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WEST WALL - MORNING (?)
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Louma slithers along the wall, toting a longbow in her idle hand as she watches the desert. There isn't a single whisper of wind, nor any sign of activity from the sleepy townsfolk, but there is a slight edge to the still air nonetheless. Louma turns her head, raising a hand to the figure patrolling in the opposite direction of her.
Nesseth raises a hand in greeting as he walks along the wall along the return trip from the far end. "Morning, Louma. Nothing all that interesting since the last pass, but the heat is... kind of unbearable."
Louma smiles warmly at Nesseth, nodding slightly as she drops her hand. "Yes, a little bit. I would give anything for the rains to come early. Still, the sun is nice. Just don't let me fall asleep, okay?"
Nesseth chuckles, grinning as he slows down his route so he can carry the conversation a bit more, weirdly feeling like he's missed talking with the lesser coatl recently. "Don't worry, Louma. If I find you sleeping, I'll be sure to wake you up. Just gotta figure out the best way to do so."
Louma chuckles in turn, also slowing. "Just mutter the cursed word and I'll be right back on patrol." She looks out over the light scrub beyond the wall, shaking her head slightly. "I can't believe they're making me sit in that office."
Nesseth decides to take a short break in his patrol to just join Louma in looking out over the scrub brush. "I guess it comes with the territory, hm? Captain, raise in pay, raise in paperwork, reduction in sanity and all that."
Louma nods, her bow slung across her shoulders. Her travel armor glints in the sun as she settles into a relaxed coil. Was it glinting before? "Sure, along with less friends and less sleep." She sighs, shrugging. "Maybe it will be fine. The house is nice, at least."
Nesseth nudges Louma with a playful grin, his elbow butting against her travel armor. Some part of him wonders why she's even wearing travel gear while on the wall, but he just mentally shrugs. "Less friends, but more wisecracks from the friends that do stop by your office. Like me, for example."
Louma scoffs. "Oh. Good. And I can't even just fly away." She looks toward the town as she considers this, a slow grin spreading. "Though I do get to pick patrol schedules~ Might have to heap some extra responsibility on my favorites."
Nesseth smirks a bit. "Now, really, Louma? You'd actually go and use your office to put more work on your favorites?"
Louma turns to Nesseth with a look of deep concern, putting her hand to her chest, a hurt, high lilt to her words. "I would never, your accusations cut deep, Nesseth!"
Nesseth takes a step back, looking perhaps a bit (not really) shocked as he plays along. "So you're saying you'll never send me to patrol the runoffs? I'd best stay on your good side, then!"
Louma nods firmly, crossing her arms across her chest. "Right. Never even once." She lays her hand on Nesseth's shoulder as they move along the top of the North-East wall, the sunset casting their shadows almost to the treeline. "And I'll never send you out on caravan duty, either. I know how boring you find walking through the woods to be."
Nesseth scoffs at that, waving a hand as he casts his eyes out towards the treeline-- wait... weren't they just looking out at the western scrubs? Huh, odd... "Certainly more boring than walking the walls, talking with you, Louma."
Louma giggles, shrugging. She looks to Nesseth, squeezing his shoulder slightly. "After all this time, I'm glad to have you looking out for me."
Nesseth smiles warmly at Louma. "For all those times we bucked heads before, I can't just sit by and let you flounder when you're in trouble. You've watched out for me, regardless of any disagreements we've had."
Louma nods, releasing Nesseth's shoulder. "You're right. You can always count on me, right?" Her expression saddens, looking towards the trees. "I'd never fail you, would I?"
Nesseth shakes his head as he goes to rest a hand on Louma's shoulder in turn. "Considering how much we've got each other's backs for just about everything? Never willingly, I'd say."
Louma nods, setting her hand upon his with a smile. "Good. I expect as much from you, my friend." She backs away from him, looking to the South, toward the town. "I'll fly straight ahead, then." The road around them is empty, but familiar. Underbrush just falls away to black shadows along the edge of distant trees, the afternoon sun unable to penetrate stock-still canopies at all.
Nesseth squints as he tries to get a view of the lands between the town and their location to the north. Something about the shadows feels... extremely off, and while he's not sure why, he looks over at Louma and steps towards her, a hand outstretched. "Then calm skies, ca--" He catches himself mid-sentence, realizing his actions aren't matching his words, "Louma, wait, just walk back with us. It's safer as a group, right?"
Louma hesitates, folding her wings back down after a moment. Her expression shifts from questioning to a soft smile, slithering back over to Nesseth. She leans in and hugs him, sighing. "It is. I guess it can be that easy this time."
Nesseth seems a little taken aback by the hug, but gives a warm one to Louma in turn after just a moment. "It just... seems like it's a bad idea to take a shortcut right now, even if it would save time. Call it a hunch or something, but... I don't know. The skies... hell, the land looks wrong, right now, for some reason."
Louma looks toward the top of the trees, nodding. "You would know. I trust your judgement. You'll get us home safe."
Nesseth hums as he just hugs Louma for a few more seconds, feeling vaguely uneasy about letting go. He does manage to ease up on the hug after a bit of hesitation, though. "You know I'll do everything I can to make the trail safe.
Louma nods, settled onto her coil at her desk, though the morning sun streaming in through the window is on Nesseth's back. The door is open behind Louma, revealing an empty barracks. "Rest a little first, then send out that order. Maybe an idea will come to you in the next few minutes."
Nesseth blinks as he looks around behind him, realizing he's sitting in the chair he usually occupies in Louma's office. The sudden, stark change of scenery definitely starts to pique his senses more than a bit. "Well... I've got something of an idea, but... well, honestly sounds a little ridiculous for me to put into words."
Louma tilts her head, nodding. "Oh? The most ridiculous plans are sometimes the best. One the enemy might dismiss." She hasn't reacted at all to any change in scenery. Or to her travel armor being replaced by her standard uniform some time ago. Was it on the East wall? Or the road?
Nesseth shakes his head as he leans a bit against Louma's desk, his elbows propped against the varnished surface. "I just... part of me just wonders... what the best approach is to make sure you and the others are safe. Feels like I've not been giving it enough consideration."
Louma hums, nodding. She sets a pillow down on the top of her desk near Nesseth's elbows. "Well, the observatory is a good start. But you can't know for sure until your scouts are allowed to track us down. Or you send a flyer out." She smirks, "That ends well every time, right?"
Nesseth sighs and nods as he lifts his elbows up a bit and rests them on the pillow. "Considering you're... missing..." He blinks, gazing at Louma for a few seconds, "...Yeah, that's right... I'd rather the scouts find signs on the ground, first. The rangers of the guard are good shots, so anything attacking from the air can't get too close. Once we find tracks of you and the others... we're heading out with a larger force."
Louma doesn't even bat an eye at being told she's missing, nodding along with Nesseth's idea. "Good. Rest a little first, then send out that order." She slithers around the desk, draping the blanket that was certainly in her hands the whole time onto Nesseth's shoulders.
Nesseth starts to feel himself getting weirdly drowsy as the blanket settles warmly over his shoulders. "I'll... yeah... a bit of rest sounds like a good idea... Just... don't want to keep you waiting for help..." He yawns widely and rests his chin against the pillow, "Help's... going to be on the way soon... I promise..."
Louma pats Nesseth's back, nodding. "Warm scales, Nesseth." The room seems rather empty after a few moments of silence.
Nesseth acknowledges their little verbal salute to each other with a quiet hum as he dozes off, comfortably wrapped in the blanket.
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NESSETH'S HOSUE - EARLY MORNING
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Nesseth starts to return to consciousness, his eyes blinking open slowly after a... comforting, if confusingly jumbled dream of some manner. He's snugly wrapped in his blanket, bundled comfortably on his bed with a warm ball of black fur (which is to say Vix) slumbering peacefully partially draped over his chest.
Nesseth glances around a little, half-expecting Louma to be sitting nearby, ready to chastise him for oversleeping or something after such a vivid dream before he sighs quietly and runs a hand over his face.
Nesseth takes a few moments to adjust himself for comfort, and he mutters quietly under his breath as he begins to doze off again. "We're coming to get you, Louma. You and all of the others... Stay safe out there..."
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THE HILLS NORTH OF RESPITE - MORNING
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Narrator: The source of the poison leaking into the Flow is enough for Tarbin and Melia to trace, emanating out the hills. Hidden amongst them, a large natural cave sits out of plain sight, winding downwards deep into the hill... Overgrown roots and ivy block the path out of protest, as if they were forced to grow into place against their will.
Melia has been feeling increasingly ill and weak, yet very resolute as they have traveled. The elemental's normally green wisps of magic have taken a slight brown tint as she's flickered about Tarbin's being. Slightly afraid but very insistent they find the source of this taint. [This... we are close, Tarbin. Very close.]
Tarbin sighs, looking away from Melia's weakening magic with a worried look on his face. Their guard escort even seems to have picked up on something being very wrong, though it would be hard not to, Tarbin thinks, considering how everything with roots looks at the moment. He drags his tails on the ground, feeling the state of the Flow, but he does not dare draw on it to try and help Melia. "That is clear... Try to save your energy..." He takes note of the odd growth, narrowing his eyes a bit. "That looks healthy. Well, more than everything else..."
Melia hums: [It does. I wonder if our quarry is behind them?] Without further note, she flows her magic towards the growth and wills it to give way. [Guess we will find out.]
Tarbin can't help but chuckle at the slight defiance, even if it's not intentional. "That's not saving your energy, but you might be right..." He watches to see what the plants decide to do, stepping forward, though clearly tense.
Narrator: The roots almost seem to be grateful to move at Melia's command, as if blocking the way is something they do not wish to do. The cave beyond is a curving tunnel reaching downwards into darkness. A very faint light glowing at the bottom.
Melia: [Well, looks like someone or something is down here, at least.]
Tarbin hums, glancing at the shaking guard. They weren't prepared to see plants moving like 'living' things, and ironically seem to have become rooted in place. "Wait here." He mutters to them, giving them a hopefully reassuring nod before turning toward the cave. "Right..." He ducks inside, moving as silently as he can manage.
Narrator: The cave floor slopes downwards. As Tarbin draws deeper down, he can see the torches set around a large hulking figure, a great reptile with three great horns upon his head. He is sitting upon the ground between the flames in some kind of silent meditation, one hand upon his chest, the other upon the ground. Growing closer, it is clear he is very old, skin leathery and parched, but there is more than just age at work. A sickness runs deep through him.
Melia pauses as she muses: [...I am not sure who or what I was expecting, but this probably wasn't it. But he is clearly the cause, I feel it.]
Zayzzes rumbles in some semblances of greeting, but otherwise remains unmoved, sending the presence of the figure. His voice is raspy, like the sound of wood spintering in a fire. "I had wondered which would come first... someone from outside, or my own death."
Tarbin hesitates on stepping into the light, taking in the scene before them. He nods to Melia's statement, stepping into the room with slow steps. He doesn't immediately notice any weapons about the large reptilian. "Hm... You are ill, [elder]?" He pauses some steps away from the other in a relaxed stance. "What is it? Your illness, and your purpose?"
Melia is quiet for a second, feeling the saur's magic and his effect on the Flow. [No doubt at all. He's the reason we are here.]
Zayzzes opens his eyes to examine Tarbin, his gaze still sharp even as it is clear his body is failing him. He sighs, "You see truely. But I am sure you see already." He raises his hand, pointing to trace a line. "I bring Sickness. I am called Zayzzes, the Weaver. But now I am Zayzzes, the Blighted."
Tarbin nods, watching him carefully, though pity tinges his expression. "Sickness. In small measure, it's necessary. What you are trying though... Why?"
Melia hums, flowing about Tarbin's hands: [...not just inflicting Sickness to the growth and me, but himself...] She feels a tinge of pity, yet also rather resolute that there is no backing down now.
Zayzzes hums quietly to himself, then closes his eyes once again. "It is as Yzzayt decrees. I do not recognize your type, but you are a speaker of the life lines as well, yes? I can smell it upon you."
Tarbin nods, though he's wary about showing his ability considering what Zayzzes has already been demonstrating. He has a suspicion that touching the Flow would leave him open. "Yes, I can see and speak with Nature. Move the Flow. I could hurt it, but wouldn't want to." He shakes his head, anger just barely coloring his words. "Why are you hurting the precious magic?"
Melia: [It is not Nature's way...]
Zayzzes slumps slightly in place, weight of ages upon his shoulders. His voice sounds resigned, "It is as Yzzayt decrees. I can touch the flow, and so I must use this ability to aid my people, in whatever way Yzzayt deems best. Now, Yzzayt deems that war must come, and all his Chosen must rise up."
Melia: [...but what if the Flow - me - does not want to be touched in this way? Grr...] The elemental inside Tarbin is clearly getting frustrated.
Tarbin hums, shaking his head slightly. "None should come before the power that courses through the ground, [kin]. It will be here long after our gods are forgotten." He sets his palm on the wall of the cave, watching with a pained expression as the magic struggles to flow within the walls. "You do this for your kin, but what will they have to live among? If you are so sick, who will restore life after this task is done?"
Zayzzes 's eyes flare up for just a moment, "Yzzayt was before the flow, and shall remain long after." He relaxes quickly though, "Perhaps you misunderstand, youngling. One cannot twist nature against its desire. Not wholly, or permanently. One must work with it, gently, lovingly. Or it shall retaliate. My sickness is her retaliation. Only Yzzayt's power keeps me alive now." He coughs violently, then sighs. "But not for long. The sickness shall end when I pass, and nature will restore itself. I... will not join my ancestors upon the great plains. ...such shall be my punishment."
Melia gives a grumble inside Tarbin's head, then shifts away from him at a speed he has not felt. She manifests standing next to Tarbin, arms crossed. She is a thin, tall lizard lady with frilled head, the least amount 'see-though' she has been so far. Her expression is cross, angry: "Nature kills, yes. But Nature also heals. You are bending the process to your own whims, whatever they are. I will not have it."
Tarbin shakes his head. "There are scars where Nature no longer thrives, you have not seen them. I am... Saddened that you have chosen this path, and feel you are punished." He looks to Melia, sighing. "This aspect of the Flow is correct. Even if your sickness passes when you do, you must stop now." He turns back to Zayzzes. "I will keep you company."
Zayzzes gasps in shock at the apparent manifestation of nature appearing to him, "I..." He bows his head to Melia. "I... had no choice. In the end, I am only a distraction... my death was the goal here as much as the deaths in the walled city. I... am sorry."
Melia shakes her head, her anger ever-so-slightly abating: "I can not kill you even if I wanted to. You must know that. I am Nature, I am Flow, I can only heal. But as long as you damage everything around us - including me - I can not do much."
Tarbin avoids the topic of killing, knowing full well he could likely do so. He only shakes his head and lets Melia speak with Zayzzes.
Zayzzes clenches his fist, then reaches down to the soil and opens himself up to the nexus of the power that flows from beneath this hill. He cuts off the painful poison and nods.
Melia lets out a small relieved sigh, then steps closer. She offers her hand to the old saurian, her glow growing greener and healthier by the second. She smiles: "Thank you."
Zayzzes shakes his head, "No thanks, avatar, not for what I have done. If you can ever spare me forgiveness, perhaps I can accept it... though already I am abandoned. I... should never have listened, to participate in this folly."
Melia frowns, lifting a wisp of her Flow to Zayzzes, giving a small hint of her healing power: "I can not kill, as I said. And if you... if you can help me heal, reverse what you have done... I will do my everything, to aid you, in turn." She looks at Tarbin: "I might as well do something with my existence."
Tarbin feels as if a weight has been lifted as well, sighing. He nods as he watches Melia's own magic growing healthier among the web of power around them. He makes a note to remember this place... Despite Zayzzes' influence, it feels refreshing. "Perhaps not. Leave the fighting to the fighters. Even if your power is over sickness, our gifts should not be used to kill. That is what I was taught, anyways."
Zayzzes falls forward, both hands grasping at the dirt as he coughs. "It is as I was taught too, once. My old Master would be ashamed... but to serve three masters who act in harmony makes one's choices easy. When disharmony takes root..." He glances between the two, lingering on Melia. "You... would heal me?"
Melia smiles, lifting hand on her chest: "I am what I am. I do not want to see anyone or anything suffer, and if you will help me end it, I will heal you as I can. Ease your pain, at the very least." She lifts her hand towards Zayzzes', a flow of green magic floating to his chest and easing his breathing, if only a little.
Tarbin steps forward, setting a hand on the other lizard's shoulder. He immediately gets an image of the sickness wracking Zayzzes' body, hesitating for a moment as he casts a look to Melia. As far as he can tell, it's well outside of what the body could heal, even with additional magic from the Flow dumped into him. Of course, that's strictly by his own experience and the limits of his own abilities.
Zayzzes takes a deep breath, feeling Melia's magic as he takes a few slow breaths. "I do wonder..." He looks at Tarbin sadly. "My people are fighting sickness too... not an ailment of the body... but I cannot turn against them. I love my people, as I love nature, and as I love Yzzayt. If you heal me... what will you do with me?"
Tarbin holds his place for a moment, considering this question. "I think that depends... You can help your people in other ways than poisoning the Flow, right? Or... Will you return to your task?"
Melia looks at Zayzzes, shaking her head slightly. "Well, I literally can not decide for you. I am not... physical." She sighs a bit: "I am running on limited power to be visible as I am. I am rooted to him." She points at Tarbin, her hand wavering as she does.
Zayzzes shakes his head, "No... I shall not harm nature again. It was a mistake from the beginning." He glances at Tarbin curious as Melia speaks of being 'rooted'. "I need time to think..."
Tarbin shakes his head, laying his tails on the soil. "Time is not something you have a lot of, [elder]. I will take your word..." He looks to Melia, offering her his other hand as he begins directing the raw lines of Nature's power through Zayzzes, attempting to buy him a little bit of reprieve from his illness.
Melia takes Tarbin's cue, and starts flowing growth and healing energy through Tarbin to Zayzzes. Soon her being starts to fade from the effort, going more see-through and cloudy even as she continues her effort.
Zayzzes sits back up, his scales reacting to the magic flowing into him as they glow dully. He laughs grimly, "Don't be so quick to write me off, boy. Yzzayt's Gift yet flows through me. If this avatar of nature deems me worth living... I shall await Yzzayt's judgement now."
Melia gives Zayzzes a hesitant yet warm smile: "I trust you. I have no way of stopping you from betraying that trust. Let us hope it does not come to that." With that, she vanishes from sight, her power used. She lets out an inward sigh once back inside Tarbin: [Let us hope so indeed...] She continues feeding her Flow through Tarbin's hands, giving Zayzzes as much growth as she is able without passing out.
Tarbin gives Zayzzes a look. "The gift is strong, I can see it. It is not strong enough. I don't mean any insult by that, your sickness is deep." He shrugs, sighing. "But you know that."
Zayzzes nods, gravely. "I do. Thank you, child. The Walled City is lucky to have you... I only hope it can withstand the Storm that is coming... and that it will not destroy both of our peoples."
Tarbin lets out a dry laugh at this, looking aside. "While Respite is a home, they are not my people, so much... I do not want to see people hurt, and will help anyone that needs it, though."
Melia sighs a bit: [I do not really have a home, besides... well, besides you, Tarbin. But I will not stay idle as hurt spreads.]
Zayzzes settles back into place upon the floor of the cave. "I will not betray my people... but if you need aid, while I persist, I shall do what I can."
Melia: [I can heal him more, once I gather my Flow again. Shall we stay with him for now?]
Tarbin nods, drawing the magic toward what he perceives as Yzzayt's 'gift'. He takes a moment to get a feel for it's power before directing the Flow to bolster it. "I understand. To be short, I hope we can meet again in a better way, but you must leave. Under the cover of night, of course." He nods to Melia's question. "The avatar wishes to help you more. We will stay until the sun is down."
Zayzzes blinks, then bows his head. "I have no where to go, child, but if you wish for me to leave this place, I shall. And what company you deign to give this old fool in the meantime, I shall accept."
Melia: [Aephix is... big. Very big. I'm sure he can find a place...] She does not sound entirely certain, though.
Tarbin blinks, hesitating. "You can not return home, to your people?"
Zayzzes shakes his head, "No. My orders, from the Voice of Yzzayt himself, was to come here, and to die. And now, I have defied that. Death may yet find me, but is shall be in defiance to him, not service." He snorts, then seems to chuckle at that.
Melia: [I wish we could do more...] The elemental seems somewhat somber, yet hopeful. [If his people will just kill him...]
Tarbin nods. "And the guards from respite may just imprison him... At best." He sighs, shaking his head. "Perhaps... Remaining here is best, for now?"
Zayzzes chuckles. "This is your territory, hm? I shall do what you think is best. These old bones don't move so quick... should those guards come down, I shall go with them, else... stay here. It feels good here... welcoming." He frowns. "Moreso now."
Melia: [Definitely better now.] She pauses: [I can restore more of him later. Even... even if something happens, I need to help.]
Tarbin nods, letting his hand drop from Zayzzes' shoulder. "Then I will go, for now. You feel better, yes? I'll let them know the sickness in the Flow is passing... And avoid speaking of you." He offers a slight smile to the other lizard. "We will return. You will not be alone."
Zayzzes bows his head, "A kindness I do not deserve, for what I have done. I do not even know your name, child."
Melia: [Everyone deserves kindness.]
Tarbin bows his head respectfully, chuckling a bit to himself. "I am sorry. My name is Tarbin, of Yuretti."
Tarbin raises his eyes, smiling. "And the avatar you met is Melia."
Zayzzes smiles. "Good names. I am Zayzzes, the..." He pauses a moment. "I am Zayzzes. That is all, now."
Tarbin nods, standing upright and ready to leave. "A good name, as well. We will meet again, soon."
Melia: [Once I'm back in shape... well, restored Flow, anyway, we will.] Her voice does not really sound like something that's negotiable.
Zayzzes: "May you weather the storm, friends."
Tarbin pats Zayzzes' shoulder reassuringly, shrugging. "We shall see. Not much those like us can do to stop it. Be safe, [kin]." He turns, starting on the path back through the cave. The general aura of the place has hopefully kept a certain nervous escort at bay, though the depth of the tunnel might have obscured voices well enough. The 'two' step out into the sunlight again, breathing in a nice breeze.
Melia sighs in relief, swirling about Tarbin once they're out. [Well... that could have gone worse, I think.] She pauses: [What is that saying, knock on wood? Seems silly, though. Why would you knock wood?] Regardless, she warmths upon Tarbin's chest, clearly happy.
Tarbin sets his palm to his chest, directing some of Nature toward Melia. "Maybe? I don't know that phrase. I... Hope our effort is well placed, but you did well there Melia. Let's get something to eat, then head to the clinic. Doctor Plume should know, and there's probably someone we can help there."
Melia hums: [But we are going to return, right? We promised.]
Tarbin nods, glancing toward the escort who seems to be calming down, though still keeping a bit of distance between them as they watch the surroundings. "Of course." The way back to town is uneventful, and the effects of their meeting with Zayzzes are quickly apparent immediately around the cave, though it would take much of the next couple days for the father reaches of his efforts to recover.
Zayzzes settles back into position, breathing out a deep sigh. He reaches down towards that nexus of power flowing beneath the hill and reaches out with the nature magic deep inside him. Instead of breathing poison, instead he lets the Flow wash over him, nature's power accepting him once again like a wayward son who has found his way home. He ponders this turn of events in quiet meditation, thinking on the young lizard and the avatar of nature accompanying him.
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FARMS OUTSIDE OF RESPITE - JUST BEFORE SUNSET
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Narrator: The land surrounding Respite is strangely silent as it prepares for night. The sound of clawed feet and leathery wings approaching in mass is surprisingly quiet, despite the speed at which they approach the Walled city, turning aside before they would come into view of any sentries upon the walls. They encounter no traffic out of the city, no resistance, as the raiders enter the farmland in search of prey.
Narrator: The raptor riders are well prepared, fast, and merciless, as they sweep across the farmlands. There is no warcries or flame, as this is not an open assault, but a deliberate operation. Screams are muffled quickly, prisoners taken, bound in nets and dragged off much like the poor civilians in the caravan Usid assaulted.
Usid himself rides through his troops as they enact the plan, whistling out orders as they move, looking for anything that might hamper this. He's looking for a fight, but also wary enough not to hunting. Yzzayt demands these slaves, and has given him the mission of rounding them up. Greater hunts will come in time, for Yzzayt's glory.
Narrator: It all happens very quick, as they ride through the farms as quickly as they can, taking any they find unaware and unevacuated. The town has been making ready for them, not unexpectedly, yet still some of the townsfolk who live outside the walls have clung to their homes, or hope to harvest untainted crops for the town. If Zayzzes has done his job right, those not taken in this raid are sick, burdening the townfolk (while also giving the Saurs only those slaves in the prime of health! A win-win situation!
Narrator: A call comes from above, a signal of trouble somewhere upon the lines, as the Flyers have engaged with some straggler, and Usid bites his tongue, knowing that stupid Nyzai will surely rub it in as some kind of perceived failure. But after several minutes more, horns begin to blow from the town proper, and just like that, the raid is over.
Usid begins to make sharp whistles to signal the retreat, riding quickly to the front of the raid line to any who had not yet retreated with prisoners and signalling them to go. Once they are ahead, he turns to follow, ensuring he is the last of the Raiders to return to the road and back out towards their camp. The flyers will surely escape whatever they encountered. He curses that he wasn't lucky enough to encounter it, but stupid Nyzai is smart enough to handle whatever it is before making his own escape.
Narrator: The raiders disappear into the growing darkness as a suddenly uneasy night sets over Respite...
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RESPITE MAIN STREET - EARLY EVENING
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Jennica is walking slowly down the street. The braunvieh cow has been spending all day asking if anyone's seen Emmeline anywhere. Her carriage should have arrived two days ago, but no one has seen or heard anything. Jennica is getting desperately worried, what with all the attacks and such she keeps hearing about. No way she can keep focused on any work like this. She must find Em. She must. She keeps walking, not really having the energy after having her hopes go downhill all day, but... she must.
Aurelius: "You appear to be somewhat out of sorts" Aurelius speaks quietly having been observing for a while now "Perhaps you should take a seat. I don't think you're helping anyone with what you are doing now" He also has a flask of water, which he's offering out. He's reckoning she needs a drink by now as well.
Jennica blinks dumbly, slowly, then stops in her walking and looks up. "O-oh. H-hi." She hesitates a second, then takes the offered flask: "T-t-thank you." She swallows deeply, being more parched than she realized.
Aurelius: "I'm not an expert, but you seem to be under a bit of stress" He gestures amiciably to the nearby bench "How about resting your feet too? Just for a moment, give those two (hooves?) a rest and a chance to recharge.
Jennica nods and shuffles her hooves towards the bench, letting out a sigh and a deep sniffle before looking up at Aurelius: "Y-you have not seen Emmeline, 'nother cow a bit bigger than me, h-have you?" She doesn't really sound that hopeful.
Aurelius: "I'm afraid not" The story of 'missing loved ones' is one that's being played out a lot recently, which is what had lead Aurelius to taking note of Jennica's plight "If I may ask, was she due to come in on a caravan a few days ago?"
Jennica swallows, then shakes her head: "N-no, she was supposed to come back on a smaller carriage, c-come back soon as able..." She sniffles again: "B-but..." She trails off, not really wanting to say any of her fears out loud.
Aurelius takes a heavy sigh "Then, I would say it is likely that this caravan was taken too" He pauses "Which means that she is almost certainly alive, at least. You would have heard news if anything else had happened" He speaks confidentially, as if his logic was impeccable. It was the confidence in his voice that was important, not how well that logic held up to scrutiny
Jennica looks up at Aurelius again with hope, swallowing: "D-do you think so? I g-guess that makes sense..." She shivers slightly, having spent so much energy, both physical and mental, by this point.
Aurelius: "It is the most likely thing" He nods, even more confident, since he was pretty sure that was the case "So, she is safe. Perhaps not as comfortable as she would like, but safe and healthy. I don't know their motivations, but any time a person is taken, it is in their best interests to keep them healthy. Soon enough, relief will come from some of the larger towns with standing guards, and this problem will be cleared out. Until then, you need to focus on keeping yourself healthy"
Jennica swallows again, thinking on this for a second: "I... I-I want to help, b-but maybe you are right." She sighs, looking down: "N-not that I r-really can do anything. Worthless trinketmaker..."
Aurelius gives consideration to her words, before answering "Have you ever been to a concert? The singers there. They can only sing, and most have very few 'practical'" He makes the airquotes with flicks of his wings "Skills. Would you say they are worthless?"
Jennica blinks at the odd question: "I... I huh probably not? I mean, no. But..." She doesn't have either the energy or wits to mount a real rebuttal, not that she really has one.
Aurelius: "Not everyone's skills are able to contribute to everything" He finishes the point "And that's okay. You make trinkets and sell them at the market yes? The people that buy them, do they enjoy them? There are people who come back, to buy more are there not?"
Jennica looks at Aurelius dubiously: "B-but if I d-don't have Emmeline, w-what's the point?"
Aurelius considers again, how to answer "I don't want to give you any trite one liners, so instead.,Answer me why do you make your inventions?"
Jennica thinks a moment before answering, leaning her hand on the bench: "I... g-guess it's just what I do. What I'm good at. It's... it's my emotional outlet I guess too."
Aurelius: "You have a lot of emotions right now, that need an outline. Your Emmeline will return, I'm sure, and she would want to return to see you healthy and well. For that, you'll need a way to manage your worry and stress. Perhaps turning to that could help?" He muses "Would you be one to take commissions?"
Jennica blinks and pauses, turning to Aurelius: "I... g-guess? I'm... I'm not much in the m-mood, b-but maybe it's good for a d-distraction?" She is silent for a moment, then nods: "W-what did you have in mind?"
Aurelius reaches into his bag, to take out a book "Something that could attach safely to a book, and light the page. I'm the Loremaster in town, and it would be useful. It would allow me to have readers in parts of the library that don't have enough lighting" That's total rubbish. The library is lit out with an even glow throughout, but he was riffing right now, and wasn't the best at his excuses
Jennica has not been in the library, so just nods, wiping away at her eyes: "I g-guess I c-can make that... d-do at least something, even if it's not, not, not really f-for getting Em back..."
Aurelius: "There are others, like the guard, working on that very problem right now. Some people make trinkets, some manage books, and others rescue people from captors. Their job is to get Em back, your job is to keep yourself healthy for when she does get back"
Jennica nods slowly: "T-that m-makes sense... g-gotta do something, right? Not just curl up and c-cry, even when it's almost all I'm good for..." She sniffs, but doesn't tear up again: "I will do it."
Aurelius: "That's the spirit!" Well, not really, but you can't expect to turn someone around from that depressed to chipper on one pep talk "Take this" He passes over the book he'd been using as a demonstration "Ideally, it should be adjustable, but this would be a baseline" It was a very light hearted adventure tale. It wasn't anything really apropos, since he was just running books back from home deliveries he does to the sick readers.
Jennica takes the book and nods slowly, her mind at least turning to thinking on this project, if not entirely happily. "I... I t-think I can do that. Just gotta find a way to..." She trails off, mumbling about possible solutions.
Aurelius rolls his shoulders a little, leaving her go. He'll make sure to check in on her later. It's a shame there's going to be so many little additional requirements along the way, anything to keep her mind on the problem/ focused on being annoyed at Aurelius, and less upset about missing Emmeline, the better....
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RESPITE GENERATOR BUILDING - LATE EVENING
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Strix: Strix had already 'knocked' on the door, with excited little tippy taps, and now was waiting, rocking on his heels. He was normally pretty wired, but even by those standards, he's pretty wired right now. He's waiting to get inside, so he can show off. He's got the big reveal ready, under a tarp. His special 'revealing' tarp.
Maybelline comes to the door a bit slowly, definitely not expecting folks this late, but with a bit of hope that maybe it's Nesseth with news. She's got a cup of coffee in hand, still dressed in her work clothes, and while she looks tired, it's not the 'walking dead tired' she's looked the past few days, as it seems she's cried as much as she's going to cry right now, and managed to get some damn sleep. She opens the door a peek, then the rest of the way once she recognizes the visitor, "Strix...? It's... late."
Strix: "It is? Strix didn't know...Hmm, Strix needs to make timeshiny. Normal timeshinies never interesting. Just little gears..don't measure -real- time...but.." Strix clears her throat "Strix has new shiny! Revolutionary! Amazing! Hardly any problems!" He grins, and does an unfurl, to show a pot..filled with.. Green Paint? "Tada!" Strix pauses "Strix needs somewhere to show off..uh..May have open area? With somewhere tall nearby?"
Maybelline nods a little vacantly as she tries to be awake enough to parse what Strix is saying. "So... inside? By the generator? Or... is that too close to the generator? I don't want to get... paint? all everything?"
Strix considers her carefully
Strix: "...Outside"
Strix: "Paint won't go everywhere! Strix has tarp!"
Maybelline nods, taking a drink of her coffee, "Okay... well... there's the courtyard out behind the house? It's not really... mine? It's kinda a backyard but not really. Just to the left around the house." She points around the side, setting out from the door and locking it up behind her.
Strix: "Yes! Good! Can go up on roof then!" He bustles about, and would do that sort of scamperonthespot of someone impatient to get where they are going, but polite enough to not rush..but still ADD enough to not be able to hide it. Once there, he would lay out the tarp! and curl the edges slightly to make a sort of makeshift dish, and with much aplomb, pour the paint into the dish, which would fill it up uneventfully..though May would notice there's something kiiinda weird about how it flowed out. A bit too smooth, and no splashing "Okay! Strix ready for big show up!" He starts attempting to climb up the side of the house....
Maybelline blinks. "The... roof?" She glances around as Strix literally climbs the side of the house attached to the generator room. "There um... there's a ladder over on the other side...?" She walks around towards it, and carefully climbs the ladder upwards, so very, very confused by this, and feeling more tired than she expected all of a sudden, though admittedly always curious to see what Strix has, that all-encompassing curiousity of an inventor shown something new.
Strix: "Okay!" Strix brandishes a glass ball he'd secreted, and was bringing down now "Watch!" He grins, and lobs it up into the air, up..dowwwn, right unto the ground at full speed where the paint is! There's not even a sound. It just..lands there. "Tada! Strix's new nosmash paint!"
Maybelline flinches as Strix throws the ball up, ready to be splashed by paint, only for the ball to land completely without incident. Tiredness suddenly forgotten, her ears perk up as she walks closer, "Whoa... That is absolutely not what I expected when I saw the paint..."
Strix: "Yes! Paint easy to apply to any surface!" He opens up his bag, where there are more balls, of various materials! "Strix find it big struggle, but then find that making paint do..uh..Basic Vector realignment perpendicular to impact angle make things stop without breaking!" Strix, bless him, tried to learn May's technobabble, but all the individual words make sense, but..them together may be somewhat utter nonsense
Maybelline nods along with the words, all of which... are real words, yes, but don't... work like that. "Okay, so... your work with potion making means you... made paint that stops objects, but is still easy to paint with? Honestly I would think that would be the hard part. Like, if i just stuck my hand on it, would I pull it back with green paint on it? Or would it stop it?"
Strix: "Ah! Paint dries off. So not sticky" He idly tosses some more balls at it "But, good to not touch it. Strix still have some ..bugs..."
Strix: "Bugs Mayword for when Shinies have small tiny flaw?" He takes out an orb that appears to have some sort of rocket attachment, and is fiddling with it.
Maybelline nods, curious but a bit nervous anytime she sees something potentially explosive, "Yep. Bugs. Tiny flaws, mistakes to work out, things that keep the whole invention from working properly. Of course, we call the big ones that just stop everything 'fatal bugs', and the little ones that are just annoying 'minor bugs'. I'm guessing this is more a minor bug?"
Strix considers "Well, see. Bug is that when paint stops falling, fall energy has to go somewhere. Uh..Maybook rule is.. "Energy Can't be created or destroyed" He nods "Maybook very valuable. Strix learn that very important rule..soo" He fires the super fast rocket boosted ball at the paint, and indeed..that one stops dead "..When lots of fall energy is stopped...uh..." He considers, rooting around in the bag, and holds up two
Strix metal balls, hefting both of them, looking at the paint..before passing one to May "Toss that on it"
Maybelline takes the metal ball, already piecing together what Strix means. "Oh dear, uh, glad I could help? Maybook does help give a few uh, guidelines... um... okay, I'm going to uh, angle this a bit so that it hopefully want fall back into town and hurt anyone..." She glances towards the nearest wall, trying to do some quick trajectory work in her head to lob this thing over the wall, then tosses the metal ball as carefully as she can at the paint.
Strix: When the ball hits the paint..it stops dead again..then the entire paint pit self ignites! That's what Strix was getting at. The energy was all converting to heat, until it hit the flash point of the paint. Strix puts down his goggles, so he can keep staring at it, a little annoyed "Worse part is that paint doesn't cool by itself, since it takes energy from the air hitting it. Fire destroys it, stop it working.." He grumbles "So close..."
Maybelline flails, jumping backwards away from the paint, "Gah! Okay! Okay, so not redistribution of energy... into a second object at least. Again, did not expect that. I kinda expected the second ball to blast off at the velocity of the first... That's definitely a bit of a flaw in uh, paint though. So... fatal bug it is, hm? Sorry, Strix."
Strix: "Strix not done yet! Still useful! Emergency landing! Works once really well! Just..after..." He motions grumpily to the paint, which is already dying down. A paint that burns twice as hot burns half as long and all that "Just not uh..." He motions vaguely "Need way to remove energy from paint safely!"
Maybelline pauses, thinking. "So... wait... it's self-sustaining? It feeds off the air striking it?"
Strix: "Uh..Well, the air is colder than the paint, so it loses heat with the air, but it also gains heat from the air touching it, because moving air takes heat away faster, paint usually balances, and stays the same heat amount at all times, only gets extra heat when something else hits it"
Strix: "..Probably"
Strix: "..Strix tried to do the Math from Maybook"
Strix: "....Strix learn Strix can't do Math"
Maybelline frowns, considering. "I end up using a lot of Math because I'm looking for very precise results. MayShinies need to do do proper math so that everyone's lights stay on." She motions out from the rooftop towards the streetlights. "But... that's not exactly what you need. I could always try to teach you if you wanted, but I feel like that's not what you're looking for here." She glances back at the burning paint. "I just can't stop thinking about it similar to the generator... but I suppose if we sealed it up and had a way to siphon power off of it, we'd still need to generate the energy via impact to keep it going, so it's not fully perpetual."
Strix: "Hmm. Find way to make Paint cool down before paint gets too hot..." Strix nods "Strix could maybe..well..May had idea with stickyness, if put something sticky to it, could maybe make paint cancel stickiness, since sticky kinda just pull, when fall is a push. That could maybe cool paint..."
Maybelline puts a hand to her chin, considering. "An opposing force built into the paint itself? So, something inert that when a force acts upon it, it negates it, rather then storing it. That'd work, but finding the proper stickiness might be tricky. Do uh... I need to get an extinguisher for that?" She points at the burning paint ball on her roof. Thank goodness for the tarp?
Strix: "Paint best to left burn out by itself. Only safe way to dispose of it right now" It's mostly gone out by now, only a few dying flickers left. The tarp is unharmed! Tarps truly are wonderful. He then takes some time to process May's words. "Maybe? Not sure if putting it in paint itself would be good. Paint right now is sorta pulling force. Try to put push force into it..like Strix's bouncy paint.." He turns that in his head "Make
Strix: push and pull in same place. Both would work against each other..uh..Lots and Lots of heat. Verry quickly. Nowhere for heat to go" He tilts his head more, clearly this is his version of 'doing the math' "Verrrrrry big explosion" He hmms "Strix can't think why anyone would want that"
Maybelline shakes her head, bringing her hand down to her side, the scars of her own explosion encounter hidden by her jumpsuit, "I avoid them if possible. Making them on purpose seems pretty stupid. And it wouldn't do a good job of painting someone's house either." She thinks a moment. "Okay, so mixing it into the paint wouldn't negate the force, but amplify it exponentially within the paint's structure. That's bad. So it needs to be something external that it feeds the excess energy into. An additional pulling force of some kind that is outside the paint, and pulls the energy out of the paint? But into what? It uh, all does seem very complicated for paint, even if what you've accomplished so far is really fascinating."
Strix: "Strix thought it was cool though!..Though..Well, Strix thinks. If put motor against paint, and try to pull piston away, the pull would turn to cooling...paint would be cooler? Would cool whatever is painted on too..maybe work? Strix not sure if all the heat ins and outs balance..."
Maybelline grins, "Oh, don't get me wrong, I think it's cool too! Definitely worth showing me. If you ever wanted to like, sell a whole lot of the paint, then maybe that's where the math could come in and making the heat ins and outs balance. Just to be sure no one gets hurt."
Strix: "Maybe! Maybe...Though..Strix would also need to know what the numbrs were to give to May..." He takes out a pen and paper, to start trying to work out what those might be, legs dangling over the edge of the house.
Maybelline follows Strix over to the edge, sitting on the edge to think through the math as well, comparing her estimates to Strix's, and talking together as they work through several theories and potential outcome for the unspillable paint project.