@CoyoteLovely@Hekazu



It was hardly surprising that Nakreyya couldn't find seams or joints. The technological portions of the ship had been constructed using energy/matter conversion technology. "Beamed" into existence the entire interior walling of the ship could be considered a single piece of metal.

"A little of column A, little column B. Mostly B though. This vessel performs best when it has a full crew of magically gifted individuals. Some two to three hundred people. However it was designed to be able to function with as little as a single crew member, a fact I am currently taking advantage of. Guardian has a limited artificial intelligence that allows it to perform most basic ship functions with minimal input from crew members. Fly places, fire weapons at their most basic level, perform maintenance on the less delicate technological systems. That sort of stuff."

As they walked Fionn had led them into a small room with a glowing screen on the back wall. The door closed as they stepped in and he pushed one of the shining icons on the screen. The room flashed white for half a second and the door opened back up. This time to a very obviously different hallway. Whereas the last one had been clearly utilitarian this one clearly had some effort put into the visual appeal. A deep blue carpet covered the floor and the silver white metal walls were covered in what looked like intricate crystalline magical circles.

Walking forward Fionn continued talking. "This is the command section. Mostly an area for officers and higher ranking crew members. Since it's a civilian ship the designers put a bit of effort into making it look good. Helps make potential buyers feel like they got their money's worth."

"Artificial Intelligence. How intriguing," Nakreyya said, pondering the idea for a moment. "You say limited - inferring that there is some sort of unlimited Artificial Intelligence? Are there worlds where life can be synthesized within machines?"

She seemed to have an easy time with the constantly evolving nature of the ship, the strange room that seemed to serve as a magical portal between locations, and the changes in design and decoration from place to place. Though she was clearly awed, she showed no signs of distress or alarm. She was all too aware of how little she knew, and was unafraid of the concept of learning. She had been a model student in her years, and had the added benefit of this being a subject of personal interest to her.

"Ah yes, the difference between military and civilian vessels. That is admittedly similar, no matter the world. With a registration like KRS, I was curious if you were a military vessel. I have only seen such letter designations on the ships of fleets. Though, my understanding of such methods of transport is limited. I have been on military vessels only three times in my life, most often I traveled... well, in style. And when I was traveling with the military of my people, it was on sea - not within the stars."

She had been walking the edge of the room, her long fingers running over the construction, taking in the style of the ship, but she turned toward him as her last words finished, a sudden curiosity on her features, "Are there windows to see the stars when we travel? I mean... if I am on the ship when it takes such a voyage. I daresay our current trip will likely not take us so close."

@Silvan Haven @Hekazu

@CoyoteLovely@Hekazu



So many questions and not a hint of fear or worry in her voice. It made Fionn happy he had met Nakreyya. He didn't regret coming to this world but ever since arriving his chances to talk about such things had been highly limited. It made him feel like he was hiding part of himself.

"There are multitudes of worlds that create artificial intelligences. Although I wouldn't call the greater form 'unlimited.' It is more like the difference between a very smart animal and a humanoid. The former can perform certain tasks very well, it may have things it likes or dislikes. But it is not an actual person. The later is. Only at their core most of them are only minds. Without souls and not inhabiting a permanent body the some you and I do."

They reached the end of the hallway, a particularly solid and impressive looking archway before them. Unlike every other door so far it did not open at their approach. Fionn had to reach out and place a hand on the pad next to it. Closing his eyes while he did so. After a second of silent communication the door split and slid soundlessly aside.

The room the two entered was obviously important. The walls and ceiling of the circular chamber appeared to be one giant window showing the forest surrounding the ship. The floor a matte black metal. Taking up the center of the room was a set of chairs. Twelve in a wide arc with a single larger one set slightly above and behind the rest. The entire room had a smooth downward tilt starting from a couple feet past the doorway.

The young Captain resumed speaking as he made his way towards the central chair. "My ship is more than a civilian vessel but less than a military one. Hence the designation. If the Guardian was full military she would be the KNS Wandering Guardian. Kindred Navy Ship.' He sat down and a screen appeared before him, hovering in the air and slightly see through.

Icons and words flashed in rapid succession. All of them in the language of Home so it was unlikely his companion understood the digital objects. Instead of translating Fionn raised a hand and pointed out the 'window.'

"Watch."

The view outside was shifting...rising. There was no indication of it aside from what their eyes could see. No subtle shift in balance, no sudden tug downward from the increase in G forces. Nothing but the trees falling away beneath them. Already the ship was several hundred feet in the air showed no signs of slowing down. In fact it was starting to speed up, rising higher and turning to the southeast.

Fionn just sat there with a wide grin on his face, watching Nakreyya's reaction.

Nakreyya listened to Fionn's explanation of these artificial intelligences. There were larger questions that his statement posed. The presence of a soul, and how to define one being paramount in her mind... however, she felt that this sort of philosophical debate was largely outside of her realm of knowledge, and did not need to be approached at this time. She was more interested in what was possible, and less so about the ramifications of those possibilities. Still though - it was amazing to see what other cultures and planets were capable of making.

All things that had been considered were real somewhere. The universe was vast.

As they entered the central hub of the ship - the nerve center and brain, as Nakreyya understood it, she found herself walking the edge of it, looking at the strange language that filled the screens and the interfaces that allowed an individual to interact with those screens. A smile crossed her features, though she dared not touch anything, not understanding what they were. Here and there an icon was simple enough to be clear to her - but on the whole it was a strange and fascinating new world.

Her attention was drawn by his voice, as he motioned her to the windows toward the front of the room. She walked over, and placed her hands on the glass as the ship began to lift off from the floor. She felt no odd movement, not like flight on the back of the Nightmare, where her stomach felt as though it were moving in her body. This was smooth, as though she were watching something on the screen that were not happening to her... Like a... television show, if she remembered the words correctly.

She looked back to Fionn after a moment. His expression was pleased at her reaction, and she laughed slightly, "I must seem as a child to you. All wonder and mystery... This is truly a stunning sight, however, to be so high up and yet feel none of the movement. I have flown before - but on winged or magical creatures. Not on a ship such as this one."

She let herself be drawn into the sight before her. Her eyes scanning upward to look for the stars, to see the edge of the horizon from so far above. She had little chance to see the worlds she visited as the pearls they were. Spherical places of life in a vast nothingness, so separated from everywhere else. Insular places, so different, and yet, so beautiful.

There was so much life. So many different ways of being... it was truly staggering if one allowed herself to think on it.

@Hekazu @Silvan Haven

@CoyoteLovely@Hekazu



Nakreyya's laugh teased out a similar chuckle from Fionn himself. He smiled as he rose from his chair and spoke. "There is no shame in feeling wonder at such a completely new experience. It is my pleasure to show it to you." He gave her couple minutes longer to enjoy the view as they sped across the landscape, eventually clearing his throat and speaking again. "The flight will take us about twenty minutes and I have a few more areas I would like to show you. You should enjoy the engineering section even if we can't get to anything else.

She might not be able to understand much if anything that went on within that esoteric section but he was certain she would have a blast anyway. Heck, if what he had seen so far was any indication she might just decide to live down there if she became a permanent member of the crew.

After flying for a while Will spotted where the Rzail Empire began and he went to land. It was a desolate, scarred area where sorcery had been massively released. Once landed with his wings gone, he bent down and scooped up some soil, letting it drain from his hand. The soil was dry, lacked in nutrients, and was black from where sorcery had been cast. Necromancy was the main cause of the scarring. It was an evil path for a sorcerer to follow, but very powerful and very taxing on the land in which it was cast. He let the rest of the soil flow from his hand, then he once again surrounded himself in his shield and summoned his wings. "I'll find out what is happening at the obelisk," he muttered to himself, "and see if it threatens life on the planet". He jumped back into the air and took off toward the obelisk.

Several sources led to Will's journey to the Rzail empire. Some talk in a bar, a report in a King's paper, rumor from guards on the road. A powerful sorcerer mentioned that he had felt a reawakening power and that it was originated somewhere in Rzail lands. A trip to the library led Will to believe that a necromancer was involved in the awakening of the power, as the stories told of a massive war between Rzail and many, many other kingdoms.

Nakreyya pushed off against the window with one hand and turned to face Fionn, "If you are pulling me away from a view like this one, then I assume it is for something even more spectacular. However, I must insist that you show me the stars at some point before our ways part."

She walked back to Fionn and allowed him to guide her toward the Engineering Section. She listened to the engine, the sound of their footsteps, the noises of the machinery. Her eyes would close briefly on the walk, as if trying to listen to every little sound, every moving piece.

"The mechanics of this ship are so silent. I am accustomed to gears turning, and the noises of things. Are there not moving parts within this vessel?" Nak asked with curiosity as they walked along.

@Silvan Haven @Hekazu

@CoyoteLovely@Hekazu



The duo headed back to the small transportation chamber as Nakreyya spoke. Fionn fiddled with the screen once they were inside, switching the view on the screen to another section of the ship before touching one of the glowing dots. Another flash of white filled the room before the doors opened and the young man led them out.

This section had the same utilitarian look as the area around the cargo bay. Silverwhite walls and a black floor that was simultaneously smooth enough to slid along and yet provided excellent traction when walked across. Doorway arches dotted the corridor before them. Writing was engraved atop each arch in the same flowing script as that on the console on the bridge.

Turning to the left Fionn answered her question as he started walking. "There are a few but none in the same way you are used to. We primarily use less mmm, physical, ways of manipulating the world around us. I don't suppose you had a chance to learn about the electromagnetic spectrum or advanced thaumaturgic principles?"

Best to find out what she did and didn't know now. While they had this moment of relative peace.

"I understand some of Thaumaturgy, my people do much with magic. I am... familiar with magnetism, however, I have not heard of the electromagnetic - I can only imagine they are related somehow," Nakreyya said as she followed along with him. She ran her fingertips lightly along the walls of the ship as she walked, her one eye somehow both focused on the world around her and far, far away.

"How long have your people been traveling among the stars? Is it possible to make a map over so much distance? I wonder if I could find where I came from... not that I wish to return."

She looked in any doorways that they walked by, just glancing in to see if she could discern the purpose of the room before continuing to follow. She was acclimated to walking large buildings - and this ship seemed to be fairly similar, though the space was utilized better than her old tower had been - less waste. She was impressed with the design of the hall and the room, making so much of the space without managing to feel claustrophobic.

"It really is a beautiful ship..."

@Hekazu@Silvan Haven

It was four in the morning when Rosa got the call. Groaning, she rolled to the other side of her bed and picked up her phone. It was Don Cavelero, a guy who charged people to use his portal network, and who had occasionally notified Rosa about jobs he'd heard of. Not the prettiest little flower in the bunch, but he usually had the smarts not to call people when they wer sleeping. Whatever this was, it must be important.

She answered the call. "What the Hell, Don? Do you have any idea-"

"I know, I know." He cut her off. "Look, I've got a good reason for waking you, just hear me out, alright?"

Rosa narrowed her eyebrows, even though don couldn't see her. "Talk fast."

"You know, it doesn't matter how tough you are, you can't threaten me from half an hour's drive away. Okay, listen, I've been getting a lot of business lately. Yes, I know you don't give a damn, but here's the thing: everyone's coming from Ecetopia, and three quarters don't even care where they go. The richer ones are offering three or four times my fee just to leave immediately. I think something's going down over there. It's not widespread panic, not yet, but I think maybe one or two smaller cities have gotten word, and they're all getting out while the rest are oblivious."

"Don, if you're right, this is major. You can't just go making guesses about this kind of thing."

"I get it, but there's more. I think I know what's spooked them. When this first came up, I started digging around. Ancient libraries and tombs and stuff; this is the real deal. Some lich guy is apparently coming back to life, that's what my pal said. Rzail, or somewhere like that. Just thought you'd want to check it out."

Rosa thought about her time in Ecetopia. She knew the area. "Rzail? Can't be. There's nothing in Rzail, nothing except-" Oh. Oh, no.

"Nothing except what? Rosa, what's going on?"

"Don't worry. Just have a portal ready in fourty-five minutes. I'm going to Ecetopia."

"Have you forg-"

"No, I haven't forgotten. I can pay."

@CoyoteLovely@Hekazu



"A very, very long time. Long enough to make some very good maps. If you tell me the name of your world we can probably find it on one of them."

He stopped in front of a particularly large door at the end of the long hallway. A scanner was set into the wall next to it, identical to the one back up at the bridge. Fionn once again placed his hand on the scanner and the door slid quietly open. With a grin at Nakreyya the armored mage led the way inside Main Engineering.

The room within followed the same design aesthetic as the rest of the ship. Silverwhite and smooth. Elegant but not fragile. It was a bit different here however. This was the main entrance to the guts of the ship and a definite workplace. Drones floated in and out of access hatches set into the walls and ceiling. Tool lockers clustered here and there and electronic screens were plastered onto just about every piece of machinery in sight. Of which there was a lot.

The most impressive spectacle took up the entire center of the large chamber. A massive sphere of white metal and blue crystal. It soared for dozens of meters overhead and the air around it shimmered faintly. The crystals pulsed brilliantly in time to an unheard rhythm. Pipes and crystalline conduits sprouted from it and vanished into the closest flat surface whether that be part of the floor, ceiling or walls. Off to deliver life giving power to the rest of the ship.

"This is Wandering Guardian's heart. Her main reactor is placed here, next to what would normally be dozens of skilled engineers to make sure everything runs smoothly. Unfortunately with the distinct lack of crew members those duties have fallen to the drones controlled by Guardian's AI. Enough to keep her running but I would rather not go into battle like this."

There was something about the threat of destruction on a global scale by an ancient and terrible villain who was barely defeated the first time that encouraged Rosa to get up that morning. After she got the call, Rosa had gotten ready and left her apartment within ten minutes. Having put her foot down all the way to the secluded grey building where Don kept his portal, she had soon paid him and left for Ecetopia. She arrived instantly.

Rosa stepped out of the portal, stumbling slightly as she re-entered existence. The sight that awaited her was worrying, to say the least. There was an encampment of maybe a thousand people, all waiting to leave Ecetopia, delayed by the time needed for a portal to form. It was a sight to see, and only reinforced the importance of her quest. With only the slightest pause to force the pessimism from her mind, Rosa set off into Ecetopia's grasslands.

On top of Rosa's usual gear for Ecetopia was a backpack filled with various items useful while travelling: a flask of water, trail rations, rope, and so on. All this faded into a black mist as she changed; she grew in height and stature, her face stretched forwards, and her teeth lengthened. Her whole body was covered with fur, and her eyes had changed hauntingly, as they had lost their human intelligence and compassion, seemingly replaced by a kind of animalistic cunning. The sun was setting on Ecetopia, so no one would see her as she travelled. This, she had planned - to travel at night as her faster, more enduring self, avoiding humanoid settlements until the day, when she would return to normal and rest. Though this might seem strange to the inhabitants, it was for the greater good. This way, she could travel faster, and therefore reduce the risk of their doom.

And so, Rosa began the journey to Rzail.

"Thaucia..." Nakreyya said, in return to the question of what her homeworld was called. "Though they would not be pleased to see me, were I to return. I am simply curious as to how far I have gone... and wish to ensure I do not accidentally make my way back."

She followed after Fionn, walking the inside of the ship. Her fingertips touched the walls still, as though trying to memorize every curve. Most of the machines she'd worked on were, at most, large enough to sit on - she'd never been in a machine she could walk through. Somehow meandering the arteries of a massive construction such as this gave her a sense of belonging that she had not felt in a very long time.

That feeling only settled deeper into her soul when she was lead into the beating heart of the ship. Nakreyya stepped into the center of the room as Fionn opened the door for her, her one eye looking up at the spectacle before her.

"It is... breathtaking, Fionn, truly," she said, quietly. She turned her attention to the Drones, watching them buzz around like so much blood through the heart of the vessel. Tentatively, she walked forward, looking over the consoles, trying to see how much she understood - trying to know where her place in this vast universe was. "This is quite the marvel. I do hope your people are proud of all that they have accomplished."

@Silvan Haven@Hekazu

@CoyoteLovely@Hekazu



"We are." Came the admission. There was something else in those words. Past the pride at the compliment lay a...sadness or perhaps some bone deep tiredness. "Our technology is advanced, our magic powerful. Back Home our lives are as close to perfect as one can hope for in the mortal realm. A man could live his entire life without raising a finger. His every need seen to by servitor drones. But it comes at a cost."

A sad smile graced his face as he stared at the softly pulsing heart of the ship. "Our lives are perfect, but what of the rest of the galaxy? Wars destroy entire civilizations. Cities comprised of nothing but
slums. Warlords, crime bosses and corrupt politicians destroy what could have been full and happy lives."

He turned to her then with that same sad smile still on his face. "We look at a universe constantly devolving into chaos and misery and find that we can't bear to just stand by and watch. So people like me leave behind perfection. We come out here and do what we can to make the universe a better place. It can get...lonely, at times."

Before he could say more a nearby drone chirped at them, causing the young man to tilt his head as if listening to something. The sadness left his face and was replaced by satisfaction.

"Ah, our destination approaches. We should return to the cargo bay so we don't leave Grug waiting any longer than needed. Oh and I should have told you earlier but if you need any supplies for the trip ahead simply speak your requests aloud and the Guardian will have them waiting for us."

OOC: Group to Rzail.

Kolhatu sighed. Not that anyone could hear him. The great god-king had been reduced to this.... a spirit trapped in the sword of this foolish young whelp, wielded for the most trivial of purposes, things for which a mere twig would have been equally suitable. Last week Ivas had used his blade's shapeshifting powers to snag an old lady's kitten out of a tree where it had trapped itself. Yesterday, the boy had gone around town spearing pieces of trash and depositing them in their proper bins, having learned of the crime of "littering" and developed a fresh obsession with it as the best way to "help society." In Kolhatu's day, warriors did not concern themselves with such lowly tasks.

The spirit of the ancient emperor almost wished that he had never sealed his essence away in the ancestral blade, but it was the way of his people. How could he have known that his would be the last generation before the Great Corruption sealed him off from the world for over nine thousand years? Now he and the magical sword that he resided within were the only thing left of a once great and mighty civilization. His power was supposed to be wielded by a worthy successor to the throne, not some idiot from another era! To make things even worse, for obvious reasons, Ivas had never undergone the proper ritual ceremonies to be able to commune directly with the spirit in the blade. The boy was none the wiser regarding the true nature of "Edge," as he had named his "cool sword."

Kolhatu had made peace with all of this, for the most part, but as a warrior at heart, he still thirsted for battle, for blood, for a true struggle and a worthy foe whose flesh his steel could rend. He would not be satisfied serving as a glorified gardening instrument (as today, Ivas was using him to trim the town's hedges free of charge, a "heroic service" which the local mayor found equal parts helpful and amusing). He needed to make Ivas go to Rzail, the land of strife and undeath, where monsters and demons still walked.... yet no matter how many times he planted visions of the place into the boy's dreams, it was to no avail. The best he could get out of Ivas was a "wow, what a spooky nightmare!" upon waking. Perhaps he needed something to tempt the fool, a carrot to hang from the end of the proverbial stick....

That night, Kolhatu tried something different. Instead of just a straightforward vision of the place, he gave Ivas visions of impossibly cute and attractive young girls, accompanied by the assurance that these angels could be found only in the land known as Rzail. Among his ancestral people, it was said that any warrior who died in glorious combat would be awarded 72 virgins upon ascending to heaven afterwards, and Kolhatu had seen how effective such a promise was in spurring men to hurl themselves into certain death. Some had even been known to use their own bodies as fuel for explosive magical spells in their eagerness to hurry along to this heaven. As god-emperor, he had known that it was of course just a ruse, but if it had worked on them, it would surely work on this rube.



Ivas awoke practically drooling with the dream still fresh in his mind. He had never imagined that such beautiful creatures could possibly exist!

"Go to.... Rzail? Well! I guess I'm off on my first real adventure. This time there'll be a princess at the end for sure, four of them even!"

The orange gemstone containing Kolhatu's soul blinked in approval, the warlord himself being equally excited by the promise of once again experiencing a true battle. Even better, Ivas might die in battle so that he could get picked up by someone more worthy!