Out of Shadows - Prologue: A Portentous Departure

[Guest]

Then, fire burst forth. She wasn’t quite sure how it had happened, though. At first, there were the strands. Gathering them had been frustrating; if it hadn’t been for her passing familiarity with energy in general, she wouldn’t have been able to grab them and keep hold of them. Still, this was an alien thing to her; taking energy from outside, bundling it, focusing it – all this was hard, new. She found that gesturing helped; envisioning with her mind and body how she crafter – no, weaved! – the spell turned out to be a very big help. Intuitively, she gathered the energy, and focused it into a spell. And then she let go.
Ashari was pretty sure it wasn’t a flawless executing. She had felt the spell go hopelessly out of control as she released it, an effect that could have been extremely dangerous in another situation.
Now, however, it merely meant that the bed wasn’t set aflame by a ball of fire, but by a massive spray of searingly hot sparks…

[Ashari]

The red tendrils were not easy to work, they didn't bind together, and were shifty and had a mind of their own, not something Ashari expected, but she put her best effort forth, and time they worked together and produced an effect. It wasn't what she was expecting. She had been looking more for flames, but what occured were hot sparks which flew from her fingers across the bed, wedging their way between the levels of sheets and mattress and onto the bed itself.

Shock was no doubt evident on her face for a flicker, but she quickly stuffed it away and replaced it with awe of her own spectacular abilites. "Ha!" Quickly she stood up and looked down at her work. "Well then, Mister 'can't just make fire' so there." She playfully stuck out her tongue at him and then jogged over to his side. Reaching down she picked up her pack and slung it over her shoulder.

"We have to make sure it spreads." Quickly she glanced around for a lantern which she could spill to spread the flames further. "Bet you weren't expecting that, now were you?" She asked, her eyes glittering with the prospects of their new life.

[Iorn Thalas]

Iorn was even more shocked then Ashari was to actually see sparks flying out of her hand. "what the...you can actually make fire!" Iorn grinned as she stood by him, looking at him with her glittering eyes. "You never cease to amaze me, love. What will you think of next?" Looking over for flammable things, Iorn tossed their clothes next to the side of the bed, so that they would catch fire too.

When they had made the fire spread enough, it was time to use the coin. Holding Ashari tight with one arm, while holding the coin in the palm of his other hand, the adhiel smiled at Ashari. "Well..let me do my magic then hmm?" Before the fire could reach them, Iorn cited "Citadel, Citadel, Citadel" three times quickly in succession and waited for the magic to happen..

[Ashari]

Satisfied with their work Ash joined Iorn and felt his strong arm reach around her. With her lithe fingers she grabbed hold of him and closed her eyes. Closing her eyes and pressing her face into his chest she didn't plan on looking anywhere until he told her to. A soft whisper escaped her lips as they stood in the smokey cabin. "I love you."

She heard the chanting of the name Citadel, and in her mind she began thinking of the small isle with the city perched upon it's rocks. So much would change when they arrived there. Now all she could was hope the change would be for the better. Ashari had her eyes closed so tight they almost began to hurt, but she didn't care.

[Guest]

Later, people said they weren’t sure how the fire happened. Most people blamed a badly placed oil lamp, although the officer swore none had been lit when he left the room. There were rumours here and there that someone had taken steps to rid themselves of Iorn and whatever entourage he was with; some even went as far as claiming that the regent Demetrion had a hand in it. But all accepted one common fact: during a sudden, mysterious fire that wrecked and sunk the Sailor Sun, special envoy Iorn Thalas and his consort, miss Ashari Gywien, were the only two casualties. Their bodies were so burned that they couldn’t be found; some of the sailors claimed they’d seen the pair dragged down by Goldblood’s restless dead, for wanting to depart so hastily.
The news shocked most in KC – all but a few, like Iesu Heste, who were smarter than that – and lived in the corridors of gossip for a while. But very soon, King’s Court would know no more rest, and Iorn’s plight was just as quickly forgotten.

Inside the soon-to-be burnt-down cabin, Ashari took hold of Iorn. What few possessions they would take with them were now secure; all that rested was for the coin to be used. Around them, the warm glow of the fire had not yet reached suffocatingly hot levels; it seemed to envelop their departure in warm, molten gold.
Just as the words were coming over Iorn’s lips, the door to the cabin opened. Neither Iorn nor Ashari heard the sound or saw the sight; they were too wrapped up in the magick of departure to do so. Dressed in grayish blue clothing, and carrying two long, sleek daggers at his side, a man whose face was obscured by a green shawl entered. He had the lean build of someone who trained reflexes and stealth, who had enough athletic strength in him to climb walls, but didn’t need more since not a longsword, but a poisoned dagger normally did his work.
Laudamis Therne cursed as he saw Iorn holding the coin and reciting the third and last ‘Citadel’. He launched into a sprint, but by the team, he reached the two, they were gone. There was only fire, and the faint shimmering of magick’s trace.
He cursed again, loudly and to himself. Then, as he turned back again and moved towards the door, he muttered under his breath.
“We were too late.”

((ooc: this wraps up your departure from KC. In the Seven Seas forum, each of you will find a travel thread there; additionally, you'll find your story thread continued in Temple Lane. I'll contact the both of you with details on how to combine these three threads.))