IceAndWave/GrowthChangeAndPain
Growth, Change and Pain
In which horticulture is discussed, departure hurts and and old foe is saved from a new one...
The 16th Day of Ascending Air, Realm Year 764
Aia stirs against Sian, rolling off his chest and allowing the cool evening air to wash him into wakefulness.
Sian is only dozing anyway (despite how content he feels, the nightmares haven't faded), but he does shiver a little at the cold. He rolls onto his side, and watches the catgirl sleep for a bit. She shivers slightly, her bare back open to the air, but remains fast asleep.
Sian smiles faintly at this, leaning over her after a bit and trailing kisses along her back, starting just above her tail and moving upwards. "Mrrr..." she shivers, finally waking up about halfway through Sian's journey. "Mmmm..." she murmurs, "That's nice."
Sian continues for a bit, moving to her neck when he reaches the top of her spine, eventually giving her a real kiss when her lips come into range.
Aia melts against Sian, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling down lightly. He is quite amenable to this, though keeps it at kissing. Eventually, he draws back. "Mrm. Sleep well?"
"Mhmm. It's nice to be back home," she giggles, "We need more chocolate, though."
Sian grins. "True. You didn't get much of the last lot."
"I had a few, you just had more." She stretches out, catlike and naked, "I didn't see you minding, though."
"One finds it difficult to mind when one is eating said chocolate off of a naked girl."
"True," she shows off her nakedness some more with some stretches and a few poses.
Sian indulges in a bit more kissing as a result. "Feel up to going for a walk? I need to talk to Ishandia for a bit, then we can go out for dinner."
"That would be nice. I haven't seen your mother for a little while, so we can gossip some more." Aia grins wickedly.
"Oy. Sure I can't distract you with something shiny? You two are bad when you get together."
"You could distract me with more chocolate," Aia smiles, "I seem to remember getting quite distracted when you were eating a few pieces of it."
"Possibly the eating, and not the chocolate itself."
"Well, true." Aia sits up, which does delightful things to her body, "I promise not to ask her to tell me any embarassing childhood stories. How's that?"
"I'll settle for that. It keeps you in my bed at night, which is all I really need." He sits up too, smiling.
She leans over, kisses Sian, and slides off the bed, pulling on some clothes. "I had forgotten how quickly it starts getting cold," the effects of the chill signalled by two points on her loose top.
Sian finds her a jacket, for modesty's sake. "Mhrm. Southern girl, still."
"Well, don't you prefer me when I'm hot?" she stands on tiptoes and nips at his ear.
"True." He nips back, and gets dressed himself.
Finally ready, Aia hooks her arm through Sian's and kisses his cheek lightly, "Let's go visit your mother."
"Mhrm." Out they go!
Jupiter's Shadow is busy this evening, the sounds of people and music and food and drink spill out from its large windows, together with the warm light of the fireplace. Sian looks out for Ishandia, waiting until she has a bit of a break before approaching.
"Sian! And Aia!" she gives both a big, rib-creaking hug and kisses on the cheeks. "Come to help out?" she grins.
"If you need it." He smiles. "Mostly just wanted to talk. Been a few days."
"I'm fine," she waves, "It looks busy but we're managing. That Carp girl was a find." Ishandia smiles and ushers them to a recently vacated table, making a placating gesture.
"Good worker, is she?" He takes his seat.
"Yes, plus she's very pretty, so we get a lot of young men coming back." Ishandia winks to Aia, "We had the same thing with the women when Sian was a teenager here."
Sian coughs at this.
Ishandia chuckles, "You hardly minded the attention, my boy."
Well, yeah, but still... 's embarassing."
Aia grins at Sian, "See? I didn't ask..."
Sian wears his best put-upon expression, "You two are a worry, you know."
Ishandia chuckles, "We shouldn't gang up on him, like this. He gets all shy."
Aia nods in agreement.
Sian sticks out his tongue, deliberately silly and childish.
Ishandia grins, "So, why are my two favourite people visiting an old innkeeper like me?"
"Just wondering if you'd mind doing me a favor, is all."
"Of course. What do you need?"
Sian hauls the two heavy synethote seeds out of his pocket. "These need looking after. I need to find some place to plant them, and someone to look after them when I head back to Tideholme."
"Odd seeds," Ishandia looks at one, picking it up, "Very heavy."
Sian nods, "Elemental. It'll only be for a month, max."
"The herb garden is mostly empty right now, so we have some space. Do you know how big they get?"
"No idea, but I'd recommend plenty of space, just to be sure. Synethotes, the creatures that I think come from those seeds, get fairly large."
"You think?"
"Yeah... the one we rode was maybe half again the size of a normal horse. If it is one, make sure the wall guards don't shoot it, okay?" He offers a faint smile.
"OK," she nods, "We'll look after your strange seeds for you."
"Thanks, Ishandia." He gives her a kiss on the cheek. "Do you think we could get some dinner?"
"Of course you can," she smiles, "What would you like?"
Sian relates his dinner preferences! And naturally Aia does as well (fish, shockingly).
"It'll be here soon," Ishandia gets up and heads back, "I have to get back to running my inn, but I'll drop by a little later."
"Thanks." He waves as she goes.
Aia smiles, "Your mother is nice, although I'm curious about these women she was talking about." She wiggles her ears to show that she is not entirely serious.
Sian lifts an eyebrow, amused. "If you must know, I was quite the ladies man when I was younger." He looks appropriately full of himself.
"Really?" Aia winks, "Well you had to get those skills from somewhere, I guess."
"Of course." He actually manages a Venia-like preen.
Aia grins and slides her hand way up Sian's thigh, squeezing slightly. She squeezes a little too tight as the food arrives, though, "Ooh!"
Sian winces. "Um... ow."
"Oh, sorry..." She leans over and kisses Sian on the cheek, whispering, "Want me to kiss it better?"
"Maybe not in the middle of the inn, hmm?" He whispers back, smiling.
"Aww..." Aia grins, "I was hoping for some sausage as an appetiser." She tucks into the double portion of tuna casserole that Ishandia thoughtfully provided.
Sian has the good grace to redden slightly, before starting into his own food.
The 10th Day of Resplendent Air, Realm Year 764
The Northern winter closes in rapidly, and now just a few short weeks after the height of summer the morning air is noticeably cooler. In their respective bedrooms Sian and Cassia both begin to stir, the former causing Aia to mrrr a little in her sleep, while the latter's movement make Amber Sky shiver as the covers slide off her otherwise naked body.
Cassia presses up closer to Amber, wondering why she woke so early and trying to get to sleep again as she nuzzles closer.
Amber sighs happily, pressing back against the slightly-warmer body of Cassia, before groaning herself awake.
Cassia kisses her neck, "Morning."
Amber sighs, "I know. Which means I have to go back to my desk," she rolls over in bed, her hand cupping Cassia's buttock, "When I would much rather be here with you."
"...couldn't you be late, just this morning...I'm leaving today..." Cassia strokes down Amber's side.
Amber shakes her head, "I've already been late four times this month. Last week, when you used the honey..." she giggles and reddens at the memory, "I can't be late, I might lose my job." She sighs and reluctantly slides out of bed.
Cassia pouts from the bed, watching her move around the room.
Sian draws her close by reflex, sighing into her hair as she warms him.
Aia wakes, smiling, "Morning, love." She doesn't ask if Sian slept well anymore.
"Morning." He plants a light kiss on her forehead.
Aia smiles wider, stroking Sian's face, "We're leaving today, aren't we?"
Sian nods slightly, closing his eyes at her touch. "Mhrm."
Aia nods, and sits up, the slightly chill in the air giving her goosebumps as the drapes slide down, "Brr... It always gets cold so quickly."
Sian stretches slowly, and rolls onto his back. "'s the North. Always cold here."
"True," Aia says, "But still, summer is almost warm." She slips out of bed, and hunts for heavier travel-clothes. Finding some she asks, "How are we travelling there?"
"Elementals again. Quicker, and I need the practice." He yawns.
Amber gets dressed, forgoing underwear in her hurry. She leans down and kisses Cassia, still on the bed, fleetingly, "I'll miss you so much..."
Cassia holds her to the kiss, "I'll miss you too." She takes a hand and presses a small necklace into it, "I'l try to come back to visit you soon." She lets Amber stand.
Amber draws away, her eyes bright with tears. She looks as if she is about to say something, but instead flees, not trusting her feelings to words.
Cassia watches her go.
Cassia pulls herself out of bed and dresses, then gathers her few belongings from amongst Amber's, then slips out.
The morning streets of Whitewall are gathering their usual crowds, with sellers hawking their wares to passers-by and goods-laden wagons pulled by shaggy ponies running up and down between warehouse and merchant's shop.
Cassia walks amongst them as a ghost, blinking a lot. Due to the light, obviously.
Aia picks out some dark trousers and a heavy shirt for Sian, before finding something better suited to her figure. "Are you still going to see the Syndics first?"
Sian drags himself out of bed and dresses in the offered clothes. "Mhm. You can wait with Cassia, if you like... I won't be long."
"Thanks," Aia smiles gratefully, "Cassia's always fun, anyway."
"She's something, anyway." He grins slightly. "Go get some breakfast, and I'll meet you two at the inn."
Aia nods, dressed now, "OK. I'll order something for you, too..."
"Thanks." He grabs his already-filled pack, and follows her out, locking the door behind them.
Aia heads down the stairs and off towards the inn, her empty belly already talking to her of hot food.
She meets Cassia outside, the two girls arriving at the same time. "Hello," she smiles and then looks more closely at Cassia, "Are you OK?"
"...Hi," she looks at Aia, then away again, and nods.
"Sian's talking with the Syndics," Aia says, heading inside, "He'll meet us here soon."
Cassia nods a little and follows her inside.
The Palace of the Syndics is open to Sian, as always, and he is soon in the audience chamber of the triplet of gods, "Greetings, Sian Nerivus, our."
"Envoy and respresentative. To."
"What do we owe your."
"Presence?"
Sian stands still, "I am leaving today. I thought it would be... polite, to let you know."
"We thank you for."
"Your consideration. We have."
"Been occupied with the."
"Business of our city, but."
"We regret the lessening of."
"Our audiences with you. We."
"Shall contact you if we."
"Have need of you, as always." The triplet of gods cease their dance and return to their thrones.
Sian just nods slightly at this, and leaves. That's all that really needs to be said.
Sliding Joy emerges from her office and hands Sian a cloth-wrapped bundle. "They wanted you to have this. It's a key. You'll know the door when you see it." With that she vanishes back to do what she is.
Sian makes his way slowly to the inn, wondering how long it will be before he will return again.
Cassia surreptitously wipes her eyes, and puts on a straight face, before she sits at the table with Aia.
Aia, her coat on the floor next to her seat, has already made an order for breakfast before Cassia sits down, "Looking forwards to seeing Tideholme again?" she asks the Dragon-Blooded girl. "And Venia?" She looks sideways at Cassia.
"Yeah," Cassia replies flatly, "I am."
Aia just nods, looking up in time to see the food arrive on the table, three plates heaped with bacon, toast, eggs and other assorted fried foodstuffs.
Cassia picks at her food slowly. She sighs.
Aia is tucking into her food when Sian comes in, "Hey!" she mumbles, "Gud fud."
Cassia is quiet "...Hi."
"Hey." Sian gives Cassia a faintly worried look, before settling down next to Aia.
Aia finishes for a moment, "How did it go?"
"Mm, fine. I said I was leaving, they said they'd contact me if they needed." He shrugs a little.
Cassia eats silently.
Aia nods, pulling some more bacon and toast onto her plate, before piling a small mountain of eggs on top, "I'm just hungry," she says pre-emtively to Sian, before continuing, "I'm sorry, I just... after what you said I'm not sure I want to be around them too much."
"It's fine. I'm about the same, at the moment." He nicks a piece of toast from the plate.
Cassia sighs. Sian was her only chance of getting back here in days, not weeks...
Aia looks over at Cassia, and then gives Sian a questioning and concerned look.
Sian notes all this sighing and general moping, and of course Aia's look. "Cassia, is something wrong?"
"...I'm going to miss her," she says quietly after a while of pushing food round her plate.
"You can stay, if you really want to. But I imagine Asura misses you as much as you'll miss her."
Cassia looks briefly guilty at the mention of Asura. "...I know. I said goodbye... just..."
"You'll see her again. I'm going to be back here eventually."
Cassia nods and sighs again.
Aia, done with her food, gives Cassia a hug from behind, "You'll be OK. So will she."
Cassia smiles a little as Aia hugs her, "I know..."
Breakfast is soon over, with Aia having eating the lion's share as usual. Sian hugs Ishandia & Carp goodbye, the latter holding tighter than propriety would suggest, but no-one makes any note of the fact.
Sian does not much mind. He pats her on the back lightly before they wander out.
Outside the city, the three wait after Sian explains that he called one of his apparently limitless favours to get an elemental to transport them quickly to Tideholme. The spirit arrives like a blazing comet from the sky, a six-winged serpent of white flame with ruby-red eyes, a Jikondo. It loops around the trio, the heat of it's passing causing the air to ripple, before slowing, and coming to a rest coiled up in front of Sian.
Cassia watches it with mild interest.
Sian speaks quietly to it, and then turns back to the girls, gesturing. "All aboard."
The Jikondo stretches out, it's wings beating lazily while it hovers. Aia eyes it suspiciously, and then approaches the giant snake before clambering on top, straddling its wide body between the first and second pair of wings.
Sian points Cassia up to sit behind Aia, taking the gap between the second and third pair for himself, due to his greater size.
Cassia climbs up as Sian directs.
With everyone mounted, the elemental rises into the sky, wings beating faster. An aura of flame erupts outwards, surrounding spirit and passengers, and then it begins to move, streaking across the sky at tremendous speed, leaving a burning trail a half-mile long through the clouds.
Travel on the back of the Jikondo no real sense of movement, at least compared to an airship, but the sheer pace at which the ground peels away below betrays the tremendous velocity that the elemental has. Clouds are literally torn apart in its passing, the wings marking a continuous slow beat as the sun rises to its zenith and then begins to return to its night-time position.
Tideholme appears ahead in the late afternoon, the elemental having dropped to what appears to be treetop level as it screeches across the landscape. Small villages appear and disappear in an instant, the passage leaving a story that will be told for generations. It comes to rest in a quiet dell, outside both the limits of the city and casual viewing, but the Jikondo is anything but discreet in its passage.
Sian offers it thanks as they dismount, promising its payment within the month. The elemental hisses in response, and disappears as it arrived, a comet in the sky that disappears in a matter of seconds.
Cassia doesn't really watch it go, just looks at the city she calls home and looks vaguely listless.
Sian just looks at her, worried again.
Aia walks over to Sian, stretching the kinks out of her legs, "That was fun, we..." she breaks off when she looks at Cassia. Wordlessly she just gives the girl a long hug.
Cassia hugs her back, not really paying attention "...Thank you for taking me to, Whitewall, Sian." she says quietly.
Sian nods a little. "I'll tell you when I go next. Anything I can do to help right now?" Cassia shakes her head.
Inside Tideholme they split up, Cassia deciding to visit Asura after her longest ever absence since she began working for the older Exalt, while Sian, out of a sense of responsibility, goes to check on Diamond. Aia gives him an understanding look.
Cassia drifts past the guards on the palace gates and within, not so much hiding from them, but just not bothering to make herself noticed.
She finds Asura in one of her favourite positions, naked and atop a male slave, riding him while wearing her smile of particular satisfaction. Her eyes are closed, the slave perfectly still beneath her, as they have been trained to be.
Cassia sighs softly to herself and settles down to watch, thinking about Amber as she does.
Asura eventually moans and shudders a bit, climbing off the slave and having Orchid wrap a robe around her. "You can come out now, Cassia," she calls.
...How did she do that? Cassia slips out of her hiding place and settles herself on the cushions near Asura with a soft sigh.
Asura slides over and hugs Cassia, "It's been too long since I saw you, dear Cassia." Her robe falls open, but she seems not to notice, "How have you been? And Sian?"
Cassia doesn't find Asura's naked body pressed to hers as comforting as it was the few days before the trip "Sian has been well."
"But not you?" Asura sighs, "What happened? Did you and Venia fall out?"
Cassia shakes her head "...I met a girl."
"A girl?" another hug, "What's her name? What Aspect is she?"
"Amber Sky." she says with a smile "No aspect. She was amazing though... just wonderful to be with and so fun to sleep with... and now she's in Whitewall and I'm here..." she finishes sadly.
Asura smiles and kisses Cassia lightly on the cheek, "Ah... young love." Her eyes drift away for a moment, before she returns to looking at her protege. "Did Venia come back with you?"
Cassia sighs once more, before perking up at Venia's name. "Come back with us?" she questions.
"Yes. She was left just after Calibration." Asura winces at the memory, hands instinctively checking her face, "I thought she went to be with you."
Cassia shakes her head, "She didn't meet us in Whitewall..."
Asura blinks, "I never thought I'd hear myself say this, but I hope nothing has happened to her..."
Cassia nods, and then sighs more. No Amber, no Venia...
Diamond's apartment in the city is close to the Iceflower Palace, and the guard lets Sian and Aia in on sight, recognising them both.
Sian stands outside Diamond's door, for a moment unsure... Something is wrong. The door isn't quite closed, there are the sounds of more than one person on the otherside of the door, and there is an air of menace about the whole thing. Something is very wrong.
Sian's hand pauses an inch away from the doorknob, and his expression turns serious. Not good. He steps back, thinking quickly, before chanting a few words in Old Realm, clapping his palms together when the incantation is complete. Seaweed sprouts from his sleeves, quickly twining around his arms, forming loose claws around his fingers before hardening into gleaming wet talons, massive and lethal.
The sounds from the other side of the door stop, apart from the occasional shuffling sound as if someone were rubbing against a wall. Sian balls up a heavy, thorned fist, and just punches the handle as hard as he can, the door flying open half in splinters.
Four dark spirits recoil from the shattered door, wooden shards arrowing outwards into the room. On the wall opposite is Diamond, apparently held in place by means of two metal spikes that have been driven through her shoulders. Her face is a mask of pain, her one hand stretched out to Sian entreatingly, but the only sounds she makes are faint hissing noises.
Standing next to her, and until a few moments ago, talking to her, is a tall, thin, man with pale skin and deep-set eyes.
Sian frowns at him, the claws reshaping themselves, long, slim and sharp. "And you are?"
The man straightens up, his whole body rail-thin, "Collecting a debt long-overdue. Kill him," he says to the spirits, who attack in a rush.
Sian's right claw lashes out, two slim spikes sliding up under the closest ghost's skull, emerging from the back before anyone can blink. The other claw just slices across another ghost's torso, glowing with lethal energy.
One of the ghosts disintegrates with a burst of plasm and an anguished wail, while the other has half of its body shredded by Sian's claws, and drips dark Essence onto the floor. The ghost hisses and backs off from Sian, while the thin man blinks, "You are stronger than I was told. No matter." He gestures with a hand and plates of bone appear on the bodies of the remaining ghosts, and they grow in stature. "Hold him!" he barks to his doomed servants, before stroking Diamond's face, "We will continue this another time." He leaps out of the window, sending shattered glass everywhere while the trio of armoured spirits attack.
Sian moves up as they do, spiked fingers tracing a wall of blades for them to fall through. The ghosts, attacking blindly, rend themselves on Sian's claws, falling to the ground in a hail of bone shards and dark plasm.
Diamond looks at Sian, her pained eyes wide, struggling against the spikes that have her soundly fixed to the wall of her apartment.
Sian's hands slowly shrink, dripping water as they return to normal human size. He moves over as soon as they've reverted, placing one against her chest to still her. "Don't move."
She mouths, "I can't. Hurts." Dark blood is visible around the spikes, the serrated metal through Diamond's shoulders holding her fast. There is also a thin, bloody line across her throat, where her vocal cords have been precisely cut, rendering her mute.
Sian carefully lifts her legs, holding her up with one arm as he reaches for a spike. "I'm taking them out. Ready?"
She nods, clenching her eyes tightly shut.
Grip, and pull, and one wrenches free in a shower of blood. He quickly bundles up her empty sleeve around it, stemming the flow for now. Then, he repeats it with the other, holding that side of her to his chest. "Just hold on. You'll be okay."
Diamond screams, a horrible, hollow sound of exhaled air, her severed vocal cords unable to produce anything more. Tears stream down her face, and she shakes her head. "Please. Wait," she tries to say.
Sian stops, mid-step, not understanding.
"Hurts. Too much." She shudders, "Need moment." She breathes deeply, still crying, and then nods frantically.
Sian holds her close as he steps out, going down the stairs as fast as he dares.
Aia, waiting outside, starts when she sees Sian & Diamond, "What happened?"
"Explain later. There's a medic about... five blocks from here, down that way." He points with his head. "Go, tell him what's coming."
Aia nods, sprinting down the street in the direction Sian indicated.
Sian moves at a brisk walk, not wanting to risk Diamond with a faster pace.
The medic look up as Aia bursts in, "What the...!" He starts when he sees Sian carrying Diamond, "What's wrong with her?"
"Stabbed, both shoulders, and her voice is gone. Cords cut." He puts her onto the main table, as gently as he can.
"Dragon's blood!" the medic examines Diamond, peeling her clothes off and wincing at the angry red wounds in her shoulders, "These are bad... but I think I can do something. The voice..." she looks at Diamond's throat, "that's beyond me, I'm afraid."
Sian nods a little. "Just do what you can. Please."
Cassia looks into the medic's room, "Sian, Ve-... What's happened to her? Will she be okay?"
Sian turns at her voice. "Think so."
Cassia nods and steps just inside, looking with a mixture of interest and mild horror.
Sian stays close to Diamond, oddly enough, for reassurance. He may be a monster to her, but at least he's something to focus on.
The medic works quickly, packing the torn wounds in Diamond's shoulders with a faint green paste and then wrapping bandages around her upper body. "The arm is an old injury, well-treated too."
"I know." Sian leaves it at that.
Eventually the medic is done, and he looks up at Sian, blinking the sweat out of his eyes, "I haven't seen anything like that before. I don't want to again."
Sian nods slightly. "Thank you."
Cassia looks a little green too. She takes a breath "Sian, Venia's gone."
Sian turns back once more. "Gone? Where?"
"Asura didn't know .. she said she left just after the Calibation. She thought she'd gone to meet us..."
"We... might have missed her, if she went by caravan. She'd only just be arriving now."
Sian scratches his head. "She didn't say she was going to come, though..."
"A caravan from Tideholme arrived the day before we left though... She would have been on that... surely?"
"Yeah, she would." Sian frowns a little.
"And she doesn't have anywhere else to go. Does she?"
"Not that I know of. She only knows you and I, Aia, and Asura."
Cassia looks worried, the fact she should be moping about Amber temporarily forgotten.
Sian tries to think. "I don't know. And she'd at least leave a message if she was planning to go somewhere."
Diamond stirs, trying to whimper with the pain in her shoulders and her throat, albeit somewhat dulled by the draught the medic gave her. Sian's line of thought is broken by this. "I just don't know. Ask around, see if you can find anything out." He moves back to Diamond, reassuring her quietly.
Cassia nods, and goes out to find if Venia left a note. And if anyone saw her.
At Venia's house Kaya, the girl that she had recruited to act as a secretary and house-keeper, shakes her head, "Sorry, I haven't seen her for weeks. She didn't leave a note or anything, just vanished after that horrible Calibration."
Cassia shivers a little in remembered cold, "Nothing at all?"
"No. She had said she might disappear occasionally, though," Kaya looks worried, "You don't know where she is?"
Cassia shakes her head, "I was away."
"Oh... Oh no," Kaya shivers, "I hope nothing has happened to her."
Cassia nods, "I'm sure she'll be alright though. Venia is strong."
Kaya nods, "Me too. Sorry, I couldn't help any more."
"It's okay. Thank you, Kaya." Cassia returns to the medic, pondering this new information.
She finds him cleaning the table in his empty hospice. He looks up, "Oh, your friend, he said he was taking the woman to his inn. Said you knew where that was." He shudders, "I don't want to know what caused those wounds..."
Cassia nods, "Thanks." She hurries off to the inn, slipping past the innkeeper and up to Sian's room, knocking on the door.
Aia answers the door when Cassia knocks. "She's asleep now," the catgirl notes, "Poor Diamond."
Cassia nods, "She looks bad..." She steps inside, sounding worried, "Kaya hasn't seen Venia for weeks."
Sian finishes settling Diamond into his bed, and hearing Cassia, wanders out into the main room. "Nothing?"
Cassia shakes her head, "She just vanished."
Sian doesn't look very happy about this. "I can try to locate her. I have an item that can help..."
Cassia nods "Yes. Do that. Please."
"Okay." He nods, and drags his pack out from under the bed, rifling through it quickly, while Cassia watches.
Sian locates the Star in short order, the multi-coloured item slightly dull, lacking magic to fuel it. "I haven't used this in a while..."
"What is it?"
"It's called Gyren's Star. The Syndics sent me to retrieve it from the Realm... it can find anyone, so long as I've seen them."
"Oh, that's what you were doing there."
Sian lifts a questioning eyebrow at this.
"Asura mentioned you'd gone. She didn't know why."
"Oh. I see." He shakes his head a little, and looks back at the Star. "I'll need a little while to attune it, but then I can find her."
Cassia nods.
Sian settles into the slow attunement process, feeding the item mote after mote over the course of a quarter hour.
Cassia watches, holding herself still rather than stalking about the room as she would like to.
The Star glows with a red light, the orichalcum capper and its jade edges shivering beneath Sian's touch, until eventually it settles down. A strange sense of knowing fills Sian and he senses that Venia is some distance away, to the east.
Sian grips the Star tighter, trying to get a better fix on her position. Oddly, his mind drifts to Oriel; a random thought coming out of the blue. His preception reaches out, the feeling of Essence flowing past him almost euphoric, but the location that the Star points to remains unchanged.
Sian frowns to himself. Can't be.
"...What's wrong?"
"I... hm." He releases his focus, eyes opening as the odd sense of clarity fades away. "I sensed Venia. She's east... a fair distance away. I think... Oriel, is with her." He says the last part with some confusion.
"Why would they be together?"
"I have no idea. I didn't even mean to think of her, it just... happened."
Cassia nods. "So what are we going to do?"
"Go east." He half-smiles, weakly. "I guess it's all we can do."
Cassia nods, "I guess it is."
"When do you want to leave? I'll need a day or two, but after that... any time."
"Soon. I'm worried about her..."
