Chapter 147 March.
The growth or decline of a person is measured by a change.
A change in attitude, a change of habits.
A change in goals, or a change of personality.
A person grow when the change is for his or her betterment.
A person decline when the change worsen his or her psyche.
Lokamesh, Father of Mortal Kind.
{28} Kilako (October) the 3rd
A March. Riding at the head of five thousand soldiers is an empowering feeling that sends shivers of ecstasy throughout my body. A slave army might not be loyal by choice, but loyalty is all that matters to me. The autumn sunrise from my right cast rays of incorporeal gold on the road ahead. The said rays break down into thousands of glitters on the river to my left.
Leaving the city. I've brought Kolag, Salik, Zoe, Ovin, Berthold, and Jolla with me. Left behind are Tasiya and Aisha along with Talbot, the three are in charge over Red Cedar City. While Jerro, Sharla, and Ryon are sailing for Sajarev in the far south to root out the assassin guild who put the hit on me.
I currently wear my newly modified armor. The snake skin armor the orcs made still repulses incoming object. Although the repulse effect had been slightly weakened by now, it's still strong enough to halt arrows that are shot at it. The leather worker had fit straps to tie up the magical grimoire to my back. Given that my spell book is indestructible even for a spell like 'Kinetic Blast' It's the best piece of armor I've got. Although there was an option to fit it on my chest, I figured that I'd rather protect from threats I couldn't see coming. The grimoire on my back is rather heavy, but it's worth the protection and the easy access should I need it.
I do wear black robes on top of my armor, covering the grimoire on my back and the scaly nature of the armor. Since the weather cooled down by now it's not as annoying to wear anymore, but I'll probably still take the robe off at the height of noon when the sun is high.
Loyal neighs happily as I pat his neck. “It’s been a while since we had a ride together, huh?” I need to figure out what motivates my horse and why he's so loyal to me.
He neighs again. "I hate you!"
“I missed you too…” Maybe I can accept his loyalty to me without questioning it? He could be another creature influenced by a god, or he could be just a dumb horse that hated Rushmia?
He snorts and shakes his head. "I didn't miss you. I'm happy without you!"
“You didn’t miss me?” I should know better than that by now...
He shakes his head again. "No!"
“Ok that hurts, what did I do?” He gallops forward, his mane wraps around my hands sticking them to his neck.
“Hey!! Stop!”
He stops with a snort. "You left me behind. You always leave me behind! I hate you!"
“You’re saying I left you back at Apricot City?”
He neighs and nods. "Yes. And then you left me alone in a stable with no other horses! There was not a single mare there! I was all alone!"
Can he be controlled by attention then? “Oh I'm sorry. I thought you didn't like it with the other horses. Why didn't you say something?"
He snorts and shakes his head rapidly. "Because I hate you."
And what's with this "I hate you" response all the time? Does he really hate me? Or is that his true weird way of showing love? I always translated it as the latter, but what if he really does hate me and put up with me because some god told him to? "That makes a lot of sense," I say sarcastically. "Well, I hate you too then!"
He neighs happily and raises his front legs. His mane wraps around my hand and his adhesive skin keeps me stuck to his back so I won't fall.
"Woah. Easy there! Do you want me to really hate you?"
"Yes!" His front legs land on the ground and he gallops forward. If he calls hate love, then he wants me to really love him. But if it's really hate then... Ok stop. I need to stop overthinking this nonsense. He's just a damn horse that gained some intelligence, not some sophisticated person with ulterior motives.
“Can you actually understand what he’s saying?” Kolag rides near me. Loyal’s height dwarfs Kolag's black stallion who seems rather nervous, but with Kolag’s own height and armor he’s only a head shorter than me.
“To a degree. It’s more of a feeling…” I respond.
"Marisha... It's so good to just say your name now." Kolag's black adamantine armor seems to swallow the sunlight, unlike any other metal that would reflect it. His long claymore tied to his back, along with a smaller bastard sword. There's another arming sword on his hip and a dagger. Why do men need so many swords? Isn't one enough?
I smile. It's indeed pleasant to have him say it. The way he kept saying my name over and over today sends shivers of ecstasy down my spine each and every time. I'm unsure whether it's my love for him or something to do with my bloodline, but I don't care.
Loyal stops and nuzzles against Kolag’s armored side. Kolag pats his head.
“Marisha, I’ve been feeding him while you were meditating like you've asked me to,” Kolag notes. “I’ve never seen a horse that likes eating sheep’s ribs before…”
I tug Loyal's mane. “So you like Kolag now? Traitor…”
Loyal snorts. "I hate Kolag too!"
It seem more and more like his way of saying he loves someone. Let's give it one final test and drop this dumb matter. “Loyal, what do you think about Kolag riding you to battle? I’ll most likely fly during battles, and Kolag is used to fighting from a horse back, I’m sure he could utilize your abilities better…”
Loyal nods with a loud neigh. "I hate it! but ok. I hate Kolag more than you!"
“Traitor…”
"I'm sure we'll got along, Loyal." Kolag pats the side of my horse's neck. "Marisha? What do you think about Koshavi's offer?"
I sigh, taking my time before answering slowly. "I can't say I like it. I also can't find any faults with the way she acted toward us, and I hate that I can't find any faults with her. I don't trust her. I simply can't trust her. Will it be ok with you if I take some time to think about it?"
He nods. "Take as long as you need, Marisha. I stopped praying to her. I won't do so until I get an ok from you."
That's... Oddly refreshing... And he said my name again...
Berthold rides up to our side on a shaggy brown mare. He wears an iron chain shirt over his gambeson a new addition to his armor. His longbow and a quiver of arrows tied up to his back, along with a short arming sword and a seax on his belt. "Can you truly say her real name now, Kolag? Is it not Inara?"
"No. It's not. It's Marisha."
"I told you already, I can't hear that. I simply hear Inara whenever you say it." He turns his head to me. "Inara, are you happy with him?" He gestures at Kolag with a thumb.
I raise an eyebrow. "Why? Don't tell me you're still interested in me."
"I was. I guess a part of me will always care about you. But no. I'm no longer the boy who made up stories about kissing fairies. No. I've bedded an actual fairy, and as much as I miss Sharla, it's not as amazing as I thought it'd be. If anything, I miss the intimacy more, the feeling that someone cares about me, the sweet lies she told me. Oh well, I'm not going to be that good guy who gets the girl. You women like to hurt me, and then you somehow like men who likes to hurt you. Like Kolag who tried to kill you, but you still love..."
Kolag growls and reaches for his claymore. "Be very careful with your words, Berthold. You've tried to separate us once, I won't tolerate another attempt."
Berthold chuckles bitterly. "Oh, please. We both know you won't hurt me. Your guilty conscious will haunt you forever if you kill me over a few words. You're a snowy pea-brained fool. If she loves you so much do you really think mere words will change her mind after your attempt to kill her?"
Kolag quietly slumps in the saddle, his tense shoulders relaxing with a metallic cling.
He's changed... A lot... I can see some of Sharla in him now... I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing. But no matter what he's still my dear little pawn... All mine! I grin. "I see you've gained some confidence, Berthold. Real confidence, not the sweet facade you used to put on."
He snorts and pulls the reigns of his mare to slow her down from the attempt to avoid Loyal's toothy snout. "Yeah. Almost dying by your hands will do that to me. I have a few things I want to make clear."
"Go on."
"One. Once we leave this island you make sure that witch heals my sister, then you and me are done."
We'll see about that... "That was the deal. I believe I did warn you about that witch."
"She was never the problem. You are. Two. While I was with Sharla, she made me renounce Tonisha and worship that darkness maiden fairy. I wanted you to hear it from me and not anyone else."
Of course she did... "I appreciate your candor, Berthold."
"You're welcome. You did hurt me, you hurt me a lot. But you've never been dishonest and from our very first moment you told me you're not really interested in me. I wish I had listened. Anyway, this fairy is much better than my former goddess. In return for worshiping her I get a few abilities such as the ability to see in darkness and a higher accuracy for my bow. I can also call some fairies to help me, but that requires a price. Which brings me to three. When you hunt a strong magical beasts again, I want the bones. Don't give them to Sharla, she doesn't deserve it. If you give it to me I'm going to use it for battle by your side rather than improve my standing with some fairy queen who wants to use us both."
"I can do that. Sharla lost any credibility she may had with me by now. I'll also go on a hunt soon since I'm out of souls."
He perks up. "How soon?"
"Either on the way to Green Pear City, or after we retake the city. I'll give you the bones. Anything else?"
"No... Just those three. Gods... I'm becoming too much like those annoying fairies, I even request things in three."
I chuckle. "You can make a fourth request."
He nods to himself quietly before speaking up again. "Yeah. I do have one. If I ever get taken as a hostage again with a dagger to my throat like that, don't throw a spear at me. Let them take me hostage. Even if it means I'll die at the end."
You think I'll just let you leave my services through death? You're my dear dear family... "I can't promise you that. In a fight or flight situation when I make split second decisions I can't predict how I'll react. Whether you believe it or not, at that moment I truly believed that it was the best way of saving your life."
"Fine. Whatever." He shrugs and rides on ahead.
Kolag looks at Berthold's back with a hum. "You should've promised him you wouldn't do it again."
I sigh. "I don't want to lie about such things."
"Then don't lie."
"But I might have to do it again."
He turns to face me in his saddle. "Do you intend to do it again?"
"It's very much possible."
"Marisha..."
"What?" I raise both eyebrows at him.
He sighs and shakes his head. "You don't have to get so technical about honesty. Being unwilling to promise that is as good as saying you don't value his life."
"I would do that because I value his life."
"Yes. I know that. But what he hears is that you don't value his life."
"Why?"
Kolag groans. "It just does, to him."
"It feels wrong to lie about it though. Very wrong..."
"It's not a lie if you mean it."
"But I wouldn't mean it. It's a lie."
"It's..."
Salik rides up to us with a snicker. Expertly directing his short white horse with his knees. "Don't bother, kid. Elves get like that about technicalities." Salik wears his brigandine armor with an axe in his belt and a kite shield tied up to the hook that replaces his missing wrist. There is a pair of additional daggers in his belt, and a small hand crossbow hanging on his back.
I raise an eyebrow. "Elves? I'm barely a quarter elf."
He chuckles. "See? Technicalities. We have a long march ahead. If you don't want to spend the whole way bickering about nonsense, you better stop now."
"Fine."
"Fine."
"Salik! We aren't done talking about this!" Zoe yells from behind, trying to get her horse to gallop faster but the stubborn gray mare keeps walking at a slow pace. "Ugh! This stupid horse! Can someone bring me a better horse?" Zoe wears bright white robes that match her brown hair and hug her body in a flattering manner. Other than a single bronze dagger that is used for menial tasks she doesn't carry any weapons.
Salik snorts and slows down to ride by her side. "You asked for a docile horse, love, I've given you the calmest mare I could find."
"But she can't ride faster!"
"She can. You have to press on her sides like I taught you."
"I hate horses!"
"I know, love."
Ovin bypass the two and lines up his brown stallion by my side. He jerks his thumb toward the couple behind us. "Does she ever shut up?" He wears a padded armor, a few daggers on his belt and a pair of spears tied up to the flank of his horse.
"I'm still wondering about that..." I note with a smile. "How are you fitting in, Ovin? Anyone other than Zoe giving you any trouble?"
The bald man grins and the scar across his face twists with the expression. "None so far. Yo'll been more welcoming than I've expected. Except for jugs for brains over there." He gestures at Zoe behind him with a vague motion. "She's a snaking menace."
"She's young, but she's learning." I hope.
He snorts "She's young? Woah there little lady, are you even twenty yet? Just about?"
Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.
I shrug. "I'm older than I look, Ovin."
"Ah yeah, I forgot 'bout that. So you're what? Forty? 'Scuse me for askin' your age an'oll." There's not a single hint of apology or awkwardness in his voice.
"Twenty eight."
"Ha. K. You're still young then. You age slowly?"
I nod. "Something like that. How old are you? If you don't mind me asking."
"Forty one," he states proudly as if his old age an achievement. Maybe it is on this island, people die here too easily...
I snicker. "Salik over there is over ninety years old. And Sharla, you've met our resident Fae I take it? She's around seventy-ish."
"You're snaking snowing me!"
"I'm not. Go ask Salik if you don't believe me."
He furrows his eyebrows. "Why would Salik put up with her then?"
"I honestly don't know. I find that weird myself, but I'd rather not get between those two as long as they're doing their job."
He nods slowly. "I feel you." We ride in silence for a few seconds before he asks. "So when will u teach me magic?"
"We can start tonight when we camp."
He smiles widely and his scar twists again. "Windy! You're a nice jar. I half expected you to have some iron rod for a spine like her." He juts his thumb backward to Zoe again. "Demanding some snowy honorifics like an entitled snake sucker zephyr, but yo'll just windy."
"While I do not appreciate your slang, it's probably because Sinteo isn't my first language. I'm not going to demand you change the way you talk, much less honorifics. Anyway, Ovin. Tell me about yourself, what did you do for a living before the riots in Apricot City started?"
"I used to be a hunter. And a trader, for... Some smuggled goods, feel me?"
"Smuggled goods? There are laws against certain goods here? Isn't the local mage making the rules? Why would they care about some types of goods?"
"Yeah, but you know... Stolen stuff is still looked for, and there's always some snake sucker who wants to forbid alcohol or chew leaf. I went outta town every few days, guards knew me, and them'oll traders sold me the goods outside. I come back, guards ain't bother searching me. Simple extra money on the side, feel me?"
I nod. "Makes sense. Thanks for sharing. Might put your skill into some good use one day. I'll see you in the evening for some magic practice."
"Windy! You're a mighty good person. I'll see ya tonight for that magic lesson."
*~*~*
Interlude 147.1
Ovin
(Ovin is the thug Marisha saved recruited back in Apricot city. The one who led the Red Spears gang. The one who handed over his gang in exchange of learning magic. Zoe was against recruiting him.)
Ovin slows his horse and furrows his brows at the bulge on the short girl's back and her black massive horse.
At a first glance she's unimpressive. A short young girl who reminds him of his friend's daughter. Yet when he recalls the power at her fingertips he can't help but shudder. He needs an advantage over her, and he needs one fast.
His new boss is one tricky little lady. He tried poking every hole he could think of. He was rude. He mocked someone she cares for. He was outright sexist. Nothing. No reaction. She just remained cordial. Most women would have some explosive tantrum or get icy cold in reaction to one of those three. And when he tried positive hole poking, respect, compliments, genuine and otherwise, again, nothing. Just a cordial smile and a light banter.
How is he supposed to know what makes her tick if she doesn't react to anything? She's clearly nothing like him, she's clearly flawed and emotional, something has to make her tick.
Until yesterday he thought he could direct her with the blind trust she seemed to have in people, yet the snaking Fae zephyr thoroughly destroyed that opening in Inara's armor.
No. He'll have to come up with another way. Maybe he should poke holes at that hulking armored man she seems to like, that'll let him measure her... He should still be careful with how far he goes, he doesn't want to cross the line that'll make her kill him though. He'll have to calculate that before he make the attempt.
Wait, yesterday there was something else beside blind trust.
Ovin hastens his horse forward to ride by her side again.
"Yes, Ovin? Was there anything else?" The young woman observes him with gray steel eyes, her right eyebrow perked up. Her wide black robes hide most of her feminine features, save for the curve of her waist emphasized by the belt and pouches she wears high on her hips. A pair of sharp tipped ears jut out from her short red hair.
"Yes. Look. K. I know nothing about what yo'll think of the gods," Ovin drawls, "but I saw the fuss yesterday. Have you tried worshiping one of em? They ain't so bad."
The change is immediate. Her shoulders tense up, her fingers crawl into shaking fists around the mane of her horse, and her beautiful face form an almost animalistic snarl. "Don't talk about things you know nothing about!"
Ovin raises his head, faking naivety. "Yeah. Sorry. I just thought that..."
Her shoulders shake, and she plays with one of the bags on her pouch. "Just don't. You said what you had to because your goddess told you to say it. Now leave me be."
"Nah. My goddess ain't said nothin' I wish she actually did. My goddess don't even notice I exist."
The armored man at her other side holds onto the hilt of his claymore. "And your goddess is Rakisha?"
"Yeah." Ovin confirms with a grin. His goddess is indeed Rakisha, Goddess of Ambition and Power. Not something he'll ever lie about. Not something he's capable of lying about.
"Have you ever made a human sacrifice for your so called Goddess?" The hulking armor demands to know.
"Human sacrifice???" the redhead asks, her normally pleasant voice rises to a shrill level.
Her partner nods his helmet. "Yes. Rakisha worshipers offer her human sacrifices. Usually slaves. Not a lot of religions welcome the presence of her followers." He doesn't hide the disgust in his voice.
Ovin gestures wildly with his hands when he notice the young woman's hand sliding inside the bag at her hips. Damn this righteous Noxite knight, well, Ovin knows what makes him tick and he ain't afraid using it. "Nah. I ain't that rich yo'll. Do you know how much a slave cost? Actually you do, you've bought a whole army of them." He gestures at the marching army around them. He is not letting this disgusting emotional man who deludes himself with false morals get the moral high ground here. He may be unable to lie about his worship of Rakisha by her tenets, but he can sure lie about the slaves he sacrificed to her in the past.
The armored man slumps in his saddle, and Ovin hides the grin he'd normally have over such a triumph with a puzzled expression etched on his face. The redhead rolls her eyes but he notes the guilty glance she casts toward the slaves before she masks it under a nonchalant expression. Interesting. "I don't care what god you're worshiping," she says. "Don't kill people, slaves or not. And don't try to convince me to worship whatever snaking god you're following around.
"Will do, boss. And nah, I ain't sacrificing no one! Why would I want Rakisha's eyeless gaze upon me?"
"That's good." The young woman nods in approval.
Ovin slows his horse and wipes the sweat off his brow, a smile stretching his face. There. He made her react. She's real sensitive about the gods, and she's vulnerable to the plight of slavery. Her open display of emotion is something only the weak have, and Ovin can poke holes at her defenses with that. Yes. May Rakisha guide his mind to greatness. He can work with the material he's got.
Behind him Zoe and Salik keep on teasing each other, unaware or unbothered by the company. Ovin sneers in disgust for their open display of useless emotions.
Ovin had always been special. He knew he was superior since he was a child. Ovin is the peak of human evolution. Unlike most humans, Ovin doesn't feel these dumb emotions that slow every human down in life. No. Ovin is sharp and calculative. He'll get everything he ever wanted and more.
If Salik is indeed ninety years old, he's the prime example of how emotions can turn a man weak. Ovin never needed love, Ovin never needed to laugh. Ovin only need to become stronger and subject these weaklings to his will. And that little girl will be the one who'll help him achieve that. He just needs to figure out what kind of emotion is the best to steer her where he pleases.
Interlude 147.2
Dana
(Dana is Schnee the Zephyr. The assassin who used to work under Olfgram Gemhand in Red Cedar City and got spared by Ryon when he killed the crime lords of the city, the one who escaped Sharla's slime transformation in Marisha's room later on.)
Earlier that day.
Dana is leaving this cursed city on the next boat. Snakes! The lockdown on the harbor got to be lifted soon! And with such a large army of Men of Arms camped right outside the city, Dana’s life is going to be much harder now. She’s a wanted criminal in this city, she knows it. Maybe there aren’t drawing of her on the streets yet, but that mad assassin the Queen keeps as a pet must be after her by now. She doubts he'd spare her again, and it’s only a matter of time before…
A noise makes her turn sharply. Someone is headed upstairs, just another one of the homeless poor who's looking for a place to squat? Or the guards?
Dana hides behind the large crumbling wardrobe in the room. She’s out of sight for anyone who might open the door, and really close to the broken window if she needs to jump out.
She listens to the steps along her own loud heart beats. They inch closer and closer…
A knock on the door, and it opens. Dana’s muscles contract. Ready for a fight. Ready for a flight.
“Do not be alarmed.” The emotionless voice belongs to an unshaved tanned man with a stained shirt and the smell of tomatoes and garlic. “I am a servant to the Lord of Death, the Great Collector of Souls. I am not here to harm you.”
Dana peeks cautiously and observes the priest of Tiyadi from her hiding place. He's a young man, with tanned skin and a stained hemp shirt. He leans on a cane like an old man, and there's a dead look in his brown eyes.
“Should you help me, I’ll save your insignificant life. Refuse me, and I’ll send you on your way to my Lord.” The young cleric states as a matter of fact. His voice is so cold. From his tone, Dana doesn't think the man even views his words as a threat, just a simple fact to him.
Dana takes a shuddering deep breath. This Shaf of Tiyadi is quite young, she doubts he reaches the skill of Normier. And Normier still died to the Queen's forces, despite it all! No. She’s out of here. Out of this place! She’s not going back to Sajarev! She’s done risking her life in the service of the Silver Lord. She's had enough! She’ll live the rest of her life peacefully until it’s time…
“Normier was merely a clerk compared to my position. There’s no escaping me.” The young priest says as if he’s reading her very mind. No servant of Tiyadi can do that.
Dana knows better. Dana should know better, but her instincts takes over her rational mind. She knows this is a bad idea, but she still can’t stop herself from reaching for the window.
A familiar lithe figure sits on the windowsill, right leg bent and left dangling inside the room. Dana knows this ebony skin and the green feline eyes, it’s the queen’s personal pet assassin.
Surreal as it is, he lets out a loud fart. “Hai lady, found out how you snake yet?”
Dana screams and backs off, her back hits a firm chest of another man. He covers her mouth gruffly and cuts her scream short.
“Didn’t take you for a softy, do I need to stab you, Dana? Your scream is beautiful!” The gruff voice of Rukhan and the sharp tip of his blade gliding on her breast makes her freeze. Her blood chills in her veins. She knows what this bastard do to women he finds soft. It should scare her, she should be having a breakdown. But hearing Rukhan familiar voice have an opposite effect oddly enough. It calms her down. Although a bastard, he is an ally. If he survived…
Dana removes his hand from her mouth. “I saw you dying,” she mumbles. She saw him get taken over by that slime monster.
The man snorts. “Yet here I am, alive and well.”
"What is he doing here?" She points at the Queen's personal assassin, the lithe man who spared her life the first time around. That orc-like skin. Is he even human?
The Queen's assassin licks his lips, the way his eyes move on her body makes her want to wash up. "Sitting on da' window and lookin' at da' pretty lady. You learn how da' snake yet? Don't worry, I'm a gentleman, I tip."
Dana shudders.
"His name is Ryon. He's with us now," Rukhan explains.
“And the Queen?” Dana can’t help but ask. If he managed to kill the Queen then everything is alright, she can go back to Sajarev, she can… No. He can’t have killed the Queen if the Queen’s personal assassin is here watching them “You switched sides, didn’t you?” The conclusion is rather simple.
Rukhan snickers. “It was either that, or dying. I don’t fancy dying. I haven’t stabbed enough jugs yet.”
Dana shakes her head. What a bastard. His death might’ve been the only good thing from this hellish mission, and this monster of a Queen kept him alive of all people… Rukhan. Not Sierra, not Normier. Sierra was kind to children, and Normier helped Dana through a rough start in Sajarev. But this piece of absolute venom gets to survive, and the first thing he does is betray the only surviving member of his former team and help the Queen’s personal assassin find her.
“Fine. What do you want?” She can’t show a weakness here, if she shows a weakness to men like Rukhan, she’s dead. It’s bad enough that she screamed earlier, but she can excuse it with her surprise, yes… Dana doesn’t really believe it, but it’s her only hope for survival. This Ryon doesn't seem to be any better with the way he's eyeing her, it's a wonder he spared her the first time, he clearly wanted to force himself on her. He's obviously thinking about it now.
"Good. Then let us speak," the young cleric of Tiyadi says softly. "We have much to discuss."
*~*~*
Power level: 3rd stage apprentice.
Mana pools status:
Crown-knot: Affinity 10: connected: 1 gem replenished per minute.
Neck-Bridge: Affinity 6: formed: max amount of gems drained per day: 91
Abdomen-storage: Affinity 5: connected: 41 neutral gems. Conversion ratio: elemental : neutral-3:1, neutral : elemental-1:1
Air: Affinity 4: formed: 34 gems
Fire: Affinity 2: formed: 17 gems
Light: Affinity 3: formed: 16/26 gems
Water: Affinity 6: connected: 73/75 gems
Earth: Affinity 1: formed: 8 gems
Wood: Affinity 2: formed: 17 gems
Gravity: Affinity 9: connected: 88/113 gems
Cantrip known:
Air: Shavi’s Breeze, Shavi’s Sword. Shavi’s Hair Dryer, Aria’s Enhanced Hearing. Aria’s Sonic Scream. Aria's Increased Voice.
Fire: Nuriss’ Flame. Effrat’s Firefly, Effrat’s Fire Breath. Effrat's Ember Vision. Sorladika's Lesser Heating. Nuriss’ Ignite. Oniga's Soap Creation.
Light: Noxi’s Light. Lako’s Enhance Vision. Lako’s Blinding Light. Rika’s energy hand.
Water: Water Evocation, Water to Ice, Ice to Water, Water to Vapor, Vapor to Water, Mayan’s Icy Spike, Ayla’s Water Jet. Ayla’s instant freezem. Ayla's Flowing Shield. Ayla’s Freezing Vapors. Hot Water Conjuration. Boiling Waterjet.
Earth: Alice’s Oil Summoning, Reiko’s Acid Spray. Alf's Copper Bolt
Wood: Arigor’s Lesser Vines. Kolosu’s Vegetable Summoning.
Gravity: Lumina’s Kinetic Burstm. Tukado’s Repulse. Tukado’s Lesser Shield IIm. Imari’s Minor Telekinesism. Imari’s Jump. Leo’s Pullm. Leo’s Grounding. Alino’s Light Body. Alino’s Heavy Body. Alino's Orbiter.
Transmutation: Oniga's Laundry.
Space: Lumina's Spatial Stepa.
Spells known:
Light: Wassho’s invisibilityb2x2. Rika's Electric Channelb1x3
Water: Mayan’s Boiling Waveb2. Tolste’s Icy Escape.
Gravity: Alino’s Weightless Bodyb1x3. Tukado's Pushb1x4. Tukado’s defense IIIb1x5m. Imari’s Lesser Flightb2x2m. Lumina’s Kinetic Blast Boltb1x6a. Alino’s Crushing Weightb3.
Psyche: Lumina's Mind Touchb3
Life: Brigit’s Lesser Cure Poison. Brigit’s Skin Restoration.
(Little letters by the spells: m=mastered. a=advanced. b=bound spell, number near the b is how many gems of the mana pool binding the said spell takes. The number is determined by the elemental's size that's bound + the number of spells bound.)
Patterns Foci:
Air: 16
Fire: 8
Light: 12-13
Water: 21
Earth: 8
Wood: 8
Gravity: 22
Social status: The Queen of Red Cedar City. Inara, Daughter of Mysteries. Apprentice to the Maven of Mysteries. Sorceress.
Carried Wealth: 200 Magical Gems. 40 Golden Peas, 20 Silver Scales. 20 Copper Bits.
Personal Items:
Magical necklace. Contains 100 gems of general mana, can be drained like a mana pool. It’ll recharge by itself at the rate of five gems an hour.
1 potion of lightning body.
1 potion of mana, medium grade.
5 potions of Lesser Healing.
5 potions of Pain Tolerance.
An enchanted belt with eight pouches, the enchantment keeps the pouches’ content fresh. Each pouch may contain 10g of petals or six potion flasks.
40g Rose petals.
10g Lavender petals.
10g Sowbread petals.
10 empty soul bottles. Glass with a diamond stopper, put in scaled leather wrapping.
The Great White Egret grimoire. Dedicated by the Maven of mysteries to Inara. 39/100. Unlocked.
Present Pawns:
Kolag of house Befar. Control Method: My puppy.
Berthold. Control Method: His sister's health.
Ovin. Control Method: Magic and power.
Zoe. Control Method: fulfilling her idle fantasies.
Salik. Control Method: Glitter.
Loyal. Control Method: Unknown! Fixated on me. Unreasonably Loyal. Potential threat.
Absent Pawns:
Jerro. Control Method: Sharlafyn's love.
Sharlafyn Nettledew. Control Method: Pity.
Ryon. Control Method: Food and Sex.
Languages:
Toml’a
Sinteo
Myrsha
Felul
Nim
A'arkalu
Injuries and scars:
Curses: unknown extracted parasite, possibly bloodline related. Gone due to an unknown bloodline magic.
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Kingdom’s treasury: 25,234 Golden Peas. 765 Magical Gems.
Kingdom’s citizen:
Red Cedar City: 3,609 adults. 1,654 children.
Apricot City: 1,877 adults. 504 children.
Kingdom's army: 5,000 Men of Arms. 123 Footmen. 16 Peacekeeper Knights. 500 Blood Spears.
Total Souls: 12,644 souls.
Pawns at Court:
Tasiya Keyholder: Control Method: Threats on her life.
Jolla SilverQuill. Control Method: Pursuit of knowledge in her presence.
Talbot Bookkeeper. Control Method: Agoraphobia.
Aisha? Control Method: Humane acts?
The board has many pieces, which one to move, which one...
God's relationship: Unknown interests. Expect the worst.
Tukado: Unknown interests. Known pawns: Jolla.
Koshavi: Clearly Interested. Known interest: Kolag's love for me. Cordial so far. Wants something. Known pawns: Kolag.
Nuriss: Unknown interests. Possible pawns: Salik.
Noxi: Known interest: My death. Hostile. No known pawns.
Lokamesh: Unknown interests. No known pawns.
Tonisha: Unknown interests. No known pawns:
Amaret: Unknown interests. Assume hostility, Noxi's ally. No known pawns.
Brigit: Unknown interests. Assume hostility, Noxi's ally. No known pawns.
Rakisha: Unknown interests. Known pawns. Ovin.
Kilako: Unknown interests. No known pawns.
Tiyadi: Helpful so far. Wants something. Unknown interests. Known pawns. Jerro.
Mayan: Unknown interests. No known pawns.
Fae Monarchs Coalition: Unknown interests. Assume malicious intentions.
Twilight, Maiden of Darkness: Unknown interests. Assume malicious intentions. Known pawns. Sharla. Berthold.
Devil lords: Potential Unknown interests. Assume the worst.
Hot Iron: Unknown Interests. Assume malicious intents. Known pawns. Ryon.
Arch mages:
Maven of Mysteries: Known interest: An apprentice in her image. Currently distracted.
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