this time he would be sitting at his desk reading over different books he had kept in the office.

He knew so much but even with his vast knowledge of different lores he still was learning. He had to for this life he had to keep learning to keep up. This time he was reading upon more malediction but the advanced areas of it. Books within the field were few and far between but this was a copy he was reading he picked up almost 200 years ago. He did not understand a word of it but he was giving it another chance. This book was left by him with a letter that told him he might have been ready to read it and just return it in the library afterwards.

‘Within the field of Legacy, it is noted that many flaws exist within this field. This is due to the djed remains within the bone can be corrupt with the methods placed along the bone of the two djeds mixing badly. In order to bypass this effect it is best to use a set of circles on the outside acting as sigils to alter the flow of djed to purify it. Within this act it can be cured of the “toxins” of djed. Below are a set of graphs that have been made over the years in research building 0525...’

His eyes were unblinking as he read each word and for the first time he knew what the book was talking about. His artifacts did have many drawbacks but when he did try sigils on his own that made new laws it did fix it to a point but he never did it more than once.

He read the sigils within the pages and let his mind fill in the missing gaps. This research was done many many years ago before vick was even thought of. Whoever made this knew what they were talking about or at least Vick thought so as he planned to do the new research once he had the time.

Within his office he had sets of human bones mainly but a few animal sets were tossed about. He kept a few artifacts he had made lining his office walls just to show off more or less but this field was all about ego after all. He could have gotten his hands on more and more rare if he wanted to but it would take him a request and time.

With a dead look around his desk he turned the page and kept reading. Malediction was his life. Each day he had to push himself to learn more and keep up with new ideas. Ideas that would make a larger name for himself.

[Wrenmae]

Vick’s note had come as something of a surprise to Wrenmae. As far as he knew, only Rayage and his partner were privy to his existence here. And of them, only Rayage knew he Maledicted. The other nuits did not see him as anything more than another mortal, so to be singled out like this was unnervingly irregular. Even so, with Rayage away consulting with the higher powers of Sahova, Wrenmae dared not tip his favor.

Throwing on a pair of pants, shirt, and shoes, the mage made his way through Sahova to where the summons had demanded he go. His time in Sahova had, thus far, been spent only in the pursuit of his own magical refinement. Hypnotism was better refined now, and he had turned his attention to morphing. Already his body felt alien, misplaced in such a static form. When he could be anything he wanted, why settle for what he’d been given? These were the thoughts he did his best to curb. Simply because he approached a mastery of morphing did not mean he needed to become morphing itself. Was all magic so similar? As ones power in it grew, their dependence thus as well?

It was an alarming thought to consider.

When he entered into Vick’s domain, he took the time to pause at the entrance. Doorways were often the perfect precursor for what lay ahead. This brief rectangular vision often captured the room and the attitude within the space of a few moments. What Wrenmae saw was a nuit sitting at a table, working steadily on some massive tome, and flanked by various corpses, bones, and Maladiction items. The entirety of his workshop was a devoted place to refine the art of bone carving, casting, and preservation. Were he not already nervous as to the nature of his summons, he would have undoubtedly found more wonder with such a repository of potential. So many stories left unsaid, so much magic waiting to be pulled from the objects.

Checking himself, Wrenmae bowed at the door, holding out the note.

“Lord Vick,” he began, “I’ve come, as instructed. Did you need anything?”

[Vick]

Vick heard the knock on the door and as it open he slowly moved his head looking at the figure. He heard the male talk, the words reached his ears as he understood it was the person he had sent the request to. Yet Vick did not say anything at first as he cleared his head and drew forth his djed as his own auristics flared to life as Vick focused just on the human in front of him.

Auristics was always a passive magic to Vick but he could learn so much more out of it than when people would talk or at least at first. He was not the best at it but it was something he still worked on since it helped alot with his creations. However what Vick saw as he focused on Wrenmae’s aura made him scared.

If Vick was breathing he would have stopped and grasped. If he was blinking he would have closed his eyes out of panic for what he saw made him want to flee which was rare. He worked with the dead, he crafted so many fetishes out of the bones of the past and gave new life to broken items. He lived within the island for so long he forgot what the outside world was like and even the monsters inside the hallways did not make him fearful but the human standing in front of him made him want to run away and not look back.

His aura was just power. Waves of color ran off the human as if it was like a raging storm upon the empty ocean, he saw the power and for the life of him he dare not to see the depth of that storm as he closed his eyes at last shutting down his magic. When he opened them at last he just saw the normal human standing in front of him.

Vick had to be careful. Very careful in his words and he knew he could not treat him badly for he could have easily killed Vick and maybe even half the island. He was glad he came with Rayage and he was on the nuits side but how far did that go he had to ask himself.

While Vick was lost in thought he did not know how long had passed until the thought came into his mind. The passage of time meant nothing the the nuit race but Vick had feelings of time when he had to question it if he worked with plusers since they did complain about wanting food. So at last his voice left his dead lips.

“You must be Wrenmae. Please come in and sit down. Do close the door behind you. I have heard that you know the ways of the bones within the world of Legacy. It is rare to see someone else use it so I am sure you can understand my reasons for calling you once I was told. It’s rare to really share magical information or trades upon this island and with other wizards however I am willing to make that trade with you since I have worked with Master Rayage. Yet he failed to tell me just what you were but we are all the same in that. Guarding things close at first and at last.”

Vick just talked slowly yet his words did not have any breaks in them like most of the nuits in the island. It was the lack of real people that made them not think about to breath and take a pause like humans did or anything that was alive.

“I have a few things you can help me with. First I lack the powers to get something myself however with your help I would like to go into the depths of this island and get rare monster bones. With a man of your skill I am sure this won’t prove that hard and I normally would just order this and you would get nothing in return besides a lesson or a small item if you were just a pluser however for you Wrenmae I will make you an fetish if your choice out of the bones that you may keep as a trade.”

The young child just stayed behind the desk talking to Wrenmae as if it was just tea time and talking about the weather. However it was far from that since the fact was this could cost Wrenmae his life and Vick knew that this could be turned around and cost Vick the same price as it felt like they were both devils trying to work a deal to the other mortal.

Yet Vick was offering something he never gave up. His items. His secrets and trade as he could help Wrenmae and share what he knew and that could have saved Wrenmae years of trial and error in the name of Malediction.

“I would also want to test an object I made with Master Rayage, hand to hand combat later and see how we can compare. If you know how to fight that is but I am sure a man of your statue knows how to handle themselves in a simple fight.”

Vick had to wonder what Wrenmae would say or even react to this offer. His unblinking eyes just looked inside Wrenmaes own eyes and would have held his breath if he did breath. Vick still wanted to run for what he saw but he was a Sahovaion Wizard and he would not run from fear. Even if that fear could have wrapped him up inside the pits of darkness and pain.

[Wrenmae]

Wren considered the child, eyeing the unsettling dead eyes with unguarded suspicion. Ordinarily, he would have leaped at an opportunity to trade skills with a powerful Maladictor...however, something about the brat rubbed him the wrong way.

Perhaps it was his similarity to Evalin, hiding in the remains of a child rather than taking on a more decrepit form. Wren was reminded of an old adage, something about a serpent among flowers.

There were also his words to consider. He spoke with caution, not in how he said the words but in what he offered. Pulsers were ordinarily simply ordered. Wren had been in Sahova long enough to know that the little brat should simply tell him what he was doing and file some paperwork for Rayage later. But this was a request.

Did he know something? Had he peered into Wrenmae and seen some of his talent? The young man had tried to keep his powers from manifesting during his stay in Sahova. He didn't want to give the dead the impression he deserved to be a peer among them. It was easier to remain with Rayage, pilfering the knowledge of Sahova while remaining safely with a friend.

But...Vick mentioned he knew Rayage and they had spoken of him. Rayage was a craft creature, his age was a testament to his intelligence and forethought. If he had mentioned Wrenmae to Vick...it stood to reason the nuit wanted him to learn something from the little monster.

Taking a breath, he let it out and then nodded, slowly. "I have no yet had reason to visit the lower parts of Sahova...perhaps there is merit in seeing what there is to see there. If you're confident of bones there that can be used to create, even that you would offer me a crafted in return suggests this is a dangerous task...but then, you seem to think me more than capable of that." He blinked, smiled, but there was no mirth there. "I'll accept your offer, both of them...but in return for being a test subject to your second item, I would ask you to maladict something of mine that I brought with me."

He crossed to the door, leaning against the portal,

"Do you find these arrangements to be worth your time, master nuit?"

[Vick]

Vick would have snapped at the guest but this was not the time to waste. This person could held the skills that Vick himself lacked so he could help them both. So for now Vick would bite his black tongue and for now wait. In the end waiting may give him a better prize.

“I can agree with your terms. I will leave this to you. Your first task is just to go into the depths of Sahova. Find something that is powerful in its own right. Slay it and bring me the body. I will do what I can with it and in return I will part with one of them for you. Yet I also would want you to seek out and bring me back a few Wyfrist’s birds. You can find them where death is at and they are white birds.”

Vick said looking at the human letting him understand the task that Vick had to reach. A lot of it was up to the human that Vick had never met before or could trust. Yet this was a world where words and trust was a balance act.

What he brought back would depend on Vick could do with it yet the birds he had his own ideas on already. He would not share the ideas of them but he had to wonder what this human could do.

“I will let you be and have your task at end. I am not going to limit you and if anyone seeks to stop you just informed them this is for me.” Vick said as he took something out of his desk. It was a slab of white skin that looked almost fresh as if it came from a human. Really it was human skin from the back part which was the size of an open hand.

Vick took his carving pick from the desk; placing the tip into the flame heating it up before placing it on the skin drawing out a circle with the letter V inside the circle burning the mark into the skin. This was no fetish of power but a simple sign of power within the halls as Vick handed it out to his guest.

“You may show them this and they will leave you be.” Vick said as the dried skin was still holding the scent of burning flesh as he waited for Wrenmae to use it. Vick was twisted on many levels and he was letting one twisted side show for his guest.