@GrizzTheMauler@ShwiggityShwahThorin did not budge a single step from his position no matter what movement Nidhogan made, simply looking up at the creature. The Amali shared a close relationship with nature however he was unsure if he was ready for the affection to be returned. He never would understand why the maiden of the sacred grove would ever create beings like this. Apple after apple bounced off the metal carapace of the construct like it was nothing more than a normal rain. He and the others were not created to handle situation like this. The best he could was to utilize the master's teachings. If anyone could properly understand the Veidish being before him, it would be the master. He did reason however that the cascade of apples was the creature's way of greeting or a gift to show its good nature.
"I thank you for the gift. However, please do not do it inside the castle." He kept his tone relaxed.
A mental sigh was released as Thorin complied with Nidhogan's wishes and walked over to Suriel's position along with the other guest. It appeared to be capable of at least rudimentary speech although with the maturity of a young child. The Anserian sentinel seemed to be just about finished with her work, the wounds of the dragon were barely noticeable at this point. The Veidish seemed to be extremely interested it her magic, which was understandable since it was the similar magic of life that flowed within Nidhogan. Thorin decided to turn his attention to Suriel for the moment.
"How is the young dragonling?" It asked with light sarcasm.
Suriel made let out a slightly annoyed sigh, and she would have rolled her eyes if she had them
"Alive, of course. He should be waking up at any moment." Her response was quick and a bit harsh.
What was unexpected was the transformation into a human form that left the dragon's new body looking particular exposed. Suriel did feel a bit of pride being called an angel, however the mention of Dromon brought her focus back on Vilkas. Gramps? That would be in severe violation of the accords. No, if this was even the Dromon she was thinking of then he would never do such a thing. But if this child was a pupil of his, then... she was ripped out of her thoughts by Vilkas standing up. Suriel stood up herself and watched him to make sure there were no lingering effects of his wounds. She turned to face him while Thorin waked up to the back gate. The scars and markings on his body gave more credence to the possibility he was Dromon's student. All doubt was removed as Vilkas dropped Dromon's full title.
"You are a funny one, but you are welcome Vilkas." She began by accepting his thanks, nearly laughing at his naive notion
"The Old Way? So that is his plan. I see." She thought out loud
"That is correct, child. What you seek is here...along with a fresh wardrobe."Thorin watched as the three interacted before observing Nidhogan making its way towards the door with a strange, expectant demeanor. Like a child, it did not have the slightest idea of the sanctity nor power of this place. And like a child, it would need to be instructed in proper behavior. All in good time. A resource that was very abundant here. He gestured for Suriel and Vilaks to come along and follow in the Veidish's large footsteps.
"It is time to enter the Sanctuary and join the others." He voiced strongly.
The wolfish construct approached the door and laid his hand upon the center where a noticeable exchange of energy was conducted. After removing his hand, the sound of several mechanisms moving preceded the actual opening of the large, single door. This entrance also lead into the central chamber, where they would regroup with Bradamante and the rest.
"Be sure to follow me and do not wander off. Without the master's blessing, you will find this place to be quite difficult to traverse." He gave this as both a warning and a piece of wisdom.
Thorin entered first and if Nidhogan had tried to rush in without him, he would had paralyzed him with magic before would get one branch in. A brief inconvenience at most. Suriel on the other hand would be the last one to enter. If one would take notice, none of the constructs made that much noise with their movements as one might expected of a person wearing full-plate armor. After a short walk into the interior of the castle and the central chamber, the four would join with those already standing in the center of the room.
@HokumPocus@Landaus Five-One@Lyla@Rune_Alchemist@GrizzTheMauler@ShwiggityShwahBradamante gaze shot directly at Tania after she cast the spell and ultimately caused the young Stephanie to faint at the sight of the illusionary snake. One fact that Tania knew after staying here was that no spell cast escaped the senses of the Sanctuary's elite guard. His gaze returned quickly to the group as they reacted to Stephanie. It was always fascinating to him to observe the actions of others when another is in need. One of the directives that drove him and the other sentinels was a code of minimal interference. They were supposed to refrain from using their magic and powers from assisting guests when at all possible. Everything that he observed pleased him. The compassion they had all expressed was very admirable. It would make their time at the Sanctuary all the more easier. However, not all who came to the Sanctuary were as open-minded as these three. From behind, he felt the presence of four others enter the Sanctuary and turned around to meet them. It seemed that Thorin and Suriel had managed to secure the missing guests.
"It appears the rest have arrived. Excellent. The master shall be here at any moment."
No long after he said this, a figure began to descend from the top of the large staircase. He was dressed in a black vest with a intricate pattern resembling vines just a shade lighter, with a white dress shirt underneath. Masterfully-crafted black leather gloves covered the entirety of his hands and were pulled over the sleeves of his dress shirt. A pair of high-quality, black pants covered his legs and a pair of black leather shoes were worn on his feet. The incredibly quality and craftsmanship was not nearly as the mask that covered the entirety of his face. One side was black while the other was white. Each side had an eye of opposite color that seemed to expand and contract to reflect the wearer's emotions. For anyone that could sense magical energy, he gave off an aura no more than a regular human. The master finished walking down the stairs and made his way over to the new group of guests and stood right next to Bradamante.
Every step he took was with a subtle elegance as there was no wasted energy. His back did not slouch for even a split-second nor did his muscles tense. Physically speaking, he was not that imposing or impressive for a human. Rez only stood at an average five foot eleven inches and while his body was clearly fit, its muscles were barely expressed. The only true remarkable feature that the group could see was the thick, well-groomed silver hair on his head. Even so, every movement he made seemed to carry with it a power of its own. The deep feeling that with a simple flick of his wrist could send any one of them into oblivion. His gaze drifted from the right to left, seemingly taking in each of the people he saw before him. Nidhogan would not see any yellow, red, blue, or green from this person. Only white. Rez placed his hands behind his back as he adopted a slightly wide stance, preparing to speak to the new children of his home.
"This is a rather large and diverse group I see." The eyes formed into crescents, with the two points of each crescent facing downwards
"I am the master of this castle, that you may call the Sanctuary. I am pleased that after your long journey you can now find safety..." His attention shifted quickly to Stephanie, Vilkas, and Nidhogan
"...and the answers that you seek." This time his attention turned towards Asri and Ar'oa, then looked at the group as a whole
"You may call Mister R, Master R, or just R if you so choose."Now this was the most interesting development in the Sanctuary for very long time. A group as large as this was rare on its own but never had he seen such a wide cast of individuals. The magic located in the necklace belonging to the human girl was clear to his eyes and its very presence irritated him. The invasion of one's personal thought was an extreme injustice, and to project such privacy to the world was unforgivable. It was clear to him just by examining her expressions that this was not the only torture she had gone through. No matter how much you try to hide it, that kind of life leaves behind permanent signs. This he knew.
Next was an Anubis of unusual size. His presence would surely cause Ve'tal to be ecstatic with a member of her kin in the Sanctuary once more. Rez could feel the mark of a powerful curse upon the young cub, one that was surprisingly strong. It was only sensible to assume that he had come here seeking to free himself of its influence. Rez could remove the curse in mere minutes yet that would not be nearly as beneficial if the Anubis managed to purge himself of the curse. The act of doing so would open more possibilities for the Anubis. Reading their expressions still proved to be a bit of a chore for him.
The presence he felt from the half-breed woman was the first time in centuries that he felt an genuine sense of unease. She did not need to speak or even make a gesture for Rez to understand the message she brought with her. There was only one other time he had felt such a presence. Already she appeared to be an accomplished warrior which would make the next months that much easier. As it turned out, she was not the only that had him reminiscing about the past. Rez could see right through Vilkas's human disguise and the mark that Divine Dragon Dromon has placed upon him. If his old friend was indeed training a disciple, then it appeared that time was coming. This place was the only one left in this world that could accomplish both of the goals held by Asri and Vilkas.
Upon seeing Nidhogan, Rez felt a feeling similar to a person seeing a treasured pet that they had not seen in a long time. It was not often one had the chance to see a new race emerge from the earth and grow. Green magic, or the Magic of Life as he knew it, was beautifully woven into the very essence of the one known as Nidhogan before him. The birth of the Veidish bent the very rules of the accords by which he was bound to, yet it so masterfully avoided breaking them. A spark of hope from the slight sorrow he felt from Asri and Vilkas.
"I would be grateful if you would all give me your name before we begin." He asked pleasantly.
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