There was an endless darkness that quickly shifted into a endless whiteness. He did not know where he was or when he was, thinking alone was hard. Slowly things came into view, a boundless sky with lonely clouds here and there. He was on something solid, hard rock and flakey dirt. Atop a mountain, much like the wall of heaven he had known in his homeland. Atop an outcropping a short distance before him sat a raven haired man on a rock. Wearing brown robes and a straw hat, he held a red katana sheathed to his shoulder while his other hand held with three fingers a long slender pipe with a serpentine dragon made of moonstone coiled around it, it's maw open and smoking slightly as the man puffed. He bore an expression of amusement, removing the pipe tip from his lips he spoke.
"Strength is not enough."
He twirled the pipe, bring it's shaft near the head down on his knee. The glowing ember fell onto the dirt. He breathed out a massive stream of smoke that obscured all vision. When Nigrum woke he felt something in his hand. It was the moonstone dragon pipe from his dream, or perhaps vision.
What he failed to feel was all his equipment on his person. He quickly finds himself wearing only his undergarments which left little to the imagination and made it quite clear that every part of him was strong. Sitting up he quickly looked around for Tsui, his beloved blade was no where to be seen.
"TSUI! Who dares?!"
He jumped to his feet, the blankets falling away to expose nearly all of his body. Upon his chest he now bore five orbs connected by a wavy line in a circular design, with in the top orb was a symbol for sovereign in draconic. Below it in a pair running down on ether side were two different symbols with in each of the orbs, one held the symbol for sky in auran, while the other held the symbol for sea in aquan. Then at the bottom of the circle were the final pair of orbs with yet more different symbols, the one on the left below sea had the symbol for forest in terran, while the one on the right below sky had the symbol for underworld in ignan. He seemed to notice that as much as he noticed where he was as he looked around for his precious Tsui. The vision pipe still in his hand the whole while.
"I see you two have gotten strange marks as well. Please forgive me for asking but... do they have special significances to you? These stripes have a very precise significance amongst my clan," Mihara begins to explain, referring to the golden lines. "A significance which has me very concerned about my brother's well-being."
If, as Father told us, these stripes represent the future head of the clan... Could this mean...?
"Hakeru, brother," Mihara whispers under her breath. "Please be safe..."
The lich smiled as she waited for the others to wake up - for reasons of her own, she'd finally removed her hood, allowing her long, pale hair to tumble down her back, even as a red cape hung down from her shoulders. She wasn't the most beautiful human to ever walk the land - and definitely wasn't in Ayreth's league for pure charisma - but few boyfriends would have much to complain about. Well, you know, other than the whole being dead thing. That was, uh, kind of a turn-off for most people, and those it wasn't a problem for weren't her idea of good romantic material.
What the others hadn't seen yet was the outrageously complex runic circle that now covered most of her back... and she just spoke a few words of greeting as the others acted. "Did you rest well?" she inquired lightly.
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The blackness of space surrounded Ayreth. A body no longer confined her as she moved through it, weightless, massless. Drifting through the cosmos, she toured distant stars, watching them be born, transform, and die. She saw galaxies collide and comets streak past. Time was nothing, and it was everything.
Something caught her attention. She turned toward it. It was another galaxy, not so different from many that she had seen. And yet, she gravitated toward it. She rushed toward the center at an impossible speed, uncertain of the final outcome. Just as she impacted with it, she hear an incredibly deep voice: Wield the heavens.
A rich, purring sound filled Ayreth's ears as she slowly gained consciousness. It was familiar and soothing. She felt the weight on her chest and knew Emmitt was there before her eyes opened. She reached up with her hand and began petting him. As his purr intensified, she finally decided to open her eyes. His violet eyes seemed smug to her.
She stopped mid-motion. On her palm was the galaxy that she had seen. She looked to Emmitt. "Really? It's a bit literal, don't you think?" Emmitt responded to her query by standing and stretching, digging his claws into her chest briefly, with what she felt was a much too self-satisfied smirk. Then he turned and hopped down to the floor, clearly expecting her to follow. She fully planned to stay in bed out of spite.
The voices of Ayreth's companions drifted into the room. With a harrumph at ending up doing what Emmitt wanted, she tossed aside the sheet, stood, and quickly donned her robes. With a quick chuckle at seeing the bow leaning against the wall, she pushed aside the hanging sheet and stepped into the hall, following the voices, which, of course, was where Emmitt was headed. She arrived just in time to hear Azri's question.
"I did. I really did. And you?," she asked as she rubbed her palm.
Azri blinked. "I... recovered well enough." she eventually said. Her body wasn't perfectly undead yet - she was merely resistant to many things that most undead were outright immune to - but one of the things she didn't need was sleep. One of her hands was twitching a bit, like she subconsciously wanted to grab something but wasn't sure what it was.
"Why's that? Does it mean something bad, foxy?" Selena asks to the kitsune, worried by her words. "In any case, yes, this is the holy symbol of Calistria. 'Savor the three stings of passion, guile, and vengeance. No food you ever taste and no thing you ever build will satisfy you as much as my gifts.' That's what the three daggers mean...or three horns, in this case." she says, giggling, looking once again at the symbol on the back of her hand.
"They took me in, you know? When I arrived in Absalom, I was completely out of my element: the people at the temple kept calling me 'little miss princess' for a while, and still do sometime! They're...they're like family." the half-succubus says, smiling to herself, more serious than usual "They taught me how to feel alive: the heart thumping in your chest, the blood boiling in your veins...I wonder how I managed to live without that for all those years." she finishes.
While she's about to continue, Selena notices Nigrum walking naked around the room. "" she shouts. Before the slayer can turn, the half-fiend leaps off and latches her arms around Nigrum's neck.
"Oh, how bold of you! I was worried you didn't notice me, but your silent behavior was only a ruse! Instead, here you are, offering your nude body to me! But...here, in front of everyone? You're so naughty!" the half-succubus grins, pushing her chest against Nigrum's back, her feet dangling in the air.
Good Gods, this is hilarious!
"And what are these things here?" she adds, tapping the spheres on the half-celestial's chest.
"Woohoo! Azri, Ayreth, good morning!" she shouts to the two white haired women, waving from her new vantage point (namely, Nigrum's shoulders). "Gee, you should take that hood off more often: you're really cute! And you two look a lot alike!" she giggles.
"Amongst my clan, these stripes symbolize authority and wisdom; they are a mark given by Daikitsu to signify her blessing of the leader of a clan. My eldest brother was born with the stripes, denoting him as my father's heir. My father was born with them as well, as the heir to his own father. My grandmother had them from her father, who had them from her father, who had it from his mother, and so on. We can trace these stripes up the family tree all the way to my ancestor, Yao Saroku, who, legend says, earned them as a gift from Daikitsu herself, for services rendered." Mihara recounts.
"For them to appear on the second child of a generation, let alone for them to suddenly manifest, is unheard of. I fear what this may mean... These may very well mark me as heiress to my brother's title; I fear for his life."
"I should send a letter home as soon as I can. If we are to undertake the quest to raise Khalharum, as Zhen has requested, then I need to let them know that I will be gone for a long time, and I need to let my brothers and sisters know of what has transpired. Only then will I be able to rest peacefully."
Nigrum reaches around and grabs one of Selena's legs with his free hand. Easily lifting her up in front of him, her head facing his mid section.
"Off me! I must find Tsui!"
He sets her down to his side as he storms out looking for his nodachi. Apparently unconcerned with his appearance or new mark upon his chest. A sudden sound of shaking metal and mumbled words from down the hall brings him back a few moments later. Tsui on his back with the rest of his clothes and gear in his arms save the loose pale white pants he took the time to put on. He sets his gear down near by and sits as he inspects his boots before hand, removing a scrap of burnt dead flesh that he had no idea how it got there.
It is while doing that that he finally notices the symbol on his chest.
"Who did this?!"
First bright colours, then shapes in the darkness, the...a voice, then further darkness. Darkness that seemed to cling and change and made Aibek slow to wake.
Hearing words the reminded the witchwolf youth of Mother caused initial stirring and muffled broken mutterings...
Unsettled, Aibek twisted about in the bed, pulled slowly out of dreams by words which caused ever changing images to bend through a half awake witchwolf mind. Disjointed images pushing together and broken by the sounds around, Aibek felt something trying push through, caught glimpses of familiar faces, but slowly opened eyes to flee from it to find dim light and material all around.
Aibek had in sleep wrapped the blanket around so the witchwolf was curled up completely underneath. Groggily hearing the others, Aibek looked down and adjusted the clothes as well as possible for full coverage while still curled up.
Enjoying the comfort of the bed, Aibek's thought lingered on the images and voices while fingers found the cloth on the head had slipped, releasing dark brown-black hair. Aibek stretched and messily pulled hair back up and wrapped before while sitting up. Adjusting the head wraps further for comfort and coverage, Aibek left the bed to see the others better.
Smiling softly to the other, Aibek quietly spoke thoughts aloud "I wonder how long that thing knocked us out for, feels like I've rested ages..." Aibek commented, mouth and fingers slightly twitching, arms crossed, one hand rubbing unconsciously against the back of the right arm...
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"Oh my. Selena, you have something on your chest." Ayreth helpfully points to naked Nigrum before shielding her eyes. She looks skeptically at Azri. "I mean, sure, we both have white hair, but her skin is... and my eyes..." She doesn't seem to know how to finish.
When Nigrum walks off searching, she asks Selena, "Was he immune to your... charms? I've heard that some men prefer 'swords'," she teases.
"How come Nigrum was the only one in his underpants?" a familiar voice queries from an apparently empty chair. "No one else is naked. Selena, how come you aren't in your underwear too? For some reason it seems like you should be. Not much point in me doing it, of course. You can't even tell if I'm wearing shoes or not."
"In fairness," Kira replied, "People sat on me before I was invisible. I dunno if you can judge from where my voice is but I'm pretty short. So if someone else decides to sit here I move. Being squashed is no fun. But I'm OK. Are you guys all OK? The Cleric said you'd all e fine but it's been almost a week since you got whamed."
Overhearing the discussion pulls Mihara out of her thoughts.
Hakeru's strong and resourceful. Something bad isn't going to befall him so easily. It's got to be related to the stone, and how the others also gotten marks. I'll write home as soon as I can, and until then, there's nothing I can do and I may as well rest my concerns.
Forcing herself to set her worries aside for now, she rejoins the conversation just in time to hear Kira's first question, cursing herself for missing the spectacle.
"I'd wander a guess that we were put to bed by a male caretaker. Then, it'd make sense that Nigrum would be the only one of our lot the person felt comfortable putting in more comfortable resting attire, so to speak."
Figuring that, after what happened, her changing wouldn't be quite as indiscrete, Mihara reaches for the sleeves of her now-heavily-wrinkled dress, and pulls them free from her shoulders, causing the entire garment to fade out of reality, with the sleeves retaking their natural appearance of simple blue silk, and leaving her in a simple white shirt and tight slacks.
She slips the sleeves back on and utters a simple incantation in Sylvan, causing the sleeves to glimmer faintly. In a flash of magic, Mihara has taken on an entirely different outfid: A white-and-gold ceremonial Tien kimono embroidered with Daikitsu's nine-tailed fox symbol on its back.
"That or he had more extensive injuries or they did his laundry last and hadn't gotten them back yet...I imagine most of out clothes were not fit to lay a week in. Or he shed them as he slept, I've seen it happen before" Aibek pondered outloud, quite pleased to not have been the naked one though wondered if it was just imagination that the vest and neck guard felt clean, or at least cleaner than when they'd been knocked out.
Aibek continued to absentmindedly rub the back of the right arm. "Kira, how are the clerics and the whole finding a way to uninvisible you and general things been over the last week?" Aibek asked, feeling uncomfortable with having been out so long and the fleeing wisps of dreams. We should let them know we've woken, before or after we finish readying ourselves. Kira, are there washrooms nearby that could be used?" Aibek continued.
"They seemed a bit nervous about approaching me." Azri mused, looking down at her own garments. Well, that was fine... it was just clothes, right? She did look up at Kira a moment later, though. Or, well, where she thought Kira was, anyway. "Hmm... if you're going to keep traveling with us, I can try removing your curse myself later on, Kira." she offered. "After what happened to me before, I think it would be good to be prepared for things like that in the future... I need to do some more studying before I could even begin to manage it, though."
"Speaking of curses and magic... Azri, Ayreth, does either of you think you could help me with a little experiment? There is a trick known amongst the Kitsune that I've never been able to do until now, but I have a hunch my third tail might just be enough to let me unlock it."
"Do either of you know some form of self-improvement spell? A magical shield, perhaps, or even a simple boon."
"Don't worry too much, Mihara. You just said yourself that it is the first time something like this happens! It could mean any-WHOA!" Selena starts to comfort the Kitsune, before Nigrum grabs her by the foot and puts her on the ground. She stays silent until Nigrum storms out a second after, and then groans.
"Judging by how fast he ran out of the room, he really likes swords, Ayreth. Of what kind I don't know, but just an acknowledgment or a 'Thanks, but no thanks' would be enough." she sighs, still on the floor, putting her face in her palms "Do you think I was too subtle? I don't think I was too subtle." she muses, just as Aibek greets everyone.
Well, muscle guy over there is no fun, so let's try with him...
"" she giggles, running to the witchwolf, hugging her from the side. "Do you think I was too subtle?" she whispers to the shapeshifter, drawing close to her face.
I swear, if he grabs me by the foot and throws me around, too...
_/\_/\_/\_/\_/\_
"Good Morning Kira. Yeah, what foxy said makes sense: if it was for me, I surely won't have slept with these clothes! Or in underwear, for that matter: that's too stuffy, too." she comments.
"Could you tell us what happened while we were knocked out? Are you and the priest at the temple okay? Is...is grampa okay, too?" the half-succubus adds, echoing Ayreth's worry.
Aibek smiled and chuckled softly at side the hug with happy confusion while trying to twist to attempt to hug back, making no other attempt to move.
"Selena! Hi... uh, I don't think it's you, I think Nigrum's just preoccupied with his sword and his stuff..." Aibek said while glancing over at Nigrum a moment before looking at back Selena.
"I am thinking of going to find someone to tell them we're up and find out what's been going on while we were out with Zhen Halfblood and the temple and the thing I picked up, and Kira's invisibility and other things. And getting messages to people". Aibek said with a glance to Mihara before glancing down. And washing. That's about it, I think, unless someone else needs to do something. Just need to work on the order to do it all in. I think Nigrum wants to finish dressing before we go anywhere most likely..." the witchwolf rambled thoughts outloud before turning gaze towards Kira's chair.
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Ayreth giggles, but then masks her humor with a very serious expression. "Yes, Selena, you were much too subtle, obviously. I mean, you were on his back. How is a boy supposed to know what to do with that? You'll do better next time, I'm sure."
Ayreth raises an eyebrow at Mihara's query. "You have me curious. I think I can help with that." Ayreth's hand is surrounded by tiny swirling spirit lights as she says, "Golau darian." She raises her hand as she takes a step toward the kitsune. Before Ayreth can reach her, the lights shoot out towards Mihara, surrounding her briefly before fading away.
Ayreth looks down at her hand in shock and mumbles, "Well, that's new..."
-------------------------------------------------------------------
As Ayreth begin casting the spell towards her, Mihara raises a hand. "Wait! No. Sorry, I wasn't very clear. Could you cast it on yourself?"
Assuming Ayreth does so, Mihara nods. "Thank you... Now, how did my mother do this..."
Mihara focuses for a moment and approaches Ayreth, feeling for the magical aura. She holds a hand out forward, and suddenly snaps her clawed fist shut.
The air seems to ripple around her hand as she seizes the spell right out of the air, a faint magical glow floating around her fingrs.
"Here goes..."
Mihara gives a strong tug, and, like a translucent blanket, yanks the spell out from around Ayreth, feeling it surround here.
Ayreth can clearly feel that her spell has been removed entirely, and Detect Magic would reveal that it is now protecting Mihara instead.
"I... I did it! I can't believe I did it! Mother's technique!"
Delighted, Mihara pulls Ayreth into a hug. "Thank you! Thank you so much for your help!"
"Whoa, questions." Kira paused as she worked her way through the questions. "Zhen's the really big guy, right? He's still alive, but he's looking pretty awful. Apparently things keep going wrong and the clerics keep sorting them out but he's getting weaker."
"I'm still invisible, obviously," she added, "But Zhen has some old friends that aren't healers, so he's gonna send them letters and see what they can do. And yeah, through the doors over there are some water closets and washrooms. You guys, like, probably need to pee really badly, right? After a week?"
"I've been told I can go with you when you guys secure the city," she continued to Azri's question, "But once Zhen's friends have had there turn I'll see if I can join you guys at Khalharum. Some of the people have been telling me stories, it sounds like it's going to be a really fun place."
Finally she continued, "And everyone from the temple was fine. The light only affected you guys for some reason. Kharl said he felt funny afterwards, since he was so close, but he didn't fall asleep. The guard stayed behind with Redemption and Kharl got some of the servants to help bring you here."
Azri nodded at Kira's words, then glanced over to Mihara, her mouth twitching. Stealing Kira's curse probably wouldn't be the best plan ever (Selena would probably enjoy that at first, if she could do it, then panic over realizing she couldn't charm anyone), and she shrugged at the mention of bodily functions. "I don't really have a digestive system anymore..." Not one that functioned as others understood it, anyway. All she really needed was to maintain her animating force, and she could call that up any time. "I suppose I should wash up, though, just to be sure..." And with that, she wandered into one of the washrooms... securely locking it behind her.
She'd heard tales of strange lands where locks on bathroom doors didn't exist, but fortunately, this didn't seem to be one of them.
Well, he didn't toss me away by the foot: way better.
"Thanks, Aibek. You're much nicer than Ginger." she grins, hugging her tighter. "Yes, you are right." Selena turns to Ayreth with an overly theatrical, serious expression "A frontal attack is required! I also wasn't prepared enough: I must dress more scantly next time!" she adds, clearly stating the impossible of she wanted to avoid crossing the line of public decency. "What do you think I should wear then, Nigrum?" the half-succubus asks to the slayer, grinning mischievously.
Let's try again!
_/\_/\_/\_/\_/\_
"Ah..." Selena says weakly when Kira tells her of Zhen's condition worsening. Letting Aibek go, she walks around the room looking for the bag with her belongings. "I'm...going to change. I'll be back in a bit." she says to the others, her voice almost a whisper. Picking up a pair of clean clothes, she enters the washroom to change, closing the door behind her.
For a while, only the sound of washing water can be heard, then Selena exits the washroom, clothed in a dark red dress as revealing as the last one.
"All done." she tries to force a smile, her eyes a little red.
Nigrum is focused on Tsui for a moment, deep in thought. Then with a slight winch he draws the large blade. He inspected it closely before replacing it in it's home. For a moment it appears he ignored Selena then speaks.
"I find anything that does not confine movement to be acceptable. Yet personally I prefer the styles of Tian Xia, they do have sub styles as well based on region. But I could not suggest anything for a woman, being male my body type is very different."
He looks at the pipe he had obtained. It was in his dream or vision yet he did not smoke or buy it. Why was it in his hand when he woke, much less be the same when he had never seen it before the dream.
He looked at Selena with knowing eyes but said nothing. He was not one to intrude, that was disrespectful. The only thought that kept ringing in the back of his head concerning the old man was a wasted death hovered over him. He deserved better for his skill and life.
Aibek tried to follow the actions and conversations in the room. Aibek smiled broadly at Selena's compliment, and then felt drawn to watch Mihara and Ayreth. The witchwolf's fingers wiggling slightly while watching Mihara achieve the technique. "That looked fun and useful." Aibek commented as Mihara hugged Ayreth. Pulled back to Selena's discussion with Nigrum, Aibek felt compelled as a skin walker to point out "It's more species that makes body types different, and even then most things are adaptable with consideration, I find"
~~~~~~~~~
Aibek breathed deep once let go by Selena and sighed while mulling over Kira's words. "There are a few in my clan who can remove curse, it's an important ability to keep to hand when repairing damage caused by...'untrained and thoughtless elements' as my father would say. I suspect a letter or two are already sent there, but I can send letters myself if you wish. It would be nice to finally see you and for you to come to Khalharum with less fear of being squashed". Aibek said, obviously avoiding part of what Kira had said.
Lost in further thought and feeling thoughts had been lost, Aibek went and lifted a large bag onto one shoulder and carried the entire thing into a washroom, swiftly locking it behind.
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When Mihara steals the effect of the spell, Emmitt hisses from near Ayreth's feet. As Mihara hugs her, Ayreth awkwardly hugs her back. Her chin digs into Mihara's shoulder slightly as she looks down at the cat. "I agree, Emmitt, that is really disconcerting. I mean, that's a really neat trick, Mihara, it's just...it felt weird," she says as she steps back.
At the news of Zhen's failing health, and the reminder about the washrooms, Ayreth says, "We need to go see him! I'll get ready!" She dashes toward the nearest one.
Mihara puts some distance between herself and Ayreth, seeing that her friend is uncomfortable.
"My apologies. I failed to consider it would be unsettling from the other side. I promise I have no intention of stealing any more of your spells. Not without your permission, at least."
"I had best wash up as well," Mihara says, fetching her travel pack and her toiletries. "I can't say I'm looking forward to brushing my fur after sleeping for a whole week..."
Moments later, a confused Tien interjection sounds from within, followed by the fizzling of a dismissed spell. As it turns out, magical shields tend to get in the way of bathwater as well as that of arrows.
~~~
Soaking in the warm bath, Mihara finds herself pondering what other gifts might have come with her third tail.
It's been a while since I've tried this... Hm...
She focused on her inner magic, visualising the transformation she seeks to achieve.
Running through the wildfields in the primal hunt for prey...
Resting in the warm sunlight of a summer afternoon...
The small, lithe form of the agile and stealthy fox...
Every time, however, her meditation is broken. Try as she might, the Kitsune's third form is beyond her. She can suppress her animal side, as most of her kin can, but calling it fully forth is beyond her.
Mildly disappointed, she slowly drifts back off in meditation, though her thoughts wander back home.
How are you doing, Siblings, I wonder. Are you worried for me? A letter would take days to make it home... perhaps with magic? I shall have to ask Zhen.
Everyone seems so concerned for the old man. Most of them are so much closer to him than I am, and especially Selena. What was it she had called him again... ah yes, Grandpa.
As she climbs out of the bath and dries herself up, Mihara gets a mischievous idea. Perhaps a little laugh would help Selena through such a moment.
~~~
A short while later, the door to the water closet reopens... and a man walks out, who looks almost indiscernable from Nigrum, down to the clothing and posture, despite the swordsman still being quite obviously present in the room.
"How dare you impersonate me?!" "Nigrum" demands to know, angrily pointing at his counterpart.
Nigrum looks the imposture dead in his eyes. His voice is not loud but it's meaning comes across clearly.
"Oh really? Do you wish to test that?"
His presence rises like a whirlwind at the challenge.
Azri came out of her own washroom, dressed in her normal robes and toweling off her hair, but paused in the middle of that as she noticed what was going on. "...Huh." she said, walking right by them and sitting down on the couch where she calmly stretched out and put her hands behind her head, attentive and ready to watch the show.
"Do I? ... Not particularly, no..." The fake laughs nervously, before reclaiming her own human form, who is now practically swimming in clothing meant for a much larger body than her own. A quick change later, Mihara has donned her earlier kimono once more.
"No fun, that one..." she grumbles.
Selena blinks a couple of times when the second Nigrum emerges from the washroom. "I have no idea..." she replies to Ayreth with a puzzled. When Nigrum the 2nd shows to have a much different attitude than the original and reverts to her original form, the half-fiend barely suppress a laugh.
When Mihara exits and reenters the room, Selena gives her a quick hug and kisses the Kitsune on the cheek "Thanks Mihara, I really needed that laugh.".
"If everyone's ready, let's go see Grampa. Maybe he knows something about these weird symbols we've got." she says to the other, a bit more cheerful than before.
And I want to see myself how he's doing...
"What a shame."
He stands to walk with the others, he is keeping his robe open as he keeps glancing down to his chest. He couldn't read the symbols but he had seen their like before.
"Can anyone read these?"
"Any reason to get a girl to look at your chest, huh?" Azri asked, glancing over with a smile. "I can read one of them, though - looks like it was etched in Draconic." She was more interested in powerful planar tongues than mundane ones, and it showed.
Between not knowing how to cope with the current situation with a childhood legend and generally feeling...not wrong but off, Aibek felt a great desire to freshen in hopes it would clear the mind. The witchwolf wanted to clean then check in each form - human, bestial, and shadow to see if a root could be found, not in the dreams, visions, whatever that were fading - though Aibek wasn't sure if the eere naturally fading or because Aibek was pushing the images and thoughts away in the entanglement of anxiousness. Aibek wanted to see a reason here for things.
Checking the lock again, Aibek stripped down. Aibek carefully folded the vest, then tossed the rest in the bag with little thought. Once naked, Aibek stepped in the dimmest part of the washroom for ease and then went into the shadow. Aibek went to the shadow first feeling that if anything were to be off, the shadow form was most likely. It was the newest element to Aibek, the most untrained, unlike the bestial form that man feared, the shadows was unlike anything Aibek was raised with and something Aibek had no one trusted now to talk to about. But it was the piece that Aibek chose to pick up and that Aibek hoped to fully connect to someday. And with a few short moments in the shadows, Aibek found that other than moving a bit easier, nothing seem out of place or off.
Aibek stepped out of the shadows in human form. With cloth and home brought soap, Aibek quickly though with care washed, enjoying the brief herbal smells of home. Aibek took the time to wash the long brown-black hair that when loose cloaked around the shoulder and arms like a shadow itself. While washing, Aibek noticed marks on the right triceps but as it caused no pain or weeping, Aibek simply washed at it and found thoughts of it pushed away.
Still damp, Aibek took a deep breath and shifted into bestial form. As the change completed, Aibek's mind could not push away what those amber eyes saw. At first, the claws look to it to fit the hand, obviously far larger than ever and with carefully pressed palms to the face it was obvious that the muzzle was far larger as well. Aibek was certain that these grew with someone, not randomly larger like this. Aibek carefully washed again in this form, trying to allow the herbal scent to relax the racing anxious thoughts and found nothing else out of sort.
Aibek's thoughts continued to race while shifting to human form, automatically twisted and tying the long hair into place and wrapping the hot weather material into a cloth cap to neutralize most features before dressing quickly in fresh small clothes, soft under compressing layer top to blend in any curves, chain shirt, loose hot weather trousers with pouched belt to further blend in features and loose wide long sleeved thin gauze-like shirt that allowed cool breeze, and some obscured visibility, of Aibek's arms. Aibek took a moment to wash the vest as well as possible, staring at the symbols it bore. Racing thoughts of possibly problems, solutions, then to how to find someone who would know.
The obvious answer was the clan but if this was particularly to witchwolves, the eldest Aibek witchwolf would be the best to answer and this Aibek already felt unsettled if still a desire to ask Nurasyl to help Kira, nothing yet would make asking that glowy golden child anything on wolf matters desireable.
Aibek took a deep breath, trying to reorganized thoughts to see that nothing was obviously wrong with slightly big features, could even be useful once used to them, nothing felt painful just off, and that could just be after effects of the light thingy. Aibek had been the one to pick it up after all, bright lights had never been something Aibek enjoyed and, barring a few oddballs, not something werewolves or witchwolves sought out, let alone shadow creatures. Aibek sighed, trying to shake the thoughts out before carefully drying the vest and placing it on. Aibek then reorganized the bag for ease of use and comfort before putting it on. Feeling enough of a delay had been caused by this for the others, Aibek checked the pouches and then, with a deep breath, unlocked the door and walked out.
Aibek walked out of the washroom with a small measured smile, wearing similar to the previous long and loose gauze-like material clothing under an obviously shined up slightly large vest, and backpack appearing ready to go. If one were to get close, an obvious smell of cool herbs seems to still cling to the witchwolf. Aibek looked carefully at the others and was pleased to see what seemed to be a mostly jovial mood, having worried about taking so long.
Hearing Nigrum's question, Aibek glanced while listening to Azri's response. "I can't read any though that one" motioning with a finger towards the Auran one "that one looks familiar, it looks something out of my sibling, Eteri's, books and writings, they're a Wind Oracle, one of the ones who often sheds clothes and things while sleeping..." Aibek mused before continuing to cross the room.
"I have learned the tongues of many sailors and people," Mihara explains. "But alas I do not know these."
"I was always under the impression most tattoos were naked ladies," Kira adds helpfully.
"The Dragon one says 'Sovereign'. Whatever the hell that means." The voice of Grimrod Guthook proceeds the big Orc. "What? I can read. I can do lots of things other than hittin' things." He glanced at the group. "You're not old enough to know what most of them are, mind, but I can do them."
"Oh my! Him too?" Mihara exclaims at the revelation.
"... pray tell, does anyone else's manifested mark indicates some form of authority?" she asks, turning back to her kitsune form from her human one.
"These golden stripes, and now 'Sovereign'... How unusual."
"Oh, good morning Grimrod." Selena greets the orc, before shooking her head at Mihara. "No, this is only the holy symbol of Calistria. As far as I know, it isn't connected in any way to 'sovereignty' or something like that."
Nigrum traces the draconic symbol with a finger.
"Interesting. Their is no such thing as a ruler among my people. Odd indeed for me to have a mark of such."
At Grimrod's second comment he does not respond. Warriors were not such simple creatures, it was pointless to explain to those that thought otherwise.
"But then who tells people to hit other people in the fact with big pointy things?" Grimrod looked vaguely confused for a moment before shrugging. "Don't matter. The Halfblood's awake and wants to see you lot, if you can all find your pants and such. Everyone ready?"
Almost before Grimrod had finished talking, Azri was by the door and ready to go see the one fellow who'd touched all of their lives in such important ways. She still didn't have a very good concept of death... or time... but this was one thing she wasn't slowing down on.
Instinctively relying on her teleportation, Mihara is suddenly standing next to Grimrod. "Let us go, then."
Aibek nodded as Grimrod spoke, dark eyes visibly in a daze, and as others moved, Aibek follows at the edge on the group.
The big Orc nods with a grunt and turns and walks off, as usual not bothering to check if people are following. They are or they aren't. The scrape of a chair signals Kira standing up and following too.
This time you are led to Zhen's private chambers. It's not a surprise to anyone that the they lack much ornamentation, but the rooms are exquisitely laid out with the best of materials. A small shrine sits in one corner dedicated to Sarenerae.
Zhen himself sits on the bed. His skin has dulled even further to an almost gray colour, the once vivid marks on his skin even beginning to dull as the skin the lie on dies. His dark eyes are now dimmed with pain, and he even has thin layer of stubble surrounding the crown of his head rather than keeping it freshly shaved.
He looks up at you as you enter. "I'm sorry," he said in a low voice. "That should not have happened. We had no idea the keystone would react that way to you. All I can say is that it doesn't seem to have hurt you. In fact you all seem to be better than ever. The doctors assure me you are all ludicrously healthy. But still...I am sorry."
Azri quietly held one of Zhen's hands within her own, smiling at him. "Well, health is relative." she said. It... may not have been a word that was applicable to her. "Still, I don't think you asked for our help just so we could be coddled and kept away from danger. Have a little faith in us, hmm? We're not so weak that we're going to disappoint you when you look down on us from the heavens."