Lore: Destroy all that Binds

Post by **Soran Nightblade** » Sat Nov 26, 2005 2:19 am

Far up on the Western slope of mount May'em, a large, menacing building stood built into the steep terrain. The building, and the smaller network of arsenals and storehouses surrounding it, comprised the Arken military's Sorcery Research Facility, where all of Arken's fiercest and most ingenious cutting-edge magical weaponry and works of sorcery were designed, researched, and tested. The compound was still in somewhat disheveled shape from the violent escape of an experiment involving the creation of a live demon a few months ago, and piles of rubble and scorched cement showed that the reconstruction process was not perfectly complete. The vast central building, however, which was of a huge, circular construction, showed no remaining signs of disrepair. Despite its size, the research center had almost no windows, save for a huge glass dome reinforced with a magical barrier which rose from the center of the roof of the building, glowing a dim crimson hue.

The circumference of the building consisted of laboratories and experimental chambers. Within, beneath the great dome, was the large circular chamber where the head of the Division of Military Sorcery, Reya Firecrost, kept her office and did most of her research. The chamber's circular walls were lined with closets and rows of tall wooden bookshelves, and access to the upper shelves was provided by a sliding ladder set on a track around the room. Reya sat at a large glass desk that hovered on its own over the ground without any legs. The desk was covered with books and notes, but not cluttered; Lady Firecrost was one who liked to have all her affairs in order.

Reya was scribbling notes in a large leather-bound book, and finally reached a stopping point for the evening. Her work was important to her, but her whole self was not in it tonight. She was thinking about things again, things that she wanted nothing to do with anymore. Closing the book, she stretched slightly, her beautiful long red-brown hair falling over her shoulders before she relaxed again. She had become engrossed in work and had not eated since morning, and she was eager to have dinner.

"Feln," she called out, firmly but not sharply, and one of her lesser servants appeared in the doorway. "Have Sharr prepare dinner," she said, and the short man bowed before quickly going off to deliver the message.

"Jhaptal?" Reya spoke calmly, knowing her servant was in her vicinity but not certain where he had chosen to place himself this time. He was a far more important servant, and she never used him for things so trivial as fetching her meals.

Kyosuke · Post by **Kyosuke** » Sat Nov 26, 2005 2:30 am

A square piece of tile popped up from the floor behind Reya and a man, his face stoic, pulled himself up from under it, carefully replacing a few boards under it and replacing the tile. Jhaptal, as he brushed off his clothing, which had become dusty while he was hiding under the floor, replied with a "Yes Lady Reya?" from behind her.

Post by **Soran Nightblade** » Sat Nov 26, 2005 2:41 am

Reya looked back at Jhaptal as he emerged from the floor, accustomed by now to his fasidious guarding habits. "You really needn't guard so carefully when I'm just working in my office," she said as usual almost gently, though her flutelike voice, as always, lacked any real warmth.

Kyosuke · Post by **Kyosuke** » Sat Nov 26, 2005 2:45 am

"I would feel... uneasy if I was not doing this all the time Lady Reya," Jhaptal replied. "We may be in the mountains and on the top floor, but there is always the chance that you will need me. It is my duty to guard you at all times." The two had been through this many times before, and the ninja always responded with that answer, or an answer very much similar to it.

Post by **Soran Nightblade** » Sat Nov 26, 2005 3:54 pm

Reya nodded at his usual response, seeming distracted. She was normally calm and collected at all times, but had been more on edge since the demon creation project had gone awry. The detectable symptoms of this were very subtle, but her voice and her crystal blue eyes had gained a hard edge that disrupted their usual cool steadyness. "I've been informed that the repairs to the compound are past the critical steps, so I am leaving the final parts of the process to them. The shields surrounding this building and the dome in particular have been raised to twice the normal level in the case that the experiment chooses to return and attack," she briefed him on the main security-related changes that had been made that day. "The test subject is still at large, and no sightings have been reported. I may need to dispatch a group to track it down."

Kyosuke · Post by **Kyosuke** » Sat Nov 26, 2005 4:09 pm

"Do you need for me to be a part of that group Lady Reya?" Jhaptal querried. "Or do you have another purpose for me right now?" Though he was now in the open and talking to Reya, the ninja had not dropped his guard. If anything, he brought it up even higher. He was straining his senses as he awaited his orders.

Post by **Soran Nightblade** » Sat Nov 26, 2005 6:18 pm

"No..." Reya said introspectively, speaking as though she was deep in thought, "I may have another issue that takes precedence."

Kyosuke · Post by **Kyosuke** » Sat Nov 26, 2005 6:24 pm

"What are your orders then Lady Reya?" Jhaptal asked. He wondered if there was someone that was becoming too ambitious for her tastes that she needed silenced, or if it was just something as simple as spying on a faction.

Post by **Soran Nightblade** » Sat Nov 26, 2005 7:25 pm

Reya hesitated for a moment, as if about to say something, and then changed her mind. "Guard the area as usual. I'll decide how we should proceed soon," she said. As she spoke, the servant came back rolling a cart with food on it and carried it to Reya. Another plate had been prepared for Jhaptal as well. Reya dismissed the servant and gestured for Jhaptal to bring up a chair and eat.

Kyosuke · Post by **Kyosuke** » Sat Nov 26, 2005 9:45 pm

Jhaptal nodded, used to the closer manner that Reya treated him with. He brought over a chair and placed it across from hers and began eating his own meal. Idly he wondered how many other ninjas got to do this and he was glad that he had left the village.

"Is there something bothering you?" the ninja asked. He had sensed a disturbance in her emotions ever since the mess up involving the escaped demon.

Post by **Soran Nightblade** » Sat Nov 26, 2005 10:43 pm

Reya's expression tightened at the ninja's question. "Of course not," she said coldly. Something had been bothering her, though she did not want to acknowledge it. The more she thought about it, though, the more certain she was of the reason the demon creation experiment had failed.

The spell had been her masterpiece - the most complicated piece of magic she'd ever worked, and it required flawless clarity of mind and focus. The caster must not be distracted by any thoughts or emotions other than the pure intensity of the magic moving through her, and she had felt, at the critical moment, an instant's doubt - just a split second of distraction, and everything had been ruined. She was well aware that her one lingering attachment to anything but sorcery was the roadblock that rendered her incapable of ever exceeding her current level.

Still, she was hesitant to do what was necessary to move forward. It disgusted her to see hesitation in herself. And the knowledge that her servant had even been able to detect this glimmer of uncertainty made her suddenly aware that she could no longer hesitate.

"There is something I want you to look into," she said resolutely, a faint trace of bitterness in her words.

Kyosuke · Post by **Kyosuke** » Sat Nov 26, 2005 10:45 pm

Jhaptal didn't believe what Reya said for a minute. He had already figured out the signs of distractions from her subconscious movements. The way her eyes looked distant during slight moments and even in the tone of her voice whenever she slipped her control. However, he let it slide. "What would you like me to do Lady Reya?"

Post by **Soran Nightblade** » Sat Nov 26, 2005 11:03 pm

"There is an ex soldier of the Arken Military, a man who defied an official mandate and fled the country," she said flatly, knowing they both knew this was an unlikely story; those who defied the queen did not survive escape. She continued sharply, "In all likelihood, he died without ever reaching the Border. Even if he made it to Ighten, the chances he is still alive are slim. I want you to go look into the situation. Find out whether is alive or dead. If you should discover him alive...report to me immediately." She looked at the ninja expectantly.

Kyosuke · Post by **Kyosuke** » Sat Nov 26, 2005 11:10 pm

Jhaptal nodded, the mission seemed safe enough to not be a suicide mission. "Yes Lady Reya. Is there anything else I need to know about the man? Any special features I should look out for to distinguish him?" he asked. "And how exactky did he manage to escape official mandate and flee?" Jhaptal doubted that even he would be able to do that.

Post by **Soran Nightblade** » Sat Nov 26, 2005 11:23 pm

"His name was Soran Nightblade, though if he lives, he may have chosen another. An elven man, very skilled at combat. He fought in the past with a pair of unique metal blades bound to his arms - something he may no longer use. In all likelihood, traveling alone," she said, not responding to the ninja's third question. "That is the most you can be sure of. His escape would have been 14 years ago. I want you to begin tomorrow." Her calm gaze revealed nothing as she spoke to Jhaptal.