The Frontiersman [Vick, flashback]

[Tarot]

Timestamp: Early Fall, 327 AV Location: Vick's apartments in the Citadel The years went by slowly in Sahova. Days and seasons meant little to the undead in the Citadel, busy as they were with their experiments for a nation long gone. Meeting each other in a corridor was an event worthy of note and perhaps recording. Only during the occasional gatherings called by Archwizard Mashaen could the Nuit really check up on each other as a group. Nothing much went on even during those occasions, though. The wizards were each too jealous of their research to share much with the others; while this may be a poor strategy for advancing magical lore, Mashaen gave his subordinates ample privacy and only concerned himself with potential traitors. And so, Nuit mostly learned about each other through word of mouth or personal espionage. Vick, being among the youngest, was largely ignored by the senior Nuits. He could feel a certain stigma against his post-Valterrian heritage. Many among the mages believed that magical talent had diluted itself in the generations that followed the cataclysm. Vick wasn't one of 'them', he wasn't pure Alahean stock. Sure, he wasn't the only one, but still. Unless he did something radically important and innovative, he would remain a second-rate magician in the opinions of most. Magic wasn't fair and neither were mages. A female voice interrupted Vick's current ruminations, be they about his research or something else entirely. "Master Vick," Drainira's synthesized voice rang through the walls of his abode, "there is an incoming message for you from the venerable Master Lector Qiao. I am going to replay it at once." And here her voice switched to a male one, icy and unsympathetic. Qiao would not visit Vick in person; he rarely showed up, much preferring to issue orders from a distance. "Vick, it's time you finally make yourself useful around here. We are about to undertake a rediscovery mission of the utmost importance. Your presence is required in Summoning Lab 12-C, under the command of Master Mizelio Takk. I want you there, right now." Drainira's voice returned, helpful as ever. "By 'right now', the venerable Master means that you should be acting in accordance to Standard Operating Procedure D32, 'suspending any non-critical and non-dangerous activity immediately; critical or dangerous activities should be brought to a stable state first or assigned to personnel with the same or greater capabilities'. Just saying." So, Vick was being called upon for a task that involved Mizelio Takk, Sahova's chief Summoner. Time would tell what they wanted of him… and why.

[Vick]

Vick was use to the feelings he got from the other Nuits on the island. He knew they held a disdain for him but he was doing his best to overcome that with his research with malediction however he felt like he was not making much headway into it. Yet he was in his room not in books but in his own world inside his mind.

He was spending more time thinking and plotting then really trying to find a breakthrough with something. He was still working on his malediction items but none of them paid off. They were just to weak in his eyes to hold any worth both of gold and research value.

He just kept clearing his mind then letting ideas drift to him and he did that over and over as he kept sitting on his bed inside his room. Meditation was becoming a daily event with him as he let his djed pool to the surface of his body from his soul. The once dull shades of colors became far more colorful as the auras of all the objects in the room came to him. However he had yet to focus on one of them but he did focus on the walls. The light green shade came to him but not of waves like the ocean but of blocks like step stones on a pathway.

Drainira was a normal thing in his life. He spoke with her often both with duties and tossing out ideas that came to him when he first came to the island. He always viewed her as a person and nothing else even if he now knew what others thought of her. He listened to her as she spoke the message and nodded at last.

“Thank you Drainira. I will make my way to him now.”

A simple thing to say but he had nothing else to say about the message. However he thought a lot of things. He never met the chief summoner or even heard much of him other then he was a powerful wizard and the leader per say of his magic branch. He knew that summoners used summoning as a world magic to call forth beings from off the planet. Yet he was not trained in the art.

He let the world of auras fade away as he stood up. A shake of the head and he left his room. He knew Drainira would show him the way with arrows and helping guide him to Summoning Lab 12-C. Why was he of all people being called for this? If it was such a high task then others would do it. That lead him to one idea. No one would miss him if he died so his life was on the line. He was not much of a fighter with melee or even magic so he could not do much. Other then be a nuit meat shield. Maybe he was mistaken but he would find out as he pushed the doors open to 12-C lab. He would behave himself and follow the lines of being polite when he was spoken to.

[Tarot]

As expected, the Supervisor diligently lit up the arrows and signs that the junior Nuit needed to navigate the labyrinthine depths of Sahova. This section of the Citadel was entirely new to him, though of course every floor was built on pretty much the same layout. After traversing a number of corridors and descending a number of staircases, Vick found himself in front of the Lab's door. Drainira had it open automatically for him. He immediately knew it was a Summoning lab. The reason stood painfully clear. The door could hardly be called such. It was a monster of metalworking, over a foot thick and reinforced with spells charged into painted glyphs all over its surface. No fewer than ten iron bolts were retracted, one by one, to allow him entry. This was the security level of any Alahean standards-compliant Summoning lab - not to keep someone from getting in, but to keep something from getting out. Inside were all manners of Summoning circles of different sizes, some engraved on the floor, some etched into the walls, one even on the ceiling. The entire lab, which wasn't too big by Sahovan standards, was illuminated by the ubiquitous soft blue magical lighting as everywhere else. The door closed ominously behind the newest arrival. Two Nuits were in the lab. Lector Qiao was the one Vick may recognize. Wearing a bald, ruined body, he stood in a corner of the lab, his hands hidden in the sleeves of his red robes. Vick may remember no-one was to enter Qiao's personal space. To come within three paces of Sahova's second-in-command was considered a very serious offense. Still, the matter had to be one of importance for the usually elusive Nuit to show himself here. The other undead stood in the middle of the room and possessed a much more humble countenance as well as a younger body with short black hair, his hands laced behind his back. It was this Nuit who greeted Vick as he stepped in. "Ah, greetings. You must be Vick. I am Mizelio Takk, Sahova's Chief Summoner. A pleasure to make your acquaintance." He did sound like a bit of a snob, though without the aura of dread that surrounded Lector Qiao. There had been a lot of them before the Valterrian, when mages had been the spine of the nation. Sophisticated and often decadent, mages had formed their own subculture, threw lavish parties and were the object of romantic gossip as often as arcane gossip. But Takk's introduction was ruined as something stirred inside his robes. "You petching idiot! Where are your manners? You forgot to introduce ME! Me me me!" Something flowed out of his sleeve, like grey pearls melting and recombining together. Quicksilver. A Pascid-type Familiar. It coiled around the Nuit's hand and perched on his shoulder, where it took the shape of a miniature Mizelio Takk… except with a tiny crown on his head. "Yes, I'm sorry, Vyldred. Vick, this is Vyldred, my Familiar." "Hmph," the Familiar said dismissively - to both of them. "Hardly polite enough. My full title is Vyldred, Uncontested Lord of the Lightface, Scourge of the Kirt, Master of the White-hot Expanses, and Conqueror of the Boiling Rock, thank you very much." "Yes, yes," said Mizelio Takk, somewhat embarrassed, but obviously nervous around the Familiar. "Let us discuss the matter at hand, shall we? As you may or may not know, Vick, our glorious state of Alahea had started colonization projects on several inhabitable worlds. These projects involved both research and military objectives. With the Valterrian, these worlds were cut off completely, since portals cannot be opened from other worlds to Mizahar - a strange and so far unique oddity. We can assume most of these colonies have died off over the centuries. There were some, however, with enough colonists in them to support new generations without heavy inbreeding. The problem is, we were not given their astral coordinates by the government - Sahova was not originally built to interact with these colonies. That doesn't mean we lacked our own… channels, so to speak. Long story short, we had some encrypted documents in our possession that we have recently been able to decipher thanks to Drainira." "It was a tough scheme," the Supervisor commented, "it took me two centuries of spare brainpower to crack." "We now possess the coordinates of a world that once supported hundreds of colonists, Anashis," Mizelio nodded. "Can you see what we're getting at, Vick?"

[Vick]

Vick just kept nodding his head as they talked. However he was more lost then ever for his field was far from summoning. He just dealt with the dead not anything major so all the talk went over his little head.

“Hello Master Qiao, Master Takk and Master yldred, Uncontested Lord of the Lightface, Scourge of the Kirt, Master of the White-hot Expanses, and Conqueror of the Boiling Rock.”

Vick said softly in his normal child like voice. He added the extra for Yldred due to he felt he was the type that needed the slight ego boost with how he acted just seconds ago. However he always would call the other two Masters due to they were and clearly out ranked little o him.

“I am sorry but you lost me a few steps back. My field is not in talking or summoning so the things you are saying about it has me lost. I just know the bare bones of it like other fields of magic but just like Glyphing with symbols and some numbers. Nothing really major and well I can’t really ask for lessons with it I don’t think.”

Vick was always the type to voice his thoughts even if they would get him in some trouble but even so he had been on the island for years due to he became an Nuit at such a young age some level of his mind would always be like that no matter how smart or strong he became.

His eyes just kept moving back and forth from the three people in the room then looking around looking at the circles. Some looked rather simple but some look far more complex yet none of it made sense in his head. Yet the one that took him the most was the one above his head.

“I can understand the door as my history lessons with my own Master has taught me that this was what was done to keep things inside. The large door and locks on it but may I ask what is with all of the...circles everywhere? Do they stay after you use them? How long does it take to make them? What are the reasons for different sizes and how complex they are?”

And it begin, while Vick was known for being a child and could have been seen playing outside near the docks or the shore like it was also slightly known that once he started asking things he never did shut up just like an normal kid. It was the reason Boss made him read and write not just to help his learning and to teach him things but to keep him somewhat focused in things.

He would have used his personnel magic to see the aura of the circles and room however he did not know what would take place or if any traps made for personnel magic were set. Even he knew it was not safe when it came to that unless you were inside your own lab and set the rules.

“How does finding a world help you? Can’t you just open a portal and pull someone out then talk to them that way? What is the world you found? Guessing it was meant for humans for the most part but anything else? Also may I ask why am I here? Like I said my feild is not this or even really Intelligence. Unless I am here as I am just a slab of meat and can be replaced but I thought pulsers were for that?”

More and more questions formed in his head yet he just voiced a small fraction of that. His hands kept moving back and forth along his sides as he moved his body bouncing almost as he talked and looked around at so many new things to him. Maybe this was also a reason Boss did not do much with him as he acted so much like a child even now.

[Tarot]

"Oh, so many questions!" Mizelio gave a nervous laugh. His Familiar eyed Vick suspiciously, as if inspecting him for something only he could see. "Well," said the Summoner, "we have many circles because one size does not fit all, Vick. You do not use the same net to catch a goldfish and a whale, after all. Similarly, some creatures require more delicate transportation lest they die in the process. Others have magic of their own and need to be caught in special circles made just for them, or the Summoning portal would fold on itself and malfunction. The circle on the ceiling is mostly used when we want to move a creature from one world to another. It falls down from the ceiling and immediately drops into a second circle on the floor, straight to its destination. Useful for culling predators from worlds we wished to colonize, but sending them to other colonies for study." Takk hoped this would sate the child's curiosity, but apparently Vick had even more questions to ask. Vyldred the Familiar hopped from Mizelio's shoulder and landed on Vick's. He immediately started looking into his left ear. "If I find a brain in here I'll be the first to let you know, Takk." Apparently, he called his owner by last name. And he had... strange habits. As Vyldred's inspection of Vick's ear continued, the Summoner tried to answer more of the Nuit's questions. "Anashis is called the Fogworld because it is constantly shrouded in some of thickest fog you'll ever see. We had a small colony going there, a few hundred people in a single fortified settlement. They researched the local wildlife but they were especially looking for the secret of Anashis' water, which is heavier than expected. Surely you can see how being able to make things lighter or heavier, without resorting to expensive magic, would benefit a Kingdom, yes? And it would benefit us, too. But most importantly..." "It belongs to us," and this was Lector Qiao speaking. He had left the corner of the room and was not staring at Vick, right through him. His body was thin and dry, his eyes inset and dark, his hands hidden in the sleeves of his robes. "Anashis is an Alahean world. We are the last piece of Alahea on this world. That colony and its people must be ours. If someone still lives there, we need to remind them where their loyalties lie; and I have selected you for this task, Vick." The undead turned to Takk, who resumed his speech. "Yes, as the Venerable Master said, we think you are the perfect Nuit for re-establishing contact with the colony. We do not want to scare the colonists, if there are still any. Our resources are limited and even if we conquered them by force we might suffer losses that we cannot afford to bear at this time. We want to appeal to them, get them to serve us out of their own free will. We want to send someone intelligent but who will be seen as... not threatening. Your preference for childish guises marked you for the task. That and we can't risk losing a Master, if you want to hear to naked truth." There was no hiding that Vick was more expendable than most in the Citadel. They had no problem admitting to it. "If there is still a colony, convince them to follow our lead," said Master Qiao. "Have them open up to you, impress them, show them what it means to be Sahovan, and learn all you can about them. And, eventually, have them swear an oath of allegiance." It wasn't a suggestion. It was an order.

[Vick]

Really he enjoyed hearing the naked truth on some level as he nodded after they both talked. So he knew more of his goal and the world but he still had questions. Where they in a rush for time? He did not think so really or things would be more tense. However they both scared him on some level.

“So..I am going to step on a circle then be sent to the world. How will I get back here? I don’t really have a Familiar and not even sure how to get one yet I am thinking I will have some form of time limit with someone here opening a portal at some point.”

That thinking on his part was more or less hoping. A lot of hoping. He was asking so many questions out of fear more then anything as he was scared to do this. He never done this before or even heard of anyone trying to do this. Granted they were trusting him and did not want him to die as they wanted the end goal but he still held on to that fear.

“Did we learn anything of the local wildlife?” Such a simple question yet he was wishing he had his own Familiar. An Gordios was what he would enjoy even if he knew the books he read talked about them being hard to handle.

“Should I wear anything pre Valterrian or have any item that lets them know that I am from Alahea?” Vick really had no idea if that would help or not but he had to wonder if a group of people went to another area and was closed off they would still hold fast to what they thought was right. If they knew nothing of history then things could change on so many factors.

However would they even trust an Nuit? He had no way to show he was humanish other then from far away. He was not even sure if Nuits were looked upon back then good or evil. How would he even ask that?

He was sure he could have formed more questions yet he was not sure if they would really let him. He knew the older Nuits did not take well to his childish actions like talking so much well. Vick’s eyes just moved to Vyldred yet did not say anything. He was not sure what Vyldred would do or could do if he spoke in a misunderstanding way.

He really wish he was better with different types of magic and glyphing as taking a few magic scrolls to keep him safe sounded rather nice. Maybe he could ask to take a few from the island? He never did ask for things like that and something told him his rank was just to low to really think of it.

[Tarot]

"You are thinking correctly," Takk nodded, pleased that the kid had at least done his homework with portals. It would save him a little explaining. "We will open a portal every twelve bells, each about half a bell in duration, on the same location as the first. If you do not return within ten days, or twenty portals, we will assume you have died." It was funny, how they spoke of him dying and risking everything on a foreign world with nothing in the way of rewards for his success. Yet Vick was in no position to bargain. He lived off the island's dubious generosity, after all. The Summoner kept answering the child's rapid-fire questions, all the while watching Qiao for signs of an outburst. The man with the rotting hands was not known for his great patience. "Visibility in the Fog-world is near non-existent in the outdoors, and animals have adapted to their surroundings. Your sight will be of very limited use, although we are going to portal you very close to the fort - as close as we can manage. Hopefully you won't have a problem with that. As for a token of Alahea, yes, I was just about to mention that." The wizard rummaged in a fold of his loose-fitting red robes and extended his bony hand towards Vick. "Here, take this." It was a golden necklace; the pendant was in the shape of the ancient Alahean symbol, a gauntlet grasping a sixteen-pointed star. The emblem of those who would "reach the sky" and yet had fallen into the dirt. Ironically, the symbol meant nothing to Vick, who hadn't been born under Alahean rule, but even Takk himself could barely remember the significance of that coat of arms. "Enough talking," Qiao spoke in a low but threatening tone. "Go now, and do not disappoint me." Hands laced behind his back, his brow-less gaze seemed to cut right to the bones. Question time was over, and he probably thought Vick was going to fail anyways; good riddance, too, as Qiao had never liked the kid (or his idea, for he barely knew the kid). One less mouth to feed, metaphorically speaking, and others could be found to do the task properly if it came to that. Takk set himself to work hastily, recognizing the danger in the venerable master's voice. The circle had already been prepared in advance with all Astral coordinates, and he couldn't wait to shoot Vick off and let him fend for himself on Anashis. Within minutes Takk would regret his carelessness bitterly. The Summoner bit his thumb and allowed the white ichor to drip upon a smallish circle to the side of a far bigger one. The construct reacted instantly, creating the familiar Summoning fireworks, complete with the telltale oily smell and blue glow. After the initial flash, the portal resembled a watery surface rocked by inconstant winds. Beyond, beneath the floor, one could glimpse at what awaited on the other side - grey. Tons of grey. "Go," said Qiao, and Vick could almost imagine him a pirate, ordering him to walk the plank with a sword pointed at his back. But, before Vick could actually move (or refuse to do so), he felt himself carried - no, dragged - towards the portal by a strange but very powerful force that almost swept him off his feet. It didn't come from the portal itself, and Takk himself was taken by surprise. He could not see Qiao's expression as the man stood behind him, but it seemed unlikely that Qiao would even deign to cast magic on someone of such lowly social standing as Vick. Still, the forceful pull was very real, and Vick found himself tossed into the portal, right through the floor, just as Drainira's voice started saying: "Warnin..." Then, there was only the blue flash of the portal. This was Vick's first time through one, and it fell like sliding down a sloping tunnel with electric blue walls towards a distant light. Beyond the translucent walls of the conduit, the Universe unfolded for him. The blackness of space was occasionally interrupted by flashes of distant suns and foreign galaxies. Finally, the door ejected him on the other side, where he flew out of the ground and landed squarely on his rear quarters. Thankfully, moist grass softened the blow. All around there was dampness and fog as long as the eye could see - which was precious little. The air felt humid, like breathing through a cloud. This weather was no good for an undead body; those relied on dryness for durability. Ten steps away from him, the world was swallowed up in the grey. The portal was gone, seemingly exhausted by the very act of carrying him. "HAHAHAHAHA! Yes! Yes yes yes! Just as planned!" Vick's clothes seemed to come alive, and Vyldred's head peeked out of his collar, grinning. "We're gonna have so much fun, you and I, kid," the Familiar hopped out of his hiding place and onto Vick's shoulder. "They won't risk it by following us right away, I don't think. Old man Qiao wouldn't do that. Oh, yeah. Vacation time for ole Vyldred. We are free to do as I please!" His voice grew a morose edge. "And I feel like conquering this sad hole of a world. Vyldred, Badass-General of Anashis, He Who Comes In Third After Death And Taxes Only Because He Lets Them Go First." He cackled madly and pointed an arm right at Vick's nose. "Wouldn't you agree, pipsqueak? Yes, I think you do, you do very very well." Apparently, the Pascid liked to answer his own questions.

[Vick]

Vick was unsure what to say or do as he felt his body being dragged to the portal in front of him. His mind racing to understand what was going on since he made it a goal to read and study the forms of magic within the world when he first came to the island. This could have been a summoning trick or even projection but Vick had no idea what to do and before he knew it his fate was sealed. Or was it sealed when he took his first steps upon the island of the dead?

The last thing he heard was the voice of Drainira but he could not make it out as he was sucked into the portal. He never dealt with summoning and before this day he was not even sure people could go inside portals to the other side. He always thought it was a one way ticket. He was still so very young in more ways than one as he looked around trying to remember every detail for later.

It felt like he was wrapped in light, blue deep light that pushed him towards a further dimmer light in front of him as if he was in a dark cold room trying to go to the candles light but that was not even right. It was something different, the feeling along his skin felt cold but warm at the same time as if his mind was trying to figure it out. Flash of darkness came past the light and what he saw he could not grasp within his mind.

Planets, suns and more. Astrology was not something he knew but he did hear about it now and then in passing inside books as it was linked to events but he never knew it could deal with this. He wanted to know the names of the things he saw and a thought clicked inside his head. Could he have done this if he was not a nuit? Really even now he was not breathing or blinking but could a human do this and live? They had to right? Since they sent people to worlds but maybe this was different, something new?

He could not question it as he felt himself being thrown almost out of a doorway into a bright light but even that was not right as he hit the ground at last. It was not a graceful fall but he did land on his rear at least and was happy he could not bruise but he felt sick almost as he looked at his hands and at last it clicked in his head.

His stomach felt tight and if he could he would have thrown up but since he was long undead he would not. Or could not as he felt the dampness for the first time in so many years around his body. He had been in such a dry place he almost forgot what it was like as he stood up looking around. The swirling colorful portal laid behind him but he knew he could not go back yet or even at all unless he did what he was told for he had no choice in the matter in the end.

He had to find the resolve inside his heart and mind as he turned away from the portal and took his first few steps upon a new land. This was a new world and that made him scared. He was not built for combat in any sense and even then he did not know much of combat with magic since he just knew a bit about voiding when he learned a few years back or maybe it was longer since the sense of time was not like it use to be to him. Days turned into weeks and weeks into years before he knew it.

Really the only reason he was picked for this was not for his combat or his silver tongue but for the simple fact if he died it would not be a big lost for the island. He had to make this count as so much was riding on it. He knew this as he stopped around his tenth step and looked back as he heard an odd sound, thinking something was coming out of the portal but as he saw he knew he was alone as his eyes saw the portal fade away like a candle's flame being blown out.

He was alone. Or at least he thought as he almost jumped out of his skin as Vyldred came out of his collar and started going on as if this was normal. Maybe it was for him since he was a Familiar and they came from different worlds.

He did not give Vick time to get a word in and he just had to smile at the Familiar with unblinking eyes. He did not know much of Vyldred but he knew he could kill Vick if he wanted to or make his life better if they could get along.

Yet from the sounds of it, Vyldred did not come to help Vick but just wanted away from his owner and the island and Vick could understand that in more ways than one.

“Hello again Mr.Vyldred, I am glad you are here and I do have to agree with your wise judgement of using this world. Yet may I ask what you know of this place and where we are? Wonder how many are still left alive or even if they made the colony into something more.” Vick said outloud as he thought to himself as well looking forward trying not to jump out of his skin again due to Vyldred.

He was hoping if he used the right terms with Vyldred he could get on his good side since it would seem he had an ego and while Vick could not understand that he was going to try to butter him up and see if that would be better than fighting it out with words.

“Really wish they gave us some items to help defend ourselves. I am just a child afterall...” Vick said knowing that was a lie since he was far from a simple child. He knew even Vyldred would laugh at that joke or just laugh at Vick anyway as he moved forward in the world.

He could not see that well past the fog, he was not use to normal fog but this was very thick. Almost as if he could cut it with a knife. He had a time limit in more ways than one since he was not sure how long his nuit body could handle the wet world or even if the flow of time was the same as it was on Mizahar.

If Vick had a heart it would be racing out of fear of so many questions and the idea of the unknown but he just had to clear his head and focus on the task at hand. Meditation was not easy to him since he had so many thoughts at once and got side track often but it was something he was getting a bit better at by each passing day. Sorting out the thoughts and ranking them was one of the ideas behind mediation and right now he knew anything dealing with his fear was low and could be pushed away for later.

He focused upon himself, picturing the inside of his body. His body was black, with a white outline showing his skin yet within that outline was a ball of light which was his soul. Within that light he focused and felt his djed and felt the flow from his soul, into his chest up towards his eyes as his Auristics flared to life.

Djed was everything. It was the fact of life and with auristics he could see everything about it as long as he could keep his focus as he stopped and looking in front of him. He knew the fog, he knew what it felt like, how dense it was and even what it would feel like if he walked in it even if it was all around him and already touching him.

He slowly looked down and saw the ground, really he could have just kept looking in front of him for the power of auristics was not tied to his eyes but his senses but he still used his eyes to see it as if he was looking at something normal yet the ground he knew was hard, the grass soft and what made it grass. It was just like Mizahar but as he thought about it he knew that the dampness was heavy like they said as if water on this world just weigh more than it should have.

He looked past the grass in front of him, his eyes lowered to the ground and he did his best to look for signs of any footprints or prints of any sort to try to follow. If he was lucky maybe someone or something had used this area and could tell him where the colony was.

Even with auristics he could not understand why but he let his grip over his magic fade as the auristics power left his eyes as his senses returned to normal. It did not tell him much but it did make him more at ease for even this world still had to rely on the laws of Djed and that made him at home for Sahova were masters of Djed.

Granted he did learn a good deal but things that did not matter to him. Save for maybe hints of where to go and if he found any hints that looked human he would follow and if not in the end he would still go north or at least straight for for all he knew it could have been west.