Fated (Chapter Eighty-Three)
Sunday, February 7th, 2016 01:26 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
tanadin posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
mindcracklovec:
Chapter list: http://tanadin.dreamwidth.org/382.html
Map of the continent: http://tanadin.deviantart.com/art/F
Character status spreadsheet: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet
Chapter Eighty-Three
Time sync.
Kingdom of Traz’madar, Minecraftia. November 19, year 573. Time instance 483Z.
Velana sighed, leaning back in the chair that the skettisren had kindly provided for her. News had reached the skettisren about four days ago that Kalt’on had fallen to a group of rebels and that the Hostiles within had been either destroyed or driven out. The skettisren were chattering excitedly about the event, as this was big news to the world. The sudden upheaval of the Kalt’on government could lead to the isolated, warlike country changing its ways entirely, and if word was to be believed, the new king was friends with the heir to the Dalanian throne.
So Nia went south. Velana shuddered at the thought of her niece in that horrible, blistering country, but at least she was alive upon leaving Dae’vos and heading this way. She had heard no news of Adrian, but she supposed the skettisren had mostly abandoned their Dalanian tunnels since the Shattering due both to the shatterbeasts and the occasional earthquakes and eruptions that plagued the area as Iilthrid stirred in his fitful, corrupted sleep.
Velana blinked and was pulled from her thoughts as a massive amount of magical energy brushed against her awareness. Her eyes narrowed and she got to her feet. She had briefly felt this energy a couple of times the previous day, but it had vanished before she could get a good grasp of where it was. Now, however…
Velana grabbed her staff and left her room, quickly informing the nearest skettisren that she was going out to investigate something and would be back soon. He nodded and told her to be safe (or he told her to set a tree on fire and then mate with it- her grasp of Skarish was not good) and went back to what he was doing, which appeared to be fiddling with some kind of metal contraption. The skettisren, while familiar enough with Velana to know that she was no threat, still insisted upon posting a guard outside of her room, more for her own safety than anyone else’s. Some skettisren were more hostile towards outsiders and the majority of the skettisren didn’t wish for her to see them as inhospitable.
Skettisren are intelligent and helpful if nothing else, Velana reflected as she moved up the tunnel towards the nearest exit. She quickly explained that she needed to investigate something to the guards at the entrance and they nodded, allowing her outside.
She took a deep breath before turning herself towards the mass of magical energy and began to walk, Fey flitting along beside her. She really didn’t have any idea what could possibly be causing this much disturbance in the flow of magic, and theorizing only worried her further. As she drew closer, she could tell that it was definitely multiple somethings all together causing this disruption, but she wasn’t certain as to their identity before she stopped at the edge of a ridge. She frowned slightly and peered over the edge, realizing that the area under the ridge had been hollowed out with magic to create a small cave that should not exist.
Her eyes caught upon some kind of bizarre monster that she recognized from descriptions the skettisren had given her. Translucent, pale green, scaly and winged. Red eyes that glowed with enough hatred to burn through the ground and the hearts of mortals. She shivered and backed up into the forest, not sure how she felt about knowing the source of the magical energy.
On one hand, she now knew where the Hostiles were.
On the other, they were a mere fifteen minute’s walk from where she suspected the descendants were going to be meeting up.
Velana was, in short, not pleased about this.
Fey chattered nervously, circling Velana as the short woman made her way back to the skettisren tunnels. She convinced the guards to let her in and walked down the tunnels, mostly ignoring the excited chatter about…skeleton faces? She wasn’t entirely sure what that was about but she wasn’t paying attention until she almost ran right into a Sunspine. He jerked in surprise and got his sword halfway out of his sheath before realizing that she was no threat and shoving it back in. The Shadefang next to him looked a bit skittish and backed up, away from Velana, as the Sunspine addressed her. Upon closer inspection, the Shadefang’s right arm appeared to be broken.
Familiar to some, but not Velana.
“I hadn’t expected to see a human down here.”
“I didn’t expect to run right into a couple of Skullblades. You guys are usually less than friendly with skettisren.”
The Sunspine shrugged. “It’s necessary and neither of us have a specific grudge against them.” He motioned at the Shadefang’s arm. “A friend of ours told us to come here and get that replaced. It’s too broken to be used properly again and the skettisren have devised a way to create limbs from metal and redstone.” His gray eyes contained barely masked excitement.
The Shadefang shot him a look. “You’re just wishing it was you with the broken arm.”
The Sunspine looked vaguely hurt. “I do not.”
“You do and don’t deny it.”
“Your friend?” Velana interrupted, looking curious. “What kind of friend do you have that can waltz into skettisren tunnels and ask them to make you a new arm?”
“Another skettisren.” The Shadefang told her. “It’s good being friends with people destined by prophecy to do great things. You get really well connected.”
Wait. Prophecy?
“Prophecy?” Velana blinked. “What was this skettisren’s name?”
“Mitven.”
Mitven. The skettisren had mentioned that one of their own with that name had gone with the Davions into Sunspire. Could it be…
“Was she traveling with Adrian or Dalania Davion?”
The Skullblades exchanged looks.
“Who’s asking?” The Sunspine asked, wary.
“My name is Velana. I’m Adrian and Nia’s aunt.”
The Shadefang’s eyes widened in realization. “Velana? Nia’s told us all about you! You’re a really powerful mage, right? How did you get here?!”
“That’s a long story.” Velana mumbled, sighing. “But have you seen Nia recently?”
“Seen her? Blade and I were just dropped off at the door by her and all the rest of the south group, like, five minutes ago. If you leave now and go east a little bit then you should find them.”
A meeting of groups.
Blade nodded. “She’s right. I can see you’re wanting to catch up to them, so you’d better get going. Tell them Blade and Fate sent you and Marcus probably won’t stab you.”
“She’d magic his ears off.” Fate said, confident. “Or something. Mages do that to people.”
Velana smiled and nodded. “Thank you very much, you two. Good luck with your arm!”
“Thank you!” Fate waved with her left arm as Velana whirled around and set back out, up the tunnel, with new determination in her eyes.
She made her excuses to the skettisren and set out in the direction that Fate had indicated, almost running as she sensed the magical signatures of two dragons and a powerful magical artifact, likely the bow that Nia had obtained shortly before leaving for Ashwatch.
Velana heard a dragon rumble something along the lines of “Quiet, I hear someone coming” before she burst out through the trees, eyes locking on Nia and shoulders slumping in relief. “Nia!”
“Aunt Velana?!” The girl turned around and stared at her as if she couldn’t possibly be real, as if she were hallucinating. She pushed her goggles up her face and blinked several times before running forward and hugging her shorter aunt tightly, gasping out various forms of “holy shit” and “how did you get here” and “please don’t touch my side my rib is still hurt”
Velana eventually let her go and stepped back, evaluating first her niece and then the rest of the group. “This is quite the group you have assembled!”
“This is about half of it- the others are still up north.” Iirkolav informed her, then looked at Nia oddly. “Who is…”
“Oh, right! Everyone, this is my aunt Velana. Aunt Velana, this is the south team. Like Iirkolav said, the north team still isn’t here…we’re destined to save the world and it’s been…really stressful and we’ve lost some people and oh I’m so, so glad you’re here we needed another adult.” Nia hugged her aunt tightly. “Not that Mokdal and Iirkolav aren’t great people at adulting but dammit you’re someone I know.”
“I’m glad you’re okay.” Velana told her, hugging her again. “I was really worried. What about Adrian? Is he okay?”
Nia glanced at Onai and the young darkness elementalist shrugged. “The shadows haven’t told me anything about him, if that’s what you’re wondering.” He mumbled something to himself and then shook his head. “No. They won’t tell me anything. They’re very adamant that I know about the bird making a nest a half-mile away, however.”
Axid made a face and signed something to him.
“Yes. They’re always like that. I only mention the useful things they say, usually.” He glanced at Velana. “They never mentioned you, either, which I find odd.”
“Aunt Velana, how did you get here?” Nia asked her.
Velana blinked at her. “I have book club with Skera every Saturday.” She said this as if it was an obvious answer.
Iirkolav groaned. “Of course that’s how you found us. If you’re friends with my mother, I’d believe anything that comes out of your mouth involving her because it’s probably all true or a less extreme version of the real thing.”
Velana nodded. “Of cour- wait, your mother?”
Iirkolav nodded. “That’s a really, really long story that I don’t have time to explain, but I’m sort of over two hundred and fifty years old. Kinda. Not really.” He shrugged. “Anyway, we’re here to wait for the north group and then we need to find the Hostiles.”
“Oh, that’s easy.” Velana said casually. “They’re just over there.”
-~-
Blame stared at Vechs as if he was insane.
“Your mother has the weirdest ways of helping people.”
“Don’t I know it.” Vechs mumbled. “I’m not surprised, though. I would have been worried about her if she hadn’t pulled something like this.”
“What? Pulled what?” Aureylian looked up from her orb, confused.
“Nia and Adrian’s aunt has been following them all across Minecraftia due to my mother being the most bizarre human being to ever walk the face of the planet.” Vechs told her, crossing his arms. “How she does it, I’ll never know.”
“Are you sure she escaped the Davion Curse?” Paul asked him. “She seems…not all there. As if she left parts of her mind all over the place.”
“She kinda does, doesn’t she?” Blame nodded, agreeing with him.
“At least she’s not like Kaltaerion.” Pause piped up from the corner.
“Don’t remind me about him.” Blame snarled, and the room fell silent, remembering Nia’s internal struggles.
Well, shit.
-~-
“What is it that you do all day?” Tarsen demanded. “It looks like you just read, complain at me, and then wander off for a few hours.”
“What is it you do all day? It looks like all you do is bitch about being bored.” Kaepravah looked up from her book.
“I can’t do a whole lot while I’m stuck in here!”
“Well, there’s not a whole lot I can do while you’re in there, either.”
Tarsen raised an eyebrow at her. “Was that meant to be suggestive?”
“It was not.”
“It totally was.”
“It was only a suggestion to shove your foot in your mouth and shut the fuck up.”
“Oh, are you into that?” Tarsen wiggled his eyebrows.
“Don’t make me tell the Heart to shock you.”
“Only if you think that’s hot. You know, I- OW! FUCK!” Tarsen yelped as every cell in his body screamed in pain for a brief moment before it vanished altogether. He glared at the Davion, crossing his arms at her innocent look.
“That was unnecessary.”
“So are your remarks.” She fired back, turning a page of her book. “You should be out soon.”
“What? Really?”
“If your friends are successful at beating Specterveil, yes. If not, then no. You would be, unfortunately, stuck in there forever unless I completely vaporized you. Tell me, if they fail, would you like me to vaporize you so you don’t have to be bored for the rest of eternity?”
“Actually, you know, staying in here suddenly seems kinda nice. I’ll stay in here.”
Kaepravah snorted but didn’t respond, leaving Tarsen to wonder over the fates of his friends.
He hoped Samuel was okay.
no subject
Date: Sunday, February 7th, 2016 09:06 pm (UTC)-Observing Anon
no subject
Date: Sunday, February 7th, 2016 09:11 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: Sunday, February 7th, 2016 09:36 pm (UTC)take that how you will
no subject
Date: Wednesday, February 10th, 2016 12:22 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: Sunday, February 7th, 2016 09:10 pm (UTC)Oooo, shits about to get real. The Hostiles are virtually on top of the Descendants as they meet back up, things are going to happen and they're going to happen quickly. Baton down your hatches people this is the calm before the storm.
no subject
Date: Sunday, February 7th, 2016 09:37 pm (UTC)it certainly is...a chapter
no subject
Date: Sunday, February 7th, 2016 09:49 pm (UTC)*begins to prepare shelters and counselling groups for the fallout of the upcoming chapters.
no subject
Date: Sunday, February 7th, 2016 10:20 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: Monday, February 8th, 2016 04:33 pm (UTC)-the lurkiest lurker
no subject
Date: Tuesday, February 9th, 2016 01:05 am (UTC)no subject
Date: Tuesday, February 9th, 2016 06:43 am (UTC)-Observing Anon
no subject
Date: Tuesday, February 9th, 2016 08:58 am (UTC)-Anon Cami
no subject
Date: Tuesday, February 9th, 2016 03:53 pm (UTC)-Observing Anon
no subject
Date: Wednesday, February 10th, 2016 02:44 am (UTC)Thank you Observing Anon.
Can I please order a cookie with the powers of teleportation and element manipulation?
no subject
Date: Wednesday, February 10th, 2016 04:33 am (UTC)-Observing Anon
no subject
Date: Wednesday, February 10th, 2016 12:23 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: Tuesday, February 9th, 2016 04:30 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: Wednesday, February 10th, 2016 02:41 am (UTC)Also Tanadin that is what has me concerned, the fact that you admit that it is scary.
no subject
Date: Sunday, February 7th, 2016 09:34 pm (UTC)G.C. (::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)
no subject
Date: Sunday, February 7th, 2016 09:34 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: Sunday, February 7th, 2016 09:37 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: Sunday, February 7th, 2016 10:00 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: Sunday, February 7th, 2016 10:21 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: Sunday, February 7th, 2016 11:06 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: Monday, February 8th, 2016 05:48 am (UTC)-Anon Cami
no subject
Date: Tuesday, February 9th, 2016 04:31 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: Monday, February 8th, 2016 04:32 pm (UTC)(::) (::) (::) (::) (::) (::) (::)
-the lurkiest lurker
no subject
Date: Tuesday, February 9th, 2016 04:31 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: Monday, February 8th, 2016 11:53 pm (UTC)damn you and your pronouns tanadin
Velana hype
Tarsen is awesome
PREPARE FOR BATTLE EVERYONE
-Kluuless being lazy again
no subject
Date: Tuesday, February 9th, 2016 04:31 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: Wednesday, February 10th, 2016 02:46 am (UTC)no subject
Date: Wednesday, February 10th, 2016 03:10 am (UTC)no subject
Date: Wednesday, February 10th, 2016 11:53 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: Thursday, February 11th, 2016 12:03 pm (UTC)And they're going to do bad guy things