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Picking Up Stars Vice Captain
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 Posted: Wed Jan 02, 2008 4:40 pm
He really didn't think he was getting off that easy, did he? He must. But she had children to attend to. Taking Lyssie from Sevilin, she let the little girl cling to her tightly and rubbed her back whispering to her in drow. "They're children, you imbecile." Shaking her head and wishing to plow her fist right into Malik's face. Kicking the sword. "Get that...thing out of here. Immediately."
Zykariel wanted to be little again and have his Daddy make everything better. But he wasn't and Malik's words did nothing since he didn't even hear them. Blood was roaring in his ears and he suddenly felt drained but he knew most of that was the discharge and his father's actions as well. Now his body would feel achy just like it had when he was a kid and setting things off all over the place. "D-dad..."
--
Kelligrin didn't want to be set down, he wanted to be cuddled. He wanted to be held and soothed and Daddy wasnt' doing it. Why wasn't Daddy doing it? Oh right, Faate was making boo boos. He was all too happy to cling to his brother, happy to see him and buried his head in his shoulder. "Mommy?"
Faate didn't know what to do, especially when a plate struck her in the head and she nearly fell. She sank back into a chair, her energy slowly draining while the pain in her head built up and disarmed her even more. She glared at him and flung one of the remaining plates on the table at him. "Kariel! That's not even funny. What did you see to make you that terrified? And where's Mama? Where's Lyssie? Is everyone alright?"
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Posted: Wed Jan 02, 2008 5:22 pm
Malik's face hardened.
"I do what needs done. We've no way to find out how they are, where they are. all we have up until this moment is a vague location we hope is right from Galesen and knowledge that whomever this is has the nigh unheard of ability to put elves into days long comas on command. wether you want to think about it or not, odds are there is no trail from that location. the degree of power at command even hinted at is more than enough for translocation, and false trails and imagery. with an enchanter at my disposal, I could cover my tracks so well that only sevilin would even have a prayer of finding me."
Glancing between them all.
"Our children are missing. my youngest, and your youngest. Ransom is only one possible outcome, there are others that I don't even want to fathom right now but I know are possible. I have droag scouring the skies and the lands for anything and everything below the surface, and I have sent word to Onyx and Moonstone to search above. with any luck, Fianna and Kieran will be here soon. I don't care what I have to do, or to whom I have to do it, to get anything and all possible results to find our children."
sheathing his sword with an audible sound.
"I will destroy this world and everyone in it if I have to. Don't think I won't. that includes friends. Nothing, and no one, comes before family. if it meant getting the kids back, I'd rip the skin of of Galesen is fifteen seconds and you could even time it."
Malik marched himself past the rest of them and downstairs, and noted broog, and the boy from the tournament with Galesen. he gave them a moment's pause, before going further downstairs, slamming the steel door that he only closed when he was either very upset, or was doing something he didn't want anyone able to interfere with.
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Posted: Wed Jan 02, 2008 9:12 pm
"Oh don't worry about it, Broog is a nice guy once you get to know him. No one else here will brand you as a kidnapper" Gods did the kid look like he was going to faint, though Galesen didn't worry since after awhile the initial shock of everything here will go away after a bit. He looked to his right to see Malik for a breif moment then a loud noised echoed through the house before Galesen turned the the elf. "I think it's best if he do not bug Malik for awhile." A blink then as Mykorian went about asking who worked for Malik. "Huh? What do you mean by 'nells?" A pause as he stared at the elf for a minute. "Wait a sec...Myrkorian just what are you sensing?"
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Posted: Wed Jan 02, 2008 9:31 pm
"Malik..." Didn't matter really...she could scream at him, she could plead with him, she could get on her knees and bed him like a slave and it still wouldn't matter. She liked to think that he was being so abrasive simply because he wasn't sure how to deal with this situation and how he was feeling without being violent about it. Brushing her hand through her son's hair, she put him at arms length for a moment and watched him...it was easy to read what he was feeling...and Malik didn't help with his abrubtness...he had rocked his son's world and then just left the waters churning. "Your father is not that man. He speaks the truth Malikhai...that's what Malvolence does when it is let to have it's way with it's weilder. I promise you...he doesn't enjoy what he once was." Or at least she hoped not. He had a certain tone of pride always on the subject of himself...but always seemed to want to keep that away from his family. "In time...he would of told you about it all in a less...abrupt way, but you know how things are right now."
"Things are not well at all...I take it." Fianna walked quietly into the room, travel pack slung over her shoulder and a concerned look on her face as her fingers fiddled with a ring on a chain around her neck, a nervous habit she had developed.
"Mother...you came alone?" Which was odd and worrisome too.
"Kieran is...not well. It's best if he stays back home, but I brought what you needed." A survey of the room told her that things were off...no one seemed happy and she didn't have any real knowledge of what was going on. "Are you all going to fill me in or no?"
Her father...wasn't well? Tack another horrid thing on. "Someone's taken Dhairiss, Kelligrin and Faatallon...and we have little to no leads." She knew how her mother was taking the news, but she hid it well under the facade of a royal who wasn't allowed to show too much emotion at any one time in these situations. She was a leader...sometimes stronger than Piper ever thought she herself would be. "Malik is downstairs..."
Fianna nodded and gave a look to the Intharas, giving a respectful nod to Sevilin and a pat to Zahara's shoulder as well. "Do we have any clues so far? Any signs at all."
"None. They're bold to...don't care if they set off runics but at teh same time...they seem untracible." And thusly he turned his attention to his son as his wife handled thier daughter. He let the boy lean against him, lightly petting through the child's hair and over his back in that soothing fashion, carefully monitoring magic levels a moment and letting the boy have a little of that energy back, just enough to make him comfortable....it had been years since he had an outburst like that.
He swallowed and stepped back at the look Malik gave in passing, but stayed quiet...which seemed to be a good idea from Galesen's advice. He blinked. "What you didn't feel it? That magic flare that Lord Inthara was just talking about. They happen all the time topside. We're used to it. The 'nells make them. Or rather that's their nickname. They're called Stry'nellsicks...and boy do you not want to tangle with them...cause a ton of touble and you never know where they are. Or who rather. Tricky devils."
--
"Mommy is busy Kelli. If you keep her from her work then she's not going to get here. Can't you have fun with us little guy? Hm? I'll teach you to throw something really good." Petting his brother's hair before a smirk to his sister. "Sorry, Destyny got into a spot of trouble and I just sorta freaked you know? But everyone is alright save from bouncing off of me. You worry too much sis."
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Fractured Moonlight Captain
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Posted: Wed Jan 02, 2008 9:42 pm
Galesen blinked in kind as he stared at the half elf with interest. It seemed that the boy and Sevilin could sense something that no one else could. "No I don't sense magic flares, I was never in the kind of environment like you or Sevilin to actually be able to notice them." A pause as he heard their true name and slowly he sat back in his seat. "Stry'nellsicks..." Slowly he looked at Mykorian for a moment before he leaned forward in his seat. "Okay Mykorian, you tell me what you know about these 'nells. I never heard of these creatures and if you say they cause trouble and come from the surface then it's a big deal right now. Especially since they are down here and were in Twilight. So please tell me everything."
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Posted: Wed Jan 02, 2008 9:51 pm
"Um okay let me see..." Apparently this was important because he was using the grown up voice that said he needed to be very very accurate and truthful in what he was saying. "A lot of people have never heard of them, but my father warned me about them. He was around when they...what did he call it...when they came to be in a manner. He said that they came to life when Labyrinth's Surface world did. They're opportunistic and selfish creatures." Pausing to think again. "You can't see them,or feel them, or touch them until they've taken someone's form or someone's actual body. Kinda don't have their own to much, it unstable. I guess you could call them shifters or dopplegangers. That's all he told me other than to stay away from them."
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Fractured Moonlight Captain
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Posted: Wed Jan 02, 2008 10:06 pm
Galesen kept quiet as he looked at the half elf, it seemed that the gods were kind and decided that Mykorian should come to them now. So he just kept quiet, his ears twitching up and down until the half elf said a few words, then he got the elder elf attention completely and fully. With the surprised look on his face Mykorian could probably tell that he said something right.
"Dopplegangers..." The word echoed from his mouth like a bloody curse. So the people who came and took the kids weren't illusionists, they were freaking dopplegangers! That's why he couldn't tell the two from the real Piper and Sevilin, they took the same exact form of both elves! "Mykorian thank you, you've just help everyone very much. Now come with me." Up went Galesen and toward the door where the others were. Knocking on it he waited for a moment before opening it and entered. "Guys, I just found out something that could help us a lot." A pause as he waited for the half elf to enter the room. "You can stop guessing who it is who took your children. Mykorian told me that there were Stry'nellsicks here, or in better terms dopplegangers from Labyrinth's surface." He turned to the elf and smiled lightly. "Tell them what you told me. About the magic flare and everything."
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Posted: Wed Jan 02, 2008 10:24 pm
Malik had one of his enchanters by the throat, and held clear off the ground in a vicegrip that would make a clamp proud.
"That is not the answer I want to hear come from you again. You must have found something. some trace, some effect, some gods be damned thing!"
before dropping the tier'dal woman, who rubbed her throat, before grabbing something that looked like an abstract artist decided to try metalwork.
"A trace, a flicker, a damned split second image. something. this place has enough magical barriers to make a Shissar feel safe, and I want an answer and I want one right this very second."
The tier'dal looked at the device in Malik's hand, and back at malik. then back at the device.
"We'll find something. we just need more time, that's all. a more detailed analysis of all the wards and protective spells."
"Time? how much time do you think we have, hmm? how much time have you been given already! For the love of the pantheon, there's at least fifty of you casters in this building! necromancers, conjurors, enchanters, wizards, priests....and in the time you've been given, all you can tell me is we can't find anything. You could have found a specific grain of salt in an ocean by now if I'd asked and you claim to know nothing!?"
Malik jammed the device in the woman's stomach, and gave it a hard twist, causing her to scream and grip his shoulder.
"This is for your first failure. At least now I won't have to worry about you passing on your stupidity to another generation!"
before ripping the device back out and tossing it at the others around him, and picking the woman up, who was teary eyed but more afraid than anything else.
"You have until the midday of tomorrow to find something tangible. if not, you'll be replaced. and you better pray to any diety that will listen that what you find does not show injury or worse to my children or I will make you beg Innoruuk for the mercy of his personal torture chambers, just like those that took my son are going to."
Malik hated feeling vulnerable. Hated feeling powerless. Hated being scared of things. and right now he was all three. he felt vulnerable and powerless against an unseen enemy, and afraid for his youngest son. It was a father's duty, his place, to protect his family. his purpose in life once he had one. and now one of his children had been taken.
He didn't know what to do. the father he was wanted to march to war and reclaim his son. the military mind however reminded him of the futilty of that, and the advantages the enemy could easily take with wayward and unfocused thrashing about. No ransom note. no signs, no messages, no veiled threats or clues.
He went to his private study and looked around, before just grabbing the desk and flipping it up and over in frustration.
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Fractured Moonlight Captain
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Posted: Wed Jan 02, 2008 10:24 pm
Well, the look said that he had said something right, but the tone of voice used afterwards made it seem like he had said something wrong. "You're welcome?" But then he was being ushered into the next room over where there seemed to be a whole mess of those he had seen before, and then one he'd never seen before at all. She looked surface. And then put on the spot by Galesen he seemed to faulter again at the sudden expectation. "Er well...they're hard to track down because you can't detect them till they take form and they came about when the surface was created...I only know about them becuse their magics feel a certain way and I was told to stay away from them..."
She didn't seem to take the news well..."They...came about when the surface did?" Seeing the boy's nod...she as struck with her own feeling of disbelief...after all, she was responsible for cultivating the surface of this place...which meant she fostered the beings that were now tormenting them? That is if they were one in the same. But then a frown, "When did he get here Galesen?" After all...she was paranoid of others right now...who was to say the boy wasn't one of these things.
Fianna and Sevilin seemed to share a look, maybe it was a Master Rune Mage thing, before Fianna sighed lightly. "Valuable information if valid." Turning and heading for the stairs. You all keep at it...I'm going to go see Malik." Thusly heading downstairs to where she knew Malik was. What with all the nosie and feelings he was throwing off it wasn't hard. And well...she'd never been afraid of him. Just cautious.
"Boy...are you sure you're speaking the truth and not just some child's tale? Such things are not to be taken lightly and you don't sound too confident about that." Of course him being worried about his children made him skeptical to things...especially false leads that would waste time.
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Posted: Wed Jan 02, 2008 10:37 pm
Galesen blinked at Piper before he thought back to when he first saw the boy. "About close to a half an hour ago. He just made the trip here from the surface and I saw him outside while waiting with Barhnel." A look to Fianna and he gave a nod. "Sure it's the only good thing we got going for us." Though he silently wished her luck as she went about to go see Malik. Though he looked to Sevilin and paused for a moment, the man had his right to be cautious about this information. It was hard to swallow but still it was good enough for Galesen. "Sorry to butt in here but I think he is telling the truth. The "Piper" and "Sevilin" I saw were way too real, even for an illusion if there was one. I think these creatures exist and for what reason they took the kids is yet still unknown, they do things for self gain so there is a reason behind all of this."
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Posted: Wed Jan 02, 2008 10:51 pm
He didn't need to see her to know she was there. His hands were clenched, and he twitched occasionally, a military brain working to calm, control, calculate and redirect anger, frustration, and worry into more useful energy.
"What is it."
his voice was grated and not the calm, serious, buisness-like voice that he normally had when dealing with anyone. Malik was having a little breakdown, but was keeping it to himself except for his wife really at the moment. of course that coudl filter to Fianna and Malikhai.
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Posted: Thu Jan 03, 2008 9:48 am
"Self gain is little reason...but I suppose it's more than nothing. If these things are what he says they are and if he's telling the truth...and he better be telling the truth because I'm not above ripping people apart right now for information." Indeed, his methods much mirrored Malik's...Sevilin just had the mindful ways of keeping such things to himself and employing them when they need to.
They were a funny pair...both trying to not let it show how bad they both were off, even if they could feel it and both unwilling to distract the other. But she refocused her attention on the boy before them as well as comforting their own selves. "How do they pick and choose? Do you have to come into contact with them?"
He thought again for a moment. "Erm...I don't think so, but I was never told otherwise what it was. Maybe they can just do it...I don't think my parents told me in effort to protect me."
She merely watched him in his own turmoil for the moment...one didn't need bonds to know the sight of a man who was trying to keep himself together and for perhaps the first time in his life was finding himself unable to deal with things. "You know...you're allowed to be upset and helpless too. No one would fault you for it. Even if you think you're not allowed to or have to be the strong one. Such matters aren't something you should try to be in charge of...I would know." Giving him a moment of silence.
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Fractured Moonlight Captain
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Posted: Thu Jan 03, 2008 10:26 am
"I have to be in charge. I must be in control. without control, this place would collapse upon itself. My family if my responsibility to protect, and I find myself in a situation I cannot do that in at the moment."
He turned to look at her.
"Yes, the Intharas, You, my family might not fault me. but the breakers would. the magi and priests under my command would. the droag would. They are kept in line by fear. by my control over myself, my ability to respond with accurate and precise force if needed."
A frown.
"To show weakness is to spill blood in a pool of barracuda. I must keep that appearance up. I want my son back. I want him back now, and I want those that took him to suffer in manners that only Ravenwing would even begin to fathom. I want the mere rumor of what happens to them to make that obsidian annoyance on Andal's blood run cold and make her skin crawl."
then looking around.
"But here I stand. I know nothing of my enemy, only that they employ powerful magic and have found ways to circumvent the elven races reverie and make us 'sleep' on command for days at a time. I tormented my oldest, and sevilin's oldest, to panic the missing children. a wasted and harmful effort. it produced nothing. thier bonds flared, but gave nothing to even so much as indicate a direction."
"I may have destroyed my son's faith in me in an instant, and I may have crippled any relationship I might have with Sevilin's son as well. I'm angered and upset both Piper and Zahara in the process as well. and who knows what that vain attempt gave those that are holding our children as ammunition for whatever plans they have."
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Posted: Thu Jan 03, 2008 10:35 am
Zahara gave a nod to Fianna, still comforting her daughter on a couch at the back of the room. The poor girl was so terrified that all she wanted to do was bury her head in her mother's shoulder and cry. She couldn't even tell her what she'd seen. Zahara's anger at Malik just kept spiking and he was lucky the Fianna decided to go visit him or she'd have gone down there adn given him what for for neglecting his wife when she needed him the most. b*****d. Soothing thoughts to her daughter for a moment, before she set her aside and walked over. "Sevilin, don't scare him. Mykorian! I knew that was you. And you know for sure that these things are what took the children?" Pulling him into a hug. "I'm so glad you came back. Faate will be..." Trailing off for a moment and she squeezed the boy a little tighter then released him, laying a hand on Galesen's cheek and returning to her other daughter.
--
Faate collapsed back in her chair, running her hands through her hair and longing to throw something else at her brother. "Next time please remember that there are others who are affected by your little bursts." Sniffing, "You scared Kelli." Her father got a cursory nod adn then she began cleaning up her things. The fact that Sevilin hadn't had any adverse reaction to what had happened meant nothing. Her father had never gotten out of control when bonds went haywire. He often showed up but never an outward reaction. She knew it had something to do with control or something. Mama had explained it to her one time. Daddy wasn't like the rest of them because he had more control over his emotions and power or something.
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Picking Up Stars Vice Captain
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Posted: Thu Jan 03, 2008 2:51 pm
A look to Sevilin as he just went about saying he would do harm to Mykorian if he was lying, Galesen didn't like that but the older drow cared for his children so he did understand why he would go so far if someone would lie to him. "Right now it's all the positive information we got rather than sitting around and thinking up of the who and the why. This is a better lead than having none." Though he listened to the half elf as he replied to Piper. "Well if they just do it then they must of came after both families because they figured out that the kids were something they needed. If they go through all of this for themselves then why not go after other families around here or even Andal? Right now though it's better to find them then figure out their reason. Once found I think they'll tell us why they did all of this." Malik would make sure to find out the why, Galesen knew that.
A small smile from Galesen as Zahara went about being kind to Mykorian, at least the half elf wouldn't have to worry about all the grown ups coming after him. Though he was worried that once Malik found out that the boy had information just how far would he bug the kid for it? His thoughts were suddenly derailed when he felt a hand press against his cheek, blinking he looked at Zahara for a moment. His own eyes watched her own for a tiny bit before she pulled away, and he let out a short breath when she did before turning back to Sevilin. "I say we try and track these 'nells. We still got the area where I saw them maybe we can pick up the trail from there."
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