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Post by Tony on Mar 23, 2020 18:45:46 GMT -5
Hien clearly didn't listen to Rion saying not to worry... as he continued to chirp with concern, following him and Alriik back to the fire. And Silver being removed to the glacier and brought over to the rest of the group clearly didn't help the small wyvern's anxiousness.
Meanwhile, Arne started to gather the few javelins that managed to survive the blighted lightning. Which turned out to be less than he expected. He made a mental note to buy more whenever he had the chance.
After he returned to the campsite, he picked up the clearly nervous wyvern before taking a seat. "Relax, pal. Rion's alright... and I don't think Silver is in a state where she could possibly attack us again."
Hien quiets down... but, still keeps glancing between the light mage and the unconscious dragon.
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Post by Bloodbane on Mar 23, 2020 20:08:12 GMT -5
Rion simply nodded, sitting quietly as Alriik helped him over to where the campfire had been set up, taking a seat and staring briefly until the sound of chirping brought his attention to Hien. "No, really... it's all right. I'll recover, just need some rest." he said, not sure if his words would help the wyvern calm down at all. He looked to Aqua, shaking his head. "I don't think so... not entirely, anyway." Could the dark energy have played a role? Perhaps... but whether the growth had already occurred by then or if it was just dumb luck, the energy had been immediately purified upon contact with the crystallized mass, and that was a phenomenon he knew all too well.
"There's... still things I don't know, but I can explain as best I can... and Alriik's right, we've got some time to do so at this point; given how late it's getting, I imagine it's best not to go too much farther tonight if the creatures are still riled up." As far as he could tell, the creatures had vacated the area entirely, leaving the party be. He looked over to Alriik as the elf returned, completing the circle that the group had made around the fire. With the condition Silver was in, he wasn't sure if she would wake up to hear what everyone was talking about, but if possible he did want to give her a little time to wake up before getting into his own story. He looked over to Terra briefly, but noticed she hadn't said much, though he tried to ease her concern by giving a faint smile before looking back to Alriik.
"So, where were we...? I'm not even sure if you got a word in before Celestrus popped in."
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Post by Vic Alriikerson on Mar 24, 2020 21:50:26 GMT -5
“So, uh… Let's start with the “Who” I am before I cover “What” I am.” Alriik would take a deep breath, before standing, and removing his sword harness, individually impaling each into the ground in clear view of the flame. “I am, of course, your friend. I might get a little… Intense, but I will never do anything to hurt you. And I might exaggerate a bit… But I am not a liar. Anything you hear from me is an obvious joke or the truth. Now…” He'd finish by bringing Angelheart into the ground. “Let's begin.”
“My name is Alriik of Altiim. Also known as Alriik Altiim, Alriik Laurey, Alan Richard Laurey… Or Alriik the Lesser. My titles include The Silver Blaze, The Bleeding Heart of the Port Town Blight Hunters, Metalblood, and The Silver Butcher.” His voice was a bit somber as he even listed his… Less than sightly titles. “ I am a Blight Hunter, Sellsword Spellsword, and disgraced former member of the Altiim Silver Knights. I am 90 years old, I am half Altiim Elf, Half Northman, I am a widower, and I am the deadliest person at this camp fire if not by sheer killing potential, then by deed. My hobbies include story telling, music, and practicing combat. I am a survivalist, a warrior, and an engineered weapon of war.” He’d sigh… Turn, take a deep breath, and turn back to the group.
“So, there was this boy. Alriik Altiim. Son of Axala Altiim, High Educator of the Altiim School of Higher Thought. He was to be her heir, but alas… He did not inherit her light elemental magic… So she sent him to the Lake. The Argent Lake, you see, is this big body of what looks like mercury in the middle of the Bleakwoods. Every 10 years, children are tossed into it to meet their god… And only 1 out of 10 come out… I’m going to spare the details, but… The 9 that don’t come out… Dissolve and get… Put into the survivor.” Alriik would close his eyes and clench his teeth as if the memory actually harmed him, before sighing and looking to the party. “It’s… Probably worse than what you’re imagining.”
“Anyway, I’m the… Thing that came out, wearing that little boy’s skin.” He’d sigh, and hold up his hands. “We’ll come back to the implications, what I can do, what it did to me, et cetera.” He’d lower his arms. “So, I get inducted into a the Silver Knights. They’re like a warrior-caste, made up of all the survivors of the lake. They're all slaves, being controlled through various means. And I mean like, legit slaves. They made me do things I still can’t wash off. I was 10 when I was dunked, and on the field at 14. Guarding the Bleakwoods, Protecting Emissaries, Wet Works, you name it. I only stuck around for another 4 years, but… Got a lot of regrets from that time.” He’d look down, and take a deep breath.
“Anyway, I left at 18, and er… Not on th e nicest of the terms. Killed a lot of good friends that day. But I couldn’t be treated like that anymore. Fled as far as I could… When I bumped into the man who would change my life.” Alriik’s face would finally lighten up, as he became more enthusiastic. “Danshiro of the East, the Bleeding Blade of the Port Town Blight Hunter’s Guild… My Master. Now he was a man’s man. Had that silent, stoic emotionality to him. He was the fastest blade I've ever seen. Was able to do this thing called ‘Light-Stepping’, where he moved as fast as light for just a fraction of a second. And that was on top of all of his amazing swords.” He’d grin, and put a hand on Shirosame.
“So, my master taught me how to survive out in the world. Improved my sword arm. Introduced me to my father.” He’d put a hand on Angelheart. “Seras “The Bloody Angel” Laurey. Big ol’ bastard with a bigger sword. If you ever hear about a Northman with a giant flaming sword cutting down swathes of Blight monsters… That was most likely my dad.” He’d beam with pride. “He was… Not ‘nice’, but he cared. And I got to meet my father’s family, my father’s guild, my father’s fight. And I joined up with them, and I slayed Blight with them. Did a lot of good work back then.” He’d run his finger down the side of the sword, nostalgic.
“It was mostly me, Master, Dad, and Rage in those days. Sometimes we worked with others, but it was mostly us.” He would blink. “Oh, er… Rage.” He’d scratch the back of his head, trying to find the words. “So… His full title was Rage Blighteater, The Bloody Maw of the Port Town Blight Hunters Guild. Um… He was a Dog Bestia, and a Blight Mage who ate blight monsters. He was really strong and he was once a skilled monk, but… Eating Blight will do things to you. Even if you’re attuned to it. We worked together for about 15 years… Did a lot of good work. And then…” His head would lower. “ And then Xaphan.”
“Xaphan… The founder of the Port Town Blight Hunters. He founded them to stop him if he ever went mad. I met him once before this, and he was… Disturbed, a bit. But you could tell he was a good soul.” He’d look up, anger in his eyes. “Then one day, coming home from a job, we… We found Port Town half infested by Blight. And this is where the f*cking Hunters live, so we cut through what we can… Try and get a united front with who was still alive and fighting, but… We get cut off.” He’d grip the hilt of the sword tightly. “And Xaphan walks up, skin cracked and pale, calling himself the Horseman of Death. We throw everything we had at him. But he doesn’t care. He breaks my master’s arm, makes a mockery of Rage, has him lying in a pool of his own blood and I’m… “ He'd reach for a rather pronounced scar on his shoulder. “… I’m stuck to the ground with my own sword in my shoulder, my blood is boiling, and my dad is… Well, he’s being deadlifted by Xaphan. And he’s laughing.”
“My dad uses everything he has, everything, into one fire filled punch. It burns so bright that… That my father is nothing but ash by the time he’s done. He put everything into one strike… And it worked. Xaphan is reeling, attempting to hold himself together, when my master uses what he has left to seal Xaphan away… And I black out. When I wake up… I’m completely alone.” He’d sigh, and sit down. “Some survivors find me, and… I help rebuild. And I leave.”
“Wearing the sword my master bequeathed me, my father’s sword, and my own, I.. I try to find purpose. I go back home… Try to start a revolution. Things… Don’t end well.” He’d get back up, and touch Axala’s Rose. “I do end up taking the b*tch’s sword, though…. And… I got no direction.” He’d walk around the fire. “Decades pass, I just… Take jobs and I kill blight. ‘Til I get back to Port Town… And this time, the problem’s a dragon.” He’d take a deep breath… And smirk. “Massive red beast that could burn the sky itself. Powerful, elegant, and eating all of the livestock in the town. And the Hunters aren’t prepped to fight it, so… I throw my hat in the ring. I go inland, and I hunt down that monster.”
“She almost burns the flesh from my bones the first time I see her. I can’t take her on directly. She’s far, FAR too strong. So I work smart.” He’d tap his noggin once. “I keep my distance, I watch her. I cause a commotion every time she goes to eat. Every time she goes to rest, I am there. She’s too powerful for me to kill, and I’m too stubborn.” His grin would turn into a full on goofy grin. “So after a few weeks, we’re both exhausted, half-starved and battle crazy. She’s done letting me run, she is using what strength she has left in that powerful body to END ME. I hop into a cave, one that's too big for her to follow… And I rest.”
“About 10 minutes left, she walks in. Human in shape, but still had that fire. It was obviously her. She threw fire balls at me. I slashed at her. She knocked away my swords. I suplexed her… And somewhere in the middle of that insanity, I can’t really remember what happened, what the order of events was, but… We had no more fight in us.” He’d look up, longingly. “And we rested together. We talked in the morning, and… We made a deal. She would help protect the town if they kept her fed.”
“Ummm..” He'd smile, and look back to the group. “… And a few months later she accepted my proposal, and… We got married.” He’ d look to the group with excitement. “I… I wish I could put into words the way she looked on our wedding day. The silk of her dress. Her deep red hair. Her strong frame… She was like a statue cut from marble. She was perfect. We… We spent a bunch of great years together. And then…” His face would drop again. “One day I hear the Altiim have invaded a nearby village. Straight up assault. That’s not their M.O. Something was weird… So, I leave her Double A… I tell her I’ll be back… I kiss her…” He’d look to the dragon tooth swords sadly...
“… The rumor was a lie. The Altiim didn’t attack the town.” He’d begin to walk towards the fangs. “I start to come back… And I feel this deep pain in Double A. So, I… I speed up.” He’d reach the fangs, touching them lightly. “I get back to her cave, and… She’s there. What’s… What’s left of her. Her fire inside… Was on the outside.” His look would turn from sorrow… To pure rage. He barely mumbled the next words. “And Double A was gone. So… I took her fangs. And I promised her I would find the ones who did this, and I would make them feel her might.”
He’d take a moment, breath, and calm down. He’d put a hand to his head “Yeah, so… There’s a bunch of stories around all that, but… That’s the important stuff. That’s, er… That’s the who of me. Any questions, comments, before I get into the ‘What’ of me?”
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Post by Swim on Mar 25, 2020 0:33:59 GMT -5
Terra remained silent as Alriik told his tale. It was... a lot to process to say the least. Dozens of questions came to mind as he spoke, but she didn't want to interrupt as he poured out his life's history. It was a little more complete than the information he'd shared with her in that alley in Shiner's Bay. Also helped that he wasn't drunk this time. It was fascinating to watch his demeanor shift as he spoke about the good times and the bad, and the people closest to him. She paid special attention as Alriik told the tale of his adoptive father, the man who had previously wielded Angelheart. It sounded like he'd been a fire mage just like her, and that his own power used in a moment of desperation had been enough to burn the man to cinders. What a way to go.
These Port Town Blight Hunters... were an interesting topic. She had no idea that there were organizations out there with both the knowledge of Blight and the means to do something about it. By all accounts the human and dragon militaries were under-equipped for such a task. As far as she knew, before the dragon home had been attacked no one outside of their group had even taken the Blight threat seriously. As far as she knew no one else was even capable of fighting back. It was worth asking Alriik about now that he'd finished and opened the floor for questions.
"So these Blight Hunters, you helped them rebuild right? After Xaphan? What do they know that we don't? What do they... I guess how do they work, how can they combat the Blight effectively without having a Silver or a Rion to do what they do and help them?"
Terra would listen to his answer, hopeful that there might be another group out there with the knowledge and power to halt the spread of Blight and perhaps train their party to become more effective in their own task. When he had finished Terra had another question to ask.
"I generally don't believe in any gods or higher powers," she began, "But that being we encountered after we were caught up in the inter-dimensional storm has me questioning things... And now you're telling me you met your god at the bottom of the lake, I'm wondering if you can elaborate more on that. About their nature. Did they give you a mission, some task to perform? Why were you chosen to live when the other 9 had to die? I just... if the gods exist then I can't understand how they could stand idly by and allow the sacrifice of children. I can't reconcile with that."
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Post by Vic Alriikerson on Mar 25, 2020 0:42:03 GMT -5
Alriik would nod. "Ummm... So, there were a couple of light mages. Others were innately blight affiliated... And had their own ways of handling blight creatures. Most were... Just desperate and willing to do whatever it took to help. A lot of fire. A lot of silver. A lot of prayer... Not a high survival rate." He'd think. "As for the other stuff... I'll explain that in the 'What' portion. Anyone else?"
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Post by Bloodbane on Mar 25, 2020 1:25:03 GMT -5
Rion listened intently to Alriik's tale, thought it was hard to find anything to say in response to what the elf had revealed. He was curious as to whether some of the things he mentioned could be corroborated by Aqua, as she had mentioned knowing of the Altiim briefly, but it seemed there was a lot to Alriik's story that was undeniably painful; in fact he was a little surprised that Alriik revealed any of that at all. "You've... really been through a lot, huh." he said quietly, looking toward the fire. "I suppose if you've been hunting creatures affected by the blight and its source already, then you really don't have to worry about not fitting in here..." he added, trying to bring a bit of levity to the atmosphere, though soon a couple questions did come to mind, but he asked only one as he figured anything involving what was done to him was soon to be explained.
"I do have a couple questions though; so the sword you mentioned losing, is that 'Double A'? And I'm sure this also gets into the 'what', but you mentioned the other swords keep you together despite losing one... how is that?" If anything, it seemed he was curious as to what searching for this lost sword would entail, as he felt it was more than reasonable to help Alriik find the missing sword if he was so intent on joining the cause of the group.
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Post by Swim on Mar 25, 2020 1:50:08 GMT -5
"Uh, just one more from me, and maybe you'll explain this in the 'What' portion. But if the Silver Knights are all slaves then how did you break free of their control? And why wasn't your revolution successful when you returned to free the others?" Surely the other Altiim yearned for their freedom as Alriik had. Right?
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Post by Vic Alriikerson on Mar 25, 2020 9:02:48 GMT -5
"Alright, Rion." He'd point to Rion. "Yeah, Double A was my sword. Prettiest hand-and-a-half you've ever seen. Um, I don't know the specifics of it, you don't tell a gun why it fires, but it's something to do with bonding. These weapons mean a lot to me. Belonged to people I cared about. Um..." He'd look around, before settling on Aqua. "Sorry, you're the best example. Let's say Cap heroically and tragically lays down her life tomorrow. I'm sure I could swing Sharksbane as good as any of the swords I got so far."
"Now, Terra." He'd turn to her. "It's not mind control. The Silver Knights aren't mindless drones, they're... They're damaged. What they do to us is conditioning. It's the way the talk to us, to make us feel like tools. It's torture, it's frequent executions for any offense to keep the crop in line, it's weapon isolation, they... They're good at hurting you to the point you'd do anything to make it stop." He'd sigh. "And it's the examples they make out of those who run. I was lucky enough to run into my Master. He kept me safe long enough for me to be able to take care of myself when they came." He'd sigh. "As for my revolution... It failed for a couple reasons. One- I am an awful leader. Two- People they respected more than me fought for the Altiim. Three- I had killed a lot of Silver Knights by that point. Hard to get someone to follow you when they've lost friends to you."
He'd take a moment to breath, before giving a glance to Aqua and Arne. "Um... Lemme pre-empt your questions." He'd attempt to lighten the mood. "Yes, I got the move naming from my master and the crude jokes from my dad. But uh..." He'd sigh. "For real, ask me anything. I'm an open book and this is the best time."
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Post by Sorrum on Mar 26, 2020 0:29:11 GMT -5
While the others talked, Aqua would take time to gently inspect Silver's wounds. One of the things she kept in her bag was some small rolls of cloth. After bandaging the most pressing injuries she'd stop, letting the dragon rest, not wanting to wake her. She would tend to Rion next, but he waved her away. She wanted to know more about the problem he faced, but would let it go for the moment. She'd listen as the sounds of any beasts in the area faded into the distance. The battle that had taken place must have scared them from the area. As the others sat down, she'd join them, taking a break from the current state of affairs to just.. sit out by a fire with some friends. For a moment, she'd relax. She took off her helmet and the bulkiest parts of her armor, and sat down by the others in a semi informal attire.
Aqua would remain mostly quiet as she listened intently as Alriik talked about himself. She remembered the first time she'd seen him suddenly appearing in the middle of their assassination attempt on the blight mage which would turn out to be a trap, but he'd followed them since and she enjoyed his company. Hearing about all that he had gone through though was sobering however. The elf who smiled at her with a fish in his mouth when she invited him to her home used to be his as well. He'd left it after losing so much, whatever it had been to him. Life among the tribes of The Frontier was different but she couldn't ever imagine what his had put him through. "That's so terrible.. I can't believe how much you've been through." she said.
She looked over his swords and gathered each was a close memento of his fallen comrades. Though, she wasn't sure what the elfen longsword meant to him. Surely it didn't carry as much weight as the swords of his master and father? It was his sword now, at least. Her gaze did tense when he mentioned them being blight hunters. He didn't mean here? For a 90 year old elf to have been battling alongside others against the blight made her wonder just how long these mages have been active, if worlds she'd never known would be forever unknown due to their movements. She definitely owes him a debt, the elf herself was only in her 20s and may not be around if he hadn't been. Though, that did bring up worries about the current blight mage situation.
These Silver Knights did make her mind wander though. Very few people have knowledge about the Altiim elves, now it made sense why. If others like Alriik defended their lands from prying eyes, they'd be hard pressed to fend them off. She didn't like them at all for what they'd done to her friend here, but now felt like an odd time to bring it up, so she kept it to herself. She listened as the others asked their questions. For a moment she was amused, thinking about how they'd kept asking her questions earlier. But when he'd said he'd take up Sharksbane if she were to fall she felt a weird mix of flattery and sadness. She didn't want to be another memory of a lost one he'd carry. "Well, I wouldn't mind that. But that won't happen, things are starting to turn around now that we've beaten yet another strong Blight monster. That three headed dragon's coming down next." She said proudly.
After a brief period of silence, Aqua did take the chance to ask something of the blight mages he'd encountered. "How did Xaphan come to lose control? And he said he called himself the Horseman of Death? What is that?" After he'd explained to her what he knew she'd pause for a moment to digest the information, folding her arms and holding one hand up to her chin. "Were there others like him you encountered? Blight mages that tried to live normal lives, I mean. Were any successful?" She asked.
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Post by Vic Alriikerson on Mar 26, 2020 23:43:23 GMT -5
“I wish I could answer you on that one. He had… Problems, but he tried to keep it together. Took daily walks, meditated, stuff like that. Was real spiritual. One day he came back from one of those walks… Different. His skin was pale and cracked, with fleshy black tendrils poking from the cracks. His voice had that… Echoing, surreal… Kind of… Distant. And the way he moved, it was… Like his skin, his muscles, his bones were all being operated… Separate from one another. Like the force that lived in that body was now operating it from the outside. But… But it was Xaphan.”
He’d take a moment to collect all of his blades, save for Axala’s Rose, and placing them to the side. “As for other Blight Mages just trying to live… I’ve met 3. Other than Xaphan, I mean. Not a happy ending between them.” He’d finish, putting the blades in a neat pile, and grabbing Axala’s Rose. “Kay, where to start with this…. Hrm…” He’d twirl the blade, before observing the side closely. “So… Let’s start with a bunch of stuff that will sound crazy. Just… I know, it’s insane, but for the next 10 minutes let’s treat it like fact.” He’d stab the sword into the campfire, and breathe deeply… And would take on a dramatic tone of voice, using his arms for dramatics.
“IN THE BEGINNING, THERE WERE BUT TWO. LIGHT AND DARK, LIFE AND DEATH, WARM AND COLD, LOVE AND HATE. THESE WERE THE BRIGHT MOTHER AND BLIGHT FATHER, AND THEIR IRRECONCILABLE DIFFERENCES LEAD TO AN ETERNITY OF COMBAT. IN THE END, THEIR FINAL STROKES FOUND THEIR MARKS, AND BOTH WERE SLAIN. THEIR BODIES FORMED THE FIRMAMENT OF THE EARTH, THEIR BLOOD POOLED AND MIXED, CREATING ALL ELEMENTS BETWEEN LIGHT AND DARK, AND THEIR SPIRITS… FORMED THE POWER KNOWN AS THE SILVER. THE POWER KNOWN AS…” He'd pull the sword, now glowing, from the fire. “LIFE!!!”
Alriik would twirl the sword dramatically, before holding his hand out. “THEIR CONSCIOUSNESS STILL LIVED, HOWEVER. ETERNALLY REINCARNATING, THE BLIGHT FATHER AND BRIGHT MOTHER WOULD FIND THEMSELVES AT THE END OF EACH OTHER’S SPEARS FOR MILLENIA. UNTIL… THE BATTLE ENDED WITH THEM IN EACH OTHER’S ARMS. AND THEIR UNION BORE A POWERFUL FRUIT, A CHILD BETWEEN LIGHT AND DARK WHO COULD FREELY MANIPULATE THE SILVER. THIS GOD-CHILD WOULD BE KNOWN AS ALTIMA, AND SHE LEAD HER PEOPLE INTO AN AGE OF PROSPERITY.”
BUT IN TIME HER PARENTS ASCENDED TO THE BEYOND. AND DANGERS FROM THE OUTSIDE ENDANGERED HER PEOPLE, NOW KNOWN AS THE ALTIIM. THUS, SHE GAVE HERSELF TO HER PEOPLE. BODY, SOUL, AND POWER. AND THAT POWER GAVE RISE TO THE SCHOOL OF HIGHER THOUGHT, AND THE SILVER KNIGHTS, THE ICON OF ALTIIM. GIVEN THESE GIFTS, THEY WOULD LEARN THE TRUTHS OF THE WORLD, PROTECTED BY THEIR SHIELD OF SILVER HAIRED WARRIORS, AND IN TIME, SPREAD ACROSS THE WORLD WITH THE KNOWLEDGE OF HOW IT TRULY WORKED. AND FINALLY, THE WORLD FOUND PEACE. THIS… IS THE TALE OF THE ALTIIM. AND IT IS THEIR-“ He’d begin to draw his blade across his palm. Silver blood would escape around the blade. “POWER!!!!”
The blood would fall upon the flame… And the fire’s already mystic flame would shift once again. The flame would shift to a grey color, but the light it produced was prismatic. Shining lights of different colors… With each color having a different effect on whom felt it. Red was warm, blue was cold, green felt lively, purple felt sickly. It would continue until Alriik reached the warm part of the blade, cauterizing the wound, and the blood in the flame burned out. The flame would return to normal… And Alriik would sigh. He’d turn around, stabbing the Rose into the ground and holding his cut hand. “… And that’s my evidence. The Silver from the nine others in my veins. The spectrum of elements my people speak of accessed by it. And my first-hand account that… Altima is real. She’s still in the lake.”
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Post by Sorrum on Mar 28, 2020 8:15:34 GMT -5
Aqua sat back as Alriik told his theatrical tale. It nostalgically reminded her of the drunken stories her shipmates would tell on long voyages, but she had to admit his use of the fire and his swords made them unique. The content of his story lead her to believe it was merely the religious, spiritual background his tribe adhered too until his claim that he was evidence of it's truth. Aqua folded her arms and sat back in silence as she considered what he'd said. "I'm.. at a loss for words. The Altiim was founded by a light mage and a blight mage that had a child who became their savior.. huh.." She sat back and carefully regarded his words again, allowing the others to speak before she piped up again. "I guess I'll ask with the obvious. How is Altiima still alive in the lake? And, the Altiim one day will leave their hallowed lands to spread their message to the rest of the world.. so they plan to take over the world?"
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Post by Swim on Mar 28, 2020 14:55:23 GMT -5
It was quite the tale, not to mention the light show flourish at the end. Terra still wasn't sure what to believe, save for the fact that Alriik gained nothing by lying to them all. He was a trusted friend by this point and if anything he was merely mistaken, his own mind conjuring scenarios that weren't real. It was something that happened to many a warrior who'd witnessed death up close or had some other trauma in their past. And recently her own mind had conjured up enough false visions, she wasn't really a qualified judge. But if she were to take Alriik at his word- what were the implications?
As Terra pondered everything that had been said Frida asked her question and lay out a scenario. In Terra's opinion it was the wrong question. If Altiima was a god it was pointless to question how she was still alive at the bottom of a lake. The need for oxygen and the ravages of time would hold little power over a divine being. "I don't think the question is 'How' so much as Why," Terra spoke up. "Why is a godlike being spending her time at the bottom of a lake when she could be leading? What Truth could be so important that she'd encourage/overlook the slaughter of children?"
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Post by Vic Alriikerson on Mar 28, 2020 17:43:57 GMT -5
“She’s… Just there. At the bottom. Adorned in the remnant Silver of those offered… Um…” He’d think. “Okay, it was a pretty… Intense moment when I saw her, but… Lemme just paint the picture that I saw. A woman at the bottom of a silver tinged lake. More of a girl, really… With that frame and face… Anyway, silver skin, bright red hair. She was wearing these… Globs of stuff that looks like mercury, shining metal goo, like clothes and jewelry. A tiara, some wristlets, and this long dress that connected her to the murky abyss below. I remember… She asked for mercy.” He’d give off a bit of a dark chuckle, his next words filled with venom. “As if she showed it to us.” He'd sigh. “Anyway, we’ll go more over that at the end.”
“So… Uh, with that out of the way…” He’d grab a piece of his ruined coat, and begin to tear it. “My people are a cult who believe that. The Altiim. “Higher Elves”. And trust me, it really is a cult. Everyone there is a mage of some level. If they’re not born with it, they’re tossed in the lake. Now, it’s broken up into 3 different parts. The school, the workers, and the Knights. Workers are… Well, workers. Peasants. Y’know. The School are the more powerful ones. Mostly focused on the secrets of the Silver, manipulating it and whatnot, enchantments, and the obvious offensive magic. But their main two advantages are the Silver and their enchantments. And they do more with the Silver than just make us.”
He’d crack his knuckles. “Let’s keep things focused though. So. Once every ten years, every Altiim family must offer up one child to be offered to the lake. It’s been tradition since… Well, forever. After the child is chosen, they are taken from their family, and taken to the Forge. It’s… Where they are prepared for their dunk. First, the children are given journals, then they’re tortured. ‘Re-Education', they called it. Then ‘The Therapy’. Then… Well, I told you they were good at enchanting. The final step was surgery. The kids are then cut open, and they are filled up with gems and stones, filled with enchantments, affixed to their organs.”
He’d take a moment to breathe. This was a lot for him. “It's called ‘The Forging'. And the day after, the children are gathered for a ceremony that all Altiim attend. The children are given to the lake. Altima… Does something. Dunno if this is the best or clearest way to say it, but it’s the only way I know. 9 kids are dissolved, broken down into a silver goo, which if I am right, is their life energy. Then it’s forced into the tenth. That activates the enchantments on the stones used in The Forging, and... The tenth wakes up. With all the memories and scattered thoughts of the others in their heads. And they desperately swim for the surface and pulled from the lake.
Over the next few weeks, adapt to the changes. It’s… Not a good time. And every day they let blood into a bucket. After a month has passed they take all of that blood… And help forge a weapon with it. A weapon they will grow into. They name it. They are left alone with it. Filled with their blood, it… Comforts them. It’s a part of them, after all. They test the bond by regularly taking it. Once they are inconsolable without it… They know it has worked. They keep it for a few days as a sign of control. Then they return it, and the child starts training.
As the child is trained, they use a smaller facsimile of their future weapon. But they also lug around that oversized weapon… and learn the way of Exus Virade. The Elemental Rainbow Weapon.” He'd pull Shirosame from it’s sheath, and twirl it. “So, the boy who went by Alriik was born a mage, even if he didn’t have the Light his mother wanted. He was born with fire and poison.” Flame would wrap around Shirosame. “It doesn’t matter if they had that ability before, however… All Silver Knights can use magic. Why is that?”
“Well, because even if you were a mage before, you lose your natural connection to magic. I can’t just cast spells or do a big flaming punch like my dad did… -I can't- do magic. At all. But the Silver is a really, really good conduit for magic. With the right preparation someone could use a portion of Silver to cast a spell even outside of their specialty element.” The fire would die, and the blade would freeze over. “And the Knights channel Altima… And she uses us as a focus to give us our abilities. Any element. Only through our bonded weapon. I thought it was the blood we put in them, but… I can still use it through any bonded blade. Not just Double A and the Rose. So… I wish I could tell you more.”
“About this time a Silver Knight might notice something. They aren’t… Interested in others like they should be. Glands secrete, their bodies change as they should, but… While others look for a, erm, 'good time under the willows’, the Silver Knight will just be desperate for companionship. It takes time, but… Eventually all come to realize something has been taken from them…” He'd sigh, and hold his face. “Usually they compensate with… Something. I make jokes. That's about the time they reach the final step in their training. The Crucible.”
“The Knight-In-Training is chained to a tree, the chain tightly around their arms, leaving their chest pushed out. Their weapon is left 30 meters away, always in sight, always directly ahead. And then… They are beaten. Whipped. Cut. Only given water, no food. And they suffer until they are able to break free and retrieve their weapon. When they do, they are finally a Silver Knight. Now, how do they break that chain… Or in my instance, that tree?”
“Final biology lesson. As a Silver Knight takes damage, their blood begins to heat and the Silver in their veins starts to activate, making them stronger. Keep taking damage, the hotter the knight gets, the faster, stronger, more power magic using the knight gets. Eventually, the knight’s blood will boil and begin to steam. They are very, very strong… And very much in need of medical help. If they don’t stop and get attended to… Their blood will ignite. They be engulfed in silver flame. They will be at their mightiest. They will be in unimaginable pain. They will be moments away from death as their body tears itself apart.”
“So, the Knight either fails and dies, or lives and is inducted into the Silver Knights. And they usually live their life of servitude until death, with only… Rare exception. See, Silver Knights are not some supremely powerful weapon, though they do have power… They are extremely adaptable weapons. As strong as they need to be. Having whatever tool they need. And when they take too much damage, well… All they leave is a skeleton. So it’s really hard to break one with torture, because if you find a level of agony they aren’t capable of withstanding, they will probably be in flames already. It’s hard to study one because… Again, flames. A great tool to use and dispose of.”
“So, the Altiim have their primary weapon in their knights, but they also got some other uses for the Silver. Communication through silver waters contained in glass, and small rocks of the stuff they can use for a power boost. Other than the Silver and their enchantments… Altiim aren’t particularly good mages. Get one alone and I’m sure any of you can handle one. Give him a Silver shard… Maybe not. Depends on which mage is holding it. Anyway, world domination.”
“Yeah, I think, but this “plan” has been in place since… Urufu times. Still no action. But… Probably, yeah. Dunno when they’d get around to doing it. If we ever catch wind of them changing tactics… Then we might have to worry. I… I really don’t think they could, though, even with Altima. They just don’t pump out Knights or manufacture the Silver into something usable nearly enough. And the ones they send out… The stock isn’t as impressive as previous models, y'know?”
“Finally, Altima. First, um…. I do not know how she is still alive. I just… assumed gods didn’t die. Especially gods that control life. Second… why… Um, so there are a bunch of papers written by the school wondering that. I always thought it was to ground her, to keep her from ascending like her parents did.” He’d sigh. “As for that Higher Truth? The Truth that is worth sacrificing lives for?” He’d look frustrated. “That’s the worst part. Only the High Educator knows. To keep the knowledge safe. But it’s the end result of everything they’re doing… So, you'd have to ask my mom.” He’d groan. “Alright… Um… I think that covers everything on my end. Any more questions, or can we ask why Rion is a gem man yet?”
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Post by Swim on Mar 28, 2020 20:19:31 GMT -5
"Mercy..." Terra repeated quietly. "That seems like an odd thing for a god to ask for. Almost as if she were a tool of the Altiim and not the other way around..." How anyone could be capable of slaying or enslaving a god was beyond Terra, but maybe these Altiim had found a way.
The rest of his story checked out. Terra understood now why he couldn't bear to be separated from his weapons for long, and why she couldn't simply forge him a new sword to replace Double A. She didn't really understand the Silver or the potential for magical enchantments that it granted, but she'd already seen Alriik pushed to his limit on Calico's ship and witnessed what happened with his blood. She certainly didn't look forward to fighting off squads of Silver Knights, but she was prepared to if they came for Alriik or the rest of her friends.
One thing that she could not understand was their ideology, the 'why' behind everything the Altiim did. And according to Alriik, no one knew apart from some High Educator. These people had been tortured since their youth to a point that they'd fight and die for some Truth that hadn't even learned themselves? It was baffling. "But why keep this Truth hidden..." Terra wondered aloud, "if your eventual goal is to spread it across the world?"
After Alriik finished his story he shifted the focus over to Rion and asked the other obvious question that they'd all wanted to know. Terra turned her attention to Rion as well. "After the story that Alriik just shared about cutting open children and grafting gemstones to their insides I'm almost afraid to ask... Your father didn't do this to you, did he?"
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Post by Bloodbane on Mar 28, 2020 22:15:43 GMT -5
As Rion watched Alriik's recollection of his origins, he found the theatrics... interesting, to say the least. There was still much about the elf's abilities that he did not understand, though where was no denying how the change in color as the the fire turned grey resulted in an odd feeling as different colored light left the flame. "So you're able to cast magic of any element...?" he wondered, though soon enough Alriik went into further details about the magic surrounding the Altiim, more notably the Silver Knights. He explained how he had magic of his own at one time, but the process stripped that ability from him, replacing it with the Silver that he had bled earlier, though beyond that... his consciousness had also been mixed with that of others? He put a hand to his chin afterward, as if something else came to mind, before looking back to Alriik. "So you've retained the memories of the other Altiim that were used to... well, 'forge' you?" Given how long ago it was, he surmised it may be of little consequence now, but to have to deal with that at such a young age...
"Between the House of Lords, and these Altiim folks... it sounds like we've got our fair share of problematic cults to deal with, to say nothing of the blight mages..." he frowned. "You mentioned you had found someone was trailing you back in town; do you think the Altiim's reach extends beyond the Frontier at this point, or not yet?" If nothing else, they would have to leave the Frontier at some point, so the Altiim were likely not to be a major source of trouble for long if Alriik had been able to take them on alone so far.
Rion then blinked a couple times as Alriik referred to him as a 'gem man', and soon Terra asked all of a sudden if his father had done it to him. He stared for a second, his mouth hanging open, before shaking his head. "What? My father? N-No, not even Logan's seen this... he didn't even know I could condense my mana into a crystalline form until he saw the fight in Eulene, though he always suspected it could happen from what he knew about my mother. There's plenty enough of a story to this as well... but I can wait until everyone's got what they want to find out from Alriik."
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