Kis: The Studious Arcanist ~ Ashtallion, 27 Samheen, ET

[Ashtallion Urdil]

The magus treaded carefully with slow purposeful steps, hands at his sides, his fingers twitched every so often... just in case. His mystical senses told him nothing unusal was about within the hall, but he knew from experience not to always trust ones senses, magical or not. There were ways of remaining undetected.

The two doors intrigued him, he paused to consider asking the servants behind him where they led to.... yet the one that was open, the doorway framing a void of blackness. His brow furrowed in thought and without looking over his shoulder. " Can either of you tell me where this door leads? ", even as he spoke, the sorcerer still contined to edge forward, giving little thought to a shield or other form of protection. In the back of his mind that little voice screamed once more.

Get to Alustariel you idiot! She may be in danger!

This time to listened, if only marginally. The blonde adhiel hesitated, steps seeming to falter for a moment....

[Sebastian Beauvais]

"To the music room," replied the servant lad, from far behind Ashtallion. His voice echoed down the hall and seemed entirely too loud for the circumstances. "Beyond that, the sitting room at the front of the house."

As the golden-haired sorcerer edged closer to the doorway a few details just inside the darkened room began to resolve themselves - the fringed edge of a carpet, the leg of a chair, the glint of a glass-enclosed case.

As the boy's voice died away, Ashtallion heard distinct noises issue from within the darkness. First an unsteady thump and then the click of a mechanism - perhaps a door shutting somewhat clumsily where stealth had been tried? There might have even been a tread or two of footsteps afterward, moving away...

[Ashtallion Urdil]

" Enough hide and seek. ", his tone was low and dangerous, he was fed up being the cautious wizard all the time. He had power, and by the gods he knew how to use if need be. Ashtallion rose a hand, palm to the ceiling, gathering several strands of light energy, which were for obvious reasons in short supply in the darkness, pulling the few strands together would darken the area around him more, but it would be countered by the ball of bright light.

At the same time, he wove air and force about himself into a solid shield, not pressed close to him, but a foot or so around his body. Whilst he may reveal any within the room, he would also show himself up. If they were intruders they could well carry weapons. While a mage had little to fear from mundane meale weapons, a well timed and placed arrow would just as effectively kill him as would a bolt of lightning to the chest.

[Sebastian Beauvais]

Despite the absence of light at the end of the corridor, Ashtallion was able without straining overly much to twine enough luminescent threads together to form a small, shining globe of light in the palm of his upraised hand. The shield he forged was easier still, an invisible barrier snapping in place around him without delay.

At the far end of the hall the lass gasped, her eyes wide as light coalesced in Ashtallion's palm and limned the mage against the deepened darkness of his surroundings. His hair was suffused with the glow of his miniature arcane sun, and as he stepped forth into the darkness of the music room it seemed as though a god entering the Void.

Inside the room, Ashtallion was quickly able to surmise the situation. In the revealing light of his magic he could see that someone had rifled through the room for valuables. The mantle over the small hearth was punctuated by obvious gaps in the items resting there, and two display cases in the room contained only a chaotic arrangement of knick-knacks, clearly scattered by an uncaring hand. Near one case Ashtallion spied a missing pane of glass, a pile of shards glittering on the floor nearby.

On the far side of the room, the door to the sitting room stood closed...

[Ashtallion Urdil]

The wizards frown darkened further as he saw the music room in disarray. Backing up a few steps, he turned his head up the corridor once more, " Warn the guards. ", his tone was sharp and cold. " We have thieves in the Lord Advocates home it would appear. ", he did not wait to see if they would respond quickly, he simply treaded across the music room to the door that led to the sitting room, ignoring the mess around him.

Reaching the door, a few feet from it, Ashtallion gestured with his free hand, a pulling motion, wrappng a strand of air around the handle to pull it open, making sure his shield was still solidly intact. If they were thieves he would handle them, depending on how many were there of course.

[Sebastian Beauvais]

Ashtallion's cold words were enough to spur the servants into action, and they immediately leapt down the hallway before disappearing toward the rear of the house, where their hurried footsteps faded from earshot. Aid was not certain, but the alarm would almost certainly be raised.

The sorcerer reached to the Aether again and wrenched open the door to the sitting room, careful to maintain his shield throughout the maneuver. Light from Ashtallion's glowing globe sprang through the open portal and illuminated a room similarly disheveled as the music room. At first glance, at least one cabinet had been breached and the canvas cut from a heavy, gilded picture frame. On the far wall, light shears stirred restlessly in the night's breeze in front of an open window.

The faint sound of pounding footsteps reached Ashtallion's ears, coming from outside...

[Ashtallion Urdil]

He moved swiftly, his face set in a cold scowl as he crossed the sitting room to the shears that led outside into the night. The sorcerer placed a hand on the shears to draw them back....then hesitated a moment. He glanced to the ball of light he had conjured, and with a slight narrowing of his eyes, he unravelled the threads of light energy. Exiting outside would reveal him more clearly to any intruders, at least this way, himself and the theif would be on equal ground. His own eyesight was keen, perhaps he would be able to define the thief enough in the moonlight.

Pulling the shears aside, he stepped outside into the breezey darkness, still maintaining his sheild for defence.

[Sebastian Beauvais]

Ashtallion allowed the leashed threads of light to unravel back into the night, and the illuminating globe in his palm simply faded out. With that taken care of, the sorcerer passed through the window and out onto the lawn in front of the manor, where three sights competed for his attention.

The first was a fleeting glimpse of dark forms disappearing to the shadows of the trees that littered the front acreage of the Lord Advocate's estate. The natural layout Ashtallion had admired during his arrival also meant plenty of cover was available for fleeing thieves. The momentary glimpse did confirm the malefactors were dashing at top speed for the front edge of the property.

The second sight was the sky overhead. A tracery of flaming lines littered the indigo heavens as meteors streamed over the city. The fiery threads seemed to emanate from the constellation Arkovda, the Great Bear watching over all of Kislovan, and then spread across the sky in their path above Cerleann. A beautiful sight, until Ashtallion noticed not all of the heavenly projectiles were remaining safely in the sky. Even as he took in the sight a flaming arc descended and smashed into a wall of the palace, the illuminated bulk of which was visible from the estate. After that terrible display, Ashtallion noted other meteorites falling randomly across the city.

And that led to the third sight, to which the serving lass had referred inside the manor. An angry orange glow hung in the sky due west of the estate, appearing to blanket the central portion of the city. It was indeed ominous, and the colour could be likened most aptly to a lesser cousin of the threads of fire Ashtallion drew when weaving his flaming magics. The glow was not nearly so pure, but it still spoke of immense power.

[Ashtallion Urdil]

The thieves could have walked off with all the jewels and gold within the royal treasurey and the wizard would have still let them leave. His eyes gazed skyward, watching the falling meteors, firey arrows spearing their way earth ward over the city. His legs weakened under him, threatening to send himself crashing to the ground. He wanted to wail.... yet no words could escape his lips.

Ashtallion, you fool.....

His own words resounded within the confines of his mind. What have he done? For surely this was the result of the spell he had cast back in the study, it had to have been. Who knew such magic lay within its covers. No. That was not right. He knew. Why else had he taken the book from the library at the university of magic, it had shouted to him of hidden secrets and potential power.....here was the price he paid. Unpredictable sorcery.

Asht drew himself up, he gather his resolve, grasped a hold of his fear and threw it aside. This was his doing, people could be getting hurt, possibly killed as he stood there. He would have to seek out Mage Falgan, perhaps the powerful Wizard would have an idea of how to stem the firey assult.....and then there was the glow over the City. It mattered not, his Sister was in possibly danger. Without thought he started running, swiftly, silently, as only an adhiel can naturally. The hem of his robes flapped wildly, his hair a streaming golden banner as he dashed towards the City. The distance was far from little, but he would do it for his sister, his blood and ultimately his Magic.

[Sebastian Beauvais]

Ashtallion raced after the shadows of the departing thieves, not to try and apprehend them but simply because they were headed in the same direction - toward the city. The central skyline of Cerleann was limned in smoky orange, and the night sky above was still streaked with reddish-gold lines of flaming meteors. Arkovda truly reigned supreme in the skies this night.

Despite his anxious worry for Alustariel, Ashtallion was forced to adopt a steady rhythm to his loping run lest the distance wear him out before he reached the Temple. As he traversed the upper city, there was evidence of the damage done by meteorites - here a smashed roof, there a small fire struggling against the determined efforts of neighbours to snuff it out. It seemed mostly random, at least as far as Ashtallion's path revealed, but there was hardly time to properly assess the issue.

Ashtallion turned down one of the main east-west streets in the upper city, knowing it would lead him down toward the river and where Alustariel was recuperating in the temple, when he came up against a temporary roadblock erected by a squad of adhiel guards. By the look of them they were Palace troops, their dhoti and weapons similar to those Ashtallion had seen when visiting Falgan on the royal grounds.

"Hold, citizen," called out one of the soldiers, one hand raised as the other gripped the shaft of his glaive. "Access to the river and the lower city is being restricted. Please return to your home."

[Ashtallion Urdil]

Ashtallion stopped his steady run, slowing as the soldier commanded hiim to turn around. " I will do nothing of the sort, Soldier. ", Asht drew himself up, taller than the average adhiel, sweat brimming his brow, golden eyes casting an imperious arrogance. " I am Lord Ashtallion Alrul and an accomplished Sorcerer. I have reason to believe the Temple is under assualt.....the Temple in which my sister, the Lady Alrul, is being housed. I intend to make sure she is safe. I can take care of myself, soldier. I can assure you of that. ", while his tone was hard, it was respectful, this adhiel was merely doing his duty and did not intend to purposefully cause Ashtallion delay.....yet it was irritating to say the least.

" I realise you are doing as commanded by your superior, however I am training under Mage Falgan as a battlemage. If anything I could be of assistance to you by being in the City. ", he took in the soldier and the others forming the road block. He didn't want to have to force his way through, he had caused enough trouble already....evidence of that was seen in the damage wrought by the falling spears of flame from the heavens.

He went to place his hand on the hilt of his sword.....it wasn't there. He had, in his stupidity, left the Pelegrim back in his quarters....then the realisation that he had left the magical tome lying open on the desk back in the library. The sorcerer would have to return before the eveningtide was over to make sure the book was put away and secure.

[Sebastian Beauvais]

The soldier manning the blockade paled slightly when Ashtallion announced his proper title, and the sorcerer could see the adhiel swallowing hard against his sudden fear for speaking out against a noble. But before he could muster a reply, a nearby officer came to his rescue.

"Ceallachan Daethandir, Lieutenant of the Seawall. My apologies Lord Alrul, I did not recognize you," the officer cut in, begging forgiveness with his words if not entirely with his tone. The comment was for politeness' sake anyway, as Ashtallion had never met the soldier before. "But I can assure you the uprising is contained to the lower city. There is fire and vigilante activity in the Peasant and Market districts, but the river wards our side of Cerleann from the madness, and the Landwall Guard has blockaded the Kingsbridge, the Arch of Ivy and all the lesser bridges. The Temple is not threatened by this spate of lawlessness, and the city militia will undoubtedly reign in the malefactors shortly."

The lieutenant eyed Ashtallion curiously, for despite his avowal that the upper city was safe he was loath to dismiss a battlemage's claims out of hand. "Tell me, Lord Alrul. What has led you to believe your Lady sister is in danger? Is there something more I should know about, beyond the lawbreakers on the west side of the river?"

[Ashtallion Urdil]

Ashtallion nodded his head ever so slightly as the Lieutenant appeared, thankful someone of authority was present, for it may have made the others soldiers life a misery having to deal with a lord sorcerer. " Call it gut instinct, Lieutenant Daethandir. The Lady Alrul is my twin sister, she was also the one....caught up....in the incident with the human female the other day, when a bit of magic went awry. Subsequently, she suffered an assualt, which had it not been disturb, she would have most likely died. "

" I believe the Brotherhood of Wolves intends to finish what was started. Again, merely my own intellectual deductions....that and I feel sick to my stomach about the whole thing... ", he unconsciously placed a hand over his midriff, a look of passing discomfort crossing his face. " It is not my desire to make your job more difficult, Lieutenant, however I will be going to the Temple. Both my sister and I are guests of the Lord Advocate...he would be extremely upset should anything adverse further befall her. "

The sorcerer cast his eyes towards the heavens swiftly, " Tell me also, how much damage has been caused by those falling balls of flame...."

[Sebastian Beauvais]

The lieutenant's eyes narrowed. "The Brotherhood, you say? You think they would be so bold as to invade Cerleann herself?" The officer's expression was thoughtful, as though something else weighed on his mind at the mention of the rebel human organization. "That would certainly be cause for concern," he admitted.

At the mention of Alustariel being the adhiel sorceress whose loss of control had sparked recent flares of animosity in the city, Ceallachan nodded his head and motioned for his men to admit Ashtallion across the barricade.

"I think we'd better look into this then, Lord Alrul. There is more going on than either of us knows independently, I fear." With a wave Lieutenant Daethandir had a select handful of soldiers gathered 'round.

"Sergeant, you have command of the barricade for now. Lord Alrul and I are going to ensure the Temple is safe. We'll take Hrithnir and Siligaunt with us."

With sharp salutes the lieutenant's men leapt to obey, and shortly Ashtallion was once again moving down into the city, headed toward the Temple. As they went, Ceallachan finally addressed the golden-haired sorcerer's question on the skies.

"There have been random strikes across the city, from what we could see at the Palace," he explained. "Once we moved out into the city it was harder to guess, but it appears the upper city has been largely spared. It is almost as if the flaming bolts are drawn by the conflagration in the Peasant Quarter. That is where the most of them have landed."

The royal guard glanced over at the adhiel lord beside him, an eyebrow cocked curiously. "Do you have a feeling about this heavenly punishment too, Lord Alrul?"

[Ashtallion Urdil]

He opened his mouth to say something....yet found he could not. He merely shook his head slightly, remaining tight lipped about the apparent celestial wrath. Perhaps it was a punishment? To make the sorcerer aware of his own over confidence. Had it been over confidence though? He said the words, cast the spells, obviously he had had the power to set such a spell in motion, otherwise it would have consumed him utterly.

" I have no thoughts on it just now....I pray Mage Falgan has the strength and knowledge to deal with it should it continue. Yet you say the peasents quarter? Has anything else occured there that might merit the attention of these....arrows of fire? "

His main concern was for his sister, however he was now intrigued by the concentration of falling flames in the poorer section of the city. Still other areas had suffered at random. He would have to tell Falgan what he had brought about. Would the elder mage banish him for such foolish use of a spell he had not understood? Would he return to the Citadel? The sorcerer supressed a weary sigh before turning his attention to the lieutenant. " How long to the Temple, Lieutenant? "

[Sebastian Beauvais]

"Let us hope the Royal Mage can indeed end this rain of fire," agreed Ceallachan, letting the matter of Ashtallion's knowledge rest for the moment. His face was surprised at the sorcerer's following question, but he answered directly despite the fact.

"The Firelords ride within the city, Lord Alrul," the lieutenant said neutrally, as though it were nothing more than a professional matter to him. "They have raided the Peasant's District. The City Guard is working to stop the vigilantes and contain the blaze they have started."

"I'd say that is a rather incredible coincidence with a rain of fire from the heavens, wouldn't you?"

The small group ran on until they reached the crest of the upper bluffs of the city. Before them the avenue sloped down toward the river, its sluggish waters bright with reflected flames. From this vantage the spreading damage in the Peasant District was obvious, and activity could be seen in the Market District too, as though the unrest had spilled southward ahead of the fires.

Ceallachan's arm extended toward the base of the avenue and to the north, off to the right from their vantage. There lay the Temple, river walls cast in stark shadow by the blaze across the Cerl. Looking down from above the confines appeared a dark pool contained within stone banks, the hint of a ghostly shimmer rippling across its hallowed surface.

"There is the Temple, Lord Alrul. Safe from the fires, as I said. Two burns, I should think," he grinned as he began jogging down the slope toward their goal.

[Ashtallion Urdil]

" Strange indeed Lieutenant.....strange indeed.... "

There was a sour cast to his features for but a moment, then it vanished with the look of relief that flooded his eyes upon seeing the Temple, untouched by fire. " The Temple may be safe from the fire but not necessarily the Wolf. ", as the lieutentant started to jog, the mage allowed his gaze to linger over the temple for a moment longer before following in the adhiel soldiers wake, jogging at a swift pace to try and catch up.

As they would near the temple, the sorcerer slowed down, once more casting his eyes over the building. There was something he did not like, a twinge in his gut. Asht half closed his eyes, extending his senses attuned to aether, searching for any clue of sorcery or otherwise. Again in this state of semi awareness, he stepped forward towards the temple entrance.

[Sebastian Beauvais]

With the bulk of the walls and the closed gate looming above him, shielding him from the furor across the river, Ashtallion sensed nothing untoward from the Aether. The elements all appeared calm and untouched from his vantage - simply a normal night.

The lieutenant of the Seawall motioned his two soldiers to flanking positions, glaives at the ready. His own short blade in hand, Ceallachan considered the heavy oak beams of the gate with head titled to the side.

"There would normally be a guard or two to deal with visitors and applicants, even in times of trouble," he commented to Ashtallion, "although I've never seen the city in as much turmoil as this gravetide. Perhaps that has driven the clergy to extreme measures."

"What do your 'feelings' tell you now, Lord Alrul? Should I knock, or just invite myself in?"

[Ashtallion Urdil]

" We have no time for curteous manners I'm afraid, Lieutenant. ", the sorcerer rose his hand towards the large doors, and made a pushing motion, only enough force energy to open the doors but not damage them. He waited a moment, thinking it odd that nothing seemed to stir about the Temple. However he was thankful that his spell of falling fire had not touched the Temple itself.

Silently, Ashtallion wove a shield about himself, of air and force, strong and solid. He was confident it would protect him from most weapons, swords and arrows and of course all but the more powerful magical attacks. " By all means, please proceed Lieutenant. I have woven a shield about myself, so I will bring up the rear guard.....I pray it will not be necessary, however I am inclined to be overly cautious at times like these. ", he gestured towards the doors, indicating for the Lieutenant to step forward first if he so wished.

[Sebastian Beauvais]

With Ceallachan and his soldiers poised, Ashtallion worked the threads of aether quickly and confidently. Although the others could not see it, force coalesced in front of the golden-haired sorcerer's palm and then, with the gentle motion of his hand, flowed in a thick stream at the Temple gate. The threads splayed across the heavy wooden surface, and though Ashtallion was confident he had used enough might to shift the portals on their hinges all he managed was a slight jostling.

Realizing something was blocking the gate from opening, the adhiel mage strengthened the force, the aether stream thickening further and brightening in intensity. Tendrils seeped around the edges of the gate and through the centre crack where the two halves met, and over the rush of energy Ashtallion could hear wooden fibres grudgingly begin to give way. With a final thrust of his hand he sent a ripple down the flow that snapped the restraining bar with a craaack of protest, and they sprung open.

The Royal Guard exchanged looks and then glanced back at Ashtallion appreciatively, before Ceallachan motioned them through the open gateway. The lieutenant's charges led they way beyond the walls with glaives held low, immediately encountering a bank of pearlescent fog that appeared to cloak the entire grounds of the Temple.

For Ashtallion, open to the aether as he was, the hints of weaving were noticeable. Someone had enticed water and air to join in this dance of obscurement, for the fog was too thick and steady for a natural occurence.

"Onward at my discretion, Lord Alrul? Or do you have a sense of the needed direction?" asked Ceallachan softly, a cautious but decidedly deadly look upon his angular adhiel features.

[Ashtallion Urdil]

Ashtallion had been surprised that the doors did not give way immediately and so had pushed harder with threads of magic. As the cracking sound ecohed, he winced slightly, having not wanted to damage any part of the Temple....as he had the rest of the City with the meteors. However, he had not the time to assess what damage he may have wrought and most likely he would be dealing out more destruction if his sister were indeed endangered.

Following the soldiers, his suspicions were all but confirmed with the unnatural fog that rose up before them all. " Evidently the Brotherhood have a mage at their disposal....perhaps a priest.... ", he did not like the fact he may have to battle a mage. Ordinary humans would not have proved a hinderence much, however his focus would have to be on the magic user if he or she were still here.

" I will try to seek out my sister.....she's here in this fog, I'm sure of it. If I cannot sense her I will disperse the fog. Doing so just now will reveal us to the Brotherhood. "

He closed his eyes fully, sinking deep into the aether and extended his magical sense outwards in a arching motion. He sought out the life energies every living being possessed, obviously in humans and adhiel there was more than a plant, so he hoped he would be able to tell the difference, especially with it being his own twin.

OOC: Should I hop over to Alu's thread now?

[Sebastian Beauvais]

The three adhiel guardsmen waited anxiously, able to hear muted shuffling and the odd clink of metal, but coming through the fog the sounds were directionless and thus all the more nerve-wracking. Moisture dampened their hair, and Ceallachan wiped away a few sodden coppery tendrils from his eyes as they waited on Ashtallion.

For his part the sorcerer remained oblivious to such distractions, his concentration bored completely into the aether. Fanning his questing senses out in front of him, Ashtallion bypassed the familiar sights of earth, air, and water flowing within the Temple grounds and even managed to penetrate the obscuring aetheric sight of the conjured fog. And when he filtered out all that information, the adhiel mage was left with several blobs of swirling colour that he could only guess were living beings.

This was something he was not used to studying though, and the jumble of colours were different than the normal aetheric sights. Softer, mutable and constantly mixing, like a painter's palette all running together. Ashtallion was confident the blobs were people, but to his untrained eye they were faceless beings, perhaps friend, perhaps foe. One thing was certain, they were gathered ahead, through the fog.
------------------------

OOC: Let's stay in this thread for one more post, I think. I'll link you across when it's time.

[Ashtallion Urdil]

Ashtallion, still concentrating on his sensing, shifted focus a little to speak to the lieutenant, " There are people amongst the fog....I can only assume one is my sister and the others and of the Brotherhood.....perhaps priests of the temple.... I cannot tell though. ", the bodies of energy where all apparently the same, he could not sense which was his own sister. Suppressing a frown, Ashtallion toyed with the idea of dispelling the fog.

Once more moving his focus, he concentrated on that fog, the melded energies of water and air. Would it be easier to summon a fierce wind or simply undo the energies. At any rate, he had to find Alu and he wouldn't be able to do such quickly in this fog.

Grasping the water and air energy closest to himself, the sorcerer attempted to split the two energies apart, letting them drift off to wherever they pleased. Hopefully the end result would be the fog disapating outward in the same semi circular motion he had sent his senses out in. He had not attempted to undo such a large abundance of energy at once though, so it would no doubt proved a challenge, especially if there was another mage about.

[Sebastian Beauvais]

Ashtallion, your story continues here:

http://www.tazlure.nl/board/viewtopic.php?p=180886#180886

[Sebastian Beauvais]

Skilled!