@Aristocles

"Let me check on his wounds, I know it seems quite early but I have spoken with my head mage. And he told me what I should do to ease the pain" She said softly moving towards Smith.

Placing her hands on her son's cheeks, Her hands glowing a soft green while Smith was eyeing Kara. The process was quick with Leonore asking Smith to walk a bit.

Smith did so finding the pain had eased up, Leonore lifting Smith's arm and turning his head slowly checking him.

"Yes, she is a cleric," Yssil replied, not elaborating any further. At Aerta's next question, his eyes lit up with interest. "Unless you are needed with this situation," he nodded at the other guests "we can begin right now."

@Eviledd1984

"Well, that seems like it works. If you don't mind my asking, why didn't you or your mage just do that for Smith in the first place?" Kara wondered.

@SilverPaw

"Alright, we can begin now, then. Come with me to my magic lab downstairs. There's room for us to practice, don't worry. Adykon has a room for his magical practice as well, but he doesn't like calling it that. He's more of a fighter than a mage, you know" Aerta explained.

@Aristocles

"When you two left me and my head mage had tried to find a remedy for the pain my son was feeling, And what we found was a spell form a tomb in my personal library" She said softly, Smith meanwhile was glaring at his mother.

@Eviledd1984

"I see. Well, could you apply it to him, please? He's your son and my lover. We both want him to be happy and healthy." It might have been an obvious statement on Kara's part, but if it helped to get Leonore to care for her son, she'd say a thousand trite statements.

@Aristocles

"I have already applied the magic to help him,Anyway let us proceed with your training" Leonore said giving Kara a stern look. Smith meanwhile was nodding his head wanting to become stronger to protect Kara.

"Yes, I'd agree," Ardasa said, standing up and taking one last look at the statue of Arda. "There is such a thing as too much piety, after all." She laughed a little at her own joke, then realized that perhaps that was not the best thing to say to a priest of the faith. "Erm . . . I mean . . . there are plenty of other matters to attend to."
________________________________
Rughoi sighed in relief, reading the last parts of the letter over and over again to reaffirm that it was real. Rebat was fine. The legion was fine. Rebat had written back regarding the status of the treaty being kept in Hekaga. He writes in glowing terms, not hiding in any way his admiration for the old city of dracons. At the bottom, he had signed with a Bythesea rune, as was the growing fashion among both dracon and kobold alike. Still, though, a part of the message worried him. It seems the Hekaga nobility are interested in furthering the alliance between the two nations, and wish to meet with him in person, or at least a close representative. Rughoi was not looking forward to that.
_______________________________
That's odd. Kutur didn't know how exactly one votes for the next archmage, but he was pretty sure it wasn't this. He felt like he was floating, as if in water. It was dark all around him, cool as well, yet he felt at peace. He enjoyed this feeling of serenity, letting the not-quite-water flow around his scales and into his snout when he breathed. Then, a flicker of light shone out from far away. In front of it stood a figure, kobold by the looks of it. Suddenly, that feeling of water was gone. He was standing on solid ground, in thin air.

"Hey!" he called out, to the figure. It didn't respond. "Hey!" he shouted again. This time, he did, and Kutur now wished he hadn't. The kobold was dead, by the looks of it. His scales hung off his skin, and his head was tilted in a way that suggested there was no muscle holding it up. His fear grew ever more when it opened its mouth and spoke.

"Who am I?" it whispered, in a voice so strong that Kutur trembled. "Where is my throne?"

"Where is your throne?" Kutur said, unable to keep his voice from quavering.

"My throne, yes," the figure responded again. "Someone has stolen it. Someone who is neither first nor last, and not deserving of either. My throne, spilled from its perch by the blood of the tainted. Blood that has no ties to the dragons that bore the seed of the gods."

"Who are you?" Kutur asked. "I can help . . . I think. If I knew who you were, I could. I hope."

"Who am I?" The figure mimicked. His eyes, once dead and drooping towards the floor, suddenly came to life and oriented towards Kutur. They glowed and danced, as if there was a fire burning behind the iris. "I am the first, and had fate been truer, the last. Sutam is but liar, pretender, and player to what was once reality."

"Sutam was the Conquerer, was he not?" Kutur asked. "He was the famous second Son of the Dragons. There are almost as many tales of him as there were the first."

"Yet not quite as many," the figure said, pointing with a bony finger straight at Kutur's chest. "The blood given to him was from kobold, not dragon. The blood given to the liars after, all kobold, and now, not even that. I am first, and last. My throne is stolen. WHO AM I!?" he shouted, and in that moment Kutur knew.

"You are Arjun, who was the Brave," he breathed. The moment he said that, the dead figure began to change. First it was the snout, then the face, turning from gray to brown to dull red. Kutur was looking not at Arjun, but at himself.

"I am no longer. You are Arjun, who never was, yet always is. It is his blood that flows through you, and it is your throne that is stolen. Let the fire run free, my son. The Arjunids are not gone yet."

In the halls of the Constantsea university, Kutur looked up at the dome above. He was not in control of himself. He felt powerful, invincible, like he could jump and leave the sorry ground behind. Filled with that conviction, he opened his mouth to speak, but words did not leave. They had been replaced by fire, glowing white hot, erupting from his small form and scalding the dome above dark black. Then, the moment was passed, and he slumped to the ground in a dreamless sleep.

"A laboratory? That sound very professional. I certainly wouldn't mind having one," Yssil replied as he followed Aerta downstairs. "Will we do meditation? Combat? Or do you want to see some of what I can do first, to evaluate me?" he questioned.

@Eviledd1984

"Mind if I tag along?" Kara asked, wanting to make sure that everything went well for Smith. She didn't think that Leonore was going to try anything bad, but she wanted to make sure that Smith wasn't going to injure himself or put too much strain on his still-recovering body.

@bloonewb

"Let us find our Lord Rughoi. I am sure that there must be some kind of courtly ceremony that needs attending to. If there isn't I'm sure I can make one up between now and when we reach the throne room, or wherever our lord is at this moment." Kali thought about it. Religion was one thing, but ceremony was another. There were countless rituals for the kobolds and dracons alike, but there was no one canonical set of rites for either species. If Kali were to make one, there was no list which could be referred to in order to disprove her. "As the ruler of this city, it will fall to him to preside over countless ceremonies and celebrations. Whose to say that we can't add more?"

@SilverPaw

"Neither. At least, not yet. I'd like to see what you know of ritual magic" Aerta explained. "It's funny. I have a kobold friend who's very big on rituals. She's a cleric, by the ways. Says that if a ritual doesn't exist for a purpose that she'd just make one up. Anyway, I'd like to see if you can follow the steps I show you and perform a ritual spell. Any questions about that?"

@Aristocles

Leonore nodded her head allowing the dracon to come with her, She was planning to train him first on healing magic. This school of magic would be useful in battle, Then afterwards she would teach him earth based magic.

The three of them heading out towards the back of the house.

Ardasa made her way into the main hall of the palace, to find a familiar sight. Rughoi was pacing nervously around the room, especially around the throne. As usual, he never sat in it. She had never seen him sit on his throne since he had it raised up, and suspected that it only existed so he had a focus to refer to his control over Xigyll.

"Is something the matter?" Ardasa said, almost sighing when Rughoi jolted and hastily turned. He was so consumed by his thoughts some days, he could be snuck up on without any difficulty at all.

"No," he said firmly, but Ardasa knew better. She tilted her head and mock-glared at him, letting him know in no uncertain terms that she saw through his lie. "Yes . . . " he said, caving. "Something is always the matter. That is how thrones work."

"I'm well aware," Ardasa said. "You have to remember, it's not your empire anymore. It's ours. These people followed the two of us to freedom, not just you or I. So, how about we not keep so many things close to vest, eh?"

"I suppose . . . " Rughoi said. He was not as firm as he usually is, she noted. Either Kali is a diplomatic genius who's little tactics were nigh upon mind control, or something must really be eating at his mind. "It's Hekaga. They want to negotiate a more secure deal with us, one that involves the presence of what they deem 'of esteemed birth'." He waved the letter in his hand as he quoted it, which Rebat himself had written in quotation runes. "Apparently, Rebat is not close enough. They want to speak to me, it seems. I can't leave Xigyll! There's so much to handle! Especially not for . . . months? Years?"

"Or me," Ardasa blurted, before she could think. Rughoi's eyes lit up, and Ardasa began to have second thoughts. Had she just signed herself up to a diplomatic mission? For months, or even years? Rughoi's last sentence rang in her head, repeating itself like a horrific repressed memory resurfacing.

"Yes . . . yes! You could go!" he said. "We're a team now, right? Like you said?" Urgh, Hetuis take her poor wording! She gave a crooked half-smile.

"Yeah . . . " she said, weakly. "A team . . . that's what I said . . . " Pressure was her enemy, now and forever more. It had seemed so easy going over it with Kali, too.

"I haven't often performed rituals, but I'm familiar with the basics. I may have further questions once you describe the procedure for this one, though," Yssil answered.

@Eviledd1984

Kara stood near the two fey, her feet firmly planted on the soft green grass. It was hard for her to get used to thinking of Smith as something other than a human, but she was all the more intrigued. Their child would inherit magical power from both sides of the family, something she was eager to see when their egg was conceived, laid, and finally hatched.

@bloonewb

Kali observed the royal exchange from a distance. Apart from the usual information she would relay to Aerta, the priestess' thoughts turned to those of her friend. Ardasa had always been good to her, and now it looked as if she might be leaved Xigyll for a while. With Kutur gone and with her duties as a cleric preventing her from leaving the city, it seemed as if Kali might be left alone. It was not a thought she relished, given that she had already been lovesick when Kutur had to go to Constantsea for a time.

@SilverPaw

Aerta replied to Yssil as they marched down to the lab. "Feel free to ask me anything at any time." A few moments later, they descended a flight of stairs to enter a well-lite basement room with a large section covered in light blue tiles with several shapes drawn in what appeared to be white chalk. The tiling contrasted greatly with the dull brown wood of the rest of the floor along with the light gray walls. Propped up against the walls, one could see over a dozen large bookshelves filled almost to capacity, accompanied by several tables and cabinets full of magical paraphernalia.

"Now, I trust you are familiar with the various forms of ritual circles? It's really more of a catch-all term for the shapes that a ritual can take place over, if the ritual makes use of a shape at all. I can reconfigure the circle you see here, for instance."

@Aristocles

Smith was following behind Leonore and was beside Kara, When the two of them had arrived at the garden the tall fey turned to face them. "Please come closer and close your eyes" She said which Smith did so but letting out a soft grunt, Doing so as Leonore was chanting softly in the fey language. Smith soon joined speaking the fey language which seemed to grow louder even though they were speaking in a whisper.

The whole council was reaching its end. The magisters say their goodbyes to each other, and preparations for the great portal are being completed, which theoretically should take everybody to their respective homes. Sure, a few mages always slip through and end up in the wrong place, but that's how magic is. Kutur stares guiltily up at the black mark he left when he drank the potion. That moment, that feeling, was etched permanently into his mind. The feeling of flying and power, of being for just one moment a dragon. Still, though, someone will have to clean the mark, and possibly repaint. Probably an apprentice or small village's mage. It won't be easy, that's for sure. Poor lad.

He closed his eyes and stepped through the portal. The brilliant purple enveloped him, then faded, leaving him in the hall of Xigyll. Rughoi stared at him like he just appeared out of thin air, which to be fair, he had.

"Your Might, Your Mercy, I sincerely apologize for my absence. I know that I have a duty to the peoples of Xigyll, and resolve to carry out that duty. Tomorrow. Good day," Kutur said, before either Rughoi or Ardasa could act. Then, he simply turned and walked out of the hall, through the front door, and made a beeline for his hut away from the city. Right now, he needed to be alone.

"I will," Yssil said as he followed Aerta down into the lab. He marveled at the beauty of the room, even though it was small compared to the rooms the academy he occasionally visited in Hekaga had been. But having a laboratory like this in a personal home was impressive indeed. Curiously, he approached the various magical equipment and materials. Some of them he recognized by sight if not necessarily their function, but a few seemed rare and were probably very valuable and collected over Aerta's life. He wondered how many of the objects had an adventure and a story behind them. But even more, he was interested in learning all he did not yet know. Although he had come here to learn both the physical and magical arts, and still intended to do both, he was beginning to realize that he was a bit more drawn towards magic. He was sure, however, that he could make both work.

"Yes, I am aware that any kind of shape can be used. I don't think I've ever performed one without drawing any shape at all, but I've heard of them. I know the applications of rituals are...extensive, but so far I mostly used the magic which comes most naturally to me - my own, as a manifestation of my specific power, will and intent. I am looking forward to expand my practical knowledge though," he explained. "What kind of shape will we be using then? If any at all?" Yssil asked as Aerta pointed out the circle.

(Sorry for the delay! Job stuff. Got a new sale. Now I have more time for this.)

@Eviledd1984

Kara listened carefully to what they were doing. Their speech was both a whisper and loud at the same time. Even with her limited knowledge of the Fey, she knew that they were a race of paradoxes. In the world but not of it, fragile yet unbreakable, familiar yet alien. And apparently quiet but loud.

She was unfamiliar with their language, so she didn't exactly understand what they were saying. She was surprised to hear Smith replying in the language.

"Uh... Smith? Since when did you know how to speak Fey?"

@bloonewb

Kali caught sight of Kutur as he walked through the streets of the city. Although Xigyll still resembled nothing so much as a giant construction sight, there was no mistaking the kobold she loved.

She ran over to him and gave him a hug. "Oh, there's nothing for you to be sorry for! I'm just glad to see you again, my scaly st-" she realized that she was in public. While kobolds weren't exactly known for their modesty, it was still a bit of an outburst by their standards.

"S-sorry about that. I'm just glad to have you back. The royal court is happy to see you too, I am sure."

@SilverPaw

"We will begin with simple shapes, starting with a triangle" Aerta explained. With a few gestures, she reshaped one of the more complex formations in the floor into the figure of an equilateral triangle.

"Now, it is important to note that these shapes are of a metaphysical nature. Unlike shapes you can draw with a pen, these aren't very close approximations. In other words, the triangle before you is exactly equal in all three sides and is precisely 180 degrees. You have to understand the nature of shapes in order to use them in spells, which is why simple shapes correspond to simple rituals. We can summon simple beings from this magic triangle, such as the least of elementals, the thralls. I admit that the name is kind of degrading, but there you go."

She held out her hands, the white-skinned palms facing the pure white lines of the shape in the floor. Within moments, the shape began to glow and a series of lines filled the center of the triangle. The air grew moist as a tiny water elemental suddenly rose from the center of the magic figure, hovering in the air before them.

"I just conjured a water thrall from its elemental plane. While it is in the circle, it is bound in place. It cannot leave until I allow it. Any questions so far, Yssil?"

@Aristocles

When the two of them stopped their strange chanting, The two of them looking at each other deeply. "I did not know...I could speak Fey" Smith said keeping eye contact with his mother.

Leonore started to do hand motions speaking softly in Fey, Smith starting to copy her words and movement.

@Eviledd1984

"Oh, well, er... don't let me stop you, then" Kara remarked, her voice nearly a stutter. She didn't understand what was happening, but she got the idea that it was something not normally meant for the eyes of anyone not of fey blood. In fact, it was probably a ritual normally forbidden to outsiders, so she considered herself lucky to be allowed to be able to see it.

@Aristocles

Their hand motions and words continuing with Smith saying the words like it came natural to him, Their words getting louder and louder as if their was many fey's speaking these words. Their hands glowing like before with them now moving their bodies and with a keen eye it would look like their was a shadow or after effect of their movement.

This continued on for about two hours and stopping with Leonore speaking these words, "At win en bedial" She said softly and Smith repeated these words as they bowed to each other.