Amdirlain’s PoV - Outlands - Xaos
Amdirlain had barely started to relax in the bath when a combination of ideas made her sit upright so fast, she sent water sloshing over the bath’s edge. Cursing the time spent sparring with the trio, she dispatched a Message. Designs around the orbital scanning of infected planets and purification units bubbled through her mind.
“Erwarth, how are things progressing? I think I’ve come up with a way to help them.”
“Relax, Amdirlain. The songs you provided accurately targeted locations, and we’re doing clean up even now.”
“What approach did you use?”
“Roher and the others have used purifications through gates to clean up any lingering diseases. Also, constructs enchanted with invisibility and carrying purification orbs have been dispatched. They divided the work up and so far dealt with thousands of locations. I’ve already informed Moradin we’re unlikely to need many dwarves.”
“Thanks. Do you think you’ll need more flexible minds checking places?” asked Amdirlain, and she restrained her impatience as she waited for a reply.
“Exactly, constructs are only good at following orders, so I’ll still get some help from Moradin. You don’t have to come up with all the answers, Amdirlain,” reassured Erwarth. “Though we might end up using up most of your constructs.”
“Glad they came in handy. I didn’t have any plans for them now that I don’t have Sisterhood fortresses to break,” replied Amdirlain. “Your approach is a lot more subtle than my idea.”
The Message exchange had Amdirlain scrubbing fingers through her hair, and she relaxed back into the bath, determined to enjoy it. She tried to push away the overkill approach her mind had cooked up.
A few hours passed before she received word from Lezekus that they’d arrived in Xaos. Cleaning up and dressing, Amdirlain waited patiently near the top of the suite’s staircase and heard the trio of orderly songs rising through the lift shaft. Another piece rose from an ancient memory, and the tautness in their music suddenly highlighted for Amdirlain the distortion within their songs. A series of brutal adjustments inflicted on that melody was the only way it could match the central theme within all three of them.
The unshielded mental chatter between them quickly identified them, and Amdirlain switched to lightly projecting the disciplined focus of the monastery. As they reached the top of the shaft, Amdirlain opened the door in time to see them step from the open lift shaft across the corridor. The young ladies Amdirlain had trained with had grown into seasoned combatants that moved with poise and flowing grace. Yet now, to Amdirlain’s perception, they seemed so slow.
The strength in their base classes, all well beyond the cusp of obtaining a Tier 6, didn’t ring with the compression of a Prestige Class and tempted Amdirlain to peek. Gail’s remarks about living a life that she enjoyed restrained Amdirlain’s curiosity to peek with Analysis. It was one thing to be curious about a stranger or enemy, but she had to admit it would be a temptation to meddle with her younger friends.
Away from the purplish lighting of Limbo, their yellowish skin tone had shifted to a healthier colour—a rich olive hue. Their angular features, sharp ears, and upturned noses had lost the softness of youth. It was an angularity that tied back to an ancient elven theme that genetic engineering had mauled to produce their ancestors. The damaged strands had compressed the Githzérai’s maturation and shortened their lifespans, though she had no clue why they’d taken that approach.
The first two wore the yellow and black half-robe of Githzérai monks. The last to step from the shaft wore the same loose pants and top Amdirlain had seen Ellniya and other healers wear during her stay.
Lezekus’ corn-row braids reached past her shoulders, and she brushed their greying lengths from her face to fix her attention on Amdirlain. Her faint smile, among humans, would be a barely noticeable shift, but for a Githzérai, it was a broad grin. Her gaze gleamed with that same badly suppressed delight and warmed her solid brown irises.
“Amdirlain,” breathed Lezekus.
“It’s good to see you, Lezekus.”
Amdirlain held herself still when Lezekus launched across the corridor and wrapped her in a hug that, by Githzérai standards, was an unheard-of breach of etiquette. Gently rubbing the young lady’s back, Amdirlain had to force a mental correction. They were all in their late forties now.
Gemiya stood in the centre of the corridor with her hands clasped behind her back as if waiting for an instructor’s order. The final softness of childhood she’d possessed was gone completely, but her short, jet-black hair didn’t yet show the grey that salted Lazekus’ brunette locks.
Of the three, Sarith showed the most significant change. Her constant tension and anger had been replaced by a calm that promised to grow into the confidence Ellniya had possessed in all their sessions. Her hazel eyes looked relaxed compared to the tense alertness of her twin’s gaze. The length of braided blackness that reached past her shoulders showed she had long ago released her obsession with maintaining an identical appearance.
“Come through,” Amdirlain said upon releasing Lezekus and exchanging bows with Gemiya and Sarith.
The three of them took in the open living room at the top of the stairs and the abundant garden through the clear panels.
“Know when you said the rooftop suite, I was expecting connected rooms like one of the masters, not this,” said Gemiya, and she spun about with one hand waving idly at the living room’s contents. “Know there are many distractions from one’s focus.”
“It’s just different,” countered Lezekus.
“Know that hearing from you caused her to regress into unstructured speech instantly,” advised Sarith.
“What have you been up to?” asked Amdirlain, and she motioned them to sit before picking the armchair furthest from the stairs.
“Know that for the last decade it has been mainly inner city patrols—the commanders took a dim view of us insisting on trying for a Tier 7 Prestige Class,” allowed Gemiya. “Did you know the word unprecedented frequently gets brandished whenever some folks wish to force another’s choice?”
“Know that he likely wouldn’t have given you trouble if you’d cut your ties with me,” observed Sarith, and she gave Amdirlain a resigned shrug. “Know that my former father has blocked her advancement until Gemiya falls into line.”
Amdirlain held back caustic words and looked between the trio. “But you're on leave now? Would you like to take on some challenges?”
“Know we’re not exactly on leave,” admitted Lezekus
Gemiya quickly interjected. “What sort of challenges did you have in mind?”
“Give Lezekus a chance to explain, and I’ll share,” countered Amdirlain.
“Know they resigned from the guard,” explained Sarith, as she perched on the edge of a couch. “Know I had nothing to resign from; my pariah state affected who would hire me and those who associate with me.”
Suppressing a wince, Amdirlain nodded thoughtfully. “That’s unfortunate; I wondered why none of you had a Prestige Class when life in Limbo is so hard. What I had in mind was your choice of demons, demodands, undead, or something else.”
“Do you ever stop offering people choices?” asked Sarith curiously, without a touch of the angry criticism that had once been a constant. “Know I’m aware you arranged for the two best choices I was presented with after I got myself in trouble.”
“I like helping people out. While you did yourself no favours, you got yourself in trouble partly because I lacked the Skill to get through to you properly. Every time you came back at me, I sparked your anger further instead of de-escalating the situation.”
“Know that your speech is still unstructured,” critiqued Sarith. “Know my anger drove my conflict with you, an anger which existed before our meeting. You remember our family background, yes?”
“Long history of service in the city guard and expectation to graduate from the monastery,” recalled Amdirlain.
“Know that Ellniya helped me to admit I didn’t truly wish to follow my family’s path, but it had been impressed upon me that it was how it would be. Know that is why I lashed out at you since I saw your presence as interference in what I had been indoctrinated to expect from life,” explained Sarith, and she shifted position to relax deeper into the couch. “Isn’t it odd that I find this both comfortable and uncomfortable, perhaps because it is so unfamiliar?”
“Not meshing with your expectation of how a chair should feel causes the discomfort?”
“Know that is something only my perception and consideration can determine,” replied Sarith. “Know that it might even be the correct answer, but many things can only be learnt from an individual's perspective, which takes time and exposure.”
“Is that your way of telling me it wouldn’t have mattered what I said?”
“Know it was doubtful,” confirmed Sarith. “Know that the choices you arranged—without rubbing my nose in it—allowed me time to move past that anger. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome; I’m glad things worked out for you in the end,” replied Amdirlain. "What classes did you end up gaining?”
“Know I gained Monk, Psion, and Wizard, but also this second strange Monk Class that isn’t a proper Monk, since it doesn’t use Psi energy techniques,” stated Sarith, her deadpan tone conflicting with the deepening creases at the corner of her eyes.
Amdirlain snorted at Sarith's light-hearted dig. “Who helped you gain that?”
“Know that it was an accidental acquiescence. After all, who would help an expelled student gain even a faux-Monk Class?” questioned Sarith primly.
“Of course, my mistake,” Amdirlain said, and she dramatically put a hand to her chest. When their trio’s gaze snapped her way, Amdirlain reinforced the projection of discipline and caught Sarith's gaze narrow.
“Know that Master Âdaka needed a test subject to see how others might gain it,” stated Lezekus. “The experiment didn’t expect an expelled student to gain it, especially since they already had Monk.”
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Sarith’s mouth hardened, and she nodded. “Is it safe for us to be around you after what you’ve gone through?”
“I hope I’m not disturbing you,” countered Amdirlain.
“Know you draw attention even more than you did before, and there is a palpable force coming from you,” advised Sarith.
“I evolved a Skill, and am now adjusting to the tendencies it possesses, which is causing me some issues. Presently, I’m working to channel it to evolve again along safer routes,” admitted Amdirlain.
“Which takes time, being in the presence of others, as how else can you tell the impact you have on them?” enquired Sarith.
“Correct. It's another’s perceptions that determine what they do or don’t feel comfortable in the presence of, and the Skill makes some things seem far too comfortable,” replied Amdirlain. “Would you be open to me requesting a Celestial’s help to guide you to places you could progress your classes?”
“The offer is appreciated, but are you sure it's suitable?” asked Gemiya.
“You put up with my interference in your schooling for five years, can’t I show my thanks?” asked Amdirlain. “After all, it's your choice to accept my offer or even whatever other help they can provide.”
Lezekus laughed lightly and looked between the others before she nodded. “Know I believe we’d undoubtedly accept the offer, Amdirlain. Know that some obstructions in our paths have grown more apparent over the years.”
“I wouldn’t have thought they’d impede potential anarchs,” noted Amdirlain.
“Know it’s only those who’ve not followed the Anarch’s well-trod path outside the monastery that have had issues,” explained Lezekus, and she winked at Amdirlain. “Wouldn’t you think pointing out I had two extra classes and advice from a Goddess might allow for an exception?”
“I’m not a Goddess now,” corrected Amdirlain gently.
The exchange caused Sarith to shift about nervously, but she remained quiet.
“Lerina made it clear how that came about,” Lezekus whispered. “And after I got word that you were merely lost, I still couldn’t shake my grief.”
“Know that you should remember that valid emotions take the most work progressing through,” Sarith said, focusing on Lezekus.
Amdirlain shifted position to sit beside Lezekus on the couch and lightly held her hand. “I hope I’m not reminding you of painful days.”
Wiping her eyes, Lezekus let out a sharp exhalation. “The sixth year was rough. Some instructors didn’t quite believe we’d had a Goddess among us, despite Liranë's ascension to the Goddess of messengers, travellers, gateways, and crossroads.”
Janus fell to Liranë as well? Or did someone else kill him, and Liranë acquire the mantle afterwards?
“Know that compared to Liranë’s progress to becoming a champion, we’ve lost a decade,” offered Gemiya, though her attention stayed fixed on Lezekus. “Know that assignments that would challenge us simply ceased to be available after it became clear we weren’t taking the Tier 5 Prestige classes.”
“We hit level eighty anyway by supplementing it with work outside hours, then they increased our roster rotation and kept us tending safe areas of the inner city and council chambers,” grumbled Lezekus.
Amdirlain felt anger towards the rules lawyers flare. “Has it been this way for all those in our group?”
“Know that most were content on the accepted routes even if others promise greater strength, as not everyone survives their travels even on known routes,” answered Lezekus carefully. “Know that Nomein was also in that situation before she returned to her family in the City of Glass.”
The grey in Lezekus’ braids made Amdirlain aware of how many years had passed.
“Would you like me to reverse your ageing to give you more time?” asked Amdirlain. “We should contact Nomein and see if she also wants that option.”
“I know you did that with Ellniya, but how does it work?” asked Sarith.
“Ageing is a type of natural damage, so it's a matter of returning an individual’s physical energy to a particular state,” explained Amdirlain. “Though I’d use a different approach to what I used for Ellniya.”
Even before it had evolved into True Song Architecture, her True Song Composition made it clear how her Ki energy had previously de-aged individuals. Then there were the three she knew Gail had restored to their youth by over-regenerating their flesh while tending to issues with organs.
“If it's a different approach, I’ll go first,” declared Lezekus enthusiastically.
Amdirlain snorted. “Do you think I’d use something on any of you I didn’t know would work? I’ll spend time fine-tuning it first to get the maximum benefit.”
Giving the barest twitch of a head shake, Lezekus motioned at Sarith. “Know she’d be nervous but offer to go first. What do I have to do?”
“Who says there is a need for one at a time?” countered Amdirlain.
“Why would you offer such to me?” asked Sarith.
“I held no ill-will towards you, Sarith; that I couldn’t reach you I took as my failing, not yours,” replied Amdirlain, and she gestured across the circle of chairs to where Gemiya sat. “I'm certaintly not going to offer something to Gemiya that she’d regret when you died of old age before her. Will one of you send a Message to Nomein? Then you can catch me up on the old dormitory’s gossip.”
* * * * *
Even the highlights of two decades took a while for Amdirlain to get caught up. As she listened to their tales, she practised controlling the strength of her True Song. Starting with more swords at full force, she slowly reduced the energy within the music, creating assorted weapons and equipment containing a reduction in their enchantments’ strength. After hours of work, the continual exercises in restraining the rush of energy now available within True Song Genesis caused it to progress.
[True Song Genesis [Ap] (14->15)]
Amdirlain kept going even after the increase, not even pausing when she sent off a request for Ebusuku to provide someone to back up her friends.
Lezekus’ reference to those not surviving known paths hadn’t been an idle comment but referred to those from their dormitory who’d perished. That Zenya was among that number was an unpleasant shock, one barely lessened for Lezekus having confirmed Zenya’s Soul was in Liranë’s domain. Her transition to the afterlife had compressed so many memories into mere seeds of wisdom within her Soul that she’d barely stirred when Lezekus called her name.
Amdirlain recalled the young girl she’d first spoken to after their morning physical training, Grey eyes bright with runner’s rush, and so soaked in sweat that her short black hair had clung to her scalp like a cap.
“I’m afraid you’ll have to accept other advantages from me besides having your physical age reduced to twenty,” muttered Amdirlain after receiving that news. “I gave another friend a Power called Protean that contains a powerful regeneration capacity; I'd like to give you that as well.”
Gemiya looked up curiously with her spoon paused over a bowl of familiar vegetarian stew. “You don’t have to give us anything?”
“Yes, I do; for completely selfish reasons, I’d prefer to give you the biggest survival advantages I can,” Amdirlain began gravely, but after pausing, she continued and deliberately tried to lighten her tone. “I annoyed you for years while I was at the monastery.”
“Do you intend to return and scrub all the hallways in restitution?” asked Sarith.
“No, someone might try to spill the water while I work,” teased Amdirlain. “Why, do you think I might make a good janitor? Continually sweeping up around the training arenas?”
Sarith sighed. “Then what proper punishment duties would the hard-headed novices get assigned?”
“Though with that Power, I’ll have to get you instructions for safely improving it as a Mortal,” mused Amdirlain. Torm’s words about friendships with mortals being difficult came to mind and cut hard with his absence.
“Should I have not told you?” asked Lezekus.
Amdirlain shook her head. “You should always try to remember absent friends.”
As Amdirlain spoke, a reply to the query Lezekus had sent Nomein appeared and buzzed away.
“Nomein will be here in an hour—she just woke up,” announced Lezekus.
“I’ll ask for some Celestial advice after we’ve had time to catch up further.”
Upon her arrival, Lezekus went down to meet Nomein outside the Blazing Portal, having avoided providing any hint as to why to meet them. So it was that Amdirlain ended up waving casually across the room at a gobsmacked Nomein.
Nomein had shed the pragmatic garments of the monastery and instead dressed in a dark blue, rune-stitched shirt, pants, and grey shark-skin boots. A shark-skin belt with a mother-of-pearl buckle and assorted tasteful jewellery rounded out her outfit. Despite her wealthy appearance, nothing had faded in her combat capacity. Not only did Nomein move with fluid striking grace, but Amdirlain could hear her Class themes resonated with greater strength than the others.
“You’re looking well off, Nomein,” said Amdirlain, as she could see Nomein finally gather her wits.
“Amdirlain,” yelled Nomein. From where she’d frozen at the top of the stairs, Nomein raced over and dropped into Amdirlain’s lap to enfold her in a hug. “I thought for sure we’d never see you again.”
Amdirlain chuckled and gently patted her back. “What have you been doing? By the way, your grammar has become awful.”
“That’s rich from you! I’ve been keeping busy gathering materials for an auction house, which sends me all over, and I get to fight heaps of powerful foes,” admitted Nomein, her hands clasping Amdirlain’s shoulders. “Where were you for so long?”
“No, little Nomein’s become a mercenary,” gasped Amdirlain in mock horror.
“Acquisition specialist, thank you. I got home to my parents and found they only wanted me to help run the shop. Boring!” proclaimed Nomein. “Give us some details.”
“She wouldn’t answer us when we asked,” noted Gemiya.
“No, I said I’d tell you later. We were catching up on the dormitory gossip when you asked,” corrected Amdirlain. “Do you want me to get into details of gods and what risks the early stages of divinity contain?”
“Know you seem a lot stronger than before,” declared Nomein, unbothered by the question.
“Know you should have been here earlier; she’s been adjusting what she projects for hours now,” advised Gemiya. “Know it's far easier to relax in her presence than it was initially.”
“I’m glad to know I’m making it easier,” said Amdirlain, having paid close attention to the tension within their expressions and song.
“Would you at least tell us how you came to perish?” persisted Nomein.
“In summary: I wasn’t yet very strong divinity-wise while at the monastery. A stronger God had his worshippers summon me and tried to strip what is called a Mantle from me, so he could gain power from my worshippers' faith. The action I took to prevent it led to my demise, but rather than destruction, the Titan’s rules around Mantles and developing gods stuck me in his Maze. It took me time to get free, though I lost the Mantle. Lerina needs to take care of it for me until I’m strong enough to regain it. End Story.”
“The Titan’s rules? Who’s this Titan?” asked Nomein, not having shifted off Amdirlain’s lap.
“Though there are various strengths of divine beings, the Titan’s rules apply to them all,” clarified Amdirlain.
“Know I believe you’re leaving an epic tale sitting untold,” huffed Gemiya.
“Stuff happened, but I spent a lot of time just waiting, studying, doing repetitive exercises, and occasionally taking some risks to push things along,” explained Amdirlain.
Nomein twisted to look at the others, and as if they’d practised it, they rolled their eyes in sync.
Ignoring that she was sitting on Amdirlain’s lap Nomein spun back around and tapped her nose. “Share some information.”
Nomein’s unconcerned behaviour drew a snort from Amdirlain. “Don’t I get a choice? Who taught you that eye roll? I’d expect none of you to make such an exaggerated expression.”
“Sarah,” Gemiya admitted, and the others nodded. “Know that she’s been in touch with us all while you were ‘locked up’ as she put up.”
“I knew she visited the monastery, but you’d returned to your home city. I didn’t know she’d tracked you down.”
“Know she kept in touch with us all regularly since your disappearance,” advised Nomein, waving a hand at the others. “Despite the reassurances we received, it was sometimes hard to focus. You’d always been there to help us, but we had done nothing for you. I would like to know more about what happened.”
“No, you had done a lot. Being around all of you helped me overcome the pain I’d been dealing with, which helped me heal. Even now, remembering the peace of those years training with all of you helps me hold things together.” insisted Amdirlain, and she gave Nomein a gentle poke in the ribs. “Will you sit in a chair and not my lap, please?”
“Spoilsport, I wanted to see if I could get you to blush,” grumbled Nomein, but she got up and dropped onto the chair beside Amdirlain.
Amdirlain raised a brow. “Really?”
“What, you’re not a goddess anymore, are you? Come on, share some stories, or I’ll keep flirting.”
“You’re unbelievable,” laughed Amdirlain,
“And you're gorgeous, so I’ll happily flirt until you tell me to stop.”
Amdirlain sighed. “Stop, please. You’ve become very metropolitan, but I’m having an issue with a Skill’s evolution, and I don’t want to think I’m leading you on.”
“Living places where I’m the only Githzérai broadens one’s perspective,” offered Nomein. “I’ll behave, but you’ve been sitting there calm and focused.”
“That’s a relief; my background had twisted a bunch of skills into an evolution I’m not happy with possessing. It has a continual seduction aspect I've got to keep under tight control,” admitted Amdirlain.
“Why would you end up with something like that?” asked Nomein.
“I've come a long way from where I started, but it still affects some things I accomplish. I used to be Mortal, but I got cursed and became a Succubus. That’s part of why my title included Lady of the Accursed,” advised Amdirlain. “I’d evolved my species to Fallen before I came to the monastery, and though I've found a way to get free, it's a long path.”
“A Succubus? Cursed?” gasped Lezekus, sitting forward, eyes blazing in anger. “Who did that to you?”
“He’s trapped in the Abyss himself at present, in a far worse state than I’m in; by cursing me, and others, he abused an artefact of the Titan,” advised Amdirlain, and she gave Lezekus a reassuring smile. “The others are free, but the wording in cursing me means I need to take a different route. It’s been a long road already, but I know my end goal now; it’ll be alright. Now let me start at my arrival.”
The four listened intently as Amdirlain explained the Maze’s layout and purpose, going into the details of freeing deserving entities and destroying others to trigger the guardians to fight her. The vines and the recovered memories she left well alone.
A Message orb, buzzing with a voice she’d not heard in some time, appeared mid-story, and Amdirlain halted to listen.
“Ebusuku said you wanted a guide. I’ve arrived at the Blazing Portal and am on my way up.”
Signalling the others to wait, Amdirlain moved to the door in a blur and hauled it open to find Rasha stepping into the corridor. True Sight revealed a heavily muscular Hound Archon compressed into a lean Catfolk, similar in height to her, with black and dark-green spotted fur. He wore the same style of loose shirts, and pants that reached his extended ankle joint, though the short swords and daggers had been replaced with far stronger enchantments.
“It is good that our breaths mingle again, Am; many in your tribe miss you.”
Amdirlain stepped forward and momentarily touched her forehead to his. “Ras, it is good that your breath mingles with mine again. Gail has shared much of your journey. Did you enjoy teaching her?”
“It was good to take care of her. I taught, and I learnt. Given that she has found others to hunt with, it is time to move on. Ebusuku says you have some you wish me to guide on the hunt so they can grow stronger.” said Rasha.
“I do indeed. Come through and let me introduce you to the four of them,” said Amdirlain, ushering him inside.