When Nala returns, and sets up, she unrolls several parchments, including a map of the Spine of the World, or at least a significant portion of it anyway. Upon the map are seemingly decorative symbols that must mark the locations of either prominent dragons’ territories, or factions like the Order. Many of the symbols are variations on a circle that has been raked through by a claw. I wonder if that’s indicative of something.
Nala, seeing me visually tallying the circular, slashed-through symbols, comments, “Factions that have been absorbed into, or slain by Terrorzin loyalists. Parchment and charcoal available here should you find the need to take notes. I highly recommend you take notes.”
I whistle a low note of realization as I count something like eighty percent of the symbols being denoted as such. I recognize the Mountains of Solace and Solitude, twin peaks that share a waterfall between them, the Medusa falls. Two symbols are scrunched together in their area, an onyx shard, and a perfect emerald. That makes sense. Ka’thuul was a green dragon, and claimed to be in alliance with us. Kinzul even said as much, though indicated it was tenuous, and I could tell she was wary of an eventual betrayal.
Nala agrees with my unspoken assessment, stating, “Quite. Though all is not dire entirely. Kinzul is the eldest, and most powerful dragon alive, more so than Terrorzin. If it were simply a matter of declaring a duel, if Kinzul could rescind and reclaim the dragonforce she’s spread throughout the Order, she would undoubtedly win. I by no means speak with pride, but only as a matter of fact. Yisstendahl too, was quite powerful, the snake though he was. Many among us are exceptionally powerful, aided all the moreso by the effects of the Order. Among the more important ones we have include the aliases the Scholar, and the Seer.”
My heart and breathing stops and tears well in my eyes as I gaze at Nala. She looks stricken at my sudden emotive display and asks, “Whatever is the— No. No, you barely knew what a—. No. Please, please clarify your expression.”
Gulping, I struggle to find the words. My heart literally aches as I flap my jaw wordlessly for moments on end. Kinzul wailed in grief, displaying vulnerability in front of me, for people I’d never heard of, never known, and the power of her grief carried over into me through empathy. Finally, when I’m able to speak, it’s almost a croaked sob, “Aymestue, and Dmitriv, there, glp, there was an attack. Lady Kinzul said they were slain. Lil was heartbroken.”
Nala slumps into the chair positioned behind her. Nala mutters, with a shouted emphasis on a single word, “The *One!* intellect that could engage in an enlightening discussion. Oh Dmitriv you old fool. How could you have fallen so easily? So early? Too soon. Too soon.”
She gazes my way, stunned, a query on her face. Her expression is basically a plea, asking me to admit that I was mistaken, or it was a lie. I shake my head only fractions. After several somber minutes of silence punctuated with only an occasional thump as Nala moved either her head to the table in front of her, or pounded the table, Nala draws a deep breath. She states, “Right then, we’d best get our Hero up to speed mustn’t we. The war has started, and we’ve lost a battle before it had even begun.”
Nala begins rattling off details with startlingly alarming speed, “Miraina, Messenger of the Onyx Dawn, alias Pawn, she’s able to move quickly and discretely. Vylon, and Vyela, Queens of the Onyx Dawn, aliases Rend, and Sunderer respectively. They are among the most fearsome warriors you will ever lay eyes upon. Where Lady Kinzul outclasses Terrorzin in sheer quantity of power, they outclass Lady Kinzul in combat capability. Lady Kinzul of course is the Progenitor of the Onyx Dawn, Administrator, is her alias which is rarely used. She— has a great many secrets, and talents. Her dragonforce is spread very thin, for exceedingly good reasons.”
I detect pride in Nala’s voice upon her description of Kinzul. If Aliases have something to do with our Latents, is that part of why Kinzul can set up an organization such as the Order? Why she can parcel and dole out her own power?
The vocal tones of Nala’s pride in our Lady are soon overwritten by mumbling, as she apparently dislikes talking about herself, “I am the Librarian of the Onyx Dawn, Nala, alias Curator. My mind recollects locations and organization and intuits proper placements for future needs. There is some small degree of foresight afforded me, and oft I have the right materials at hand when in dire need of exactly those details. I’m also fairly inventive. I haven’t the materials, but I believe I could operate clockwork. My mind would see the appropriate placement of cogs and parts in machines, including ways to efficiently suffuse magical gems and properties into those machines.”
Huh, she’s talking about artificery, Nala’s an artificer. We’ll need to get some of our Can’Z’aasian stuff up and running so that she has materials to mess around with. Nala continues, “I believe you may be aware of the Star of the Onyx Dawn, Sun, the Bard of the Onyx Dawn, Muse, and the Hound, Hunter. Names Lil, Luni, and Lucky respectively. They gave me your description when Lady Kinzul wanted a second pair of eyes to verify up close.”
Nala straightens her glasses, and continues, “Errissa, Scout of the Onyx Dawn, Spymaster, I’d be remiss if I spoke of her abilities, but I’m certain you can fathom a guess. Boetah, Guardian of the Onyx Dawn, alias Shield, his alias speaks to his abilities. Similarly, Shaylon, Guardian of the Onyx Dawn, alias Aegis, also has an alias that speaks to his abilities.”
My head is swimming with all these new names, and it sounds like most of these are fully fledged dragons, not necessarily anywhere near the total number of Draconiacs that are either within the Order, or under Lady Kinzul’s protection. I knew the organization would be large in scale, but Nala continues for another full half hour before pausing to ask, “Do you similarly have immunity to the biological needs that necessitate the use of a restroom as Sun, Muse, and Hunter?”
I blink in surprise at the sudden shift, before I belt out laughter accidentally. Collecting myself, I answer, “Um, yes, I retain a similar immunity to that biological function, and the inability to, well, yes.”
Nala seems unamused as she excuses herself, “Well, friend Reggie, I do not. I must make water. I suggest you remain here, study or make note of what I’ve told you so far, or items of interest I’ve placed on the table.”
I nod, perhaps a bit too emphatically at Nala. She certainly has a way with words. Looking over some of the names on my list, Revinth, alias simply Dark stands out. Gresog, alias Quick stands out as well, as does Kagired, alias Sponge is kind of funny, but if Kinzul was pouring her dragonforce into him, for his Latent, it must be more important than it sounds. Many of the names have only either an organization title, or an alias. None of the *living* names have an honoris causa, which causes me to gulp. Nala explained that an honoris causa requires a tremendous amount of the fractioned dragonforce, driving home the weight of the investment that Kinzul has placed on both Teuila, and me.
There was also a brief explanation about how Kinzul can’t simply rescind and withdraw all of her dragonforce from everywhere that it’s applied to, or even simply recall the dragonforce granted as titling for the dead. It takes sometimes up to months to reclaim the dragonforce invested into someone who dies. Months seem like nothing in a dragon’s lifespan, sure, but when a war is brewing, she might not have months. Hell, we’ve only been alive *months*, and the planet has already gone to hell, almost literally. More like hell came to the planet, but still.
I continue perusing names of people Nala deemed important enough to mention even just offhandedly, with no titles or aliases. Aaront, Elshon, Prent, Burshis, Nietru, Geskae, Shrulniz, Aktixas, and a slew of others. I’m going to need to ask her for individual descriptions, so I know who the hell I’m approaching or talking to around here. Hell, I’m going to need notecards, flash cards, whatever, hah. Oh, speak of the— that’s not Nala.
I stiffen as I still my breathing. My gaze lingers on the Draconiac before me. Her scales are a dark smoky gray in color, and her fine cloak that drapes from her shoulders, with its hood down matches the natural stone of the mountain. Her eyes are ethereally beautiful, a silver that shimmers and flows like liquid mercury. Their stare meets my gaze with a startling intensity, and in the reflection of the glowlichen, her eyes sparkle like stars.
The gray Draconiac continues to stare at me as I gaze back at her, our curiosity mutual. Her armor sits flatteringly upon her slender yet well-toned physique, hugging and accentuating the lithe, serpentine frame of her figure. The rounded feminine features of her reptilian face are perfect, save tiny scarring in a single vertical slash along her left brow, and cheekbone, where she must have taken a cut to the eye at some point. My heart flutters as my gaze takes her in, and I hate myself just a little bit for it.
I stand suddenly, accidentally sending my chair clattering, and I wince. In the fraction of a moment that my eyes were closed, Errissa is gone. At least, I’m pretty certain that that was the body of a Spymaster, the very definition of a Spymaster. I’m still standing, blinking with my jaw agape, as Nala returns. She queries something of me, and I respond with a lame, “Huh?”
Nala frowns and asks, “What did you accomplish while I was alleviating myself?”
I rattle my skull for a moment, trying to return to my senses. I ramble off, “I memorized several of the names, I’ll need to ask for descriptions later, but I’m pretty positive I just saw Errissa.”
Nala balks at that, then demands, “Excuse me, you what?”
Blushing, I try to downplay it, “Is she, glp, a um, smoky shale-colored Draconiac, with flatteringly well-fit leathers, a slender athletic form, a scar that runs vertically on her left brow to her left cheek?”
Nala squints at me suspiciously as she responds, “That indeed would be a very accurate description of her, but you don’t understand. Errissa is not, can not be seen by any strangers, or even friends she does not want to be seen by.”
My heart’s still pounding like a drum from taking in the sight of her, and again I curse my foolish, shallow nature. What does it mean that I was able to see her? Was it really her, or just some vision? Does my title of Hero, or my alias Schism give me some manner of immunity to the nature of her ability as Spymaster? I continue to work at calming my breathing, so much that I’ve got a case of dry-mouth, and feel light-headed from dehydration. Why the hell was I so damn smitten from a single glance? Why am I so shallow? What the hell is wrong with me? Wait, maybe that’s one of her powers, stories on Fakeworld include spies, um, seducing for information and stuff.
I query to Nala, “Is, um, is there any chance that, erm, uh, seductiveness, as sort of an aura or something, is one of Errissa’s powers related to her Latent, or her Alias?”
My stomach flops as Nala shakes her head to the contrary. Nala explains, “No, no that is definitely not at all an effect of her Latent, and I’m— distressed by the implications.”
I grimace, feeling stupid for cluing Nala in. Plus, if my Alias or Latent granted me a measure of immunity to her powers, allowing me to see her, it should have nullified the other side too, though I could be entirely wrong about how I was able to see her. Maybe it was a vision from the Sisters Hidden in the Mist? Regardless, I avert my gaze and agree, “As am I, trust me, I assure you. I’ve never felt more shallow in my entire life. I’ve no problem seeing beauty in anyone and everyone, of any species, but—.”
Nala virtually quips, “But your hormones are raging at the mere sight of her.”
I’m mortified, but she’s not exactly wrong. I don’t have the biology to even have a biological imperative, and our physiologies don’t even match, so it’s not quite what Nala is implying. Still, I feel shallow as hell. I glance anywhere other than Nala’s face to avoid meeting her gaze for several long moments. I’m blushing heatedly while struggling to calm my breathing once more. Seriously, I feel awful, rotten. How many times have I been smitten by short, shallow interactions, based on physical appearance alone? Sure, most relationships that I pursue blossom into wonderful, beautiful friendships, but that hardly excuses it.
Now I’m sudenly worried that I’ll convince myself I’m charmed by Nala’s intellect if I try to deny the fact that I’m a shallow bastard, simply to prove to myself that I’m not as shallow as I’m believing myself to be in this moment. Even if that led to something, now I doubt if it would have been honest, so I couldn’t ever pursue it, for fear of hurting a friend. I mean, not that Nala would ever be interested, she’s very clearly an aro ace, with no desire for those sorts of relationships with anyone new, or at all. Or maybe she’s in a relationship, and monogamous. Now I’m second guessing everything I deduce socially, because of one stupidly shallow interaction. Gorrammit.
Nala wears a disapproving frown before rolling her eyes and ordering, “Right, back to it. History, and the current state of affairs. You need to know that Terrorzin dies this year, that is no bold claim, or threat, it is a prophecy. We’ve confirmation that his scrying pool informed him of this. He doesn’t know when, so he’s declared he’ll take the whole rest of the world down with him. He’d been balked by something, or someone. We’d hoped it was the strength of our alliance, but—, it’s wishful thinking. We believe he has been setting pieces into motion, or following instructions on where to set pieces into motion, and we simply cannot keep track of all of his pieces.”
Nala looses a long sigh as she pinches her scaled brow-ridge before explaining, “Terrorzin loyalists make up nearly eighty percent of all dragons, Draconiacs, and kobolds. Kinzul cares for approximately eleven percent, and Ka’thuul owns the allegiance of approximately nine percent. There are smaller family clans that have escaped domination, without joining an alliance, but the unaffiliated cannot be counted upon for anything, and it would be best to assume that at best, they are enemies, and at worst, are secretly enemies. What is it you keep doing with your hands?”
I blush as I admit, “Runecrafting. I don’t have a mnemonic, so I have to master all runes by rote, into muscle memory. It takes me hundreds of attempts per rune to get it down to rote usually, and I’ve got to learn several thousand just for the spells I currently have spellbooks for. I’ve only got maybe a couple hundred runes mastered so far. I try to be a bit picky and choosy about the order of spells and runes, because some spells have certain runotypical structures that are shared amongst other spells of a similar nature, or simply have runic characteristics that are the backbone of certain encoding runes. Kinzul ordered me to learn one spell she knows I have available to learn, Detect Thoughts. I think she’s hoping for more than it’s capable of, but I’ll trust her judgment, since she trusts mine and told me to prioritize as I see fit after that. I’m multitasking, since I can attempt to learn, think and talk while doing it. I could be exercising too, but I’ll admit I’m a bit lazy on that front.”
I realize I rattled that all off in a single breath, thanks to my Shellcracker lung capacity, so I find myself blushing, but Nala doesn’t speak up, even though I’ve finished. The stunned look on Nala’s face is hard to parse as she simply blinks several times. For some reason, her tone softens when she starts to speak again, “I— apologize. I did not realize how hard you had to work for some of your power. How hard you *are* working for the Order. I suppose I understand a bit better why our Lady chose as she did. Would you lay your life down for her, if she told you it would save hers?”
I gaze up-leftwards as I try to imagine such a scenario, in several of them, no, it seems like a waste, but others, yes. I declare, “It depends on the scenario. Almost undoubtedly yes if I were certain she were correct, or even simply mostly sure that she were in her right mind. I’d like to say I’m unflinchingly loyal, but I’m also not suicidal, and I try to refrain from stupidity, or obvious mistakes, if I can deduce them.”
Nala strokes her scaled chin while nodding to my answer. She apparently approves, “Good. Unflinching loyalty leads to zealotry, and that’s exactly how we got the Terrorzin loyalists. I won’t deny we may have some zealots on our side, but far fewer than one might expect. I— am impressed by you. Take that how you will. I do believe that I’ll be moving spellbooks up in the relevancy score value, based on what you’ve just told me. I would also be happy to endeavor to find a path of least resistance which grants you the most progress per rune learned, in terms of the number of applicable spells that share given runes.”
I flash Nala a genuine smile as I nod appreciatively.