GoldenCat/GatheringOfWhisperers
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A Gathering of Whisperers
His friends are away, in the raids.
Calisara left them there, and was brought back, waiting to join them once the camp was set once again, and they were ready for war. To wait, to come for them if need be. To defend. The Zephyr was not a vessel for war, and it had already got them in there... and now, was the time to wait.
As the snow falls outside, and the windmills make their songs on the wind, Calisara appears on Cael's side, her form as if made from clouds pieced together, cute as it could be... "So, what are you up to?"
Cael: Cael looks up as Calisara materialises next to him, the letter written in glowing gold on the air.
"Hey Cal." he says with a smile "Just compossing a short letter to the guild factor I know in Great Forks to make arrangements for Anne's tuition. That and waiting for some news from the raid."
Calisara: "Ah, yes..." She holds herself, and frowns in the way of a sky waiting for a storm, "I wonder if they will be alright... maybe if we were there, I still wonder if it was a good idea to..." She stops mid-sentence, as if she had just felt something... strange. Revealing.
"Oh, nevermind. It was."
"We got company, Cael."
Cael: "Company?" Cael asks with curiousity as he stands, banishing the letter with a wave of his hand.
"What and where, dear?"
He slips into the long white coat.
Calisara: "On the roof. Lunar. Doesn't look like the bitch, but you never know." A moment of focus, and she becomes fully material. "I just told Millia and Cedric to go to Anne's room, and lock it. Nobody is getting there without me knowing it this time, nobody"
Fully material, quicksilver shines on the tatoos on her body now, and the illusion of clear wings appears on the corner of the eye on her back... "Oh, wait. Someone else with the Lunar... feels odd. Similar to what the Pale Angel and her friend did."
Cael: Another lunar?
Cael nods to Calisara. That was the best place for them, to be sure.
"By her friend, you mean the Dark Angel ...?" Cael asks as he strides from the room.
A lunar and an Abyssal. This would not be good.
His body shimmers briefly with defensive magic, then he moves on, heading from the roof exit.
- Calisara is at his side every step of the way, as he heads out...
And finds the two walking on the roof. One is a handsome young man of dark hair, lean body... and a hand like an Eagle's claw. Clad in robes of the purest azure that break in dark blue feathers, ending in white and emerald...
And at his side, clad in what seems to be great black wrappings that cover most of his body, a collar that covers half of his face... of his pale white face, handsome with red marks streaking down his eyes... and hair like snow falling over what is visible of his face. And he is readily recognizable even without the devilish wings and tail that his homunculus had.
The Prophet of the Ashen Book.
"Cael Pattona! Thank you to come greet us, it is an honor to finally meet you face-to-face. This is my friend, Bright Feathers... who is the beautiful Zephyr with you?"
Cael: Cael looks the man and the lunar up and down as he steps on to the roof, the coat he wears flapping in the breeze somewhat.
"The Ashen Tears Prophet." he says with a nod "I was not aware I invited you or your companion to visit me. You will forgive me if I do not invite you inside." his voice voice calm. "This is Calisara." he says with a small gesture to his side.
Calisara: Knifes made of air appear between her fingers, sharp as stormclouds, as her eyes narrow, "A pleasure to meet you, Prophet."
Prophet of the Ashen Book: The Prophet shakes his head, the book made of ashes on his hand brought to his chest, "My, you wound me, lord Pattona. After the whole trouble I went through to sneak in Windia! This is not easy, you know?"
"It is true that I came without an invitation, Bastian, but I thought you would be more welcoming to me. A friend of caste, an old acquaintance, just around for a little chat..." He shakes his head, "No tact, no tact..."
Cael: "I am impressed at the effort you have put into this visit." Cael nods, "But I think you overstate your relation to me when you name yourself friend. There is the small matter of the frogman, after all." he says with a small smile.
"It truely would have taxed you to send word you would visit ahead of your arrival?"
Prophet of the Ashen Book: "Hmm, if I had, you might have told your hosts of it, and although I am sure you would do so with the kindest of intentions, they might not take it well, my appearance. I wonder why. And about the frog..."
Bright Feather moves a little... as if dancing through the air, to lean against part of the hangar, in the same level as the others, "Well, about Merun, he was an idiot." He shrugs, "When we cast our own with the Prophet, he insisted on going alone... the Silver way went in too deeply on him. It is not like even us companions will miss him. And hey, the Prophet did ask for him to just knock you out and capture you, unlike the others!"
The Prophet looks at Feather for a moment, eyes narrowing, "... anyway, I came by to have a word with you. I trust you have the time?"
Cael: Cael raises a single eyebrow at the lunar "The fact that he was merely to capture me is supposed to make me feel better about the intrusion on my time?" He asks mildly before he turns his attention back to the Prophet
"I have the time for us to exchange some words, yes. Please, speak."
Prophet of the Ashen Book: The Lunar shrugs, "Hey, it is not like Merun could have been subtle. But you seem worse than if he tried to kill you. Least you know we don't mean any harm... geez, civilized people. Not even a brawl to the death and they hold a grudge."
The Prophet takes a step towards Cael, extending his hand... "I am here to ask you to come to our side. To stop following heaven, and join us. Or at least, to ask you not to get on our way."
Cael: "It is more the fact that he was to kill my friends and allies. Surely even a barbarian such as yourself can appreciate the concept of loyalty?" Cael asks of the lunar man.
"As to your offer, Prophet, I fear I must decline. Even were I a man to go back on my word, your methods and your goals present too many problems of philosophy for me to consider even standing aside."
Prophet of the Ashen Book: "Problems of Philosophy? So tell me, Cael... what do you stand for?"
He opens the Ashen Book then, and it flies, its words coming out and filling the air like ashes... "You stand for Heaven? For... what? Corruption? Bribes? Decadence?" His hand trails symbols amidst the ashes. The ashes become words, scenes, memories.
All around Cael, decadence, corruption, death, cold. And all done by heaven, as for every word, the Prophet writes a sentence on the air...
"Gods do naught but opress the living, you know that very well. The Dynasty understands it as they try to shackle heaven, but they only minimize it to keep themselves in power."
"You understood that, Bastian."
The world changes, and in Cael's mind's eye, and he stands with the one the Prophet once was, as Bastian, in front of a legion of cold faeries... a book of golden words opening in his hand, the binds change the world in his flesh. "We wrote it all down once. We can still be Knights of Words."
"You understood, Cael. I have been to Serenair, I have seen your ideas from before. To make something new, Worldsmith, to come out of this corruption! Methods? Like the Dark Angel? Like the Pale Angel? Like Scythe of Winter? There is no difference in our methods, Cael. You struck one of my companions, without warning. I have given you more than that."
Cael: "I know little of Heaven, of its corruption though I have no doubt you speak the truth to me. I do not stand for Heaven however, I do not believe I ever have." He says in reply, has calm words cutting through the passion of the Prophet's speach.
"The dynastym as you note, is worse, tearing itself apart in a thousand petty squabbles, and I do stand for them either."
"I do indeed stand for something new, for something to pull itself out of the corruption and the darkness of the world. That is the problem that I have with you, with the all pervading darkness that you seek to bring. You do not build, you tear down. You do not lift up, you cast down. You do not create, you destroy. That is where the difference comes in our methods. You seek to bring darkness, I seek to bring the light."
"As to the Celebrant, she was not worthy of the warning. Her methods lacked grace, elegance, efficiency. They, like her, were not worthy of redemption, and so she was removed from the game."
Prophet of the Ashen Book: "Truly? We intend to build, Bastian. You have seen the corruption in heaven. In the Dynasty. We... we believe. And I... Bastian, destruction is nessessary for change. We need her back. We need to make sure heaven will not interfere!"
He walks, and he seems to be everywhere around Cael. "You have witnessed the power of the dead? They are all humans... and yet, humans who become transcendent, whose power can soar as high as that of a god! We make humans into gods, Cael. We will tear heaven down, and give all humans eternal life upon death. Heaven washes their souls upon reincarnation, branwashes, kills. We bring eternity. We bring power. To all." The words form all around Cael, the scenes, dead in celebration, humans transcendant. In bodies that wear not, in bodies that ignore all limitations, in bodies that linger forever!
"Some things have to be broken for it... as did Whiteshield, and as you said, as the Celebrant. The very religion of the Bishop will be need to be broken when it finishes its role as a chrysalid."
He extends his hand to Cael, looking into his eyes... and crying blood. His free hand touches both tears... signing in the air with them. "You can make it be so without suffering. You can shackle Heaven, and bend it to your will. You can help bring her back. You can help the end of pain, and the coming of immortality."
"Please, join us." Darkness flares, blood vanishes, and all the confusing scenes and writing vanish all around the Prophet... leaving only him... and the hand, offered to Cael...
Calisara: "Cael, Don't listen to him! " Eyes closed, Calisara strikes, sending her knives... and yet, in a flare of undiferentiated white and black, he is not where the knives pass, going through simple ashen mist...
And then, he is still there, waiting for an answer.
Gennadi: A piercing whistle slashes through their speech, jarring them out of their personal antagonism for a moment. A figure clad in midnight blue walks jauntily out of the shadows. Snow crystals fall into his shadow and blow out, more brilliant and intricate than before. "Excuse me, gentlemen, but I believe Prophet has somewhere else to be, and others to try his wiles on." He brushes past the deathknight's companion, clear eyes reflecting nothing but the Prophet, small and unimportant as he stares and waits for the answer. His hands flick out, a single finger resting on the Lunar's lips as the moon reflects off suddenly blinding snow, casting an aura of power about him. For a moment, he is perfect. For that moment, the Prophet's destiny is trodden into the ashes he so adores.
Cael: Cael blinks as the knives cut through the air where the prophet once was.
He doesn't look aside at the whistle, though he turns to take in the figure in blue as he encroaches on his view of vision, looking the man up and down. Someone to watch he sees, someone who it would be best to impress.
He turns back to the Abyssal with a faded smile on his face. He feels the loyalty to the Plae Angel, to Ryshassa, to that ...suspicious Alexsei, to the crown prince, to the sages ... all this fading away.
It would be easy to reach out for that hand, to work with allies he could trust ...
His castemark flares.
"No."
Firm.
Simple.
Direct.
He could trust this man no more than he could trust the others.
The golden vision he saw he would have to bring about on his own, then.
Like it had been before.
Prophet of the Ashen Book: First Calisara... then that.
She could see the magic, of course... and he would flare much if he had to dodge more. And within Windia.. its protectors would come soon. That would not do.
And now... another... and as he comes, misfortune comes. His words seem so much more clumsy, and this man... was a Chosen, for sure. Solar? Lunar? Sidereal?
The Prophet did not live by staying on those situations without insurance. And he had spent too much power... for naught. Even if his loyalties withered, a quick glance now showed there would be more to address even before he begun to smother Cael's virtues...
And too many around him.
This time.
And the answer....
No
A pity.
Shaking his head, he picks his book in the air, and looks back at the men and girl... "Well, as a matter of fact, I do." He smiles to Cael, "Think about it, Cael. Think about it. They are corrupt. We are not."
And with those words, he disappears as he did when he avoided Calisara's strike, he disappears as the Dark Angel did to prove a point on the Zephyr...
Vanishing as if he was never even there.
Bright Feathers: Hand to his lips, the Lunar watches the stranger... and smiles, fascinated.
The Prophet had convinced his Circle to follow his ideals... and this man... was so much like the Prophet. Someone to watch...
"Hmmm. Quicker than I imagined." He says, watching Cael's refusal, and the Prophet's departure, and then turning to the Sidereal fascinated, "Anyway, nice to meet you. I am Bright Feathers."
- Gennadi offers a quick salute, coincidentally removing the hand. "The pleasure is mine. Call me Gennadi. Not going to vanish like your friend?"
Bright Feathers: "Hmmm, what if I do not? He is shining, and he is in trouble. Me... I can weather much in my way out. So I figure I can stay... and watch."
He answers to the salute. "I find you intriguing enough to want to watch."
Gennadi: "Of course. And you... Cael. My apologies for the intrusion, but I felt a faux pas was worth it. I am not fond of the idea of more deathknights."
Cael: "Greetings, Starchosen Gennadi." Cael says warmth in his voice, his eyes watching the man appraisingly
"I thank you for your intervention, for that is something I am not overly fond of either, though I do not imagine that was the only reason you came here?"
Gennadi: "It is not, no. Though it would have been sufficient."
Cael: "Why, then, did you come?" Cael inquires
Gennadi: "I am searching for answers, so to speak, and I believe that two of the people here can help provide them. Fortunately for you, you're one." He smiles. "And how are you, miss? You seemed troubled."
Calisara: "Yes, I am." She says, vanquishing the knives... "But better now that you are around. It has been a long time, Heavenly Courtesan." She says with a long bow.
"Name's Calisara, by the way." She smiles then, a smile of quicksilver lips and round, cute pearlescent eyes. "Since you dummies keep forgetting."
- Gennadi chuckles. "A not unpleasant turn of events. Would it be possible to conduct a more civil conversation inside? Perhaps with tea."
Calisara: Calisara turns neutral then. After all, past acquaintances meant little at times - The Prophet was one, after all. It all fell to her Master. "That is for Cael to decide."
Cael: Cael turns to Calisara with an appraising look, as if to enquire just how she knew the man before he turns back to the Sidereal, considering.
Was he here under the pretext of fighting the Bishop, or was he here for some other reason...?
Only one way to find out ...
"Of course, please do come inside Gennadi." he says with a flourish, the portal in the side of the ship opening as he does, stepping through.
"Welcome aboard the Quixksilver Zephyr. one of the only ships of her type flying in the North."
- Gennadi nods politely, looking around to appraise the place. "Impressive. Though I must confess I know little of airships."
Cael: "Well, she can travel some 100 miles in an hour, through some of the densest storms in the North, and in perfect comfort,of couse" Cael talks as he leads Gennadi through the Zephyr to the sunlounge, his hand lightly resting on Calisara's side.
"Please, take a seat. Can I interest you in a drink or some food, Gennadi?" Cael says with a gesture about the room to the many and varied chairs, selecting his usual as he seats himself.
Gennadi: "A drink would be nice, if you don't mind. The weather was a bit harsher than I expected."
Cael: "Of course. Calisara, please would you get us tea, if that would suit?" He enquires of Gennadi.
Gennadi: "It would be suitable, yes. This is mostly a social meeting, despite the interference outside. Most unpleasant having to deal with him already."
Calisara: "Of course. I will be right back, master." She says, her most polite voice as she goes to the kitchen... still shaken from the meeting with an Abyssal just then, and with her usual behavior in front of the guests.
Cael: Cael watches Calisara leave with some concern on his face, before turning back to Gennadi
"A social meeting you say? What motivated you come and seek me out?"
Gennadi: "You were handy." He grins a bit. "Actually, I thought I'd get something of an outside opinion with how things are going in the north. Your opinion on the other forces acting in the area. It seems I'm going to be here a while."
Cael: Interesting...
Cael smiles to himself "Ah. How things are going in the North. That is something of an interesting situation."
"You have noticed the war. It is not something one could miss. The Bishop has devoted no small number of abyssals, two circles, and numberless seas of ghosts to the battle on Whiteshield and the surrounding countries. Though there are now less of his abyssals at large." he smiles with a ghost of pride on his face.
Gennadi: "Which is, one hopes, a trend that will continue."
Cael: "If I have anything to do with it, yes." Cael nods.
"The other players in the North...." Cael ponders for a moment.
"The Lover is in conflict with the Bishop at present, her deathknight's fighting the Bishop's own in the field. The Bull of the North plans to attack the Bishop too, to force him to further split his strength, though beyond that, I do not know what next he will do. The Haslanti, or at least their mercenary friends continue their hunt of me and this ship. Of the Realm, I can tell you no news."
Gennadi: "Given your perspective, who do you expect to win out in the end, and who seems to have control now?"
Cael: "We will prevail in the end, of course." Cael says simply, calmly,stating a fact. "The Bishop has lost two Deathknights, our raids are weaking his hold on whiteshield, and soon we will be able to claim it back and drive him back into the shadowlands."
"At present, he probably has the upper hand though. The raids could go worng. His agents know where we are, we have yet to find his, except in their handiwork. Still, we are relatively free to travel the North, he is contrained around Whiteshield"
Gennadi: "That seems to somewhat counteract the inevitability of your triumph. Unless there is something I am missing, how easily the deathknight was able to meet you should give you pause. They will grow desperate soon enough, I think."
Cael: "Perhaps they will. And when they are desperate, they will make mistakes. And then they will die." Cael says with a nod.
"I do not think it will be an easy war, but we will win."
Gennadi: "And then what will you do, hrm? There will no doubt be a void of power when the dust settles." He settles back to watch Cael. "It is not that I have a personal interest, mind, but my business here may take some time..."
Calisara: Calisara returns, bringing tea and a little bit of lunch, "Here it is, master. Is there anything else you desire?"
The merest hint of a smile on her lips is all that shows how much she giggles at that act sometimes. All a big play.
Well, the extremely frilly maid outfit would be part of that, too.
Cael: "No, thank you dear. Though if you would pour the tea, please." he says with a sparkle in his eyes at her outfit. Quite what he would do without her, he wasn't sure.
"I imagine I will spend some time helping with the rebuilding of the destroyed Kingdom, Beyond that, I do not know. I imagine the desire to see some more of the world may well have grown and I will take the Zephyr on a trip."
Gennadi: "No higher ambitions? Somewhat unexpected." His lips quirk up in a halfsmile at her appearance. "At least some things here are familiar enough from home."
Calisara: Calisara pours some tea for both, placing the cups close to each, her motions slavishly servile in an almost comic way.
Especially since the poses seem like the sort that would be in a book about men's fantasies than reality!
Cael: "I will have to see if rebuilding a country is to my taste, before I plan grander ambitions." He shrugs and sips his tea.
"Home? Where do you call home?"
Gennadi: "Heaven. Though I like to think a little piece follows me around, wherever I go." He inhales deeply, enjoying the feeling of the steam off the tea. "Perhaps you've heard of it."
Cael: "Who has not?" he sips his tear once more.
"I have yet to see it for myself." he shrugs "In time."
Calisara: Calisara picks the plate and holds if with both hands in front of her belly, standing behind Cael, trying not to giggle, seeing how those Celestials talked in this age...
Gennadi: "Mrm, yes. It is unfortunate those who speak in the name of heaven are, for the moment, outsiders to it. Perhaps the current situation will lead to a change. Stranger things have happened."
Cael: "Perhaps. It is not something I could comment on until I have seen it for myself. What sees you away from home and into the middle of a war anyway?"
Gennadi: "Seeking relics of the past."
Cael: "Oh?" He tilts his head questioningly, sipping his tea.
"What kind of relics?"
Gennadi: "Diaries, personal notebooks of the events of history. Perhaps they will lead to more, perhaps not. It is something of a journey of self-discovery."
Cael: "Interesting. The past is something the war has brought into question somewhat in my own case too, though I don't exactly have the time to go hunting for diaries at present."
Gennadi: "I'll let you know if anything comes up."
"Though somehow, I doubt you and I were exactly inextricably linked."
Cael: "You might doubt that." Cael shrugs "It's not something I'm so sure about now. Though I suppose you would be pushing the bounds of probability."
Gennadi: "Mrm. Possibly. What's brought the past into your focus this time around, then?"
Cael: "Sleeping at night after talking with the others?"
Gennadi: "Hah. Sleep. If you expect to get anywhere, you're going to have to stop doing that, you know."
Cael: Cael laughs
"The thought did occur to me. My days aren't quite that busy yet though."
Gennadi: He leans back to watch Calisara, trying to place her. It's all too easy to fall into the trap of ignoring the servants for the masters, but everyone serves someone eles.
- Calisara notices she is being watched, and her lips curl just slightly. She lets him know, but does and says nothing - she is playing the slavish servant, and she would not be a sport in this game if she interrupted her master's conversation. Her smile to Gennadi is a... friendly one, though. Not one given to a stranger.
Gennadi: "Yet. Give it a month."
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