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The Treasure Lamp (played by 8TigerBunnyTora) Topic Starter

Despite Kat’s closed eyes and Ayura’s assurances, there was a guttural sound that was a cross between a snarl and a hiss. Immediately, it was met with an assuring shush, presumably coming from the elf herself. The rogue would feel Ayura’s hand grasp hers as she helped right her to her felt after ascending the rest of the ladder’s rungs. There was a soft thud as the trapdoor was shut, and the sensation as the elf released her hand. Her voice was playful, chastising and more than a bit amused.

“Frost, be nice. You already hate making Zephyr look better. Come say hello.” A pause, then her voice once more, nominally louder as she now was facing Katlina. “You can open your eyes now.”

Whenever the rogue would open her eyes, she would be greeted by a magificent sight. Air gusted in bursts as the flap of large blue and white wings flared, before settling down into their former position, the subdued screech sounding once more. Kat would my eyes upon a beautiful dragon perhaps twice as large as she, pacing the large space of the stable as it snorted in a very annoyed, equine like manner, cold mist puffing lightly from its nose with every exhaled breath. Metal horns protruded from the back of its head and down the spine, interrupted by a space large enough perhaps for a saddle. The dragon’s cold complexion was faintly dusted with what appeared to be a thin frost, but was actually more of a light down, visible against the blue scales.

Ayura was standing next to the beast, her figure looking even smaller aside it. She had been stroking the dragon’s face before her hand recoiled. “Don’t zap me,” she scolded lightly, striking the dragon with a slap that wasn’t very substantial at all. “Be nice,” she repeated. “Katlina, this is Frostbite. He’s a little temperamental sometimes, but he’s a total sweetheart.” Frostbite, or Frost as he had been so nicknamed, tossed his head lightly, but whether to affirm or protest was entirely in the air.

~~~

“Oh, erm,” Kaj mumbled uncertainly, muttering for several moments below his breath before it could be made out to any sort of sense at a somewhat low but reasonable volume. “...wouldn’t and didn’t realize how much biology actually goes into an Ichoric construct,” he could be heard saying, but whether to himself or to Lance was uncertain. He pulled a few metal elements from the bin and began seemingly twiddling them between his fingers. At last he seemed at a normal conversational volume. “Ichor is a substance that flows through all of us just like blood. Basically by studying the fractal and flow patterns of the energy flux’s apex active range, even something like a metal shell can be given life if it is formed and molded the right way,” he continued as he bent down to pick up the small metal dragon. It squirmed in his grasp, evidently not too fond of being handled, before it was placed on the counter.

The dragon shuddered and clicked impatiently, tapping the counter with feet and tail as the tinkerer toyed with something upon its back. “Kinda makes you wonder how the golems got their start, eh?” He asked absently as he made one more adjustment to the dragon, whose ruby eyes flicked once before it seemed to calm down a bit, relaxing in his arms. “I admit, I drew some inspiration from Frost after he hatched, maybe I was a bit jealous...well! Now I got my own li’l buddy here, so that’s that,” he seemed to conclude suddenly, sighing contentedly. Until he again laid eyes on Lance’s guns. He found himself suddenly riveted once more and he had almost reached for the guns himself before he suddenly withdrew. “Yeah, sorry, can I have a look?” He chirped, suddenly more attentive. “Guns aren’t exactly the most common thing in the world right now...”

~~~

“Of course, not at all,” Asher obliged, transferring the bulk of his weight back onto his feet instead of leaning against the desk as he had done so a moment earlier, simply leaving the newly-enchanted stone to spin as long as it would without interruption. “This way,” he indicated with his own self as he walked out of the study past Damian, closed the door until a mere crack was left after the mage exited, and headed down the hall and deeper toward the labeled Forge. “And, if you’re really wondering about someone who’s a Cae’brilan native, then you’re going to look at the Toymaker, Kajanh,” he added with a small smile. “Simply because me and La take our apprenticeships in Cae doesn’t mean we belong to a set kingdom. In fact, we belong to no kingdom.”

And with that simple statement, he opened the door to the forge. It was a high-ceilinged room, where the large fireplace and chimney was held closest to the wall and the rest of the complex. The chimney was made of overlaid stone, the opening to the currently-absent flame wide. Weapons lined the walls in neat and organized fashion: swords, polearms, daggers, staffs, in many different styles and metal finishes. There were four different anvils of different sizes scattered across the room, as well as a large barrel that presumably contained water. Different hammers were sorted by grade and shape, as well as tongs of several sizes. A large vat of what looked like heaps of all sorts of metal: weapons, discarded construction pieces, even some wrapped bundles here and there—stood in one corner, carefully away. “Do have a look. Let me know if any one in particular strikes your fancy.”
"Ah. I suppose that makes sense..." Lance replied, looking at the metallic dragon for a moment, snapping away from his thoughts as Kaj asked about his guns. He pulled them out of their holsters, holding them out for him to look at. "Oh? Sure." Lance answered. "I'll admit I only know the basics on how they work myself. Never found anyone interested in the mechanics so I never looked into it too much." He said.


The guns were each different in design, one of them made of a darker silver metal with a light colored wood. The other had a lighter silver with a faint hint of blue in the metal with a darker wood color. The gun with the lighter metal had a wave design along the barrel of the gun. "Both of them are a bit different in design I'll admit, but they both function identically." Lance commented, pulling out a small pouch. "And the ammunition is where the ichor is more focused." He said, pulling out a small ball from the pouch, the metal ball giving off a faint orange glow.
Seychelle Jenner (played anonymously)

As soon as Kat's grey eyes drifted open, they widened as she beheld the frosty dragon, even as he eyed her back. A smile slowly grew on her lips and she took a careful step closer, making sure to offer no fast movements or loud noises. "You are magnificent." She offered softly, stormy eyes light, and slowly lifted a hand toward him in a gesture of peace, in case he wanted to take in her scent better, but made no move to touch the dragon.

Without taking her eyes from Frost, Katlina addressed Ayura. "Is he from Aesteshire?" She had seen dragons there on occasion during her childhood, but had never found occasion to get close to one. "I see why you needed to accompany me." She continued with a wry tone coloring her voice. "Wouldn't want to get on the wrong side of this handsome one."

Whether or not her compliments were understood by the dragon himself, Katlina wasn't sure, yet she composed herself with an air of one who held no fear of beasts, keeping her breathing even and avoiding eye contact with Frostbite in case he saw it as a challenge. On impulse, Kat tried something she'd only recently begun to realize her power had a knack for, reaching within for the warm light she worked to keep so tidy and tucked away.

"I am a friend." As she spoke, the words echoed softly, and a whisp of light could be seen leaving her lips as she imbued the phrase with her power, careful not to give the words any hint of a command. Rather, it rang of truth. Carried by ichor it had to be such, and she hoped the dragon would perhaps understand this, even as she felt a slight tension in her stomach from the use of her power.
As the two of them left the study, Damian cast a glance at the now-enchanted stone. He momentarily wondered if he should stop its spinning, before thinking better of it and walking out of the study, Asher almost closing the door the entire way, leaving it open barely a crack. The mage followed the smith to the forge, taking in the surroundings as they went. When they reached the door to the forge, Asher said that Kajanh was another Cae'brilan native and not him and Lala. The Beastkin then told him that neither he nor his sister belonged to a kingdom. This intrigued him, and he wanted to know more, but decided that could wait until later. "Duly noted," he said, concerning the newfound information about Kaj.

Damian walked into the forge behind Asher. After the Vulpine Beastkin had stepped aside, the mage walked forward a few feet into the high-ceilinged room. He looked around at everything the workspace had to offer, from the anvils to the armaments. He nodded in response to Asher's words as he continued to slowly trek around the room, slowly inspecting a few of the blades that Asher had made. His eyes traced over the elegant engravings on them, and vaguely wondered if they were enchanted or merely there for cosmetic and balance reasons. Damian turned back to the blacksmith. "These engravings are very well-done," he said, a soft smile on his face. "Are any of them enchanted?"
The Treasure Lamp (played by 8TigerBunnyTora) Topic Starter

Kaj seemed almost relieved when Lance offered him the pistols. He took hold of one gingerly and cleared an elbowful of space off the counter to set it gently down before he did a full inspection of each, one at a time. First, the darker metaled pistol. The tinkerer turned the gun over, eyeing the barrel and sighting it to spot any chips, dings, and deformities. The wood, especially around the handle, was worn, assumedly with Lance’s use of it. “Hm...Saphanite, that is, false Azurnite. Not nearly as valuable but entirely durable. Good to know you take good care of your stuff.” He clicked open the gun barrel and spun the drum experimentally. “It’s been loved, probably could use a bit o’cleaning inside, and some oil or lubricant, but otherwise it’s all good.”

Feeling a little bit more confident, Kaj switched the pistol he was holding to the other one on the counter, the lighter pistol won the wavelike designs. He ran his fingers over them. “Wow. Reminds me of home,” he mused before tilting the pistol this way and that, in a similar fashion that he had done with the other one. “Tinted steel, if not for that particular wood then I would’ve mistaken it for something made over west.” As before, he clicked open the barrel, emptying the rounds in his free hand before emulating a firing position, clicking the trigger. Of course, nothing shot. “Nice, nice,” he murmured as he replaced the bullets except one, clicking the barrel back into place.

The tinkerer handed both pistols back to Lance before examining the shot pellet that matched the one that the gunmage was showing him. He tossed it up lazily before catching it again in his hand. “At that powered velocity, these do a pretty good job,” he remarked. “Simple yet effective.” He handed this too back to Lance. “I can imagine you might get some attention wielding those about. Where you from again? Cuz your guns say western Aësteshire.”

~~~

Ayura simply shrugged, a small smile upon her face. “Most likely, although we honestly don’t know. Someone handed us his egg as a payment for a trade some time ago, and he hatched before we could decide what to do with him. So now he’s imprinted, and he’s here.” She reached up to affectionately scratch the moderately-sized dragon’s chin, of which the dragon allows her to, wary of Kat.

However, at the trace of the spell, Ayura’s warm expression seemed to wan perhaps just the faintest tinge. The tension in Frostbite’s neck seemed to loosen to some degree, and he leaned his head closer to the rogue, curious. After a few more moments he dared to take a step closer, and then another, pausing about five paces away, just barely out of arm’s reach.

He hesitated and glanced back at Ayura, a faint gurgling in his throat, before the elf shrugged and gestures for him to go on. “Frost is actually one of the newer members of the family, and he just got big enough to carry someone not terribly long ago,” the elf mused, patting the dragon’s scaly haunch. “However, our other resident here has been with me from day one...” she glanced over at another portion of the stables. “Zephyr~!”

There was the scraping of weight upon dirt, and a churring caw greeted the call, something avian. This creature, once it stepped out fully from the hidden nesting area, would be seen to be significantly larger than Frostbite. It was a great bird, a vibrant sky-blue with an almost glossy finish to its feathers. It had a long neck like a swan and gentle orange eyes, seemingly lithe against the large wingspan, currently folded. It’s tail feathers were like silken, long kitetail ribbons that dragged along the floor, and it sought Ayura almost immediately after sparing Kat and Frostbite a more fleeting one, delaying a moment longer for the former. Ayura smoothed out some of the ruffled feathers at the base of Zephyr’s long neck. “This guy, he’s an Aelorie, and he’s definitely from Aëste.”

~~~

Asher’s serenity allowed him to exude an almost calming air as he looked around with muted pride at the weapons that he had forged. Each held, if not a story, a technique that he had worked hard to refine. However, at the question, he meandered over absently to where Damian stood, just to have a similar perspective in why that question might be asked. And he saw the engravings.

Suddenly he looked a bit sheepish, averting his eyes. Even only one ear lopsided itself in effect of this expression. “Ah...no, unfortunately none of them are... it’s been something I’ve been looking into, and at best I have an elementary understanding of the imbuing processes. But alas, I don’t quite possess the arcanum strength nor the Ichoric mastery to be able to do the runic engravings myself, especially when I am simultaneously forging the physical blades.” Absently he pulled one of the daggers off of its place. It was an ornate piece with an intricate pattern upon the metal, evidently the work of someone experienced. “My engraving merely suffices for aesthetic purposes, aside from the adjustment to the balance and timbre of each piece,” he mused as he placed it back on the wall.
"I see..." Damian said softly, more to himself than the smith. The mage lapsed into thought, right hand to his chin. His eyes again raked over the weaponry, looking at the carvings before cutting a sideways glance at Asher. Damian had studied the theory of enchanted inscription back home in Illustra, having learned about it from both Aiënon and a few books he had read. Additionally, his Mentor had had him periodically practice on a few daggers, ritual knives, and even the occasional sword. It had taken some time, but he had eventually become quite skilled at it. The mage looked back at the weapons again, thinking about how best to word his next statement. "Well, as luck would have it," he tentatively began, "I happen to have a somewhat extensive amount of knowledge on that subject."

He looked back to Asher, and a half-smile appeared on his features. "If you would like, I would be more than willing to teach you," he said. "Or, alternatively, if you would permit me, I could perhaps assist you in that part of the manufacturing process." Damian's smile widened slightly as he fully turned to face the Vulpine Beastkin. "What say you to that?" he asked, leaving the door open, but allowing Asher to make the choice on whether to walk through it or not.
"Thanks, I like to keep my weapons in top shape, but I do suppose they could use a bit of work." Lance said, rubbing the back of his neck before accepting the pistols and ammunition back, quickly holstering them. "The firing is simple, but I'll admit they are rather loud when shot normally. I sometimes use a little magic to reduce the noise of the guns, but its not exactly the easiest thing to do."

"And I'm from central Aësteshire actually, just on the East side of the Mountains of Oberon..." Lance spoke, saying the mountains' name with a hint of reverence to what had happened to him there with Indomiel. "Though no doubt they're from the Western part of the region, got them off traveling merchants who never seemed too torn to give them up while heading Eastward. And concealing them isn't too big of an issue with my overcoat." Lance explained. Standing idle his trench coat did seem to hide his weapons for the most part, only a faint hint of the woods on the guns showing as he stood.
The Treasure Lamp (played by 8TigerBunnyTora) Topic Starter

Asher's brown-tipped vulpine ears perked up and faced more directly forward at the mention of Damian's expertise, despite him keeping a neutral expression upon his face. "Is that so?" he asked, tilting his head. After a moment he glanced back at the wall of weapons, chuckling. "Well, in that case, I would think that the latter would be more helpful. As I mentioned, I don't quite possess the arcanic mastery needed to accomplish the task at the level so needed by what I would like to create."

A thought occurred to him, and his ears relaxed back into their usual position. "Of course, only when you are free. Have you settled into your room yet? We'll get to toy with the engraving techniques at just about any time." He shrugged. "I wouldn't want to put everything upon you so soon."

~~~

"Makes sense," the Toymaker mused, eyeing the hidden pistols before he brought his flame-colored eyes back up towards Lance's face, before he leaned lightly against the closest counter. "Some people don't wanna deal with something they don't understand. Not much people are even going to try learning about these things. Kind of a shame." After looking away for a moment, expression a little flat, he suddenly walked off, leaving Lance standing there. Kaj went over to one of the cabinets, and when he opened it there were several bottles and jars, as well as a bucket of rivets.

Momentarily he walked back toward Lance, tossing a small bottle towards him. "This'll help with cleaning the inner drums of those guns. Mechanical pieces need a bit of love before they can love you back by actually working, and staying that way." The corners of his lips were upturned in a smile, until he suddenly jerked away from the counter as the small mechanical dragon coughed a set of sparks. He looked it over, drawing near to it before pulling his goggles down over his eyes. "Ah damn."
Seychelle Jenner (played anonymously)

Katlina grinned as she spotted the Aelori as he moved toward Ayura. One of her few friends during her younger years, had found an injured Aelori, healing it and raising it from a youngling. They'd had several hairbrained adventures atop the beautiful bird, one ending in a near death experience, and subsequent grounding on Kat's part. The memories were fond still, despite her banishment, and warmed her breast as the rogue murmered her greetings to Zephyr.

"He's beautiful." She commented, dipping her head toward Ayura. "A friend of mine and I caused quite a bit of trouble in our younger years atop one of those." The soft smile lingered on her face even as she glanced around. It was good to know where the back entrance led out to, for her own peace of mind.

Shifting almost imperceptibly she regarded the elven female with a half smile upon a face that was more inviting and friendly before. The smell of a stable and the whisps of a breeze that curled around her neck and caressing her cheeks made her feel a bit more conversational. "I grew up in Aestshire, specifically near Lake Elysia, where my... the druid people I used to call family live and serve the land. These beasts," she gestured to both the Dragon and the Aelori, "Remind me of home, and even though I don't have a connection with any of them myself, my family was very much concerned with their safety and well being, as much or more than the well-being of the common folk and nobility. I am glad to see a few here." Her half smile warmed to a full one for a long moment until she shrugged, her open face threatening to become closed again, hidden behind her studious calm, where she felt safe.

Realizing she'd revealed something about herself, she opted for changing the subject to one less personal, moving a step closer to see if Zephyr was inclined to allow her to stroke his feathers. "Sparrow.. " She caught herself, "Kaito told me that he was one of the first people to join the fold, you two must be pretty close. I've already found out how good a companion he is to have guarding your back."
Damian chuckled as well, looking away from Asher and back to the wall of weaponry in front of him. "No, I haven't yet," he said, sounding more jovial than before. "I wanted to explore the complex first before doing anything else. You found me at my first stop." He turned back to the Vulpine Beastkin. "However, I suppose you're right," Damian said. "If I kept exploring, I most likely wouldn't settle into my room until tomorrow at least." He again rolled his shoulder, it again feeling oddly stiff. The Mage gave the room a once-over again. "Ah well," he said, looking back to Asher. "I suppose I'll go do that then. I do hope to be helping out in here as soon as possible." He nodded a farewell to the Vulpine Beastkin and left the smithy.

While he thought about turning his left and making his choice of one of the two bedrooms near the study, Damian instead turned to the right and found himself on a small landing, with another hallway going down and off to his right. Curious, he went down this hallway. He thought about checking out the rooms on either side of the hallway, but his eyes focused on a set of double doors marked Warehouse at the end of the hallway. He approached them and opened them.

Upon entry, Damian found himself in an absolutely huge room. So huge, in fact, that the mage wondered how they were able to fit a room this large down here. He took a few steps into the room, his eyes taking in the space. He walked around the large room, exploring it as much as he could.
The Treasure Lamp (played by 8TigerBunnyTora) Topic Starter

Zephyr lowered his head so that Ayura could pet him, and the latter did, running her fingers through the sky feathers upon his head and making him close his eyes and rest his head upon her shoulder. The elf offered a small, uncertain smile to Kat, seemingly able to sense a similar view of home as her new compatriot, before the smile's tension seemed to lessen at the subject of Kaito. "Yeah... you wouldn't think that way, from the way that I met him, but he's as loyal as any other. We've all..." she faltered for a moment, trying to determine the best way to phrase what she'd been about to say. "We've all had our demons, and I think that he's been the best at trying to walk us through them. So, yes, you can rely on him for anything."

She lowered her gaze, seemingly staring at the wall, or something just past it, or maybe at nothing at all--just the void of her thoughts. Several moments passed with those violet eyes darkening to some semblance of indigo before she wrenched them away.

"And..." the word trailed off into nothing for another few moments. "I know what that's like. You don't need to talk about them. I'm from Aëste too, from Wystére. The details are something I also tend to keep to myself, so...maybe we aren't so different." The ghost of a smile was pained. But then as Frost harrumphed and tried to force his way into the elf's range, also seeking her attention and rubs, the smile erupted into laughter. Zephyr drew his neck back, making a small clicking noise with his beak, seemingly in disapproval. Then he strutted away a few paces before settling and sitting, tailfeathers circling his sizable torso and bosom.

~~~

The named 'warehouse' was a large hall, and at a first glance one would wonder what it was for, as the vast space was nearly empty. But then Damian would see the smaller ring in the center of the space and maybe that would answer the question for him. To one side of the wall was a set of shelves, the highest one just barely above his head, of which various items were scattered. A roll of gauze, a gently-used whetstone, a dagger or two, and what looked like a few amulets and talismans, as well as another small bin of Ichor-filled gems. These were all items associated with combat, and, in paired with the ring in the space's center, would allow him to piece together the room's purpose.
Lance caught the bottle with a nod. "Thanks, I'll be sure to use this whenever need be. I guess I just was drawn to these rarities, a bit more so than others I suppose, so I stick to what I'm interested in." He spoke, pocketing the bottle to clean his guns at a later time.

When he saw Kaj look back to the mechanical dragon he got curious. "Say, do you think you could show me how that all works?" He asked out of curiosity, trying to hide his curious look. Lance understood if the tinkerer would rather be left alone to his own devices, but it had to at least be worth a shot to ask, right?
Seychelle Jenner (played anonymously)

The understanding that Ayura displayed came as an unexpected balm upon Kat's growing consternation over how to incorporate herself into the group. Assimilation was not her strong suit. Knowing that the elf understood the desire to avoid certain topics caused a relieved smile to break out upon the rogue's face and she took half step closer to rest a hand briefly on Ayura'a shoulder if she allowed it, her demeanor easier and more fluid than before.

"Thank you. That means alot." Maybe one day she could let the old pain go once and for all, like Kaito had suggested, moving on. If this worked out, if she found a home here, then she just might be able to. Letting her hand drop almost as soon as it rested on the elf's shoulder, Kat turned to raise an eyebrow at the antics of the two creatures

"Sounds like a bit of rivalry there, to be the center of your affections." She shook her head with amusement at the dragon and aelori and spoke, laughter coloring her own voice. "Love triangles never work out, do they? It's gotta be one or the other." Not that she had any experience in that area. She could try to sympathize with the grumpy aelori nevertheless.

Turning to Ayura she grinned. "Are there targets in the training room? I haven't practice my knife throwing enough lately. I can't be letting myself get soft.
Damian looked around the large room, inspecting the shelves and then saw the bin filled with Ichor-filled gemstones, glinting in the light of the Ichor-filled lights that illuminated the massive space. The mage looked back and forth between the shelves and the ring on the floor, and he realized what he was looking at. He had spent enough time at the Palace to know a training ground when he saw one. He remembered the clash of steel and bright flashes of Ichor and magic. A slight smile pulled at the corners of his mouth at the memory. The Mage Corps had been a possibility for him, and yet here was in Porthcaul, having a fresh start with the Treasure Lamp.

Acting a bit on impulse, The mage turned away from the shelves and walked into the ring in the middle of the floor. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. Another smile tugged at his lips, although it was slightly more melancholy, as he was remembering the last time that he used the spell he was about to cast. After several seconds of this, he rapidly muttered an incantation and on the final syllable, he thrust his hand into the air, palm up. At this, three massive pillars of swirling, white-hot flames appeared out of thin air and began to revolve slowly around him. A few seconds into it, he inspected the flames for any signs of wavering. Like the day he had first met Ayura, there was none.

If anyone were to come into the Warehouse over the next few minutes, he wouldn't notice them, as he was concentrating so much on the spell.
The Treasure Lamp (played by 8TigerBunnyTora) Topic Starter

The Toymaker regarded Lance warily at the request. He had grown up in a competitive environment in which inventors and tinkerers were always attempting to steal from and outdo one another in order to secure the best apprenticeships in Cae’bril. And it was not only that; he knew from experience that many people were interested in his skill, but when he got down to it and had begun to explain avidly, that people would get turned off, and seeing that growing disinterest was almost as unpleasant as having a door closed in his face. Although his art was appreciated here in the Treasure Lamp, he still felt some note of estrangement that none of the others could really share his passion.

He was unsure, and despite Lance’s eagerness, remained hesitant. “...sure, I guess,” he replied after a few moments, scratching idly at the red tuft of hair upon his chin, his flame-colored eyes somewhat guarded. He tapped the counter just in front of the dragon, and the mechanical creature took a few steps forward to settle in the determined spot, at an angle that would be better for Lance to see. Kaj held out a jadelike bangle that he wore around his wrist, and the dragon curled up as if to sleep, before the tendrils of Ichor began to drain from it and into the bracelet around its maker’s wrist, making it glow gently with that golden sheen. “Ichor is a pretty crazy thing. We know what it does, but not really how it does it,” he began to explain as the golden substance continued to flow.

“Energy, life, magic, Ichor has all these functions, and probably even more, you know?” The more that he spoke, the more he seemed to grow a little more comfortable. The flow of Ichor stopped, leaving the dragon barren and dry, a shell of what it once was. Now Lance could really see the amalgamation of gears and parts that was the metallic network and shell of the dragon, and it almost looked like a massively complex toy rather than something that almost seemed alive a bit ago. “There’s something about Ichor that gives some form of sentience, that’s where you get golems and stuff.” Still he was holding back, consciously reminding himself not to launch into another tirade of technical terms, which he tended to be prone to.

He began to unscrew several parts, dismantling the joint between one of the dragon’s legs and its torso. His hands paused, his orange hues trailing upward thoughtfully as he sought how to phrase his next sentiment. “What I’ve done, in a nutshell, is that I managed to create a vehicle that the energy can operate, and there’s a crystal inside the dragon that helps localize the Ichor and keep it from dissipating.”

———-

“Ugh, always,” Xyla groaned with a roll of her violet eyes when Kat mentioned her amusement with the pets. She scratched the underside of the dragon’s snout affectionately, and Frost responded with a low but satisfied hum in his throat. “Even if Frost is the more rambunctious one, Zephyr was the one who had to adjust to a sudden little brother,” she teased the grumpy bird, who dutifully seemed to ignore her.

The elf cocked an eyebrow at the Aelorie before she laughed once more. She knew the animals well, since she had grown up with Zephyr and had been there since Frost’s hatching. It was easy enough for her to read them. “He doesn’t seem to be in a hospitable mood right now, so if you want to give him a proper hello you might have to do so on your own time. Just be sure to approach both of them slowly, especially if you come without me.” She patted the side of Frost’s head, and the fledgling dragon reluctantly withdrew, releasing something that could only be described as a chirruping whine. She scoffed lightly, placing her face close to the dragon’s snout in assurance.

It was at this time when Kat asked about the targets, and a wry smile slowly spread over the elf’s features as the turned toward Kat once more. “Gods...you sound like Kai in his earlier days here...but yes. There’s plenty of targets, and they’re pretty randomly posted throughout the complex, including in the common room. Sometimes Kai’ll toss a star to get someone’s attention,” she chuckled. “But, I can show you the warehouse, where we do a lot of our sparring and practice.” She withdrew from the dragon, again to its grumbling chagrin, and returned to the trapdoor, assuming that the rogue would follow her.

This place—this complex—was her home and her pride, and this group had been her life. As initially uncertain as it was to bring in new recruits after such hardships they had suffered, Ayura ultimately couldn’t bury the excitement that she found in the prospect of sharing the life she had built with those select few she chose to trust.

The elf descended through the trapdoor, and once she dropped down the last few rungs to the wooden floor in that small room, she called up to Kat, “Make sure you close the door. I don’t want little Frost to get stuck if he ever tried to come in here.” She waited patiently for Kat to finish her descent before they began to walk through that tiny hallway to return to that junction with the warehouse’s double doors.

And then she felt it, crashing over her senses, and she instinctively froze. So much power. Much like her own, and yet different. She could feel and sense rather than see the massive flux of Ichor that had very much roared to life so close, just behind the wall. So much energy that could so easily be tampered with...it almost seemed to beckon her, and taunt her. Her gift and yet her curse.

She tried to push away that itch, continuing in her steps, perhaps slower. “Someone’s in the warehouse. We can have a peek, but we shouldn’t bother them too much...” She already knew by this moment that it was Damian, as she was able to deduce and identify the unique signature of his magic. There were few who could pull off such a focused and yet powerful discharge like that, as he had previously demonstrated to her. As Ayura reached for the door, she suddenly hesitated. Perhaps she shouldn’t... however, curiosity seemed to get the best of her, and she gently pushed the door open to enter, holding it open for Kat behind her.

There was Damian, palm to the sky as three pillars of white flame revolved around him. The warehouse was large enough that even with Kat and Ayu’s entry, they would remain at a safe distance away from the mage and his flames. Ayura leaned against the wall to watch, crossing her arms and tilting her head with interest. The elf had a unique view of the mage that none other could share: she could feel the flow of the Ichor through his body as well as the ignition from its metaphysical form into the physical fire. Nothing good would come of startling him or otherwise interrupting, so she simply waited for him to finish.
Damian didn't hear or see Ayura and Kat come into the room. He was too concentrated on his spell. However, it was clear that as time went on, he was starting to run out of energy. When 3 minutes hit, the flames started to waver slightly, becoming more and more unsteady as the seconds ticked away. When 3 and a half minutes hit, he could keep the spell going no longer. The flames violently wavered for a moment before going out. Damian sank to one knee, breathing heavily and sweating profusely, both from the heat and from exhaustion. After remaining in that position for several seconds, he managed to force himself to his feet and staggered over to the wall where the shelves were.

Upon reaching it, he braced himself on it and looked down at the box of Ichor-filled gems. Damian grabbed a handful of them, glad that they were easily reachable. He turned around, leaned against the wall, and slid down to the floor. The mage was still breathing heavily as he sat there. After a moment or two, his body started drawing the ichor out of the gemstones like an animal dying of thirst. Damian felt the golden life-force enter his body, his breathing beginning to become easier as it did so. After a minute or so, his body stopped drawing in the Ichor from the stones. Damian looked down at his hand, and saw the previously glimmering stones to be dull and lifeless. The mage was still somewhat winded, but it wasn't as bad as it was before. He must have used a lot of Ichor in maintaining the spell if he had drained all the stones in his hand and he was still out of breath.

He closed his eyes and took a deep, slightly rattling breath. That was foolish, he thought to himself. Let's not do that again. It was then that Damian heard a noise from near the doorway. He looked in that direction and saw Ayura and Kat standing there, just inside the doors, watching him. He somewhat weakly raised an arm in greeting.
Seychelle Jenner (played anonymously)

Filing away the information, Katlina decided that she would indeed make her way back to visit the silly creatures when she found another good moment. "Thanks for accompanying me this first time." She laughed, "I am all for not becoming dragon toast or an aelori playtoy."

Closing the hatch behind her, Kat lithely followed Ayura back down the ladder and through the small hallway that led into the larger ones branching throughout the area. Keeping just a step behind, Kat quietly allowed the elf to lead her toward the warehouse, her fingers itching to practice with her knives again, longing for the comforting feeling of their hilt's held lightly in her calloused palms, and the thrilling thread of excitement and certainty she always felt just before she flung one.

As they walked, Katlina made a mental note of any targets they passed, which Ayura had mentioned, so that she could be sure to make use of them, it was a great idea, to place them throughout the rooms, since one never knew in what circumstances they'd need to make use of their weapons. It was necessary to practice in many different environments, not just the sterile set up of a practice ring.

Nearing the double doors of the warehouse, Kat slowed, her gaze flicking to Ayura as she picked up on the elf's change in demeanor. Inclining her head in a nod to the explanation, Kat curiously glanced inside as her companion made room, but kept her movements minimal as she watched the use of Ichor. Keeping her own thoughts hidden behind a light curiosity which colored her expression, Katlina watched the impressive display of flame. When the mage finished, clearly exhausted, Kat had to wonder at the extreme usage of his powers. Perhaps he enjoyed taxing himself to the limits of his power, so he knew his own boundaries, and worked to push beyond them. It was something she might have done as well, though perhaps not until she was better acquainted with those around her and more comfortable in her setting. She didn't want to leave herself vulnerable.

As Damian turned toward them, the now lifeless gems held in his palm, Katlina stepped smoothly inside, flicking a smile at Ayura and strode a few paces toward the man, one eyebrow raised as she offered him a half smile and a nod of greeting. After flicking her gaze around the expansive room, her gaze focused once more on Damian with interest. "I suppose you're tired now and wouldn't be interested in a sparring match the old fashioned way?" It wasn't quite a challenge, unless he chose to take it that way. Rather, Kat figured if he was here practicing, what better time and way to feel out her new partners than to spar with them? She wasn't as skilled at hand to hand combat as she was with her knives, but she felt that everyone should he able to defend themselves with their fists if all else went south.
A half-smile that seemed almost rueful appeared on his face. He chuckled a slight bit before looking up at the approaching Kat. He was still a little breathless from the exertion of keeping his spell going for so long. "I'm sorry to say, yes, that is indeed the case," Damian said, adjusting his position on the floor so that he was now sitting upright. He looked away for a few moments, took a deep breath, and looked back at his new compatriot. "However," he continued, "my hand-to-hand combat skills are what one might call 'rudimentary' even at the best of times."

While he was indeed physically strong and in excellent shape, Damian wasn't all that good at close-quarters combat. It would definitely be an important skill to pick up while he was here. His magic was powerful, and he was exceptionally skilled with it, but it had its limits. What had just happened was proof of that. Gingerly, Damian slowly got to his feet, still leaning against the wall for support. He reached down and grabbed another pair of gems from the box on the shelf, which his body drained in short order. He now felt that he could support his own weight and stepped away from the wall. "Although, I would not be opposed to try to better myself at that particular pursuit some other time," he said. He then looked over at Ayura, who he had noticed was watching him with interest. He gave her a weak smile in greeting.
The Treasure Lamp (played by 8TigerBunnyTora) Topic Starter

"We'll whip you up in shape in no time, don't worry," Ayura assured Damian, a small, lopsided smirk upon her face as she eased herself off the wall. "Yes, we all have our specialties, but we do like to make sure that everyone can handle themselves if they're on their own. As for me--well, I'm just glad I won't be the only one doing that here in the Warehouse anymore." He cocked a thumb in the general area of the training ring, referring to the pillars of fire that Damian had summoned earlier. The elf looked a bit thoughtful. She had witnessed Damian's energy beforehand a few different times, mentally comparing his spell now to the blow-by-blow matching that had occurred when they destroyed that tome together. Interesting.

She also glanced over at the quantity of gems that Damian had consumed in replenishing his energy. There were plenty more in the box, of course, as they all took care to keep it stocked, but it was true that he'd used up a pretty sizable amount. The elf could quietly determine a fairly close estimate of the amount of Ichor that was used to release that powerful spell.

"I guess, Katlina, there's another use of the guild fund I seem to have forgotten to mention, to supply the Warehouse," she mused lightly as she glanced over at the rogue. "All of us have access to the resources in here."

One of the double doors opened once more, and the dark-skinned Fae entered, looking around. "Oi, oi, you guys've barely been 'ere f'r twen'y minutes and there's already a ruckus down 'ere," Kaito teased lightly in the others' general direction as he sauntered in, his hands in the pockets of his shorts. He had felt the vibration and disturbance that came with the heat and the footsteps...well, theoretically speaking, he could probably pinpoint exactly what room each member was in, especially since they were underground. The earth-attuned DuskFae was definitely in his element here.
Lance listened to the toy maker speak. He wasn't an inventor himself, but figuring out how things worked was something he always had taken an interest in. Whether it be from the mechanics of his guns to how one would properly use another weapon like a dagger or sword.

He watched as Kaj drained the Ichor from the dragon, looking over his shoulder, but not incredibly close to him. He seemed intrigued as to the mechanism of the dragon itself. "I see... I've only known of Ichor as a source of magic and as a life force." He paused. "Well I did before I saw it used in... twisted ways first hand..." He said, shaking his mind from the twisted use of Ichor he had seen before. "But nevermind that..." Lance said, changing the subject at hand.

"So it works as a vessel..." Lance looked at the dragon's many parts. "It makes me wonder what all can be done with Ichor. If it can be used to mimic life, like in golems as you mentioned, I can't think of the limits it would have." Lance mused. "Of course I'd imagine without all the intricacies of the shell of the dragon it wouldn't be able to move or preform as well. Or would I be mistaken in that regard?" Lance questioned.

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